The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 379: Five Generations Gather for a Meet-and-Greet! (Love Is Gone - Requesting Monthly Tickets)
The bedside lamp in the bedroom had just been turned on, and its warm yellow light slowly spread out. The frustration that Gong Cheng had felt from the big star's resolute departure seemed to be gently soothed by this warm light. Especially when he gently embraced Mina, that feeling of depression was instantly washed away, leaving only a moment of peace and happiness.

"..."

His tone was light and cheerful, and his eyes were full of smiles.

Mina blinked and stared into his eyes. It seemed like she hadn't seen Makoto so happy in a long time. In contrast, Makoto's female relatives had initially thought that today's "usurpation" would lead to Makoto becoming addicted and dependent on them by accompanying and healing his illness.

Even though she looks gentle and weak, Mina really wants Makoto to stick to her; that way, her insecure heart will feel safe.

"..."

After pausing for a while, Gong Cheng got up and walked to the display case on the east side of the bedroom, took down a Grammy Award trophy shaped like a gramophone, and as he crawled back into bed, he cheerfully handed the trophy to Mina: "Mina-chan, happy birthday~"

"The promised birthday present."

Suddenly I realize this trophy is really meaningful!
Mina raised her little hand, tidied her messy hair, and got up from the bed. She "wriggled" towards the bedside table, picked up her handbag with adorable movements, and took out the birthday gift she had prepared for Makoto, thus beginning the gift exchange.

She took out a small blue gift box, about the size of her palm, from her handbag. The box was decorated with fine silver threads.

Mina gently shook the gift box in her hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She turned and pounced on Miyako, pressing her entire body against his back. When her arms wrapped around his neck, you could still see the lingering pink and peach-colored lingering on her arms.

"Turn around quickly~" she said softly, with a coquettish tone, half-pulling and half-dragging Gong Cheng under the lamp.

With a click, Mina opened the gift box. A slight smile played on her lips. A pair of silver couple's rings lay on a soft foam cushion. She picked up the two rings, carefully examining them. The inside of the rings was engraved with tiny "G" and "M." "They have the initials of our names, Makoto~" she said.

"A small gift, nothing more."

She smiled triumphantly and happily, her smile like cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Unlike that white cherry blossom from not long ago~
"A ring?" Gong Cheng's eyes sparkled with the small diamonds set in the silver ring... It was quite eye-catching, a couple's set.

He gladly accepted the gift from his girlfriend.
Gong Cheng lay on the headboard, his back heavy with the weight of the ring. Ming Jing Nan was pressed against his back, her head tilted to the side, watching him put on the ring with the letter "M" engraved on the inside.

Something feels off; the initials of Mina's name seem a bit like she's taking advantage of someone.
"We're officially dating now, Makoto-chan~" Mina's fair face was pressed against Makoto's earlobe, her breath hot against his ear, like a pervert. Then, she deftly extended her delicate white fingers and waved them in front of Makoto's eyes, "Put them on for me~"

"You've made me lose several girlfriends, of course we should date~" Gong Cheng laughed sarcastically, picked up the ring that was much smaller and slipped it onto Mina's slender finger.

Mina, upon hearing his words, was not annoyed. Instead, she smiled and hugged his neck tightly, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Our Cheng-chan is facing the past openly and honestly, with a clear conscience.
After exchanging gifts, the two lay back in bed. Mina curled up in his arms, whispering happily, "Makoto-chan~ do you know?"

"..."

She reminisces about the times she met Gong Cheng, recounting her emotional journey when she learned that Gong Cheng wanted to pursue her, but then she fell in love with Sana-chan, Nayeon-unnie, and so on.

Gong Cheng wore a gentle smile, but his mind was somewhat elsewhere.

Because he suddenly remembered a terrifying "curse," which Haji Cheng didn't really think was a "curse," but rather a terrifying pattern.

It seems that all the women who have given themselves a ring...

They broke up.

He glanced down at Mina, who was still like a kitten, squinting her eyes, pouting, and saying something like, "We have to be good to each other in the future~". Miyako counted, and in the past few years, the big star, Minato, Miyeon~ Daegu's mother had all given him rings.

Apart from Zhao Meiyan's friend Pabu, who has already broken up once, it seems that all the others have broken up.

As for the other girlfriends, they exchanged many gifts during their relationships, but everyone had different ideas. For example, Chaeyoung preferred to give herself some artistic gifts, while Momo preferred more sassy ones.

"What are you thinking about?"

Minami raised her delicate face and suddenly noticed the flickering eyes of Miyako, her tone somewhat displeased.

Gong Cheng slid down, lying face-to-face with Mina on the pillow. He swallowed hard and said bitterly, "Hearing Mina-chan say that, I suddenly feel a little shameless..."

"Hmm~ It really is shameless~" Mina snorted and nodded in deep agreement.

She leaned forward again and hugged Gong Cheng: "But I'll be tolerant of you~ Cheng-chan..."

"Why?" Gong Cheng was so shocked by her post that he couldn't help but chuckle.

Mina gripped Miyako's hair tightly, chuckling confidently, "Because I have a broad mind!"

"what?"

Gong Cheng's lips trembled. What kind of hellish joke is this?
Seeing his suspicious tone, Mina raised her knee from under the covers, gently nudging him, and asked the question that struck her as profound: "Who's older, me or Chaeyoung?"

"..." Gong Cheng glanced at the little penguin silently, but still said against his will, "It's yours~"

"Slap!" Mina slapped his arm with her small hand and said mischievously, "Liar!"

"Ani ah~" Changing your mind is something only idiots do. Gong Cheng stuck to his answer and refused to budge. "I just love your type—so cute!"

Mina let herself indulge her vanity for a while.

Gong Cheng watched her yawn, then took out his phone and set an alarm for a few hours later. He then pulled the drowsy and exhausted Mina into his arms and fell asleep...

……

At six o'clock in the morning, Gong Cheng opened his eyes groggily as he heard the alarm clock on his phone by his bedside.

He drank quite a bit last night. Although he wasn't drunk, he still had a headache from lack of sleep. He raised his hand to his forehead to calm the throbbing in his head. After a while, he got up, glanced at the little penguin sleeping soundly beside him, pinched her cheek, and called her to get up.

"Mina-chan, wake up!"

TWICE still has schedules today; their comeback period isn't over yet. I was thinking of having her take a day off, but Mina absolutely refused, saying that the members would be angry if she didn't go.
Hehe, are you going there to show off your power?
Gong Cheng knew this little penguin all too well; it was both clumsy and playful.

After getting out of bed and going to the bathroom, Gong Cheng, with his toothbrush in his mouth, glanced at the electric toothbrush in front of the mirror. It was the one that Hakino had brought, saying that she would put it here in the future. As he was brushing his teeth, Mina, still half asleep, put on her nightgown and walked in. She spread out her little hands and locked them around his waist from behind, rubbing her head against him.

"Brush your teeth, and I'll take you to work."

Gong Cheng pulled her to his side and handed her a toothbrush.

Amidst the "swish swish swish..." of brushing his teeth, Gong Cheng stood in front of the mirror and glanced at Ming Jingnan, who was much taller than him, washing up. He seemed a little dazed; the last person standing next to him while washing up was Daegu's wife.

He always felt that he had been a bit sentimental lately, and that his mind was full of repetitive thoughts.

I recalled the scenes of bickering with the big star in the large apartment in Cheongdam-dong, the old dormitory with Son Chaeyoung in Gangnam, and the little moments with Minatozaki Sana in the dormitory in Gangdong...

Zhao Meiyan, Hirai Momo...

After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Gong Cheng put down the towel, deftly bent down and kissed Mina's cheek: "I'll make breakfast~ You take your time getting ready~"

Mina was caught off guard by the sudden attack and stood frozen in place, toothbrush in hand. Then... her eyelids involuntarily lifted, and a smile appeared on her lips.

Makoto, you bastard~
……

After Mina washed up, changed her clothes, and put on makeup in the bedroom, the two had a simple breakfast.

Gong Cheng stood in the garage and randomly selected a Mercedes sports car. The license plate and other details had never been seen by the public before. He started the car and drove towards Jiangdong.

Today, the weather is sunny.

As Gong Cheng gripped the steering wheel, his drowsiness dissipated considerably, as if he had returned to the busy period when he was still working. The mental exhaustion and suffocating feeling he had been experiencing recently were actually much better due to the lack of sleep and the stressful schedule.

Could it be that we're chosen to be busy?

"How despicable!" Gong Cheng, who was constantly analyzing and paying attention to his own situation, couldn't help but mutter to himself.

He glanced at Mina, who had suddenly fallen silent, and asked, "What are you doing~"

"Take a picture~ Post it on Instagram~" Mina sat obediently in the passenger seat, holding a cup of coffee she had just bought after getting out of the car in her right hand and her phone in her left, taking a picture with a smile on her face, her hand holding the coffee cup.

The focus isn't on the coffee brand or anything else, but on the ring on her finger.

Compared to the diamond-encrusted ring on Nana's fair finger, the ring on Mina's finger is more understated. Firstly, it suits her temperament, as it is a decorative item. Secondly, if it were too flashy, it would stand out too much and give fans away.

However, Minami had already laid out a long-term plan and was strategizing meticulously.

These couple rings are custom-made, and it's very difficult to find the same style online. You can't just take a screenshot and scan it on a shopping app, only to have it pop up saying, "Ding~ The image you entered is a couple style~" Wouldn't the ONCEs be furious?
"Posting on Instagram?" Gong Cheng said with amusement, then stepped on the brakes and waited for the traffic light. "You don't post much, especially on [Bubble]."

As the brother-in-law of the ONCEs, of course he had to stand up for them...

Even though I messed with you guys, your brother-in-law is urging them to start working on your behalf~ So sweet, aren't you guys?
As for 【Bubble】, the chat app for celebrities launched at the end of last year, Mina's account has many subscribers. In the popularity distribution of Twice, let's not discuss who is the most popular in the controversial way, but the most loyal fans are almost all the soft and cute Mina.

So when [Bubble] was first launched, a large number of die-hard fans subscribed to Mina's account, but her mother's attitude towards promoting the product was not very proactive.

Speaking of Bubble, it's worth mentioning that since its launch, this app has rapidly captured the entire Asian market, experiencing a surge in user numbers and enjoying great success...

Mina, with her habit of biting into her coffee, took a sip and immediately found it a bit bitter. She quickly grabbed Makoto's orange juice from the console, slurped it up, and exclaimed, "Now that's sweet!"
She glanced at Gong Cheng lightly and said, "And you're talking about me? Cheng-chan's own Instagram and Bubble accounts don't seem to be very active, do they?"

"That's right~"

Gong Cheng chuckled.

Mina uploaded the photos she had just taken to Instagram, and also selected several photos from yesterday's birthday fan meeting, including group photos with the members and photos of the cake, making a total of nine photos to post together. The photo of her wearing a ring and holding a coffee was placed in the middle of the nine-grid.

She lowered her eyelids and looked at the group photo with "misamo", the solo photo with "Mi Cai", the CP that the company had been marketing, and the photo with Lim Na Yeon. Her gaze then drifted to the first photo in the nine-square grid, which was a photo of the Grammy trophy without anyone in it. After all, Gong Cheng had mentioned this at the Grammy Awards ceremony, so there was no point in hiding it.

Mina glanced at the selected photos with satisfaction. Gifts from her boyfriends—some for the members, some for her rivals—were included. In the caption section, she simply wrote: "A very happy 22nd birthday spent with the members and ONCEs~ (fireworks)"

Hmph, she tapped her little finger and clicked send.

Looking at these guys—[Silly Dog], [Stupid Rabbit], [Sick Tiger], and [Dumb Peach]—I'm not only secretly happy, I'm also going to use you as a shield!
……

Following Mina's Instagram post, Momo Hirai, who had just woken up in the TWICE dorm and had just finished washing up in the bathroom, glanced at Nayeon Lim, who was sitting on the sofa with her knees bent and looked haggard, and didn't say anything.

While waiting for her agent to pick her up in a van, she sat in a chair and picked up her phone to browse Instagram.

TWICE has nine members who follow each other on social media, but each member doesn't follow many artists, and they don't dare to randomly follow any male artists, otherwise it could easily cause rumors. But @TTTTTarot is an exception.

If you don't pay attention, Akana might think you have a problem with that oppa.

They're specifically targeting you; they're incredibly domineering, especially that infamous "Dragon of the Execution Department"...

Hirai Momo refreshed the feeds of the people she followed and glanced at Mina's Instagram account, wondering why she had updated her feed so early in the morning.

Click on the nine-grid photos and browse through them one by one.

After browsing the picture in the center, Hirai Momo jumped up from the stool, unable to contain herself. The ring on her finger seemed to have appeared out of thin air, even though it's common for celebrities to wear jewelry.

But we're currently in a sensitive period within the group, and this friend, who doesn't post updates very often, is always... Hirai Momo just can't see anything right about this, something's definitely up!
Sana Minatosaki walked out of the bedroom in a daze. She glanced at Nayeon Lim, who looked dejected on the sofa, and then at Momo Hirai, who looked flustered. They didn't have anything in common to say to each other.

In their dorm, it's a miracle they're not fighting anymore.

Hirai Momo immediately put her phone in her pocket and drove towards the front door from the living room.

Lim Nayeon raised her eyelids and glanced at her, then leaned back weakly on the sofa. But after thinking about it, since she and Gong Cheng had completely separated, she should focus on her career. She said helplessly, "The van hasn't arrived yet, where are you going?"

"Heh...the nanny van didn't come?"

Hirai Momo stood still, glanced at Lim Nayeon and Minatozaki Sana, and said irritably, "The wolf is coming!!!"

In the three-person dorm room, with Lim Nayeon speaking first, it seemed to the other two like a gesture of easing tensions and showing goodwill. Minatozaki Sana also stopped putting on airs and frowned in confusion: "What, what's all this 'wolf is crying'?"

"Mina-chan wasn't in the dorm last night, did you guys know?" Hirai Momo sneered, crossed her arms, and then turned and walked towards the elevator.

She was going downstairs to Minami's dorm to check on her; if she wasn't there, then things were bad!
She'll really have to eat my master's food...

Sana Minatozaki couldn't believe it. "Impossible, right? Would she dare..."

But halfway through her sentence, her face stiffened. That "shameless woman" was too audacious.

As Lim Nayeon watched the two figures disappear into the distance, her already sad mood turned even more damn sad!

What happened after Zhao Meiyan? We broke up, and you bad boy, you slept with Mina again that very night...

Trembling, Lim Nayeon thought she had cried all her tears, but she realized that she still had some left. She picked up her handbag from the sofa, slung it over her trembling shoulders, walked out of the dormitory, and closed the door behind her.
Gong Cheng—you fucking heartless!
……

After Minatozaki Sana, Hirai Momo, and Lim Nayeon rushed downstairs to Yoo Jeongyeon, Park Jihyo, and Mina's dormitory.

Park Jihyo was washing up in the bathroom when Hirai Momo looked at Yoo Jeongyeon and asked, "Where's Mina-chan?"

"Let's go to the bedroom~" Yoo Jeongyeon said with a yawn. She and Park Jihyo were already used to the rivalry among the group; it was a regular feature of TWICE.

Sana Minatozaki arrived at Mina's bedroom door, raised her hand and knocked, "Mina, come out."

Hirai Momo stood aggressively beside her, but after knocking on the door for a long time and calling her name several times, no sound came from the bedroom.

Underneath her baseball cap, Lim Na-yeon's face was red-rimmed. She looked up at her two silly roommates, walked over, shoved them aside, placed her hand on the doorknob, and opened the door.

...The scene in the bedroom: a thick quilt covering the bed, with a human figure protruding from inside.

Hirai Momo stepped forward in a few strides, pulled back the blanket, and inside was a one-meter-tall brown cartoon bear doll grinning, looking adorable. But to the others, the bear's smile seemed a bit smug.

Sana Minatozaki turned to look at Jeongyeon Yoo, who looked completely bewildered: "Unnie, didn't I specifically tell you yesterday to keep an eye on her and not let her sneak out?"

Yoo Jeongyeon waved her hand awkwardly: "Last night, as soon as I got off work, she said she wasn't feeling well and went back to her bedroom. Then Jihyo and I drank too much~" She and Park Jihyo had gotten off work unusually early yesterday, and had a nice little buzz. It was that simple. Even though she had agreed to help keep an eye on her with Minatozaki Sana, she couldn't be with her 24/7.
Besides, aren't these all your family matters?
What does this have to do with me, Yu Dingyan?
Lim Nayeon, her small face hidden under the brim of her hat, felt a sudden pang of pain in her heart. She raised her hand to her chest, unable to muster any anger. Instead, she lowered her head, hiding her rabbit teeth, and said bitterly, "She's finally gotten what she wanted..."

However, the muffled voice sounded somewhat sarcastic to Sana Minatozaki and Momo Hirai.

……

As the Mercedes drove into the underground parking garage of the TWICE residential complex in Jiangdong, Mina gripped the seatbelt tightly, her eyes fixed on Makoto, expressing her reluctance to part.

"...I still prefer Mina-chan, that cool look in her eyes~" Gong Cheng smiled and met her eyes, teasing her, thinking that he shouldn't waste any more time, otherwise the TWICE members would be coming down soon.

Mina instantly switched to a cool and aloof gaze, glancing at him before raising her small face with an air of superiority. She shifted her body slightly and kissed Gong Cheng on the cheek, who had shamelessly leaned in. Then, with her small hand on the car door handle, she asked with interest, "Will you wait a little longer and say hello to the members?"

“I want to too~” Gong Cheng looked at her with a bright smile, “but I’ve made a complete mess of everything…”

Mina looked at his smile and felt an overwhelming sadness in it. She sighed inwardly, opened the car door with a "click," but hesitated for a long time before turning to look at Makoto: "Makoto-chan, have you noticed that something's wrong with you?"

She asked with a slight tremor, and decided to have a good talk with Gong Cheng about this issue, emphasizing the importance of seeking medical attention promptly.

"..." Upon hearing this, Gong Cheng glanced at her, tightened his grip on the steering wheel, took a deep breath, opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word.

Sometimes, silence is also an answer.

Mina reached out her small hand and placed it on the back of Makoto's hand, whispering, "While you're away from the music industry for a while, go see a doctor, Makoto-chan? I'll be with you..." As she said this, she squeezed Makoto's hand tightly, as if trying to convey some kind of strength to him.

"I'm thinking of going back to China recently, and then going to Japan or Europe for a trip. Maybe that will help me relax." Gong Cheng gave you a reassuring look and smiled as he talked about his upcoming plans.

Mina didn't respond to him. Instead, she pursed her lips and whispered, "I have an aunt who is a very famous psychologist in Japan. If you're going to Tokyo, I'll go with you to see her in a few days."

"Okay." Gong Cheng agreed readily.

Of course you should see a doctor if you're sick! Even without Mina's suggestion, he was planning to see a doctor soon anyway.

Besides, the little penguin has already said so much; he's actually a very positive person, and seeking medical attention promptly was the right thing to do!

Haji Cheng after his rebirth—Go go go!

Mina looked at him with concern and surprise. She never expected that Gong Cheng would agree so readily. But she was finally relieved. However, before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, she became melancholy again.

With Cheng-chan's tacit approval, the fact that he's sick is now confirmed. But how can he be cured?
This made Minami anxious and worried again...

"Don't worry, go to work now~" Gong Cheng patted Mina's head and rubbed it. The fluffy texture felt nice, which made him feel a little happier.

When I got off at the Minami stop and took the elevator back to my dormitory.

She already knew what she was going to face next: she was going to get beaten up. But she was also feeling a surge of excitement. "I've already taken the cannon, what's a beating?"
Our Cheng-chan, we must fight this illness with all our might!
And she, on the other hand, has to fight against those "bad women"...

Fighting on two fronts, Cheng-chan needs to stay healthy; she's a woman of the Ming family, and she's destined to overpower all the powerful figures.

...After Minami left, Makoto sat alone in the car for a while. He glanced at the two black vans that drove into the underground parking garage; they were TWICE's vans.

He started the car, not caring much about greeting TWICE's manager, and drove off.

……

When we arrived at the office space we rented in Jiangnan, it was already nine o'clock in the morning.

Gong Cheng arrived at the composition room and began his work.

Perhaps only work can allow him to temporarily forget everything. In addition, after Mina discovered that he was ill, Makoto decided to turn his feelings and thoughts during this period into songs and release an album when he returns to the music scene.

This may be the only album in his career where he opens up so much about his heart.

Nobody wants to get sick~ But since things have come to this, Gong Cheng is still optimistic and positive, looking on the bright side~ Maybe he can use this album to torture a wave of fans and purify their minds?
As for the meeting with ITZY, Jang Won-young, Kang Hye-won, and the executive department's "Little Washboard," Gong Cheng took out his phone and chatted with the girls, setting the time for the evening and explaining that it would be good for everyone to get to know each other.

Anyway, these girls are all around the same age, some have already debuted, some haven't, they're all from the same generation.

In the end, Gong Cheng wanted to save himself the trouble. He's not some giant swimmer; he doesn't have that much time to run around meeting so many people.
Aside from the women, he was very happy when he was Mr. Octopus.
...The soft, gentle piano notes flowed like a stream. Gong Cheng used his own real-life experience of heartbreak as the basis for creating the arrangement and editing the lyrics.

Waaaaah, why the hell do I always end up getting dumped?!

Big star—you've made me lose all love...

That 600 million won is clearly very important to both of us.

Having undergone a phoenix-like rebirth and transformation, Gong Cheng looked directly into his own heart. This time, unlike before, he didn't use a song to fool seven or eight girls. Instead, he seriously wrote a song for a big star, wanting to make the song more cheerful and sweet.

The lyrics he wrote and the arrangements he produced only made him more melancholy.

Please don't leave tonight~

"Stay a little longer for me~"

Another heartbreaking piece?
Gong Cheng strongly doubted that the entire album would end up being filled with these heartbreaking, tear-jerking songs.
However, adhering to his personal creative habits, he wrote the lyrics first and then arranged the music.

Gong Cheng kept singing the lyrics softly in the composition room, adjusting the melody of the arrangement: "Let's fall in love again~ I need you by my side~"

……

In the lobby downstairs, Jeon So-mi arrived at the company looking energetic. After greeting the smiling receptionists, she...

She overheard from the receptionist that the company president had arrived at the company early that morning, gone upstairs to the composition room, and hadn't come down since.

Jeon Somi, with her brown hair tied up, glanced at the time on her phone; it was already 2 p.m.

She turned around and went out again, where she bought a spicy pork rib rice to go from a nearby lunch shop, and then ordered a glass of orange juice at a coffee shop.

If Quan Mizhao were to express her feelings about the time since signing with Gong Cheng, it would be that this oppa has taken exceptional care of her. So, she brought him lunch and drinks to express her gratitude.

A few days ago, the song that Gong Cheng produced for her made her even more eager to debut.

Back at the company, Jeon Somi, with her ponytail swinging, carefully made her way to the composition room on the second floor. After seeing the half-open door, she listened curiously to the singing inside. The a cappella voice had a grainy texture, like sandpaper.

Back when she was a trainee at JYP, she often heard Park Jin-young praise this oppa's voice, saying it was practically a gift from God.

"I'm sorry!"

Please don't leave me~ I just want you by my side~

As the arrangement progresses into the chorus, Gong Cheng's voice suddenly unleashes its power. Listening to the strings in your ears, "I know your love has long since vanished~ I'm suffocating~ I'm so fragile~ I know this isn't easy~"

Jeon Somi hid outside the door, her doll-like face watching Gong Cheng's sad eyes.

What's wrong with our president?

The song sounds so sad~
...At the end of the song, Gong Cheng stopped singing, lowered his head, and carefully modified the synthesizer sound effects in the arrangement.

He heard a knock on the door and looked up.

Just then, Jeon Somi peeked out from the crack in the door, beaming with a smile, and held up her hands to show off her packed lunch and orange juice.

The "Palace Emperor" dispelled the oppressive and suffocating melancholy aura emanating from him and smiled as he said, "Please sit down."

Immediately afterwards, he continued to diligently revise and modify the arrangement.

After working for a while, Gong Cheng typed the song title "Love Is Gone" into the lyrics document... Love has disappeared.

"Are you writing a song, Oppa?" Jeon Somi asked casually after he took off his headphones, and then handed him the packed lunch.

"Kamsammada~" Gong Cheng thanked him and, without being polite, opened the lunchbox and nodded: "Yeah, I haven't had much to do lately, I've been writing songs."

He had just picked up a spoon and taken a bite of bibimbap when he looked up at Jeon Somi's curious gaze and chuckled, "Want to see?"

Jeon Somi looked on with some anticipation, then politely asked, "Is it alright?"

"Go ahead and watch if you want~" Gong Cheng got up with his lunchbox, sat on the sofa next to him, and took a sip of orange juice.

Jeon Somi sat in front of the computer, staring at the title of the lyrics in front of her—"Love Is Gone".

She put on her headphones and listened to the arrangement.

Even without a recorded audio source, just listening to the sad arrangement and the lyrics in front of you is enough to make you feel emotional.

Jeon Somi felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this.

A few minutes later, she quietly put down her headphones. Gong Cheng, shoveling rice into his mouth, asked, "How is it?"

Jeon Somi thought about it seriously for a moment, carefully recalling the feeling she had just heard through the headphones and the singing of Gong Cheng that she had heard outside the composing room. She asked in confusion, "How could Oppa write such a sad song?"

In her view, that kind of sadness, how should I put it? It wasn't cheap at all; rather, it was the genuine wretchedness that comes after a breakup.
But looking at him from the left and right, the oppa in front of him doesn't seem like the kind of person who would be heartbroken. No matter how you look at it, he's the one who dumps the other person in any relationship!
Many people in the industry say that the relationship Gong Cheng had with Zhao Meiyan that was exposed to the public was one where he dumped her...

Moreover, isn't this guy a universally recognized, genuine playboy?
Hajime: A player? The whole world has misjudged me!
"I've had a lot of romantic experiences, so I wrote it down." Gong Cheng shrugged and said seriously.

He picked up a tissue and wiped his mouth, then looked at Jeon So-mi with an earnest expression, speaking as if he had been there all along: "That's love!"

Jeon Somi smiled. Why did these words sound so unreliable coming from this guy?!
After chatting for a while, Gong Cheng and Somi went downstairs together to the practice room to check on her recent practice results.

Around dusk, Gong Cheng drove to a restaurant he had booked in Seocho-gu. Along the way, Seoul's streetlights lit up one after another, and traffic was heavy.

He had just driven across the Hanjiang Bridge when he received a call from Liu Zhimin.

"Hey?"

"Oppa~ We've arrived~" The Dragon from the Execution Department said with a cheerful voice through the receiver, accompanied by the chattering of Xiao Washboard, Ning Yizhuo, and Uchigatari.

Gong Cheng asked, "Are there only four of you?"

"Oh no~ Oppa's friends of the same age haven't arrived yet~ Oppa, where are you?" Yoo Jimin said quickly, sounding very anxious.

"We just crossed the Han River Bridge, and the road is a bit congested. We'll be there a little later. Please have a seat." Gong Cheng responded with a light laugh. After thinking carefully, he realized that SM Entertainment's four members were four people, ITZY's five members were five, and IZ*ONE's members were Jang Won-young and Yi Deng Qing Chun.

There were 11 people in total, plus him, making 12, so when booking the private room in the morning, we booked a larger one.

"Okay, see you later." Watching the traffic begin to flow in front of him, Gong Cheng immediately hung up the phone and gently stepped on the gas.

……

"Hang up?"

In a private room on the 11th floor of the Luo Rong Hotel in Seocho-gu, Liu Zhimin shrugged, put down her phone, and turned to say, "I also want to ask who Oppa invited our peers to be? They can't all be trainees, can they?"

But as soon as she finished speaking, she saw, to her dismay, that her three friends, Kim Min-jung, Ning Yi-zhuo, and Nai Yong-zhi-li, were taking turns standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the private room, taking turns to admire themselves and take selfies!
She had originally planned to sneak out yesterday and meet up with Oppa alone.

But man proposes, God disposes. This morning, Oppa called and told her that Minjung and the others also wanted to celebrate his birthday in person, so they had to arrange to meet together.

At that moment, Liu Zhimin truly understood: our friends, there are four of us!

They were never of one mind.

Without thinking too much, Liu Zhimin took out a small mirror from her bag, looked at her quail-egg-shaped face, and thought, "So pretty!" Then she ran to the French windows, picked up her phone and started snapping photos, muttering to herself, "Did Oppa tell you who the other people you invited were?"

Didn't you ask just now?

Ning Yizhuo stood to one side and placed the gift she had prepared for Gong Cheng aside.

Yoo Jimin's eyes drooped. "Oppa hung up the phone too quickly~"

"Kenchana~" Kim Minjung was in an exceptionally good mood today. Her birthday this year was January 1st. Last year, after repeatedly emphasizing to her oppa, he sent her a gift even though he wasn't in Seoul at the time. In addition, she was able to celebrate her oppa's birthday today, even though it was a day late.

But compared to last year's birthday, when there wasn't even a personal birthday greeting, this is a huge improvement!
Liu Zhimin raised her chin, patted Long Mi, and assured her, "No matter who it is, I'm here, right? There won't be any awkward silences~"

Uchiga Eri looked at her, her lips trembling: "Are you sure?"

That should be replaced with, "There's no one you're afraid to speak up for..."

That would be more accurate.

Kim Minjung frowned slightly, her expression suddenly showing some worry: "I hope I don't run into any mean friends my age~"

"..." Ning Yizhuo's wrist, which was holding the coffee, trembled slightly.

She stole a glance at Kim Minjung, "Unnie, I'm just saying, who can be mean to you?"
Liu Zhimin nodded in deep agreement, letting out a long sigh: "I wish I could run into friends my own age like IZ*ONE?" Once she started talking, she seemed to open up, since Oppa wasn't there and the room was full of her own people!
"Do you remember Zhang Yuanying?"

"And Jiang Huiyuan..."

……

Outside the private room, Zhang Yuanying stood gracefully, wrapped in a white sweatshirt, the collar of her shirt peeking out from under the sweatshirt. Her slender waist was encircled by a black pleated skirt, with a casually tied belt around her waist, exuding a pure and sweet girlish charm.

Jiang Huiyuan held a red gift box in her hand; it was a gift prepared for that representative.

Just as the two reached the door of the private room, they suddenly heard a chattering sound coming from inside. The voices sounded somewhat familiar, and they even mentioned each other's names. Jiang Huiyuan and Zhang Yuanying hesitated and stopped in front of the door.

(End of this chapter)