386: Chapter 446 Phantom Thief Zhimin (12)

The lights on the set flickered on; the first scene was about to begin.

Karina stood in the center of the crude 'secret base' set—which was actually just a small room constructed from wooden boards and props. The walls were covered with messy maps, the table was cluttered with various high-tech-looking gadgets, and a massive world map was pinned up, covered in red dots.

She was dressed in a black bodysuit with a deep purple trench coat over it, a vintage top hat on her head, and a half-mask on her face—covering only the upper half, revealing an exquisite chin and lips painted with dark lipstick.

The stylist called this 'Mysterious Phantom Thief Style'.

Karina felt it was more like 'Off-the-Charts Embarrassment Style'.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, her lips twitching slightly.

Oh my god, what is this chuunibyou look?

But the director said it was great and gave off a real 'Phantom Thief' vibe.

She took a deep breath and tried to convince herself: This is just work, this is just work, this is just work...

"Everyone in position—Scene One, Take One—Action!"

The clapperboard snapped.

Karina quickly entered the zone—well, she actually didn't know if she was in the zone or not, but she followed what Zhiyu had just told her, standing in front of that world map and striking a pose as if she were 'contemplating a grand plan'.

Act One: The Grand Ambitions of Phantom Thief Zhimin.

The camera panned over the Seoul nightscape from high above, neon lights flickering as the Han River wound through the city like a silver ribbon. The narration used an exaggerated documentary tone: "In the shadows of the city, there is a legendary phantom thief—she has stolen everything without an equal. Her target is the world's largest gemstone, the legendary Cordiano, said to possess the power to travel through time."

The scene shifted, and Karina appeared on screen. She wore a sharply tailored black trench coat, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and a silver half-mask that revealed only her sharp, mysterious eyes. She stood on the rooftop of a skyscraper, overlooking the entire city as the night wind whipped her coat tails, making them snap loudly.

But in the next second—

The aroma of braised meat drifted over.

Those sharp eyes instantly changed. The sense of mystery vanished, replaced by an 'insatiable hunger.' Karina's nostrils flared slightly, her gaze following the direction of the scent. Her lips slowly curled into a meaningful arc—but it wasn't a phantom thief's cold smirk; it was the wicked grin of a hungry ghost seeing food.

She patted her stomach and whispered to the camera, "Before stealing the diamond... I'll fill my stomach first."

The camera cut to the entrance of an inconspicuous little shop. The sign read 'Original Braised Pig's Head.' Karina stood in the shadows, staring at a hanging braised pig's head, her eyes shining like two lamps.

The scene cut back to her secret base—an exquisitely decorated attic with photos of various gems and maps plastered on the walls. She sat at a desk, spread out a sheet of stationery, picked up a quill, dipped it in gold-powder ink, and began to write. The handwriting was elegant and arrogant:

"Tonight, I shall take your shop's greatest treasure. Remember to braise the pig's head well, and don't forget the dipping sauce. — Sincerely, Phantom Thief Zhimin."

She pressed a gold-stamped rose wax seal onto the envelope, then gave the camera a determined, confident smile.

The frame froze.

The first wave of laughter erupted on set.

"Pfft—what the hell is with writing the dipping sauce in there!"

"That stomach-patting move killed me!"

"She's supposed to be a phantom thief, so why does she look like a starving ghost reincarnated..."

Karina stood on the edge of the crowd, covering her face with both hands, peeking at herself on the screen through the gaps in her fingers. Her ears were completely red, like two boiled shrimp tails.

"Stop laughing..." she muttered softly, but her voice was drowned out by the laughter.

Act Two: WITHE's Side Job.

The scene cut to Im Yoona. She was dressed in black tactical gear, her short hair sharp and her gaze as cold as a blade. She stood in the office of a security company, listening expressionlessly to a client's request.

The client was a balding, middle-aged man, rubbing his hands together with a troubled look. "Um... Miss WITHE, we've brought you here this time to protect something."

"What is it?" Im Yoona's voice was cold and professional.

"A... braised pig's head."

Im Yoona's expression finally flickered. She raised an eyebrow, her lips parting slightly before closing again. Her gaze flickered between 'Are you kidding me?' and 'But this is my job.' Taking a deep breath, she quickly regained her poker face.

"Understood. Since it's a mission, I will do my best."

The scene cut to her crouching in front of the braised meat shop, seriously studying the terrain. She pulled out a small notebook and drew a structural diagram of the shop, marking every entrance, every blind spot in the surveillance, and every escape route. Her expression was as grave as if she were protecting state secrets.

"I will protect the pig's head," she said to the camera, her tone like an oath.

The frame froze.

The laughter on set grew even louder.

"Yoona Sunbaenim's expression was priceless, hahaha!"

"From surprise to acceptance, her face changed in a second!"

"'I will protect both the pig's head and the President'—who wrote these lines!"

Im Yoona stood next to Jiang Zhiyu, her arms crossed and her lips twitching slightly.

"You wrote this script?" She glanced at him.

Jiang Zhiyu rubbed his nose and didn't answer.

Act Three: Their Respective Determinations.

The screen used a split-screen composition. Karina was on the left, and Im Yoona was on the right.

Karina was hunched over the desk in the attic, her pencil scratching as she drew. It was a detailed map of the area around the braised meat shop, with every alley, every streetlight, and every possible hiding spot clearly marked with different colored pens. Her gaze was focused and serious, a hint of a determined smile on her lips.

Im Yoona was crouching in a cafe across from the braised meat shop, also drawing a map. Her strokes were cleaner and sharper, marking defensive positions and early warning zones. Her expression was solemn, as if she were planning a military exercise.

The two of them looked up at the camera simultaneously.

On the left, Karina's lips curled into a confident arc, her eyes gleaming with determination: "This pig's head is mine."

On the right, Im Yoona's expression remained cold, but her eyes held a spark of burning fighting spirit: "I will protect both the pig's head and the President!"

The frame froze, and the end credits popped up: "Episode 1: End."

The set was silent for a second before erupting into enthusiastic applause.

"Great!!!"

"You both were amazing!"

"Ji-min's focused look while drawing the map was so cool!"

"Yoona Sunbaenim's poker face was perfect!"

Karina stood where she was, her hands still covering her face, but the skin visible through her fingers had turned from pink to deep red. Her lips curled slightly; she wanted to smile but felt too embarrassed, caught between shame and joy.

"Ji-min, you acted very well!" The cameraman gave her a thumbs up.

"To do this well for your first time acting is truly impressive!"

"That stomach-patting expression was so natural!"

Karina finally lowered her hands, bowed to the staff, and whispered, "Thank you, everyone..."

But her gaze searched through the crowd, eventually landing on the figure in the white shirt not far away.

Jiang Zhiyu was standing in front of the monitor, talking to Im Yoona. His profile was bathed in the warm orange light of the setting sun, and his lips wore that smile that made one's teeth itch with frustration yet unable to look away.

Karina bit her lower lip and looked away.

The subsequent filming was compact and efficient.

After all, it was just a short film of about ten minutes, with each episode lasting a minute and a half. The plot was simple and clear—Phantom Thief Zhimin wants to steal a pig's head, WITHE is responsible for protecting it, and the two engage in a game of cat and mouse, pitting their wits against each other.

However, since it was Karina's first time filming this kind of drama-style short, there were still quite a few NGs.

"CUT! Ji-min, that expression just now was too fierce. A phantom thief needs mystery, not bloodlust."

Karina nodded, adjusted her expression, and tried again.

"CUT! Too gentle this time. You're stealing something, not going on a date."

Karina took a deep breath and went again.

"CUT! Excellent, that's the feeling! Keep it up!"

Jiang Zhiyu sat in the director's chair, his tone gentle and patient. He didn't get annoyed by the NGs; instead, he would specifically tell her what was wrong and how to adjust each time. Sometimes he would stand up, walk over to her, and personally demonstrate how the expression should look.

"See, the corners of your mouth turn up slightly, but don't force it. Your eyes should be a bit provocative, but mostly confident. You want the audience to feel—this pig's head is as good as mine."

Looking at his incredibly bright eyes during the demonstration, Karina's heart betrayingly accelerated again.

She thought back to that night by the Han River, the look in his eyes when he said "Because you're Ji-min"—it was exactly the same as now: focused, serious, and carrying something that made her heart race.

"Ji-min? Are you listening?"

Karina snapped back to reality, meeting his puzzled gaze, her face flushing again.

"I-I'm listening!"

Jiang Zhiyu glanced at her, his lips curving slightly, but he said nothing.

"Then let's do another take."

Despite the many NGs, because each episode was very short and the plot was simple, the filming progress was still quite fast. By the afternoon, they had already finished three episodes' worth of content.

But one day certainly wasn't enough.

As the sun began to set, Jiang Zhiyu checked the sky and clapped his hands. "Alright, that's it for today. Good work, everyone!"

The staff began packing up the equipment. Im Yoona was called away by her Manager to take a call, while Karina was pulled away by the stylist to remove her makeup.

By the time she finished removing her makeup, changed back into her own clothes, and stepped out of the dressing room, the set was much emptier. The sunset streamed through the windows at an angle, spreading a warm golden glow across the floor.

She walked toward the exit.

"Ji-min."

That voice came from behind her.

Karina's footsteps paused. She turned around.

"Oppa." She nodded, her tone as calm as possible.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, his gaze sweeping over her face, and then he smiled.

"Finished removing your makeup?"

"Yes."

Jiang Zhiyu stood in the sunset, his white shirt dyed a warm orange. He had his hands in his pockets, his posture casual and relaxed, and his gaze was as gentle as the current sunlight.

"Today's performance was quite wonderful," he said, his tone carrying sincere praise. "Maintain this attitude for tomorrow's filming too."

Karina was stunned. Today was her first time truly 'acting.' Even though it was just a ten-minute comedy short with a plot so simple it made her want to laugh, and even though she had so many NGs she almost doubted her life choices—he had never once been impatient.

She remembered when the last take ended just now, the entire staff had applauded. In the midst of the applause, she had covered her face, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into. Meanwhile, he had stood behind the monitor, smiling and clapping, his gaze falling on her through the crowd with an emotion in his eyes she couldn't quite decipher.

Now, he was looking at her with that same gaze.

Karina turned her head away, her lips pursed slightly. "Oppa, are you just comforting me? I had so many NGs today."

Jiang Zhiyu shook his head. "NGs are normal. Anyone would have NGs their first time filming something like this. What's important is that you improved after every NG, and you improved very quickly."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "In those last few scenes, your performance was really good. That phantom thief vibe has already come out."

Karina looked at him—at his silhouette gilded by the sunset, at the gentle arc of his lips. The embarrassment and inexplicable emotions she had bottled up all day suddenly found an outlet.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them, her lips curling into a thin smile.

"Oppa, you just wait."

Her voice was light, yet it carried a grit of gritted teeth.

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, his smile deepening.

"Wait? Wait for what?"

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Karina lifted her chin, trying hard to maintain that "I'm very angry" expression: "Just wait until tomorrow—I'm going to perform even better than today, so you won't have anything to say."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her serious expression and couldn't help but laugh.

"Then shouldn't I be looking forward to it? Why does it feel like you're threatening me?"

"I am threatening you." Karina said righteously, "How many jokes have you made at my expense today? Tomorrow, I'm going to make sure you can't even laugh a single word out."

Jiang Zhiyu let out a "pfft" of laughter.

"Alright, alright, I'll be waiting." He nodded, then changed the subject, "But Ji-min—"

He paused, and said in an "older brother lecturing younger sister" tone: "Girls should be a bit gentler. Violent girls aren't popular."

Karina's eyebrows shot up instantly.

"Who are you calling a violent girl?!"

"Whoever is asking is who I'm talking about."

"Jiang Zhiyu—!"

She couldn't help but step closer to him, the distance between them shrinking to less than a meter, and she could smell that clear, herbal scent on him.

The setting sun cast a golden beam of light between them.

Karina tilted her head up, looking into his smiling eyes, trying hard to make her expression look fierce. But within that anger, there was always a hint of amusement hidden.

"Oppa," her voice dropped, carrying a tone of "I really want to hit you but I'm holding back," though it sounded more like acting spoiled, "If I get scolded online after it airs—"

She paused, her eyes turning dangerous. "You're dead meat."

"Arasso?"

Arasso—do you understand?

When she said this, her pretty face was flushed, and the sunset light falling on her face made that thin layer of pink look exceptionally beautiful. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her lips pursed into a line, and her eyes were wide open—that appearance was less of a threat and more like a little milk kitten trying hard to act fierce.

Jiang Zhiyu looked down at her. Without makeup, Karina looked even younger than on camera; her skin was as white as a freshly peeled egg, with a little bit of baby fat on her cheeks, and her eyes were round and bright. She tried hard to put on a fierce expression, but because her eyes were too clear, it had zero lethality.

Her nose was only about thirty centimeters from his.

He could smell the faint scent of makeup remover on her, along with a little bit of her own clean, soapy fragrance.

He suddenly remembered that night by the Han River, when she had also looked up at him like this, saying, "Because I don't want to hear news about you from other people anymore."

His gaze softened.

Of course, he knew what she was worried about. From the day the title "Pig Thief" spread all over the internet, she had been mocked, memed, and turned into reaction stickers. Although the buzz was shockingly high, although her fan count had increased instead of decreasing, and although the malicious nickname "Pig 51" had become an internet trend—she was an idol, the leader of aespa, a girl who would hide in her room and cry alone late at night. He knew how much she cared about these things, and he knew how afraid she was that this short film would plunge her into that whirlpool of shame again.

"Believe in yourself, Ji-min." His voice was very soft, carrying a sincerity she had never heard before, "You are really good."

Those five words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, sending ripples spreading through Karina's heart.

Her cheeks flushed instantly.

This time, it wasn't because of shame, but because—

"You..."

She opened her mouth, wanting to snap back, wanting to say "Don't think that just because you say nice things I'll let you off," wanting to say "Save it," wanting to say "I won't believe your nonsense," wanting to say—

His gaze was too serious.

So serious that it didn't seem like he was joking, teasing her, or just comforting her.

He genuinely thought she was good.

Karina's throat felt blocked by something, and her heartbeat was so fast it felt like it was about to jump out of her chest. She could feel that wave of heat spreading from her earlobes to her neck, to her fingertips, to every pore.

"I..."

Just as she was about to speak, a voice came from not far away.

"Zhiyu—!"

Both of them turned their heads at the same time.

At the door on the other side of the set, Im Yoona had changed back into her own clothes—a beige trench coat, her long hair draped over her shoulders. She stood in the sunset, her slender silhouette outlined by the light. She raised her hand and beckoned to him, the movement casual and natural, with that sense of entitlement unique to an older sister calling a younger brother.

Jiang Zhiyu rubbed his nose, withdrew his gaze, and looked back at Karina. The emotions in his eyes had been completely reined in, leaving only the gentle concern of an older brother for a younger sister.

"Alright, Ji-min," he said, "Be careful on the way back. When you get to the dorm..." he paused, "Today is a rest day, right? In any case, send me a safe arrival message."

Karina looked at him, and the indescribable emotions in her heart surged even more violently. She wanted to say "Who wants to send you messages," wanted to say "I'm not a child," wanted to ask what he meant by that "You are really good" from earlier, wanted to ask why his eyes were always so gentle yet so distant when he looked at her, wanted to ask if what he said that night by the Han River was real, wanted to ask him—

But she said nothing. She only lowered her head, gave a soft "Mn," and then turned and walked toward the door.

After a few steps, she stopped and looked back.

Jiang Zhiyu was still standing there, watching her leave. The setting sun spread a rich orange-red behind him, his white shirt fluttering slightly in the breeze, and he stood there like a painting.

She suddenly wanted to run back, to stand in front of him, and to ask him earnestly: Oppa, what did you mean by "really good"?

But she didn't. She just glanced at him, then turned and continued walking toward the door.

Im Yoona stood at the door, watching Karina walk over, and smiled at her: "You worked hard today, Ji-min."

Karina quickly bowed: "You worked hard too, Yoona Unnie. Thank you so much for today's shoot."

"What are you thanking me for? We're from the same company." Im Yoona waved her hand, her gaze passing over her to glance at Jiang Zhiyu, who was still standing in the distance, then she withdrew her gaze and lowered her voice, "Ji-min, that... did he bully you today?"

Karina was stunned for a moment, then her face turned red again: "N-no."

Im Yoona looked at her appearance and couldn't help but smile: "That's good. If he bullies you, tell me, and I'll help you deal with him."

Karina looked at the teasing smile on this senior's face and suddenly felt a warmth in her heart. "Thank you, Unnie."

"Go back quickly, it's getting dark." Im Yoona patted her shoulder, "Be careful on the way."

Karina nodded and walked toward the door. The moment she pushed the door open, she couldn't help but look back again. Jiang Zhiyu was walking toward Im Yoona, the two said something, Im Yoona raised her hand and patted him, and he laughed and dodged. The sunset stretched their shadows long, overlapping together.

She withdrew her gaze and pushed the door open to leave.

Outside the door, the evening breeze was slightly cool.

Karina stood at the entrance of the studio, took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. Her mind was full of scenes from today's shoot—those absurd plots, those embarrassing lines, those performances that made her want to crawl into a hole. But there was also the sound of applause after everything ended, the look in Jiang Zhiyu's eyes as he watched her smiling from behind the monitor, and that sentence he just said, "You are really good."

She took out her phone and opened the chat window with Jiang Zhiyu. The chat history was still from over a week ago; that night after he dropped her off at the dorm, she had sent a "Oppa, I've arrived," and he had replied with a "Mn." It was just that simple, as simple as two ordinary work partners.

She stared at the input box, typed a few words, deleted them, typed a few more, and deleted them again.

In the end, she didn't send anything. She stared at the screen for a few seconds, then exited and opened the chat window with Kim Minjeong.

[Ji-min Unnie! How was the shoot today!!! Is Phantom Thief Zhimin cool or not!!!]

She looked at that message, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

[Don't ask. I want to die.]

Kim Minjeong replied instantly:

[Hahahaha hahahaha!!!]

[I knew it!!! Oppa must have tortured you, right!!!]

[What did he say!!! Tell me quickly!!!]

Karina thought for a moment and typed a line:

[He told me to smile like the Mona Lisa. I shot eleven takes.]

The other side was silent for three seconds, then exploded with a long string of "Hahahaha," filling the whole screen.

Karina turned off her phone screen, leaned back in the chair, and looked at the sky gradually darkening outside the car window.

The car slowly drove out of the parking lot and merged into the evening rush hour traffic.

She closed her eyes, and that look in his eyes from earlier appeared in her mind again.

"Believe in yourself. You are really good."

The corners of her mouth curved up slightly, then quickly pressed down.

—Jiang Zhiyu, you jerk.

Saying things like that is a foul.

—

Inside the studio, Jiang Zhiyu watched Karina's figure disappear outside the door, withdrew his gaze, and turned to Im Yoona. Im Yoona was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Seen enough?" She raised an eyebrow.

Jiang Zhiyu rubbed his nose: "What did you call me for, Noona?"

Im Yoona didn't answer immediately, but tilted her head and sized him up for a few seconds, then said slowly: "Zhiyu, are you... being too good to Ji-min?"

Jiang Zhiyu was stunned: "What?"

"I said, you are too good to Ji-min." Im Yoona repeated, her tone carrying a hint of meaningfulness, "Good enough to make people envious."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, was silent for two seconds, then smiled: "Aren't you also taking good care of her, Noona? Today on set, you were teaching her how to find the camera and how to control her expressions."

Im Yoona snorted: "I'm a senior, taking care of a junior is expected. What about you? You're the director; isn't it expected for a director to be good to the actors?"

"Then that's it."

"It's different." Im Yoona shook her head, her gaze sharply fixed on him, "The way you are good to her is different from how a director is good to an actor."

Jiang Zhiyu didn't respond.

Im Yoona looked at his "I don't know what you're talking about" expression and couldn't help but sigh: "Zhiyu, do you know how many years I've been debuted?"

"Fourteen years?"

"Right, fourteen years." Im Yoona nodded, "In fourteen years, I've seen many people and many things. I can tell at a glance what kind of look someone has when they look at someone else."

Jiang Zhiyu's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Im Yoona looked at him, her tone becoming a bit more serious: "The way you look at Ji-min is that kind of... wanting to protect her look."

Jiang Zhiyu was silent for a few seconds, then smiled lightly: "You're overthinking it, Noona. Ji-min is a child I watched grow up, so it's only right to be good to her."

"Is that so?" Im Yoona tilted her head, "Then what about Minjeong? You watched her grow up too, right? Is the way you are good to her the same as how you are good to Ji-min?"

Jiang Zhiyu's smile stiffened for a moment.

Im Yoona didn't continue to press him, just patted his shoulder, her tone becoming lighter: "Alright, alright, I was just saying. Don't take it to heart."

The hustle and bustle of the set was gradually shut behind them.

In the corridor, only the sound of two people's footsteps remained, one behind the other, steady and unhurried. Jiang Zhiyu followed half a step behind Im Yoona, his gaze falling on her ponytail. The ends of her hair swayed gently with the rhythm of her walking, glowing with a soft luster under the corridor lights.

Her posture while walking today was a bit different from usual. Usually, Im Yoona always walked with a sense of energy, with large strides, like a carefree youth. But at this moment, her steps were slower than usual, and her shoulders were a bit tense, as if she was thinking about something.

Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his gaze and didn't ask.

The two walked into the elevator one after the other. The moment the door closed, the confined space was quiet enough to hear each other's breathing. Im Yoona stared at her own blurry reflection on the elevator door, while her peripheral vision uncontrollably glanced at the man beside her.

He stood to her left, about thirty centimeters away.

The cuffs of his white shirt were rolled up to his mid-forearm, revealing an arm with smooth, defined lines.

The elevator's overhead light fell onto his shoulder, casting a faint shadow across his profile.

Im Yoona quickly looked away, her heart skipping a beat for no apparent reason.

The elevator doors opened, and the cold air of the parking garage rushed to meet them.

A few cars were scattered across the empty floor, and the muffled sound of someone closing a car door echoed from afar.

Im Yoona walked straight toward her car—a dark gray Porsche Cayenne, its understated paint job shimmering with a cold luster under the fluorescent lights.

She pressed her key, the headlights flashed twice, and the sound of the unlocking mechanism was exceptionally clear in the quiet parking garage.

That was her private vehicle, which Jiang Zhiyu recognized—he had seen it a few times in the SM underground parking garage, but he had never ridden in it.

She opened the driver's side door, sat down, and gripped the steering wheel with both hands, her knuckles tightening slightly.

Then, through the windshield, she watched Jiang Zhiyu, who was standing outside the car.

He was standing by the passenger door, not getting in immediately.

His hand rested on the door handle, but he didn't pull it open; his gaze drifted over the car roof toward a corner of the parking garage, as if he were deep in thought.

The pause was brief, lasting only two or three seconds.

Then he pulled the door open and sat in the passenger seat.

The sound of the car door closing felt particularly muffled within the confined space of the cabin.

The leather seats creaked faintly, and the crisp, herbal scent on him instantly filled the entire space.

Im Yoona subconsciously sniffed, but immediately realized what she was doing, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

Jiang Zhiyu fastened his seatbelt and turned his head to look at her.

She hadn't started the engine.

Her hands remained on the steering wheel, her gaze fixed on a point outside the windshield, her expression distant.

The car was quiet for a few seconds.

"That girl, Ji-min, is very talented," she suddenly spoke up.

Jiang Zhiyu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

There was an undisguised pride in that smile; his eyes crinkled, and the curve of his lips was just right.

"Aren't all SM girl group leaders like that?"

He said it as a matter of course, with a tone of certainty that suggested, "Why is that surprising?"

He was well aware of Karina's ability, and had been since she was a trainee.

The girl who sweated silently in the practice room until late at night, the girl who gritted her teeth and didn't cry even when scolded, the girl whose eyes were so determined on her debut stage that it felt like she would trample the whole world under her feet—how could she not be excellent?

Im Yoona's fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel.

"I suppose so," she said softly, pulling her lips into a curve that she wasn't sure could be called a smile. "For her first time acting, reaching this level is already quite good."

"Yeah."

Im Yoona turned her head to look at him.

"Your standards for her seem higher than for others."

Jiang Zhiyu tightened his grip.

"Because—"

He paused, seemingly weighing his words.

"Because she is Ji-min."

Im Yoona didn't respond.

She was still looking ahead, but something was flickering in her eyes, like the surface of a lake rippled by the wind.

Jiang Zhiyu's smile faded slightly.

He turned his head to look at Im Yoona's profile.

That face, chased by countless cameras, looked exceptionally quiet in the glow of the setting sun, even a little... tired?

No, not tired.

It was something he couldn't quite describe, like someone standing in the sunlight, yet their shadow was longer than anyone else's.

"Noona."

His voice carried a hint of seriousness.

"Is there anything else?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the parking garage outside the car window.

Although there weren't many people at this hour, the film set's parking garage was never a suitable place for private conversations.

He lowered his voice further.

"The two of us staying in your car—getting photographed wouldn't be a good thing."

Im Yoona's fingers tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles turning faintly white.

"Shit."

"I know that, of course."

"Of course I know this isn't appropriate!"

She stared at the flickering fluorescent light outside the windshield, but only one thought occupied her mind—she was Im Yoona of Girls Generation, he was the CEO of TG Entertainment; if any paparazzi caught them in the same car, tomorrow's trending headlines would be set.

She knew the rules of this circle better than anyone, and knew better than anyone that rumors and gossip could kill a person.

The relationship between them should stop at smiles and handshakes in professional settings.

"But I just want to be like this."

"I want to be in this confined space with him, I want to smell that scent on him that had transitioned from full, ripe fruit to crisp herbs, and I want him to have only me in those clear eyes of his!"

The little person inside her was nodding stubbornly at this moment, chin held high, like a cat that refused to admit defeat.

"Yes, that's it."

"That's right."

"It has to be in this kind of confined space, it has to be when it's just the two of them."

She took a deep breath.

That crisp herbal scent flooded her nasal cavity, more intense than she had imagined.

Before, he had a full, fruity sweetness, like ripe peaches and sweet apricots mixed together, making people want to get closer.

Now, this herbal scent was clean and transparent, like the air in a mountain forest after the rain, or like mint covered in morning dew.

She liked this scent.

No, what she liked was the connection between this scent and him—a scent that could only be smelled when sitting this close.

A scent that could only be possessed in this kind of confined, private space.

She suddenly felt her heartbeat quicken.

A sentence rolled on the tip of her tongue twice, then twice more.

"What exactly is going on with you and Taeyeon Unnie?"

This sentence almost slipped out.

It was just that close.

She could even feel those words lining up in her throat, just waiting for her vocal cords to vibrate.

But she swallowed them back down.

It wasn't the time.

And besides... what right did she have to ask?

In what capacity would she ask?

A good friend?

A colleague?

Or... no, there was no 'or'.

She lowered her eyelashes, and when she raised them again, her face had returned to that calm, indifferent expression.

"Sunny Unnie is inviting us to dinner."

She said, her voice as steady as if she were reading a schedule.

"She specifically—asked me to bring you along."

She emphasized the word "specifically."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, not responding immediately.

The car was quiet for a few seconds.

In those few seconds, Im Yoona could hear her own heartbeat, beat by beat, heavy and rapid, like someone drumming inside her chest.

Then Jiang Zhiyu moved.

He straightened his back and adjusted his sitting position, a rather large movement that saw his arm almost brush against her shoulder.

Im Yoona's fingers, as if electrocuted, pressed the car door lock button with a click.

That sound rang out like a thunderclap in the quiet cabin.

The air froze.

Jiang Zhiyu maintained that position, turning his head to look at her.

Im Yoona also looked at him.

She only felt her cheeks burning fiercely, the heat traveling from her earlobes down to her neck, as if it were going to scorch through her skin.

She saw Jiang Zhiyu's expression—

Eyes slightly widened, eyebrows raised gently, mouth slightly open—those clear eyes were filled with confusion, asking "What's the situation?" "Why lock the car?" "What are you doing?" matched with his slightly parted mouth, he looked just like a puppy bewildered by a sudden turn of events.

That was an expression of pure bewilderment.

Pure, unadulterated bewilderment.

Then he smiled.

Not that polite, distant business smile, but a genuine laugh, amused by the situation.

His eyes crinkled, the corners of his mouth turned up, and he relaxed, like a cloud blown open by the wind.

"Noona."

His voice carried amusement and a hint of helplessness.

"I wasn't trying to get out of the car."

Im Yoona stared at him for two seconds, then said, in a calm tone that she herself felt was fake as hell:

"Oh, I know."

"I know nothing!"

"I don't know anything!"

Her fingers moved away from the lock button, as if to prove she really did know.

But the burning sensation remained stubbornly on her cheeks, refusing to fade.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't call her out.

He just sat back properly, fastened his seatbelt, and fixed his gaze on the windshield ahead.

But the curve of his lips didn't go away.

Im Yoona took a deep breath, turned the key, and the engine let out a low roar.

The Porsche drove out of the parking garage and merged into the evening traffic.

The city's neon lights began to flow outside the window—red, blue, purple—like a crushed rainbow.

The car was very quiet, with only the low hum of the engine and the sound of the air conditioning breeze.

Jiang Zhiyu leaned back in the passenger seat, watching the night view outside, a trace of a smile still lingering on his lips.

Im Yoona stared straight ahead at the road, hands gripping the steering wheel, her knuckles turning slightly white.

Silence.

Still silence.

But this silence was a bit different from before.

The earlier silence had been stagnant and oppressive.

This one was... awkward.

The first traffic light.

The Porsche stopped in front of the crosswalk; outside the window was the most ordinary evening streetscape of Seoul—office workers hurrying across the pedestrian crossing, students with backpacks discussing something in twos and threes, and the sign of a fried chicken shop lighting up with a warm yellow glow in the twilight.

Im Yoona, gripping the steering wheel, suddenly spoke up.

"The car door lock is a bit broken."

She said.

Her voice, neither too loud nor too soft, was just enough for him to hear.

Jiang Zhiyu turned his head to look at her.

Im Yoona stared straight ahead, her expression as calm as if she were saying "the weather is nice today."

But her earlobes were already burning red, spreading all the way to the auricles, as if they had been scorched by fire.

As soon as the words left her lips, she wanted to slap herself.

"Broken?"

"What do you mean, broken?"

"A Porsche's door lock—you say it's broken, so it's broken?"

Jiang Zhiyu turned his head and looked at her.

Im Yoona could feel his gaze landing on her face, so hot it made her want to hide.

She bit the bullet and continued looking ahead.

Jiang Zhiyu opened his mouth; he could feel a retort already on the tip of his tongue— "Noona, wasn't it working fine just a moment ago when you locked the car?" —but he looked at Im Yoona's face, which she was struggling to keep calm, looked at her eyes staring fixedly at the traffic light ahead, and looked at those two ears that were so red they looked like they were bleeding—

He swallowed that sentence back.

"...Oh."

He said.

Then the cabin was quiet again.

Im Yoona stared at the red light ahead, feeling her brain rapidly rewinding.

"The car door lock is a bit broken" —what kind of nonsense was that?

What does the door lock being broken have to do with you locking the car?

You locked the car and then said the lock was broken; isn't that like saying "there is no silver buried here"?

Im Yoona, what is in your head?

Are you stupid?!

The little person inside Im Yoona was already rolling on the ground.

"Ah, shit!!!"

"What did I mean by saying that!!!"

"Am I stupid!!!"

"Am I stupid!!!"

"Am I stupid!!!"

The red light turned green.

The Porsche continued to drive forward.

Streetlights flashed past one after another outside the window, casting flickering light and shadows on their faces.

Jiang Zhiyu leaned back in the passenger seat, watching the night view outside, the smile on his lips refusing to be suppressed.

Im Yoona, on the other hand, maintained a poker face throughout, staring straight ahead, but her slightly reddened ears betrayed her true emotions.

The air inside the car still held the lingering echo of "the car door lock is a bit broken," awkward yet funny, making one want to crawl into a crack in the ground, yet unable to help but laugh.