The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 272 You Smell So Good, Makoto!
"Answer the phone..."

Mina's father chuckled and smoothed things over.

Gong Cheng gave a soft reply. He had already greeted Mina-chan, so he figured she wouldn't say anything out of line. He answered the phone, and on the other end of the video call appeared a small, bare face curled up in bed, looking as white and smooth as a little white potato. "Off work so early?"

He asked, "Are you all still snuggled in bed at this hour? Is TWICE's schedule that relaxed right now?"

"It's already midnight, okay?" Mina retorted softly. "Are my parents home?"

As she spoke, her dark eyes darted around...

"Yes, my uncles, aunts, brothers, and aunts are all here with me..." Gong Cheng replied with a smile. With such a large family around him, he didn't dare to be too outspoken, otherwise he would have to threaten the little penguin and tell him to lower the camera a bit!
Mina glanced at him and said, "You called me that rather affectionately."

"Xiao Nan..."

Mina's mother moved closer to Miyako, showing her face to the camera and catching a glimpse of her daughter's silly, curled-up face in bed. Through the screen, besides a smooth, fair face, all that could be seen was her bare neck and shoulders, and then...

Gone……

She glanced at Gong Cheng beside her in surprise. Had the relationship between the two children reached this point?
"You talk to your aunt and uncle," Gong Cheng smiled, handing over his phone before taking a sip of his cold drink. Across the table, his older brother, Mina, watched him with a smile, wanting to offer some concern but unsure how to begin...

"Xiao Cheng, does working in your line of work mean you don't sleep very well?"

"..."

The psychologist, Eiko, skillfully asked several questions. These questions were not random, but followed some simple logic.

Start with basic issues, avoiding sensitive topics, to build trust. Then, assess the problem, uncover its root causes, and develop a treatment plan.

"More or less, I do sleep poorly, and I'm not a big fan of my bed." Gong Cheng nodded in reply, a hint of doubt in his mind. Was Mina's aunt... a little... strange...?

The questions asked ranged from sleep to daily life, sounding exactly like those of a stalker prying into someone's private life. But considering what Mina's mother had said earlier—that Mina's aunt was a fan—it's not so hard to understand...

"Yes, I sometimes have a few drinks with my friends..."

"..."

After a casual question-and-answer session, the psychologist, Eiko, reached a conclusion in her mind.

Immediately afterwards, she stopped talking to Gong Cheng and glanced at the boy sitting opposite her with a surprised expression.

The restaurant waiter brought the tray over...

"Makoto, is there anything you want to say to Minami?" Minami's mother handed the phone back to Makoto after seeing a wink from the psychologist, Eiko.

Gong Cheng took the phone, glanced at the little penguin in the video, and seeing her sleepy eyes, said, "Get some rest. I'll take care of your aunt and uncle..."

……

Two hours later...

Far away in Seoul, Mina was half-asleep, dreaming of picking up a small leather whip and riding on Makoto Miyamoto...

Then, a piercing telephone ring shattered her sweet dream—"Beep beep beep~"

She turned on the desk lamp, picked up her phone, glanced at the video call from her mother, and answered it sleepily. Through her blurry vision, her parents appeared to be in a hotel, the bright lights reflecting off her father's bald head...

"Has Makoto left, Dad?"

She yawned softly and asked a question.

"They've left. After that kid dropped us off at the hotel, his agent picked him up and drove him home. He seemed very responsible..." Mina's father said with a smile, showing no unusual emotion despite his beloved daughter's liking for the boy...

He was fairly satisfied with today's interaction. He didn't care too much about how successful Gong Cheng's career was, but if he wanted to date his precious daughter, character was the most important thing...

He is a very polite, intelligent, and well-liked child. As for his character, isn't there a saying online that praises him?
Start with appearance, be loyal to character, fall in love with talent...

My dear son-in-law!
Mina blushed slightly upon hearing her father's words. She knew what he was talking about; after all, she had already confessed her feelings to her parents a few days ago. "He's just too responsible..."

She pursed her lips slightly, the small mole on her nose twitching. She had several female relatives, was greedy enough to want them all, and thought she could take care of everyone...

How can someone lack responsibility? No, this is greed...

The father and daughter had only exchanged a few words when the psychologist, Eiko, entered the video, looked at Mina seriously, and said, "Mina, do you want to hear the truth?"

“Listen…” Mina nodded heavily, her heart leaping into her throat. Seeing the expert’s serious expression, she felt uneasy. Could it be that Makoto-chan was really… seriously ill…?

In the video, Eiko suddenly smiled and said, "You don't need to be so nervous. There's good news and bad news."

"Which one do you want to hear first?"

“Good news…” Mina said softly.

Eiko nodded and adjusted her glasses. "The good news is that, so far, he doesn't seem to have any major problems. He has a very strong ability to self-regulate, even to the point of being unusually strong."

"Then... what's the bad news?" Mina quietly breathed a sigh of relief, and her tightly furrowed brows relaxed.

"Bad news?" Eiko opened her mouth, then thought for a moment and told Mina the truth, "The bad news is that his psychological self-regulation ability is so strong that it's not like a normal person, which in itself shows that he's not quite normal. In the end, it's because of the high-pressure environment and his experiences since childhood..."

"If emotions are like a reservoir, then if one day the sluice gate is loosened, the consequences will be severe. Do you understand what I mean? Moreover, I think that besides the immense pressure from his work environment, there are other things weighing heavily on this child's mind..."

"Perhaps it's a matter of the heart? Who knows..."

"Something else?" Mina paused, thought for a moment, and then immediately had her answer.

Cheng-chan, do your girlfriends put so much pressure on you?
The psychologist, Eiko, looked at Mina with a somewhat serious expression and asked, "Mina, tell me, do you really like Makoto Miyamoto?"

"Yes, I like him..." Mina felt there was no point in hiding her feelings for him, and answered firmly.

"Then you should spend some time with him. He's too tense and needs some love and care, but he might resist... But you never know, after all, this is just my analysis. He hasn't actually come to my office to see me in person, sigh..." Eiko sighed as she spoke.

"At the dinner table, your brother asked him what it felt like to become famous at a young age, and guess what his answer was?"

How should I answer?

"He said he felt strange. I sensed he wanted to say something, but it seemed he just opened his mouth, didn't say anything, and instead smiled and changed the subject," said psychologist Eiko, recalling the incident. "Someone who became famous at a young age, do you know Justin Bieber?"

"He's the best example. He had everything too early, which led to him being embroiled in drug scandals and various controversies for the past two years. And Justin Bieber also suffers from serious psychological and emotional problems..."

"Imagine you are Tarot, and in just one year, you've amassed all the fame, awards, money, and everything else. You've earned in a short time what most people could never earn in a lifetime. What would you do?"

She asked, as if guiding the question...

"Happy?" said Mina's brother on the other end of the video call.

Psychologist Eiko then asked, "And then what happens after you're happy?"

Silence fell on both ends of the video call. Eiko said helplessly, "We find it hard to understand people who achieve fame at a young age because we're not like that. But I know that after the festivities, there's emptiness... loneliness, solitude..."

“I suspect that’s what Tarot wanted to say when he answered, but he hesitated and changed the subject… Xiao Nan, you’ve had a lot of contact with him. Think back, when that kid was alone, did he not like to smile much and seemed to have few emotions?”

Hearing the words of the psychologist, Aunt Eiko, Mina felt a jolt in her heart, and the brows she had just smoothed out furrowed again. It really was true…

"It seems that's really the case. He only smiles happily when he's interacting with others. He's quite quiet when he's alone in private, especially after his debut. When I see him alone, he's usually drinking, sleeping, or busy with work..."

The more she thought about it, the more distressed she felt, as if her heart was being torn apart...

Makoto-chan...

"If you really like him, I think you two can have a deeper conversation. Try to understand what he's thinking, or you can tell me, and I'll help you analyze and observe. He really needs rest right now..." Psychologist Eiko offered a professional perspective, concluding with this statement.
"In short, there don't seem to be any major problems at the moment, but he has a strong sense of distance and is probably quite lonely inside. He needs someone to reach out to him..."

After listening attentively, Mina's already soft voice became somewhat hoarse as she said, "I understand, Aunt Eiko..."

"You could subtly inquire about his aspirations at a suitable opportunity," suggested psychologist Eiko calmly. "On the other hand, many people who achieve fame at a young age feel empty because they no longer have any ambitions..."

"Because they have everything, they have achieved goals that most people can only dream of and strive for their entire lives. The most obvious example is TWICE, who are still working hard to hold a concert at the Nissan Stadium. No matter how tired they are, they still have a goal and drive..."

"But things like the stadium don't seem to affect that kid at all. To put it simply, he has everything now—Grammys, money, fame—which makes him somewhat lost inside. Without a clear goal, he's easily caught in an emotional vortex, which can then trigger..."

Mina listened and found it made more and more sense. Her cool face instantly recalled what he had told her in Seoul: "If I have no secrets in front of you, I will feel very relaxed." She had asked him with a smile at the time, "Am I your safe haven?"

He didn't say anything. So, back then, Makoto had already...

“By the way, Aunt Eiko, he once said that if he could go on a trip, he would go anywhere, as long as there were no spotlights. What do you think…” Mina suddenly remembered what Makoto Miyamoto had said to her and the members, except that he later said he wanted to go to Hokkaido or Osaka.

“That’s right!” Eiko clapped her hands, her voice excited. “This shows that he’s actually starting to get tired of living in the spotlight… Minami, you’re an artist too. Besides the child, you also need to be careful about this. You must adjust your mindset.”

"If you like him, help him as much as you can. It'll be good for you too; it's nice to heal and comfort each other..."

After saying that, Eiko returned the phone to Mina's mother and said nothing more. She had said everything she needed to say. Although the diagnosis was somewhat hasty and she couldn't be sure if Miyako had any psychological problems, she knew that under such high pressure, things could easily go wrong. She was just giving Mina a heads-up in advance.

Mina's mother, as if remembering something, stared at her absent-minded daughter on the screen and asked with a smile, "What's wrong, Mina? Are you having second thoughts?"

"Huh? What are you regretting, Mom..." Mina suddenly came to her senses and asked, raising her eyelids in confusion.

"Do you regret bullying Xiaocheng? Xiaocheng said you often bullied him in Seoul, always ordering him around to serve you tea and water. That kid also said you don't like wearing shoes, so he always had to carry your shoes and follow you around..." Mina's mother rambled on, her smiling face showing some reproach and scolding.

Mina rolled her eyes. "He even tattled on you guys?"

"No, not at all. We were just asking because your dad saw the nickname he gave you in his contact list. Do you want to know?" Mina's mother said with a smile. She wanted to know about her daughter's love life, but didn't want to interfere too much...

Although their daughter is an idol and an artist, and idols aren't allowed to date, what parent would want their child to never get married? In their hearts, career versus marriage is of course more important. Besides, both Xiao Nan and Gong Cheng are very young; who knows what the future holds? A short relationship isn't a big deal in life…

"what?"

Mina sat up in bed, somewhat curious.

“Mina-chan, you stingy little devil…” Mina’s brother said with a chuckle, then his burly face softened as he gently instructed his sister, “Mina, you must treat Makoto well, he’s an amazing man…”

"However, if he bullies you in the future, you must tell me, and I will teach him a lesson! But he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would bully girls; he seems like a very kind, inspiring, and legendary guy!"

“We’re not even together yet…” Mina’s fair face twitched. What was all this about?! Why did it feel like her brother really liked Makoto?

Didn't he send me a message before going to the concert, his tone unfriendly, showing a bad impression of Makoto? How come he changed his attitude after just having a meal together...?

"Besides, Mom, it's not like I asked him to carry my shoes. He's always following me around like a shadow. Wherever I go, he goes. What can I do?" Mina added, her delicate face showing...

Mina's mother said kindly, "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Go to bed early. As for your relationship problems, Mina, you'll have to handle them yourself. As for Makoto, well... he's had a tough time too." She sighed, a maternal glow spreading across her face...

Who wouldn't like such a handsome, capable, and polite boy?

"If he wants to visit Osaka during his time off, you can bring Makoto home with you. Your Aunt Eko is right, he's a good son-in-law... If he really always followed you around taking care of you before, then now that he's sick, you should be more understanding of him, Minami..."

"Mom, I haven't decided whether I want to be with him yet. There are many things you don't understand." Mina's face grew increasingly flushed, blushing to the bone. Her skin was burning hot. But it seemed the little thief was quite capable after all.

He actually managed to win over his own family? You know, his brother and father aren't exactly easy people to talk to.

Mina's mother watched her daughter, who had half-pulled the blanket over her chin, with a half-smile. "If you like each other, don't worry about so much. I can tell that Makoto cares about you a lot. Your father doesn't say anything, but he won't interfere with your decision either..."

"I understand, Mom." Mina's smile was a little stiff, and her cool, shy eyes seemed hesitant to meet her mother's gaze, looking away for some reason.

Was it that she didn't want to be with Makoto? Those secrets of the little thief...sigh... She sighed softly in her heart. "I was here first, and that guy was the one who initially claimed to like me." Mina raised her eyelids, her face flushed. "I'll rest now, Mom. You should rest early too..."

After saying that, she hurriedly hung up the phone under her mother's smiling gaze on the other end of the video call.

I crawled into bed and tossed and turned...

Cheng-chan, what exactly do you want me to do for you?
……

The concert continued at the Nissan Stadium the following day...

Gong Cheng sat in the backstage dressing room, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the message sent by the little penguin on Kakao, "Cheng-chan, do you have any ambitions?"

What's the issue with the hair ornament?
He was a little confused, wondering why Mina-chan's conversation topics were so unpredictable today.
From ideals to life...

Bored...

"Cheng-chan, do you have any ambitions?" Wu Sehun grinned mischievously as he moved closer to Gong Cheng, watching the chat box on the screen and laughing.

Gong Cheng turned off the screen in annoyance, his face speechless. "Aigoo, you really are... spying on other people's chats."

"You know what, I'm quite curious too. With your level of success as an artist, what are your goals, maknae?" Wu Sehun didn't seem to care about Gong Cheng's displeased tone, because Gong Cheng had also been secretly watching his conversations with his girlfriend quite often—they were in the same boat…

"Target?" Gong Cheng lay on the sofa, glanced at the ceiling, thought for a moment, then sat up straight, looked around carefully and quietly, and said to his good friend, "To be honest, I don't know either..."

"Didn't you want to compete for the Grammys again next year?" Oh Sehun seemed very interested in this topic. Logically speaking, these past two years have been the youngest member's most successful period. His music has become a global phenomenon, he won a Grammy, and he's the youngest Best Actor winner. He also has so many female fans. It's hard not to be envious...

If we were to use the maknae's most common phrase, it would be—he's enjoying immense popularity...

So, he was also very curious about what the maknae (youngest member) was thinking. This maknae, well, apart from being a bit of a jerk when it comes to relationships, is awesome in every other way...

Your cannons are all significantly bigger than everyone else's; can you handle that?

Gong Cheng took a sip of water and glanced at the busy stylists in the lounge. "To be honest, the Grammys and all that aren't what I really want. They're just things I do as a side effect..."

"...I've never seen anyone so pretentious..." Wu Sehun's lips twitched, his expression somewhat unnatural. "So, what do you want?"

“What I want is very simple, you probably won’t believe it if I tell you.” Gong Cheng shrugged and whispered, “I just want to be with my girlfriends, simple, right? The Grammys, investments, even if I make a lot of money, it’s all for this…”

"Simple, right?"

Wu Shixun was stunned. "Simple?"

"This is easy?"

……

"Hyuna, did you miss me?"

That evening, Bae Joo-hyun and Red Velvet, who had recently finished their busy schedules, arrived in Yokohama. The members watched a concert, while Daegu Women came to pick up Gong Cheng after get off work.

She heard Gong Cheng mention that he had been feeling a bit tired lately, so she thought about taking him to a massage parlor in Yokohama after the concert to relax and get a massage...

"..." Bae Joo-hyun stood there without saying a word, her white floral dress looking quite refreshing.

Sehun's lips twitched as he stared at the tall, imposing maknae. Before the concert, this guy had told him with such deep emotion that his only goal and pursuit was to be good to his current girlfriends...

But then he turned around and hooked up with Irene again...

What a bunch of bastards!
Gong Cheng changed into some neat casual clothes, then put on a baseball cap and went with Bae Joo-hyun to the massage parlor she had booked. The other members and a few others, including Ryder Baby, also accompanied them...

It's easier to provide cover when there are many people!

However, when opening the private rooms, everyone tacitly agreed to let Gong Cheng and Bae Joo-hyun squeeze into one room.

……

While waiting for the massage therapist...

Gong Cheng lay on the massage sofa and tentatively asked, "Nuna, how about I give you a massage? I have some technique..."

"..." Bae Joo-hyun lay flat on the bed, turned her head to look at Gong Cheng, who was a few dozen centimeters away from her, and asked suspiciously, "...You...you want to touch my feet, right?"

Upon hearing this, Gong Cheng smiled somewhat awkwardly. "Ani, I really don't have a foot fetish. People who like feet must be so tasteless!" As he spoke, he glanced at the feet of the Daegu woman, her manicured purple nails...

It looks a bit rustic, but it's also kind of alluring...

"You really don't like it?" Bae Joo-hyun brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and chuckled softly.

"Noona, what kind of person do you take me for?" Gong Chengyi retorted righteously.

Bae Joo-hyun nodded, then wiggled her feet in mid-air, "Okay then, you try pressing it?"

"Why are you shaking your feet? I'm a perfectly respectable person. I meant a full-body massage. You don't think I said that just to touch your feet, do you?" Gong Cheng stared at Bae Joo-hyun's feet dangling in the air for a long time, immediately revealing his flaw...

Seriously, I'll have to bend over to pedal from now on...

Bae Joo-hyun blushed and stammered twice, "I don't believe you. You're not telling the truth."

Gong Cheng didn't explain anything. He was a professional old Chinese medicine doctor who was good at bragging. He often massaged Sana and had long since developed his own set of techniques. Although he was a little rusty with the shoulders and neck, he was quite professional when it came to promoting development and reducing swelling in different areas.

He sat up on his massage bed and gestured for Bae Joo-hyun to turn over and lie face down on the bed to change her position.

Bae Joo-hyun obediently complied, secretly believing that Gong Cheng wasn't the type to take advantage of others so easily. Although she herself didn't believe it, and had been taken advantage of by him quite a few times, she still felt a sense of anticipation and restless desire...

She rolled over and lay on the massage bed, hugging a pillow. Looking at Gong Cheng's serious expression, she wondered if he really knew how.
Gong Cheng placed his large hand intently on Bae Joo-hyun's smooth shoulder. The Daegu woman's off-shoulder tank top was quite sexy. He squeezed her shoulder firmly...

"Humph~"

"what!"

Bae Joo-hyun, looking utterly miserable, slumped over her arms and cried out, "What did I think you were doing? It's just the same old massage routine you give the members in the practice room, and your skills aren't even as good as mine!" She rested half her face on her arms, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Gong Cheng…

Deep down, I felt a mixture of approval and disappointment...

As expected, this guy isn't the type to mess around. I'm already lying here feeling down, little brother? Aren't you going to give me something exciting? What's up?
"Be gentle...it hurts!"

"Lie down, let me massage your neck. Your neck needs to relax."

"Why?" Bae Joo-hyun asked as she did so. Gong Cheng's grip was a bit too strong, making her feel a little pained and uncomfortable.

Gong Cheng's long, slender fingers brushed aside Bae Joo-hyun's black hair at the back of her neck, pressing down intently. He was truly not the kind of person who would take advantage of others... As for why he said Joo-hyun's neck needed to be relaxed, he didn't dare answer...

A big head means a heavy neck, so you need to relax and de-stress properly, right?
"Ah~ be gentle..."

"I was already very gentle! I didn't even use much force..." Gong Cheng said speechlessly, but then sighed again, "Garlic bird, garlic bird, this is also my first time massaging a girl, I don't have much experience, maybe I really used too much force."

As he spoke, he inhaled the faint, pleasant fragrance emanating from the Daegu woman.

Bae Joo-hyun slapped his hand away, behaving incredibly well-behavedly. But then, as she was pressing his hand down, she reached down from his neck and pinched his face, creating wrinkles. "Don't waste your time. You still have the nerve to brag about this?"

"You should just lie there quietly, you're not as good as me..." she said, as she got up from the massage bed, raised her arm and tied her messy long hair into a low ponytail. Her face, which originally had a Hong Kong style, suddenly became refreshing and youthful.

With her pink lips, she muttered, "Really, you made me so excited for nothing. I thought you knew that kind of massage from traditional Chinese medicine..."

"How could I possibly know? I haven't learned anything, and this is only my first time giving someone a massage." Gong Cheng lay pitifully on the massage bed, his voice chuckling. He'd found someone who knew what they were doing; not as easy to fool as Sana-chan, hmph...

Bae Joo-hyun sat on the edge of the bed, rolling up the cuffs of her wide-leg jeans that almost covered her feet. "You've never given a massage to anyone else?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes, I've given massages to women before. During practice, we massaged each other; everyone had some injuries, so we needed to take care of them." Gong Cheng said this with a conviction that it was mostly true—she had indeed massaged female members before…

But what came after that was all true. The only difference between humans and machines is that humans have thoughts and souls, but the structure of the body is like the parts of a machine, requiring maintenance...

Hearing this, Bae Joo-hyun's lips curled up slightly. She energetically rubbed her fist and asked, "And you, where are you injured from practice? Let me massage you..."

She said this with great confidence, explaining that she would give the members of Ryderbabe a massage after each practice session.

"Left shoulder, near the scapula..." Gong Cheng didn't mince words and told the truth. After all, his back was covered in plasters, and with the intensity of the stage, some soreness was normal. He wasn't made of iron; if he were, he would have become a male model from the start, he'd be muscular...

Bae Joo-hyun responded, then sat on her massage bed and stretched out her hands. She then realized that not only was her upper body a bit long, but her arms were also a bit too short. She couldn't sit on her bed as relaxed as Gong Cheng and get to work. So she had to get off the bed in her slippers and sit on the edge of Gong Cheng's bed...

Do you want to take off your clothes?

Gong Cheng yawned and asked, "What? He's a grown man, he doesn't mind these things."

Bae Joo-hyun thought for a moment, then got up and went to the door of the private room. She went out to greet the waiter, indicating that the technicians here didn't need to come. Then she ran back to the private room with her little motor, saying, "Take it off."

Gong Cheng nodded, quickly took off his short-sleeved shirt, not with any other intentions, but just wanted to test Bae Joo-hyun's massage skills.

I came here specifically for a massage to relax...

"Push harder, give it your all," he reminded her, then lay down on the bed, feeling a bit like cuddling the puppy. He wondered how she was doing in Seoul; the last person to give him a massage was Sana-chan, though she was a bit too rough...

But she was also very cunning; she deliberately rubbed herself hard during the massage, then used her softer areas to soothe herself...

Bae Joo-hyun glanced at him; Gong Cheng's tall, muscular physique was undeniable… His bare back, aside from the defined muscles, was covered in several white medicated plasters. She began massaging him, following the placement of the plasters, chatting as she worked.

"How did you grow so tall?"

There was a hint of sourness in his words...

"There are very few singers as tall as you..."

In the entertainment industry on the peninsula, there are quite a few artists over 180cm, but very few like Gong Cheng who are close to 190cm. Most artists around 185cm or taller are actors, and not many are singers...

"Besides, the official data says you're 187.8 cm tall, but I feel you're probably taller than that, right?"

"About the same, barefoot I'm a little over 188cm, the official data is from my school's physical fitness test when I was in school, not much difference..." Gong Cheng lay on the massage bed, and to his surprise, Xuanxuan's massage was quite comfortable, her small hands had just the right amount of strength, gentle yet firm, "With shoes I'm around 190cm..."

"Thankfully, it can't grow any taller, otherwise it wouldn't be good if it got too tall," Bae Joo-hyun muttered softly.

Gong Cheng glanced back at her, smiled, as if he had guessed what she was thinking, and then deliberately said, "That's hard to say. In my hometown, there's a saying in China that I don't know if you've heard of?"

"What?" Bae Joo-hyun asked curiously.

"Twenty-three, grow a little taller..." Gong Cheng said with a smile, referring to a Chinese proverb, "meaning that a person can still grow a little taller at the age of twenty-three."

He remained skeptical. Honestly, he couldn't possibly grow any taller. Besides, it mainly depends on whether the growth plates have closed. The folk sayings are quite unreliable, and he didn't know if they were true or not. Anyway, he was just teasing Bae Joo-hyun.

Bae Joo-hyun was taken aback upon hearing this. "Isn't that unrealistic?"

"You can't grow any taller... you're already tall enough..."

"Besides, if I can still grow taller at 23, then I..." As she spoke, Bae Joo-hyun secretly tightened her massage. Gong Cheng was born in 1996 and has already celebrated 22 birthdays. As for herself? She was born in 1991 and has long passed 23. Isn't this just teasing her?

If one could truly grow taller, why would a company hide their height information on its own search engine encyclopedia?
Thinking about it made her angry. This guy under her had asked her earlier, "Joohyun, why isn't your height listed on the encyclopedia? Not even your weight..."

"Gently, gently..." Gong Cheng quickly begged with a smile.

Bae Joo-hyun placed her slender, pale hand on Gong Cheng's neck and pinched it firmly. "How is it? Still sore?"

"I'm feeling better..." Gong Cheng mumbled, resting his arms on his back.

Bae Joo-hyun twitched her nose slightly, finding the guy quite fragrant—an indescribable scent, just sweet. She quietly lowered her head and cheek behind Gong Cheng, taking a gentle sniff…

It has a light fragrance that smells quite refreshing and doesn't smell like perfume.

Could it be that?
A natural body odor? It doesn't make sense for a man to have a natural body odor, does it? For a moment, Bae Joo-hyun looked at him with some surprise…

Gong Cheng yawned, and after not hearing Bae Joo-hyun speak for a while, he turned around and happened to meet Bae Joo-hyun's cheek, which was leaning down next to his head. Their eyes met, and he blinked and asked, "What's wrong?"

Seeing her sniffle again, he quickly lowered his head and smelled himself. He certainly didn't think he had any body odor. "Does it smell strange?"

It doesn't smell like anything! It smells wonderfully sweet!

Bae Joo-hyun blinked, watching his childlike actions and expressions. Beneath his handsome face, a silver necklace hung around his neck. Although his face looked lazy, his expression was cautious, as if he thought she had some kind of odor. She couldn't help but tilt her head forward, leaning in to look, and curled the corners of her lips into a smile, "Sung, you smell so good..."

"???" Holy crap! Isn't that my word?
Gong Cheng looked up in bewilderment at Bae Joo-hyun, who was getting closer and closer to him. The Daegu woman's serious, light smile didn't seem fake.
Am I truly a jade body?
This was the first time Bae Joo-hyun had seen Gong Cheng with such an expression. Was he some kind of player? Nothing special...

She suddenly remembered the study materials she had saved that night: "Kissing is a skill, it's not just about licking the lips. Here are ten kissing tips."

One of them is to try gently kissing your lover's neck and earlobes, bringing a strong...

She strongly suspected that the source of the fragrance emanating from Gong Cheng's body was his neck, just like how perfume sprayed on the wrists works – the fragrance would be more concentrated if it passed through the skin closest to the blood vessels…

Okay, to be honest, she was craving it...

Adding to that, her friend Kim Jisoo told her that if she met someone she liked, she should seize the opportunity and not end up like her... But her friend didn't explain why, only saying that you should grasp things first before talking about the future, otherwise there's no chance to even talk about them...

Bae Joo-hyun thought it made a lot of sense, so she leaned in with her pink lips and took the initiative, tapping Gong Cheng's neck...

The electric shock-like sensation jolted Gong Cheng, and his eyes flickered.

Joo-hyeon, are you really a beginner?
He felt a little uneasy, then, inhaling the fragrance of the Daegu woman's hair, he kissed her...

"..."

After a while, Gong Cheng raised his hand and touched the large amount of drool at the corner of his mouth. Okay, he really is a novice. What kind of kissing is this? Daegu drool kiss?

Coming to his senses, Gong Cheng grinned and approached, thinking, "So what if Daegu drools? He doesn't mind."

I want to do it again...

But Bae Joo-hyun smiled and signaled the end of the match, giving Gong Cheng no chance. She indicated that she had stopped there; she was satisfied, had had her fill, and was ready to continue next time.

"Lie down properly, I'll continue massaging you..."

What are you thinking about all day?

She smugly hummed twice. It has to be said that her friend Kim Ji-soo is quite capable. The direct approach she learned from her made Gong Cheng uncomfortable in no time...

"Oh, you were the one who started it..." Gong Cheng said with a bitter face. He didn't feel any dissatisfaction in his heart, but he had to show it.

Bae Joo-hyun slapped him on the back with a "smack," and said, "Still talking?"

As she continued massaging Gong Cheng, a smile she couldn't suppress played on her lips. Perhaps it was because she had taken the first step away from going solo, but she couldn't contain her pride and began to swagger, muttering to herself as she massaged his shoulders.

"A gamer?"

"You call yourself a clubber? You have absolutely no skills..."

"I thought you were so cunning?"

Gong Cheng rested his cheek on his crossed arms, smiled brightly, and said nothing...

He always thought of himself as an innocent, naive girl, but all the women wanted to take advantage of him...

I never expected Joo-hyun to understand me so well, her insights were exactly the same as mine...

"..."

A dozen minutes later, Bae Joo-hyun rubbed her slightly sore wrist, clenched her fist and tapped Gong Cheng on the back, asking, "Are you and Jisoo not getting along? It seems like there's something awkward between you two..."

She suddenly remembered this and asked about it.

Hao You's attitude towards the boy under her butt was always strange and hard to explain. Sometimes she would speak up for him, and sometimes she would hate him with disdain. It was all rather inexplicable. Gong Cheng's attitude towards Jin Zhixiu was similar, which made her quite curious.

Several seconds passed, and seeing that Gong Cheng didn't say anything, she brushed a stray hair behind her ear, leaned closer with her bright cheek, and blinked her long eyelashes as she gazed at Gong Cheng's face as he slept peacefully on her arm... He was asleep...

He was breathing very softly and his handsome face was sleeping peacefully. Bae Joo-hyun propped her head up and looked at him. His calm eyes and brows were gentler and less impatient than when she first met him.

You've matured...

After secretly admiring him for a while, Bae Joo-hyun got up and stretched. On the sofa next to her in the private room, there were neatly folded blankets. She went over, picked up a stack of blankets, spread them out, and carefully covered Gong Cheng with them. She then reached out and touched his hair...

"Have a good rest..."

As she spoke, she smiled gently, secretly took a picture with her phone, then got up and left the private room, going to the next room where the other members were staying.

Pushing open the door, Kang Seulgi was lying on the massage bed with a face mask on, her feet, with her trousers rolled up, soaking in the wooden foot bath tub. She looked quite content. She glanced at Bae Joohyun, who had slipped into the room, and asked, "Unnie, what brings you back?"

(End of this chapter)