The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 371 Woman—I Lost Utterly! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

The villa in Itaewon was warm and cozy, a stark contrast to the biting winter night in Seoul outside the window...

Bae Joo-hyun had just stood up from the shoe cabinet in the entryway, still wearing her beige short cotton-padded jacket. The collar was decorated with a circle of fine lamb's wool, which, combined with the snow-like beige, added a touch of winter softness to her whole appearance. The hem of the jacket just fell above her waistline, perfectly outlining her slender waist.

She casually swept her long, black, wavy hair to one side, revealing her delicate earlobe, adorned with a minimalist pearl stud earring that gleamed warmly in the living room's soft light. As she stood up after changing her shoes, her bright eyes swept over her first love, who exuded a melancholy aura: "What happened to you, making yourself look like this?"

Seeing that he didn't answer, Bae Joo-hyun took two steps forward in her white slippers, gently bit her lower lip, and asked again, her voice carrying a hint of helpless tenderness: "I came to your house with you, not just to stare at each other, right?"

"Ani, let's have a drink first before we talk." Gong Cheng took off his coat and tossed it onto the sofa in the living room. He then raised his hand and turned on the light switch. In the blink of an eye, the living room, which had been bathed in a hazy, cold moonlight, became brightly lit.

He went to the freezer, took out a bottle of whiskey, and looked up at the woman from Daegu: "Want to have a drink together?"

As they spoke, Gong Cheng carried two wine glasses and placed them on the arched bar counter against the wall. The gently curved countertop was paved with light gray marble. To the south were a double-door refrigerator and a custom wine cabinet. On the somewhat empty tabletop were a coffee machine and other items.

He plopped down on the high stool, facing Bae Joo-hyun who was tiptoeing onto the stool at the narrow table. She deftly took off her cotton-padded coat, revealing a beige turtleneck sweater underneath. The soft fabric clung to her figure, and the neckline gathered naturally, making her neck look quite long and slender: "Nonsense!"

"It's all here..."

She rolled her eyes in annoyance, but her curiosity grew stronger.

Having known her first love for so long, she had never seen him so dejected. She blinked and watched the wine glass gradually fill up, then couldn't help but look around at the surrounding living room.

It's really big! It looks even more luxurious than the one Gong Cheng showed off by his staff during his "I Live Alone" live stream a few days ago. But such a big house would be a bit lonely if only Xiao Nanqin lived there...

"You look so downcast. You didn't come here to tell me some good news, did you?"

Bae Joo-hyun took the lead, picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and with a smile, turned her gaze from surveying the living room and furniture to Gong Cheng: "Tell me about it? Let me have some fun~"

Seeing her "first love" looking so absent-minded and heartbroken, she had a slight guess in her mind.

As for his career, this brat is doing incredibly well. I reckon the reason for his sadness isn't there. In fact, the perceptive Bae Joo-hyun realized a long time ago that her "first love" had actually lost all ambition...

Perhaps because he became famous too quickly at a young age, the grand awards that these artists dream of and the dreams of holding concerts in venues with tens of thousands of people are insignificant to him.

So—there's only one truth: that brat's heartbroken?
"Oh my god~ Don't you feel how incredibly sad I am?"

Upon hearing her words, Gong Cheng couldn't help but chuckle and took a sip of his drink: "How could it be good news?"

Healing takes time...

"You broke up with Zhao Meiyan?"

"Or perhaps, Kim Jisoo?" Bae Joo-hyun blinked, a faint smile on her face. Your heartbreak is good news for me, isn't it?

Am I supposed to feel sorry for you, you cheater?!

"In short, is it a problem with your feelings?"

She asked directly.

"Inside."

Gong Cheng raised his hand and rubbed his dejected face, then looked seriously at Bae Joo-hyun, "This year has really been a turbulent one, I feel like my luck has been absolutely terrible!"

"Luck?" Bae Joo-hyun pouted, glanced at him, and snorted, "Don't you never believe in these things? Besides, you're about to go to the Grammys in America to receive an award, you should be riding high, right?"

When she's with her "first love," she can always open up and chatter about this and that, unlike how she takes care of the other members in the group and acts like a patriarch. She can complain and say whatever she wants. The aloof, icy persona? It's all fake, just a persona she presents on camera!
"I don't believe in those things, but when you're sad, you always need to find some excuses to comfort yourself, right?" Caught off guard, Gong Cheng shrugged and added, "I still remember when I first started dating the big star, and when the three of us, Misamo and I, were in a temple in Tokyo, making those perfunctory requests to some unorthodox deities to help us get to the other side..."

But today's events only further prove that these feudal superstitions are unacceptable.

"So, what happened between you and Zhao Meiyan?" Bae Joo-hyun was very interested in this topic. She shifted her weight on the chair, leaned her head forward, and pressed on, "It's unlikely to be Kim Ji-soo, she's a bit of a jerk..."

"She can't be with you so soon."

She then added another analysis to her own head.

Gong Cheng poured himself a glass of wine, glancing sideways at Bae Joo-hyun's excited eyes. Her fair skin was flushed pink from the alcohol. He looked up and asked, "Noona, isn't she my ex-girlfriend? How can you mention them so openly in front of me?"

"I thought you would be very sensitive about it, or at least jealous."

At this point, Haji Cheng's voice trailed off.

What's going on? Has our Joo-hyun stopped loving him?

“You said she was your ex-girlfriend, we’re in the past…” Bae Joo-hyun pouted, took a sip of her drink, smacked her lips twice, then glanced at Gong Cheng’s serious expression before her eyes darted back to the glass. “Didn’t you say she was your ex-girlfriend?”

"...I've already let it go."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Gong Cheng, who was stunned, with her bright eyes, and a subtle smile appeared on her lips.

You fucking push and pull me around.

The roles have shifted – the cheating guy!

Actually, the problem is quite simple. If he could really let go so easily, he wouldn't have kept asking him about it after seeing that he hadn't replied to his messages today, nor would he have come to this villa with him. But the heartbroken "first love" seems to be getting oblivious.

"Put it down?"

Gong Chengying's handsome features were softened by the living room lights, his smile becoming more complex. He chuckled, then said, as if to be stubborn, "It's fine." As he spoke, he raised his helpless gaze to Daegu's mother, "I also hope that Noona can truly let go of the past."

Whether it's true letting go or just pretending, we'll find out soon enough...

"So, what happened between you and that little girl Zhao Meiyan?" Bae Joo-hyun proudly raised her face, savoring the wine in her mouth. Her short legs, like a pupa, crossed her legs under the table.

Gong Cheng: "It's not Zhao Meiyan~"

"That's Kim Jisoo? That can't be!"

Bae Joo-hyun's voice was full of surprise. She subconsciously raised her elbow and rested it on the arched bar, her palm supporting her cheek. Her round head looked particularly full in the warm light, like a small umbrella that had been opened. Her slender elbow was like the support pole in the center of the umbrella, steadily supporting this "heavy" surprise.

She glanced at Gong Cheng across from her, and couldn't help but wonder to herself if she had made a mistake.

"Lim Na-yeon..."

Gong Cheng took a sip of wine and slowly uttered the first name. His eyes fell on Bae Joo-hyun's astonished face after hearing the name "big star." His gaze froze instantly, and the hand supporting her head paused slightly. The corners of her pink lips seemed to twitch unconsciously. Then, before she could react, the phoenix-like Gong Cheng revealed the whole story: "Minatozaki Sana, Hirai Momo, and Son Chae-young."

The rapid-fire recitation of dishes left Bae Joo-hyun stunned. She stared wide-eyed as she removed her arm from her neck, her elbow sliding off the bar. Her pupils contracted sharply as she stared intently at Gong Cheng, her voice trembling, "What do you mean?"

Which one of them are you dating?

As soon as she finished speaking, the situations she and Zhao Meiyan had encountered flashed through her mind. Especially now, the names that "First Love Bro" was mentioning were all members of the national girl group TWICE. Bae Joo-hyun couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.

Damn it—"Demon Orb"! What are you trying to do...?

Just then, Gong Cheng's reply rang in my ears.

"Stop looking down on me~" Gong Cheng said softly with a smile on his lips, his expression revealing an indescribable sense of pleasure and ease. He took another sip of the wine in his glass, "I love to tell the truth!"

"Of course, they're both dating!"

Upon hearing this, Bae Joo-hyun's eyelids trembled violently. The few glasses of whiskey she had just drunk were only just starting to take effect when her "first love brother's" words jolted her back to reality, leaving her feeling cold: "Are you kidding me?"

"How could a boy joke about his innocence with you?" Gong Cheng chuckled, gazing into Pei Zhuxuan's trembling eyes. His voice, slightly tinged with alcohol, was light and airy, yet it instantly silenced the atmosphere in the living room...

Joo-hyun~ Didn't you let it go?
Bae Joo-hyun, who was lying in a mess on the table, stared intently at her "first love." She trembled as she raised her wine glass and took a quick sip. The wine rushed down her throat, but her gaze remained fixed on his eyes, which were filled with overwhelming sorrow. She couldn't help but slam the glass down and yell, "Ugh...Are you crazy?"

"Didn't Nuna put it down?" Gong Cheng said innocently, then added in a cheeky tone, "Remember to keep it a secret~ Thank you~"

"I'll put down my mother's!!!"

Bae Joo-hyun stood up abruptly, glared at him, and spat. Then she picked up her coat, which was lying to the side, and prepared to leave immediately. Just as she put on the coat, she turned to look at Gong Cheng and said, "You're a fucking bastard."

After saying that, she turned and prepared to stride away...

"Yes, but I've already broken up with them, so I'm very sad. I wanted to see Noona, so I came. I like them, so I dated them. I didn't want to break up with Noona, so I just clung to her..." Gong Cheng suddenly spoke up, shouting at Bae Joo-hyun's back:
"Now that we've told Noona the truth, and Noona has simply left, does the truth or the lie really matter?"

Haji's sudden question echoed in the large living room. He was only twenty-three years old. He just liked girls. What crime could that be?
As for whether he will be separated from the TWICE members' girlfriends, he doesn't know the ending, but Master Miyazaki is in a rather passive position, though it's highly likely that many will leave—it's already collapsed to this extent.
"Who the hell could stand this?"

Bae Joo-hyun, with her small frame, suddenly turned her head to look at Gong Cheng, pointing angrily at him. Then, her tone softened, "Wait, what did you say earlier?"

Does it matter whether you tell the truth or a lie?

"No, ahead!"

"How could a boy joke about his innocence?"

"Fuck you, the rest of the sentence..."

“Oh, I’ve already broken up with them.” Gong Cheng thought for a moment, then repeated himself. In his line of sight, Pei Zhuxuan took off her coat and sat back down, but her once bright features now appeared somewhat “fierce” and distorted. She took a deep breath: “I’ll just ask you one question, Gong Cheng, when you were dating me, besides being involved with Zhao Meiyan, what about those names you just mentioned…”

She stopped there.

Gong Cheng gave Bae Joo-hyun a deep look. Seeing her trembling face and muffled voice, he felt a little embarrassed to say it aloud—he was shy, after all—"That was the happiest period of my life~"

"Speak like a human!" Bae Joo-hyun gripped her wine glass and took a big gulp of wine.

“Oh…” Gong Cheng swallowed hard, his eyes filled with melancholy as he replied, “When I was with Nuna, I was also dating them…” After saying that, he lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly and took a sip of his drink.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bae Joo-hyun was covering the bulge in her knitted sweater, breathing heavily, her mouth agape as she uttered a string of profanities in her Daegu accent: "..."

I can't breathe...

Immediately afterwards, Bae Joo-hyun raised her hand, ready to slap him hard.

Gong Cheng reflexively raised his arm and grabbed her fair wrist, which was rolled up as she wore her cardigan. "Hoo~"

He exhaled a breath reeking of alcohol, his expression serious yet his eyes gleaming with sorrow and confusion. He raised his eyelids to look at the Daegu woman, his voice hoarse as he spoke: "Noona, don't hit the left side, Nayeon already did. Hit the right side, make it more symmetrical~~"

As he spoke, Haji Cheng brought his right cheek closer.

Bae Joo-hyun trembled, staring at the face that was close to hers. Her right hand, which had been tightly gripped, was released by "First Love Bro." Looking at his lifeless appearance and hearing his sarcastic yet inexplicably sad words, she reached out and touched Hagi-sung's left cheek. A pang of heartache shot through her, and her heart softened: "Did Lim Na-yeon hit you?"

"..." Gong Cheng remained silent, the scattered light in the living room illuminating his eyebrows and eyes beneath his tousled hair, casting mottled shadows below his eyelids.

"The paparazzi took photos. Nayeon and the others are in a complete mess, just like Noona, Miyeon, and I were back then. Noona left back then, and this time, I don't know who will leave me..."

He continued talking about what had happened that day, saying that healing takes time, and Hajime needed to confide in someone.
"...I just want to give you a home."

Bae Joo-hyun frowned as she listened, thinking, "Damn it!"

"How dare you date so many women in a top girl group at the same time?" she asked with heartache in her eyes. Seulgi, you're right, "Cheater Bro"—he's a complete playboy. "Are you dating them just like you lied to me back then?"

Upon hearing the word "deceive," Gong Cheng dryly lifted his handsome face and nodded: "Back then, I had no experience. Nuna, it was my first time doing this too. I was also very troubled and scared. Do you know how I spent these three years?"

I sleep with all my female relatives, afraid I'll talk in my sleep and call out another one's name...

"..."

As Bae Joo-hyun continued her questioning, Gong Cheng quickly opened another bottle of liquor. Finally, with blurry eyes, he looked at Bae Joo-hyun across from him and said, "It's late, let me take you home, noona~"

After finding out that some jerk had cheated on so many girls.

Bae Joo-hyun stopped drinking alcohol and instead took a sip of cola. When she saw Gong Cheng get up unsteadily and walk towards her, she frowned in annoyance: "Hey! You brat, are you going to drive after drinking?"

"Ani, I'll take a taxi to take you~" Gong Cheng said soberly, though he was having some physical reactions. "I'm worried about you going back alone."

Bae Joo-hyun felt a little uncomfortable listening to him call her "noona" over and over again. When they were dating, he would call her "noona" as if he was going to do something naughty, but now that they had broken up, he had become serious. She said, "I'm not leaving tonight."

As she spoke, she glanced at the tall Gong Cheng in front of her. Leaving him alone in such a lonely and empty house, she was really worried that something might happen to him.

Moreover, this bastard is clearly quite shaken. What if he does something to hurt himself?
"Isn't this bad?"

Gong Cheng narrowed his eyes. "How about I take you, noona?" he said, taking a few steps toward Bae Joo-hyun. But he stumbled and almost fell. Luckily, Bae Joo-hyun reacted quickly and caught him, putting his arm on her shoulder. The nearly 1.9-meter-tall man was so heavy that she couldn't help but complain, "Aigoo, how come you look so thin, but you're so heavy to lift!"

"Hey! I'm 187cm tall, 1.5 meters!" Gong Cheng retorted, clearly dissatisfied. How could someone with such a large frame not be heavy at all?

But as soon as he said it, seeing Bae Joo-hyun's suddenly darkening expression, he twitched his lips and explained, "Ani, I was just talking nonsense~"

"You're 1.7 meters tall, okay?"

For this woman from Daegu, her height was a major disadvantage.

And to be honest, Hyun's body proportions are actually quite average; he only relies on his face to carry the look. Many idols in the industry don't actually have very good proportions.

"roll!"

Bae Joo-hyun shoved Gong Cheng away with great force, saying, "You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth!"

Who is the 1.7-meter-tall yin-yang person?

Zhao Meiyan and Son Chaeyoung aren't much taller than me, are they?
With a "plop," Gong Cheng was unexpectedly pushed onto the sofa. He scratched his head and turned to look at Pei Zhuxuan sitting next to him with a helpless expression. She picked up a fruit knife from the fruit plate on the table, which made Gong Cheng's eyelids tremble, and he moved slightly to the side.

Bae Joo-hyun noticed his little movement, narrowed her eyes slightly, and glanced at him sideways: "What are you afraid of?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Gong Cheng scratched his head, feigning ignorance.

Bae Joo-hyun raised the fruit knife in her hand, the blade gleaming coldly under the light, reflecting her sneer. "After doing so many bad things, you're afraid of being stabbed to death, you brat?"

"I haven't made up with Nuna yet, I don't want to die..." Gong Cheng's lips twitched as he moved to the side again.

With a sudden "thud," Bae Joo-hyun raised her knife and, under Gong Cheng's watchful gaze, stabbed the apple in the fruit plate with a "whoosh." Then, she picked up the bright red apple and began peeling it. "Nonsense! You were upset about other girls just half an hour ago, and now you want to make up with me?"

As she spoke, she glanced sideways at the large penis beneath Gong Cheng's jeans between his thighs.

This startled Master Gong, who squeezed his legs together and said, "Why are you eating apples so late at night? Put down the knife and let's go upstairs to rest."

"I'll sleep in the guest room."

Bae Joo-hyun snorted, then removed a small piece of apple and handed it over, saying, "Here, have some."

"Sleeping in the guest room? That's too formal," Gong Cheng said frivolously. He wasn't the kind of person who would forget his old love once he had a new girlfriend. Although he and Daegu's girlfriend didn't talk seriously, he was actually very sad inside.

Unfortunately, no one could see through Lord Gong's disguise...

As he spoke, he slightly opened his mouth and bit into the apple that was forked on the tip of the knife.

Ten minutes later...

Bae Joo-hyun helped Gong Cheng upstairs to the guest room. After confirming her accommodation, she turned to look at Gong Cheng, who had already taken off his hoodie, and rolled her eyes: "You reek of alcohol. Give me your clothes, I'll go wash them for you."

"Joohyun, why did you stay and take care of me after knowing I've dated so many women?" Bare-chested, Gong Cheng couldn't help but ask. This question had been nagging at him all evening, and he was truly moved. Bae Joohyun, holding his hoodie and waiting for him to take off his pants so they could throw them in the washing machine, looked up at him upon hearing his question: "Because..."

Her voice was soft, echoing in Gong Cheng's master bedroom.

Hagi's sincere eyes silently awaited Bae Joo-hyun's next words. Would they be heartfelt and touching?
Indeed, a caring older sister is the best.

"Because this isn't the first time you've done this, you son of a bitch!" Bae Joo-hyun suddenly burst out angrily, then raised her small hand in mid-air and pointed at Gong Cheng's chest, "What high standards can I possibly hold you to?"

"Even cold medicine can induce immunity, let alone..."

"Hehe..." Gong Cheng chuckled awkwardly, then, urged by Pei Zhuxuan, quickly took off his jeans, muttering to himself, "Maybe I should wash them myself, I'm actually a little embarrassed..."

Bae Joo-hyun slapped his hand on the passenger side of his waist, then stroked his soft flesh: "Damn it, why weren't you embarrassed when you cheated on me? When we were dating, I was the one who washed your underwear, sorry! #%..."

Today's Daegu woman is unusually irritable!
After venting her frustration, Bae Joo-hyun, with a cold expression, took off her cardigan to wash it. The room was hot and humid from the heating, and she was sweating profusely from drinking alcohol and cola earlier.

After taking her large head out of her collar, she glanced at Gong Cheng's staring expression and rolled her eyes. She was wearing a white inner vest underneath, and the curves of her chest were round and full... I don't know what's so interesting about that. Then she smugly flicked her long hair behind her ear, and the strands brushed against Gong Cheng's arm in mid-air.

You only realize how good I am after you've missed out, right?

Hehe, man...

"Hmph~" Gong Cheng looked at her "pretending" appearance and couldn't help but show off his perfect abs.

Little brat—I'll be captivated by you!
At the same time, my body is getting hotter and hotter...

When it comes to healing, you have to do it naked.

Bae Joo-hyun openly sized up his physique. It had been so long since she'd seen it. Her face flushed slightly, and she quickly turned around, clutching her clothes, and said without looking back, "You should take a shower first. I'll go make you some hangover soup, otherwise your head will hurt when you wake up tomorrow."

"Alas, alas~ Thanks for your help~"

Gong Cheng responded and then turned and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

Although he was conscious, he still saw double when looking at the floor tiles in front of him...

You drank quite a lot today!

He brushed his teeth in front of the mirror first...

……

After a while, while Bae Joo-hyun was making hangover soup, she casually threw her clothes into the washing machine. When she carried the hangover soup, which smelled of ginger, upstairs to the master bedroom, she heard a muffled "thud" from the bathroom, like a heavy object hitting the tiles.

Immediately following was Gong Cheng's low curse, mixed with the sound of the shower water: "Holy shit!!!"

The voice was urgent and deep, and Bae Joo-hyun's heart skipped a beat. Although she didn't quite understand it, she could tell from the tone that it wasn't a nice thing to say.

She hurriedly placed the soup bowl on the bedside table, the porcelain bowl making a soft clinking sound as it hit the wooden countertop. She then rushed into the bathroom in her slippers, her long hair loosely tied back, a few stray strands clinging to her cheeks. Her bright face was now contorted with worry, her brows furrowed into small, raised hills. "Moragu?"

"What's wrong...?"

Did you slip?

As she called out, her small hand was already on the doorknob, her long hair loosely tied up and hanging behind her head. Her bright face and brows formed a undulating hill. With a "click," she opened the bathroom door and peeked inside. Her gaze had just swept over the steamy water vapor when she bumped into Gong Cheng, who was sitting on the shower tiles.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Bae Joo-hyun gasped. She slapped her head and scolded him as she rushed in, ignoring the dampness in the bathroom. She went to Gong Cheng's side, put her hand on his arm, and tried to help him up.

Gong Cheng stared wide-eyed at Daegu's female relative who had suddenly rushed in, forgetting even the pain in his buttocks. He glared at her and said, "Joohyun, why didn't you knock first?" As he spoke, he immediately stretched out a large hand and covered her mouth from a distance.

"You didn't lock the door either?" Bae Joo-hyun answered while trying to pull him up, but she saw him covering his mouth and got angry. She let go of his arm, causing Gong Cheng to fall hard to the ground again, with the shower head above his head still spraying water.

In her haste to enter, she didn't pay attention to anything else. Her loosely tied black hair was already soaked by the water, with a few strands clinging to her forehead. Her white sleeveless vest was also soaked through, the thin fabric clinging to her body, vaguely revealing the curves of her skin beneath.

She frowned, glared at Gong Cheng with displeasure, and said angrily, "What are you covering up for?"

Before the words even left his mouth and his mind could process them, the next sentence blurted out: "Have I never seen it before, or never eaten it before?"

"..."

The bathroom fell into a deathly silence, with only the sound of the showerhead spraying water.

As soon as Bae Joo-hyun finished speaking, her eyes widened, her pupils suddenly contracted, "Oh my god, have I drunk too much?"

Her cheeks flushed instantly, turning red from her ears to her neck, and even the water droplets clinging to her fair neck looked scalding.

She opened her mouth, wanting to explain something, but no words came out. She could only watch helplessly as Gong Cheng smiled, wishing she could disappear into the ground...

"Get up quickly!"

Bae Joo-hyun's voice was barely audible, her cheeks were so red they looked like they could bleed. The shocking words she had just spoken were still echoing in her ears, but seeing Gong Cheng sitting on the ground, she still couldn't bring herself to be ruthless.

She bit her lower lip, quickly looked away, and blushed as she bent down again, her fingertips trembling as she reached for his arm. As soon as she touched his warm skin, she shuddered as if she had been electrocuted.

He blinked his wet eyes, his gaze fixed on Bae Joo-hyun, unable to look away. Her white sleeveless vest was completely soaked through, the thin fabric clinging tightly to her curvaceous body, even the pale outline of her underwear was faintly visible. Water droplets slid down her collarbone, seeping deep into her collar, her wet body incredibly alluring…

Woman—I have lost miserably!
"Noona~ I have a huge bathtub at home." Miyako's voice was hoarse from just having showered, the last syllable drawn out with a cheeky tone...

As he spoke, he gestured behind her, his gaze sweeping over the oval bathtub embedded in the marble countertop outside the shower area, which appeared even more spacious in the steamy atmosphere.

Before Bae Joo-hyun could react, he slowly stood up, supporting himself on the tiles. The dull pain in his tailbone hadn't subsided, but his whole body was burning up...

With outstretched arms, Gong Cheng firmly embraced Pei Zhuxuan's waist, which was soaked by the shower. The fabric beneath his palms was thin and soft, still warm from the moisture, yet he could clearly feel the delicate texture of her waist and abdomen. He breathed heavily and lowered his head to kiss her forehead.

But the kiss ended in nothing...

Looking down won't work; he has to bend over, otherwise he won't be able to reach it...

Bae Joo-hyun stiffened, her waist held tightly by his, unable to break free. His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, making her breath catch in her throat. Her wet hair clung to her neck, water droplets trickling down her back…

"Don't do this, we..." She turned her head away in a panic. How could this bastard still be so experienced?

Before she could react, a pair of wet hands slid into her dark gray straight-leg casual pants.

Bae Joo-hyun's voice was soft and tearful, "The hangover soup is still outside... it'll get cold..."

"Nuna, I miss you so much..."

Gong Cheng lifted his face and gazed at Bae Joo-hyun's face, which was covered in water droplets. The water from the showerhead flowed down his handsome features and onto his cheeks. His affectionate eyes and wet eyelashes looked like tears streaming down his face to Bae Joo-hyun.

Bae Joo-hyun placed her hand on his chest and, half-heartedly, plopped down on the edge of the bathtub.

……

……

"Hehe, Makoto is mine~"

In TWICE's dorm, Mina lay excitedly in her bedroom, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. As for the "stupid rabbit," "silly dog," "dumb peach," and "sick tiger"—those losers—after settling accounts with Makoto-chan that night, they'd already gotten themselves drunk.
She got beaten up again.
Makoto~ Don't be sad~ Once I shake off these clingy kids, I'll come and comfort you properly~
……

The next day, Master Gong woke up bathed in sunlight, feeling as if he had been reborn.
He lay on his side in bed, subconsciously raising the back of his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight. It wasn't exactly sunburn, but he was still a little unaccustomed to it after just waking up; the weather in Seoul was slowly starting to warm up.

But Haji's heart still aches...

Gong Cheng rolled over and rubbed his sleepy eyes, but suddenly, as if realizing something, he sat up abruptly. He turned his head and looked at both sides of the bed, which were empty. He remembered to close the curtains before making love in the bedroom last night.

"Joohyun~"

"Noona~"

"Hoo~~~"

Gong Cheng shouted loudly towards the bedroom door several times, but there was no response.

"Have they left?" he muttered to himself, scratching his head. He then picked up his phone and checked the time: 11 a.m.

You should be at work by now, right?
Gong Cheng looked annoyed. Why didn't he stay a little longer? He yawned and prepared to get out of bed to wash up, but his eyes suddenly caught sight of the items on the bedside table. His lips trembled involuntarily, and he was speechless.

On the brown bedside table, besides the lamp and the bracelet and ring he had taken off last night, there was a stack of Korean won banknotes. Above the banknotes was a white sticky note, which Gong Cheng tore off, staring at Bae Joo-hyun's handwriting:

"I was very satisfied with the service last night, please accept this."

"Remember to heat up the breakfast in the kitchen before you eat it; consider it a tip~ As for next time, it depends on my mood~ Don't call me, I'm busy making money, I'll call you again next time~"

"Huh?" Gong Cheng stared at the words Bae Joo-hyun had left on the sticky note, with a handwritten "★★★★★" at the end, something like—five-star review?
"I am?"

"I was... taken advantage of..." Haji Makoto muttered with difficulty, then threw the sticky note aside without even looking at how much money was in the stack of banknotes!

A world-renowned superstar, being treated like a male model?

Gong Cheng stared, mouth agape, speechless for a long time. Finally, he chuckled to himself, picked up his phone, opened Bae Joo-hyun's chat window, and typed: "You're something else..."

Haki-hyun—how did you evolve into this?

Where is our Iron Wall Girl...?

……

Meanwhile, inside the SM building, in Ryderbabe's practice room, Bae Joo-hyun and the other members had just walked out of the meeting room.

Today's meeting discussed their upcoming schedule and their return in April...

Hyun, who is known for her playful and carefree attitude, hasn't had a particularly busy start to the year. Thanks to the Dior Beauty endorsement that "First Love Bro" brought her, she will be shooting a pictorial with Kim Jisoo, who is also a Dior Beauty ambassador for Peninsula, in a couple of days. These are all brand-related events.

Bae Joo-hyun felt a surge of satisfaction when she thought about how she had gone to the bank this morning to get the banknotes and the note she had left behind. She had been beaming and walking briskly since arriving at the company.

A man—can't he control you anymore?

She realized that she had given herself away too easily and fallen for Gong Cheng's tricks. Now, even though he had broken up with all those girls like Lin Nayeon, Hirai Momo, and Minatozaki Sana, she was going to teach this "cheating guy" a lesson!
Do you think I'm some kind of pushover?

Bae Joo-hyun returned to the practice room and sat on the sofa. Looking at the message Gong Cheng sent on her phone, she couldn't help but smile contentedly. She could already picture Gong Cheng's furious reaction when he got up and saw a stack of banknotes.

I'll teach you to be pretentious. Saying things like, "Joo-hyun, will winning a Grammy make you happy?", didn't you earn your money in US dollars?
Sister, let me help you earn some Korean won~
However, she spent quite a bit today. Bae Joo-hyun's ambition is burning brightly. This male model is too useful; she needs to work hard to earn money!
Why are you so happy today, unnie?

Kang Seulgi took a sip of water, watching Bae Joohyun's radiant expression. It seemed like she hadn't seen her unnie this happy since breaking up with the "cheating guy." The last time she saw her like this was when the "cheating guy" was completely smitten with her...

Oops!

"Have you and that guy made up?" Kang Seulgi asked cleverly, since she hadn't returned to the dorm last night.

Bae Joo-hyun held her iced Americano, took a sip, and felt that her skin and mindset today were comparable to those of seventeen or eighteen-year-old girls who had just debuted. She smiled and raised her eyelids: "Annyeong~"

"He's dreaming! You have no idea just how much of a bastard that is!"

She was both angry and speechless when the topic came up.

It's really... speechless...

How can there be such a person? You were so speechless in the end that you forgot how to be angry.

I'm so powerless.

Kang Seulgi immediately leaned over, asking with a gossipy look, "What happened? Tell me." Someone like that cheater must have a ton of gossip to tell, especially since every time she asked her friend Oh Sehun, his taciturn attitude and sighing expression made her realize things were definitely not simple.

"...Actually," Bae Joo-hyun glanced at Kang Seul-gi, whom she trusted most, then shook her head helplessly, "it's nothing."

The thing about "First Love Bro" and TWICE is really devastating!
Even she was on edge, let alone the ONCEs who were still unaware. Even if Gong Cheng hadn't told her last night and asked her to keep it a secret, she wouldn't have gone out and talked about it... This is a scandal, isn't it?

She was truly impressed—by the Demon Orb.

……

In TWICE's practice room, as soon as the nine members arrived, Park Jin-young rushed over, worried, and sat on the sofa, sighing deeply!
Director Kim is getting so annoyed by this!!!

Are you crazy? Why are you sighing so early in the morning? You've ruined my good mood!

Sana Minatozaki sat on the floor, her eyes vacant, her head still throbbing from last night's hangover. She glanced at the chat window with Xiaobaicai on her phone, wanting to say something, but unsure how to begin.

In any case, the two of them broke up a long time ago. Even if you want to accuse him now, or angrily say "break up", it's been a long time since they broke up, right?

The puppy huddled in a corner and looked around at the other members, only to find that there wasn't a single one he could confide in.

Suddenly, she opened Zhao Meiyan's chat window: "You're an ex-girlfriend too, and so am I..."

How about we talk?

As for her celebrity friends in the industry, Sana Minatozaki wouldn't talk about these things in the group, but it's different with Miyeon Cho. Both of them are Makoto Miyabi's ex-girlfriends and have many connections with Shiro. They will keep silent about some sensitive matters, at least they don't worry about the risk of being betrayed if they say something.

Moreover, she was also very curious whether Zhao Meiyan knew about these things.
"Um... are you free lately?"

The puppy tapped on the keyboard and sent a message.

Zhao Meiyan quickly replied: "Not recently, I'll probably rest for about a week... Is something wrong?"

"I wanted to talk to you, or maybe we could have a meal together," Sana Minatozaki said bluntly. Thinking that they could talk in person, she sighed, feeling empty and incredibly sad, but she didn't know what to do.

……

"Okay, how about this, I'll text you when I'm about to rest?"

Sitting in the van, Zhao Meiyan replied with a grin, saying she was just wondering how to infiltrate TWICE.
Isn't Sana Minatozaki just throwing herself at him? Actually, she personally has a pretty good impression of Sana Minatozaki. Some of Sana's appearances on variety shows made her feel that their personalities are very compatible and they get along well.

What a pity!
You're from TWICE!

But if naturalization is successful, they can be good friends too~ The only bad ones in TWICE are Nayeon and Tzuyu~
[Sana Minatozaki]: "Let's find a private place then. There are some things that aren't easy to say in public. Let's have a drink and talk it out, Miyuki-nii~"

“Okay~” Zhao Meiyan nodded. As a celebrity, she values ​​privacy. She blinked and thought for a moment, then extended her hand and replied, “In that case, you can come to my house later, and we can have a drink together~ It’s absolutely safe!”

Then, she lowered her head, her eyes flickering. Perhaps she could invite Jisoo unnie to come to her house together?

This made her realize that TWICE doesn't just have Nayeon, there's also Tzuyu!
Surely the unnie would back down?
Jisoo only knows that her close friend from Jiangdong is dating a boyfriend, so she probably doesn't know about Tzuyu? Let's provoke her a little more...

However, when this matter was mentioned, Zhao Meiyan couldn't help but gently smile and chuckle. She had always heard Jisoo unnie say things like "Women of Gangdong are of one mind~", but after that incident with her boyfriend, "Women of Gangdong"... hehe.
Jiangdong rats, nothing special...

(End of this chapter)