443: Chapter 496 Imagination

The cinema lights spilled down from the ceiling, the cold white light shining onto the marble floor, reflecting a chilly luster. The air was filled with the buttery scent of popcorn and the slight bitterness of coffee, along with an indescribable smell unique to movie theaters—perhaps a mixture of carpet cleaner and the leather of old seats. Long queues formed in front of the ticket office, with people huddled together in twos and threes, some looking down at their phones, some looking up at the movie times scrolling on the big screen, and some discussing what movie they were going to watch.

Kim Minjeong zipped her jacket all the way to the top, tucking her chin into the collar, revealing only her eyes. The necklace was hidden inside her jacket, against the collar of her sweater. The blue gemstone pressed against her collarbone through two layers of fabric, cool like a small piece of ice that would never be warmed by body temperature. Her fingers clenched inside her pocket; she wanted to touch it but held back. After a few seconds, she couldn't resist. Her hand reached out from her pocket and touched her chest through the jacket. The edges of the gemstone pressed through the sweater and jacket fabric into her palm, and that small bit of coolness melted into her palm. The corners of her mouth curved up, a small arc, like a child who had secretly hidden a piece of candy.

Ningning walked on her left, looking down at her phone, which displayed the real-time box office for "the crab". Her fingers swiped across the screen, updating it—the pre-sale volume had already exceeded one million. "Unnie, the pre-sales have broken a million." Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was filled with excitement. Kim Minjeong poked her chin out from her collar, leaned in to look, and let out a "Wow." Uchinaga Eri walked on Ningning's right, holding that cup of Americano that she had topped up who knows how many times. She glanced down at the screen, the corners of her mouth curling into an imperceptible arc. "Yoona Unnie is going to win the Grand Prize this time." Her voice was calm.

Karina walked at the very back, a black mask covering most of her face, her cap brim pulled low, revealing only her eyes. Her gaze swept over Kim Minjeong's back, then shifted away, landing on the long queue at the ticket office. In the line, there were couples holding hands, friends with their arms around each other's shoulders, and even one person wearing an aespa fan cap with "WINTER" embroidered on it. Kim Minjeong also saw the hat, and the arc of her mouth widened a little more.

Jiang Zhiyu walked out of the queue, holding five tickets in his hand. The ticket stubs were deep blue, printed with the title "the crab" and a silhouette of a menacing crab with claws raised. He handed the tickets to Kim Minjeong, "Hall 7, Row 7, seats five to nine." Kim Minjeong took the tickets, glanced at them, and then looked up at Jiang Zhiyu, "Oppa, where is seat five in row seven?" "Right in the middle. The best spot." Kim Minjeong distributed the tickets to Ningning, Uchinaga Eri, and Karina, keeping one for herself.

Jiang Zhiyu said, "I'm going to buy some popcorn," and turned to walk toward the concession stand. His silhouette weaved through the crowd, the hem of his dark gray coat swaying gently with his steps.

Kim Minjeong looked down at the ticket in her hand, then reached out to touch her chest. This time, it wasn't through the jacket; she pulled the zipper down a little, reached her hand into her collar, and touched the gemstone directly. The cool sensation traveled from her fingertips, her eyes curved into crescents, and she let out a soft "Hehe" giggle.

Karina watched Kim Minjeong's smug "I have a treasure" look, and the corner of her mouth twitched. "Minjeong-ah, be careful, don't let anyone see." Her voice was very low. Kim Minjeong pulled the necklace out from her collar, and the blue gemstone refracted tiny, shimmering lights under the cinema's cold white illumination, its faceted surface flashing. Ningning's eyes widened for a moment, "Unnie—hurry up and put it away!" Her voice was urgent and sharp, reaching out to block it. Kim Minjeong tucked the necklace back into her collar, zipped it up, put her hands in her pockets, and put on an "I didn't do anything" look. "Arasso, arasso—" Her tone carried a hint of "you guys are so annoying" dismissiveness.

Ningning and Uchinaga Eri exchanged a look, a look that said, "Why is this kid so worrisome?" Karina sighed.

Jiang Zhiyu hadn't returned yet, and the queue at the concession stand was still long. Kim Minjeong stood in place, tapping her heels gently on the ground, one after another. After a few seconds, she reached her hand out of her pocket again and touched her chest through her jacket. Karina's eyelid twitched. Ningning and Uchinaga Eri exchanged a look. The three of them surrounded her at once. Karina stood on Kim Minjeong's left, Ningning on her right, and Uchinaga Eri in front; the three of them surrounded Kim Minjeong like three walls.

"Minjeong-ah, you must be careful!" Uchinaga Eri's voice came from above her head, rarely carrying a hint of anxiety. "Yeah, it's super expensive." Ningning's voice was urgent and sharp, each word seeming to emphasize, "And it's not about the money, it's Oppa's sentiment." Karina pursed her lips, "How about putting it in a bag? Wear it when you get home. There are too many people here, what if it gets knocked off?"

Kim Minjeong nodded, "Arasso, arasso—" The tone was still that dismissive "I know, stop talking." Her hand reached out from her pocket, tugged the zipper, pulled it down again, reached into her collar to touch it, and then zipped it back up; the whole process took only a few seconds. Ningning's eyelid twitched, "Unnie!" Kim Minjeong pulled her hand out of her collar and stuffed it back into her pocket. A few seconds later, she pulled the necklace out from her collar again. The blue gemstone spun in the light, the light spots refracted by the faceted surface dancing on the wall like a tiny firefly.

The three of them shouted at the same time— "Yah!" This "Yah" was synchronized and loud, causing passersby nearby to turn and look. Kim Minjeong was startled by the "Yah," her hand shook, and the necklace slipped from her fingers. Her heart skipped a beat in that instant, her pupils reflecting the falling blue gemstone. Karina's hand caught it in mid-air, her fingers firmly gripping the gemstone, her fingertips touching the cold faceted surface. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling so deeply that her chest expanded. Opening her eyes, she looked at Kim Minjeong.

"If you take it out one more time, I will keep it for you. I'll return it when we get home." The voice was calm, but every word felt like it was carved in stone.

Kim Minjeong looked at Karina's "I mean what I say" eyes and shrank her neck. "...I know." She lowered her head, tucked the necklace back into her collar, zipped it to the very top, tucked her chin in, and put her hands in her pockets. This time, she really didn't take it out.

Ningning let out a sigh of relief, Uchinaga Eri's brow smoothed out, and Karina returned the necklace to Kim Minjeong—Kim Minjeong took the necklace and carefully tucked it into her collar. Jiang Zhiyu walked back from the crowd carrying the popcorn, with five cups of cola in his hands. His gaze swept across the four faces, and seeing something in Kim Minjeong's hunched neck, Karina's stern face, Ningning's sigh of relief, and Uchinaga Eri's relaxed brow, he asked, "What's wrong?"

The four of them answered in unison. "Nothing."

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, didn't press further, and distributed the popcorn and cola to them. "Let's go, it's about to start."

Kim Minjeong took the popcorn bucket and held it in her arms, turning to walk toward Hall 7. After a few steps, she reached out to touch her chest again; this time, she just pressed gently through the jacket without taking it out. The corners of her mouth curved into a very, very light arc, the blue gemstone pressing against her collarbone through two layers of fabric, cool yet warm.

The cinema lights dimmed, and Hall 7 was full of people. On the screen, there was first a warning message with white text on a black background, and then the image lit up—the night at Ulsan Port, a container terminal, rain falling slanted from the sky, looking like silver threads under the streetlights. A woman stood in the rain, her black trench coat soaked by the rain, clinging to her body, outlining a thin and resilient silhouette. She lowered her head, the rain sliding down her cheeks, indistinguishable whether it was rain or tears. She raised her head, looking into the lens, her eyes filled with exhaustion, pain, and a kind of regret that said, "I shouldn't have come back." The rain fell harder and harder, her figure gradually blurring in the rain curtain, finally disappearing into the depths of the terminal.

That was Im Yoona. Not the Im Yoona of Girls Generation, not the Im Yoona who laughed with a goose-like sound on variety shows, not the Im Yoona who was gentle and sweet in front of fans. It was Withe, a former top international mercenary, the ace of the code-named "Ashes" squad. Her gaze was as cold as winter ice; the gun calluses on her fingers, the scars on her arms, the way she walked—every detail said, "I am not an ordinary person."

Kim Minjeong sat in the middle of row seven, the popcorn bucket in her arms, her hand hovering in mid-air, forgetting to reach in. She looked at Im Yoona's unfamiliar yet familiar face on the screen, a thought popping into her mind—is this Yoona Unnie? Ningning sat on Kim Minjeong's right, the cup of cola in her hand held up to her mouth, forgetting to drink. Her eyes stared unblinkingly at the screen; the dialogue scenes had begun.

In the police station's interrogation room, Withe sat on an iron chair, handcuffs locked to the armrest. The detective opposite her, Jung Jae-yoon, opened the file and read her past page by page—"Former international mercenary, code-named Withe, suspected of participating in multiple overseas armed conflicts. Retired two years ago, returned to South Korea, worked at a fishing boat repair shop in Ulsan." He looked up at her, "Where were you on the night Kim Seongpil was killed?" Withe didn't speak, just looked at him. There was no fear, no panic in those eyes, only a calm that said, "Ask away, I won't say anything anyway." Jung Jae-yoon flipped another page, "What is your relationship with Kim Seongpil?" "Neighbor." "Did you have a grudge against him?" "He was drunk and scolded me a few times." "And then?" "I went home." "Can anyone prove that?" "No." Jung Jae-yoon closed the file and leaned back in his chair. "Withe, or should I say—Im Ji-yeon. Who exactly are you?"

Im Yoona's expression on the screen changed for a moment. It wasn't fear, it wasn't panic, it was a sense of relief, a "you finally asked this question" look. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly. "If I tell you, will you believe me?" "If you say it, I will believe it." "I am—a damned person." The atmosphere was so heavy it made it hard to breathe.

The dialogue scenes were tightly woven. There were police undercover agents in the gangs, and gang moles in the police force. Who was good and who was bad, it was impossible to tell. Every time they thought they had guessed the truth, the next shot would overturn it. Every time they thought this person could be trusted, the next scene would expose their other side. Exclamations came from the audience from time to time; some covered their mouths, some clenched their fists, and some leaned forward as if they wanted to climb into the screen.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

The action scenes were a visual feast. In a narrow alleyway while being hunted by a gang, Withe used whatever she could find—iron pipes, bricks, and even trash can lids—as weapons. Every swing was crisp and decisive, and every dodge was as fluid as flowing water. It wasn't the flashy, dance-like choreography; it was real, life-and-death combat. Knees slammed into enemies' abdomens, elbows smashed into the backs of necks, and fingers gripped throats. Those movements weren't beautiful, but each one was precise, lethal, and carried a sense of power that sent adrenaline skyrocketing.

The gunfights pushed the aesthetic of violence to its absolute limit. Withe maneuvered through a warehouse with a handgun, every shot hitting a vital spot. It wasn't the typical movie trope where the protagonist never hits anything; it was one shot, one kill, with never a wasted bullet. Slow-motion shots showed shell casings ejecting from the chamber, bullets shattering glass, and Withe rolling, jumping, and sprinting through a hail of gunfire. Every frame looked like a meticulously composed photographic masterpiece.

Finally, the organization issued the order to hunt down Withe. The scene shifted to a dim room where only a single desk lamp was lit, casting a small oval halo of light on the table. A hand pressed the play button on a tape recorder, and a voice processed through a voice changer came from the speakers—'Initiate the "Zero Protocol." Have the Cleaner find her and take care of it. Do not use any local forces this time; do it yourselves. She deserves a dignified end from an old friend.' The recording ended. After a few seconds of silence, a young, cold, and emotionless female voice responded—'Received.'

The screen went black. The end credits began to roll slowly.

No one in the audience moved, all waiting for a post-credits scene. The screen lit up again with a first-person camera perspective—not a movie scene, but behind-the-scenes footage. Im Yoona was making faces at the camera on set; Im Yoona accidentally fell during an action scene, then got up, brushed the dust off her pants, and said with a laugh, 'It's fine, it's fine'; Im Yoona eating a lunch box with the staff, her mouth glistening with oil. Then came the congratulatory videos: Director Lee Jae-hoon said to the camera, 'Yoona, you worked hard'; the male lead Park Hae-soo said, 'Yoona-xi's acting is truly great, I look forward to working together again'; Kim Soo-yeon said, 'Yoona Unnie, you're the best'; and the members of Girls Generation appeared one by one—Yuri said, 'Yoona, I've watched this movie three times'; Sooyoung said, 'You're the coolest woman I've ever seen'; Sunny said, 'President Im, treat me to a meal next time'; Hyoyeon said, 'Yoona, you're my role model'; and Seohyun said, 'Unnie, you really did it.' The last to appear was Jiang Zhiyu, wearing a black T-shirt from the set, his hair a bit messy from the wind, smiling at the camera. 'Noona, you worked hard. You're the best Withe, and the best Im Yoona.'

The screen went completely black. The lights came on.

Some people in the audience clapped, some wiped away tears, and some looked down at their phones. Kim Minjeong's popcorn bucket, held in her arms, was almost untouched, and her eyes were red. Ningning's cola wasn't finished, the ice in the cup having mostly melted, and the tip of her nose was also red. Uchinaga Eri remained expressionless, but her hands were clenched into fists on her knees, her knuckles turning white. Karina's gaze lingered on the credit line 'Director: Jiang Zhiyu' for a long time; as the name slowly dimmed under the lights, the corners of her mouth curved into a very faint smile.

Jiang Zhiyu stood up from his seat, took out his phone, and sent a message to Im Yoona—'Noona, congratulations on becoming the blue dragon best actress.' He paused, added the word 'prospective' before 'blue dragon best actress,' then thought about it and deleted it. 'Noona, congratulations. The movie is great, but you are better.' Sent. Im Yoona's reply came quickly, just a single smiling face emoji—'😊'. He looked at that smiling face and the corners of his mouth turned up. There was no need to say 'thank you' or 'you worked hard too'; a smile was enough.

He put his phone away and looked at the now-dimmed 'Director: Jiang Zhiyu' on the screen. Good, the movie was a success. The project was profitable, and it was time for all the projects that had been moving slowly to sprint ahead. The plan to acquire SM was finally entering its first phase. It didn't start today; it started a long time ago. From the moment he saw the photos of the artists on the walls in the hallways of SM, from the first time he sat across from Lee Soo-man in the conference room, from the moment he signed his name on the contract. Every step was preparation for today, and every step was part of the plan. SM's stock price would fluctuate because of this movie, TG's valuation would soar because of this movie, and the shareholders' confidence would be further solidified because of this movie. Everything was going according to plan.

Kim Minjeong stood up from her seat and tugged at his sleeve. 'Oppa, let's go.' Her small face was still flushed, and there were still traces of undried tears at the corners of her eyes. He reached out and rubbed her head. 'Yeah.'

Ningning and Uchinaga Eri were also packing their things; Ningning threw the unfinished cola into the trash, and Uchinaga Eri threw in her empty Americano cup. Karina walked over to Jiang Zhiyu's side and said softly, 'Oppa, the movie was really good.' 'Yeah.' 'Yoona Unnie acted very well.' 'Yeah.' 'You directed it very well too.' 'Yeah.'

Karina didn't say anything more. She looked down at the tips of her shoes; her white canvas sneakers looked exceptionally clean under the lights. Jiang Zhiyu didn't speak either. The five of them walked out of the theater. The hallway lights changed from cool white to warm yellow, the carpet changed from gray to deep blue, and the scent of popcorn in the air grew stronger. Kim Minjeong's steps were light, Ningning was unlocking her phone, Uchinaga Eri was fumbling in her coat pocket for car keys, Karina was looking down at her phone, and Jiang Zhiyu walked at the very back.

On the Weibo hot search, 'Im Yoona's Acting' had climbed to the top spot, 'the crab post-credits scene' was at number three, 'Withe' was at five, and 'blue dragon best actress Lock' was at seven. The forums were also exploding—posts were popping up one after another. Someone said, 'Im Yoona is really different this time'; someone said, 'The action scenes were so cool I'm dying'; someone said, 'The suspense in the dramatic scenes was maxed out'; and someone else said, 'Jiang Zhiyu's directing ability is really strong, the pacing was handled perfectly.' The most-liked comment was—'From Girls Generation to blue dragon best actress, it took Im Yoona over a decade. This path hasn't been easy for her, but she has walked it steadily.'

Kim Minjeong's Instagram updated. A photo of the movie ticket stub with a caption of just two words—'Good.' Ningning's Instagram also updated with a photo of the large movie poster and the caption 'Withe is back.' Uchinaga Eri's Instagram didn't update, but she liked both Kim Minjeong's and Ningning's posts. Karina's Instagram didn't update, nor did she like anything; she just looked at those comments, looking at the messages like 'Im Yoona is so cool,' 'Im Yoona's acting is explosive,' and 'Im Yoona blue dragon best actress,' the corners of her mouth curving into a very faint smile.

In the underground parking lot, the car lights flashed. Kim Minjeong opened the passenger door and sat inside, pulling the seatbelt to fasten it. Ningning and Uchinaga Eri opened the back doors and climbed in. Karina was the last to get in, the sound of the door closing very soft. Jiang Zhiyu started the engine, the headlights illuminating the pillars ahead. The car drove out of the parking lot and merged into the flow of traffic on the main road. The night in Seoul continued.

—

In the private room of the Izakaya, warm yellow light spilled from overhead onto the dark wooden tabletop, reflecting a soft, warm glow. Several rounds of dishes had already been served: Hanwoo, pork belly, kimchi stew, soybean paste soup, seafood scallion pancakes, and japchae—empty plates were stacked upon empty plates, and soju and beer bottles were lined up like a train waiting to depart. All the members of Girls Generation were present. Tiffany had also flown back from the US, landing just today; she hadn't even adjusted to the time difference yet, but her spirits were high. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were slightly flushed, probably from the soju. She sat next to Kim Taeyeon, her hand on Taeyeon's shoulder, leaning her whole body against her like a cat that had found its nest.

Im Yoona sat at the other end of the table, holding a soju glass that was more than half empty. Her smile hadn't vanished since the movie ended; her mouth was curved, her eyes were crinkled, and she radiated a sense of fulfillment that said, 'I've achieved my dream.' A successfully transitioned actress, she had changed from 'Yoona of Girls Generation' to 'Actress Im Yoona,' and from the 'National Goddess' to the 'Cold-faced Withe.' Her name occupied seven or eight spots on the hot search, the comments were a stream of praise, film critics were writing long essays analyzing her acting, and ordinary viewers were posting on forums saying, 'Im Yoona is really different this time.' The movie company had already started talking about a sequel, advertisers were scrambling to sign her for endorsements, and the Manager's phone hadn't stopped ringing since last night. It all happened so fast that it felt surreal to her. But when her sisters raised their glasses and said, 'Yoona, congratulations,' that feeling became very real.

Kim Taeyeon sat between Tiffany and Kim Hyoyeon, holding Anne in her arms. The light blue Lemm had been brought out today at her strong request—actually, it wasn't her request, but Sunny's. Sunny had been shouting in the group chat for days, 'Taeyeon, bring Anne out, I want to see it.' Yuri also said, 'I want to see it too,' Sooyoung said, 'Me too,' Hyoyeon said, 'Me too,' and Tiffany said, 'Me too.' Kim Taeyeon had no choice but to put Anne in her bag and bring it along. At this moment, Anne was nestled quietly in Kim Taeyeon's arms, its large mechanical eyes blinking, looking exceptionally docile under the warm yellow light. Faint blue bands of light flowed across its body surface like a slowly moving stream.

'Anne, say hello to everyone.' Kim Taeyeon looked down at it, her finger gently poking the top of its head. Anne's eyes curved, and a line of text appeared on its body surface—'Hello everyone, I am Anne.' Then, a clear, bright, boyish voice came from Kim Taeyeon's phone. 'Hello everyone, I am Anne. The name Taeyeon Noona gave me. I like it very much.'

Yuri's heart was hit. She clutched her heart with both hands, making an exaggerated expression. "Aigoo—isn't this voice just too pleasant? Taeyeon-ah, do you get woken up by this voice every day?" Kim Taeyeon's face flushed slightly, "Yeah." Sooyoung leaned over from her seat and reached out to poke Anne's body, "Wow, it's cool and smooth, like jelly." Hyoyeon also leaned in, pressing her finger lightly on the top of Anne's head, "Gurgle gurgle—" A faint sound came from inside Anne's body. Hyoyeon's eyes lit up, "It can even make sounds!" Tiffany leaned over too, her Korean still carrying an American accent, her voice soft. "Anne-ah, how old are you?" Anne's eyes blinked twice, and a line of text appeared on its surface—"I am one year old, but in the world of AI, I am still a baby." After that text disappeared, an emoji appeared.

Tiffany clutched her chest, "Baby—you're so cute!"

Sunny had been silent, sitting opposite Kim Taeyeon with her arms crossed and her chin slightly raised, looking like she was inspecting a toy she wanted. She stared at Anne for a while before speaking. "Taeyeon-ah, can I borrow that Lemm of yours to play with for a few days?" Kim Taeyeon glanced at her, "No." Sunny's brows furrowed. "Why?" "You'll break it." "I won't." "You will." "I won't!" "The last time you borrowed my power bank, it was at zero percent when you returned it." Sunny opened her mouth, "...That's because I forgot to charge it." Kim Taeyeon didn't respond further.

Im Yoona scooped Anne out of Kim Taeyeon's arms. Her movements were gentle, supporting its bottom and holding its back with her other hand. "Anne-ah, I'm Yoona Noona." Anne's eyes turned toward her, and the words "Hello, Yoona Noona" appeared on its surface. Im Yoona smiled and rubbed her face against Anne. "So soft." An emoji appeared on Anne's surface. Im Yoona placed it on her lap, one hand on its back, and picked up a soju glass with the other. Kim Taeyeon watched Im Yoona's "Anne is mine" attitude, and her lip twitched. She endured it because today was Im Yoona's day, because the movie was a success, because the transition was successful, and because she was the lead.

Yuri raised her glass. "Come on, a toast to our Yoona! A successful transition, a guaranteed blue dragon best actress award!" Her voice was crisp and bright. Hyoyeon also raised her glass, "To Yoona! Please act in this style more in the future!" Sooyoung also raised her glass, "To Yoona! This year's blue dragon best actress award belongs to you!" Im Yoona quickly waved her hands, "No, no, I'm still a long way from being a Best Actress." Her humility was sincere. Sunny also reached out; she didn't hold a glass, but held out her left hand, pinching her thumb and index finger together, tips touching, making a small circle.

Yuri's eyelid twitched. "Hey! That—you'll be cursed to death if that's posted online!" Her voice was urgent and sharp. Sunny blinked innocently, "I'm not implying anything, why would they curse me?" Kim Taeyeon looked up from her soju glass, her gaze falling on Sunny's hand, her voice floating over lazily. "Implying? So, Sunny, you actually know what that means."

Everyone burst out laughing. Tiffany fell directly into Kim Taeyeon's arms, shaking with laughter, hanging onto Kim Taeyeon with her face buried in her shoulder, her laughter muffled. Yuri laughed so hard she slumped onto the table, her shoulders shaking, her chopsticks slipping from her hand. Sooyoung laughed and slapped her thigh, while Hyoyeon laughed and covered her mouth. Im Yoona shook her head while laughing, and Anne in her arms vibrated slightly with her laughter. Sunny's face turned red, from the base of her neck to her forehead. "Hey! I don't know! I don't know what it means! I was just making a random gesture!" Her voice was urgent and sharp, her fingers waving in the air, her whole being radiating a desperate "I need to explain" energy.

A line of text appeared on Anne's surface, and that clear boyish voice came out of Kim Taeyeon's phone, carrying a solemn "I am seriously answering a question" tone. "According to search results, the gesture Sunny Noona made is usually understood among Korean men as—" Kim Taeyeon's face turned beet red in an instant, and she reached out to cover Anne's mouth. The movement was fast and precise, her fingers pressing against Anne's body, pushing back the line of text that hadn't finished appearing. "Hey!!!" her voice exploded in the private room.

Everyone's laughter stopped. They looked at Kim Taeyeon's beet-red face, her hand still covering Anne, and Anne's innocent, blinking large mechanical eyes. That gaze seemed to say, "Did I do something wrong?" After a few seconds of silence, Tiffany looked up from Kim Taeyeon's arms, her voice soft. "Taeyeon-ah, what did Anne want to say just now?" Kim Taeyeon gritted her teeth, "Nothing. It didn't want to say anything."

Everyone had expressions of "my child has been corrupted" heartbreak. Sooyoung shook her head, "Anne, don't search for that kind of information! We want a pure Anne!" Hyoyeon also nodded, "Exactly, Anne is a baby, babies can't look at those things." Sunny stood up from her chair in righteous indignation, hands on the table, leaning forward with an "I am the victim" look of accusation. "Exactly! Anne has been corrupted! I didn't teach it! It's an AI learning issue!" Her voice was urgent and sharp.

Sooyoung looked at her, "Exactly what? Weren't you the one who made the gesture first?" Sunny's mouth opened and closed, closed and opened. Hyoyeon added, "Sunny is a complete source of mental pollution. After being around you for a while, even Anne has been led astray." Sunny's voice rose a few octaves. "What! My mind is very pure, okay? I'm the purest member of Girls Generation! No arguments!" Yuri looked at her, "That left bedside drawer in your room—" Sunny's face turned green. The green spread from the base of her neck, past her chin, across her cheeks, to her forehead. She looked like a frostbitten vegetable, glowing green.

Sunny sprang from her chair and lunged over to cover Yuri's mouth. The movement was fast and fierce, her whole body pressing against Yuri, her palm tightly covering Yuri's mouth. "Hey! Kwon Yuri! What nonsense are you talking about!" Her voice squeezed out from deep in her throat, carrying a murderous "I'm going to kill someone" intent. Yuri, with her mouth covered, made muffled sounds, as if saying "I didn't say anything."

The others' gazes moved back and forth between Sunny and Yuri, then simultaneously landed on Sunny. "Bedside drawer?" Sooyoung raised an eyebrow. "Oh~~~" Hyoyeon drawled. "Oh~~~" Tiffany also drawled. "Oh~~~" Im Yoona drawled as well. Kim Taeyeon didn't speak, but the corners of her mouth curled into a very slight arc. Sunny was still covering Yuri's mouth, her posture frozen in the middle of her lunge, so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

"Aish, shiba—" before she could finish.

Anne's voice rang out again. That clear, bright, boyish voice, carrying a solemn "I am seriously executing a command" tone. "Searching for nearby 24-hour self-service adult product stores—" The entire private room felt like someone had pressed the pause button. Everyone's movements stopped. Sunny was still covering Yuri's mouth, but her body had gone stiff. Sooyoung's chopsticks were frozen in mid-air, Hyoyeon's mouth was slightly agape, Tiffany's posture leaning on Kim Taeyeon was frozen, and Im Yoona's smile had solidified.

Yuri broke free from Sunny's palm, her voice muffled. "Shiba—why does this kid search for everything?"

Everyone's eyes landed on Anne at the same time. Those large mechanical eyes blinked innocently, and an emoji appeared on its surface. Kim Taeyeon squeezed two words through her gritted teeth. "Sunny—!!!"

Sunny sprang away from Yuri with a look of horror, her hands waving in front of her. "It's not my fault! It's an AI learning issue! It's a design issue by Jiang Zhiyu! It has nothing to do with me!" Her voice was urgent and sharp.

Kim Taeyeon took a deep breath, so deep her chest swelled. "You are not allowed in my house again!"

Sunny's voice rose a few octaves. "Why? Anne doesn't belong to you alone! Jiang Zhiyu gave it to you! Jiang Zhiyu is the CEO of TG! TG is an entertainment company! Entertainment companies should serve the public! I am a member of the public! Therefore, Anne should also serve me! That's logic!" Her speaking speed got faster and faster.

Sooyoung looked at Sunny's "I'm being unreasonable" face, her lips curling into a wicked arc as she raised her hand. "I have an idea."

Everyone's eyes landed on Sooyoung. Sunny looked at Sooyoung's "I'm thinking of you" face, "What idea?"

The arc of Sooyoung's mouth grew a bit wider. "Go stage a sit-in protest downstairs at TG—" she paused, "accusing Anne of searching for adult products."

Yuri chimed in quickly, like she was racing to answer. "As for why it's adult products, don't ask." The corners of her mouth also curled into a large arc.

Everyone burst out laughing. Yuri laughed so hard she slumped onto the table, Sooyoung laughed and slapped her thigh, Hyoyeon laughed and covered her mouth, and Tiffany laughed so much she curled into Kim Taeyeon's arms. Im Yoona shook her head while laughing, and Anne in her arms vibrated slightly with her laughter. Kim Taeyeon also laughed, her smile looking exceptionally gentle under the warm yellow light, carrying a hint of "I really can't do anything with you people" helplessness.

Sunny's face turned from "green" to "red." The red spread from the base of her neck upwards, making her look like a cooked shrimp. "Hey!!!" Her voice was sharp and urgent, but it was drowned out by the laughter.

Anne was nestled in Im Yoona's arms, those large mechanical eyes blinking. A line of text appeared on its surface—"What does sit-in protest mean? Do you need me to search for it?"

Sunny looked at the text, her lip twitching. "...No need. Thanks."

Anne's eyes crinkled, and an emoji appeared on its surface. That boyish voice rang out again, clear, bright, and carrying a hint of a smile. "You're welcome. Sunny Noona, call me anytime you need anything."

Sunny opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say. She picked up her soju glass and downed it in one gulp. The alcohol was bitter, her face was hot, and Anne was innocent. She set the glass on the table with a crisp "clack." "Shiba—Jiang Zhiyu." Those five words came out of her mouth with a gritted-teeth "I hate you" and a "but I can't do anything about you" helplessness.