370: Chapter 435 Liu Zhimin's Route Begins Tomorrow (5)

The evening sea breeze blew in from across the horizon, carrying a salty, damp scent and the lingering warmth of the setting sun. The west coast of Jeju Island was unrealistically beautiful at this hour, the sky transitioning from orange-red to light purple and then to deep blue, like a scroll being personally rolled up by God.

Filming for the crew of "the crab" had just wrapped up for the day.

The final scene featured Withe sitting alone on a seaside bench, gazing at the distant coastline in silence—a rare moment of tranquility in the entire film. There were no chases, no gunfights, no betrayal or revenge; just a once-decisive mercenary dazing out like an ordinary person on a mundane evening.

Im Yoona nailed it in one take.

In the shot, she was dressed in her character's casual clothes—a simple white T-shirt, faded jeans, and her hair tied loosely in a low ponytail. She didn't make any deliberate expressions; she just sat there, looking at the sea with eyes that were hollow and distant, as if she were seeing something others couldn't through that stretch of water.

Behind the monitor, Jiang Zhiyu stared at the screen for a long time before softly saying,

"Cut."

His voice was so soft that the script supervisor next to him almost didn't hear it. But the entire film crew breathed a sigh of relief—not out of tension, but because for those few minutes, everyone had been drawn into an indescribable emotion by that silent figure on the screen.

She was too similar.

That coldness, that detachment, and that sense of isolation as if she didn't belong in this world were so perfect it was as if Withe herself had stepped out of the script.

After wrapping up, the staff began packing up equipment. The lighting team dismantled stands, the props team inventoried gear, and several young production assistants pushed dolly carts across the sand, leaving behind a series of wheel tracks of varying depths.

Im Yoona didn't leave immediately.

She remained on the bench, maintaining her filming posture, though her gaze was no longer hollow; she was truly staring blankly at the distant coastline.

This period of filming had completely changed her.

Over ten hours of high-intensity action scenes every day, countless falls, getting up, and falling again—those bruises and abrasions had long become a normal part of her body. Jiang Zhiyu's training method was unique; he didn't just teach her how to fight, but how to "become" someone who knew how to fight. Those explanations about center of gravity, breathing, and power points, along with the repeated practical drills, had made her gradually forget the camera and the performance, remembering only instinct.

Then, that coldness naturally seeped into her bones.

Now, as long as she wasn't smiling, she radiated an aura that warned people not to approach. Even the crew's lighting technician said that Yoona-ssi's eyes had been a bit scary lately, and they didn't dare joke with her anymore.

But after work, she would still revert to her original self—bowing and thanking the staff, smiling while treating everyone to coffee, and posting goofy selfies in the group chat.

It was just that layer of "coldness" seemed to have grown onto her. When she wasn't smiling, it was there.

Footsteps came from behind.

Im Yoona didn't look back. She recognized those footsteps—unhurried, each step steady, carrying a certain composed rhythm.

Jiang Zhiyu walked to the side of the bench. He didn't sit down, just stood there, looking out at the distant horizon with her.

The setting sun stretched his shadow long, casting it diagonally across the beach.

The silence lasted for a long time.

So long that Im Yoona thought he had just come to enjoy the breeze.

Then he spoke:

"Noona's acting," he said, his tone as flat as if stating a fact, "will give those people quite a shock."

Im Yoona was stunned for a moment, then gave a soft huff.

"Of course."

That "huff" contained a hint of tsundere pride, a bit of smugness, and a trace of something she hadn't noticed herself—the joy of being acknowledged.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled.

The smile was faint, but for some reason, Im Yoona found it more gratifying than any exaggerated praise.

"Noona," he spoke again, this time with a more serious undertone, "what are your plans next? I mean—after the filming ends, during the promotion period."

Im Yoona thought about it, her eyes still fixed on the distant sea.

"Take a good rest."

She spoke casually, but she had actually decided long ago—after finishing this movie, she really needed to rest for a while. It wasn't physical exhaustion, but a feeling of being completely hollowed out. For these past few months, she had given herself entirely to Withe. Now that filming was almost over, she needed time to slowly put that cold mercenary back into the script and find herself again.

Jiang Zhiyu nodded, then said something she completely didn't expect:

"Ji-min from aespa is going to film a short movie with you."

Im Yoona finally turned her head to look at him.

"Karina?"

There was obvious surprise in her eyes. She knew Karina, the leader of aespa; she had only debuted two years ago but was already one of the most talked-about members of the new generation. She had met the girl a few times, and her impression was—pretty, serious, a bit dazed, and not the type who seemed like she would act.

"I've talked it over with Teacher," Jiang Zhiyu added.

"Teacher" referred to Lee Soo-man. This form of address made Im Yoona's heart stir slightly—he had been away from SM for so long, yet his relationship with Lee Soo-man was actually still so good.

Her mind raced, and then she suddenly remembered something.

The incident on the day of the Opening Ceremony where Karina "stole" the braised pig's head from the offering table.

The whole internet was making memes about it, saying "aespa's leader crashes the ritual site," "Karina will do anything to eat meat," and "this must be a joint publicity stunt by SM and TG." At the time, she just thought it was funny and didn't think much of it.

But now—

She looked at Jiang Zhiyu, her gaze becoming strange:

"So... that pig head theft at the Opening Ceremony..."

The corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth curled up slightly; Im Yoona was all too familiar with that smile.

It was his standard expression before "stirring up trouble."

"Noona," he said, his tone carrying a hint of mischief, "don't you think the title 'Phantom Thief Zhimin' is quite interesting?"

Im Yoona: "..."

So, that pig's head was a setup he had orchestrated from the very beginning?

Having Karina "steal" the pig's head in front of everyone to create a global trending topic, and then riding that momentum to launch the "Phantom Thief Zhimin Pursuit" short movie—it not only capitalized on the hype but also allowed an aespa member to try her hand at acting early. It killed two birds with one stone.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to complain:

"So what is the content of that short movie?"

"A pursuit between the Phantom Thief and Withe," Jiang Zhiyu said nonchalantly. "The Phantom Thief played by Ji-min steals something very important to Withe—maybe a pig's head, or maybe something else—and Withe chases her all the way, only to find it was a misunderstanding, and the two team up to deal with the real enemy."

As Im Yoona listened, she suddenly laughed.

That smile was one of helplessness, but also of admiration.

"So," she said, "Ji-min gets to appear in a movie, even if it's not a formal one?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded: "Think of it as a warm-up. After 'the crab' is released and the hype builds up, this short movie can be released online for free. It can drive traffic to aespa and also build more anticipation for the character Withe."

Im Yoona didn't speak, just raised her hand to tidy her hair which had been ruffled by the sea breeze.

The setting sun plated a soft glow onto her profile, the shadows of her eyelashes falling on her eyelids; she looked peaceful and beautiful.

She gently shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of reflection:

"Karina has only been debuted for two years, right?"

She paused, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly; in that smile was envy, relief, and some indescribable complex emotions:

"Kids these days really are..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Jiang Zhiyu understood.

When she first debuted, she didn't have such opportunities.

No one specifically planned topics for her, and no one designed projects for her that could both play with memes and allow for acting. She had spent over a decade, step by step, enduring from being the "Visual of Girls Generation" to becoming the "National Goddess."

And now, a junior who had only been debuted for two years could receive such a concentration of resources.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't envious.

But it was more about relief—because times had truly changed, and the juniors had more possibilities and more stages.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, his gaze calm, but his tone carried a hint of seriousness:

"Ji-min is very good."

He said, as if stating a fact:

"Very sincere. And—she has the self-awareness of an idol. Although her brain occasionally fails to make the turn, overall, she's a good kid."

Listening to his evaluation of Karina, Im Yoona suddenly remembered something.

He seemed to have always been very good to those kids in aespa.

He started guiding them when they were still trainees, and after going solo, he didn't cut ties; instead, he continued to provide resources. Now, he was directly slotting Karina into his movie project—even if it was just a short film, for an idol who had debuted for two years, it was already a massive opportunity.

She sighed softly, her tone carrying a hint of complexity:

"You're really quite good to the aespa kids."

What she didn't say out loud was—

You're also quite good to me.

Starting from the "weekend special," to the "destined kim hyo-soon" special episode, and now to "the crab"—he had been constantly giving her opportunities, constantly pushing her forward.

Those scripts, those plans, that meticulous care, and that guidance so precise it startled her...

She wasn't a fool; she knew what this meant.

But she remembered very clearly what he had said.

"If I had met Noona earlier, I would have done the same."

The sea breeze blew past, carrying the chill of the evening.

Im Yoona suddenly wanted to ask him—why are you so good to me?

But she didn't ask.

Because she knew that even if she asked, he would use that calm tone to give answers she couldn't refute.

As expected.

"If I had met Noona earlier," Jiang Zhiyu's tone was as flat as if he were saying the weather was nice today, "I would have done the same."

Im Yoona's heart stirred.

She whipped her head around to look at him.

The light of the setting sun spilled from behind him, plating his silhouette with a golden edge. His expression was very calm, his gaze still fixed on the distant horizon, completely unaware of what he had just said—or rather, not feeling that what he said was anything special at all.

But Im Yoona knew how heavy those words were.

"If I had met Noona earlier"—

It meant that everything he was doing for aespa now, if it were her, he would have done it too.

No, not just aespa. Anything that could help her.

This man was using his own way to tell her—

You are very important to me.

Im Yoona gritted her back teeth.

She didn't know how to describe her current mood. There was emotion, warmth, the satisfaction of being cherished, and—

A hint of gnashing teeth... hatred.

Damn it.

She cursed silently in her heart.

This was the kind of man he was.

The kind of man who would uplift her career.

The kind of man who would support her every decision.

The kind of man who would be her solid backup.

He was truly—

Damnably charming.

She suddenly spoke, her tone carrying a hint of grit she didn't even notice:

"Have you always been like this?"

Jiang Zhiyu finally turned his head to look at her, a hint of confusion in his eyes:

"What?"

Im Yoona looked him straight in the eye, enunciating every word:

"Calmly saying things that are so... so..."

She paused, swallowing the word "heart-fluttering" that almost slipped out, replacing it with a safer one:

"...touching."

Jiang Zhiyu was stunned for a moment.

Then he let out a soft sigh of relief, as if he had let go of something.

"Because I saw Noona's potential."

His voice was soft, but every word was clear:

"Also—earlier, I compared Noona to water, but that actually wasn't quite appropriate."

Im Yoona frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jiang Zhiyu didn't answer immediately.

He looked out at the distant sea; the sunset had already sunk its last smear of orange-red below the horizon, the sky had turned deep blue, and a few stars were beginning to twinkle overhead.

"Water is flowing, soft, and inclusive," he said. "But Noona isn't just like that."

He paused, turned his head, and looked at her.

His eyes seemed exceptionally deep in the twilight, as if hiding something inexplicable.

"Water," he said, "is unfrozen ice."

Im Yoona was stunned.

She opened her mouth to say something, but found her throat blocked by something.

Water is Unfrozen Ice.

So, beneath her softness, there was hardness hidden.

Beneath her inclusiveness, there was sharpness hidden.

Beneath her gentleness, there was power hidden.

This man—

How could this man use such a simple sentence to say so clearly something she hadn't even figured out herself?

The sea breeze blew past, bringing with it the chill of the night.

Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his gaze and looked at the sky.

"It's getting late," he said. "Let's head back. The seaside is quite cold at night."

He turned and started walking toward the guesthouse.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at her:

"Noona?"

Im Yoona sat on the bench, unmoving.

She looked at his back, at his well-defined profile in the twilight, and at those eyes that remained clear even in the dim light.

Then she stood up and followed him.

"Coming."

The two walked back side by side.

Behind them, the waves crashed against the rocks repeatedly, making a rhythmic sound.

The starry sky spread out above their heads, dense and flickering.

Im Yoona didn't speak, but simply repeated that sentence in her heart over and over.

Water is Unfrozen Ice.

She suddenly felt that this man might be much more dangerous than she had imagined.

Because—

He understood her.

Too well.

That feeling of being seen through was frightening, yet... she couldn't bring herself to run away.

Jiang Zhiyu returned to his room and closed the door.

The lights weren't on in the room, only the moonlight filtering in through the window. He didn't turn on the lights, but simply walked to the desk and sat down in the darkness.

The lyric notebook on the desk was flipped to a new page.

He picked up a pen and wrote down a few words:

Water is Unfrozen Ice

The tip of the pen paused on the paper for a moment, and then he began to write:

Your gentleness flows like water

Yet in the depths, I touch the sharpness of ice

At this point, he stopped.

The pen hung in mid-air, not touching the paper for a long time.

He thought of the conversation at the seaside just now, of Im Yoona's phrase "calmly saying things that are so touching," and of her eyes flickering in the twilight.

Then, he involuntarily thought of another person.

That person also had a pair of doe-like eyes.

That person would also look at him under the moonlight, her blush impossible to hide.

That person...

He put down the pen and rubbed his brow.

He thought of her when writing songs.

He thought of her when not writing songs too.

Who exactly was this song for?

He didn't know.

He just sat in the darkness, gazing at the bright moon outside the window for a long, long time.

At the same time, in Seoul.

The [Taeyeon Observation Group (No Taeyeon/Yoona)] was blowing up with messages.

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: Urgent news! Urgent news!!!

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: After finishing work today, Oppa and Yoona Unnie were chatting at the seaside!!!

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: They were alone for a long time!!! The scene was totally K-drama level!!!

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: [Image][Image][Image]

Three photos taken from different angles—a bench by the sea at sunset, Im Yoona sitting, Jiang Zhiyu standing, both looking out at the sea. The scene was as beautiful as a movie poster.

The group chat exploded instantly.

[Yuri]: !!!

[Hyoyeon]: What's going on!!!

[Sooyoung]: This composition, this lighting, this atmosphere—I'm shipping them so hard!!!

[Tiffany]: Wait, wait, wait, what's this plot?! Wasn't Yoona just visiting the set? How did it turn into a seaside date?!

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Don't panic, let me see—

A few seconds of silence.

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Yoona's sitting posture is relaxed but not quite natural. Jiang Zhiyu's standing posture is the standard "I'm accompanying her but don't want to be too close" distance. There's about half a meter between them. Combining the lighting and angles—conclusion: not a date, just a casual chat after work.

[Yuri]: ...Sunny, what kind of romance analysis software are you?!

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Years of experience in gossiping, you wouldn't understand.

[Hyoyeon]: Then what did they talk about?!

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: I don't know!!! It was too far to hear!!! But I saw Yoona Unnie had a strange expression when she stood up later!!!

[Sooyoung]: Strange? How so?

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: It's like... how should I say... that feeling of being touched by something but not wanting to show it!!!

[Tiffany]: Translation: Her heart fluttered but she's acting like it's nothing.

[Yuri]: !!!

[Hyoyeon]: !!!

[Sooyoung]: !!!

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Interesting.

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: What about Taeyeon? Any movement there?

[Yuri]: None, she's been home all day. She posted an IG story this afternoon of the sunset outside her window with the caption "So beautiful."

[Tiffany]: Sunset? The sunset on Jeju Island must have been beautiful today too, right?

[Hyoyeon]: ...She couldn't possibly be looking at the same sunset as Jiang Zhiyu, could she?

[Sooyoung]: Can you guys stop overthinking everything?!

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Sooyoung, in this group, those who can't overthink have no right to speak.

[Sooyoung]: ...My bad.

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: Oh right!!! One more thing!!!

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: IU Unnie came today too!!! And she talked with Oppa alone for a long time!!!

The group went quiet again.

[Yuri]: ...

[Hyoyeon]: ...

[Sooyoung]: ...

[Tiffany]: ...

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Wait, IU? What was she doing there?

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: She said she came to pick me up!!! But I always feel like she didn't just come for me!!! The way she looked at Oppa was terrifying!!!

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: How terrifying?

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: It was that... look of having eyes on prey!!! I've seen it before!!! When she was filming a variety show and saw a bag she really liked, she had that exact look!!!

[Yuri]: ...She's treating Jiang Zhiyu like a handbag?!

[Hyoyeon]: No, as prey! Prey!

[Sooyoung]: So what's the situation now? Taeyeon, Yoona, IU—three women surrounding one Jiang Zhiyu?!

[Tiffany]: What kind of magnet is Jiang Zhiyu...

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Everyone, I only have one thing to say right now.

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Taeyeon, if you don't take the initiative, he's really going to be stolen away by someone else.

Silence in the group.

Then—

[Yuri]: Urgent!!!

[Hyoyeon]: Urgent!!!

[Sooyoung]: Urgent!!!

[Tiffany]: Urgent!!!

[Seohyun]: ...Urgent.

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: Seohyun, even you're anxious?

[Seohyun]: Taeyeon Unnie needs a push. She can endure too much.

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: The problem is how to push? We can't exactly tell her "IU has her eyes on Jiang Zhiyu, go grab him back quickly," can we?

[Yuri]: She definitely won't admit she likes him!

[Hyoyeon]: And even if she did, she wouldn't know how to take the initiative!

[Tiffany]: That's how relationship newbies are...

[Sooyoung]: So what can we do?

Silence.

Then a message from Lee Tima popped up:

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: How about... I help create more opportunities for Taeyeon Unnie? Like telling her what Oppa's been doing lately, what he likes, how his mood is...

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: You're being a double agent, Tima!

[Tima Wants to Live Today]: I already am...

[Yuri]: Hahaha, feeling sorry for Tima for a second.

[Hyoyeon]: So the current situation is: IU is watching like a hawk, Yoona has the advantage of being close, and Taeyeon is at home posting sunset photos—what kind of Shura Field is Jiang Zhiyu in?!

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: It's not a Shura Field. It's—

She paused and typed a line:

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: It's a love square between three women and one man, and this man has no idea he's being pursued.

[Tiffany]: Then what does he think he's doing?

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: He thinks he's working.

The group fell silent again.

Then—

[Yuri]: ...

[Hyoyeon]: ...

[Sooyoung]: ...

[Tiffany]: ...

[Seohyun]: ...That's indeed a thought he would have.

[Sunny · Frontline of Gossip]: So, how can this situation be resolved?

No one could answer.

Outside, the night in Seoul deepened.

The sea breeze on Jeju Island was still blowing.

And this story about three women and one man continued.