The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 339 The Strategist Hired by Kim Ji-soo! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
During the 11-hour flight, the sky outside the window went from bright to dark, and by the time the plane broke through the clouds, Los Angeles was already immersed in a thick night... The moment the cabin door opened, a cool evening breeze rushed in, and Gong Cheng followed a large group of team members down the stairs.

"..."

Outside the terminal, fans who had been waiting for a long time waved their support signs gently in the night. When Gong Cheng's tall figure emerged, cheers and shouts of support drifted over on the evening breeze.

Gong Cheng raised his hand, smiled at them, waved briefly, and without lingering, followed his manager through the crowd and into the van.

When he returned to his suite at the Soho Hotel, the clock on the wall was already pointing to midnight. Gong Cheng put his suitcase in the corner, tossed his coat onto the sofa, and turned on a bedside lamp in the bedroom. The warm yellow light fell on the carpet, making the surroundings seem even quieter.

"See you tomorrow!"

He took out his phone and dialed Eminem's number. A slightly hoarse laugh came through the receiver, and after a few pleasantries, they set a time to meet the next day.

As for the recording studio, he didn't need to worry about it much. JYP had already made most of the arrangements in advance. In addition, Los Angeles is a major center of the music industry, attracting many international singers and well-known producers. In a decent recording studio, top-notch equipment is almost standard.

Tomorrow, we'll be recording the audio for our collaboration with Eminem and Taylor, and that very night, Gong Cheng has to head to Chicago.

After arranging the work properly, Gong Cheng glanced at the message sent by Kim Jisoo, the silly girl on Kakao.

"I probably won't be finished in New York for another two days..."

"How can you be like this? Fans have already posted videos and photos of you arriving in Los Angeles online, why aren't you replying to their messages? (Angry)"

"Gong Cheng, if you keep doing this, I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Gong Cheng glanced at the message Jin Dajie had sent, her tone accusatory and angry. He rolled his eyes. "You act like you really like me."

"Besides, I'm dating Miyeon and Joohyun at the same time right now, so I definitely have to call them first. You'll have to wait your turn!"

After making sarcastic remarks about Kim Jisoo, he put down his phone and went into the bathroom to wash up.

……

"Axi!"

In a New York hotel, Kim Jisoo curled up on the sofa, her fingertips tapping the background image of the chat window on her phone screen—a photo of the two of them taken by fans, which had gone viral at the time.

The CP name was once called "Kung Pao Jin Ding"...

In the picture, Gong Cheng stands on the curb of the coffee shop. His tall figure is stretched even longer by the slanting light. Looking through the lens, his shoulder line tilts slightly with his posture, yet he exudes a relaxed uprightness. His facial features, exposed under the brim of his baseball cap, are bathed in the languid glow of dusk.

Kim Jisoo was squatting on a stone platform at the street corner, her black baseball cap turned backwards, and her pure white tight-fitting T-shirt wrapped around her slender shoulders and back. The neckline was loose and hanging down, which made her chest look full and bulging, revealing a bit of unguarded cuteness.

She looked up at Gong Cheng, her chin slightly raised, the corners of her mouth curved like crescent moons, her cheekbones full, and even the corners of her eyes were filled with laughter.

However, in Kim Ji-soo's eyes, the side profile of Gong Cheng, who was caught smiling lightly, looked incredibly irritating.

"Who does he think he is!" she muttered under her breath, poking Gong Cheng's cheek on the screen with her fingertip, muttering... and spitting out two more words through gritted teeth: "You're a terrible player when you play games, always losing... but you're really good at beating me!"

Jisoo's words carried a hint of anger...

Despite her complaints, she still pressed the voice recorder button and said succinctly, "I have another day of filming tomorrow..."

At this point, Kim Jisoo stopped speaking, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"You should understand what I mean, right?" she thought to herself, her fingertip lingering on the send button before finally pressing it.

【New Dawn】If you're still a man, invite me to your concert like you did that night, give me some time to see you!
"..."

Sitting on the sofa, Kim Jisoo crossed her legs, and the corners of her mouth turned down again as time passed. One minute, two minutes... The screen was lit up, but no new messages popped up in the chat box.

"Damn it, Gong Cheng!" Kim Jisoo sat up abruptly and threw her phone onto the sofa.

You're acting all high and mighty now? Look at you, so capable!

Just as he angrily threw down his phone, a video call started ringing from the phone lying face down on the sofa.

Kim Jisoo eagerly picked it up, but when she saw the caller's contact name, her face involuntarily stiffened. She smoothed her stray hairs, took a deep breath, and answered the video call from Jo Miyeon: "Miyeon, what's wrong?"

When is Unnie going to Chicago?

In the video call, Zhao Meiyan's smiling face appeared, her eyes blinking sleepily as she asked with a curious expression.

"Chicago?"

Upon hearing this, Kim Jisoo's expression involuntarily became flustered!

There was a sense of guilt in them, and it was common knowledge that Gong Cheng's first stop on his tour in the United States was Chicago.

"Yes, Oppa already told me."

"He invited you to his concert..."

Zhao Meiyan spoke with a smile, showing no sign of dissatisfaction on her face, but rather appearing quite generous.

"That's it..."

A gentle smile played on Kim Ji-soo's face, but a sudden pang of sadness welled up inside her.

You, "Newborn Dawn," now you know to report to Zhao Meiyan? Why didn't you report to her when you were cheating on her with someone else?
"I haven't decided yet. I've been quite busy filming in New York lately..." She hesitated for a moment, then replied softly, "I might not go."

As they were talking, Kim Jisoo saw the reply from 【初生东曦】 on Kakao. She switched to the chat window and glanced at it: "On the 5th, I'll pick you up at Chicago Airport. Call me when you board."

His tone was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Zhao Meiyan blinked, watching Kim Jisoo's expression, and then said softly, "Unnie, if you have the chance, you should go and see her... I feel more at ease with you here, so that Bae Joohyun won't shamelessly go and find Oppa again."

"...Is that so?"

Kim Jisoo glanced at Jo Miyeon in the video with surprise. They really were good friends!

He wasn't even on guard against her? But facing her best friend's trusting gaze, she felt a pang of unease about declining Gong Cheng's concert invitation... I can't possibly do something that would betray Mei Yan, can I?!
The two haven't broken up yet...

"Yes, we are all so close."

"It's rare for unnie to be able to go to Oppa's concert. If your schedule allows, please go, unnie~ I might go too in a few days, so could you please keep an eye on Oppa for me?"

In (G)I-DLE's dorm room, Zhao Meiyan lay on her pillow, her face bare, talking to herself, but she sighed softly in her heart!

Gong Cheng and Kim Ji-soo are in Los Angeles and New York, respectively. If they want to meet, they can't be stopped. So, the only thing to do is scare this unnie a little. Who would go to America?! They (G)I-DLE have only been debuted for half a year, and the company's management is very strict.

Foreigners like Yuqi, Shuhua, and Minnie have to apply to go home. Besides the strict management system, there's also the fear that they might run away and not come back!
Such cases of artists fleeing are not uncommon. After all, in Asia, the Chinese market is much larger than that of the Korean Peninsula, and the money earned is on a completely different level. The case of three artists fleeing has led many entertainment companies to tighten their control over green card holders.

"You're coming to America?"

When Kim Jisoo heard these words in the video, her heart sank!
"Hey unnie... I don't have any schedule lately, the main thing is the year-end music festival, I want to go out and have some fun."

Zhao Meiyan raised her small face, squinted her eyes, and smiled softly.

I'll scare you to death!

Two nights ago, after a late-night talk with Gong Cheng, Zhao Meiyan realized that it was utterly useless to try to change her husband!
She has been trying to change things for three years... but as his achievements and career have risen, he has become even more outrageous. She believes that the most urgent thing is to figure out what is going on with TWICE.

One is Nayeon, and the other is Tzuyu!

One of them is sharp-tongued and seems even more domineering than Bae Joo-hyun, while the other is an extreme case of being a green tea b*tch, always calling him "brother" this and "brother" that.

……

The next day, August 12th.

At the recording studio at 31 Louis Boulevard in Los Angeles, Gong Cheng met Eminem and Taylor, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

In one day, Gong Cheng and the other two completed the recording of the two songs, "Lover" and "River". The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant during the recording of the two featured songs.

As the evening glow faded, the Ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier lit up, its colorful lights slowly turning in the twilight, like a giant sugar ring.

The three of them drank at a bar near the beach.

"..."

As the wine glasses clinked and night fell, Gong Cheng rose and prepared to leave with the two men.

He still has to catch a flight to Chicago in two hours. Eminem will be attending his concert in Chicago on the 6th, while Taylor will be at his last stop in the United States on Christmas Day.

As soon as they stepped out of the private room, compared to when the three of them came to the bar for drinks, there were many customers sitting at the three tables in the main hall, and on the simple wooden stage next to the bar, the resident singer was playing songs with his guitar.

The bar was filled with the clinking of glasses and loud laughter until someone in the corner suddenly raised their voice: "Eminem? Taylor?!"

The words had barely left his lips when another exclamation rang out, a trembling voice filled with disbelief: "Tarot?!?!"

In an instant, several pairs of eyes turned to the three people who had just walked out of the private room.

Gong Cheng and Eminem were both wearing baseball caps, the brims pulled down low, covering most of their faces and only revealing their sharp jawlines. Taylor was still wearing the sun hat she wore in the afternoon, the wide brim pressing her signature long, golden curls behind her neck, revealing a section of her neck. She looked like an ordinary guest, but her tall figure was still quite eye-catching.

"Can we take a photo?"

"Holy crap! These three are in a frame of the century!"

Someone stood up, clutching their phone, and pleaded.

Quiet whispers spread like ripples on water, but no one dared to push forward; their expressions were a mixture of shock and delight.

"..."

Gong Cheng and the others didn't put on airs, smiling and nodding... The shutter clicked one after another for group photos, interspersed with a few quiet "thank yous," creating a lively yet restrained atmosphere.

After finishing with the customers in the store, Gong Cheng glanced at the time, got into the car first, and said, "I'm going to the airport first." He waved to Eminem and Taylor, then closed the car door and headed to the airport.

……

#Tarot and Eminem Taylor in the same frame#
#Is a collaboration of the century on the horizon?#
That evening, as soon as the news of the three of them together spread, entertainment media around the world went wild almost simultaneously.

Gong Cheng and Taylor's collaboration is commonplace.

However, to the outside world, his relationship with Eminem was practically that of complete strangers, and the news of their duet was kept tightly under wraps. Even the special guest featured on the poster for the Chicago concert the day after tomorrow was only referred to as a "mystery guest."

The four words sparked much speculation among fans and media when tickets went on sale for the US leg of the tour a few days ago.

People guessed Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Drake, The Bonsai, Kanye West, Gaga... all sorts of names, but very few guessed this hip-hop superstar.

Many music streaming sites also featured special sections on their websites, with titles like "Epic Collaboration! Tarot, Eminem, and Taylor Swift's Secret Meeting in Los Angeles Hints at the Next Hit Single?"

Rolling Stone magazine even tagged the three members' personal social media accounts, with the caption, "Stop pretending, we all saw it! Can we start looking forward to the official announcement of the collaboration now?"

The accompanying photo is a picture of the three of them at the restaurant...

Many media outlets and fans also uncovered that Eminem had previously shared Tarot's new single on his social media account, revealing many previously unnoticed interactions.

"Holy crap! My favorite singer from 20 years ago, my favorite singer from 10 years ago, and my favorite singer now are all in the same frame?!"

"A hip-hop superstar, an international diva, and... well, how exactly should we define TTTTArot?"

"Hip-hop superstar? Pop superstar? Rockstar? The hottest Trap songs of the past two years are all his songs, and the most popular and best-selling pop songs of the last two years are also his songs?"

"Is it possible that the mystery guest for the Chicago stop is Eminem? I'd be so excited if these two really collaborated..."

"..."

#The Young King Arrives in America#
This feature article, which has thrilled music fans worldwide, comes from the latest issue of Billboard magazine. The cover features a photo of Tarot standing on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, his back to the setting sun, his broad shoulders draped over a black leather jacket, his shadow stretched long like a sword about to be drawn. The headline, "The Young King Descends on America," is printed in gold lettering next to the poster…

The feature begins by rewinding to 2016: "Who still remembers that spring of 16?"

"In the night breeze of the Han River Bridge in Seoul, an impromptu rap segment suddenly swept across YouTube. The boy's voice on camera had an unpolished naiveté, yet it possessed a power that struck people's hearts. That was the first time Gong Cheng was seen by the world. And in the summer of the same year, he officially debuted under the name 'Tarot Cards,' and from then on, the world's music scene was invaded by—Tarot!"

The text unfolds along a timeline, with the pen strokes and photographs from different periods of "Tarot" tracing his growth trajectory:

"16, 17, 18... Three years, a career honed by fate, is full of personal legend. At a fan meeting after a defeat, Tarot once said to all his fans: 'To those who still express their support after the defeat, one day I will make you proud.' Three years of tempering made 'Tarot' leap into one of the greatest pop superstars of this century."

“From the lyrics about Yeongdeungpo in ‘Three of Swords’, to the melodic tension of ‘fear of weightlessness when taking off’ in ‘Wheel of Fortune’, to the hazy and fragile atmosphere in ‘The Moon’, to ‘…’ in ‘Six of Cups’, and then to the ‘Lovers’ card released in its entirety last month, he has woven a web of ‘love and choice’ with piano and strings.”

"Three mini-albums and two full-length albums, each album and each period is like a Tarot card being revealed. The young king found everything from the 'treasury of nature' and officially brought the 'Tarot effect' phenomenon into the social media age. He himself has already revealed the most important card in the Major Arcana in reality—[The Emperor]."

Keywords: spirited and full of vigor, attracting worldwide attention

"..."

At the end of the feature, Billboard included a Major Arcana chart of The Emperor from the Tarot, featuring a golden crown and a young king holding a scepter...

This feature report was shared and commented on by countless music fans.

"Damn, is Billboard, the pop music magazine, really that good at writing?"

"It's a bit silly, but what if people find it enjoyable to watch?"

"Damn it! Park Jin-young, it's been over a year since my beloved's personal documentary, and there's still no news?! Can you please stop being so busy with your toilet paper sequel and trying to create a CP with my beloved?"

"..."

……

After a nearly four-hour flight, Gong Cheng landed in Chicago.

……

On December 5th, the cool air permeated Wrigley Field in Chicago, the home of the Chicago Cubs, the lead singer of Major League Baseball.

However, nowadays, a four-sided platform has been built in the center of the field. In addition to the circular, tiered seats, the grass where players used to run and swing their bats is now neatly arranged with newly added inner field seats. The light gray seats are slightly tilted along the terrain, leaving passageways for people to walk through.

It can accommodate nearly 50,000 people.

"Please keep an eye on the speakers. As for the lights, we'll adjust them tonight... I'm going to the airport."

Gong Cheng, who had just finished rehearsing, picked up his coat from the sofa while breathing heavily, then took his car keys from the table, put them in his pocket, and gave a brief explanation.

"Why are you going?"

"How about I drive you?"

Kim Dae-woo and Cha Gon-ho asked one after the other.

Just kidding. In the free United States, the company's first priority is to protect Gong Cheng's personal safety; everything else is secondary.

"Kenchana~"

"I'm going to the airport to pick someone up."

Gong Cheng waved with a smile. Kim Ji-soo had called him before boarding the plane, and judging by the time, she was probably about to land. If things went quickly, she might already be getting ready to disembark.

"Pick someone up?"

Kim Dae-woo looked at Gong Cheng with a puzzled expression.

But soon a smile appeared in Green Bean's eyes. It must be Irene.
It seems that, with my help, the two have made up...

Oh my god, you brat, what will you do without me? But speaking of which, he really thinks Irene is a great girl. That trip to Jakarta really scared him!

Coming to Chicago again, that takes guts! So crazy for love!
Kim Daewoo then fell silent, thinking he should give the young couple some privacy, but inwardly he was screaming, "Jie Fen! Jie Fen!"

……

"I'm right at the terminal entrance, license plate number xxx..."

Outside the terminal of O'Hare Airport, the busiest passenger airport in the United States, Gong Cheng sat in his car, talking on his phone while looking out at the dense crowd of people outside the terminal, searching for Kim Ji-soo.

"There are so many cars outside the terminal, how am I supposed to know which one is you? Why don't you get out of the car? You're tall, I can spot you at a glance..." Kim Jisoo said helplessly into the receiver in her exceptionally clear and cold voice.

Gong Cheng reluctantly unbuckled his seatbelt. "Are you trying to elope with me? Look at all these people around us, it'll be troublesome if we get recognized..." he muttered under his breath, but still obediently got out of the car, his tall figure searching for the group of people in front of the terminal.

Jisoo likes tall people, he likes short people.

"Who wants to elope with you?"

Kim Jisoo cursed under her breath over the phone.

"..." Gong Cheng ignored her and stood in front of the car, carefully searching for Kim Ji-soo's figure in the crowd. He then saw a figure with her back to him, carrying a suitcase, with long, straight black hair draped over a brown down jacket. She was not tall and was stamping her feet, not because she was cold!
Then, Jisoo's exasperated voice came through the receiver again, "Aren't you going to say anything? When will this end!"

"Is this interesting, Gong Cheng..."

"Shh~ I think I see you!" Gong Cheng smiled helplessly, raising his face from under his mask towards the figure a dozen meters away, and called out, "Xiuxiu!"

The people weaving through the crowd behind Kim Jisoo's back were all startled by the shout and looked over. They saw a tall figure, a young man in a baseball cap and white mask, waving. But it was nothing unusual; it was an airport!
There were many people waiting to pick up their loved ones at the airport, some holding up signs, others shouting out their names, probably because they hadn't found the person they wanted to meet.

Hearing the familiar voice, Kim Ji-soo gripped the phone and glanced back at Gong Cheng not far away. However, the many tourists passing by kept blocking her view, but she still hurriedly carried her suitcase and walked over quickly.

Although he wouldn't be recognized in Los Angeles without being arrogant, the person named "Emerging Dawn" not far away is easily recognizable. Now, almost everyone in the world knows he's in the Windy City, Chicago.

"Slow down, Xiuxiu!"

Gong Cheng saw Kim Ji-soo, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and immediately beamed with joy, standing there with his arms crossed and calling out to her.

"Shut up!"

Upon hearing the nickname "Xiuxiu," Kim Jisoo glanced at the passersby around her, her face flushing red. She raised her head in a slightly embarrassed manner and retorted.

"Get in the car, give me your luggage."

Gong Cheng ignored this hot-tempered woman, grabbed the suitcase from her hand, stuffed it into the trunk of the Mercedes, and then got into the driver's seat. "Let's go, I'll treat you to dinner!"

"it is good."

After fastening her seatbelt, Kim Jisoo took off her mask and took a deep breath of fresh air.

Chicago is windy all year round, hence its nickname "Windy City." The windy environment is also related to the nearby Lake Michigan. She rolled down half of the car window, and the wind made her feel cool. After enjoying the cool breeze for a short while, she quickly rolled the window up again.

She glanced at Gong Cheng, who was driving, from time to time, opened her mouth as if to say something, but didn't know what to say!

"...Why are you so unfamiliar with this?"

"You ruined my plan to have two relationships at the same time, and I didn't even care."

After driving for a while, Gong Cheng looked at Kim Ji-soo's beautiful face, which had a hesitant expression, and joked with a smile.

This person is easily embarrassed... she won't talk to you properly unless you provoke her.

If Zhao Meiyan is a girl with a soft tongue but a ruthless heart, then Kim Jisoo is undoubtedly a girl with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. But strangely, this crazy woman only has a sharp tongue towards herself!

"For you to say something like that shows you have absolutely no shame!"

Upon hearing his words of "generosity," Kim Ji-soo couldn't help but purse her lips and roll her eyes.

"..."

As they pushed open the door to the restaurant's private room, a wave of warm air rushed in, mingling with the aroma of toasted bread, effectively blocking out the chill of Chicago outside. Kim Ji-soo followed Gong Cheng inside, still clutching the scarf she had just taken off. She reached up and unzipped her down jacket, the long brown down jacket that had wrapped her up the whole way. Now, she took it off and draped it over the back of the chair, revealing the white sweater she was wearing underneath.

The sweater was a simple style, with the neckline loosely bunched up, making her neck look slender and soft. She had unconsciously rolled up the cuffs, revealing her fair wrist adorned with a bracelet.

Why did you tell that Pab that you wanted to come to his concert?

Kim Jisoo sat there, her face seemingly smiling even when she wasn't speaking. She asked a question, just to make conversation.

"Report it to me!"

Gong Cheng answered matter-of-factly, then took a sip of orange juice, blinking as he gazed at Kim Ji-soo's beautiful face, appearing quite composed. "What's wrong? Did she call you?"

"What did you say?"

He asked with some curiosity, wondering how that Pab would manipulate Xiu Xiu in front of him this time.
"…hehe."

Kim Jisoo gave a dry laugh, "When you were with Joo-hyun unnie, I never saw you tell her anything!"

"On the contrary, being with me makes people report to me..."

She spoke with a hint of sourness, her gentle eyes dimming slightly, before continuing to answer his question: "She told me to keep an eye on you, saying she'll be coming to America in a few days, so I'm here to supervise you..."

"I didn't want to come, but when I thought about how worried and anxious Mi-yeon was about you, I felt I should come for her sake..."

Kim Ji-soo tried to save face by explaining her purpose, saying that she couldn't betray her friends!
She wasn't like Bae Joo-hyun, a woman with no bottom line who would do anything for her own selfish desires.

"That's pretty good~"

Gong Cheng nodded, not quite believing Zhao Meiyan would come; it seemed more like she was just trying to scare Kim Jisoo. So he casually made up another story, "Joo-hyun will be coming tomorrow too~" wanting to see how Jisoo would react.
"Who?"

"Bae Joo-hyun is here too?" Upon hearing this, Kim Ji-soo's face immediately darkened. Her stiff lips trembled slightly as she raised her eyelids to stare at Gong Cheng's smiling, silent face. "Are you trying to provoke me?"

"Ani ah~"

"Just kidding... Why are you so afraid of Miyeon and Joohyun? They're not coming." Gong Cheng sighed, picked up his fork and poked at the pasta on his plate, not really having an appetite. "I really don't understand, what does my invitation to my concert have to do with that Pab?"

"It was just a phone call, and you've got all scared out of your wits. We..."

"It's not like we're having an affair!"

He raised his face and looked at Kim Jisoo seriously, "Unless you think we're having an affair."

"Nonsense, I'm perfectly fine with it!"

Kim Jisoo put down her cutlery, her small, pert nose wrinkling slightly: "I really just wanted to keep an eye on you for Miyeon, don't overthink it."

"Good~"

Gong Cheng smiled without saying anything, then said, "Whatever you like. The hotel is booked for you. If you want to rest after dinner, I'll take you back to the hotel, or we can go to the stadium where the concert is being held. If you want to look around Chicago, that's fine too."

"By the way, how many days are you going to stay? If it's just to keep an eye on me for Zhao Meiyan, then you can go back to Seoul after the Chicago station... If she really wants to come, I'll call her company president to let her come, and you'll have fulfilled your role satisfactorily, right?"

Neuropathy!
Gong Cheng inwardly cursed. He thought Kim Jisoo would be brave enough to pull something together! But she was still such a coward, rambling on and on just because of a phone call from Zhao Meiyan.

"...I just arrived, and you're already kicking me out?"

As Kim Ji-soo listened to the meaning behind Gong Cheng's words, she suddenly felt incredibly sad!

Why do you believe everything I say?!
Was she being too pretentious? For a moment, she couldn't help but doubt herself, because Gong Cheng had said long ago, "Why are you so kind to everyone else? But so rude to me? You never say anything nice!"

"How come~"

"However, you are a spy. How could I allow an informant to stay by my side for long?"

Gong Cheng leaned back in his chair. "I was the one who invited you here, so how come you're now being accused of being sent by Pab to monitor me? Even when Zhao Meiyan and I were dating, and the three of us went out together, I never treated you like a third wheel..."

"But why do you always act like a third wheel?"

He earnestly tried to help Kim Jisoo correct her wrong thinking: "You can't let yourself be manipulated anymore, Jisoo!"

You need to take the initiative! You're acting like a complete clown!

"You're the third wheel!"

After listening to what he said, Kim Jisoo gave him a slight glare and smoothed a stray hair behind her ear. "I didn't mean to be a third wheel, but you are dating Jo Miyeon, what can I do?"

"She and I are good friends, so naturally I have to keep my distance from you... If it wasn't Meiyan who was with you back then, even if it was someone else, I wouldn't have let go so easily." She muttered under her breath, stubbornly refusing to admit defeat.

"If you're not too busy, why not stay a few more days?"

Gong Cheng didn't say anything more, but instead lowered his head and started eating his lunch.

……

In the afternoon, Gong Cheng drove Kim Ji-soo around Chicago.

As evening approached, Kim Ji-soo followed him to Wrigley Field. The stage was bathed in the night light, and various lights were being tested. Gong Cheng stood in the center of the stage, rehearsing in complete silence except for the staff.

That same evening, Eminem also arrived in Chicago to participate in the rehearsal with Gong Cheng.

However, while the two were performing, Kim Jisoo had already slipped into the warm dressing room, leaned back on the sofa, picked up her phone, and hesitantly asked her most trusted friend, Lim Nayeon, a question.

"Nayeon, tell me... if you and your best friend both liked the same boy, what would you do?"

"Let go, or fight for it?"

After voicing her innermost question, Kim Jisoo lowered her eyes and recalled the bits and pieces of her acquaintance with Gong Cheng.

For a moment, her past choices made her waver.

She clearly wanted to wait for Zhao Meiyan and Gong Cheng to break up, but why wouldn't they? Yet, she still came to Chicago…

……

In Seoul, where the time difference was significant, Lim Nayeon sat in her van, looking at the message from her strategist, Zhuge Jisoo, with a puzzled expression.

Can even a strategist be troubled by love?

But remembering the moments when the strategist had helped her, she still gave her answer with a sense of loyalty: "So, who does that boy like?"

[Zhuge Zhixiu]: "He likes them all. He's a newcomer! A hundred times worse than that bad boy your friend knew back then!"

"Then why don't you just go along with him?"

Lim Nayeon grinned mischievously, pursing her rabbit teeth as she teased him.

Deep down, I realized that even strategists have their limitations.
[Zhuge Zhixiu]: "Don't talk nonsense... Just tell me what you would do? Nayeon, you're my only best friend now~ That's why I'm telling you all this..."

"...Are you in love?"

Lim Nayeon raised her eyebrows in surprise, but she was still secretly pleased to hear her friend say that she was her best friend!
[Zhuge Zhixiu]: "...No~ I was just asking for a friend..."

What she thought were clever words sounded so familiar to Lim Na-yeon!
This was exactly the kind of talk she used before! But knowing her strategist was easily embarrassed, she just chuckled knowingly. Best friends, you help me, I help you! This time, let me be your strategist!
"What are you giggling about?"

Listening to Lim Nayeon's restless laughter from inside the car, Yoo Jeongyeon couldn't help but ask a question.

"You don't understand~"

Lim Nayeon shook her head, ignoring her friend, and instead smiled as she shared her own insights:

"Jisoo~ No matter how bad that bad boy is~"

“But if you like it… no, no~” Lim Nayeon grinned, showing her bunny teeth, “but if your friends like it too, then what else is there to say?”

[Zhuge Zhixiu]: "Let go? Give it to a friend?"

"Stupid! Dumb! Blockhead!" Lin Nayeon scoffed at the strategist's reply. "Those are the words you used to say about me, strategist! Calling me a blockhead, calling me stupid—here's your reply!"
Then, she added very seriously, "Let's not even talk about how bad the bad boy is~ but your friend just likes him, so there's nothing you can do about it~ If you like someone, you should go for it! Giving up without even trying is the stupidest and most foolish thing to do!"

"Even the best of friends... how can you let something like this happen? When you're thinking about your friends, Jisoo, have they ever thought about you? At least it should be fair competition!"

Lim Nayeon, always eager to teach others, gave [Zhuge Zhixiu] a lecture, saying what kind of nonsense she was, giving it to a friend? Is that something you can just give away?!

But recalling when she sought advice from her strategist, Zhuge Zhixiu had also labeled her husband a "bad boy," she added, "And besides, Zhixiu~"

"But what if the bad boy isn't as bad as you think? What if he's just bad on the surface, and once you get to know him, you'll find that he's not like what others say... on the contrary, he's a really, really, really good person!"

"If you give up, wouldn't you be at a disadvantage? If the bad boy also likes you, then giving up will also hurt him..."

Lim Na-yeon now has a lot of experience and insights into this kind of thing!
Gong Cheng, the former "bad boy," has many labels attached to her boyfriend, right? Playboy, nightclub regular, scumbag, womanizer, promiscuous... a whole bunch of them. Even now, rumors are still flying everywhere, but she and Gong Cheng have been dating for so long.

Besides Zhao Meiyan, who is also his ex-girlfriend, he can understand that she was there for him during his lowest point. They dated and had feelings for each other. After all, it would be strange if such an outstanding person like him didn't attract girls!

But what else? Isn't it all aboveboard?
Moreover, she and her boyfriend are incredibly happy together! So, Lim Nayeon sometimes feels grateful for her courage back then, and also laments the cruel twist of fate. When she first met her boyfriend, although he was very handsome, he was also quite mischievous.
But now it seems that was just a facade, a protective coloring; deep down, he was a very warm, sensitive, and loving person.
She often complains that she doesn't like puppies and small animals because they're troublesome, but now she's on business trips every few days and still calls the members to ask them to take good care of "May" and stuff like that, she's so nagging...

……

"If you like him, go for it! You need to win him over first, then deal with the others. If you give in, maybe it'll be over for good."

"What you miss... might be a part of your life... (a wise man)"

Kim Jisoo pursed her lips as she stared at the message her friend had sent on the screen. The last one, with the expression "(wise man)," made her smile involuntarily.

When did this silly friend become so insightful that he could say something that sounds philosophical but has no substance?

"But what if she has already given in..."

She edited the message and sent it. Although her decision back then wasn't as serious as missing out on a period of her life, it definitely meant missing out on three years.

[Lim Na-yeon, her most trusted friend]: "...You big idiot!"

"How do you curse?"

Upon seeing those three words, Kim Jisoo's face immediately turned red! She was somewhat taken aback.

[Most trusted friend - Lim Nayeon]: "I wasn't talking about you, Jisoo~ I was talking about your friend. Anyway, whoever does this is an idiot! We women of Gangdong wouldn't do something so stupid."

Kim Ji-soo was furious, but she couldn't lash out!

Although she was born near Gwacheon City in Gyeonggi Province, she spent her childhood in Gangdong, Seoul. She met Lim Nayeon in elementary school. People from the Korean Peninsula still have a strong habit of categorizing people by region, just like how she kept calling Gong Cheng "that bastard from Yeongdeungpo!"

"Just tell me you've already given in, and there's no other way?"

"My friend thinks, what do you think about waiting until that bad guy breaks up with another friend?"

The message had barely been sent when Lim Nayeon, with her boss-like demeanor, replied instantly:

"An excited heart, trembling hands~ Your silly friend can only say 'goodbye' to others~~"

"..." Kim Jisoo gritted her teeth as she stared at her friend's smug message, her teeth itching with hatred!

Fortunately, Lim Nayeon replied shortly after:
One word: Do it!

Three words: Work hard!

"What are you waiting for? By the time they break up, that bad boy might already be ignoring you... Besides, with your friend's clownish behavior, are you really going to let someone else have it? Not to mention how awful that bad boy is..."

"If I were that bad boy, I would definitely give up on your idiot friend. What kind of person is he? Who does he think he is? And he even dares to say 'let's have it'? Your friend's melodramatic story makes me feel like I'm watching Yoona's melodramatic love story~"

"Really are……"

Upon seeing the useful information, Kim Jisoo quickly pursed her lips, inwardly complaining, "What do you know! All you do is grin like an idiot all day long." But she still asked, "But that kid wants both of them, who can you blame? How come my friend is the one who's wrong?"

"He's trying to have his cake and eat it too!"

[Lim Na-yeon, the most trusted friend]: "That just means your friend and your friend's friend are both crazy! They're madly in love with this kind of guy!"

"But then again, since those two girls really love him... that boy is certainly wrong, but your friend shouldn't have done that. Yes... from your friend's perspective, there's nothing wrong with what he did, but the problem is that your friend is despicable!"

"You've already made a decision, and now you want to go back? Does that make sense? Even if you weren't wrong, you've become wrong... Your friend didn't have any say in the matter."

"Alright, that's enough, Jisoo. I'm at the event now, gotta get to work~ Don't be like your silly friend and do something stupid, Jisoo~ (hehe)"

Jisoo read through the message Nayeon sent, word by word.

It seems this friend is right~ When they caught Gong Cheng and Bae Joo-hyun having an affair, that [Chu Sheng Dong Xi] also mentioned the incident back then, and her expression was very resistant.

Why did Na-yeon say such awful things?!
Really are……

Am I really wrong?
"Xiuxiu, let's go~ Want to grab a drink together?"

Just as Kim Jisoo was lost in thought in the dressing room, Gong Cheng suddenly pushed open the door, smiled, and waved to her, "Let's go~ It's past ten o'clock~ Let's have some food and go back to the hotel~"

"Inside~"

Kim Ji-soo nodded. She didn't dare wander around Chicago alone, and the only person she knew was Gong Cheng. Her English wasn't very good either, so she naturally stayed close. She had just picked up her bag and phone, ready to leave, when she saw the scarf hanging on the chair. She quickly ran over, grabbed it, and handed it to Gong Cheng, saying, "The scarf!"

"The wind is so strong..."

"Thank you." Gong Cheng took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck.

Eminem stared at Gong Cheng and Kim Jisoo, and couldn't help but smile as he asked, "Tarot, is she your girlfriend?"

Originally, being alone overseas, Kim Jisoo was a little reserved when she met a hip-hop superstar of Eminem's caliber, especially since they were going to have dinner together later. But when she understood the English sentence, her face flushed red with a big smile. She wanted to shake her head and deny it, but her body resisted and she didn't deny it. Instead, she moved closer to Gong Cheng.

"BLACKPINK member, Jisoo, friend..."

Gong Cheng chuckled as he introduced Kim Ji-soo's identity and defined their relationship. With just one simple sentence, Kim Ji-soo's eyebrows drooped, and she became even more listless, her smile becoming forced.

"However, it's hard to say what will happen in the future."

He added a sentence, offering a pie-in-the-sky promise to Kim Jisoo.

Eminem, a shrewd old man, smiled knowingly at Miyako upon hearing this. The lyrics to "River" and the numerous scandals around the world were enough to reveal the rich romantic history of this newly crowned "king" of the music scene.

He didn't expose him; if he truly believed Gong Cheng's words, he would have lived in vain.

In the entertainment industry, there's no such thing as pure love, especially among men, especially rich and famous men... Their own affairs with their ex-wives are a complete mess, and the relationships between well-known figures like Bieber and Selena Gomez are also tangled up.

With Gong Cheng's additions, Kim Ji-soo's mood inexplicably improved.

Damn it, why does this guy always use such punctuation? It makes my heart race...

"Okay~"

Gong Cheng stared at Eminem's disbelieving, teasing gaze, then glanced at Kim Jisoo beside him, who was smiling warmly. He took her hand in one swift motion. "We are indeed dating~"

They're not worried about Eminem spreading rumors; everyone's mouths are tightly shut.
Kim Ji-soo was startled when Gong Cheng suddenly grabbed her hand, and after hearing his bluffing words, she raised her pretty face and looked at Gong Cheng.

Her fair hand instinctively pinched the back of Gong Cheng's hand.

But they didn't deny or refuse... On the one hand, this kind of introduction sounds pretty good?
On the other hand, [Newborn Dawn] is so famous. He's a boy. How could she do something to embarrass him when he's out in public?
Let's settle the score with him privately... Who's your girlfriend anyway!

……

XNUM X Month X NUM X Day,

[Cash Flow] The Chicago Open kicked off at Wrigley Field at 6:30 p.m. The cold wind blowing from Lake Michigan couldn't dampen the sweltering heat of the stadium.

The stadium, which can hold nearly 50,000 people, was packed to capacity.

Kim Jisoo was wearing a black women's suit jacket, her long, straight black hair blowing in the wind across her delicate face. She stood in the waiting area, looking at the sea of ​​people at the stadium. The scene was on a completely different level from other concerts held by Asian artists.

The concert was almost entirely attended by people from Europe and America. While K-pop groups have toured Europe and America before, the venues only had a capacity of 1 to 2 people at most. There were even larger venues, but the majority of the attendees were Asian.

Tickets for the two or three concerts in Chicago tomorrow and the day after are still being resold online at high prices. Scalped tickets do exist, but they are rare, and most fans who managed to get tickets are unwilling to release them...

Compared to Asia, most fans here don't have colorful light sticks, but as night falls, the white light from their cell phone flashlights shines like silver rays in the darkness, flickering left and right with the waves of people.

"Are you envious?"

Gong Cheng appeared beside Kim Ji-soo at some point, preparing for her entrance, her face beaming with a bright smile and her eyes sparkling.

"They'll definitely be envious..."

Kim Jisoo nodded earnestly, her eyes sparkling with the starlight shining in the audience, then turned to look at Gong Cheng's tall figure, "Speaking of which, it really wasn't easy for you to get this far..."

That's why I wanted to invite you to come.

Gong Cheng picked up a glass of water, took a sip, and then took the coat handed to him by a staff member and put it on.

"Will you be nervous?"

Looking at the sea of ​​people and the cheers, Kim Ji-soo couldn't help but ask.

Are you nervous for me?

Gong Cheng straightened his collar and asked a casual question, but when he looked at Kim Ji-soo, his eyes were full of smiles, showing no signs of stage fright.

"Yes, if I were to stand on a stage alone in front of so many people, my legs would definitely go weak."

Kim Jisoo put her hands behind her back and said it earnestly and sincerely.

"That's it~"

Gong Cheng chuckled as he adjusted his in-ear monitor, his black, tousled hair fluttering wildly in the night wind. He picked up the microphone again and looked at Kim Jisoo with the same seriousness: "Don't be nervous for me. I invited you here to share my joy~"

"And also... it's okay to be envious~ Spend a few more days in the US~ I've opened shows for hundreds of thousands of people, but I'm actually a little dissatisfied with shows for forty or fifty thousand~ You'll be even more envious then~"

He boasted smugly, then waved his hand, "Time to go on stage!"

"You're awesome!"

Kim Jisoo rolled her eyes with amusement, but watching his back as he climbed the stage steps, she quickly leaned forward and shouted, "Fighting!"

In view, the inner pitch of Wrigley Stadium was surrounded by four platforms forming a long horizontal passageway. In the pitch-black night, Gong Cheng stepped onto the steps leading from the waiting passageway to the center of the stage. A spotlight from the stadium's dome shone brightly...

The light fell obliquely on his tall and straight back, and the 50,000 fans at the scene instantly erupted in screams!
“TTTTTTTTarot!”

"Oppa~~"

The shouts and calls of praise echoed in Jisoo's ears... and the cold wind of this windy city didn't seem so cold anymore.
But as the gaze shifted, Gong Cheng calmly walked into the center of the stage, which stretched for tens of meters across the horizontal aisle. His handsome face, smiling, was reflected in the giant LED screen, and in an instant, hundreds of spotlights lit up from the stadium...

Kim Jisoo stared at the figure, somewhat dazed.

Three years ago, the figure on the Hanjiang Bridge seemed to gradually overlap with the boy in front of me...

You seem to be really famous now, Gong Cheng.

(End of this chapter)