The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 373 Lonely, Documentary
"Niu Niu Niu... Can you speak human language?"

"I'm tired of Grammy acceptance speeches...Tarot, you're arrogant!"

Under the spotlight, Gong Cheng turned slightly to the side, his gentle voice carrying throughout the Grammy Awards ceremony. As he lightly proposed the bet, the camera panned across the audience, revealing expressions of approval and interest in the eyes of many musicians.

"What bet?" In TWICE's practice room, Tzuyu's questioning voice rang out along with the award presenter's comedic performance on the live stream.

Lim Nayeon and Son Chaeyoung were still studying the screenshots frame by frame, analyzing who the girl chatting with Gong Cheng was. Of the eight known female friends, five were from TWICE, and the remaining ones were Cho Miyeon, Kim Jisoo, Bae Joo-hyun...

Who on earth is it?
Yoo Jeongyeon, no longer bothering to persuade the members to turn off the live stream, looked at Park Jihyo with a start: "The bet he mentioned, could it be the one you made in the van that night when we had our concert in Seoul?"

As an excellent reconnaissance soldier, Kim Da-hyun had a good memory. She nodded in agreement, "Yes, it must have been that night~"

If she remembered correctly, she, Dae-dae-soo, Jeongyeon unnie, Jihyo unnie, Mina sister-in-law, and Momo sister-in-law were all in the van. So, if the members thought back a little, they could easily remember each other.

"So what exactly is this bet?"

Chou Tzu-yu's face was tense and anxious. "Just tell me already..."

My brother writes songs for you guys, that's one thing, but how come I didn't even know about this bet?

"...Oh my god, I always thought this guy was joking..." Yu Dingyan clicked his tongue, staring incredulously at his former good brother, Haji Cheng, on the live stream, who was chuckling as he recounted the story of how the "bet" was formed. But damn it, you really gave it away?

Nayeon, Chaeyoung, and Sana, who were unaware of the situation, all pricked up their ears to listen to Makoto's words.
"TWICE... Jeongyeon, Dahyun, Momo, Mina... 'God's Plan', 'In My Feelings'..."

With a touch of inexplicable joy, he kept it brief and somewhat rambling, listing the names of the other members, including Yoo Jeongyeon and Kim Dahyun, who were present at the time. He was simply worried about any negative impact on Mina and Momo. There was no other way—2018 was the year of Miyazaki's purest love.

Even though it's early 2019, the lingering power of pure love still remains...

The previous bet involved two songs released by Makoto Miyamoto last year, "In My Feelings" and "God's Plan." Both songs became viral hits on social media at different times in 2018, spawning various hand gesture dances and car door dances. Many fans speculated last year that these songs might be the best rap songs of 2018, with Momo Hirai believing the former and Mina Mani choosing the latter. It was a simple song bet, and now the results are in: Mina Mani guessed right.

With the previous setup in place, Gong Cheng held the trophy, the soft spotlight enveloping his figure, the light and shadow playing on his brow bone, his eyes sparkling with tiny starlight, and a confident smile blooming on his lips: "So, now, Mina-chan—you win~"

"This Grammy Award is for you~ Consider it your birthday present this year. Anyway, happy birthday in advance!"

At the Grammy Awards ceremony, the stage lights illuminated Gong Cheng's eyes, shoulders, and trophy, framed by his tousled hair, making him appear as if surrounded by starlight. Many singers and fans in the audience covered their mouths, letting out screams as they watched Gong Cheng's handsome features bathed in the spotlight on the big screen…

"Oh my god, is this a confession?"

The whispers at the scene and the live stream chat exploded at this moment: "Who is TWICE? And who is Mina?"

"Among the Western acrobatic groups, TWICE is the top girl group from the peninsula, welcome to the table! As for Mina, she's very good friends with Tarot oppa, and they even share the same birthday, what a coincidence!"

"Mina Mo? This name will become a global sensation tonight."

"Holy crap! [Nan Gong Wen Tian] is the best!"

"No way, do you guys upstairs who ship Mina and Tarot have any shame? -- [Nyan Palace Asks the Sky] is clearly the pairing name of our little cat Jennie and Tarot oppa, are you even stealing pairing names?"

……

"Gong Cheng!!!"

"Are you going to ruin TWICE?"

Park Jin-young, who was originally in the president's office watching the Grammy live stream, was terrified when he heard that the "bet" involved TWICE members. He rushed downstairs to TWICE's practice room, and just as he arrived at the trainees' door, he heard Gong Cheng's seemingly affectionate words coming from his phone...

He couldn't help but stand in front of the nine members of TWICE, trembling all over, pounding his chest and roaring.

...As Lim Nayeon, Minatozaki Sana, Chou Tzuyu, Son Chaeyoung, and Hirai Momo listened to Miyako's gentle voice in the live broadcast, they all turned their gazes to Mina sitting on the floor, their eyes filled with an uncomfortable feeling.

Mina gave them a cold look and frowned almost imperceptibly, but when she heard Makoto holding the trophy and saying, "So, now, Mina-chan—you win~", she felt that there was a double meaning to his words.

With her delicate, fair face and a gentle bite on her pink lips, she looked at the live stream screen and saw Gong Cheng's eyes shining brightly under the spotlight, her gaze softening.

Makoto-chan~ Neon~ I won~ Hehe~
With a triumphant air, and surrounded by the defeated gazes of the others, Mina felt even more intoxicated, savoring the victor's celebration...

But her little heart was pounding wildly. She had initially thought the bet with Momo-chan and Makoto-chan was just a casual joke. Such a great honor, such a heavy trophy, how could she easily give it away? She treasured it too much...

But Cheng-chan actually gave it to me as a birthday present. Doesn't that mean I'm Cheng-chan's most treasured person?
"TWICE's Mina?" The voice of the award presenter, Kai Le, rang out in the live broadcast room. He asked Gong Cheng in a gossipy tone with a hint of teasing. The Grammy live broadcast also needs viewership ratings, and as expected, the boy next to him tonight will be the biggest winner, with his speaking time almost reaching the maximum.

He believes that the audience at the scene and the fans in the live broadcast room are all curious about this question: "Tarot, are you two dating?"

As soon as these words came out...

In TWICE's practice room, all nine members, including a manic gorilla, tensed up.

Park Jin-young stared blankly at the live stream. That scumbag—his junior brother—had lost his earlier roaring spirit and was now filled with fear. He was genuinely afraid that the young, arrogant, and free-spirited Gong Cheng would readily admit it.

Yes, the relationship might not affect "Tarot" and Mina might even receive blessings from most people. However, the aftermath of the relationship will indirectly affect the entire "TWICE". This kind of thing that disrupts the group's popularity balance is what he least wants to see.

Junior brother, there were a lot of people outside just now, brother...

He prayed silently to the cult.

Nayeon, Chaeyoung, Sana, Momo, Tzuyu, and even the little monster Dahyun couldn't help but feel their hearts in their throats. Only Mina, sitting on the floor, looked conflicted.

She would be happy to go public with her relationship, but if her relationship were exposed again, even if she received a lot of blessings, "TWICE" would inevitably decline. She didn't want to be so selfish, but she also really wanted to be with Makoto openly and be blessed by others.

Is this the bittersweet feeling of happiness?
"Oh no~"

Park Jihyo gasped, covering her mouth, her eyes glued to Gong Cheng under the spotlight—he was so handsome, responsible, and charming. Even if he was a jerk, she thought, "Sana, Momo, Nayeon, Chaeyoung, and Mina must have had a fantastic time dating him!" Just his aura and his innate charisma were enough to make anyone fall for him: "How romantic!"

"Romantic my ass!" Park Jin-young shouted angrily as he turned around. "Shut up!"

……

"What the heck is Mina?"

Seoul, Yeongdeungpo... Gong Cheng's adoptive parents are watching their son's live stream. They are very concerned about Gong Cheng's career development, and it's hard for them not to pay attention. For example, the rumors... are discussed everywhere, especially with the speed of information dissemination in the current streaming media era. Sometimes, they are speechless.

"How come he's involved with that kid Xiao Nan again, all ambiguous?" The foster mother's eyes widened, the apple in her hand hovering in mid-air, as she turned to look at her husband: "Isn't he dating Mei Yan and Na Yeon?"

……

"Ahhh!~"

"Ohoo~"

At the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, the cheers and jeers from the fans and singers in the audience echoed throughout the venue. Kanye West stood up with a smile, his eyes full of gossip.

"Dating?" Gong Cheng stood under the spotlight, smiling at the camera, then answered with a faint smile, "No, we're just very good friends, like..."

"In the bet, Hirai Momo and Momo-chan, who lost, are still very good friends."

Holding the microphone, Gong Cheng spoke earnestly to the camera in front of him: "If Momo-chan is not too happy about losing, then I will stand here again next year and win a trophy for you."

Amidst the resounding applause, many singers attending the awards ceremony couldn't help but stare in astonishment at the tall figure bathed in the spotlight—still as arrogant as ever.

……

"call……"

Amidst thunderous applause during the live broadcast, Park Jin-young subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Gong Cheng's reply.

Alright, I reckon Mina and Momo Hirai's popularity will surge again in the next couple of days. But thankfully, my junior brother is aware of this and hasn't openly admitted to the relationship. Only now does he realize that his back is already soaked with cold sweat.

"What are you babbling about?"

Hirai Momo blinked, then anxiously tugged at Yoo Jeong-yeon's arm, urging her to ask.

Her teacher's acceptance speech at today's Grammys was either in English or Chinese, but he didn't speak Korean or Japanese, even though he knows them. He also speaks French, but she could only understand some simple words in English. Like the part just now, the more she listened, the more confused she became...

But Hirai Momo still managed to hear her own name, so she was very concerned about what Miyako Makoto said on the spot... Mina, who was doing the simultaneous translation in the practice room, pouted a little unhappy when she heard what Miyako Makoto said, so she didn't translate that sentence.

Does Park Jin-young understand English?
...He's nearly fifty years old, and he's practicing Chinese in order to break into China, so of course he knows English.

He glanced at Hirai Momo with a complicated expression, her eyes filled with confusion and anxiety, then sighed deeply. Park Jin-young raised his chin at Momo-chan and repeated in Korean, "He said, if you are unwilling to accept defeat and also want a Grammy trophy, then please tell him that he will be standing on the Grammy Awards ceremony again next year and win one for you."

"You—are I?" In the oppressive atmosphere of the practice room, after listening to Park Jin-young's translation, Hirai Momo raised her hand in a daze and pointed to her own face.

She wasn't very good at languages, so she was afraid of misunderstandings or mishearing, and inevitably wanted to confirm, but her delicate eyebrows and eyes couldn't help but curl up the corners of her mouth.

Mina raised her eyelids and glanced at Park Jin-young; she was completely speechless.

Makoto, is it really that romantic? The sentence lengths are all different... PDnim, can you please stop adding unnecessary drama?

“Of course.” After translating, Park Jin-young watched Hirai Momo’s “love-obsessed” expression change, his lips twitching slightly. But then he glanced at the other “love-obsessed” Mina, who had just been excited, and felt a sense of suffocation.

How could you let him manipulate you like that?
So much so that Park Jin-young chuckled, sarcastically tossed out a sentence in the practice room, and turned to leave: "By the way, Momo, he also said that you and Mina are both very good friends of his! You're not dating!"

He deliberately emphasized the word "friend" and let out a strange laugh.

Upon hearing this, Hirai Momo's face lit up with a joyful smile. She grinned, feeling a surge of appetite. In response to Park Jin-young's words, she sat on the sofa, raised her beautiful features, and replied, "Of course, PDnim!"

"Oppa—he's protecting us..."

"Twice's career still needs to be maintained, right?"

She said it as a matter of course, how could she, with her wisdom, not see through her teacher's protection of "TWICE"?

Tarot can't fly over TWICE—how can you bear to blame them?
"..." Park Jin-young, who had just turned and stepped out of the practice room, almost stumbled upon hearing this. He kicked a trash can in the hallway in frustration, yelling, "What a disgrace!!!"

"grass!"

……

The Grammy Awards ceremony, held in Los Angeles, proceeded smoothly as the stars in attendance distributed the awards one by one.

Gong Cheng's announcement of winning 4 out of 6 nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Album has sent countless fans watching the live stream into a frenzy. It remains to be seen whether he can secure the remaining two nominations for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

However, the significance of his current 4 wins out of 6 nominations has already surpassed his achievement of winning 3 out of 6 nominations when he first entered the Grammys last year. With 7 Grammys in his pocket, "Tarot" has taken another step forward in his position on the Mount Rushmore of the world music scene.

Even Park Jin-young couldn't help but raise his Heineken beer in the president's office, his expression a mixture of love and exasperation: "You're something else—my junior..."

Slightly tipsy, he suddenly started daydreaming.

Since this scumbag junior brother already has 7 Grammys, one of which he gave to Mina, could it be that...?

A Grammy, a mother?
...At the same time, JYP's official website released a video called "#Tarot".

My personal documentary, which I spent nearly two years filming and collecting materials for, has now been quietly released online, despite the urging and angry criticism from many fans who had been eagerly anticipating it.

Park Jin-young opened the official website on his computer and watched Gong Cheng's first personal documentary, which was nearly two hours long. It was like a film that recorded "Tarot's" growth from the age of twenty to twenty-three. In addition to the filming during work, they also collected a lot of video footage about Gong Cheng in his teens from Gong Cheng himself and his family.

The thought that his junior would announce his temporary retirement from the music industry after tonight's Grammys breaks his heart.

But it's understandable, since the documentary currently loading is less about a legendary journey to success and more about early fame followed by numbness and repression in the second half.

……

"Oh mo!"

Inside the dorm room of 【IZ*ONE】, Kang Hye-won was scrolling through her phone listlessly, mainly watching the Grammy live stream. Apart from the representatives going on stage to accept the awards, there wasn't much else to see besides the stage performances. She didn't understand much of the English, but Jang Won-young next to her was watching with great interest, pretending to understand.

"What's wrong?" Miyawaki Sakura had medium-length hair dyed sea blue. On her day off, she stayed in the dormitory. She and the other members were dressed casually and sloppily. She wore a pink silk nightgown with slight wrinkles.

Kang Hye-won, who had been watching the English subtitles with a wry smile, turned to the members with a shocked expression: "The CEO's personal documentary is online..."

The tone was filled with surprise, mainly because JYP is so good at dragging things out. They've been dragging it out from 17 to 19. And that's not all. There were two instances where they announced the release date in advance, but then quietly backed out. Can you stand that?
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanying turned her head with a delighted expression: "Qinjia?"

"Do you want to see it?" Jiang Huiyuan asked foolishly.

The remaining 11 members of IZ*ONE all chimed in, "Of course we want to watch!"

While Ahn Yoo-jin was busy projecting the documentary onto the projector, Jang Won-young deliberately stood up from the sofa, barefoot, with long, slender legs and toes adorned with black glitter nail polish, and drew the curtains, instantly darkening the entire living room.

On the coffee table, a tablet was playing a live Grammy broadcast.

This is a case of being "half-hearted," watching the live stream with one eye and the documentary with the other...

...The documentary loaded briefly, the gray bar rotated, slowly and quietly, until the white screen of the projector went black.

An Yu-jin, Miyawaki Sakura, and the others immediately fell silent and held their breath.

Among the 12 members, the one representing the group's fans is "Tarot." In the fandom, it's often said that fans who are into the group's careers are lucky, fans who focus on the couple's pairings are lucky, fans who appreciate the visuals are happy, and fans who admire the female characters are happy with their spending...

But for all types of fans, the only frustrating thing is that there's so little material, so very little, about the boy who's currently shining brightly at the Grammys.

There are very few, and some private photos, but not as many as the photos of "Tarot" and his rumored girlfriend going out drinking, which were taken by paparazzi and posted online.

……

At the same time, many fans around the world saw JYP's newly released documentary, "#Tarot".

"Dang Dang Dang~"

The documentary opens with a dark screen slowly opening to the melody of a piano piece. With the changing of the scene, a well-lit but not very large study comes into view. The video has a slightly retro and blurry quality, like an image unearthed from the past, which adds a touch of gentle nostalgia.

The study wasn't large, but the furnishings were simple yet tidy. The most striking feature was the black piano by the window. A boy of about eleven or twelve sat before the piano, wearing the standard uniform of Jiaye Middle School. The navy blue shirt made his skin appear even whiter, and the buttons at the collar were neatly fastened…

The familiar melody flowed in their ears, and many fans instantly recognized it as a famous classic piano piece from the last century, which was played by the young Miyako Makoto with a touch of youthful innocence and purity.

"Dang Dang Dang~"

The camera slowly zooms in, revealing eleven or twelve-year-old Gong Cheng with his handsome profile and focused, earnest expression.

"My God! Is that a young Gong Cheng? His features are just too outstanding!"

"To play so well at such a young age is amazing!"

"It seems like I was betrothed to Oppa when we were little~"

Ignoring the barrage of comments, Zhang Yuanying stared in surprise at the documentary editing team on the projector, noting the time period "2007" in the bottom corner. It really was when Oppa was little; she was only 15 years old.

How wonderful it would be to meet my oppa when he was 15?

In the video, sunlight streams through the blinds, casting soft dappled light on the already blurry video. Eleven-year-old Gong Cheng remains immersed in the music, sunlight falling on his hair. The piano music, accompanied by the interplay of light and shadow, seems to be turning the first page of his story for everyone in the long river of time…

"Is this what you're like at eleven?"

The scene shifts to a white room where a television screen on the wall is playing the opening footage of the documentary. The VJ focuses her camera on Gong Cheng, who is sitting on the sofa, and asks him a question with a smile.

Gong Cheng, dressed in a white T-shirt, casually turned his head, smiled brightly, and pointed to his eleven-year-old self on the screen, "Yeah, doesn't it look like me?"

"As handsome as ever!" A voice of praise rang out, and a simple question and answer echoed in the room.

In BLACKPINK's practice room, Jisoo watched Gong Cheng's figure in the documentary, and then subconsciously glanced at the face of this rascal sitting in the guest seat chatting with Justin Bieber in the Grammy live broadcast.

In the documentary, Gong Cheng in May 2017 looked noticeably more inexperienced than he does now, but his sharp features were more spirited and confident.

Amidst the questions and answers of interviews, the documentary market is slowly moving forward.

The video flashed by frame by frame, showing VJ interviews and questions from artists such as Taylor Swift, TWICE, and GOT7.

"Nayeon, what was your first impression of Tarot?"

"He seemed like a really nice person at first glance." In the video, Lim Nayeon stood in the company corridor, grinning with her rabbit teeth, but there was a hint of embarrassment in her eyes.

What do you think, BamBam?

In GOT7's practice room, seven members, including Jackson Wang, sat on the sofa. The other six lowered their heads, trying to suppress their laughter, while BamBam forced a genuine smile with a stiff expression: "What about Tarot?"

"Although I debuted earlier than him, he is a year older than me. When I first met him, he seemed like a reliable and steady older brother type. Later at the company, he was also very polite and took good care of me..."

"Oppa is of course the best in the world!" Son Chaeyoung grinned, showing her little tiger teeth and wearing a sticker-on lip ring on her lower lip. Her cheerful, childlike voice didn't match her rebellious makeup at all.

Kim Da-hyun stood in the parking garage, her small frame blinking as she stared at the camera in front of her. Then, with a snap, she saluted: "Loyalty!"

...After a series of interviews about first impressions of colleagues, the scene gradually changed as 2017 progressed.

Paris Fashion Week, London, New York, fan meetings, Seoul Music Awards, Billboard Awards, and even last year's Grammy Awards... a series of schedules and work allowed many fans to immerse themselves in the life behind the spotlight of Gong Cheng.

"Best New Artist of the Year—" At the 60th Grammy Awards ceremony, the presenter, microphone in hand, shouted exaggeratedly to the world: "TTTTTTarot!!!"

As he received the award, Gong Cheng's tall figure shone brightly under the spotlight. He surveyed the audience, who erupted in screams and cheers. The video then switched to a drone's overhead view of Seoul's bustling Gangnam district, where the image of "Tarot" appeared on the walls of towering buildings and on various LED screens.

"Oh my god! Oh my god, isn't Oppa amazing?"

Lee Bo-na, a die-hard fan of "Tarot," was excitedly hugging her mother's neck at home, beaming with pride as she boasted that she was "Tarot's" first fan!

All I can say is that JYP's documentary is fantastic. It captured Oppa's life behind the scenes over the past few years, but most of it was about his high spirits and dazzling moments, such as award ceremonies, concerts, and being surrounded by thousands of fans. As a fan of his career and looks, she was naturally thrilled.

Li Baona's mother glanced at her precious daughter. When her daughter first became a fan of "Tarot," she accompanied her in following the star. After all, young people today eat much better than they did back then.

The documentary shown in the video, depicting Tarot's glamorous and globally renowned 2017, mostly focused on his schedule and fans' adoration for him. However, perhaps because the presenter was holding his young daughter, he only saw the glitz and glamour and failed to notice the following:

"Bona, haven't you noticed that your favorite oppa spends almost the entire year in airplane cabins?"

Seeing Lee Bo-na's earnest expression as she recalled the events, she sighed, "Pay attention to the time below. Your oppa seems to be flying all over the world all year round..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Baona's heart skipped a beat.

Just then, on the tablet next to them, during the live broadcast of this year's Grammys, the presenter on stage, Joseph Luke, announced the award for Production of the Year. On the LED screen, the faces of Makoto Miyamoto and the other seven nominated singers were displayed in an eight-square grid.

Amidst shouts and cheers from the crowd.

The presenter looked up, incredulously clutching his head: "Production of the Year—Tarot!—《…》"

"Ah ah ah ah ah!!!"

“TTTTTarot…”

……

"Oh mo!"

“Another hit!!!”

In TWICE's practice room, Son Chaeyoung excitedly jumped up from the sofa and couldn't help but give Mina, who was screaming softly next to her, a big bear hug.

Mina's face flushed with joy as she hugged Son Chaeyoung's small frame. The two of them jumped and danced on the floor in celebration. But soon, the little tiger seemed to come to his senses, immediately pushed her away, and snorted coldly, "Hmph!"

Then, he crossed his arms and turned his head to continue watching the live stream on the sofa, which was incredibly uncomfortable.

There's absolutely nothing there...

"Cut~"

Mina smoothed the stray strands of hair beneath her flushed face and gave a defiant snort.

Nayeon also gave Sana a disdainful look, and the two rolled their eyes at each other before simultaneously withdrawing their hands from the high-five.

……

Soon, the members of TWICE also started watching Gong Cheng's personal documentary on the company's official website.

The timeline in the video jumps to 2018... Airplane cabins, hotels, and these frequently appearing scenes occupy most of the time behind Gong Cheng's spotlight. The "Sunrise Concert" on May Day, aerial footage, and tens of thousands of people standing on tiptoe on the beach.

Gong Cheng, tall and slender, stood with his arms outstretched, exuding confidence, within the dividing line of sunrise...

The photos are incredibly captivating, allowing many viewers to almost feel the excitement and youthful exuberance of fame.

The next scene pulls back to the white room where the documentary began, but now sitting there is the 18 version of him. Gong Cheng smiles and raises his eyebrows, his navy blue knit sweater and white wide-leg pants giving him a warmer aura. He confidently speaks to the camera:
"Life is so easy... haha."

"Aigoo, that sounds like something he would say." Yoo Jeongyeon clicked her tongue with a twitch at the corner of her mouth, but as soon as she finished speaking, a burst of Korean-accented English suddenly erupted from the Grammy live stream on the tablet lying on the floor: "Nice!"

The nine members of TWICE looked around curiously. Where were any Korean singers at this year's Grammys? Even their good friend Hagi-sung is Chinese.

"Album of the Year - The Lovers!"

"Tarot!"

On screen, at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, the announcer's voice was deafening. The director cut to the waiting area next to the audience seating. In this globally watched arena, Tarot's manager, Kim Dae-woo, dressed in a black suit, his sturdy frame flushed red as he raised his fist and shouted after hearing the winner's name:
"Ness!"

"all hit!"

In a state of extreme excitement, Kim Dae-woo's face flushed red from lack of oxygen. When he saw the director cut to his actions on the big screen, he showed no stage fright whatsoever. Instead, he slightly bent his knees, assumed a horse stance, pointed at Gong Cheng standing not far away in front of his seat, smiling at him, and roared: "—This is—Tarot!!!"

Then, as if still not satisfied, he pointed to the sky, stomped his feet on the ground, and, with his large belly sticking out, shouted into the microphone handed to him by a staff member: "The champion has his own name—his own name..."

...Gong Cheng looked at him from afar, laughed loudly and slapped his forehead, "Holy crap, I'm really impressed!"
……

"..."

Gong Cheng held the Album of the Year trophy in his hand. This was his last nomination of the night, and with that, he had won all six of his nominations. After his acceptance speech, amidst cheers and applause from the audience, he turned and headed backstage.

He also has a song to perform tonight, so he needs to prepare. He'll be going on stage after the next awards ceremony.

……

Twenty minutes later, the Grammy Awards ceremony will be coming to an end.

The stage lights suddenly dimmed. Gong Cheng had changed out of his suit backstage and was now wearing a white striped sweatshirt and gray casual pants. In an instant, the LED screens and the live broadcast showed him casually adjusting his in-ear monitor while standing in the waiting area, holding a silver microphone.

With his handsome features, warm smiling eyes, and wisps of hair casually tousled across his forehead, Gong Cheng's face appeared as soon as the host's preview was released, causing the entire audience to scream.
Because fans of the Peninsula had previously informed them online that Tarot would be releasing a new single tonight.

The singers and stars in the front row of the audience couldn't help but watch the big screen to see how Gong Cheng's new single was playing in the waiting area. He was undoubtedly the biggest winner of the night, and in terms of status and achievements, few people in the audience could compare to him.

As the sound of a piano slowly filled the air from the speakers all around, the intro to "Lonely" filled the ears of countless people... Without the accompaniment of complex instruments, only a clear, single piano note gently fell, like raindrops tapping on an empty windowpane. Each note carried a faint coolness, slowly and clearly spreading through the sweltering atmosphere of the venue...

"?"

Chou Tzu-yu stared at the tablets and phones on the floor, some playing documentaries about her brother, others showing live broadcasts of the Grammys. Suddenly, she saw a new announcement on the company's official website.

Clicking through, the description was simple: "Our company's artist Tarot (Gong Cheng) has officially launched her new single, 'Lonely,' which corresponds to the Major Arcana card in the Tarot world—'The World'—a card symbolizing permanence and continuous success. Around the gate of success are the happiness and sorrow you have experienced..."

"The world lied when it handed power to the young—keywords: [early fame], [success], [victory]..."

"As a highly personal work by Tarot, 'Lonely' will engage listeners in a profound dialogue about loneliness from the very beginning with its delicate melody and sincere vocals."

Beneath the simple overview is an oil painting-style poster for The World, a Major Arcana card game.

"The world?" Chou Tzu-yu muttered softly.

This immediately caught Kim Da-hyun's attention, and she muttered a couple of words along with it, then chuckled and waved her hand, "Aigoo, to be as successful as Oppa, that's something else~" Her little face showed a proud expression.

……

"Now my name is known to every household!"

"And this feeling is strangely inexplicable~"

As the clear, crisp piano notes began, Gong Cheng gripped the microphone, his voice shedding its usual brilliance and gaining a slightly husky quality, carrying an undisguised honesty. Tall and imposing, he sang a cappella as he slowly walked towards the stage in front of the camera, accompanied by the hazy synthesizer sounds and heart-pounding drumbeats, establishing a "spacious yet fragile" tone for the entire song...

The director, carrying a camera, approached his tall figure from behind. From his unique perspective, all that could be seen was the broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted back and the long, dark path ahead in the waiting area: "It's like staring at yourself in a mirror—trying to calm yourself—but only seeing another face..."

Gong Cheng, who was walking ahead, suddenly turned around. With his handsome features, he opened his mouth and sang without trying to be sentimental. Instead, he used an almost murmuring tone, while the camera in front of him seemed to be a mirror in the lyrics... talking to himself.

Even now, in the waiting area, the organizers have cleared out the staff for his performance, but Gong Cheng's long eyelashes and numb eyes are still clearly and clearly presented to the world along with his singing in the camera.

"It seems everything is no longer the same as before~ Life seems to have changed dramatically~"

"Perhaps as I get older, everything will return to calm~ But right now, I am suffering in my heart..." As the melody progressed, Gong Cheng turned a corner in the waiting passage, and in the live broadcast, at the end of the passage in front of Gong Cheng, there was a cluster of starlight and a wave of cheers.

However, as Gong Cheng hummed the song, the lyrics bluntly revealed the contradictions he faced under the spotlight, and the cheers from the audience gradually quieted down.

"If you possess everything, yet have no one to share your joy..."

……

Perhaps only then will you truly understand me.

From the perspective of the audience, Justin Bieber sat in his seat, his pupils contracted as he watched the "Tarot" figure getting closer and closer to the stage on the big screen. The director's angle was amazing; with each step Gong Cheng took, the spotlight on the "exit" became brighter and brighter, even a little dazzling.

"Because I have everything~ yet no one listens to my true feelings~" Gong Cheng murmured, the occasional breathy sound at the end of his words like an unintentional sigh, making his emotions seem even more real.

Hackie sincerely thought that he might never write a song that so dissected his inner self again.

"That would only lead to unbearable loneliness."

Justin Bieber immediately stood up, raised his hand to rub his cheek in empathy, and his eyes reflected the image of "Tarot" who had just walked out of the waiting area and stepped onto the stage—a kindred spirit!

For the past two years, he has been caught in a vortex of public opinion, and a great sense of suffocation and loneliness has plagued him. Now, on stage, "Tarot" uses a song to dissect the situation directly and incisively, like a scalpel.

Justin Bieber was listening to the song quietly when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Taylor and Billie Eilish, who were sitting next to him, had also stood up.

He knew very well that "Tarot" on stage and he himself were both role models of early fame, and the two would often chat during events, but this song really touched the deepest emotions in his heart...

In the chorus, the melody rises slightly yet remains melancholic. Gong Cheng, holding the microphone, stands under the dim, flickering spotlight, his eyes lowered, his face sadly lifted, singing: "I'm so lonely, lonely~"

“Loo-onely~”

The repeated chanting, without any intense outburst, possessed a power that struck straight to the heart. Gong Cheng's voice held a hint of vulnerability at this moment, as if he had finally shed all pretense and frankly admitted his helplessness...

My past is common knowledge.

"Perhaps this is the price you have to pay—to have such wealth and fame at such a young age—" The hoarseness in the voice grew more pronounced, as if long-suppressed emotions were finally finding an outlet. And when the melody faded again, the piano notes reappeared, returning to the tranquility of the opening, as if after an emotional catharsis…

In the quiet venue, the director cut the camera to Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and others standing side by side. In the dim light below the stage, the two men stared at "Tarot" on stage with their eyes closed, their eyes red.

"Oppa looks really sad..."

In the dorm of the four SM members, the executive director, who is very good at flattering, immediately noticed that his oppa's mood was not right. After all, he has been flattering him for two years, how could he not understand?

She's so stupid...

Ning Yizhuo watched with slightly trembling eyelids as Taylor, Justin Bieber, and Billie Eilish looked on with moved expressions. "These people and Oppa are all role models of early fame."

As soon as he finished speaking, Gong Cheng's singing continued softly: "When people see me in the depths of despair, no one cares whether you're alright~"

They'll only criticize you for the stupid things you've done in the past.

When the lyrics reached this point, Justin Bieber completely broke down and burst into tears.

That's so incredibly accurate to describe his situation these past two years...

Taylor, her eyes red-rimmed, took a sip of her champagne… Just like what Tarot said during his variety show broadcast in Seoul last month, they'll only mail you bills, they won't care about you…

Meanwhile, as Kim Ji-soo quietly watched Gong Cheng's lonely figure in the live stream, she wondered if she should secretly go and comfort him behind Zhao Meiyan's and Lim Na-yeon's backs.

...He wasn't this upset before.

But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a documentary on the tablet in Park Chae-young's hand. She glanced at it, listening to Gong Cheng's song, "When you sit together, but no one is there to share your joy~", while tilting her head to look at Gong Cheng in the documentary. Judging from the time, it was from the beginning of this year.

It was winter, and he was still on the world tour of "Cashflow," but in the scene, he returned to that white room.

The VJ asked with a smile, "Tarot, there's a really popular question online lately, don't you want to answer it?"

"If you could meet your younger self, what would you say to him?"

As she spoke, she pressed a button on the remote control, and the projector behind Gong Cheng displayed the piano video that appeared at the beginning of the documentary.

Gong Cheng glanced sideways, seemingly deep in thought about the question. Then, he looked up at the camera, then at his eleven-year-old self in the video, weathered by time, and exclaimed, "Some things are about to happen, things you can't even imagine!"

"At 20, you'll release an album called 'YDP,' at 21, you'll release 'Wheel of Fortune & X' and gain some attention, skip to the fourth song, which is a very sad track, and with the release of 'Rocktar' and 'Shape of You,' we're about to become a global sensation..."

His gentle smile and gaze suggested he was earnestly sharing some future plans with his past self in the video. The VJ smiled and nodded in the video, but then, Gong Cheng's smiling face abruptly changed as he spoke:
"It sounds great, but it's also irrelevant."

"At 22, we'll be rolling in money, but that's actually quite sad because you gradually realize that none of it can bring you true happiness..."

"Snap!!" Kim Jisoo stared blankly as Gong Cheng raised his head in the documentary, his eyes serious and genuine as he spoke those words. She glanced again at the Grammy livestream, where Hagi Cheng, clutching the microphone, said, "I'm so lonely, lonely~~~"

The same emotion emanating from Makoto Miyamoto in the documentary and at the Grammy Awards right now...

You little rascal! What's wrong with you...?

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles...

After Makoto Miyazaki's performance, the 61st Grammy Awards came to a close, and so did Miyazaki's personal documentary...

Lee Bona sat at home, staring incredulously at the latest update on JYP's official website.

She glanced at the final scene of the documentary again. The video suddenly went dark. The white room was now empty of Gong Cheng and the VJ; only a counter remained. Then, a tall figure, his face obscured, entered the frame. He clutched a silver microphone, stood there for a long time, and then slowly placed it on the counter. The screen then showed the custom-made name "Tarot" on the bottom of the microphone before plunging into darkness…

(End of this chapter)