388: Chapter 447 Phantom Thief Zhimin (13)

Outside the window, Seoul's twilight deepened, and streetlights turned on one by one.

Sunny had already sent seven messages to the group chat.

"Sunny: Have you arrived yet!!!"

"Sunny: I'm starving!!!"

"Sunny: Taeyeon is already on her third side dish!!! If you don't come, she'll be full!!!"

"Sunny: @Yoona Yoona, reply to me already!!!"

"Sunny: I spent a fortune on this meal!!! This place requires a reservation a month in advance!!!"

"Sunny: You aren't going to stand me up, are you???"

"Sunny: I'm going to cry!!!"

Im Yoona glanced at her phone during a red light, but did not reply.

She certainly knew why Sunny was so urgent.

She also knew that the real purpose of this meal today was not simply "dining together".

In the izakaya's private room, Kim Taeyeon was holding her third cup of tea, sipping it in small mouthfuls, her gaze falling on the menu on the table, yet she hadn't taken in a single word.

Sunny sat opposite her, ostensibly discussing the menu with Yuri beside her, but her peripheral vision was constantly observing Kim Taeyeon's state.

This Unnie had been dragged out today under the pretext of "going out to relax".

It was called relaxing, but it was actually half an hour of pestering. Kim Taeyeon initially refused to leave, saying she "wanted to stay home today", that "there was nowhere good to go", and "you guys eat, I'm not hungry".

How could Sunny let her just shrink away at home like that?

For the past month, Sunny had seen Kim Taeyeon's state. On the surface, everything was as usual—working, livestreaming, posting on Instagram—but those subtle changes couldn't escape her eyes: the frequency of spacing out had increased, her eyes didn't crinkle when she smiled, and the frequency with which she picked up and put down her phone was getting higher and higher.

Most obviously, she hadn't proactively mentioned the three words "Jiang Zhiyu" for a month.

Before, when they chatted, Kim Taeyeon would occasionally inadvertently slip in a "Zhiyu said last time...", and then she wouldn't even realize the corners of her mouth would lift.

Now? Not a single word.

But Sunny also noticed that whenever someone mentioned news about TG Entertainment in the group chat, Kim Taeyeon's read speed was always the fastest.

She still hadn't figured out what exactly happened on Jeju Island.

That little spy Lee Tima only said "the conversation wasn't pleasant", but regarding how it wasn't pleasant, that girl's mouth was locked tight.

But she knew one thing—these two people were in a cold war.

And it had been cold for a month already.

How could this be?!

Kim Taeyeon could be in a cold war, but her pink Lemm could not!

Ever since seeing Kim Minjeong show off that Lemm that could fetch packages, make breakfast, and clean up in a livestream, a seed named "I want one too" had been planted in Sunny's heart.

That seed had grown into a towering tree after watching Kim Minjeong's livestream replays countless times.

She wanted a pink one.

A custom version.

The kind that would call her "Unnie".

And the only person in all of South Korea who could give her this was Jiang Zhiyu.

But Jiang Zhiyu was in a cold war with Kim Taeyeon recently, which meant she felt embarrassed to ask—she couldn't just rush up and say "President Jiang, give me a Lemm", that would be too shameless.

Although she was indeed quite shameless, this degree was still a bit much.

So she needed an opportunity.

An opportunity for Jiang Zhiyu and Kim Taeyeon to make up.

An opportunity for her to make her request naturally.

An opportunity—that would allow her to lie flat.

Today's meal was nominally a "long-awaited gathering of Girls Generation", but in reality, it was—

"The Cold War Termination Plan for Kim Taeyeon and Jiang Zhiyu"!

Of course, there was also her "Pink Lemm Battle" on the side.

Sunny looked at Kim Taeyeon's face, which was pretending to be calm, and her little abacus was clicking away in her heart.

Taeyeon, you can't just keep up this cold war with Jiang Zhiyu like this.

If you keep doing this, what will happen to my Lemm?

My pink Lemm!

That pink Lemm that can help me get packages, pick up takeout, clean, and even make me a simple breakfast!

Do you know how long I've waited?!

Do you know how many "chance encounters" I've planned for it?!

Do you know that for it, I didn't even hesitate to sell out my own teammates?!

She had inquired clearly; that Lemm was developed internally by TG and was not for sale to the public, only gifted to their own people. Kim Minjeong had one, Choi Yena had one, Jang Wonyoung had one, and it was said that even Yeri from Red Velvet was in line waiting.

Why?

Why did they all have one, but she didn't?

She also wanted a Lemm that could help fetch packages, pick up takeout, clean, and make breakfast!

She also wanted to lie on the sofa and be a sloth!

Therefore, Kim Taeyeon and Jiang Zhiyu absolutely could not be in a cold war.

They must make up!

They must take a step further!

They must let her benefit and get a Lemm!

Sunny clenched her fists and cheered herself on in her heart.

She picked up her teacup, took a sip, then pulled out her phone and sent the eighth message to Im Yoona.

"Sunny: Yoona, where are you guys? Did Jiang Zhiyu get in the car? He didn't run away halfway, did he? If you lose him, I'll fight you to the death!"

The message was sent, read, but no reply.

Sunny stared at the "1" on the screen and gritted her teeth.

This girl, dropping the ball at a critical moment.

She sent another one.

"Sunny: Forget it, I won't rush you, focus on driving. Text me when you arrive, I'll come out to pick you up. Remember, use the back door, don't use the front, it's crowded in the shop today."

After sending it, she put down her phone and picked up her teacup again.

Her gaze fell on Kim Taeyeon again.

This Unnie had finally put down the menu and was discussing a newly released eyeshadow palette with Hyoyeon. Her voice sounded normal, and her smile looked normal, but Sunny noticed that her eyes would glance toward the door every few dozen seconds.

Sunny sighed in her heart.

Taeyeon.

You cannot just keep up this cold war with Jiang Zhiyu.

If it stays like this, what about my Lemm?

What about my life of lying flat?

She imagined the happy life she would have after owning a pink Lemm—no need to get up to make breakfast every morning, no need to go downstairs to get packages when they arrived, no need to clean the house herself, lying on the sofa and shouting "Lemm, get me an iced Americano", and that soft little thing would wiggle over...

That scene was too beautiful.

Sunny's eyes were even a little moist.

No.

It must succeed today.

She put down her teacup, took a deep breath, and secretly clenched her fists under the table.

But fortunately, I've already had Yoona bring Jiang Zhiyu here.

Her gaze swept over the others in the private room—Yuri and Hyoyeon were studying the menu, Sooyoung was replying to a message, Seohyun was sitting quietly in the corner drinking tea, and Tiffany was on a video call with Tima.

Everything was normal.

Next—

She picked up her teacup, covering the corners of her mouth that were slightly raised.

Hehehe.

The back alley of the izakaya was much quieter than the front street.

The streetlights cast a small patch of warm yellow light at the entrance of the alley, illuminating a few drooping green plants at the base of the wall. The sounds of people and traffic from the front street came from afar, and after being filtered by the walls of the alley, only a layer of blurry background noise remained.

The dark gray Porsche slid silently into the alley and stopped steadily in front of the back door of the izakaya.

The engine turned off, and the headlights dimmed.

The car was quiet for a few seconds.

Jiang Zhiyu unfastened his seatbelt, turned his head to look at the alley entrance reflected in the rearview mirror, and then looked at the wooden door with the Japanese-style curtain outside the passenger window.

"Back door?" He raised an eyebrow.

Im Yoona did not answer, just pushed the gear into P and pulled the handbrake.

She still held the steering wheel with both hands, her gaze fixed on the dim streetlight outside the windshield.

The car was quiet enough to hear each other's breathing.

His aura was right beside her, and that cool herbal scent was exceptionally clear in this enclosed space. Im Yoona's fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel.

"We're here," she said.

"Hmm."

No one moved.

The silence spread for a few more seconds, like late spring vines, quietly and stubbornly climbing into every corner.

Im Yoona suddenly spoke, her voice lighter than she had expected: "Zhiyu."

"Hmm?"

She opened her mouth, and the sentence "What exactly is wrong between you and Taeyeon Unnie" rolled on the tip of her tongue again.

She wanted to know.

She wanted to know what exactly happened that night on Jeju Island, wanted to know why the two of them had been in a cold war for a month, and wanted to know what he really thought of Taeyeon Unnie now.

But she couldn't ask.

Because she was afraid of hearing the answer.

Even more afraid that after hearing the answer, the sourness in her own heart would turn into something else she dared not face.

She took a deep breath, turned her head, and met his eyes.

"Nothing," she said, pulling a smile to the corners of her mouth, "Let's go in, Sunny Unnie must be waiting anxiously."

She released the steering wheel and pushed the car door open.

The early autumn night breeze poured in, carrying the scent of charcoal and sauce, blowing away most of the indescribable atmosphere in the car.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her back for two seconds, then also pushed the door and got out of the car.

The autumn wind rushed toward them, carrying the aroma of barbecue and the smell of sake drifting from the izakaya. She closed the car door and pressed the lock button, and the car lights flashed twice.

The two stood side by side at the entrance, separated by the distance of a fist.

The noren curtain was blown up and down by the wind, and the laughter from inside could be heard faintly.

Im Yoona could hear Kim Taeyeon's voice—that hoarse laugh she was too familiar with. Her gaze lingered on the noren for a moment, then moved away.

"Let's go," she said, her voice as light as a fallen leaf.

Jiang Zhiyu nodded.

The two walked into the izakaya one after the other.

The moment the door to the private room was pulled open, the noise inside seemed to have been pressed on a pause button.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the doorway.

Focused on Jiang Zhiyu.

A big smile bloomed on Sunny's face, a smile that was a bit too bright, as if she had won the jackpot.

"You're here, you're here!" She stood up, as enthusiastic as if welcoming an old friend she hadn't seen for years, "President Jiang! Sit here! Here!"

She patted the seat next to her.

That seat was right next to Kim Taeyeon.

Jiang Zhiyu's gaze swept across the private room, across those familiar faces—Yuri, Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, Tiffany, Seohyun—and finally landed on the person by the window.

Kim Taeyeon was holding a wine glass, looking out the window, as if the commotion at the door had nothing to do with her.

But her fingers were gripping the rim of the glass tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his gaze, nodded at Sunny, and a polite smile appeared on his face.

"Hello Noonas, sorry to bother you."

His voice was neither loud nor soft, just right for everyone to hear.

Kim Taeyeon's fingers tightened another notch.

Sunny had already enthusiastically pulled out the chair, the movement smooth and flowing, as if she had rehearsed it countless times.

Jiang Zhiyu walked over and sat down in the spot she indicated.

That spot.

It was separated from Kim Taeyeon by half a fist's distance.

The air was filled with a subtle atmosphere—the spiciness of soju, the charred fragrance of barbecue, and the faint citrus-scented perfume on Kim Taeyeon.

When Jiang Zhiyu sat down, his sleeve brushed lightly against Kim Taeyeon's arm.

Both of them stiffened for a moment.

No one noticed.

Only Sunny noticed.

She was holding her wine glass, pretending to drink, but those eyes were shining like two small light bulbs, shifting back and forth between Kim Taeyeon and Jiang Zhiyu.

Taeyeon's ears were red.

Jiang Zhiyu's posture was a bit stiffer than before.

Sunny gave herself a thumbs up in her heart.

The plan had begun.

—

The warm yellow light of the izakaya cast a soft filter on everyone's faces, and the aroma of sake mixed with the smoky scent of skewers made this night seem exceptionally warm.

But beneath this warmth, undercurrents were surging.

Sunny was the absolute core of the atmosphere team. She held her wine glass, rattling off joke after joke, making Yuri slap the table with laughter and making Hyoyeon laugh until tears came out. She was like a nimble butterfly, flitting back and forth between them, ensuring that a lull in the conversation would never happen. A set of procedures was smooth and flowing, perfectly interpreting the role of "Girls Generation gathering moderator".

The others also cooperated tacitly.

After all, anyone could see that the subtle atmosphere between Kim Taeyeon and Jiang Zhiyu needed some external force to break it.

And the best external force was to make the whole scene hot, so hot that they would have to be caught up in it.

Seohyun sat in the corner, holding a wine glass, her gaze scanning back and forth between Jiang Zhiyu and Kim Taeyeon.

She was in a very good mood.

Not the kind of "happy to be dining together" good, but the kind of "luck is coming and can't be stopped" good.

The scene of the last gathering was still vivid in her mind. The ancient court drama script that Tima had casually made up—the noble lady murdering the emperor to usurp the throne, step-by-step planning, and finally reaching the pinnacle of power—had pierced her heart like a thorn. After returning, she had scoured all the information she could find and asked everyone in the circle who might know, but found no clues.

That script was like a gust of wind, blowing past and dispersing.

But Seohyun was not the type to give up easily.

She had been waiting. Waiting for an opportunity, waiting for a chance to get closer to that script, closer to the source of that creation. And today, the opportunity had arrived.

Her gaze swept back and forth between Jiang Zhiyu and Kim Taeyeon, the corners of her mouth slightly raised. The relationship between Taeyeon Unnie and Jiang Zhiyu was definitely not ordinary. That subtle sense of distance, those eyes that deliberately avoided but couldn't help but pay attention, she was too familiar with it—that was the classic "cold war mode" of the ambiguous stage.

Seohyun held her wine glass and calculated silently in her heart.

If Taeyeon Unnie and Jiang Zhiyu were together, what would that make her?

Jiang Zhiyu's sister-in-law.

Yes, that's it, sister-in-law.

This identity was far more useful than being the "Girls Generation maknae" or "Actress Seohyun."

It wasn't asking too much for a sister-in-law to ask her brother-in-law for a script, was it?

It was perfectly normal for a brother-in-law to help arrange a role for his sister-in-law, right?

And shouldn't a sister-in-law and brother-in-law spend more time together to strengthen their bond?

Seohyun's mental abacus was clicking away, yet her face remained fixed in that signature good-girl smile.

Sunny was busy drinking with Yuri when her peripheral vision suddenly caught Seohyun's expression.

She froze for a moment—what was this girl smiling about?

Seohyun seemed to sense something; she lifted her head and locked eyes with Sunny.

In that instant, their gazes met in the air, sparks flying.

Seohyun's eyes brightened slightly: "Unnie, I've decided to become your follower."

Sunny's eyes lit up instantly: "maknae! I believe this is the best decision you've ever made!"

The two formed a silent alliance, then nonchalantly looked away and returned to what they were doing.

Sunny felt smug—this maknae might usually seem quiet, but when it counted, her brain worked faster than anyone's.

Good, very good, excellent. With her help, the pink Lemm would be within reach soon.

Taeyeon, oh Taeyeon, don't blame your sister; I'm doing this for your own good.

Seohyun picked up her teacup and took a gentle sip, her expression as calm as if nothing had happened.

Following Sunny Unnie was never a mistake.

If you stick to the person who knows how to stir up the most trouble in Girls Generation, you're guaranteed to get a piece of the action.

On the other side of the private room, Jiang Zhiyu was surrounded by Yuri, Sooyoung, Tiffany, and Hyoyeon, chatting about industry gossip.

His storytelling ability was second to none.

Mundane rumors became dramatic and suspenseful the moment they left his lips.

"Really? They were actually together?" Yuri widened her eyes, her wine glass suspended in mid-air.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and nodded, lowering his voice to share a few details. Hyoyeon nearly spat out her sake: "I never would've guessed! I thought they were just regular sunbae-hoobae!"

Sooyoung propped her chin in her hand, her eyes shining with gossip: "If you hadn't said anything, I would've thought they were actually dating. Their fan service is just too good."

"Fan service is all about the details," Jiang Zhiyu said, raising his glass with the calm assurance of a natural storyteller. "When you get the details right, even fake can become real."

"Oh—" Tiffany drawled, smiling at him, "Zhiyu, you're so smooth~"

Hyoyeon raised her glass: "Come on, cheers, cheers!"

They clinked glasses, the crisp sound mixing with their laughter and echoing through the private room.

Sunny chimed in a few times. Although she claimed to be a "lazy bum," when it came to being well-informed, no one in Girls Generation dared to claim first place if she admitted to second.

She occasionally dropped a few details, fleshing out Jiang Zhiyu's stories and making Yuri exclaim, "Unnie, did you bug their phones or something?"

The liveliness belonged to them.

Kim Taeyeon had nothing.

She sat next to Jiang Zhiyu; even though they were only thirty centimeters apart, it felt like they were separated by the entire Han River.

She kept her head down, picked up a piece of sushi with her chopsticks, and slowly put it into her mouth, chewing for a long time.

A few side dishes were arranged on the plate in front of her. She rotated between them, looking as if she were eating intently, but in reality, she couldn't taste a thing.

Laughter drifted over from the other side of the room. She heard Jiang Zhiyu's voice mixed in—gentle, calm, and possessing a comfortable rhythm.

He was chatting happily with the members, occasionally dropping a hilarious line that made Sooyoung slap the table in laughter.

Kim Taeyeon's chopsticks jabbed into a piece of tamagoyaki with too much force, causing it to break in two.

She stared at the two fragments, expressionlessly picked them up, and shoved them into her mouth.

Beside her, Im Yoona sat at the boundary between Kim Taeyeon and the lively group, like a pendulum that didn't know which way to swing.

She glanced at Jiang Zhiyu, then at Kim Taeyeon beside her. She pursed her lips, wanting to say something but not knowing where to begin.

She knew about the layer of window paper between Kim Taeyeon and Jiang Zhiyu—thicker than paper, thinner than a wall; it couldn't be pierced, yet it couldn't be crossed.

She also knew she shouldn't get involved.

But just sitting there, she felt like she was on pins and needles.

"Yoona."

Kim Taeyeon spoke suddenly, her voice very soft.

Im Yoona blinked: "Hm?"

Kim Taeyeon picked up a piece of salmon and placed it on her plate, her tone as calm as if nothing had happened: "Eat your fish."

Im Yoona looked at the piece of salmon on her plate, then at Kim Taeyeon's impassive face, a surge of indescribable emotion rising within her.

She opened her mouth to say something, but ultimately just nodded and shoved the salmon into her mouth.

Kim Taeyeon picked up a piece of grilled fish, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly, her gaze unfocused as it rested on the tabletop.

Her ears, however, were pricked up; every word and every laugh from over there came through to her with crystal clarity.

She heard Jiang Zhiyu's voice the most clearly.

He was laughing. He was chatting happily, laughing and talking with Yuri and the others.

Kim Taeyeon drank another glass of wine. The sake tasted slightly sweet going down, but it burned as it hit her throat.

Her side was as cold as an ice cellar, while his side was as lively as a New Year's celebration.

Shit.

She cursed under her breath, jabbing her chopsticks into the side dish on her plate with a bit too much force.

Seohyun stood up.

Holding her wine glass, she walked over to Jiang Zhiyu with the elegance of a princess in a period drama.

"Zhiyu, I'd like to propose a toast."

Jiang Zhiyu looked up and hurriedly raised his glass: "Thank you, Seohyun Sunbae."

The two clinked glasses gently and took a sip. Seohyun didn't rush back to her seat; instead, she remained standing there, as if deliberating over her words.

"Zhiyu," she began, her voice soft and casual, as if they were just chatting about daily life, "I was wondering, after you finish preparing the movie "the crab" for Im Yoona Unnie, do you have any new projects? Like a romance drama? Or a comedy? Maybe even a historical drama?"

When she said the words "historical drama," her tone didn't change in the slightest, but her eyes brightened for a moment.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and set down his glass: "I don't have any specific plans for the moment. However... there are actually quite a few projects in the works. Once "the crab" is released, we'll see how things go and gradually roll them out."

Seohyun nodded, her expression remaining calm, but she had already noted his words—plenty of projects, there was an opportunity.

She paused, then asked again: "I wonder if Jiang Zhiyu writes romance scripts? Suppose—and I'm just supposing—suppose you were to write a romance script, would the plot be about a simple, plain romance, or one filled with twists and turns?"

As soon as the question left her lips, the air in the private room seemed to freeze for a split second.

Sunny's ears instantly perked up, her wine glass suspended in mid-air, her eyes narrowed into slits.

This maknae's combat power was impressive! It was completely different from her "Good Girl Seohyun" image. Still—great question!

She looked at Jiang Zhiyu, the little version of herself in her mind already beginning to cackle.

Let's see how you answer that!

Jiang Zhiyu set down his glass and rubbed his eyes, as if thinking or perhaps trying to hide something.

"That's a very interesting question, Sunbae," he said with a smile, then paused. "As for love... hmm."

He was silent for a few seconds.

The room was so quiet that one could hear the dripping of sake.

"Love is a very broad concept. Everyone understands it differently," he finally said, his voice lower than before but clearer. "The love I believe in is trust and mutual support."

He looked up, his gaze sweeping over everyone before landing on the glass in front of him.

"What I mean is—I like you, so I support your decisions. But they must be within my ability to manage."

"Oh—" Hyoyeon drawled, "Zhiyu, are you the controlling type?"

"No. By 'ability to manage,' I don't mean controlling the other person, but rather—I have the capability to bear the consequences."

He explained further: "If you make a mistake, I won't say 'I told you so,' nor will I say 'This was your choice, deal with it yourself.' I will say—'It's okay, I'll handle it.' I have the ability and the confidence to resolve the situation. So you can go ahead and do what you want, try the path you want to take. If you succeed, I'll be happy for you. If you fail, I'll cover for you."

The room was silent for a moment.

Yuri blinked: "So you're the type who says, 'You go cause trouble, I'll cover for you'?"

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment and nodded: "Something like that."

"Wow..." Sooyoung sighed, exchanging a look with Tiffany. Both of them wore expressions that clearly said, Where can you find a man like that?

Jiang Zhiyu continued: "So, if I were to write a romance script, both the male and female leads should be leaders in their respective fields. Because they are successful in their careers, they meet through work, complementing each other. They slowly get to know each other through their interactions, and then it's only natural for them to end up together."

"Natural..." Seohyun repeated the word. "But romance scripts usually can't avoid some heart-wrenching plot points, can they?"

Jiang Zhiyu lowered his head, toying with his wine glass, his slender fingers lightly tracing the rim.

In that moment, his gaze unconsciously drifted to the person beside him.

Kim Taeyeon kept her head down, seemingly looking at the glass in front of her, but her fingers gripping the glass tightened slightly, her knuckles turning white.

She was listening.

Listening very intently.

Jiang Zhiyu pulled his gaze back, his voice dropping even lower.

"Heart-wrenching plot points... perhaps due to external factors. Like status, or age."

His fingers paused on the rim of the glass.

"Or when two people like each other, but neither dares to take that step."

Kim Taeyeon's fingers tightened another notch.

"Ambiguous, yet calm."

Jiang Zhiyu's voice grew softer and softer, as if he were talking to himself.

"Thinking you're doing what's best for the other person, when in reality, it's not."

Kim Taeyeon squeezed the wine glass tightly.

Shit!

Damn you, Jiang Zhiyu!

Don't you understand perfectly well?

Don't you know all of this?

If you're so knowledgeable about this topic, why are you talking about it here?

How come when it comes to your own life, you just...

She took a deep breath, forcing down the surging emotions. Her expression remained unmoved, but her earlobes were already turning red.

"Oh—" Yuri drawled, her eyes flashing with gossip, "So Zhiyu is the type who prefers to be chased!"

"Waiting for others to make the first move~" Hyoyeon joined in the teasing, laughing until her eyes narrowed into slits. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, so Zhiyu is passive, huh?"

"He is a younger brother, after all~" Sunny chimed in at the perfect moment, her smile meaningful. "Right?"

"Pure younger men are very popular these days~" Sooyoung added, twisting the knife.

"Speaking of which," Tiffany tilted her head, suddenly remembering something, "Zhiyu is ranked first on an unofficial list."

"What kind of ranking?" Hyoyeon asked.

Seohyun spoke up quietly, her voice not loud, yet clear enough to reach everyone's ears: "The 'Men Women Most Want to Marry' ranking."

The private room instantly erupted.

"Pfft—"

Sunny nearly spat out the wine in her mouth.

"Oh—!"

"Zhiyu, you've been on a list like that?!"

"Hahaha, he's blushing! He's blushing!"

Jiang Zhiyu's face turned bright red, the heat spreading from his cheeks all the way to his ears.

"No, no," he hurriedly waved his hands, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm actually..."

He trailed off, suddenly not knowing what to say.

What could he say?

Say "I'm not first place"? That would be too fake; he had indeed seen his name on many forums.

Say "Thank you, everyone"? That would be even stranger. Who would thank people for a ranking like that?

Say "I don't want to get married"? — What kind of nonsense would that be?

He opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word, so he simply picked up his glass and downed it in one go.

The liquor went down his throat, spicy with a hint of sweetness, but it couldn't suppress the heat on his face.

"Hahahaha!"

"Zhiyu is shy!"

"So cute!"

The members of Girls Generation laughed in a huddle, but two people had different reactions.

Im Yoona sat to the side, pursing her lips.

Likes being passive?

She stole a glance at Kim Taeyeon, seeing her bright red earlobes, then turned back to stare at Jiang Zhiyu's face, flushed with alcohol and embarrassment.

What if... I were a bit more proactive?

This thought flashed through her mind, so quickly that she couldn't even grasp it.

Kim Taeyeon kept her head down, feeling her earlobes burning as if they were on fire.

Passive?

This jerk, and he calls himself passive?

I personally went to Jeju Island to find you—isn't that proactive enough?

You were the one who ignored me!

She remembered that day on the balcony of the guesthouse in Jeju Island, when she had gathered her courage to go find him. He had asked her two questions, then just said, "Get some rest," and turned and left.

What was that supposed to be?

Was that passive?

That was—that was—

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

And that Lee Tima!

Saying things like "Jiang Zhiyu misses you" and "He blushes whenever he hears your name"—

Nonsense!

It was all complete nonsense!

That day in Jeju Island, when he saw her, his gaze had been as calm as if he were looking at a stranger.

Where did he miss her?

Where did he blush?

She had been deceived!

Cheated by that brother-sister duo!

She fumed, mentally adding a tally against both Jiang Zhiyu and Lee Tima.

Jiang Zhiyu—a big liar! He talked a good game but was a complete mess when it came to action!

Lee Tima—a little liar! Helping her brother deceive people, and doing it so earnestly!

Not a single word out of that brother-sister duo was true!

Kim Taeyeon gripped her wine glass, her knuckles turning white.

They were all liars!

A nest of liars!

She took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to splash the wine in her hand onto the face of the person beside her.