46: Chapter 46 Is it foolish to persist in pursuing one's dreams?

After seeing off the members of f(x), the apartment became completely quiet.

Liu Zijun walked to the living room, looking at the tidied-up room and the gifts everyone had given on the table; a smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of his mouth.

He slowly walked up to the second floor and pushed open the door to the master bedroom, where the photo frame on the bedside table immediately caught his eye.

It was a photo of him and Choi Sulli; in the picture, Choi Sulli was smiling brightly, leaning against him with eyes full of reliance.

Liu Zijun picked up the photo frame, his fingertips gently brushing over Choi Sulli's face in the photo, as a wave of internal conflict surged within him.

He had always told himself to protect Choi Sulli like Choi Soo-myung did, treating her as a younger sister.

But he didn't know when it started; seeing her smile and play would stir different emotions in his heart.

Especially after saving Im Yoona in Japan and returning to Seoul that day, Choi Sulli's anxious appearance made him realize that her place in his heart seemed to have long since ceased to be simply that of a younger sister.

But she was still a minor, and her future path was still very long.

Meanwhile, his world was full of danger; was what he could give her really what she wanted?

Liu Zijun sighed, placed the photo frame back on the nightstand, and turned toward the study.

The light in the study was still on, and on the desk sat an exquisite little deer ornament with curved antlers, crafted very delicately.

Liu Zijun recognized at a glance that Im Yoona had placed it there.

During the Housewarming Feast, he had seen Im Yoona quietly enter the study; he hadn't paid much attention then, but he didn't expect her to leave this ornament behind.

The little deer was Im Yoona's representative symbol; her placing this ornament here made her intention self-evident.

Liu Zijun picked up the little deer ornament, stroking the cool ceramic surface, feeling a sense of helplessness in his heart.

This girl, Im Yoona, did she even know what she was doing?

She clearly knew that he held Choi Sulli in his heart and that his world wasn't suitable for her, yet she still approached so cautiously, like a moth to a flame.

He had clearly warned her many times.

But...

This wasn't just giving a gift; she was clearly playing with fire.

Liu Zijun recalled the terrified look in Im Yoona's eyes when she fell on the stage in Japan, her red-eyed appearance in the hospital, and her occasional testing and concern over these past few days, making his heart feel increasingly complicated.

Even if he had feelings for Im Yoona, they were minimal; it was mostly just a man's desire for a beautiful girl.

But now, her feelings made him unsure how to respond.

Im Yoona wasn't Son Ye-jin; with Son Ye-jin, it was a case of intimacy preceding the commitment, with feelings growing over time.

She wasn't Choi Sulli either, someone he could favor without any reservations.

She was just the first female artist from The Peninsula he had met, and one he relatively admired.

He set the little deer ornament down and turned to look out the window; the night view of Seoul was as dazzling as ever.

Liu Zijun stood by the window, fingering the peach pendant that Choi Sulli had given him.

On one side was the reliant and joyful Choi Sulli; on the other was Im Yoona, who was quietly approaching with not entirely clear intentions; and then there was the gentle and considerate Son Ye-jin, who chose to accompany him silently.

His heart felt like it was stuffed with a tangled mess, impossible to untangle or cut through.

In the end, he wasn't someone from The Peninsula; everything here was just an interlude in his life.

He suddenly felt a bit lost; would this interlude have already deviated from his original trajectory?

As the night deepened, the lights in the apartment remained a warm yellow, yet they made Liu Zijun's figure look exceptionally lonely.

In the following days, they all began their busy schedules, and the apartment returned to its usual silence.

Even Jiang Hongshao was a bit busy, mainly due to Liu Zijun's layout in The Peninsula.

That evening, Liu Zijun had just hung up the phone with Choi Sulli; feeling a bit bored, he changed into casual clothes and went to the Han River alone.

The river breeze was very cool.

He walked aimlessly along a small path by the river; the brilliant lights on the bank were reflected on the water's surface, rippling and breaking with the waves.

After walking for a long time, he sat down on a bench and quietly watched the river.

On a bench not far away, a figure was also sitting.

It was a girl; she was hugging her knees alone, burying her face in her arms, her entire body covered by a down jacket, motionless.

Liu Zijun didn't pay it much mind, simply casting his gaze back toward the river.

However, just then, the girl seemed to sense something and slowly raised her head.

The outline of her profile, traced by the distant lights, was as exquisite as a meticulously carved work of art.

Even from a distance, Liu Zijun could feel that cold and ethereal beauty.

His heart stirred slightly; he seemed to have some impression of her, as if he had seen her somewhere before.

The girl stood up, seemingly preparing to leave, but as if possessed, she walked toward him.

Her steps were light, carrying a hint of hesitation.

"You... are Mr. Liu Zijun, right?"

Liu Zijun looked up and met those clear eyes.

Only then did he see her face clearly; it was indeed an impeccably beautiful face, but even after searching his memory, he still had no clue.

"Do we... know each other?"

He didn't think this girl was from the underworld; he simply asked gently, his tone polite yet distant.

The girl seemed to have expected him to ask that; she shook her head slightly, a hint of bitterness at the corners of her mouth.

"You probably don't know me. I'm a trainee at the company, Bae Joohyun."

A trainee at SM Entertainment Company?

Liu Zijun realized.

No wonder she looked a bit familiar; perhaps he had caught a fleeting glimpse of her in the company building.

But he encountered too many people every day and really couldn't match a trainee's face to a name.

"Hello."

Bae Joohyun also knew she was being a bit abrupt and suddenly said, "On the day Senior Yoona had her accident, I saw you at the company. You have a very good relationship with Senior Choi Sulli and the others."

Liu Zijun nodded faintly once more.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Bae Joohyun didn't seem to have any intention of leaving either; she stood there, casting her gaze back toward the shimmering river, remaining silent for a moment.

The night wind blew her long hair, making her look a bit frail.

"Mr. Liu Zijun!"

"Tell me, is persisting in one's dreams a very stupid thing?"

She suddenly spoke, her voice carrying exhaustion.

Liu Zijun was stunned.

He didn't expect this girl he was meeting for the first time to ask such a heavy question.

Bae Joohyun sat down beside Liu Zijun and, without waiting for his answer, continued on her own, as if confiding in him or perhaps asking herself.

"I've been a trainee for several years now, watching the people around me leave one by one, and watching children younger than me stand on the stage, shining brightly.

My age isn't that young anymore, but I have no clue where my future lies."

"Today, the manager said many more girls would be coming, and the competition is fierce; I don't know how I can keep persisting."

Her voice was very soft and filled with confusion.

Is persisting in one's dreams a very stupid thing?

Wasn't this question also being asked of himself?

What was his original purpose for coming to The Peninsula? And what stage had he reached now?

He thought he was in control of everything, but facing emotions and the future, he was equally lost.

He looked at Bae Joohyun's exquisite face, which was etched with confusion.

He sighed slightly; the entertainment industry in The Peninsula was a pit of fire, yet so many girls still wanted to jump into it.

And the girl before him was lost because she couldn't jump in, her words hiding such a real and cruel struggle.

"It's not stupid."

"Being able to persist for so many years for a single goal is remarkable in itself."

Bae Joohyun looked at him with some surprise, a flash of light appearing in her eyes.

Liu Zijun continued, "Oftentimes, we are trapped by the fog before us and cannot see the path beneath our feet.

But that doesn't mean the path doesn't exist.

Perhaps by taking one more step forward, or making a turn, you'll be able to see the scenery you desire."

...

He wasn't just talking about her; he was also talking about himself.

Bae Joohyun listened quietly, her eyes turning slightly red.

She nodded vigorously, as if drawing a bit of strength.

"Thank you, Mr. Liu Zijun."

After saying that, she gave him a deep bow, then turned and disappeared into the night.

Liu Zijun turned his gaze back to the river, and his mood felt inexplicably calmer.