The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 325 King vs. King! Bae Joo-hyun VS Jo Mi-yeon (Seeking monthly votes)
"Dior's Peninsula Ambassador..."

Lee Soo-man calmly recited the contents of the contract, observing Bae Joo-hyun's shocked expression. It seemed Irene was quite surprised.

When did you develop this level of acting skills?
“This contract is practically an outsider.” He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. “As far as I know, Dior has been scouting Jisoo of BLACKPINK since last year…”

Bae Joo-hyun's fingers trembled slightly as she gripped the edge of the contract. The "DIOR" logo on the contract was very conspicuous. She hadn't heard a single word about Dior being interested in signing her. On the contrary, she had heard Kim Ji-soo mention back in the summer that Dior was considering her, which was why Ji-soo had been going to Fashion Week so much this year. Back then, she had even sincerely wished her well...

But right now, this unexpected windfall has left her a little dazed. As Bae Joo-hyun bit her lip and listened to Lee Soo-man's words of matchmaking, she couldn't help but think of a certain lazy, handsome smiling face. Was he trying to win her back with resources?

“Even this summer, when BLACKPINK exploded onto the scene, with every show on their tour sold out and their popularity rivaling Twice, becoming one of the hottest girl groups right now.” Lee Soo-man paused, noticing the growing surprise in Bae Joo-hyun’s eyes, and continued, “Dior’s scouting efforts haven’t slowed down at all. Everyone in the industry has seen how much fashion resources Jisoo’s team has laid out for them.”

He changed the subject, pointing to the signature page at the end of the contract: "And you, two hours ago, the head of Dior's Asia-Pacific region personally sent this contract to you. After thinking it over, besides Tarot, no one else would have such a gesture. Either Dior changed their mind at the last minute, or they increased the number of openings..."

Bae Joo-hyun's breath hitched. Tarot... This name was like a needle, piercing her heart, which she had been trying to calm down for the past two days. She had broken up with Gong Cheng, but could she really be indifferent after the breakup?
In the past two days, she had thought about it more than once, even hated it. If that bastard, that scumbag, had broken up with Zhao Meiyan immediately back at the hospital, she really would have forgiven him. Because he was never a good person to begin with. But she still fell for it. Her first love, her first time, she gave him everything...

But that's how it is... Kim Jisoo ran over triumphantly as if catching someone cheating, pointing at her and saying some very hurtful things, like calling her a "homewrecker," which made Bae Joo-hyun extremely angry. What was most hateful was that her ex-boyfriend said he couldn't break up with Jo Mi-yeon.

She really wanted to ask, "If you can't do it, why did you come to provoke me?"

Despite this, after Bae Joo-hyun unilaterally announced their breakup, she wanted to forget him, but she still shamelessly wanted to see if he would send her a message begging for reconciliation, even though she didn't want to. Her desire for peace of mind was just like Seulgi had said before...

Such a good boy is a golden opportunity; even if it's just for fun, it's a win-win situation... And then Seulgi's jinx really came true. Gong Cheng was indeed a golden opportunity, but before he could even hit his daily limit up, now she and Gong Cheng have hit their daily limit down... a complete disaster...

All her love and affection vanished in this bear market. So, she's been trying to change her mindset: "I'm almost thirty, what's wrong with having some younger men? Breakups aren't a big deal!"
But that "high-quality stock" has come back like a persistent ghost, and it even seems to have a slight upward trend. Bae Joo-hyun stared at the contract Dior had sent her, her mind a complete mess!
"...But in the end, it's a good thing."

Lee Soo-man's tone softened a bit, and when he mentioned Tarot, his eyes were filled with undisguised admiration. "His influence in the fashion world cannot be explained in a few words. Have you ever seen any singer whose airport street style photos alone can boost sales for both high-end luxury brands and niche brands? In all my years in the industry, Tarot is the only one I've ever seen who can achieve this level of success."

"Sigh, he should have been SM's child..."

Lee Soo-man adjusted his glasses, his gaze falling on Bae Joo-hyun's pale face, his tone pragmatic and straightforward: "So, if you and Tarot are dating, the company won't interfere."

"...Lee Soo-man, can I refuse?"

Bae Joo-hyun's voice was very soft, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor at the end. She bit her lower lip, her teeth almost digging into her pink lips, and gently pushed the "hot" contract back into her hand.

If you go back to him and try to get back together for the sake of resources, what would that make you?
Her eyes were lowered, her long eyelashes casting a soft shadow beneath them, concealing the turbulent emotions within. When they were together, she had never asked him for anything; now that they were separated, it was even less likely she would, otherwise she would be betraying herself and the relationship…

Even after breaking up, she still hoped that all the little moments she shared with her boyfriend were pure feelings of attraction and mutual affection.

Bae Joo-hyun's fingertips curled slightly, her nails digging into her palms, bringing a slight pain, but it made her thoughts clearer. She raised her eyes to look at Lee Soo-man, her eyes revealing an unwavering stubbornness: "Thank you for considering my situation, but this contract... I can't accept it."

"don't want?"

“Irene, I don’t know what your relationship with Tarot is, but I can tell you, you have no right to refuse this contract!” Lee Soo-man sat on the sofa, staring at Bae Joo-hyun’s stubborn gaze, and sighed inwardly.

Did they have a fight? Or are they just too young...?

"Even if you refuse the Dior endorsement, it won't end up in the hands of any other artist in the company. For both personal and professional reasons, the company has no reason to make you refuse this endorsement. If you don't sign it, the company will sign it for you."

"In short, this matter can be delayed. I've inquired around, and you're not the only one who will be involved in this Dior endorsement. Think it over carefully these next few days. I believe Tarot would prefer you to sign this contract voluntarily rather than have the company sign it for you."

"..." Faced with Lee Soo-man's pressure, Bae Joo-hyun nodded silently, but her vision was hazy and somewhat blurred.

The ghost lingers!

Just like Lee Soo-man said, he could refuse, but the company wouldn't refuse him...

"Did you have a fight?"

Lee Soo-man asked with a hint of gossip, "Things have come to this point, if you say Tarot and Irene have no connection, then you've really wasted all these years in the industry!"

"We broke up..."

Bae Joo-hyun mustered her courage, raised her red eyes, and explained why she refused.

I no longer want to hide the fact that I dated him. The relationship was too short, so short that apart from myself and a few other members, no one else knew about it...

I had always longed to go public with our relationship, but unexpectedly, after we separated, I went public with the company president instead!
Lee Soo-man stared at Bae Joo-hyun's haggard face, took off his glasses, sighed, and suddenly understood why that kid had suddenly set off for the company two days ago to discuss the "limited-time group" project.

And the production of Ryder Baby's comeback title track—if he wasn't mistaken, that spot in the "limited-time group," just like the Dior endorsement contract on the table, was secretly decided by that kid for Bae Joo-hyun in front of him!

"If you're bothered by resources because of the breakup, Irene, I suggest you talk to Tarot. Maybe this endorsement was arranged before you broke up?"

"Also, next year... never mind, you can go now..."

Lee Soo-man left everyone guessing, too lazy to get involved in the messy affairs of his artists and that kid, but in any case, SM Entertainment could make a profit, and that was enough!

"Yes, Mr. Lee Soo-man..."

……

Bae Joo-hyun returned to the practice room in a daze. Recently, RBB has been preparing for the release of their fifth mini-album "RBB" at the end of this month, November 30th. The album includes six songs, including the title track "Really Bad Boy". This will be their last comeback in 2018.

"Thump-thump-thump~"

Stepping to the beat of the music, Bae Joo-hyun stood in the center of the practice formation. While moving around, she accidentally bumped into Kang Seul-gi, who had a bright and energetic look on her face. "Mia nea nea Seul-gi..."

Her face was haggard, and she forced a smile, trying to appear as if nothing had happened.

Kang Seulgi rubbed her shoulder where she had been bumped, and looking at her unnie's expression, she felt something was off. "Are you alright, unnie?"

"...I've felt like you haven't been doing well these past few days."

She said it cautiously. Actually, two days ago, Kang Seulgi had noticed that her unnie was acting strangely. She was absent-minded, had a bad complexion, and seemed completely lost. She guessed that it might be related to Gong Cheng, and that they probably had a fight.
But I didn't ask any more questions, because even if I did, the older sister in front of me brushed me off. I thought it was just a simple argument, and with that younger sister's skills, it should be easy to make up. How come it's getting more and more serious?
"I didn't get enough rest."

Bae Joo-hyun gave a forced laugh, but after the other Ryderbabe members exchanged glances, Son Seung-wan checked the time and suggested, "Unnie, it's lunchtime, let's rest and order takeout..."

"OK……"

As soon as Bae Joo-hyun agreed, she prepared to calm herself down. She decided it was best to wait until she got back to the dorm before letting any negative thoughts surface, so as not to disrupt the group's regular practice.

But Kang Seulgi suddenly said with a grin, "You guys order takeout, unnie and I are going to eat barbecue~" Then, she invited Son Seungwan, "Wendy, are you coming?"

“I’m not going. I’m trying to lose weight…” Son Seungwan shook his head and refused.

"..."

……

"Tell me about it, unnie~"

In the smoky barbecue restaurant, amidst the smoke and flames, Kang Seulgi chewed on some meat and mumbled, her chopsticks poking at the half-cooked bacon on the grill, "What's going on between you and Gong Cheng? You've seemed so distracted these past few days, even your dancing practice is all over the place."

Bae Joo-hyun tightened her grip on the glass. She took a sip of the cold cola, letting her tongue trace the fine bubbles in her mouth. Despite her heavy heart, she still casually replied, "...Nothing's wrong."

"Nothing's up?" Kang Seulgi raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. She put down her chopsticks, took out her phone from her pocket with an unfazed expression, and quickly swiped her fingers across the screen, searching for names in her contacts. "Then I'll call that guy and ask."

Seeing her aggressive and confrontational demeanor, Bae Joo-hyun's heart tightened. She quickly reached out and pressed down on her wrist, her voice bitter: "Stop hitting me...we've broken up."

The words had barely left her mouth when Kang Seulgi stopped what she was doing, forgetting to chew the meat in her mouth. Her eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed, "Ah! You broke up?" She clearly hadn't expected this answer...

Logically speaking, how long have Unnie and that guy been together?

"Inside……"

Bae Joo-hyun looked away, gazing at the street scene outside the window, a forced smile that looked more like a grimace tugging at her lips. "We've been apart for days..."

"Are you guys serious? Unnie!"

Kang Seulgi quickly swallowed the meat in her mouth, her expression one of exasperation! "No way, you guys are moving way too fast!"

"What exactly caused the breakup? No wonder you've been in such a bad mood these past few days... Hasn't he tried to get back together with you?"

"You playboy! I even acted as your wingman! Is this how you treat our unnies?" Kang Seulgi picked up her chopsticks and poked at the grilled meat on her plate in frustration. She didn't care about right or wrong! After all, Bae Joo-hyun across from her was her unnie!

They side with their own people regardless of right or wrong!

"I've looked for it..."

"That's alright." Kang Seulgi nodded in satisfaction, then looked at her unnie's bitter expression, and then, thinking about how sad she had been recently, she immediately realized that her unnie actually liked that boy a lot, otherwise she wouldn't be so upset!
Since that guy took the initiative to contact Unnie, he must also be thinking about getting back together. Perhaps, neither of them is willing to back down? And neither of them has a suitable way to make things work out? Thinking of this, she put on an air of knowing what she was doing, "Unnie..."

"Do you still like him?"

Looking at her unnie's expression, Kang Seulgi added, "To be honest!"

"..."

Bae Joo-hyun stared blankly at the sizzling pork belly on the grill, then nodded. "I like it, because you're right, he's a great stock, but I still dumped him..." As she spoke, she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked up at her friend. "Aren't you going to ask us why we broke up?"

"Why did you break up?"

Kang Seulgi asked in a mocking tone, but couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Daaa, I didn't expect it was unnie who dumped him? Haha! Aigoo, if Sehun knew, he'd probably laugh at that kid to death!"

Kang Seulgi knew a lot about the love-hate relationship between the "Seoul Three Cannons". In the past, when she had dinner with Oh Sehun, she heard that guy complain about Gong Cheng. If he knew that Gong Cheng had been dumped by her unnie, wouldn't he be jumping for joy?

He cheated on me!

Bae Joo-hyun spoke in a hoarse voice, revealing a fact that she still finds difficult to face even today.

"Damn it!" Kang Seulgi paused briefly, then slammed down her chopsticks in anger. "I knew this kid was even more of a player than Sehun!"

"I'm the leg that got split in!"

Bae Joo-hyun bit her lip and forced a bitter smile, her eyes revealing her desolation and sadness.

"Wait... Unnie, what do you mean? What do you mean... you're the one who got cheated on?" Kang Seulgi's mind was a little confused, but Bae Joohyun's light yet harsh words, word by word, "mean that I'm the other woman!"

As she spoke, she picked up her cola and took a sip! Her right hand, gripping the chopsticks, couldn't resist poking hard at the grilled meat on the plate! It was as if the grilled meat was made of Gong Cheng!

"...Do you know Zhao Meiyan?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

"I know him, his ex-girlfriend, right?"

"She got back together with Gong Cheng before I started dating him, and then Kim Jisoo caught her and told me..." Bae Joo-hyun patiently waited, secretly wanting to confide in her best friend. The thought of whispering secrets with Kim Jisoo felt ironic; in the end, she couldn't compare to her own Seulgi. "...Isn't that hilarious?"

“I gave Gong Cheng a gift the day before, and Jin Zhixiu saw it the next day. Then Jin Zhixiu came over and questioned me, her tone saying she wished Gong Cheng and I would break up as soon as possible…”

"I felt so choked up, like a huge rock was pressing on my chest, I couldn't breathe, Seulgi." Bae Joo-hyun's eyes gradually reddened, and her voice became heavy with sobs. "Then I broke up with him. I admit I really liked him, I really did... but he did something like this, I gave him a chance, as long as he and Cho Mi-yeon completely broke up, I..."

She sniffled, and tears finally streamed down her face: "But he actually disagreed! I said, 'Let's break up then,' and he disagreed even more... How can someone be so selfish..."

All the grievances, anger, and resentment that had been bottled up inside these past few days turned into scalding tears that streamed down my cheeks.

"What a scoundrel!" Seeing her crying so hard, Kang Seulgi quickly grabbed a tissue and handed it to her, her own cheeks flushed with anger. "That kid really needs to be taught a lesson! Scumbag! No wonder Sehun told me to stay away from that kid!"

"Sure enough, birds of a feather flock together! There's not a single good one in the artillery regiment! And this top artilleryman from Seoul is even more rotten to the core! What a scumbag!"

After comforting Bae Joo-hyun for a while, Kang Seul-gi was furious, her face turning red and her neck bulging!

I wish I could yell at that kid and slap him across the face twice!
"Forget it, Seulgi, I've thought it through. If we break up, we break up... Just like you said, it's just a good stock, sell it when it hits the limit down..." Bae Joohyun seemed to have made up her mind. She sniffed and ignored Gong Cheng's persistent nagging!

She doesn't want to get back together anymore...

"Seulgi, why is everyone else's first love so beautiful, but mine was..."

Oh oh oh!
"By the way, unnie, what did Lee Soo-man want with you earlier?"

Kang Seulgi watched her unnie's almost broken state and felt extremely heartbroken. She secretly thought about when to settle the score with that bastard! But for now, she would change the subject and stop her unnie from thinking about these upsetting things!
Pah! You scum! How could you do this to your unnie?
Do you think you're doing right by me, your wingman?
For a moment, she felt a pang of guilt; she had certainly tried to set the two of them up quite a bit…

"...He sent me a Dior endorsement deal..."

Bae Joohyun pursed her lips and recounted to Kang Seulgi everything that had happened in Lee Soo-man's office that day, "Then I refused, but the company's decision was that my refusal was useless..."

"Why did you refuse?!" Kang Seulgi slapped her forehead, looking at her unnie who was completely unmoved by reason, and said from a different angle, "Unnie, that guy treated you so badly! Why can't you take this endorsement?"

She picked up a piece of crispy roasted pork skin, put it in Bae Joo-hyun's bowl, and continued, "And BLACKPINK's Kim Jisoo, after hearing what you just said, the more I think about it, the more something seems off. Does she also have feelings for that Gong Cheng kid? Otherwise, why would she rush to tell you all that stuff? The way she acted, she clearly wanted to ruin your relationship right away!"

“Besides, if the company is determined to take this endorsement, do you think you can refuse? If things get ugly, it won't do you any good.” Seeing that Bae Joohyun had her head down and didn't refute, Kang Seulgi pressed on, “It’s better to accept it openly. Like Lee Soo-man said, what if… I mean, what if he actually used his connections to get this opportunity for you while you were still dating? Wouldn’t that prove that he didn’t try to force you back with resources?”

"That Gong Cheng, although he's a scumbag, he plays with emotions. He won't throw resources at you to try and win you back. That would be too tasteless. Besides, do you think he would think you're the kind of woman who can be won over with resources?"

Kang Seulgi raised an eyebrow, her tone certain, "If he really thinks that way, then he's truly blind..."

"..."

"I haven't made up my mind yet, my heart is in turmoil, Seulgi..." Bae Joohyun pursed her lips and sighed softly. She thought she had found true love!
The result was that it was definitely true love, but you might not be someone else's true love.

However, after Kang Seulgi's words of comfort, Bae Joohyun felt much better. She picked up her chopsticks, took two pieces of meat, and put them in her mouth, but then her phone on the table suddenly beeped twice.

She unlocked her phone and glanced at the message from Kim Jisoo: "Joohyun unnie, are you free today? Miyeon... wants to get to know you and learn about Gong Cheng..."

Bae Joo-hyun snapped out of her reverie and thought about it. She had seen Cho Mi-yeon's face once when (G)I-DLE first debuted, at an event with Ryder Baby. Later, she had met her again as a guest performer at Gong Cheng's concert, but they hadn't really interacted.

"Whose message is it, unnie? It's not that kid's, is it?"

Kang Seulgi peeked out and asked a question. She glanced at the message on the screen and the nickname "Kim Jisoo." She had originally thought that if it was Gong Cheng, she would give him a good scolding!

But upon seeing Kim Jisoo's name and the message she sent, she pouted, "Unnie, are these two trying to confront you?"

"..."

Bae Joo-hyun was hesitating about whether to meet him. To be honest, since she had decided to break up with the young man, she should be decisive and didn't want to get entangled. But then she heard Seulgi's voice again, "See you! Unnie!"

"This is outrageous! I want to see what these two scoundrels are up to! I won't allow them to bully Unnie!"

Kang Seulgi had a belligerent attitude. To be honest, she had seen Zhao Miyeon several times. Fans were praising her looks, but she couldn't compare to her unnie. To be fair, her unnie's only shortcoming was her height!

But how tall can that damn Cho Mi-yeon be? 161cm and 150-somethingcm make no difference to that kid! Besides, there are trainees in his own company, including the recently debuted limited group [IZ*ONE], who are all better looking than Cho Mi-yeon!

Now fans are even taking out loans for "Five Faces One" (a slang term for a specific type of fan)?
That's hilarious!
"...How about we just forget about it?"

"They've already broken up..."

Bae Joo-hyun hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly. But a message suddenly popped up on the screen from Kim Ji-soo, which changed her mind. "Joo-hyun unnie, how about we meet up after get off work tonight?"

"Miyeon is still not over that scumbag. How about we have a simple get-together and talk about what he's done? Maybe we can help Miyeon wake up to the truth sooner?"

These two sentences hit Bae Joo-hyun right where it hurts!

Kim Jisoo, isn't your intention a little too obvious?!
You'd be thrilled if we broke up, wouldn't you?! Besides, Zhao Meiyan is your friend, what does that have to do with me?!
Furious inside, Bae Joo-hyun replied with a simple "Fine!" Did Kim Ji-soo really think she had no temper?!
I can't even be bothered to argue with you about being a homewrecker and calling me a mistress. You're always so scheming, what's the point of all this?
"Unnie, I'll go with you after get off work!"

Kang Seulgi volunteered, eager to meet these two overbearing guys!

“Okay…” Bae Joo-hyun put down her phone, thought for a moment, nodded, and then added, “Remember not to tell the members about Gong Cheng and me…”

"Don't worry, unnie, I know what I'm doing!"

……

Meanwhile, Gong Cheng arrived in Bangkok at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

There were still quite a few fans waiting to greet him at the airport in Thailand. The tall figure walked through the terminal and stopped to give a few more words of advice to the group of fans: "Please be careful here."

"Do you understand?"

……

Stepping out of the airport, a dense swarm of cameras and Thai media were filming Gong Cheng's smiling face. Microphones were piled up in front of him, and he chuckled and said, "Sawasdee ka~~~~"

Then, escorted by bodyguards, Gong Cheng boarded the van. His itinerary in Bangkok was very simple!
Tomorrow we're going to the Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok's largest concert venue, for rehearsal. The concert officially starts the day after tomorrow and will run for three days. It can hold 65,000 spectators, and we expect to draw 200,000 people over the three days...

Then came Singapore and other places.

"..."

#The Emperor of Pop Makes His First Visit to Thailand#
#Tarot suspected of meeting Thai ladyboys at night~~#
#……#
In the hotel, Kim Dae-woo, furious, stared at the trending topics and immediately dialed the company's legal department, "Go and sue this blogger for #Tarot suspected of meeting Thai specialties~~ladyboys~~#!"

"What the hell are you talking about? How dare you insult the reputation of Tarot?"

"Why don't you just say it's a secret rendezvous with a snake demon?"

……

Seoul was bathed in the twilight of dusk; the streetlights had just come on, and the streets were damp from a light rain...

Bae Joo-hyun and Kang Seul-gi walked side by side into the alley where the bar was located. A faint smell of soju wafted in the air, and their shadows were stretched long, as if they were carrying heavy burdens of their hearts.

"I have a feeling this place is like a trap," Kang Seulgi muttered to herself, still feeling a little nervous.
But looking at her own sturdy build, and then considering the height and physique of Zhao Meiyan and Kim Jisoo, the advantage lies with us, Ryderbabe!

Bae Joo-hyun didn't respond, but simply adjusted the collar of her trench coat, her emotions hidden behind her lowered eyelashes. Before coming, she had guessed that tonight wouldn't be easy, after all, she was going to see Kim Ji-soo, and also Jo Mi-yeon, the one who made her heart clench.

Two culprits who caused my first love to end!
Pushing open the door to the bar adorned with wind chimes, the warm light from the lobby spilled out, mingling with soft jazz music. The two arrived at a private room with excellent privacy. Upon opening the door, they saw two figures sitting on the sofa: Kim Jisoo in a beige knit sweater and Jo Miyeon in a simple black dress. Several unopened bottles of soju were placed on the low table in front of them.

"Joohyun unnie~" Kim Jisoo stood up first, a signature smile on her face. She felt quite guilty about what had happened earlier. Now, she really wanted to mend her relationship with this unnie. "Seulgi sunbaenim~"

Bae Joo-hyun's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. The "unnie" sounded particularly grating, reminding her of the other person's aggressive manner in the coffee shop, and a wave of annoyance washed over her.

"Irene sunbaenim, Seulgi sunbaenim~" Zhao Meiyan also stood up, her face showing a perfectly gentle smile, her tone so respectful that it was impeccable.

Bae Joo-hyun was somewhat surprised. Compared to Kim Ji-soo's overly familiar and uncomfortable demeanor, this woman in front of her, whom she should have hated to the core, actually seemed more pleasing to the eye at the moment. Even though the woman who came tonight was not well-intentioned, unlike Kim Ji-soo, whose smiling appearance concealed an eagerness and ulterior motive to ruin everything!
Kang Seulgi stood at the door without moving, her eyes sweeping over Bae Joohyun's face. Her unnie's cold eyebrows and eyes, disregarding her height, just the straight lines of her lips and the indifferent look in her eyes, made her look like a bully. She even shrank back a little.

But... that's how it should be. Kang Seulgi nodded inwardly. After all, one of these two was a troublemaking "fake sister," and the other was the "real girlfriend" standing in the middle. They were clearly enemies, not friends. Should she greet them with a smile?
Unnie~ Awesome!

The jazz music was still playing in the private room... Feeling inexplicably awkward, Kim Jisoo glanced at Jo Miyeon, who had a dazed and gentle smile on her face.

Sister, say something!
Enemy attack! Enemy attack!

"Didn't you ask me to organize this gathering?" Seeing that Zhao Meiyan remained unmoved, Kim Jisoo, as the "middleman," had no choice but to smooth things over and try to dispel the oppressive atmosphere in the private room. She smiled sincerely at Bae Joo-hyun, "Joo-hyun unnie, the Dior endorsement I mentioned to you before has been confirmed!"

"Shall we grab a drink together? Let's celebrate!"

Bae Joo-hyun nodded, a faint smile appearing on her usually indifferent face, and gave a perfunctory reply, "Congratulations, Jisoo."

When facing off against another king, she remained calm and collected!
Because Seulgi, who's right next to me, isn't someone to be trifled with.

Kang Seulgi glanced at Kim Jisoo in surprise, then picked up her glass and lightly clinked it with the glasses of the two people opposite her. She still asked in surprise, "Was this endorsement arranged for you by Tarot as well?"

This was the first time she'd ever heard of Kim Jisoo being a Dior spokesperson. But thinking about what her unnie had told her this morning, she figured Kim Jisoo was probably secretly eyeing that kid Gong Cheng.
So she was just curious and asked!

Hearing this, Bae Joo-hyun smiled with satisfaction, observing Jo Mi-yeon's gentle smile.

"..." Kim Jisoo nodded, her face twitching slightly, wanting to deny it!
But putting aside the fact that [Emerging Dawn] really accelerated its evaluation period and handed the endorsement to him without saying a word, the group of people in the private room all believed that this endorsement was inseparable from Gong Cheng!
"Seulgi sunbaenim, why did you say 'again'?"

Zhao Meiyan blinked, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere. She had a shield by her side; why bring her along if she wasn't going to get hurt?
"Because our unnie also received a Dior endorsement deal this morning..."

Kang Seulgi's words were meant to provoke Zhao Miyeon, even though our unnie had already broken up with Gong Cheng! But that guy just loves to pester my unnie, doesn't he?!

"They said it was a direct airdrop..."

She took a sip of her drink with a forced smile, and then added a sentence.

Bae Joo-hyun nodded coolly, feigning nonchalance, and watched the fleeting panic in Jo Mi-yeon's eyes before chuckling and curling her lips into a smile.

You still dare to ask me to meet?

Who gave you confidence?

"Heh... another one of those persistent harassment tactics!" Kim Ji-soo sarcastically remarked on Gong Cheng's actions!

But when Bae Joo-hyun heard this, she narrowed her eyes, glanced at her former friend, and felt a surge of resentment in her heart!

You got the endorsement deal, and now you're the one saying my first love is no good? Is this a clear attempt to reap the benefits without lifting a finger?
Zhao Meiyan also looked at Kim Jisoo suspiciously. "Girl! You've already got endorsements!"

Isn't it too fake to say all this now? It's like she's practically begging to break up with her boyfriend!

This woman is so vicious!

Kim Ji-soo grew angrier the more she thought about it. She wanted the two of them to fight to the death so she could take advantage of the chaos, but her feelings for Gong Cheng were very strange! She liked him, yet she also wanted to kill him because what he did was simply incomprehensible!
Zhao Meiyan took a deep breath, her dazed look dissipating slightly, and a sharp glint appeared in her eyes. "Oppa is really generous, she just dumped the endorsement like that. What do you think, Irene sunbaenim?"

"What?" Hearing the sarcastic words directed at her, Bae Joo-hyun immediately understood. This little girl probably hadn't broken up with Gong Cheng yet, and was instead showing off? She didn't mince words, "Didn't he take care of you?"

Zhao Meiyan's face stiffened, but remembering what Gong Cheng had mentioned about the Burberry endorsement that day, which would probably take until after the New Year, she felt more confident. "Senior seems to be particularly concerned about my relationship with Oppa..."

She took a sip of her wine, the liquid staining the corner of her lips, but she didn't wipe it away. The tenderness in her eyes had vanished from before. "Haven't you let go yet?"

Bae Joo-hyun was fiddling with the ice in her glass with a straw when she heard this. She looked up and said, "I'm not interested in other people's boyfriends. I just can't stand people who take up space but can't control themselves."

"Regarding Oppa, Irene-senpai." Zhao Meiyan smiled gently, her chin slightly raised, the respect in her tone lessened considerably, and she pronounced "Oppa" with exceptional clarity, carrying an undeniable intimacy, "...Mi-ah, it's my fault for not disciplining him properly."

"Discipline him? You don't seem like the kind of person who can control him, otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here today!" Bae Joo-hyun raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in her eyes. She was extremely displeased by the intimacy in Joo-hyun's words, her tone devoid of emotion yet carrying a compelling aura. "Besides, Jo Mi-yeon-ssi, do you need to apologize for what happened between him and me?!"

"Great!" Kang Seulgi held up her wine glass and secretly gave her unnie a thumbs up!

Jisoo's eyes widened. "Is this really the Joo-hyun unnie I know?" Then she subtly glanced at Pab! "I told you you couldn't beat her! Pab, can't you give me a break?!"
Zhao Meiyan's expression stiffened for a moment, then she smiled again, "That's not what I meant, it's just that since you and Oppa have broken up, shouldn't some boundaries be drawn more clearly? And..."

“Sometimes, it’s not that I can’t control him, it’s that there are too many temptations outside, and he can’t resist them…”

"Bang!" Bae Joo-hyun slammed her wine glass heavily on the table. "Are you saying I seduced him?" The Daegu woman's sharp eyes swept over Zhao Mei-yan, who was smiling gently across from her, before she spoke coldly, "We've already broken up. Doesn't that mean we've severed ties?"

"Zhao Meiyan-ssi, aren't you being a little petty?" As she spoke, Bae Joohyun glanced at Kim Jisoo, who was sitting there dumbfounded and didn't dare to say a word, but was listening with great interest, and chuckled, "Does Jisoo know how petty you are?"

Hearing this, Kim Jisoo was shocked to hear it dragged into this! She quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "It's our first time working together, let's switch sides and start again. Joohyun unnie, Miyeon didn't mean it that way. She's a really nice person. If you ask me, you were all fooled by that scumbag! You should be on the same side!"

"Jisoo, although Gong Cheng is a scumbag, in a sense, being able to seduce girls outside is also a skill of his. On the contrary, those who are not skilled cannot keep their girls..." Bae Joo-hyun looked at Kim Ji-soo with a pitying gaze!
From the moment she entered the private room, she realized her initial guess was correct! Zhao Meiyan wasn't as clueless and stupid as she seemed! On the contrary, Kim Jisoo was the biggest fool in the world!

Zhao Meiyan's face flushed red, as if Bae Joo-hyun's words had hit a nerve. But when she glanced at the message popping up on her phone screen, it was a voice message from Gong Cheng!
She casually sipped her drink, and in front of Bae Joo-hyun, she opened the voice message. Gong Cheng's soft voice came through the receiver, "Pabu, I've arrived at the hotel. Just letting you know I'm safe~"

Listening, Zhao Meiyan smiled, "Irene is right, but for me, no matter how much Oppa messes around outside, as long as he comes home, that's all that matters!!!" She emphasized the word "come home"!

This statement sounds like it's implying that Bae Joo-hyun is a wild woman!

Bae Joo-hyun's face turned pale as she listened to that jerk's voice message! But then she saw Gong Cheng's message pop up on her silent phone, and her anger turned into a laugh!
Ah, this is the real him, the master of time management.

Without even looking, she knew what the message that guy was shamelessly sending would be, but unlike Zhao Meiyan on the other side, she wasn't so impatient as to use it to show off!

“Senior Irene, let me toast you. Oppa is my boyfriend now. If you keep acting so aloof, it's bound to cause him to misunderstand and make us a laughing stock, isn't it?”

Zhao Meiyan pressed her advantage with a smile, holding her wine glass very low, and revealed the true purpose of her visit.

Kang Seulgi sat to the side, watching as her unnie seemed to be losing ground... She opened her mouth, wanting to interject, but couldn't get a word in edgewise.

“Others?” Bae Joo-hyun took a sip of her drink and gave Kim Ji-soo a mocking look. “You mean… Ji-soo?”

Upon hearing this, Kim Jisoo, who was sitting to the side, trembled violently in the hand holding her wine glass, as if her secret thoughts had been exposed!
But it felt more like being stabbed in the back by this unnie (older sister/older sister) without warning...

To these two women in front of him, Gong Cheng's ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend, wasn't he just an outsider?

"There's nothing between Gong Cheng and me..."

Kim Jisoo clenched her fists, raised her eyelids and glanced at the two people in front of her. They seemed to want to distance themselves from Gong Cheng!

Zhao Meiyan chuckled softly and patted Jisoo unnie's shoulder. "Irene sunbaenim didn't say anything about you and Oppa, so why are you so nervous, unnie?"

Kang Seulgi's mind was a bit of a mess at the moment. How did the Chu River and Han Border turn into a Three Kingdoms Kill game?
Moreover, her own unnie and the opposite Cho Mi-yeon have suddenly become allies? In her opinion, isn't this just making things difficult for Kim Ji-soo by acting like a Japanese person?!
Bae Joo-hyun stared at the two people opposite her with a forced smile!
Not a single one of them is any good! One is the biggest fool in the world, the other is a junior who never lets his power go to waste... Do they really think they're pushovers?

Seeing the atmosphere gradually becoming dull, Bae Joo-hyun considered getting up and leaving. Some of the plans she had made up her mind had changed course at the dinner table tonight!

You two are really showing off!
Even if I break up with Gong Cheng, I'll still make you two miserable!

"..."

Bae Joo-hyun picked up the trench coat from the hanger and draped it over her arm. She suddenly looked at Jo Mi-yeon, pointed to the wine glass on the table in front of her, and smiled for the first time that evening, "Jo Mi-yeon-ssi, I have to say something you won't like to hear..."

“Gong Cheng is like this glass of wine, and we are like ice cubes. Right now, this glass of wine may contain you, but once you, this ice cube, melt, the next ice cube will come in.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Meiyan's lips twitched unnaturally. You have to admit, this old woman's description is quite apt!
Otherwise, her male relative wouldn't have been juggling so many relationships, but she still stubbornly retorted, "Then... Senior Irene, has your block of ice completely melted away?"

“It was almost completely melted…” Bae Joo-hyun put on a brown trench coat, smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, and put on a baseball cap. Standing there, she looked down lightly at Jo Mi-yeon and Kim Ji-soo sitting on the sofa. “But now it’s not so certain…”

"Because he doesn't want me to melt!"

As she spoke, she put on a mask, covering the corners of her upturned lips, and turned to look at the bewildered Kang Seulgi beside her. "Let's go, Seulgi!"

……

"Unnie, you were amazing just now! That Zhao Meiyan was so awesome!"

Stepping out of the bar, a cool autumn breeze swept over them, dispelling the stifling smell of alcohol from the private room. Kang Seulgi immediately and affectionately took Bae Joohyun's arm, pulling her almost forcefully towards her…

She lowered her voice, her tone filled with barely suppressed excitement, and even her steps became lighter. "Those words made Zhao Meiyan's face turn pale. Seeing her wanting to lash out but not daring to, it was so satisfying! She even dared to act like your official girlfriend in front of you. Doesn't she know her own limitations?"

"Really are……"

After remaining silent for a while, Bae Joo-hyun suddenly turned red at Kang Seul-gi beside her and asked abruptly, "Seul-gi, do you think I can be pushed out of her position?"

"???"

"What do you mean, unnie?" Kang Seulgi's mind didn't quite process it for a moment. "Unnie, you don't want to get back together with that guy, do you?"

"He treated you like this..."

"Who said I want to get back together?" Bae Joo-hyun's steps faltered slightly as she was shaken by her. She raised her hand to tidy her wind-blown hair, her voice carrying a hint of weariness from just getting out of a workout. "Being pushed out by Jo Mi-yeon doesn't necessarily mean I want to reconcile with Gong Cheng, does it?"

"I just can't stand her arrogant attitude! Originally, I was thinking of letting this matter go... it's already come to this... but you think those two went too far, how can I swallow this?"

After hearing these words, Kang Seulgi sighed and asked softly, "Unnie really doesn't want to make up with that guy anymore?"

"I don't know... but I definitely don't want to right now!" A complicated look flashed across Bae Joo-hyun's face. She'd deal with it later...

Moreover, even if we really wanted to make up with him, it wouldn't be that easy!
Just like before, let that brat coax, push, pull, and play hard to get, and he'll win me over!

"I've accepted the Dior endorsement!"

"I'll do what Zhao Meiyan doesn't want me to do, and I'll show her!"

Bae Joo-hyun tried to save face by saying that she was genuinely provoked by Jo Mi-yeon and Kim Ji-soo! Moreover, she wanted to see how her "first love" would act—would he offer her some comfort and attention for a couple of days, then turn around and move on to the next one?
Or are they truly willing to make amends for their mistakes...?

"That's well said, unnie! I support you!"

"It's long overdue!"

Kang Seulgi chimed in in agreement!
"Seulgi, dating is so hard..." Bae Joohyun sighed softly, but for some reason, the pent-up frustration in her heart dissipated considerably after deciding to wait and see. She suddenly realized that she also didn't really want to break things off with him so completely... cleanly...

"Yes, unnie~ that's how dating is, there will be countless problems!" Kang Seulgi nodded like a knowledgeable older sister, "But the opponent you met this time was really nasty!"

The two walked along the streets of Myeongdong, the evening wind whistling through them...

As she struggled uphill down the alley, Bae Joo-hyun murmured wistfully, her eyes filled with reminiscence, "Actually, I know he really likes me, but I still can't understand why he did this..."

"I don't know how he treats Zhao Meiyan, but when you're with him... it's really hard to tell he's a player..."

As she spoke softly, she touched the gift Gong Cheng had given her a few days ago. Among that pile of gifts, she liked the expensive jewelry necklace and souvenirs, but her favorite was the bracelet that Gong Cheng had foolishly bought from the fortune teller's stall for protection and good fortune in his career...

"What a scumbag! He's the best at pretending!"

"Unnie, you mustn't let him fool you again next time..."

Kang Seulgi shook her head and said, "What kind of good person can be the 'big brother' of a bastard like Sehun?"

……

"Sei-chan, are you still sad about Bae Joo-hyun's situation?"

In his hotel room in Bangkok, Gong Cheng nestled on the large bed, playing the online game "Minecraft" with Mina on the other end of the phone. Through the receiver, Mina's soft, concerned voice could be heard.

"...How could I not be sad?"

Gong Cheng leaned lazily against the pillows and replied. Meanwhile, on the screen, the pixelated character controlled by Mingi Mina was rapidly building a house on the hillside. Compared to the little penguin's luxurious "palace," her own little shack looked quite dilapidated!
Sometimes I have to admit that I'm just terrible at handy things.

"If you're feeling down, why don't you blow up my house?"

Mina gently comforted him as her pixelated figure "chirped" and flew to Makoto's side, holding a bundle of red TNT. In the past, Makoto was always up to no good! The villa that he had painstakingly built would always be vandalized by Makoto, who would laugh and cause trouble!

"I don't want it to get dark..."

Gong Cheng sniffed, glanced at the darkening sky in the game world, and flew straight to Mina's luxurious palace. He went to her bedroom with practiced ease, and plopped down on the little penguin's bed like a rogue. "I'm going to sleep..."

Mina helplessly hugged the bundle of TNT and followed behind him, watching him lie shamelessly on his bed. Then, Makoto's pixelated character went offline!

She huddled under the covers, listening to the rustling sound of someone turning over and pulling up the covers on the other end of the line, and whispered into the phone, where the call was still connected.
Goodnight, Makoto~

Goodnight, Sharon~

(End of this chapter)