The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 240 Landing in Marvel?

"She pinched you?"

On the last day of March, the weather in Seoul warmed up, and the bright sunlight streamed into the living room through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Mina sat barefoot, cross-legged on the carpet in front of the TV screen, a controller in her hand, her fair face bathed in the golden sunlight. In her line of sight, Gong Cheng was wearing a casual vest with red scratch marks on his back. Most shockingly, he was lounging in a beanbag chair, his long legs slumped, wearing loose shorts, his thighs covered in pink and purple bruises from being pinched…

"You don't understand~"

Gong Cheng yawned, lazily lifting his head from the chair, and manipulating the game character on the screen... Sana-chan is really ruthless when it comes to pinching herself. As expected of a mother, she knows her limits, and her quirks are becoming more and more common. She always likes to pinch herself, a tingling sensation that makes you numb...

"You guys even did S&M?"

Mina clenched her fists in anger, feeling both furious and resentful at the sight of the bruises on his body. "Why, Sana-chan? I've worked on this for so long, and you get to get it all for free?"
Gong Cheng put down the controller, speechless, and glanced at the little penguin wearing a gray hoodie and black sweatpants. "Anita, what nonsense are you talking about? Sana-chan and I are both decent people. Aigoo, I'm not talking to you anymore, you wouldn't understand."

"A decent person would have a foot fetish? Smell a girl's body odor like a dog?" Mina raised the corners of her mouth, revealing her teeth and looking extremely resentful, and retorted, "You're a masochist, aren't you, Makoto?"

She wondered if she had been too good to him, and that he had gone off to seek thrills elsewhere? All her painstaking planning and scheming had resulted in Minatozaki Sana beating her to the punch? Was this what they meant by "one generation plants the trees, another enjoys the shade"? But she, the "predecessor," hadn't even stepped onto the battlefield, wielding the whip to become the ex!

Mina's words became increasingly offensive. Miyako got up and took a sip of water. "First of all, I don't have a foot fetish. Touching your feet several times was an accident. Second, Mina-chan, you smell so good... I admit that..." As he spoke, he put down his water glass and slowly walked up the stairs. "Finally, Mina-chan, play by yourself. I have to go out."

I have a very important appointment today: meeting my mother-in-law. I need to dress up nicely.

Mina watched his retreating figure as he went upstairs, hesitant to speak. This guy wasn't even pretending anymore. She really wanted to ask, "Do you dare show these injuries Sana inflicted on you in front of Nayeon unnie, Chaeyoung, and your ex-girlfriend? Why are you so smug in front of me?" She was so angry she could hardly breathe…

"..."

Gong Cheng spent a long time picking out clothes in the master bedroom closet, but he felt uncomfortable wearing anything. This was his first time meeting the parents, so he simply opened the door and called out, "Mina-chan, come upstairs..."

With a muffled thud, he hadn't paid much attention and his shoulder, covered in a white plaster, slammed against the doorframe. He rubbed the back of his shoulder, letting out a long sigh of pain. Years ago, when he was training in underground boxing, boxers relied heavily on their fists and arms, which had injured his shoulder joint. After all, even world champions have suffered numerous injuries, let alone someone like him fighting in underground matches. Later, after he stopped doing those things, his condition improved considerably, but after debuting in the professional world, dance training and other activities caused his old injury to flare up again, which was frustrating.

Mina slowly got up from the carpet, letting out a long "Oh," but it was too soft for Gong Cheng to hear. So she walked barefoot up the duplex stairs to the door of Gong Cheng's master bedroom. With her sharp ears, she heard a hissing sound coming from inside...

Through the half-open door, the boy making the noise wasn't visible on the large mattress, but he was still emitting weak "hissing sounds" and "aigoo," which made Mina's face flush and her ears burn...

What...what is he...doing?!
"Mina-chan, come help me quickly..." Makoto called out again from inside the bedroom, his voice urgent. Mina stood in the doorway, hesitant to go in. She wasn't ready yet. So, with her hands in her hoodie pockets, her petite figure faltering, she hesitantly raised her voice and called out, "Makoto-chan... I... I think I'd better not go in..."

"hiss……"

"Come in quickly and help me..."

Gong Cheng's voice sounded like he was in great pain. After hesitating for a long time, Mina reached out and smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Why are your desires so strong..."

"How can I help you with something like this... You should handle it yourself, Makoto... How could you do this?" She was genuinely intimidated. No matter how much she threatened Makoto before, it was always one thing at a time, just playful banter, nothing serious... But, didn't you just... you and Sana-chan did *that* last night? What kind of relationship do we have? How dare you ask me for help? Not to mention, I'm a girl in your room, and you actually did this kind of thing? Don't you even know how to keep it a secret? Shameless!
Once a person has a certain thought, evil will naturally grow and spread wildly. Mina couldn't help but think of the pajamas she had given him last year, a slightly flawed version that she had worn herself. Who knows what he might do with those pajamas when he's alone... But how could you do something like that with your handsome face?
In the bedroom, Gong Cheng was sitting shirtless in a recliner in front of his computer desk. The drawers of his desk cabinet were open, and his vest was tossed on the floor. He heard Mina's voice coming from the doorway, and got up irritably. He pulled open the half-closed door, and Mina's face, like a little penguin's, came into view. "What are you standing there for? Is it really necessary to do me a favor..."

As he spoke, he saw Mina lift her eyelids, glancing at her figure, but still unmoved. "I really don't have time to mess around with Haki! It's really painful!" Miyako stepped forward and grabbed the trembling Mina, leading her into the bedroom. He then took out the plaster that Minatozaki Sana had bought for him earlier from the drawer, tore off one, and handed it to the little penguin who was standing there prettily.

He originally wanted Mina to help him decide what to wear to meet his future mother-in-law—something formal or casual. After all, it was his first time and he had no experience, so having someone to help him was always a good thing. He wasn't a saint, and meeting his future mother-in-law was something he couldn't be careless about; he definitely had to take it seriously.

Unexpectedly, he bumped his old shoulder injury, which hurt quite a bit. He tore off the plaster that his Shiba Inu friend had helped him apply the night before, wanting to get a new one. But he couldn't say he couldn't reach it; he just couldn't apply it properly or evenly... Many joint injuries, after resting, can actually gradually be managed with stress and exercise, just like warming up before exercise. There's a process involved, but the worst thing you can do is put sudden stress on your joints. So, Gong Cheng could only accept his bad luck...

"You asked me to help you with this, just to put on a plaster?" Mina's face flushed slightly. She pursed her lips, which bore a small mole, as if she were both relieved and speechless! Annoying! Resentful! A complex mix of emotions...

Gong Cheng nodded, reaching out to pat his shoulder blade area on his back. "Yes, I was hoping you could help me pick out some clothes, but I accidentally bumped into something just now, and it hurts a bit." After the sudden force subsided for a while, the pain in his shoulder wasn't as bad, but the area around his shoulder blade felt itchy and slightly stinging, like ants crawling on it, making him quite uncomfortable...

"Oh..." Mina said indifferently, then carefully placed the white plaster on the spot where Miyako's finger had been. She then opened her palm and smoothed the plaster near Miyako's shoulder blade, pressing it down. In her vision, the faint red scratches on Miyako's broad back were numerous and intricate, the longest almost traversing his entire straight back, reaching his waist...

With a "smack," Hakinan's face turned slightly embarrassed. Gong Cheng reached out and slapped her small hand, and her fair hand unconsciously wandered to the side of Gong Cheng's V-shaped waist. It was the first time she had seen Gong Cheng's figure from the back, and it was quite a sight.

"Stop taking advantage of me~" Gong Cheng's cheeky voice made Mina roll her eyes in annoyance. Then she saw him take out a few plasters from the drawer. He pointed to the back of his neck and the other shoulder, then took another plaster and bent down to put one on his left knee. If any part of his body was uncomfortable, he felt uncomfortable all over. Maybe it was just his mind, but since Little Penguin was there, he might as well put them on for him.

Mina picked up the plaster and applied it to the spots he pointed to, one by one. Suddenly, she remembered what the little thief had said on the day the concert ended—that he wanted to rest and get away from the spotlight… For some reason, she always felt that she and Makoto were the same kind of people, from the same world. Compared to the other members' strong ambition, her ballet training since childhood and the long hours of practice had left her with many injuries on her legs. Moreover, the constant spotlight was like living in a transparent crystal house—glamorous but without any secrets. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on…

But as long as I play games and spend time with this little thief, things get much better...

"Are you tired?" Mina asked softly, helping him relax the plaster. Compared to TWICE's notoriously difficult schedule since their debut, starting this year, with the company opening up their individual information, their schedules have become much more relaxed than in the previous two years, allowing them more time to rest.

But the young thief in front of her had a very relaxed schedule since his debut. However, as someone who had been with him day and night, Mina knew that compared to the physical torment of the grueling schedule, Makoto was under more psychological pressure. For the past two years, he had been under immense pressure, from being betrayed by fans at his debut, to losing fans and turning against him, to the establishment of the Bombardment Meteor, reaching the top, and making it to the Grammys with his solo performance. It sounds simple, but in the entire Asia, who had ever done it before? Especially this year, in addition to the high psychological pressure, there would also be the most exhausting Asian tour and world tour...

Feeling the warmth and itch-relieving effect of the medicated plaster on his back, Gong Cheng twisted his neck. "It's only 11 a.m., how could I be tired?" Although he knew Mina wasn't asking about that, there was no point in talking about it, as if saying it would make him feel less tired. He pointed to his right shoulder, where there was a teeth mark left by Sana, which he also needed to cover up…

Mina followed his finger and saw a faint tooth mark, like a sign of dominance. The concern in her eyes vanished instantly; she punched him in the shoulder blade where he had previously complained of pain. She had no time to admire Gong Cheng's physique now. "Go stick it on yourself! Pick out your own clothes!"

She just couldn't understand it; I was here first!
"Why are you so angry?" Gong Cheng touched the plaster that had just been applied to his neck and smiled. The little penguin walked out of the bedroom without looking back. After covering the pressure mark on his shoulder, he went to the wardrobe again, chose a casual crew neck shirt and a white jacket to put on. He decided to dress casually and be more cheerful when meeting his mother-in-law.

"..."

"Order takeout, or go out to eat with the members. I won't be back to cook lunch."

Gong Cheng reminded Mina, who often came over for meals, and took the car keys from the shoe cabinet.

"Where are you going?" Mina suddenly remembered to ask this question.

Gong Cheng didn't hide anything; he couldn't bring himself to deceive a girl. "I'll probably be going with your husband..."

Mina picked up a cushion from the floor and threw it at him, but Makoto Miyamoto simply opened the door and walked out, dodging the attack...

……

An hour later, Gong Cheng, carrying the gifts he had brought, stepped into Rabbit Girl's house.

Lim Nayeon's home is in Gangdong District, which isn't very big. Gong Cheng's driving skills are naturally different from Kim Jisoo's. Even if the road is congested, he can get there in ten minutes at high speed.

However, he still spent half an hour mentally preparing himself in the train carriage, after all, the last time he met his mother-in-law, it wasn't with her daughter whom he was dating.

"Auntie..." The person who opened the door was Lin Nayan's mother. Rabbit Girl followed behind her mother and became a little embarrassed when she saw Gong Cheng.

"We meet again, Cheng?" Lim Nayeon's mother welcomed Gong Cheng in. Upon seeing the gift he was carrying, she couldn't help but ask why he brought a gift, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face. Compared to the previous two times she had seen Gong Cheng at the music awards and when they had dinner together, this middle-aged woman looked at Gong Cheng with a scrutinizing and appraising gaze at this moment...

Gong Cheng sat on the sofa, looking around his mother's house. It was spacious, and only the mother and daughter lived there. Lin Nayeon poured him a glass of water, sat down beside him, and took his hand. She could tell that her boyfriend was a little nervous and inexperienced. "Darling, don't be nervous. Mom likes you a lot. I've already sounded out your feelings..." She grinned, showing her rabbit teeth, and moved closer to Gong Cheng.

"Nayeon's personality is quite troublesome, isn't it?" Nayeon's mother looked at her precious daughter, who kept sticking close to Gong Cheng, and couldn't help but smile helplessly. "Aigoo, actually, Auntie has long suspected that Nayeon is dating someone, after all, she's reached a certain age, but I didn't expect it to be you, Gong Cheng."

As someone who's been through it all, she knows very well that young men and women in their prime, despite company regulations, are just that—regulations. Countless celebrities date. Even though she doesn't work in the industry, the numerous online rumors over the years suggest that if a celebrity doesn't date, perhaps only their fans would believe it…

"Ani-oh, Auntie, Noona is very nice. It's always Noona who takes care of me," Gong Cheng said sincerely. It was true; his rabbit-like girlfriend often helped him with little things. She was just a bit clumsy. They had been dating for a year, and she had vowed to learn to cook, following Momo, the best cook in TWICE. In the end, she hadn't learned anything, but she had successfully learned her mother's chicken soup-making technique...

Being stupid or not doesn't mean you're not putting your heart into it.

“She doesn’t seem like the type to take care of people…” Lin Nayeon’s mother said this, but her smile kept coming… She had met Gong Cheng two years ago, and he had helped her daughter a lot. Now, his posters were everywhere in the country. This morning, the coffee shop she passed on her way to buy groceries and the LED screens of the skyscrapers were all displaying posters and pictures of this future son-in-law…

But precisely because of this, seeing the boy she once liked walking with her own daughter made her uneasy. There's a saying that goes, "Don't use someone too dazzling when you're young," and Gong Cheng was far too dazzling for her daughter. After all, marriage was still a long way off, and given the nature of their professions, she worried that her daughter would be heartbroken in the future…

Looking at the two children's sweet expressions, her worries lessened considerably. The future was up to the children themselves. After all, as an elder, she hadn't even managed her own relationships well. "Let's eat, Xiaocheng, try Auntie's cooking."

"Inside……"

After lunch, Nayeon's mother, being quite gossipy, asked about the couple's relationship, like, "When did you two get together...?" Nayeon blushed and shyly pulled Gong Cheng around her bedroom a couple of times...

Gong Cheng looked curiously at his daughter's photos from various periods of her life...

……

On April 1st, after a short vacation, Gong Cheng returned to the company and started work.

BLACKPINK's summer comeback album is on the agenda...

……

On April 2nd, her beloved student, Hirai Momo, made herself a bento box with a heart shape on it? The eggs she cut out were even heart-shaped… Miyako is starting to suspect that her student has been reading too many Japanese comics…

In the afternoon, Gong Cheng took off his headphones and wrote lyrics for a completed arrangement, according to the style YG wanted.

"Bang bang bang~"

Kim Dae-woo knocked on the door of the composition room and walked in, holding a stack of documents. "Sony and Marvel have confirmed with us that you will compose the theme song for their co-produced film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. We have reached a cooperation agreement."

"But there's no rush, since the movie is going to be released in winter. However, they want to do something related to you in the movie's content, which involves your portrait rights, reputation rights... This is a separate collaboration."

Over the past two years, although Kim Daewoo has become increasingly oval-shaped, he has become much more efficient in his work style, and is now the top K-pop manager... He reported on the cooperation between Gong Cheng and Sony.

"A collaboration with me?" Gong Cheng looked at him with surprise, a thought rising in his mind. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's IP has a huge influence worldwide, what's the point of collaborating with a singer like him... It's not like they're going to create a super singer Tarot Man, is it? That would be too ridiculous...

Kim Dae-woo smiled and nodded, "Yes, we're collaborating because 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' is a science fiction animated film, and Spider-Man's story takes place in New York..."

"Brother, get to the point." Gong Cheng became interested, leaning back in his chair and asking curiously. He wasn't interested in the Spider-Man story; it was like everyone's seen it… It didn't have to start from when he got bitten by a spider…

"Because the animation includes outdoor fight scenes, they want to create an anime-style portrait of you and embed it into the LED screens of skyscrapers in the movie, you know? It's like indirectly landing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe..." Kim Dae-woo said with a laugh, explaining their idea. When he first heard this plan, he hadn't expected these people to have such a wildly imaginative way of thinking...

"6! Does that mean I've become a superstar singer in the Marvel Universe, I won't appear on screen, but my posters will be plastered all over New York?" Gong Cheng's expression was strange. This kind of crossover didn't affect the character system in the Marvel IP, and it really was a crossover, like an advertisement suddenly inserted into a movie or TV series...

"Wow, I'm really on fire! I'm even popular in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?" he joked, immediately understanding Sony's intentions. If this collaboration goes ahead, the production companies will have even more exciting marketing elements before the film's release, in addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe story.

Tarot composed the theme song for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Tarot Arrives in the Marvel Universe

[Marvel Unlocks New Character...] These kinds of sensational headlines and claims are a mix of truth and fiction, but they manage to pique the interest of moviegoers and music fans. Although the Spider-Man series has achieved considerable box office success worldwide, all films need pre-release hype and media buzz. Incorporating "Tarot" into these stories generates more discussion and buzz without disrupting the narrative flow...

"Of course, if you're willing to go to their production company's set, they'll give you a dozen or so seconds of screen time as an Easter egg, just like product placement, since the movie is about Spider-Man. They're still considering the specific placement method; it ultimately depends on your opinion. Maybe it'll appear on an LED screen in a building in the animation, or maybe it'll appear on the computer the male lead is playing music on..."

"The company believes this is a mutually beneficial situation. On the one hand, Sony and Marvel will get more buzz and hype for publicity, and on the other hand, your brand awareness will also rise to a higher level..."

Gong Cheng took a sip of orange juice. They'd previously discussed producing the soundtrack, and now that they'd accepted it, "landing" it in Marvel wasn't out of the question—they could even do product placement… "Okay, let's take it on then. But we need to confirm things with the film crew beforehand. The Grammys this month, or the Billboard next month—aren't we flying to America? Let's do that all at once…"

"Are they planning to use motion capture?" he asked, otherwise why would they go to the film set?

Kim Dae-woo replied, "No, this film leans more towards the traditional animation production process, using methods such as artists drawing keyframes to create the characters' movements and expressions. It's said to be a mix of CG animation and various comic book styles. The reason I invited you over was because I wanted to..."

……

On April 4th, TWICE will be making a comeback with their fifth mini-album, "What is Love?", released mid-month. — Gong Cheng sat on the practice room floor, curiously watching his good friend Tzuyu sitting cross-legged, holding a tablet that was playing the extremely famous and incredibly long 76-episode Chinese drama, "Empresses in the Palace"...

"Oppa, why are you so engrossed in watching this?" Chou Tzu-yu raised her short face and asked with a grin. Shouldn't I be watching this? How come you're so addicted to it, hyung!
Gong Cheng nodded. "It is indeed quite good." He felt it was necessary to watch this drama more often in his spare time to learn from it. Although the drama is called "Empresses in the Palace," it is also known as "The Emperor's Women." Although it is about the various concubines, what he wanted to learn was the emperor's ability to manage the harem...

The members' noisy chatter filled the air; they were talking about their recent lives. Park Jihyo was planning to buy a car, saying she wanted a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which sparked the members' discussion... Gong Cheng listened for a while, then looked at Lieutenant Kim with a strange expression, "You're so small, do you really want to buy a Land Rover in the future?"

During the conversation, Kim Da-hyun, with her fair skin and single-eyelid eyes, nodded and told the members how cool and domineering the Range Rover was. Even though the members had all seen it, and the oppa sitting next to her had one, Lieutenant Kim still gestured with her hands to describe her love for it.

So, Gong Cheng seriously doubts whether Duo Xian will be able to climb onto the vehicle. It's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's quite a contrast; I didn't expect Lieutenant Kim to like this type of vehicle...

“I like Aston Martin…” Mina said. It had nothing to do with whether or not Makoto Miyamoto was the brand ambassador; she had always liked the look of Aston Martin and felt it suited her perfectly.

Gong Cheng highly approves of Mina's taste, praising her, "You have great taste, Mina-chan~" Is he trying to boost his sales?

……

That afternoon, Gong Cheng arrived at YG Entertainment, bringing with him the title track "DDU-DU DDU-DU" from the mini-album he produced for BLACKPINK.

In the conference room, Yang Hyun-suk, Kim Ji-soo, and the others became excited after listening to the arrangement and reading the lyrics. It maintained the typical "Tarot" style, with heavy drums and bass, but the arrangement also incorporated whistling, giving it a unique style.

Then, the intro bursts in with a powerful percussion ensemble, distinctly Eastern in style. The steady and forceful rhythm is incredibly addictive… At first, after seeing the song title, they thought this guy was just messing around—who came up with a song title like "Dudududu"?

But after seeing the lyrics, Jennie wanted to shout, "Oppa, you are my god..."

Gong Cheng sat on the sofa and pursed his lips. This song was written in a bit of a rush and was actually a bit rough around the edges, but it had the addictive and brainwashing quality of a K-pop hit, so it was alright. "By the way, regarding this mini album, including this title track, I plan to have four songs, no more and no less."

"Awesome!" After listening to the title track, Yang Hyun-suk could hardly contain himself and immediately nodded. The opening whistle and the percussion reminiscent of the East Wind directly set the tone for BLACKPINK's style change in this comeback. The whistling intro reminded him of BLACKPINK's debut song, "WHISTLE," but the company hadn't considered the "whistling" element in subsequent singles. Instead, Gong Cheng had incisively incorporated the whistling element into the title track, completely solidifying and defining BLACKPINK's unique style. "Aigoo, as expected of a genius producer."

"Ani, Hyunseok hyung, let's skip the formalities." Gong Cheng straightened up, took a sip of water, glanced at the BLACKPINK members who were still engrossed in composing the music and reading the lyrics, and adopted a producer's attitude, saying seriously, "Your company can handle the choreography for this song, but I have only one request..."

"You guys decide on your parts yourselves, I won't interfere. Then record the audio and send it to me. I need to see your level. This song has many elements, the verses need to be catchy, the opening whistle and the mixing of the mid-section climax, you can even shout out your group name, BLACKPINK..."

"You need to master the sense of power and the control of rhythm..."

"Understand?"

Jisoo listened intently to Gong Cheng's words, her expression serious as she wore a black jacket over a white T-shirt. She rarely saw Gong Cheng like this, but she nodded nonetheless. She could tell that the arrangement alone surpassed many recent comeback songs from various groups. Putting aside his character, she undeniably recognized Gong Cheng's talent.

Everyone present, including Yang Hyun-suk, felt that this money was well spent! Having worked in the entertainment industry for so many years, Gong Cheng used one song to establish a new and inimitable quality for BLACKPINK. You could call it a style, but this style is difficult for other groups to imitate. In the almost industrialized idol industry, being special doesn't guarantee success, because idols are like Buzz Lightyear—everyone is special, so you're not that special either! But the new style Gong Cheng gave BLACKPINK is so special that it's hard to replicate. There are no substitutes, so they are truly unique.

Upon seeing the children merely nod, Yang Hyun-suk turned to BLACKPINK and emphasized, "Did you hear me? Answer loudly!"

"Yes! Producer-nim!" Jennie and the others were startled by the sudden shout, but they responded quickly, their eyes sparkling with surprise and anticipation. As artists, understanding the quality of a song was fundamental. Clutching the lyric sheet, a surge of excitement welled up within them... It felt like they were truly about to ascend to new heights...

"Oh, you're too kind." Gong Cheng chuckled, then smiled and said, "Anyway, I'm going to Hong Kong tomorrow and will be very busy for a while, so if you have any questions about the songs, just send me a message. As for the choreography, just do it yourselves according to YG's style."

This is why he asked BLACKPINK to record the audio first. After all, he was not in Seoul and was busy with his tour, so he couldn't personally go into the recording studio to supervise the production. He actually had high hopes for this title track. He takes his work very seriously, after all, it concerns his brand.

He takes it seriously, and he hopes BLACKPINK will take it seriously too. Otherwise, even the best song is useless if you sing it terribly—it's a simple principle. Fortunately, Jisoo and the others all seem very motivated.

"Are we going to Hong Kong for the tour tomorrow?" Yang Hyun-suk was getting increasingly impatient. He wished he could keep Gong Cheng at YG. Everyone was saying that EXO made SM a building, and Tarot made JYP a building. Not to mention Tarot, how much has TWICE, the other member of JYP's "TWICE," made for JYP in the past two years? But what about YG in the past two years? Apart from Big Bang, who are gradually entering their military retirement period, there is no group that can carry the banner.

Gong Cheng took a sip of water, emptying the teacup. Yang Xianshuo calmly picked up his water cup, filled it with water from the dispenser, and put it back in its place. "Number 8, we're going to the venue for the rehearsal tomorrow, so Xianshuo-ge, the producer can't always be there to oversee things. Don't blame me..." he said with a smile.

"What are you saying? You're already calling me Hyunseok hyung, do you think I care about these things?" Yang Hyunseok said, feigning displeasure. His words were too distant and too polite. "What I care about most is your health. Jinyoung is really... sigh, doesn't he know how to arrange some rest for you? He's been working day and night." He subtly dissed his friend.

Kim Jisoo and the others exchanged glances; the CEO was really shameless.

When have we ever cared about our health?

"Oppa, aren't you going to record 'PRODUCE 48'?" Park Chaeyoung asked curiously. Anyone who follows this audition program knows that Gong Cheng will be participating in 'PRODUCE 48' as the national producer representative. For many fans, this is something they're really looking forward to.

There are also rumors in the industry that PRODUCE 48 will officially begin filming in Seoul in a couple of days, or at most a week. But isn't this guy still on tour in a few days?
Gong Cheng nodded, twirling the sunglasses in his hand. "Yes, but the timing is different. The tour is from the 8th to the 10th, and I have to rush back to Seoul to record on the 11th. It's a bit tight, but it won't affect anything."

To be honest, he was also having a headache. The recording took place from the 11th to the 12th, which was two days. On the night of the 12th, he had to fly directly to Macau to participate in the Macau tour... His mobile phone was filled with flight reminders, and the company had booked the tickets in advance.

"Aigoo, your schedule is really..." Kim Jisoo couldn't help but say, but after meeting Gong Cheng's gaze, she sighed, "Take care of yourself."

“There’s nothing I can do, it’s just too popular…” Gong Cheng chuckled lightly, then stood up and put on his sunglasses. But glancing at the sky outside the window, he realized it was already dark, and the conference room lights had been turned on without him noticing during the earlier discussion. He took off his sunglasses, waved, and said, “I’m leaving now…”

"..." The members of BLACKPINK followed their CEO and saw him off...

……

At nine o'clock at night, Gong Cheng drove through the Seoul night with the car window half open, letting in the night wind that was blowing due to the speed of the car.

He smiled and glanced at the sightseeing bus on the left lane. It was shaped like a bus, but the roof was filled with tourists who had come to Seoul to enjoy the city's night view. Most of them were young girls who were fans of celebrities. The sightseeing bus would start from the ticket office in Dongdaemun and shuttle through the night...

On the tour bus, many people were taking photos of the night scenery with their phones at the relatively slow speed. A girl sitting on the side spotted a super GT parked low on the road next to her. Through the half-open window, a familiar profile flashed by in the night breeze. The roar of the engine made the silver "beast" with its headlights flash like an arrow released from a bow...

"Tarot!"

"It's Tarot!! Oppa!!!"

The girl's excited shouts echoed in the night wind, attracting the curious glances of many people on the bus.

"An Aston Martin! It really looks like a Tarot!!!"

"..."

……

The next day, as dawn broke, countless fans who spend their days staking out Incheon International Airport to photograph celebrities' departures were caught in the eye of the first and most important Bombardment Meteor of the day.

Four hours later, Gong Cheng and his group landed in Hong Kong. A dense crowd of people and fans came to greet them. After weaving through the crowd, led by local Jackson Wang, the group found a restaurant and had an authentic Cantonese meal.

On the 6th and 7th... for two consecutive days, the Bombardment Meteor team rehearsed at the Hong Kong Coliseum. During this time, Gong Cheng even received a call from Jackie Chan, who had dinner with him and gave him two inside tickets...

……

On April 8th, amidst light rain in Hong Kong, the Bombardment Meteor officially took place at the Hong Kong Coliseum, affectionately known as the "Red Hall" by many fans. While waiting for the concert to begin, the director's large screen displayed numerous Hong Kong celebrities who had come to watch the performance.

Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, Kary Ng, Janice Man, Fiona Sit...

"..."

The shouts and sound from the more than 10,000 audience members in the venue were still quite loud, and Bombardment Meteor's shouts came from speakers all around.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

……

On the evening of April 10th, Hong Kong was hit by heavy rain. As soon as the Bombardment Meteor members came off stage, they helped Jay Park to the dressing room. The accompanying doctor examined his injuries, which were not serious but not minor either; they were some old injuries that had recurred.

The VJ who was filming the group's variety show to record behind-the-scenes footage of the tour captured this scene. Fortunately, the Hong Kong stop of the tour was over, and everyone could rest for two days. Gong Cheng had a late-night snack with the members, and then got into the van and headed to the airport.

He has to fly back to Seoul to participate in the recording of "PRODUCE 48" tomorrow. The production team has also notified the AKB48 trainees that they had already gathered in Seoul the day before yesterday, and they can start living together with the Seoul trainees after the recording officially begins tomorrow.

Since the tour dates in Hong Kong and Macau are almost back-to-back, the other members of Bombardment Meteor will stay in Hong Kong for one night to rest before heading directly to the Galaxy Arena in Macau for a practice run the next day.

On the night flight, Gong Cheng slept soundly in the first-class cabin, while a photographer from the VJs who were filming the group's variety show followed Gong Cheng back to Seoul.

……

Meanwhile, in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Zhang Yuanying sat at the dining table at home, chatting lightly with her family, even with a hint of anticipation. Her family was enthusiastically discussing her upcoming participation in the program "PRODUCE 48," and their daughter would be living in the dormitory assigned by the program team starting tomorrow, meaning they wouldn't see each other for several months.

"Didn't they say Tarot would be participating in the recording? Aigoo, such a popular singer, truly amazing." Zhang Yuanying's father took a sip of wine and exclaimed in admiration. The various newspapers on the peninsula, including a certain person sitting in the Blue House... all certified that "Tarot" was a superstar who transcended and created an era, and that was absolutely true.

Although they were unaware of Tarot's influence and fame overseas, in this country where they had lived for decades, they had never seen a singer or actor's posters plastered all over the country.

Zhang Duoya kicked her younger sister under the table, "Don't forget what I told you? Sign this, understand?"

The two elders at the table smiled. In this country, idol worship is a cultural phenomenon, and having lived through that era themselves, they naturally didn't say much. Instead, they asked with a smile, "..."

……

(End of this chapter)