363: I can't keep updating to chapter 339; it feels like I'm about to reach the monthly limit again.

The moment her phone vibrated, Kim Taeyeon was lying on a bed that didn't belong to her.

Im Yoona's bed.

Yesterday evening, Im Yoona finished her physical training for "the crab" and returned to the dorm to find Kim Taeyeon curled up alone on the living room sofa, staring blankly at her phone with an expression like an abandoned puppy.

"Unnie?" Im Yoona was stunned at the time. "Why are you in my dorm?"

Kim Taeyeon was startled awake, hurriedly hiding her phone behind her back and forcing an extremely unnatural smile: "Ah... that... Sunny went out, I was bored by myself... so, so I came over to chat with you..."

Im Yoona looked at her eyes, her heart as clear as a mirror.

It was true that Sunny went out, and it was true that she was bored, but the real reason—was likely that someone didn't dare to be alone, because once it got quiet, she would think of a certain mark on a neck, a certain "why is it so sweet," and that night so embarrassing it made her want to emigrate to Mars.

So Im Yoona said nothing, just smilingly pulled her into the room, cooked ramen, opened a bottle of wine (controlling the amount this time), and the two chatted until late at night, finally just squeezing into one bed to sleep.

At this moment, the morning sunlight spilled in through the gap in the curtains. Kim Taeyeon groggily reached for her phone and clicked on the new message—

[Tima really wants to live today]: Unnie! When I mentioned the thing about the neck just now, Oppa blushed! I bet he's definitely thinking of you!

The attached photo was a scenic shot of Jeju Island's sea. In the shade of the trees in the distance, a tall figure was vaguely visible. The focus was a small detail in the bottom right corner of the photo—Jiang Zhiyu's profile, with a clearly visible flush on his earlobe.

Kim Taeyeon stared at that photo, her pupils shaking.

The temperature of her cheeks surged at a rate visible to the naked eye, going from slightly warm to burning hot in just one second.

He's thinking of me.

When Lee Tima said he blushed, he must have been thinking of me.

Why... why is he blushing! What's there to blush about! Clearly I'm... I'm the one who should be embarrassed! I'm the one who humiliated myself all the way to outer space! He's the one who was... was... that-ed by me!

Kim Taeyeon buried her face in the pillow, letting out a muffled whimper.

Im Yoona rolled over beside her, groggily opening her eyes: "Unnie? What's wrong?"

"No, nothing!" Kim Taeyeon's voice came from the pillow, sounding muffled. "Go back to sleep!"

Im Yoona: "..." This is what you call nothing?

But she didn't call her out, just silently closed her eyes and pretended to continue sleeping.

Kim Taeyeon lifted her head from the pillow and took another look at that photo.

His earlobe...

It really is red...

She suddenly remembered something else.

Lemm.

That Lemm that Jiang Zhiyu said he would give her, the one exclusive to her, light blue like "the clear sea under the midsummer sun."

"I'll give it to you in a while."

When was that said? Over a month ago! That morning, he suddenly appeared with hand-cooked white porridge and sleeping incense, describing the color of Lemm in a tone that made her heart race, saying things like "a gift exclusive to Kim Taeyeon," and "in the future, TG and SM's deep cooperation will involve me personally participating in your music projects"...

And the result?

It's been over a month!

Forget Lemm, there hasn't even been a single message!

The more Kim Taeyeon thought about it, the angrier she got, her cheeks puffing out.

What "exclusive gift"! What "in a while"! A man's mouth is a lying ghost!

No.

Jiang Zhiyu isn't a man yet; he's a younger brother.

A younger brother's words are even less trustworthy! Younger brothers are even better liars than men! Younger brothers are a species whose mouths are full of nonsense! Especially talented and good-looking younger brothers, they are walking lie-manufacturing machines! Best at using that harmless face to say things that make your heart race, then patting their butts and leaving, leaving her here to overthink all alone!

But...

Her gaze fell on that photo again.

His earlobe... it really did turn red...

He's thinking of me.

This thought was like a piece of candy, slowly melting in her heart, so sweet she couldn't help but turn up the corners of her mouth.

Kim Taeyeon suddenly sat up.

Im Yoona: "...Unnie?"

Kim Taeyeon ignored her, staring at the phone screen, her gaze gradually becoming firm.

Should I go find him?

Under the pretext of a set visit?

Since Lee Tima is also over there, I'm going to see my little sister—that's a very legitimate reason, right?

And while I'm at it...

While I'm at it, I'll urge him to give me the Lemm! Yes, just to urge him to fulfill his promise!

After he gives me the Lemm, there will be no need for any private contact between us anymore!

Then we'll return to a normal working relationship, a senior-junior relationship!

Normal!

Normal!

She repeated the last word three times in her mind, nodding vigorously as if that could convince herself.

She picked up her phone and started typing.

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona you absolutely must not provoke 💢]: Oh... so did he say anything?

After thinking about it, she felt this was too deliberate, so she quickly added another one:

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona you absolutely must not provoke 💢]: Never mind, Tima! Have fun!

After sending it, she placed her phone face down on the bed and took a deep breath.

Im Yoona's voice rang out faintly: "Unnie, who are you chatting with?"

"No, nothing!" Kim Taeyeon denied reflexively. "It's just Tima, she's in Jeju Island, sending me photos..."

"Jeju Island?" Im Yoona opened her eyes. "Oh, that (G)I-DLE variety show, right? I heard about it."

"Yeah..." Kim Taeyeon responded, then suddenly thought of something, her eyes lighting up. "Yoona!"

"Hmm?"

"What do you think..." Kim Taeyeon weighed her words, "about us going to Jeju Island for a trip?"

Im Yoona was stunned.

"Jeju Island?"

"Yeah!" The more Kim Taeyeon spoke, the more she felt this was a brilliant idea. "Look, you've been training so hard lately, you need to relax. I... I also haven't been out for a walk in a long time. The scenery in Jeju Island is good, the air is good, and..." she paused, "and Tima is there, we can just happen to go see her!"

Im Yoona was silent for two seconds.

Her gaze fell on Kim Taeyeon's face, those eyes that were currently written all over with "I have a brilliant plan," those slightly flushed cheeks, that expression that was clearly making an excuse yet thought it was well-hidden...

A complex feeling welled up in Im Yoona's heart.

She naturally knew the real reason Kim Taeyeon wanted to go to Jeju Island.

It wasn't for the scenery.

It wasn't to relax.

It wasn't even to see Lee Tima.

It was for that person.

The one who was currently under the sun of Jeju Island, being stolen glances at by the (G)I-DLE members, and whose reddened earlobe was photographed by Lee Tima—Jiang Zhiyu.

Im Yoona lowered her eyes, masking the flash of complex emotion in them.

What were her feelings... for Jiang Zhiyu?

From the initial variety show rivals, prankster enemies, to the director and lead actress of "the crab," spending day and night together during those closed training days. His seriousness when teaching her fighting techniques, his surprise when he praised her for having "killing intent in her eyes," the maturity beyond his years he occasionally showed, and his occasional gentleness...

And that night, when he drove her home and told her Kim Soo-yeon's secret in the car, that unreserved trust.

He said: "I trust Noona."

Those four words had kept her awake all night.

But now, Taeyeon Unnie was going too.

The person who knew Jiang Zhiyu earlier than she did, had collaborated more, and had a more complex and subtle relationship with him.

The person who, after getting drunk at the barbecue restaurant, left that mark on his neck in front of everyone.

Im Yoona raised her eyes, meeting Kim Taeyeon's expectant gaze.

She saw in those doe-like eyes nervousness, expectation, and a trace of... anxiety that she herself might not even be aware of.

Just like a young girl about to see her sweetheart, yet afraid of being rejected.

Im Yoona's heart suddenly softened.

They were teammates. Sisters. People who had walked together for over a decade, closer than blood relatives.

And...

She remembered the way Jiang Zhiyu looked at her during training. It was the look of a director at an actress, a producer at a project... a look without personal feelings, without ambiguity, only professionalism and expectation.

He had never looked at her with the kind of gaze that made her heart race.

Unlike how he was with Taeyeon Unnie—she had seen them together. The way Jiang Zhiyu looked at Taeyeon Unnie always carried an indescribable warmth, like a cautious probe, or a restrained gentleness.

It was different.

Im Yoona took a deep breath and pulled out a smile.

"Unnie."

Kim Taeyeon looked at her nervously.

"When do we leave?"

Kim Taeyeon's eyes instantly lit up, like two little stars being ignited.

"Really?! You're willing to go with me?!"

"Yeah." Im Yoona nodded. "Anyway, the crew is on break these few days, and I just happened to want to go out for a walk. Jeju Island... is pretty good."

What she didn't say was—

By going with you, maybe I'll be able to see my own heart clearly.

Kim Taeyeon had already excitedly lunged forward to hug her: "Yoona, you're the best! Let's book the tickets now! No, check the flights first! No, see where Tima is staying first! Also no..."

She scrambled for her phone, opening the booking app, then the chat app, then the map, falling into a state of complete chaos.

Looking at her like this, Im Yoona couldn't help but laugh.

The smile was a bit bitter, but she didn't let Kim Taeyeon see it.

"Unnie, don't rush. Let's get up first, have breakfast, and then plan slowly."

"Okay! I'll listen to you!"

Kim Taeyeon jumped off the bed and ran barefoot to the bathroom, leaving behind a trail of light footsteps.

Im Yoona sat on the bed, watching her back, then looked down at her own phone.

On the screen was her chat history with Jiang Zhiyu—only a few messages related to work, brief, professional, and without warmth.

She suddenly remembered that night in the car when he said "I trust Noona," the clear trust in his eyes.

And later, when he corrected her movements during training, he would occasionally lightly steady her wrist or shoulder. That touch, as if it weren't there, made her heart race yet she didn't dare to think too much.

Thinking about it now, those were probably just the normal guidance of a director to an actress.

Im Yoona sighed softly and put her phone aside.

Forget it.

Accompany Unnie to Jeju Island first.

As for what will happen when we get there...

She didn't know.

But she thought she would find out.

[Jeju Island · TG Variety Show Filming Site]

Lee Tima was on the beach explaining the setup for the next mission to the (G)I-DLE members when her phone suddenly vibrated non-stop.

She took a moment to look—

Kim Taeyeon: Tima! Yoona and I are planning to go to Jeju Island to find you guys! We'll probably arrive tomorrow! Don't miss me too much~

Kim Taeyeon: By the way, don't tell your brother! We want to give him a surprise!

Kim Taeyeon: [Location Sharing · Seoul Gimpo Airport]

Kim Taeyeon: [Flight Information Screenshot]

Kim Taeyeon: We're boarding! See you in Jeju Island!

Lee Tima stared at the phone screen, her whole body frozen in place.

Cho Mi Yeon leaned over: "What's wrong? Why such a strange expression?"

Lee Tima looked up, her face wearing a complex expression of "I'm about to witness history."

"Nothing." She took a deep breath and put her phone away. "Just thinking... the next few days might be very exciting."

She turned to look at the tall figure in the shade of the trees in the distance, still focused on work, her mouth slowly widening into a meaningful smile.

Oppa, are you ready?

Taeyeon Unnie is coming.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhiyu, who was reviewing the flowchart for the next round of missions, suddenly sneezed for no reason.

He rubbed his nose and looked up at the sky with a frown.

The sunlight on Jeju Island was good, the sea breeze was gentle, and everything was normal.

But for some reason, he had an inexplicable... ominous premonition.

"Tima," he called out loudly.

Lee Tima came skipping over: "Yes?"

"Confirm the work schedule for the next few days with me again."

"Okay, okay~"

Lee Tima nodded obediently, but a hint of cunning smile was hidden in her eyes.

Oppa, you want to confirm the work schedule?

Sure, I'll confirm it with you.

Anyway, once Taeyeon Unnie arrives tomorrow, all your arrangements will be thrown into chaos~

She was already starting to look forward to that scene.

——

[Part 1: The Inheritance of Evil · Lee Tima's "Debut Ceremony"]

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

The morning sunlight spilled over the sea of Jeju Island, glistening, with seagulls calling; everything was as beautiful as a postcard.

Except for—the wails coming from the seaside cottage, one after another.

"Congratulations, everyone!" Lee Tima stood in the center of the guesthouse living room, holding a makeshift megaphone made of cardboard, her little face radiating the kind of excitement that said, "I can finally prank people legitimately."

"Starting today, (G)I-DLE 'naughty kids operation' will welcome a brand new—evil upgrade!"

Behind her, Jiang Zhiyu sat on the sofa, holding that cup of Sweet Soy Milk he never let go of, legs crossed leisurely, with a satisfied smile on his face that said, "My kid has grown up."

"Let me introduce her properly," he lifted his chin, pointing at Lee Tima, "Your new writer—Head of the TG Future Variety Department, the newly minted Goddess of Evil Variety, the number one disciple under me, Jiang Zhiyu—"

"The Idea King!" Lee Tima finished for him, hands on her hips, chest puffed out, her little face tilted up, "Specially responsible for designing all sorts of exciting segments that will make you love and hate us, and drive you absolutely crazy!"

The six members of (G)I-DLE looked at her in unison, their expressions complex.

Song Yuqi opened her mouth and asked with difficulty, "So... those green peppers and bitter melons from yesterday, they weren't the worst of it?"

Lee Tima revealed a pure smile, "That was just the appetizer~"

Jeon Soyeon took a deep breath. As the leader, she felt she had a responsibility to maintain the team's morale: "Tima, we are close partners, you know, and we older sisters treat you pretty well usually—"

"That's right!" Lee Tima nodded seriously, "That's why I specially designed a special segment to 'enhance team bonding'! I guarantee it will let you have fun, enjoy yourselves, and your bond will be even stronger after playing!"

She paused and added, "Although in the process, you might... um, want to hit someone. But after hitting, your bond will be even better! Really! I've studied psychology!"

Ye Shuhua looked expressionless, "Who do you want to hit?"

Lee Tima pointed at Jiang Zhiyu on the sofa without hesitation, "Him!"

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak, Lee Tima had already added, "But he's the boss, so you can't hit him, which means you can only hit me."

Cho Mi Yeon raised her hand weakly, "Um... can we request to change writers?"

Lee Tima's smile didn't change, "Nope~"

Kim Minnie whispered to Xu Suizhen beside her, "Why do I feel like this little girl is even scarier than her brother?"

Xu Suizhen was silent for a second, then slowly nodded, "Agreed."

[Part 2: The Addition of a New Character · The Bad Girl Whale, Zhenzhen]

Just as all of (G)I-DLE were immersed in the despair of "possibly living a life worse than death in the next few days," the door to the guesthouse was pushed open, and a huge figure squeezed in.

No, not huge—it was "colossal."

A person wearing a whale mascot suit—or to be precise, a whale wearing a pink bikini, a seashell hair clip on its head, and heavy makeup on its face—struggled to squeeze through the doorway, complaining while squeezing in with a voice processed by a voice changer, "What kind of crappy door is this! Did you consider a whale's size when designing it?!"

She finally squeezed in and stood up straight—well, she wasn't actually that tall, but the volume of the mascot suit made her look like a moving mountain.

"Everyone!" Lee Tima raised the megaphone again, "Let me introduce—the new member of the Bikini Bottom bullies! Mr. Krabs' daughter! The bad girl whale—Zhenzhen!!!"

The whale Zhenzhen raised a fin and waved at everyone, the expression on her face (if the mascot suit had an expression) looked quite smug.

"I heard there's a group of Naughty Kids who want to compete with us?" Her voice carried a certain spoiled rich girl arrogance, "Perfect, I love teaching disobedient children a lesson!"

Patrick Star poked his head out from behind her, clapping his hands with a silly smile, "Zhenzhen is here! Zhenzhen is here! We can play even more games!"

Muscle SpongeBob also walked over and nodded at Zhenzhen, his two big front teeth shining.

The six members of (G)I-DLE looked at each other.

Song Yuqi whispered, "So now we are... five bullies + one whale rich kid, against six Naughty Kids?"

Ye Shuhua looked expressionless, "My math is bad, but I feel like we are at a numerical disadvantage."

"And they have a whale," Kim Minnie added.

"What's wrong with a whale?" Cho Mi Yeon asked, confused.

"Whales can spray water."

"...Is that a basic skill for whales?"

"I don't know, but if it's a game segment, it definitely will be."

Everyone was silent.

This premonition would likely come true.

Sure enough, Lee Tima cleared her throat and began to announce today's game rules: "Today's theme is—'Good Kid Transformation Project'!"

She pulled a huge drawing board from behind her, covered in various diagrams.

"First, the six of you will be divided into two groups! Three people per group!"

"Then, you will perform two games simultaneously!"

She pointed to the inside of the guesthouse—it had been decorated into a space full of mechanisms and obstacles, filled with colorful building blocks, flashing signs, and "Level Guardians" wearing various strange costumes.

"Group One—stay inside the guesthouse and conduct the 'Building Block Parts Collection Battle'!"

She pointed to those Level Guardians: "These cute big brothers and sisters each have the building block parts you need. But to get the parts, you must complete the 'Good Kid Tasks' they give you!"

She began to list them on her fingers:

"Recitation Task—randomly pick a text, and you must recite the whole thing! You can't get a single word wrong!"

"Arithmetic Task—three-digit multiplication by three-digit, mental math! No phones allowed!"

"Chinese Copying—we give you a paragraph of Chinese, and you must copy it three times in the neatest handwriting! If you get one stroke wrong, you start over!"

"English Vocabulary Dictation—randomly pick ten advanced TOPIK words, and you must spell them all correctly!"

"And—the most exciting one!" She paused, her eyes glowing, "Pick three characters, and write three lines of poetry on the spot! It must rhyme! It must have poetic imagery! No using existing ancient poems!"

Everyone: "..."

Song Yuqi raised her hand: "May I ask, what does this have to do with us being 'Naughty Kids'?"

Lee Tima answered as a matter of course: "Of course it's related! Aren't you Naughty Kids? What Naughty Kids hate most is studying! Making you do these tasks is the greatest punishment for you! And it's the most effective 'Good Kid Transformation'!"

"..."

This logic, it didn't seem wrong?

"What about the second group?" Jeon Soyeon asked.

Lee Tima pointed to the center of the living room—a huge grid had been drawn there, and an electronic screen was hanging above it.

"Group Two—perform the 'Quick Command Challenge'!"

"The screen will randomly call out limb movements! For example, 'Left hand touch the ground! Right leg lift! Right hand touch head! Left leg extend back!' You must strike the pose according to the command within one second!"

"The team that holds out the longest wins! If you fall, make a mistake, or your form isn't right halfway through—you're directly eliminated!"

She revealed a devilish smile: "The essence of this game is—the commands will get faster and faster! More and more perverted! For example—"

She cleared her throat and read quickly:

"'Left hand touch right foot! Right hand touch left ear! Left leg lift! Right leg bend! Head tilt back! Butt stick out!'"

She finished reading and looked at everyone: "Do you want to try?"

Ye Shuhua tried to do it, and three seconds later—"Plop," she fell to the ground.

Everyone: "..."

"One more thing," Lee Tima added, her smile even brighter, "The losing team will receive a punishment—"

She clapped her hands, and a staff member pushed a cart in, with a row of bizarre-colored food on it.

A green mushy base, dotted with octopus tentacles (still wiggling slightly), edible plastic eyeballs (looking like they were staring at you), human skulls carved from radishes (with ferocious expressions)...

"Ta-da—!!!" Lee Tima introduced excitedly, "Plankton's special—Chum Bucket Slop!!!"

"Octopus tentacles! Edible decorative eyeballs! Radish-carved human skulls! Plus a bright green mysterious sauce! It looks like a Cthulhu nightmare! It smells like—"

She leaned in and smelled it, her expression paused subtly, then she continued as if nothing happened:

"It smells... um... also like a nightmare. But it actually tastes pretty good! Really! I secretly tasted it last night!"

"..."

Silence.

A long silence.

Then Song Yuqi asked with difficulty: "So, no matter which game we lose, we have to eat this?"

Lee Tima nodded: "Yes!"

"Then what if we lose both games?"

Lee Tima thought about it, and her smile became even brighter: "Then you eat a double portion!"

"..."

Kim Minnie turned to look at Jeon Soyeon silently: "Leader, can we just forfeit?"

Jeon Soyeon took a deep breath, trying to maintain her dignity as a leader: "Let's try first. What if we win?"

This "what if," three hours later, became an unreachable fairy tale.

[Part 3: Total Annihilation · The Crushing Defeat of the Naughty Kids]

Three hours later.

In the guesthouse living room, a strange odor permeated the air.

It was the smell of Chum Bucket Slop—although Lee Tima said it "actually tastes pretty good," the presentation was too horrific, causing everyone to close their eyes, frown, and look like they were facing death when they ate it.

And the six members of (G)I-DLE were sitting neatly in the punishment area, each with a bowl of Chum Bucket Slop in front of them, with a unified expression of "Who am I, where am I, why did I come to this show."

Game results:

Cho Mi Yeon found the part first—hidden under a pillow in the second-floor bedroom. But the moment she got the part, the closet door next to her suddenly opened, and a staff member in a mascot suit jumped out, holding a sign:

[Task: Recite the full Korean version of "Chun Xiao," not a single word wrong]

Cho Mi Yeon: "..."

She took a deep breath and began to recite: "Spring sleep unaware of dawn, everywhere hear singing birds, night comes wind and rain sound, flowers fall know how many."

"Wrong." The staff member was expressionless, "You recited 'everywhere hear singing birds' as 'everywhere mosquitoes bite'."

"I didn't!" Cho Mi Yeon was anxious, "I clearly recited—"

"Audio playback." The staff member took out a phone and played the recording from just now.

Cho Mi Yeon's voice came through clearly: "everywhere mosquitoes bite."

Cho Mi Yeon: "..."

Song Yuqi, who was passing by, laughed like a pig.

"Start over." The staff member put away the phone, "Recite from the beginning."

Cho Mi Yeon gritted her teeth and started over.

On the other side, Kim Minnie found the second part in the kitchen—in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap. She had just picked it up when the curtain behind the stove was lifted, and another staff member poked their head out:

[Task: Dictate the English word 'anthropomorphism']

Kim Minnie's expression froze instantly.

"Wha... what?"

"Anthropomorphism. More than two spelling errors, start over."

Kim Minnie opened her mouth and let out a desperate whimper.

Song Yuqi found the third part on the third floor—hidden in the partition of the bookshelf. She had just gotten it when a ghostly voice came from behind the bookshelf:

[Task: Use the three words 'Naughty Kids', 'Bikini Bottom', and 'Krabby Patty' to create three lines of poetry on the spot]

Song Yuqi was silent for three seconds, then opened her mouth:

"Naughty Kids arrive in Bikini Bottom,

Want to eat a Krabby Patty,

Turns out—there is! No! Patty!"

Staff member: "..."

Song Yuqi smugly raised an eyebrow: "How about it? Poetic, right?"

The staff member expressionlessly held up a sign: [Barely passed, but don't make the rhymes this bad next time.]

Song Yuqi: "..."

Group Two (Quick Command Challenge): Also failed, all of them.

Jeon Soyeon held out for 47 seconds, but in the command combo of "Left hand touch right ear, right leg lift, head tilt back, butt stick out," she lost her balance and fell on the spot.

Ye Shuhua looked expressionless, but her posture was perfect, and she passed perfectly. But she was eliminated by Lee Tima for "games should be played with a smile," which triggered protests from everyone.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

Xu Suizhen held on for 1 minute and 8 seconds, setting a new team record. However, due to the bizarre combination of instructions—'left hand touch right eye, right hand touch left knee, lift left leg, bend right leg, lower head'—she successfully twisted herself into a pretzel and lay on the ground for a long time, unable to get up.

As for Whale Zhenzhen—her performance in the rapid instruction segment was nothing short of stunning. The bulky whale mascot costume seemed non-existent on her; she completed all instructions with incredible flexibility, even standing steadily for ten seconds during the 'spin three times in place and then stand on one foot' part.

Patrick Star clapped from the side: "Zhenzhen is so amazing!!!"

Muscle SpongeBob also nodded in appreciation, his two front teeth gleaming.

Thus, (G)I-DLE was completely wiped out.

Double portions of Sea-Nutty-Bar.

A bowl was placed in front of each of the six members, their expressions uniformly reflecting a loss of hope in life.

Lee Tima stood nearby with a proud expression that said, 'I am a good screenwriter who has prepared delicious snacks for everyone':

"Eat up, eat up! It's really delicious! I tried it last night! That green sauce is actually made from avocado and wasabi, the octopus feet are very chewy, the eyeballs are made of gummy candy, and the radish skulls are kimchi-flavored—nutritionally balanced! It has color, aroma, and taste!"

Song Yuqi poked the eyeball that was staring at her with a spoon and whispered, "It feels like it's looking at me."

"That's it encouraging you to eat it!" Lee Tima said sincerely.

"...Thanks, but I don't need that kind of encouragement."

Jeon Soyeon took a deep breath. As the leader, she felt she had the responsibility to take the lead. She closed her eyes, scooped up a spoonful of Sea-Nutty-Bar, and stuffed it into her mouth—

Chew.

Chew.

Her expression gradually changed from 'ready to die' to... confusion.

She chewed some more, then opened her eyes and looked down at the bowl of eerie green mush.

"...It seems, actually, okay?"

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

Cho Mi Yeon cautiously took a bite as well, and then her eyes lit up: "Really! That eyeball is a gummy! Strawberry flavored!"

Ye Shuhua expressionlessly tasted an octopus foot, fell silent for three seconds, and then silently scooped another spoonful.

Kim Minnie tasted a radish skull and nodded: "Kimchi flavor, it's good."

Thus, the six of them, over a bowl of eerie Cthulhu-style Sea-Nutty-Bar, began to... find it delicious.

While chewing on a gummy eyeball, Song Yuqi said indistinctly, "Even though the appearance is terrifying, the taste is indeed not bad... Tima-ah, can you give me the recipe for this sauce?"

Lee Tima shook her head with a smile: "Trade secret~"

Jiang Zhiyu watched this scene from the sofa, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Sure enough, the essence of humanity is the 'it's actually good' effect.

[Part 4: Awakening · Shuhua's "Rebellion" Speech]

After finishing the Sea-Nutty-Bar, the six of them slumped on the sofa with satisfied faces.

But after the satisfaction, a deeper sense of frustration welled up.

Cho Mi Yeon hugged a cushion and said weakly, "Why do I feel like we've been led by the nose all day?"

Kim Minnie nodded: "From morning until now, the games were designed by them, the tasks were arranged by them, and the punishments were prepared by them—we're just like... like..."

"Like marionettes," Ye Shuhua suddenly spoke up.

Everyone looked at her.

Ye Shuhua sat up straight, her expression unusually serious.

"Have you noticed?" she said. "Since the first episode, we've been following the production team's framework. They say compete, so we compete; they say eat green peppers, so we eat green peppers; they say do tasks, so we do tasks—"

She paused, her tone becoming more forceful:

"What kind of 'naughty kids operation' is this?"

"We might as well just call it 'I Want to Be a Good Baby'!"

Everyone fell silent.

Song Yuqi blinked, thoughtful: "Shuhua is right... we are naughty kids! What are the characteristics of a naughty kid?"

"Mischievous," Cho Mi Yeon said.

"Lawless," Kim Minnie said.

"Unpredictable," Jeon Soyeon said.

Ye Shuhua nodded: "Yes! But from beginning to end, we've been obediently playing by the production team's rules—only good kids follow rules. Naughty kids should—"

She looked at everyone, her eyes shining with frightening intensity:

"—Break the rules!"

Song Yuqi slapped her thigh: "Right! We should prank them back!"

Cho Mi Yeon hesitated: "But... they're the production team..."

"So what if they're the production team?" Ye Shuhua stood up, hands on her hips. "Does the production team get to do whatever they want? Can the production team torture us with green peppers and bitter melons? Can the production team make us eat things with eyeballs staring at us? Can the production team—"

She pointed at Jiang Zhiyu, who was leisurely drinking soy milk on the sofa in the distance, and then at Lee Tima, who was discussing the next round of games with Whale Zhenzhen nearby:

"—Let those two treat us like monkeys?!"

This string of rhetorical questions stunned everyone.

Then, Song Yuqi was the first to stand up. She walked to Ye Shuhua's side and solemnly patted her shoulder:

"Shuhua, from today on, you are the spiritual leader of our team."

Ye Shuhua expressionlessly brushed her hand away: "I'm serious."

"I'm serious too," Song Yuqi's expression also became serious. "You're right, we've been led by the nose for too long. It's time to—fight back."

Jeon Soyeon also stood up and walked to their side, her expression grave: "But if we fight back, it might affect the show's results..."

"Captain!" Song Yuqi interrupted her. "We're not trying to ruin the show; we're trying to make it better! Think about it, if the naughty kids suddenly stop following the script and start pranking the production team back, won't the audience want to watch it even more?"

Jeon Soyeon was stunned.

From this angle... it actually made sense.

Cho Mi Yeon also leaned in: "And if we really succeed, that will be the true 'naughty kids operation'—naughty kids who even dare to prank the production team!"

Kim Minnie raised her hand: "I agree! I want to see President Jiang get pranked!"

Xu Suizhen spoke up rarely, being concise: "Plus one."

Thus, the six of them formed a circle and began to plot.

"First," Ye Shuhua lowered her voice, "we need to understand the core rules of the show. Rules are meant to limit us, but the rules themselves have loopholes."

"For example?" Song Yuqi asked.

"For example—the rapid instruction game. The rule says 'strike a pose according to the screen instructions,' but it doesn't say you must use only your body to pose. We can use props!"

Cho Mi Yeon's eyes lit up: "Right! We can use chairs! Use tables! Use..."

"Use Whale Zhenzhen," Ye Shuhua added expressionlessly.

Everyone fell silent for a second, then simultaneously revealed eerie smiles.

"And that block piece collection battle," Jeon Soyeon said. "The rule is 'complete the task of the level guardian to get the piece.' But what if—we bypass the guardian and just snatch the piece?"

"Snatch?!" Kim Minnie's eyes widened. "Isn't that illegal?"

"It's not illegal in a game," Song Yuqi rubbed her hands excitedly. "Besides, we're naughty kids; snatching things is normal!"

Cho Mi Yeon weakly raised her hand: "Then will we be caught by the production team?"

"Being caught is even better!" Ye Shuhua said. "The process of being caught is variety content in itself!"

Everyone fell silent again, then nodded simultaneously.

Makes sense.

Makes a lot of sense.

"And the most important one—" Ye Shuhua looked at the distant, still leisurely figure, her gaze becoming dangerous, "Jiang Zhiyu."

"He is the Executive Producer, the creator of all the rules. But the rule-maker is often the most easily overlooked breakthrough point."

"What do you mean?" Song Yuqi asked.

Ye Shuhua was silent for two seconds, then slowly spoke:

"What is his weakness?"

Everyone began to think.

Cho Mi Yeon: "He's handsome?"

Ye Shuhua: "That's not a weakness, that's a weapon."

Kim Minnie: "He likes drinking Sweet Soy Milk?"

Ye Shuhua's eyes lit up: "Right! Sweet Soy Milk! We can swap his Sweet Soy Milk for—"

She paused and revealed a sinister smile:

"Swap it for Salty Soy Milk."

Everyone: "???"

Song Yuqi: "What kind of punishment is that?"

Ye Shuhua: "For him, that is the greatest punishment. Haven't you noticed? He never drinks anything salty; even his snacks are sweet. Salty Soy Milk—it's like adding salt to his coffee, like adding sugar to his rice, like..."

She paused and summarized: "Like violating his basic human rights."

Everyone was silent.

Then Cho Mi Yeon whispered, "Shuhua, you're so ruthless."

Ye Shuhua said expressionlessly, "I'm serious."

Jeon Soyeon cleared her throat: "Then... what about Lee Tima? What's her weakness?"

Everyone fell into deep thought again.

This time the silence lasted longer.

Finally, Song Yuqi spoke with difficulty: "She seems to... have no weaknesses?"

"She does," Ye Shuhua said. "Her greatest weakness is—"

She pointed at herself, then at everyone else:

"Us."

Everyone was puzzled.

"She wants to see us get pranked too much," Ye Shuhua explained. "So she will do whatever it takes to design segments that showcase our 'brilliant performances.' And this 'whatever it takes' is her flaw."

"What do you mean?"

"It means—we can use her expectations and turn her into our 'accomplice' instead."

Everyone only half-understood, but they all nodded.

Anyway, it sounded very impressive.

Finally, Ye Shuhua looked around and said in a deep voice:

"So, what is our goal?"

The six of them whispered in unison:

"Fight back!!!"

"The slogan?"

"Make Jiang Zhiyu drink Salty Soy Milk!!!"

"Make Lee Tima—"

Ye Shuhua paused, thought for a moment, and then said:

"Make her try out the segments she designs herself first next time!"

Everyone nodded.

This punishment was ruthless enough.

In the distance, Jiang Zhiyu seemed to sense something and looked up toward them.

The six girls immediately reverted to their standard 'we are good babies' sitting posture, with innocent and harmless smiles on their faces.

Jiang Zhiyu frowned slightly, feeling that something was off.

He looked at Lee Tima beside him: "What were they discussing just now?"

Lee Tima was also looking that way, thoughtful: "I don't know, but the way they looked at you just now..."

"What?"

"Like wolves looking at a sheep."

Jiang Zhiyu was silent for a second, then put down his Sweet Soy Milk, his expression becoming wary.

"Keep an eye on them."

"I already am."

"Report any abnormalities immediately."

"Understood."

But what Lee Tima didn't say was—

She had clearly seen Ye Shuhua glance her way just now and reveal a meaningful smile.

That smile was all too familiar to her.

Because that was precisely her own standard expression when designing prank segments.

Interesting.

Lee Tima thought to herself.

It seems the real 'naughty kids operation' is only just beginning.

She took out her phone and secretly sent a message to a certain chat window:

[Tima wants to live today too]: Taeyeon Unnie, Yoona Unnie, when will you arrive? There's a good show to watch!

Sent.

Then she put away her phone and looked back at the group of plotting girls, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly.

You want to fight back?

Fine.

Let me see what tricks you can pull off.

After all—

The bigger the commotion, the more I like it.

In the distance, waves lapped against the beach, and seagulls circled in the sky.

The sky over Jeju Island was as blue as if it had been washed, and the sunlight was so bright it seemed to shine into every corner of one's heart.

But in this seaside cottage, a counter-offensive belonging to the "naughty kids" was quietly brewing.

And far away in Seoul, two people were packing their bags, preparing to join this fray.

A good show is about to begin.