376: Chapter 440 Phantom Thief Zhimin (5)

The early autumn night breeze blew from the Han River, carrying a cool dampness as it gently brushed against the cheeks.

At the entrance of the barbecue restaurant, the halo of the neon signs spread into the night, illuminating the figures of five people.

Kim Minjeong stood at the front, both hands still clutching Jiang Zhiyu's arm, refusing to let go, her bright eyes filled with reluctance. NingNing stood beside her, carrying a bag of leftovers, a faint smile playing on her lips. Uchinaga Eri leaned against the wall, looking down at her phone, occasionally glancing up to scan the surroundings.

Karina stood a bit further away, hands tucked into her trench coat pockets. Her gaze fell on Jiang Zhiyu before she quickly looked away.

"Oppa, won't you come back with us?" Kim Minjeong looked up at him with those irresistible eyes.

Jiang Zhiyu looked down at her, a hint of helpless amusement flashing in his eyes.

He reached out and ruffled her hair. The movement was gentle and natural, carrying a sense of doting that even he hadn't noticed.

"I still have something to discuss with Ji-min," he said. "You guys go back first. Remember to send me a message when you get to the dorm. Stay safe, everyone."

Kim Minjeong puffed out her cheeks, clearly unwilling. She opened her mouth to say, "Then I'll stay too," but before the words could come out, NingNing grabbed her arm.

"Let's go, let's go," NingNing pulled her toward the car. "Master and Karina Unnie have serious business to discuss. Why are you trying to butt in?"

"But—"

"No buts. We still have to pack when we get back. Did you forget about the new dorm?"

Without allowing any argument, NingNing stuffed Kim Minjeong into the car, climbed in after her, and closed the door.

Kim Minjeong pouted, wanting to say something else, but NingNing pulled her back into her seat.

"Unnie, stop looking. It's no use," NingNing said with a hint of helplessness. "Master has something to say to Karina Unnie. Why would you go along?"

"I could listen too!"

"They don't want you to listen."

"Why wouldn't they want me to listen?"

"Because..."

NingNing found herself at a loss for words.

She didn't know why either.

But she knew that the atmosphere was not something an outsider could step into.

Uchinaga Eri got into the car from the other side. As she passed Jiang Zhiyu, her footsteps paused for a moment. She looked up at him with something indescribable in her gaze—like understanding, or perhaps a reminder. But she said nothing, only giving a slight nod before getting into the car.

The car window rolled down, and Kim Minjeong poked her head out, waving at Jiang Zhiyu.

"Oppa! Go back and rest early! You have to come to the company tomorrow!"

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and waved back at her.

The taxi slowly started up, its taillights gradually receding into the night.

Kim Minjeong leaned against the window, watching Jiang Zhiyu's figure grow more distant and smaller until it finally vanished into the darkness.

Then her gaze fell on the person nearby—

Karina stood where she was, watching the car leave. The night breeze blew her hair, which drifted gently under the streetlights.

Her expression was hard to make out, but Kim Minjeong felt that something was different than usual.

"Ningning-ah," she whispered, "Karina Unnie seems..."

"Seems like what?"

"Seems... a bit nervous?"

NingNing followed her gaze and remained silent for a second.

Then she said,

"Just go to sleep."

"I'm not sleepy!"

"Then close your eyes and rest."

"NingNing!"

"Unnie."

The car turned a corner, and Karina's figure completely disappeared from sight.

Kim Minjeong leaned back against the seat, staring at the street scenery rushing past the window. That unidentifiable emotion in her heart simply wouldn't be suppressed.

Beside her, NingNing had already closed her eyes, but her eyelashes were still trembling slightly.

In the front, Uchinaga Eri's phone screen was lit, but she hadn't swiped it for a long time.

Three people, each with their own thoughts.

And they all knew that after tonight, some things might be different.

—

Karina stood two paces behind Jiang Zhiyu, watching the car disappear around the corner before retracting her gaze.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and sent a message to the Manager:

[Discussing something with President Jiang, I'll be back a bit later.]

The reply came almost instantly:

[What time? Do you need a pickup?]

[No need, I'll go back on my own.]

After sending the last message, she stuffed her phone back into her pocket and looked up.

Jiang Zhiyu happened to turn his head, meeting her gaze.

The streetlights cast a dim yellow light behind him, giving his silhouette a hazy outline. His eyes appeared exceptionally deep in the dim light, as if hiding something indescribable.

"Ji-min," he began, his voice a few shades lower than usual, "Let's... talk while we walk."

Karina didn't speak; she simply started walking toward the Han River.

Jiang Zhiyu followed behind her.

The two walked one after the other, not side-by-side, yet not too far apart.

The night breeze blew from the river, carrying the moisture of the water and the chill of early autumn. Karina's shadow, walking ahead, was stretched long by the streetlights, and the tips of Jiang Zhiyu's shoes landed right on the edge of her shadow.

One step, two steps, three steps.

Neither of them spoke.

There were still quite a few people on the grass by the Han River. Couples sat nestled together on benches, a few university-aged youths sat in a circle drinking and chatting, and young couples strolled with their children. The sounds of voices drifted faintly, mixing with the sound of the river water lapping against the shore to form a blurred background noise.

Jiang Zhiyu looked around and pointed to a slightly open patch of grass further from the crowd.

"Want to sit over there for a bit?"

Karina followed his finger with her gaze and nodded.

They walked over and sat on the grass. The distance wasn't too close, about an arm's length apart—just enough to see each other's expressions clearly without feeling too intimate.

Karina hugged her knees and stared at the river, silent.

Jiang Zhiyu wasn't in a hurry to speak either.

The slightly noisy voices were in their ears, and someone in the distance was playing music—an old song whose melody drifted over, though the lyrics were indistinct.

Jiang Zhiyu was silent for a few seconds before he spoke.

"I apologize," he said, his tone deeper than usual. "I'm serious."

Karina didn't say anything.

She just looked at the distant river, her profile appearing exceptionally quiet in the moonlight.

Jiang Zhiyu continued.

"I exploited your trust. I dragged our friendship into the realm of interests."

He paused, seemingly weighing his words.

"In terms of business economics, Karina gained buzz—it wasn't exactly negative news, but it wasn't entirely good either. The promotion for 'the crab' gained heat, and along with it, aespa's search volume and fan creations also saw a huge surge in popularity."

He turned his head to look at Karina's profile.

Karina's fingers curled slightly.

Jiang Zhiyu saw it.

But he didn't stop.

"I'm not trying to say—look, even though the 'pig head thief' incident was hurtful to you mentally, Ji-min, from a profit perspective, it was a great success."

He shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of irritation at himself.

"That's not what I mean."

Karina still didn't speak, but her fingers clenched slightly inside her trench coat pockets.

He turned his head again, this time looking straight at her.

His eyes seemed particularly bright in the night, as if hiding something steadfast.

"What I'm thinking is—"

He paused, emphasizing every word:

"I hope Ji-min can start trying new things from now on, or explore new paths for development."

"A life controlled by others is not a comfortable thing. I know that better than anyone."

His tone held a depth that Karina had never heard before.

"But I hope that within the scope of my ability—"

He turned to look at Karina.

Those eyes appeared exceptionally deep in the night, like a deep pool hiding countless secrets.

"Ji-min can do her best to learn and expand her horizons and potential."

His voice was very calm, as calm as if he were stating a fact.

But those eyes were so serious they couldn't be ignored.

Karina looked at that face that made her heart flutter and listened to those serious words that didn't hold a trace of falsehood. Something in her heart was surging violently.

She had looked at that face for four years.

Ever since their trainee days, she had been watching him.

Back then, he was still taciturn, always sitting alone in a corner writing songs, occasionally looking up to watch them practice with an indescribably deep gaze.

Later, he became their unofficial vocal instructor.

Then he left SM and started his own company.

And even later, he became the president of TG, a strategic partner of SM, and the person who made her look like a fool in front of the whole internet—yet also the person who made her toss and turn in bed for countless nights.

She thought she understood him.

But now, she realized she didn't understand him at all.

Because she had never imagined he would say such things.

Not an apology, not a defense, not an explanation.

But—

Wishing for her to try new things.

Wishing for her to expand her horizons.

Wishing for her to be herself.

Karina's lips moved.

She wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat, turning into a tangled mess.

She could only bite her lower lip, so hard she almost drew blood.

Jiang Zhiyu.

You really are a detestable person!

Clearly, you're the one who put me in this position.

Clearly, I had decided not to forgive you.

From now on, I would only treat you as a business partner, only call you 'President Jiang,' and only maintain a polite and distant relationship.

Clearly—

Why did you—

Why did you say those things?!

Why are you looking at me with that kind of gaze?

Why make me feel...

She lowered her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze again.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't rush her.

He simply gazed at the river and continued:

"Ji-min, what do you want to do in the future?"

Karina was stunned for a moment.

"An idol, an actress, or just make enough money to retire comfortably, or maybe find someone outside the industry to marry after leaving the circle?"

He spoke very calmly, as if discussing what they had for dinner.

Karina's eyelashes trembled again.

"I'm not forcing you to make a decision for several years or even a decade from now right this second," Jiang Zhiyu said, his tone carrying a rare gentleness. "But—"

He paused, as if searching for the most appropriate expression.

"I have the ability to let you start doing the things you want to do."

"Even if you fail—"

His voice was soft yet exceptionally clear:

"I can help you start over again."

In that instant, Karina felt her heart skip a beat.

It wasn't a metaphor.

It really skipped a beat.

Those eyes just looked at her—calm, serious, without a trace of mockery or perfunctoriness.

He was being serious.

He really could do it.

And he was truly willing.

Karina's hands were clenched together, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Fans liked to call those hands 'little mangosteens'—slender, fair, and well-defined, like fresh mangosteen segments.

Right now, those two 'little mangosteens' were clenched tightly, as if trying to hold back something that was about to overflow.

She kept her head down, not wanting him to see her expression.

But in her heart, that sentence echoed repeatedly:

Even if you fail, I can help you start over again.

Even if you fail...

I can help you...

Start over again.

Unconditional support...

Unconditional trust and backing...

Do you know what that means?

She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calm:

"Oppa."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her.

Karina turned her head and gazed at the river, speaking slowly:

"Actually, that night, I thought of hundreds of ways to kill you."

Jiang Zhiyu was stunned for a moment, then the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

Karina looked up at him, her lips curling into a faint, half-smile.

"Really. Hundreds of ways."

Jiang Zhiyu blinked, momentarily unsure of what to say.

"But later I thought, never mind," Karina continued, her voice carrying a hint of grievance she hadn't noticed herself. "However, I'm still very angry."

Jiang Zhiyu didn't speak, waiting quietly.

Karina turned to look into his eyes:

"Oppa, do you know why I'm angry?"

Jiang Zhiyu was silent for a second.

Then he gave a soft laugh.

"It's not because you made me do that thing," Karina said. "That's what I realized later."

She was about to continue explaining—

"Because I didn't tell you beforehand."

Jiang Zhiyu suddenly spoke, beating her to the answer.

Karina froze.

"And I even conspired with Minjeong and Ningning," Jiang Zhiyu continued, his tone carrying a hint of knowing amusement. "Our little group excluded you."

Karina's eyes widened, and she whipped her head around to look at him.

His profile was exceptionally clear in the dim light. The corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, wearing a knowing, gentle smile.

Shibal!!!

Karina screamed inwardly.

How did he know?!

How did he know that what she cared about wasn't the pig head, or being turned into a meme by the whole internet, or her idol image collapsing—

But that?!

The feeling of being excluded?!

How did he—

She stared at him, at his profile that looked exceptionally handsome in the night, her heart feeling like a tipped-over spice rack.

Jiang Zhiyu laughed again.

That smile seemed exceptionally gentle under the moonlight.

Karina's face suddenly flushed red.

She didn't know why she was blushing, but she was—blushing.

And it was a thorough blush, spreading from her cheeks to her ears, and from her ears to her neck.

"What are you laughing at?!"

She asked in a mix of shame and anger, her voice a few pitches higher than usual.

She finally reacted, her voice carrying embarrassment and a trace of unhideable panic.

Jiang Zhiyu turned his head to look at her, the amusement in his eyes deepening.

"Nothing," he said, his tone as light as if he were coaxing a child. "I just feel that Ji-min is still the same Ji-min after all."

Karina glared at him, her cheeks burning fiercely.

"What... what do you mean?"

Jiang Zhiyu retracted his gaze and looked toward the river.

After a few seconds of silence, he said softly:

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"Ji-min, I won't do this again in the future."

Karina's heart skipped a beat.

"From now on, whatever happens, I'll tell you first. It'll be up to you whether you want to participate," he said. "If you want to participate, you can. If you don't, you don't have to."

He paused, turned his head, and looked into her eyes:

"I won't make you feel left out again."

Karina stared at him blankly.

That face looked exceptionally soft under the dim light.

Those eyes, looking at her earnestly, reflected her shadow.

She felt her cheeks burning intensely.

The heat spread from her earlobes to her cheeks, and then from her cheeks to her neck; she couldn't suppress it no matter what.

He...

How could he...

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't say anything.

She could only stare at him blankly.

Jiang Zhiyu watched her reaction and silently calculated in his mind.

Hmm, looking at it like this, she shouldn't be that angry anymore.

Bringing up serious business now shouldn't cause any trouble...

Probably.

He took a deep breath, prepared himself for being hunted down, and spoke slowly:

"Ji-min."

Karina was still stunned and subconsciously let out a "Hmm?"

"Next week, set aside one day."

Jiang Zhiyu paused and continued:

"Shoot a short film with Yoona Noona. It'll only be about ten minutes long."

Karina blinked, and a sudden ominous premonition arose in her heart.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, the corners of his mouth slightly raised:

"The title of the short film is—"

He took a deep breath and said it all in one go:

"the pig head struggle between withe and phantom thief zhimin."

The air froze.

Karina's expression became incredibly vivid in that instant.

First, shock.

Then, confusion.

And then—understanding.

Complete understanding.

She looked at Jiang Zhiyu's face, which was still maintaining a smile, and countless thoughts flashed crazily through her mind.

The pig head struggle.

Phantom Thief Zhimin.

Withe.

Pig head.

Phantom Thief Zhimin.

Pig head.

Pig head.

Pig head—!!!

The touch of emotion that had just welled up in her heart was washed away in that instant.

Replaced by an extremely complex emotion—anger, amusement, helplessness, and a hint of resignation: "I knew it."

She stared at Jiang Zhiyu, stared at that damn face of his that could still smile, for three seconds.

Then—she let out a scoff.

The laughter was light, but it carried an aura that made one's back turn cold.

Then, that scoff turned into a laugh of anger.

She let out a "Ha," then another "Ha," her whole body shaking with laughter.

But there wasn't a shred of mirth in that laughter.

Jiang Zhiyu's back began to sweat.

"Ji-min, listen to me—"

Before he could finish, Karina lunged forward, pressing her whole weight onto him, her hands directly grabbing his neck.

The force wasn't heavy, but it definitely wasn't light either.

"Jiang—Zhi—yu—!!!"

She gritted her teeth and shouted his name, her voice filled with murderous intent, embarrassment, and the determination of "I must kill him today."

"I'll kill you—!!!"

Jiang Zhiyu was tackled onto the grass by her, protecting his neck with his hands, struggling awkwardly:

"Ji-min! Don't! Murdering your husband—ah, ptooey, no—murdering your Oppa is a crime!!!"

"I don't care!!!" Karina squeezed hard, her eyes turning red. "Those things you said just now, I thought—I thought you were sincere—but it was all for that pig head!!!"

"I am sincere! Those words were all sincere!" Jiang Zhiyu struggled. "It was just by the way—just by the way to mention that short film—ah!!!"

Karina's hands squeezed harder.

"By the way?! By the way?!"

Jiang Zhiyu was being choked until he rolled his eyes, but he still tried to squeeze out a smile:

"Ji-min... listen to my explanation... this short film is really interesting... and think about it... the title Phantom Thief Zhimin... how cool is that..."

"Cool my foot!!!"

Karina's shout echoed in the night sky.

Surrounding gazes turned towards them one after another.

After all, a girl riding on top of a man, shouting "murder," this scene was indeed a bit eye-catching.

"What's happening over there?"

"Looks like a couple fighting?"

"Should we call the police?"

"Wait, it doesn't look real..."

Karina's movements froze.

She looked up and discovered that a circle of people had gathered, looking at them with various curious, gossiping, and excited eyes.

Her face instantly turned beet red.

Jiang Zhiyu took the opportunity to struggle out from under her and grabbed her hand:

"Run!"

The two of them took off running.

Behind them came the laughter of passersby—good-natured, teasing, and a few jeers:

"Young people are so great~"

"Hahaha, I heard that guy say 'murdering your husband'!"

"So, was a marriage proposal rejected?"

"Doesn't look like it, looks more like he did something bad and got caught by his girlfriend..."

"Oppa, go for it!!!"

"Unnie, run slower!!!"

"Hahahahahaha—"

Karina was pulled by Jiang Zhiyu, sprinting on the walkway by the Han River.

The night wind whistled past her ears, messing up her long hair. She was running out of breath, but the corners of her mouth rose involuntarily.

Not because it was funny.

It was because—he was holding her hand.

That feeling was very strange.

Clearly, she had just been hunting him down, clearly she had just been so angry she wanted to kill him, but now, being pulled by him as they ran, there was an indescribable feeling in her heart—peace of mind.

After running for a while, there was finally no sound behind them.

The two stopped, bent over, and panted.

Jiang Zhiyu breathed heavily and looked up at her:

"Ji-min... you... your stamina is really good..."

Karina glared at him, but she herself was panting too hard to speak.

The two stood like that by the empty Han River, bent over, gasping for air, like two fools who had just finished a marathon.

The river breeze blew past, carrying a chill, dispersing the heat on their faces.

Karina raised her head and looked at him.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her too.

Their eyes met.

The two were stunned for a second simultaneously.

Then—Karina couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Jiang Zhiyu laughed along with her.

The laughter echoed along the empty riverbank, scattered by the night wind.

When she had laughed enough, Karina straightened up and tidied her hair, which had been messed up by the wind. Her face was still red, but that redness was no longer because of anger, but because of something else.

Jiang Zhiyu leaned against the railing, looking at the distant river surface.

Moonlight spilled onto the river water, sparkling, like a layer of crushed silver spread out.

"Ji-min." He suddenly spoke.

Karina turned her head.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't look at her, just gazed at the river, his voice very soft:

"You know? What I said just now—about the things you want to do, that you can start over if you fail—it's all true."

Karina's heart skipped a beat.

Jiang Zhiyu continued, his tone as calm as if he were stating a fact:

"Not because of SM, not because of aespa's Karina."

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

In those eyes, the moonlight was reflected, the river water was reflected, and her shadow was reflected.

"But because you are Ji-min."

Karina was stunned.

She looked at him, looking at the earnestness and gentleness in those eyes, and something in her heart that had always been tense suddenly relaxed.

She wanted to say something.

Wanted to say "Oppa, do you know, I actually really like you."

Wanted to say "I've liked you for a long time."

Wanted to say "Every time I see you, my heart beats faster."

Wanted to say "Just now when you said those words, I almost couldn't help but want to hug you."

But she didn't say anything.

She suddenly remembered her current identity—the leader of aespa, SM's top pick, a rookie idol who had debuted for less than two years.

She remembered the company's rules, the fans' expectations, and those bottom lines that couldn't be touched.

She remembered what he said just now—not because of Karina, but because of Ji-min.

But Karina and Ji-min were one. She couldn't have just Ji-min and not Karina.

She slowly loosened her clenched hands.

Those words, in the end, were not spoken.

She turned her head, gazed at the river, and spoke softly:

"Oppa."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her.

Karina's voice was very soft, as if afraid it would be blown away by the wind:

"Next time—don't leave me out."

Jiang Zhiyu paused.

"No matter what it is," she continued, "good or bad, happy or sad, what you want me to do, or don't want me to do—you have to tell me."

She paused, turned her head, and met his gaze.

In those beautiful eyes, there were tears, but more than that, there was earnestness and stubbornness:

"Because I don't want to hear about you from other people anymore."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, silent for a long time.

Then he smiled.

That smile, in the halo of the streetlamp, was as gentle as the early autumn wind.

"I promise you," he said.

The river breeze blew past, carrying the chill of the water vapor.

The noise of the crowd in the distance, laughter faintly drifted over.

The water of the Han River flowed quietly, tirelessly.

The two stood side by side by the railing, watching the river, neither of them speaking again.

But there was no need to say anything more.

Some words, saying them out loud was enough.

Some promises, keeping them in one's heart was enough.

Some relationships—didn't need definition, didn't need confession, didn't need any formal confirmation.

Just like this, it was just right.

I don't know how much time passed, Karina suddenly spoke:

"Oppa."

"Hmm?"

"That short film..."

Jiang Zhiyu's heart tightened.

Karina was silent for a second, then slowly said:

"I'll do it."

Jiang Zhiyu paused, turned to look at her.

Karina was still gazing at the river, but the corners of her mouth carried a faint, subtle smile:

"However, there are conditions."

"What conditions?"

Karina turned her head and looked at him, a cunning light flashing in her eyes:

"The script, I want to read it first."

Jiang Zhiyu: "..."

"The filming schedule cannot conflict with aespa's schedule."

Jiang Zhiyu nodded:

"Of course."

"And—"

Karina paused, her smile deepening:

"After we finish shooting, you have to treat me to a meal, just the two of us. Not with Minjeong and the others, just us."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, silent for two seconds.

Then he smiled.

In that smile, there was a hint of helplessness, a hint of doting, and a hint of—gentleness—that even he himself hadn't noticed.

"Okay," he said.

Karina nodded with satisfaction and looked back at the river.

After a while, she suddenly said:

"Oppa, actually, I really wanted to kill you just now."

Jiang Zhiyu's mouth twitched:

"...I know."

"It wasn't because of the pig head thing."

"Then why?"

Karina was silent for a second.

Then she said softly:

"Because you are too good with words."

Jiang Zhiyu paused.

Karina continued:

"Those things you said—'You can start over if you fail,' 'Not because of Karina, but because of Ji-min'—do you know how heart-fluttering those words are?"

Jiang Zhiyu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't say it.

Karina turned her head and looked at him, her gaze carrying a hint of teasing:

"Are you like this with every girl?"

Jiang Zhiyu immediately denied:

"No."

"Really?"

"Really."

Karina stared at him for a few seconds, then withdrew her gaze and smiled lightly:

"That's good."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

That feeling, he couldn't say what it was.

But it was very warm.

The two stood for a while longer.

"It's getting late," Jiang Zhiyu checked his phone, "Shall I see you back?"

Karina nodded.

The two turned around and walked back along the path they came from.

This time, they were side by side.

The night wind blew gently, streetlamps passing overhead one by one.

Karina suddenly remembered something:

"By the way, Oppa, about Minjeong's solo..."

"Hmm?"

"Are you really going to write a song for her?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded:

"Yeah, it's already agreed with SM."

Karina was silent for a second, then said softly:

"That child... is looking forward to it."

Jiang Zhiyu glanced at her:

"You are too, right?"

Karina paused:

"What?"

"Looking forward to it." Jiang Zhiyu said, "You're looking forward to it too, right? As the leader, watching the members get individual development opportunities one by one."

Karina was silent.

After a while, she nodded gently:

"Yeah."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, his gaze carrying a hint of appreciation:

"Ji-min, you are a good leader."

Karina paused, then her face flushed slightly:

"Why are you saying this all of a sudden..."

"Nothing," Jiang Zhiyu smiled, "Just feel that aespa is very lucky to have you."

Karina lowered her head and didn't speak.

But the slightly raised corners of her mouth couldn't be hidden.

The two walked to the intersection, the taxi stand.

Jiang Zhiyu raised his hand to hail a taxi and opened the door:

"Send me a message when you arrive."

Karina nodded and sat into the car.

Before closing the door, she suddenly looked up at him:

"Oppa."

"Hmm?"

Karina was silent for a second, then said:

"Thank you."

Those two words were very soft, so soft they seemed to be blown away by the night wind.

But Jiang Zhiyu heard them.

He smiled:

"Good night, Ji-min."

Karina nodded and closed the car door.

The taxi slowly drove away, its taillights gradually fading into the night.