380: Chapter 443 Phantom Thief Zhimin (8)

The office door closed softly behind her.

Jiang Zhiyu leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, and tapped his fingers twice on the desk. Then he picked up his phone and opened Karina's Super Topic.

He first logged into his first account.

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry]

The profile picture was a fansite photo of Karina, and the account was registered in November 2020—the month aespa officially debuted. From that day on, this account began the long process of "account nurturing."

At that time, Karina was just a rookie who had just stepped onto the stage, and her fan count was pitifully small. Meanwhile, he had already planted the first seed on this track. Over the past two years, he had poured so much money into this account that he had almost lost track—albums, merchandise, non-shipped bulk buys, birthday support, voting funds... every penny was real money. After two years, this account had become somewhat famous in Karina's fan circle, known as "Little Strawberry Unnie."

Fans didn't know what "Little Strawberry Unnie" looked like, what she did for a living, or how old she was, but they knew one thing—this person was truly wealthy.

For every aespa comeback, "Little Strawberry Unnie" would post proof photos of dozens of albums; for every one of Karina's birthday supports, "Little Strawberry Unnie" was one of the largest sponsors; once, when a cosmetics brand Karina endorsed held an event, "Little Strawberry Unnie" bought three million won worth of products in one go just to get that limited edition signed poster.

"Little Strawberry Unnie's" status in the fan group could be summarized in one sentence—

"Mega-rich lady."

SM's marketing department had even privately contacted this account, tentatively asking if she would be willing to participate in a fan symposium. "Little Strawberry Unnie" politely declined, citing the reason that she "only wanted to protect Ji-min from afar."

No one knew that the "mega-rich lady" Little Strawberry Unnie was actually a twenty-year-old man.

Jiang Zhiyu clicked on the Super Topic and quickly scrolled through today's trending posts.

Sure enough, the first pinned post was a discussion about the "Phantom Thief Zhimin" trending search.

He clicked on the comment section, his finger sliding across the screen, his expression as calm as if he were reading a market analysis report.

Then he started typing.

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Our Ji-min is so charismatic. If some people are blind, I don't blame you, but if your mouth is foul, that's your problem. What's wrong with an idol crossing over into acting? Ji-min has the looks, the body, and the aura—why shouldn't she act? Those making sarcastic remarks should look at their own bias's level before talking smack! What do you mean "plastic face"? Have you ever seen a plastic face look like this? What do you mean "Pig 51"? That's our Ji-min's popularity. Anti-fans aren't even as good as pigs; the sourness can be smelled right through the screen! This is Ji-min's first time acting, and we'll support her no matter what she plays! Go, Phantom Thief Zhimin!!! Unnie will always support you!]

Send.

He logged out of this account and logged into another.

[guardian of princess wonyoung]

The style of this account was completely different.

The profile picture was a fansite photo of Jang Wonyoung, and the registration time was April 2021—during the filming of "twelve star messengers: records of survival in the mortal realm." The account bio read "원영이만 사랑해" (Only love Wonyoung), and the pinned post on the personal homepage was a support post titled "Jang Wonyoung is the cutest in the world."

But the real purpose of this account had nothing to do with "support."

"guardian of princess wonyoung" was a celebrity in Karina's anti-fan circle.

This account never participated in any normal discussion; it only did three things: praise Jang Wonyoung, bash Karina, and—stir up trouble.

Its most famous achievement was being the first to shout out the derogatory nickname "Pig 51."

"Karina? The pig head thief title is well-deserved. Let's call her Pig 51 from now on. She's number one anyway—the number one in the pigpen, hahahaha!"

This comment was cursed at over three thousand times back then, but it also successfully sent the nickname "Pig 51" to the trending searches.

"Zhu" (Pig) was a reference to the "pig head thief" meme, and "Wu Yi" (5-1) was short for "top five girls" (the number one of the fifth generation). Combined, it both mocked Karina's "pig head stealing" incident and denied her status as the "number one of the fifth generation." It was a textbook example of meme-making in the anti-fan world.

This derogatory nickname quickly spread across major forums, becoming a standard term for Karina's anti-fans. Every time "guardian of princess wonyoung" appeared in the comment section, it would trigger a bloodbath.

Karina's fans hated this account with a passion, but they couldn't do anything about it—this account was too good at stirring up trouble. Every sentence precisely stepped on the fans' triggers, yet never crossed the line into needing legal intervention.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the screen, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

He started typing.

[guardian of princess wonyoung: This is hilarious. A plastic-faced Mantis Girl thinks she's worthy of acting? Don't make me laugh. Number one of the fifth generation? She's not even worthy of carrying Jang Wonyoung's shoes. A pig-head-stealing Pig 51 is no match for our Princess Wonyoung. They aren't even the same species, okay? Hahaha. Karina acting? I suggest renaming it "pig head thief: I Steal Lunch Boxes on Set." It'll definitely be a box office hit since there are so many pig heads in Korea. Hahahaha!]

Send.

He put his phone on the desk and looked at the two accounts on the screen.

One was the "mega-rich lady" who loved Karina the most.

One was the "founder of Pig 51" who hated Karina the most.

One was praising, one was bashing.

One was protecting, one was attacking.

One was an angel, one was a demon.

And the hand controlling these two accounts belonged to the same person.

Jiang Zhiyu picked up his herbal tea, took a sip, and the curve of his mouth grew wider as he whispered to himself:

"The conflict has begun."

—

Exactly 10:00 AM.

Three marketing accounts under TG Entertainment, as if wound up, simultaneously posted a message.

[[Exclusive] According to reliable sources, aespa member Karina will star in a short film produced by TG Entertainment titled "the pig head struggle between withe and phantom thief zhimin," partnering with Girls Generation's Im Yoona. It is reported that this short film shares the same world-view as the movie "the crab" and is expected to start filming next week. Karina's side has not yet responded.

The accompanying image was a photoshopped picture—Karina wearing a black top hat and eye mask, holding a braised pig head in her hand, with Im Yoona standing next to her in mercenary combat gear. The two were back-to-back, the style so bizarre it looked like a still from some cult movie.]

The wording was ambiguous and the information density was high, but the core was just one sentence—

Karina is going to act.

And it's with Im Yoona.

And the short film's name even has the words "pig head" in it.

TG's traffic team began mass distribution within thirty seconds of the news being posted. Trending search terms, recommendation slots, feed ads—every channel that could be bought was fully utilized. Money was spent like water, and the data shot up like a rocket.

Fifteen minutes later, "Karina Pig Head Struggle" broke into the top ten trending searches.

Half an hour later, it was number one.

Topic reads exceeded 100 million.

Discussion volume exceeded 100,000.

The comment section completely exploded.

[Wait, what?? Isn't "the crab" a crime action movie?? How did it get involved with a phantom thief?? What's with this sudden change in style??]

["the pig head struggle between withe and phantom thief zhimin"—who came up with this name? Can they step forward so I can give them a beating?]

[So the mercenary Withe played by Im Yoona is going to fight over a pig head with the phantom thief played by Karina? What kind of ghost plot is this??]

[Wait, wait, let me get this straight—the crime action movie "the crab" has a spin-off short film where a mercenary and a phantom thief fight over a pig head? Do these two things have even a single won's worth of connection??]

[No, are you fans okay? Karina acting? An idol acting? Don't make me laugh, okay?]

[Hilarious, idols can't act? Hasn't your own bias acted? Double-standard dogs, get lost.]

[To be honest, Karina's acting... singing and dancing are fine, but acting, really, forget it. I hope she doesn't end up unable to even remember her lines.]

[Upstairs, have you seen her act? You're just hating for the sake of hating, aren't you?]

[Do I need to see it? Nine out of ten idols who act fail. Could Karina be the exception?]

[What do you know! Our Ji-min is a woman who can even perform with dramatic tension while stealing a pig head! This role is practically tailor-made for her! (dog head)]

[Hahahaha, "dramatic tension" my foot, the title "pig head thief" is well-deserved!]

[So is this short film serious or for laughs? Can someone give me a straight answer?]

[Probably for laughs... Look at that name, "Pig Head Struggle." It doesn't look like a serious film no matter how you look at it.]

[What if it's black humor?]

[Black humor is still humor! It doesn't match the style of "the crab" at all!]

[Is there a possibility that this short film is just for laughs and has nothing to do with the main movie?]

[Then why film it? Too much money to burn?]

[For promotion. With Karina's traffic, anything she films can trend. Look at it now—it's already number one on the trending searches.]

[Man, TG's traffic-grabbing tactics are too unsightly, aren't they? To promote a movie, they even dragged an idol in to film a silly short film?]

[You call this promotion? This is fraud! I thought it was a serious crime movie, and then you show me a phantom thief stealing a pig head??]

[Upstairs, are you stupid? A short film is a short film, and a movie is a movie. No one's making you pay to watch the short film.]

[Even so... why do I actually want to watch it?]

[Me too... Karina as a phantom thief, Im Yoona as a mercenary, fighting over a pig head... This picture is too beautiful for me to imagine.]

[It's over, I've been brainwashed by TG's marketing. I really want to watch this crappy short film now.]

[+1, I even think this film might be better than the main one. (dog head for protection)]

[Wake up, everyone!!! This is clearly TG's marketing tactic!!! Don't let them set the pace!!!]

[I know it's marketing, but what if I just want to watch it?]

[Then watch it, it's not like it costs money. Anyway, with Karina's face there, it's fine just to watch for fun.]

[To be honest, TG's move this time is really slick. Using a silly short film to bring up the movie's popularity while also testing the waters for Karina's acting. Killing two birds with one stone.]

[Killing two birds with one stone? It's clearly using a sledgehammer to crack a nut! With Karina's traffic, putting her in this silly short film is like using a nuclear bomb on a mosquito.]

[But the effect is good. Look at the number one trending search, look at the discussion volume. This amount of traffic is something many movies can't buy even with hundreds of millions.]

[Stop it, stop it, I'm already starting to look forward to it. Karina as a phantom thief, Im Yoona as a mercenary, fighting over a pig head—this plot, I give it full marks.]

[So when exactly will this short film be broadcast? I'm waiting.]

[+1, waiting.]

[+10086, waiting.]

—

Jiang Zhiyu put his phone on the desk and looked at the numbers constantly jumping on the screen, his expression as calm as if he were looking at a financial report.

Read counts, discussion counts, trending search indices—all the data was growing at a rate visible to the naked eye. The comment section had completely fallen; fans and passersby were arguing in a heap, anti-fans were taking the opportunity to fish in troubled waters, and various marketing accounts were moving upon hearing the news, starting to repost, interpret, spread rumors, and debunk rumors—a complete industrial chain was operating at high speed.

And he only needed to sit here quietly and watch it all happen.

This was the effect he wanted.

Not positive praise, not negative criticism, but—

Chaos.

Only chaos could make everyone lose their judgment; only chaos could make information spread at the fastest speed; only chaos could make the audience be pushed toward his preset end point without realizing it.

Im Yoona's cold aura.

Karina's path as an actress.

The nationwide attention for "the crab."

Three goals, achieved in one go.

He picked up his herbal tea and took another sip. The tea had gone cold, and the bitterness upon entry was even stronger than before, but he didn't care at all.

Outside the window, the sunlight finally broke through that layer of grayish-white clouds, spreading a sheet of golden light across Seoul's skyline. The distant Namsan Tower loomed in and out of the light, like a silver needle pointing to the sky.

Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his gaze, picked up his phone again, and opened Karina's Super Topic.

—

Under the latest post by "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry," the number of replies had already exceeded a thousand. True fans were liking it frantically, shouting in unison "Support Unnie," "Little Strawberry said it well," and "Anti-fans get out."

Meanwhile, under the post by "guardian of princess wonyoung," it was a different scene—anti-fans were celebrating, filling the screen with names like "Pig 51" and "Mantis Girl," taking screenshots, photoshopping, and making up jokes, being as vicious as possible.

The two posts were like two matches thrown into a powder keg, blowing the entire Super Topic out of shape.

"Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Some people live just to disgust others. How failed are your lives? Spending all day online hating someone who has absolutely nothing to do with you—don't you find it pathetic?"

"guardian of princess wonyoung: Hilarious. Saying a few truths is called hating? You fans are the truly pathetic ones, treating a plastic face like a goddess. Your brains must be malfunctioning, right?"

"Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Plastic surgery? Do you have evidence? Do you know that spreading rumors carries legal responsibility?"

"guardian of princess wonyoung: Still need evidence? Whether that face has been touched or not, even a blind person can see. Your fan filters are thick enough to block bullets."

"Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Your mouth is so foul, how much crap did you eat? I suggest you see a doctor; it might be late-stage oral cancer."

"guardian of princess wonyoung: Oh, someone's getting anxious, starting personal attacks? Is this the quality of you Karina fans? Like idol, like fan!"

"Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: You say the right things to the right people. Garbage like you doesn't deserve to be treated well."

"guardian of princess wonyoung: Tsk tsk tsk, you fans only have this much ability. When your Karina's acting flops, don't cry."

"Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Flop your mom. Our Ji-min can do anything well. Just wait to be slapped in the face."

The flame war spread from the Super Topic to the public square, from the square to the trending searches, and from the trending searches to major forums. Fans on both sides were seeing red, passersby were watching the spectacle, and marketing accounts were fanning the flames.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the screen and laughed out loud.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

He recalled those late nights at the beginning of the project for "the crab," sitting in front of a whiteboard, rehearsing the promotional path over and over again.

Back then, he had drawn a massive mind map, starting from the "Opening Ceremony," branching out into countless sub-lines—

Karina steals the pig head → Internet-wide memes → "pig head thief" tag → fans broken → haters reveling → topic fermentation → birth of the derogatory nickname "Pig 51" → fan counterattack → sustained heat...

Then, branching out from this sub-line into new branches—

Film wrap → promotional period begins → "Phantom Thief Zhimin" short film official announcement → fans ecstatic → haters mock → war of words escalates → top of hot search → nationwide attention → the film "the crab" repeatedly mentioned → Im Yoona's role sparks discussion → audience curiosity piqued → want to see what kind of movie could make Im Yoona become like this → box office for the first week of release...

Every step, he had calculated.

Every step, he had rehearsed countless times in his mind.

This was not an impromptu performance, but a long-planned strategic layout, precise down to every detail.

From the moment Karina hugged that pig head and fled in a panic at the Opening Ceremony, the promotional war for this film had already begun.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip.

The herbal tea had gone cold, but that faint sweetness still lingered on his tongue.

He glanced out the window.

The setting sun was sinking, dyeing the skyline of Seoul in golden red.

The scenery outside was beautiful, so beautiful that he felt a moment of trance.

Then he withdrew his gaze and looked back at the screen.

The number one hot search still displayed the entry "Karina Phantom Thief Zhimin."

Below it, a new entry was rapidly climbing—

#Pig 51 Jang Wonyoung#

Jiang Zhiyu looked at this entry and raised an eyebrow.

This was brushed up spontaneously by fans; it had nothing to do with him.

Karina's fans and Jang Wonyoung's fans had already started a war on major social platforms.

—

Karina's fans flooded the comment section, using the most intense language to hit back at "guardian of princess wonyoung."

"Who do you think you are! What right do you have to talk about our Ji-min!"

"Can you really use such a foul nickname as 'Pig 51'? Was your upbringing eaten by a dog?"

"Jang Wonyoung's fans are just so disgusting, all they know is to pull others down!"

Jang Wonyoung's fans were not to be outdone—

"Our Wonyoung is naturally the number one female, let the data speak, okay?"

"What can Karina do besides stealing pig heads?"

"Are you fans sick? Can a funny short film be praised as acting?"

"Who knows how many internet trolls SM bought for the number one hot search? With Karina's acting? I'm afraid she can't even memorize her lines! Jang Wonyoung's performance in 'twelve star envoys' is what you call acting; someone should just go back to being her 'Pig 51'!"

Amidst this chaos, some passersby also joined the discussion:

"Wait, so what exactly is this 'the pig head struggle between withe and phantom thief zhimin'? I'm getting more and more curious..."

"No, argue if you must, but can you tell me when this short film will be broadcast?"

"Although... the 'Phantom Thief Zhimin' setting is really funny hahahaha"

"I suddenly want to watch it; what kind of weird thing is this, is it that silly?"

—

An hour later.

TG Entertainment publicity department.

"Manager!!!" The intern sprang up from their seat, their voice changing pitch, "That comment from 'guardian of princess wonyoung' has been screenshotted! It's spreading everywhere on Weibo, Twitter, and forums! Now both 'Jang Wonyoung' and 'Karina' are trending on the hot search together!"

"And 'Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry'!" another team member shouted, "That one is being retweeted like crazy too! Fans on both sides have already started a chaotic battle!"

"The Ji-min faction says 'guardian of princess wonyoung' is a toxic fan of Jang Wonyoung and is demanding an explanation from Jang Wonyoung's fans!"

"Jang Wonyoung's fans say that's an anti-fan posing as them, it has nothing to do with them!"

"They're fighting! It's third on the hot search! No, second!"

Park Min-young stood in front of the big screen, looking at the heat curve that had turned blood red, and suddenly felt her throat go dry.

"Manager," the data analyst's voice came from the corner, with an incredulous tone, "The search volume for 'the crab' has increased in the past hour by... 130 times."

The office went quiet for a second.

Then, everyone turned their heads to look at Park Min-young.

Park Min-young took a deep breath, her voice slightly hoarse:

"What else... has President Jiang prepared?"

No one could answer her.

TG Entertainment President's office.

Jiang Zhiyu had already replaced his herbal tea with a fresh cup.

The sunlight outside had shifted from the golden hue of noon to the warm orange of the afternoon, casting a gentle light on his desk.

On the computer screen in front of him, five windows were open simultaneously.

Public opinion monitoring system, two forum pages, a data analysis backend, and—the Karina Super Topic.

The private message inbox of "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry" had exploded.

Fans were crazily liking, retweeting, and tagging in the comment section; some were moved to tears: "Sister Little Strawberry is so tough! She voiced the heart of all us Ji-min fans!"

Others started organizing a counterattack: "Sisters, let's brush up the entry 'Karina acting'! Let those haters see our strength!"

On the "guardian of princess wonyoung" side, it was equally lively.

Haters, like sharks smelling blood, swarmed in, crazily retweeting that mocking comment, adding fuel to the fire, becoming more and more outrageous.

Some started photoshopping, some started making up jokes, some started digging into Karina's past "black history"—of course, digging back and forth, it was still just that "pig head thief."

The war of words on both sides had spread from the initial "Can Karina act," to "Who is the real number one female between Karina and Jang Wonyoung."

This topic had been one of the most sensitive, explosive, and war-inducing issues in the Korean entertainment industry for the past two years.

And now, it had been reignited by Jiang Zhiyu with two comments.

He watched the rapidly scrolling comments on the screen, picked up his teacup, and gently blew on the steam.

Jang Wonyoung's fans angrily clarified: "guardian of princess wonyoung" is not Wonyoung's fan at all, it's an anti-fan posing as one!

Karina's fans sneered: Posing? That account was praising your Wonyoung months ago, and now you say it's posing? Do you think we're stupid?

Jang Wonyoung's fans countered: That account hasn't even bought one of Wonyoung's albums! Would a real fan not spend money? Can you Ji-min fans use your brains?

Karina's fans were even angrier: Spend money? Your Wonyoung's album sales aren't even as high as our Ji-min's merchandise, right? And you have the nerve to talk about spending money?

...

The war of words burned brighter.

And in this chaos, the search volume for "the crab" was skyrocketing at a rate of tens of thousands of times per minute.

Jiang Zhiyu watched the screen and suddenly remembered something.

A few months ago, at the first planning meeting for "the crab," Kim Soo-yeon asked him: "What is your expectation for this film?"

He said at the time: "It cannot fail."

Kim Soo-yeon looked at him: "And then?"

He did not answer.

Now, he could finally answer.

It cannot fail.

So he would not allow any accidents.

From the moment "the crab" was approved, he had already calculated every step—when to release news, when to ignite a topic, when to add fuel to the fire, when to close the net.

Every link, every person, every account, every sentence had been rehearsed and deduced countless times.

Including Karina.

Including Im Yoona.

Including the "pig head thief" tag—from the moment it was born, it was destined to be utilized to the fullest here.

He looked at the two comments on the screen and suddenly laughed softly.

If Karina knew that her "head of true love fans" and "head of the biggest anti-fans" were the same person—and this person was "Jiang Zhiyu," whom she gritted her teeth and muttered about every day—what would her expression be?

She would probably grab him by the neck and shout, "Jiang Zhiyu, you're plotting against me again."

He remembered that night by the Han River, when she lunged over to grab his neck.

The strength wasn't great, but the momentum was fierce; she pressed her whole body onto him, the moonlight shining on her flushed face.

That image made the arc of his mouth deepen a little.

The sunlight outside gradually slanted westward, casting a long shadow on the desk.

Jiang Zhiyu put down his teacup, stood up, and walked to the window.

The sky of Seoul unfolded before him, with high-rise buildings and heavy traffic, and the distant Namsan Tower glistening in the setting sun.

In this city, countless people were busy because of the storm he had created.

People in the publicity department were watching the data.

People at SM were playing dead.

Karina's fans were frantically controlling the comments.

Jang Wonyoung's fans were angrily clarifying.

Passersby were eating popcorn while curiously searching for "the crab."

And the culprit of all this was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a cup of herbal tea, looking at the sky outside.

"What a beautiful day." He said softly.

The sunlight plated a warm color on his face, and in those eyes that were always so calm they were almost cold, the orange-red sunset reflected at this moment.

The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, a faint smile, but it carried a kind of—satisfaction that even he hadn't noticed.

He turned and walked back to the desk, put down the teacup, and tapped his fingers on the keyboard a few times.

On the screen, the data of the public opinion monitoring system was still skyrocketing.

Hot search #1: [Karina Phantom Thief Zhimin the pig head struggle between withe and phantom thief zhimin] Exploding

Hot search #3: [Jang Wonyoung Karina] Exploding

Hot search #5: [Pig 51] Boiling

Hot search #7: [the crab film] Hot

Hot search #9: [Im Yoona Mercenary] Hot

He nodded with satisfaction and closed the monitoring page.

Then, he opened a new document.

The document title was: "the pig head struggle between withe and phantom thief zhimin" shooting script.

He needed to finish filming this ten-minute short film within this week.

Then editing, music, post-production, to launch before the second round of promotion for "the crab" began.

Time was tight.

But he never worried about time.

What he worried about was something else.

His gaze fell on the document, pausing for a few seconds.

The first scene of the short film was Karina wearing a phantom thief costume, descending from the sky, and confronting Withe, played by Im Yoona, in the moonlight.

He imagined the scene.

Karina was wearing a black bodysuit, wearing a mask, her long hair flying in the night wind.

Im Yoona stood opposite, her eyes cold as knives, the muzzle of her gun pointed at her forehead.

Under the moonlight, the two looked at each other.

Then Karina took off her mask, revealing that face as exquisite as a porcelain doll, the corners of her mouth curling into a smug arc—

"Phantom Thief Zhimin, reporting for duty."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the screen and suddenly laughed softly.

In that smile, there was something even he couldn't explain clearly.

—

(Today is completely a psychopath day. In the morning, a woman reported noise disturbances; it turned out to be elevator maintenance by the property management. Damn, what the hell is the point of telling me? Her tone was so arrogant. I told her to check the Jiangsu Province Noise Management Regulations, and she actually asked me which article it was. Are you a giant infant? Can't you look it up yourself? I don't know! She even talked about serving the masses. I serve the masses, not idiots! In the afternoon, a neurotic man came. He called a Didi car, the driver didn't come, so he called me, asking me to contact the driver to come. I told him to contact customer service, he refused, saying he was illiterate. Damn, that made me laugh. I told him to cancel the order and rebook a car. Then he asked me, what if the next car doesn't come either? What if? What if you just die? If the driver doesn't come, what can I do? Do you think the police are omnipotent? You can do whatever you want with a phone call? He said the train was late, what does that have to do with me? If you are in a hurry, why don't you change your mode of transportation instead of clinging to Didi? Why torture me? It seems you aren't in a hurry either? Are you? You even complained about me, do you think you can succeed? Also, do people calling now think I am omniscient and omnipotent? Asking where you are, I'm here, how the hell would I know where here is? Asking how many cars, are there two? You reply with 'otherwise?' Otherwise your grandpa! Is anyone injured? You tell me no one is injured, so you aren't coming? Damn, can you not understand human language? Which part of my words said I wasn't coming? Finally, there's an idiot, please don't vent your anger on me when you are arguing or calling others. Did I hit or scold you? You only reported half the address, I asked for details, and you say 'you don't even know Central Bridge?' Nonsense! How the hell would I know which Central Bridge it is! A city has several towns, who the hell knows which one you are talking about??)

(Damn, I'll be pissed to death by you people sooner or later! I think my salary should be increased by 500 as mental compensation; talking to these people is simply torture.)

—

(Because I was disgusted at work today, I didn't update much.)

(Kim Taeyeon's plot is too awkward, which makes my stomach hurt. Really, Kim Taeyeon is poisonous; whenever I write about her, it's tragic. I want to write something sweet but I can't; it's too painful.)

(Because the unit doesn't allow Apple phones, I missed Karina's Bubble. Congrats on Karina's stye getting better (laughing and crying). By the way, is butter bread really delicious? I got sick of it after two.)

—

[2026 Year3 moon21 day 08:15 - First selfie]

The sunlight outside had already shone through the gap in the curtains, drawing bright spots of light on the floor. Karina turned over gently, picked up her phone, and took a photo of the outside. The sunlight was warm; the weather looked very good today.

Click.

She rubbed her eyes, edited, and added a speech Bubble to the photo:

"March 21, 2026, 8:15 AM. Saturday. Had a good sleep, woke up in a good mood. The weather is also very good today, how about you?"

Send.

[08:20 - First reply video]

Karina was still lying in bed, her hair spread smoothly on the pillow, the quilt covered up to her chin, revealing only a clean face. She smiled at the camera, her eyes curved.

"I slept very well last night and didn't have any dreams. Maybe it's because I knew I didn't have to get up early today, so I slept very peacefully. Did you sleep well last night? Did you dream of me?"

She pulled the blanket up a little, her voice soft.

"Can we lie here a little longer? It's a rare weekend, and I want to stay in bed a bit more. You should too, if you don't have to get up early today, sleep in a little longer. You're too tired usually, you need to rest well."

Video ends. Sent.

[08:45 - Second Selfie]

Karina got out of bed, wearing that milky white nightgown, and walked to the window to open the curtains. The sunlight rushed in all at once, shining on her, making her whole body glow. She took a photo of the view outside the window; the sky was very blue, and a few birds flew by.

Click.

Message text: "I opened the curtains, and the sun is already high up. It's such a nice day today, perfect for going out for a walk. Do you have any plans for today? Whatever you do, be happy."

Sent.

[09:00 - Second Reply Video]

Karina finished washing her face and recorded a video in front of the mirror. Water droplets still hung on her face, and her bare skin looked clean and fresh. She gently wiped her face with a towel, her movements slow and tender.

"It's Saturday, and I don't have any special plans. I want to go for a walk by the Han River; spring has arrived, and the flowers are all in bloom. A walk by myself is nice too, it's quiet, and I can think about a lot of things. Of course, I'll also be thinking of you."

She smiled at the camera.

"If you have time, you should go out for a walk too. Soak up the sun, look at the flowers, and your mood will improve. No matter how busy work is, remember to take care of yourself."

Video ends. Sent.

[09:30 - Third Selfie]

Karina changed her clothes and stood in front of the mirror to take a full-body photo. Today she is wearing a white knitted cardigan paired with a light blue long skirt, her hair left down, looking gentle and fresh.

Click.

Message text: "Changed my clothes. Dressed comfortably today, perfect for a walk. Do you like this outfit? Whether you like it or not, as long as I'm happy wearing it, that's fine. But I still want to know what you think."

Sent.

[10:00 - Third Reply Video]

Karina sat at the dining table with a simple but nice-looking breakfast in front of her—toast, fried egg, milk, and a small plate of strawberries. She picked up her phone and slowly recorded a video.

"Today's breakfast is simple but delicious. The toast is toasted to be crispy, the egg is sunny-side up, and the strawberries are very sweet. Have you had breakfast? Remember to eat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; I'll worry if you don't eat."

She cut a small piece of toast, dipped it in the egg yolk, put it in her mouth, and squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

"Delicious. How about I make you breakfast next time? What do you want to eat? I'll make whatever you want."

Video ends. Sent.

[10:30 - Fourth Selfie]

Karina went out. She stood at the entrance of her apartment complex and took a photo of the blooming cherry blossom tree. The cherry blossoms were pink and in full bloom; as the wind blew, the petals drifted down gently.

Click.

Message text: "The cherry blossoms at the entrance of the complex have bloomed. So beautiful. When the petals fall, it's like pink snow. Did you see it? I really want to stand here with you and watch the petals fall onto our shoulders."

Sent.

[11:00 - Fourth Reply Video]

Karina walked along the Han River, the camera pointed at the river water. The sunlight shone on the water's surface, shimmering with light like scattered gold.

"I've arrived at the Han River. The wind is very light today, the sun is very warm, and the light is dancing on the water. So beautiful. I've been walking alone for a long time, staring blankly at the river. I was thinking how nice it would be if you were here; we could walk together, look at the scenery together, and waste time together."

She stopped and turned the camera towards herself. The wind blew her hair, and she gently tucked it behind her ear.

"But it's okay, I can see it alone too. I'll film everything I see and show it to you. That way, it's like you've been here too. We can say we went for a walk together, right?"

Video ends. Sent.

[12:00 - Fifth Selfie]

Karina sat on a bench by the Han River and held up her phone to take a picture of the river view. The river water was blue, there was a bridge in the distance, and a few kites in the sky.

Click.

Message text: "Sitting on a bench, soaking up the sun. It's so comfortable, I'm a bit sleepy. Are you soaking up the sun too? Or are you resting at home? No matter where you are, you should relax a bit. That's how weekends should be—spent slowly."

Sent.

[12:30 - Fifth Reply Video]

Karina took a triangular rice ball out of her bag and smiled at the camera.

"Lunch, just a simple rice ball. It's tuna flavor, do you like it? Eating a rice ball by the river feels especially delicious. The wind is blowing gently, the sun is warm, and there's the sound of birds chirping. Days like this are very happy."

She took a bite of the rice ball and chewed slowly.

"Have you eaten? Make sure to eat well. Don't just settle for anything because you're alone. Your health is your greatest asset, so take good care of yourself. You know that, right?"

Video ends. Sent.

[13:30 - Sixth Selfie]

Karina stood up and took a photo of the flower bed by the roadside. The flower bed was planted with flowers of various colors—red, pink, purple, and white—blooming vibrantly.

Click.

Message text: "The flower bed by the road, the flowers have all bloomed. So many colors, so vibrant. Spring is really great, everything is full of life everywhere. You should be full of vitality like spring too."

Sent.

[14:00 - Sixth Reply Video]

Karina sat in a coffee shop and ordered a latte. She held up the cup and shook it slightly towards the camera.

"I was tired from walking, so I came in for a cup of coffee. It's a latte with latte art on top, a little heart. Pretty, right? Seeing the heart makes me think of you. Do you drink coffee? Do you prefer Americano or latte? When we meet next time, let's have coffee together, shall we? It's on me."

She took a sip of the coffee, leaving a bit of milk foam on her lips, and she smiled as she wiped it off with a tissue.

"It's a bit bitter, but very fragrant. Just like when I think of you—my heart feels a little sour, but also very sweet."

Video ends. Sent.

[15:00 - Seventh Selfie]

Karina came out of the coffee shop and took a photo of the sky. The afternoon sunlight turned golden, shining on the leaves, making them glitter.

Click.

Message text: "Just came out of the coffee shop. The sunlight has turned golden and looks so good on the leaves. The day is passing so fast; in the blink of an eye, it's already afternoon. I'm very happy today because I've shared so much with you. Thank you for keeping me company."

Sent.

[15:45 - Seventh Reply Video]

Karina was walking home, holding a small bouquet of flowers in her hand. She held the flowers up to the camera; they were a few pink daisies.

"I saw them when I passed by a flower shop and thought they were cute, so I bought them. Pink daisies, like the color of spring. I'll put them in a vase at home and place it on the windowsill; seeing them every day will put me in a good mood. When you see flowers, will you think of me? I hope you do."

She pulled the flowers back and held them in her arms.

"Alright, time to go home. I've been walking all day, I'm a bit tired. But I'm very happy. Thank you for chatting with me, walking with me, and looking at flowers with me today. It's so good to have you."

Video ends. Sent.

[16:30 - Eighth Selfie]

Karina arrived home, put the flowers in a vase, and placed it on the windowsill. She took a photo of the vase, and the sunlight happened to shine on the petals, pink and tender, very gentle.

Click.

Message text: "I'm home. The daisies are in the vase on the windowsill. The sunlight is shining on them, so pretty. Every time I see the flowers, I'll think of today and think of you. Thank you for spending such a gentle Saturday with me."

Sent.

[17:00 - Eighth Reply Video]

Karina changed into loungewear and curled up on the sofa. The sunlight outside the window slowly turned orange, shining into the living room and casting long shadows on the floor.

"I'm back home, changed into comfortable clothes, and curled up on the sofa. I walked so much today, my legs are a bit sore, but my heart is full. Because I talked to you so much today and shared so many things. You know, sharing my life with you is the happiest thing for me."

She hugged a cushion and leaned her face against it.

"Are you willing to listen to me talk about all this? Do you think I talk too much? If you find it annoying, you have to tell me. But even if you tell me, I might still keep talking. Because I want you to know about my life and I want you to walk into my world."

Video ends. Sent.

[18:00 - Ninth Selfie]

Karina walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took a photo of the ingredients inside—eggs, green onions, kimchi, tofu, pork belly, zucchini, bean sprouts, and rice cakes.

Click.

Message text: "Getting ready to make dinner. I've been walking all day, so I don't want to be too tired, just making something simple. Kimchi tofu soup with rice. What are you having for dinner? No matter what you eat, make sure to eat well."

Sent.

[18:45 - Ninth Reply Video]

Karina recorded the video while cooking the soup, her movements slow and composed. The soup in the pot was bubbling away, and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of kimchi.

"The soup is almost ready. So fragrant. After walking all day, coming home to a bowl of hot soup feels especially blissful. You've been tired for a week too, so remember to eat something good and treat yourself. Life is already hard enough, we should be good to ourselves."

She tasted a spoonful of the soup and nodded with satisfaction.

"Mmm, the taste is just right. When you come over, I'll make you something even better. You have to come soon."

Video ends. Sent.

[19:30 - Tenth Selfie]

Dinner was ready; Karina set out the soup, rice, and kimchi and took a photo. The soup was red and steaming, looking warm.

Click.

Message text: "Dinner is ready. Kimchi tofu soup with rice. Digging in. You should eat too, don't go hungry. I'm thinking of you while I eat, and I hope you're thinking of me too."

Sent.

[20:00 - Tenth Reply Video]

Karina finished her meal and sat by the window. It was dark outside, and she could see the lights in the distance. She hugged her knees and spoke softly to the camera.

"Finished eating, so full. Now I'm sitting by the window looking at the night view. Today was really great; I walked a lot, saw many flowers, drank delicious coffee, and had delicious soup. Most importantly, I talked to you a lot. A day with you by my side is a good day."

She looked up at the stars outside the window.

"There are stars tonight, did you see them? We are looking at the same starry sky, thinking of the same person. That in itself is happiness. Thank you for making me so happy."

Video ends. Sent.

[21:00 - Eleventh Selfie]

Karina finished her shower, changed into pajamas, and curled up on the sofa. Today's pajamas were that light purple cotton set, her hair dried and falling softly.

Click.

Message text: "Finished showering, changed into pajamas, and curled up on the sofa. I'm a bit tired today, but very happy. Tomorrow is Sunday, I can still rest for one more day. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Whatever you do, be happy."

Sent.

[21:30 - Eleventh Reply Video]

Karina curled up on the sofa, hugging a cushion, looking soft and relaxed. She spoke to the camera in a soft voice, like she was whispering a secret.

"March 21st is coming to an end. Time flies so fast. I've thought of you so many times today. I thought of you while walking, while drinking coffee, while looking at flowers, while eating, and I'm thinking of you now too. I've lost count of how many times. Because you are always in my heart, no matter what I do, I will think of you."

She smiled gently.

"Am I being too clingy? If I am... it's too late now. Because I've already fallen for you, and I can't take it back. You have to take responsibility."

Video ends. Sent.

[22:00 - Twelfth Selfie]

Karina lay in bed, covered warmly by the blanket, with only her gentle face showing. The bedside lamp was on, the warm yellow light shining on her face, making her look soft and quiet.

Click.

Message text: "In bed, getting ready to sleep. The weather today was sunny, 8 to 16 degrees. Tomorrow will be cloudy, 7 to 15 degrees. It'll be a bit cooler, remember to dress warmly. Good night, my love. See you in my dreams."

Sent.

[22:15 - Twelfth Reply Video]

Karina was almost asleep, her voice soft and light, like she was humming a gentle tune.

"Tomorrow... Sunday... can still rest for one more day... want to sleep until I wake up naturally... then... go to the market to buy some groceries... make a delicious meal... how about you... do you have any plans... whatever you do... be happy..."

She opened her eyes slightly and smiled at the camera.

"Good night... thank you for keeping me company today... thank you for appearing in my life... I love you... forever and ever..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, until only the sound of steady breathing remained, with a faint smile still on her face.

Video ends. Sent.

[22:30 - Last Text Reply]

Before turning off the lights, Karina sent a message: "March 21, 2026, a day of thinking of you. I'm very happy today because you were there. Tomorrow's weather is cloudy, 7 to 15 degrees, remember to dress warmly. I will always be thinking of you. Good night, my love."

Sent.