410: Chapter 464 Phantom Thief Zhimin (30)

In the kitchen of the luxury apartment, warm yellow light spilled into every corner.

The open-concept kitchen design made the entire space feel spacious and bright. The island was covered with various ingredients—milk, eggs, sugar, light cream, and several boxes of fresh strawberries and mangoes. Pots and pans were neatly arranged on the shelves, and a cookbook lay open on the bar counter, flipped to the page for "Double-skin milk."

But at this moment, the kitchen had absolutely nothing to do with words like "tense" or "solemn."

It was as simple as any ordinary family's Sunday afternoon.

Karina stood in front of the island, a whisk in her hand, with a bowl of freshly separated egg whites before her. She wore a light pink apron, her long hair tied in a ponytail, as she focused intently on a tutorial on her tablet.

"Boil the milk... then cool it... let the skin form... then..." she muttered the steps under her breath, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Hey! NingNing! You're stealing snacks again!"

Her voice suddenly rose, tinged with a hint of exasperation.

NingNing stood beside her, pinching a strawberry and about to pop it into her mouth. Startled by the shout, her movement froze in mid-air, her mouth slightly open, with half the strawberry already inside.

Her cheeks were puffed out, looking exactly like a hamster hiding food.

Under Karina's glare, NingNing shrunk her neck, pretending to be scared, but her eyes were still curved with a "what are you going to do about it?" smile.

"I only ate one..."

"One? Look how much is missing from that box!"

Karina pointed at the box of strawberries, which was clearly half empty, her voice getting louder.

NingNing quickly stuffed the rest of the strawberry into her mouth and said indistinctly, "It wasn't me, it was Minjeong!"

In the corner, Kim Minjeong was sitting cross-legged on the floor, cradling a purple Lemm in her arms.

It was a special capricorn edition that Zhiyu had specifically designed for her. It was light purple all over, with a small capricorn emblem on its head. Its body was soft and bouncy, and it was currently nestled quietly in her arms, its cartoon eyes half-squinted as if it were dozing.

Hearing NingNing call her name, Minjeong suddenly looked up.

She quickly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand—the action was so deliberate that it actually gave her away.

Then she shrunk back behind the Lemm, trying to hide behind the soft, bouncy, purple jelly-like creature.

"It wasn't me! Lami wanted to eat them!"

She spoke righteously, her voice crisp and clear.

Karina's eyes narrowed. "Lami?"

"Yes!" Minjeong nodded like a woodpecker, holding up the Lemm in front of her face. "Lami said it wanted to taste what strawberries were like. But it doesn't have a mouth, so I tasted them for it."

The Lemm's cartoon eyes remained half-squinted, its expression perfectly innocent.

Karina looked at the purple jelly-like mass, then at Minjeong hiding behind it with only half her face showing, and rolled her eyes in frustration.

"Kim Minjeong, Lami is a Lemm. It doesn't even have a mouth, how could it want to eat strawberries?"

Minjeong blinked, looking innocent. "It communicated with me through its thoughts. Oppa said Lemms can sense their owner's emotions, so shouldn't it work the other way too?"

"What do you mean, the other way?"

"The owner can sense the Lemm's emotions. Lami told me it wanted strawberries, so I ate them for it. It's called—empathy."

Karina took a deep breath.

"How many did you steal?"

Minjeong shook her head quickly. "None left! Just one! Really, only one!"

NingNing said dryly from the side, "She ate three, I saw her."

"NingNing!!!"

Minjeong jumped out from behind the Lemm, staring at NingNing with wide eyes, her face written with the accusation of "how could you betray me."

NingNing shrugged innocently, still chewing on the strawberry from before.

Karina looked at Minjeong, then at NingNing, then at the box of strawberries that was clearly missing a third, and stamped her foot in frustration.

"You two—"

"Ji-min."

A calm voice came from nearby.

Uchinaga Eri leaned against the bar, holding a cup of coffee and looking down at the cookbook. She wore a dark blue apron, her posture relaxed and composed, like a bystander to this kitchen farce.

She looked up at Karina, a hint of inquiry in her eyes.

"You seem very nervous."

Karina jolted, as if a sore spot had been poked.

"I am not!" Her voice was sharp and loud, startling even herself.

"I'm not nervous at all! It's just making Double-skin milk, what's there to be nervous about? I've watched the tutorial eight hundred times! The egg whites are separated! The milk is—"

She looked down at the milk in the pot.

The milk had already boiled and was bubbling in the pot, steam rising and clouding her face.

"Ahhh, the milk is boiling over!!!"

She scrambled to turn off the heat and grabbed a spoon to stir it, but her hand slipped. The spoon fell into the pot with a "clatter," and the milk splashed out, scalding her.

"Sss—"

She shook her hand, her face scrunched up.

Minjeong peeked out from behind the Lemm and said softly, "Unnie, are you sure you're not too nervous?"

Karina glared at her. "I'm not!"

"Then why did the spoon fall?"

"...My hand slipped!"

"And you didn't even notice the milk boiling?"

"...I was talking to you guys!"

"Then why—"

"Kim Minjeong!" Karina's voice rose. "If you say one more word, I'll make you cook it!"

Minjeong quickly retreated behind the Lemm and fell silent.

But her eyes were still darting around.

NingNing stood by, watching Karina's flustered state, the smile on her lips deepening.

"Unnie," she said slowly, "that reaction just now was priceless."

Karina shot her a sideways glance, the threat in her eyes unmistakable.

NingNing immediately looked down, pretending to study the ingredients, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.

Minjeong peeked out from behind Lami and whispered:

"Unnie, your palms are sweating."

Karina instinctively hid her hands behind her back.

"They are not!"

Minjeong blinked and shrunk back behind Lami again.

Uchinaga Eri put down her coffee cup and walked over to stand beside Karina.

Her voice was still slow, but it held a touch of seriousness.

"Ji-min, what if you fail?"

Karina froze for a moment.

NingNing's eyes instantly lit up, her voice crisp and bright, filled with an excitement that said "I can't wait to see this fail":

"Then it will be 'Karina Unnie's Homemade Double-skin milk Epic Fail Chronicles'!"

Minjeong poked her head out from behind Lami, her eyes sparkling.

"Wow, that title sounds like it would go even more viral. It's more interesting than success!!"

Karina was so exasperated by their tag-teaming that she laughed.

"Hey! I haven't even started making it yet!!"

She picked up the bag of Double-skin milk powder and waved it in front of them.

"I've watched the tutorial several times! I've memorized the steps! How could I possibly fail!"

NingNing tilted her head with an expression that said "I'll believe whatever you say."

"Okay, okay, no failure, no failure."

Her tone was incredibly perfunctory.

Karina glared at her but couldn't do anything about it.

Seeing her like that, NingNing suddenly leaned in and lowered her voice:

"Unnie, if you do fail—"

She paused, her eyes darting.

"Just let the Master do it."

Karina was taken aback.

NingNing continued, her tone getting more and more excited:

"When the time comes, we'll say—through unremitting effort, serious study, and the sincere support of MYs—"

She took a deep breath, her voice becoming impassioned:

"Finally, Karina Unnie has completed the Double-skin milk all by herself! A complete success!"

She paused and switched back to her normal tone.

"Then say you did a great job yourself, you'll feel like a genius."

She clasped her hands together, her eyes shining.

"If I open a Liu-style Double-skin milk shop in the future, will MYs support me?"

Minjeong listened with great interest, but when she heard "open a shop," her brow furrowed slightly.

"Uh..."

She tilted her head, thinking seriously.

"That's a bit fake."

NingNing's smile froze. "What's fake about it?"

"What you said just now—'unremitting effort,' 'serious study,' 'sincere support from MYs'—all that is fine, but that last line about 'opening a Liu-style Double-skin milk shop'—"

She paused, tilting her head as she thought.

"Besides, if you open a shop, what if the customers get food poisoning?"

Cradling Lami, she looked at Karina with a worried face.

"Karina Unnie's life would be..."

She paused, her voice becoming low.

"Ruined o(╥﹏╥)o"

The kitchen fell silent for a second.

Karina, NingNing, and Eri all looked up at Minjeong at the same time.

And then—

A giant thought Bubble slowly rose above the four of them.

It was a cloud woven from imagination, soft and fluffy like marshmallow or a dream. It floated up from their heads, growing larger and clearer, until it transformed into vivid scenes—

The scenes slowly unfolded.

The scene began with a panoramic view of the Liu-style Double-skin milk shop.

It was a dessert shop located in a prime spot in Gangnam District, Seoul. The pink sign sparkled in the sun, and next to the five large characters for "Liu-style Double-skin milk," a chibi version of Karina's head smiled with eyes curved like crescent moons. In the glass display window, bowls of crystal-clear Double-skin milk were displayed, topped with fresh fruits—strawberries, mangoes, blueberries—vibrant and colorful like a painting.

Opening Day.

A long line had already formed at the door.

The queue stretched from the shop entrance, across the sidewalk, around the corner, and all the way down the commercial street. Fans held up support signs, wearing aespa's official colors, and some even brought small stools, prepared for a long wait.

And it wasn't just on land.

The sea was also densely packed with kayaks—stretching from the coast of Jeju Island all the way to the distant horizon. Fans wore life jackets, holding up their phones, live-streaming while they waited in line.

"Hello everyone! I'm currently in the waters off Jeju Island, waiting in line for Liu-style Double-skin milk! Even though it's a long wait, it's worth it for Ji-min!"

"I've been waiting for three hours! I took a boat over from Busan! I have to taste Karina Unnie's Double-skin milk!"

There were even people on jet skis in the queue, some rowing paddleboards, and some simply swimming over with inner tubes.

The sea was teeming with people, as lively as a water park.

Karina stood at the shop entrance, wearing a snow-white chef's uniform and a tall chef's hat, holding a bowl of freshly made Double-skin milk, her smile as radiant as if she were on the red carpet of an awards ceremony.

"Thank you all for your support! Every bite of Liu-style Double-skin milk is made with heart!"

The fans' cheers were earth-shattering.

"Karina is the best!"

"Long live Double-skin milk!"

"Liu-style Desserts will conquer the world!"

The scene shifted.

Minjeong sat at a window seat in the shop, a bowl of strawberry-topped Double-skin milk in front of her.

She took a spoonful, put it in her mouth, and her eyes instantly lit up.

"Wow! The Double-skin milk Unnie made is so delicious!"

Her expression was like she had discovered a new continent.

She took another spoonful, and another.

Spoon after spoon, she couldn't stop.

Soon, the first bowl was empty. She licked her lips, wanting more, and raised her hand: "Boss, another bowl!"

Karina smilingly brought over another bowl, this time mango flavored.

Minjeong continued eating, very happy, her eyes curved into crescent moons and her cheeks puffed out like a little hamster hoarding food.

"Unnie, if you ever stop being in aespa, you can open a dessert shop! I'll come every day!"

Karina smiled and rubbed her head: "Fine, then you have to pay every day."

"No way~ Give it to me for free~"

"No."

"Then a discount?"

"Still no."

"Unnie is stingy!"

The two of them burst into laughter.

But not long after—

Kim Minjeong's expression changed.

First she turned slightly pale, then slowly turned green, and finally an indescribable grayish-green.

She put down her spoon, clutched her stomach, and knit her brows.

"Unnie... I..."

Before she could finish, her mouth suddenly puffed out.

"Urgh—!"

The scene cut to outside the shop.

Ambulances screeched to a halt in front of the store, red and blue lights flashing incessantly.

Stretchers were carried out one after another, carrying fans foaming at the mouth; some were unconscious, while others were moaning weakly.

"Move aside! Move aside!"

"The patient is in critical condition and needs immediate hospitalization!"

"Are there any other patients? Everyone get in the vehicle! Quick!"

Fans were carried out of the shop one by one—one, two, three... more and more, until there weren't enough stretchers.

Some were leaning against the wall vomiting, some were twitching on the ground, and some were hugging trash cans, refusing to let go.

The storefront was a scene of chaos.

An SBS news van parked outside the police line.

Reporter Kim Sowan jumped out of the car, followed by a cameraman. She wore a beige trench coat and held a microphone, her expression serious and professional.

"Viewers, I am currently in front of Liu's Double-Skin Milk Shop in Gangnam District, Seoul. This afternoon, a large-scale food poisoning incident occurred at this dessert shop opened by aespa member Karina."

She stepped aside, and the cameraman pointed the lens at the chaotic scene.

"According to preliminary on-site statistics, over two hundred customers have experienced symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, with more than twenty in serious condition, who have been rushed to nearby hospitals."

Her tone became even more solemn.

"Currently, the Food Hygiene Supervision Department has intervened in the investigation. Karina herself has also been taken away by the police to assist with the investigation. Let's interview an eyewitness on the scene."

She walked up to a vomiting fan and handed over the microphone.

"Excuse me, what did you just eat?"

The fan was pale, their lips purple, and they barely managed to look up.

"I... I ate a bowl of Strawberry Double-Skin Milk..."

"How did you feel after eating it?"

"At first, it felt delicious... then my stomach started to hurt... and then... urgh—!"

Before finishing, they vomited into the trash can again.

Kim Sowan quickly retracted the microphone with a subtle expression.

"It seems the situation is indeed not optimistic."

She turned to the camera and continued:

"We will continue to follow and report on this matter. This is Kim Sowan reporting for SBS News."

The scene switched.

Seoul National University Hospital, VIP ward.

The hallway was crowded with reporters, their cameras pointed at the closed door. Security maintained order at the entrance, and nurses pushed medicine carts past in a hurry.

Kim Sowan stood at the ward door, straightened her collar, and took a deep breath.

"Viewers, I am currently at Seoul National University Hospital. It is reported that aespa member Kim Minjeong is also one of the victims of this food poisoning incident and is currently receiving treatment in this ward."

She glanced at the door.

"After communicating with the hospital and SM Entertainment, we have obtained a brief interview permit. Now, I will enter the ward to bring you a first-hand report."

She pushed open the door and walked in.

In the ward, there were white walls, white sheets, and white curtains.

The ECG monitor emitted a rhythmic "beep—beep—" sound, and the liquid in the IV tube fell drop by drop.

Kim Minjeong lay on the hospital bed, her face as pale as paper and her lips completely bloodless. She wore blue and white striped hospital scrubs, her hair scattered on the pillow, and she looked much smaller and thinner.

A bouquet of flowers and a basket of fruit sat on the bedside table, with a card that read "Get well soon, Minjeong."

Seeing the reporter enter, Kim Minjeong weakly turned her head, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly as she forced a smile.

That smile was as weak as a candle flame that could go out at any moment.

Kim Sowan walked to the bedside and sat down gently.

"Kim Minjeong-xi, thank you for accepting our interview. How are you feeling now?"

Kim Minjeong's lips trembled slightly.

"I'm... okay..."

Her voice was as thin as a thread, as if she had used all her strength just to squeeze out those few words.

Kim Sowan held the microphone a bit closer.

"Can you tell us about the situation when it happened?"

Kim Minjeong's eyes became a bit dazed, as if she were reminiscing.

"I... I was at Unnie's shop... and ate two bowls of Double-skin milk..."

"Two bowls?"

"Mm... strawberry flavor and Mango flavor... both were delicious..."

The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, as if she were still savoring the taste.

"And then?"

"Then... my stomach started to hurt... it was okay at first... but then it hurt more and more... like something was churning inside my stomach..."

Her brows furrowed, as if she were enduring some pain.

"After that... I don't remember anything... when I woke up... I was already here..."

Kim Sowan nodded and continued to ask:

"Kim Minjeong-xi, is there anything you want to say to Karina-xi?"

Kim Minjeong paused for a moment.

She looked at the camera, her eyes slowly turning red.

"Unnie..."

Her voice carried a hint of trembling.

"I don't blame you... I know you didn't do it on purpose..."

She took a deep breath, the corners of her mouth curling up again as she forced a smile.

That smile was so bright, as if nothing had ever happened.

"The Double-skin milk was really delicious... I want to eat it again next time..."

Just as she finished speaking—

"Urgh—!"

She suddenly turned her head toward the trash can by the bed, another bout of churning.

Kim Sowan quickly stood up and took a step back.

The cameraman also took a step back, but the lens remained fixed on Kim Minjeong.

After vomiting, Kim Minjeong lay back on the pillow, her face even paler, fine beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead.

But she still insisted on giving a thumbs up, with that weak, almost invisible smile on her lips.

"It was really... delicious..."

Her voice grew lighter and lighter, as if it would dissipate into the air at any moment.

"Urgh—!"

She vomited again.

Watching this scene, Kim Sowan had a complicated expression.

She said to the camera:

"This is the on-site report from Seoul National University Hospital. Kim Minjeong-xi's condition is currently stable, but she still needs further observation. We will continue to monitor the development of the situation."

She paused and added:

"In addition, according to the latest news, Karina-xi has been officially detained by the police, and the case is under investigation. This station will continue to follow and report."

The scene faded out and then back in.

The courtroom.

A solemn courtroom with a high bench and dark wooden furniture. The judge sat on the bench, wearing a white wig, his expression as serious as a statue.

Karina stood in the defendant's dock, wearing an orange prison uniform, her face pale and her eyes slightly red. Her hair fell over her shoulders, lacking its usual refinement, and she looked much more haggard.

Behind her, the gallery was packed with people. There were reporters, fans, and passersby who had come to watch the spectacle.

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri sat in the corner, their expressions solemn. NingNing's hand tightly gripped Uchinaga Eri's, her knuckles turning white. Eri's eyes were also red, but she bit her lip, not letting the tears fall.

The judge cleared his throat and began to read the verdict.

"The defendant, Karina, for producing and selling Double-skin milk that did not meet food hygiene standards, resulting in food poisoning for two hundred and thirty-seven people, twenty-one of whom are in serious condition. The victim, Kim Minjeong, is still receiving treatment in the hospital and has not yet passed the critical stage."

He paused, his gaze falling on Karina like two cold blades.

"This court sentences the defendant to—life imprisonment."

Karina's eyes widened suddenly.

"Life... life imprisonment???"

Her voice echoed in the courtroom, carrying an unbelievable tremble.

"Hey, hey, hey! It was just food poisoning, wasn't it!!!"

She struggled to rush out of the defendant's dock, and two bailiffs immediately stepped forward to press her shoulders, holding her back.

The judge struck the gavel.

"Silence."

"But life imprisonment is too heavy!!!"

Karina's voice grew louder, with a sob.

"I didn't do it on purpose! I don't know why it turned out like this! I used fresh ingredients! I followed the tutorial for every step! I—"

"Defendant," the judge interrupted her expressionlessly, "According to Article 78, Paragraph 3 of the Food Hygiene Law, anyone who causes large-scale food poisoning due to intentional or gross negligence resulting in serious consequences may be sentenced to life imprisonment. In this case, the number of victims reached 237, 21 of whom are in serious condition, which meets the sentencing standards for life imprisonment."

Karina was stunned.

Two hundred and thirty-seven people?

How did Kim Minjeong getting an upset stomach turn into two hundred and thirty-seven people?

Her mind went blank.

The bailiffs were already escorting her out of the courtroom.

Her steps were staggered, like a puppet that had lost its soul.

In the gallery, some people cried, some shook their heads and sighed, and some held up their phones to take pictures.

NingNing finally couldn't hold back and tears fell.

Uchinaga Eri pulled her into her arms and gently patted her back.

"It's okay... it's okay..."

But her voice was also trembling.

The scene faded out and then back in.

The iron door pushed open with a "creak."

Karina, wearing the orange prison uniform, walked into a small solitary cell.

Behind her, the heavy iron door "thudded" shut, and the sound of the lock turning echoed in the empty corridor, like the end of some sentencing.

She stood in the center of the cell and looked around.

The walls were grayish-white, there were no windows, only a palm-sized vent with a few iron bars. A narrow single bed with a thin mattress, the sheets grayish-white and neatly folded. A simple sink, a toilet without a lid, and a plastic chair in the corner with a number carved on the back.

The fluorescent light overhead emitted a pale light, buzzing, like some kind of eternal mourning that would never stop.

She slowly walked to the bedside and sat down.

The bed frame made a piercing "creak," exceptionally clear in the silent cell.

She sat there, looking at the vent. Through the iron bars, a small patch of sky was visible. Night had fallen; there wasn't a single star, only a layer of gray clouds pressing very low.

The moon rose.

Round and bright, like an indifferent eye, coldly watching her through the iron bars.

The moonlight cast long shadows on the floor, like the bars of a cage.

Karina looked at the moon, her eyes slowly turning red.

She thought of her Double-skin milk shop, the fans waiting in line, and the way Kim Minjeong gave a thumbs up and said "delicious."

She also thought of Kim Minjeong lying on the hospital bed—her pale face, her weak voice, and that sentence: "The Double-skin milk was really delicious... I want to eat it again next time."

A tear slid from the corner of her eye.

Another drop.

And another.

She hugged her knees and buried her face in them.

Her shoulders trembled slightly.

In the silent cell, that trembling was exceptionally clear.

"Minjeong-ah..."

Her voice came out muffled from her knees, with a sob.

"I'm sorry..."

"I didn't do it on purpose..."

"I really didn't know it would be like this..."

No one answered her.

Only the buzzing of the light and an ECG-monitor-like silence.

The moon outside the window watched her coldly.

Tears blurred her vision, and the moonlight became a blurry halo, like some kind of unreachable hope.

But hope had already been locked outside by that iron door.

She looked up at the moon, her lips trembling slightly.

"Life imprisonment..."

She murmured to herself.

"Can I never get out..."

Tears slid down her cheeks, dripping onto the orange prison uniform, spreading into a small dark stain.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

She reached out and touched the mark, then raised her hand to her eyes, looking at the moisture on her fingertips.

"Is my life... ending just like this..."

No one answered her.

Only the faint sound of footsteps outside the iron door, growing more distant and lighter, finally disappeared at the end of the corridor.

The scene gradually blurred, as if soaked in tears.

The clouds of thought slowly dissipated.

In the kitchen, the four girls looked at each other.

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri's pupils dilated as if in an earthquake, their expressions twisted somewhere between shock and suppressed laughter.

They looked at Kim Minjeong, their mouths opening and closing, closing and opening again.

What is this child saying?!

What on earth is in her head?!

NingNing opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her voice stuck in her throat.

Uchinaga Eri covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking—it was hard to tell if she was laughing or crying.

Kim Minjeong didn't notice their expressions at all, still immersed in her own imagination.

She cupped her face with both hands, her eyes sparkling, and continued:

"Wow, so after that, when we want to see Ji-min Unnie, won't we have to talk through glass? Just like in the movies!"

She mimicked a prison visit, placing her hand next to her cheek in a telephone-holding gesture, her voice becoming deep and affectionate:

"Ji-min Unnie, you must reform well inside, we will wait for you!"

She paused, changed her angle, and mimicked Karina's voice:

"You guys also need to eat well, wait for me to come out..."

Her voice suddenly cut off.

"But—"

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, her brows furrowing into a knot.

"It seems you can't get out if you have a life sentence, right?"

Her expression turned sad, her eyes becoming watery.

"How pitiful..."

She clutched her chest, her voice filled with a crying tone.

"Ji-min Unnie has to stay inside for a lifetime... We won't be able to eat the Double-skin milk she makes anymore... Although we might get food poisoning... but that is still Unnie's heart..."

The kitchen went quiet for a second.

And then—

Karina's hand shot out with lightning speed, precisely pinching Kim Minjeong's cheek.

"Kim—Min—jeong—!"

"Ah—! Unnie! It hurts!!!"

Kim Minjeong's scream was sharp and crisp, her whole body shrinking back, but her cheek was pinched, so she couldn't pull away.

Her face was pinched out of shape, her mouth pursed, and her eyes squeezed into triangles, looking just like a kitten being picked up.

Karina pinched her cheek, pushing and pulling, like kneading dough.

"It hurts? You have the nerve to say it hurts?!"

Her voice carried a smile, but in that smile, there was clearly a hint of gnashing teeth.

"Who told you to imagine me being sentenced to life imprisonment?! Who told you to imagine me crying in prison?! Who told you to say the Double-skin milk I make would give people food poisoning?!"

Kim Minjeong's face was rubbed back and forth, and she couldn't speak clearly:

"Mmm... it wasn't me... it was Ningning who said it first..."

"You're still blaming Ningning!"

Karina pinched even harder, two fingers gripping that soft cheek meat and pulling to both sides.

Kim Minjeong's face was pulled even more out of shape, tears almost coming out.

"Unnie... I was wrong... I was really wrong... It hurts... it really hurts..."

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri stood on the side, watching this scene, and finally couldn't hold it in.

"Hahaha hahaha—!"

NingNing laughed until she bent over, her hands on her knees, her whole body shaking, laughing until tears came out.

Uchinaga Eri covered her mouth, her shoulders heaving, laughing until she couldn't straighten her back.

"Minjeong-ah, how did you come up with that 'life sentence'!"

"And that 'talking through glass'! Hahahaha!"

"Two hundred and thirty-seven people with food poisoning! How did you come up with that number!"

"Kim Minjeong, what on earth is in your head!"

Kim Minjeong, with her face still being pinched, said aggrievedly: "I was just... thinking randomly... I felt that was more realistic..."

"Realistic?!" Karina's voice went up an octave, "Where is that realistic?! Where is two hundred and thirty-seven people poisoned realistic?!"

"It's just... I felt that number had more impact..."

"Kim Minjeong!!!"

Karina finally let go.

Kim Minjeong immediately covered her red cheeks, stepped back several paces, hid behind Lemm, and only revealed half her face.

There were still two red finger marks on her cheeks, her eyes were watery, and her lips were slightly pursed, looking just like a bullied puppy.

"Unnie is so fierce..."

Karina looked at her, feeling both angry and amused.

"I'm fierce? What kind of random things are you thinking about!"

Kim Minjeong muttered softly: "I'm just worried about you..."

"Worried about me being sentenced to life imprisonment?"

"No... I'm worried about your Double-skin milk shop..."

"I don't have a Double-skin milk shop!"

"You might open one in the future..."

"Kim Minjeong!"

Karina raised her hand again.

Kim Minjeong quickly lifted Lemm up to block in front of her.

"Lemm, save me!"

Lemm's cartoon eyes were still half-squinted, its expression perfectly innocent.

Its soft, bouncy body was pressed against Kim Minjeong's face, as if acting as a shield for her.

Karina looked at the purple, jelly-like object, took a deep breath, and took another deep breath.

Then she turned around and faced the pot of milk that had already cooled down and the egg whites in the bowl again.

"What did I owe you all in my past life..."

She turned and walked back to the kitchen counter, picking up the tablet again.

"Alright, enough messing around. I'm going to start making the Double-skin milk."

NingNing walked over, wiping away her tears.

"Unnie, do you need any help?"

Karina glanced at her.

"You wipe your mouth clean first."

NingNing was stunned for a moment, reached out to wipe the corner of her mouth—red strawberry juice.

She smiled awkwardly and turned to look for a tissue.

Uchinaga Eri put down the cookbook and walked to Karina's side.

"Ji-min, how long do I need to beat the egg whites?"

Karina looked at the tutorial.

"Just beat until it froths. I'll do it."

She picked up an egg and gently tapped it against the edge of the bowl.

The shell cracked, and the egg white and yolk flowed into the bowl together.

She froze.

The tutorial said only the egg white was needed.

She looked at the egg yolk in the bowl, then at the tutorial on the tablet, her expression wavering wildly between "start over" and "scoop out the egg yolk."

Kim Minjeong peeked out from behind Lemm.

"Unnie, do you put the yolk in too?"

Karina was silent for two seconds.

"...No."

Kim Minjeong blinked.

"Then why did you beat the yolk in too?"

Karina took a deep breath.

"Because—my—hand slipped."

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri laughed out loud at the same time.

Kim Minjeong laughed too, but halfway through, recalling the painful experience of having her face pinched just now, she forced it back in.

That expression was even uglier than crying.

Karina looked at her, and finally couldn't help but laugh too.

She took another egg, this time carefully cracking it, using only the egg white.

The egg white slid into the bowl, transparent and viscous, shining with a slight luster under the light.

She picked up the eggbeater and started mixing.

"Da da da da da—"

The eggbeater spun rapidly in the bowl, the egg white gradually turning white, with fine foam rising.

Kim Minjeong hugged Lemm and leaned in.

"Unnie, you're so amazing."

Karina hummed.

"Of course."

Kim Minjeong said again: "But the way you beat the egg whites looks like you're doing a chemistry experiment."

Karina's movements paused.

NingNing leaned in to take a look.

"It really does. Especially that expression—so focused it looks like it's about to explode."

Karina glared at her.

"Can you guys say something nice?"

Uchinaga Eri spoke slowly:

"Ji-min, the way you beat the egg whites is beautiful."

Karina froze for a moment, then laughed.

"Eri knows how to talk."

Uchinaga Eri continued: "Like a doctor in a lab coat in a science laboratory."

Karina's smile froze on her face.

Kim Minjeong and NingNing laughed out loud at the same time.

Karina gritted her teeth, continued beating the egg whites, and ignored them.

The egg white in the bowl gradually became thick, the white foam delicate and dense, like winter snow.

She stopped and looked at the tutorial.

"Next step... heat the milk to eighty degrees..."

She picked up the pot of milk, placed it on the stove, and turned on the heat.

The flames licked the bottom of the pot, and the milk began to steam slightly.

She stared at the pot, not daring to walk away.

Kim Minjeong stood beside her, hugging Lemm, also staring at the pot.

The two of them, one tall and one short, stared motionless at that pot of milk.

NingNing looked at their backs and couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you guys boiling milk or hatching chicks?"

Karina turned her head to glare at her.

"The milk will overflow, of course I have to watch it."

Kim Minjeong nodded seriously.

"Yes, have to watch it."

She turned her head back and continued staring at the pot.

That expression was so focused it was as if they were doing something extraordinary.

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time.

The milk was heated.

Karina poured the hot milk into the bowl, mixed it with the beaten egg whites, added sugar, and stirred until even.

Then she picked up the bag of Double-skin milk powder and looked at the instructions on the packaging.

"Finally... add the Double-skin milk powder... stir until even... refrigerate for two hours..."

She carefully cut open the bag and poured the powder in.

The white powder fell like snowflakes.

She picked up the eggbeater and started mixing.

"Da da da da da—"

Kim Minjeong leaned in and peeked at the contents of the bowl.

"Unnie, this color... it doesn't seem right."

Karina stopped and took a look.

The tutorial said it should be milky white.

But hers...

was pale yellow.

Because a bit of egg yolk was mixed into the egg white.

She was silent for three seconds.

Then she looked up at Ningning.

"Ningning."

"Hm?"

Karina took a deep breath.

"If it fails, just go with that plan you mentioned."

NingNing was stunned for a moment.

"What plan?"

Karina gritted her teeth.

" 'After unremitting efforts and serious study, and with the sincere support of our MYs, Ji-min Unnie finally completed the Double-skin milk on her own, a complete success'—that one."

The kitchen was quiet for a second.

Then laughter erupted.

Kim Minjeong laughed until she leaned right onto Lemm.

NingNing laughed until she slapped the table.

Uchinaga Eri laughed until she spilled her coffee.

Karina looked at them and laughed too.

In that smile, there was helplessness, amusement, and a hint of—

"Whatever, let's just make it first."

She poured the mixed liquid into several small bowls, covered them with plastic wrap, and put them in the refrigerator.

Closing the refrigerator door, she turned around and looked at the three younger sisters who were laughing and swaying.

"What are you laughing at? When it's done later, you all have to eat it."

Kim Minjeong's laughter stopped abruptly.

NingNing's smile also froze.

Uchinaga Eri put down her coffee cup, her expression becoming subtle.

The three of them looked at each other and saw the same thing in each other's eyes—

It's over.

Karina looked at their expressions and nodded with satisfaction.

The clock pointed to 6:50.

There were ten minutes left until tonight's 7:00 Bubble live stream.