Peninsula: My e-sports dream shattered, I chose to become an actor.

Still no reply.

Li Mingye was puzzled and couldn't figure it out.

Even if we didn't see it at the time, it's already noon the next day and there's still no news, which is really unusual.

He even sent a message in the morning, which also showed as unread, making him want to just make a phone call.

However, he always made a phone call only after confirming with Nayeon via text message that it was convenient for her to answer. This was an unspoken understanding between the two of them, and he didn't want to break this habit casually.

Something must have happened.

Li Mingye silently made a judgment, his unease growing stronger.

Just then, the phone vibrated, the screen lit up, and Lim Nayeon finally replied to the message:

"Sorry, I didn't see the message before."

Li Mingye frowned, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

He typed tentatively, trying to break the eerie atmosphere with a joke:

"Who are you? Why is our Nayeon being so distant with me!"

"Hehe, it's mainly because I'm really embarrassed."

"Are you really alright?" Li Mingye couldn't help but ask directly, his finger hovering above the screen.

"It's nothing, I was just too tired yesterday and went to bed early."

I went to bed early but didn't get up until noon today?

Li Mingye pursed his lips, clearly sensing that what she said was full of loopholes and made no logical sense at all.

His gaze was complex as he slowly typed on the keyboard, temporarily agreeing with her:

"Alright then, keep doing your thing. Good luck! Don't overwork yourself."

"Uh-huh!"

The chat messages were unusually devoid of emojis, making them appear somewhat lonely.

Li Mingye's eyes flickered for a moment, then without further hesitation, he dialed the number directly.

Stop guessing and ask his informant.

"Director Cui, I'd like to ask you something..."

……

Meanwhile, inside JYP's practice room.

Seeing Lim Nayeon making repeated mistakes, even getting simple choreography wrong, the dance teacher finally lost her patience, sighed, and said somewhat impatiently:

"Alright, you guys should rest for a bit. You won't get anywhere training like this. Are you all sleepwalking?"

She turned and left the practice room, leaving a room full of trainees looking at each other in bewilderment.

After the dance teacher left, Lim Nayeon seemed to have all her strength drained away. She lowered her head, walked to a corner, hugged her knees, and remained silent, curling up into a small ball.

Yoo Jeongyeon moved closer and sat down beside her, gently patting Lim Nayeon's back and comforting her.

"It's okay, the company definitely won't do anything to you."

Lim Na-yeon was basically unguarded with her and told her about what happened yesterday. Although some of the conversations may not have been complete, the core of her attack on her conscience was deadly enough.

Park Jihyo hesitated for a moment, but gritted her teeth and sat down next to Lim Nayeon, one on each side.

The other three were completely oblivious, exchanging glances and not daring to speak loudly.

"What's going on? What happened to Nayeon unnie?"

"I don't know, it seems like it's been like this ever since I was called in for a talk with my manager."

"Why don't you go and ask?"

"How can I join in the fun? I'll just annoy people!"

Ignoring the hushed chatter of the others on the other side of the practice room, Lim Nayeon, her eyes red and swollen, looked up and spoke to Yoo Jeongyeon:

"Jeongyeon, what should I do...?"

Her voice was almost hoarse and barely audible, as if it had been sanded.

Yoo Jeongyeon held Lim Nayeon's hand tenderly and spoke softly:

"Do whatever you want, I'll support you."

"Jingyan..."

Touched, Lim Nayeon hugged Yoo Jeongyeon's shoulder, sniffed, and tears welled up in her eyes again.

"Do you think I should break up with him?" Lim Nayeon asked softly, a rare look of vulnerability in her eyes.

Yu Dingyan's eyes flickered.

The way you're saying this concerns your future and even the entire team. I definitely think you should break up with him.

Although she had a good impression of Li Mingye, it was not enough to affect her judgment.

Based on what Yoo Jeongyeon knew about Lim Nayeon, this rational girl should have broken up with him immediately after the incident, but she hesitated like this.

You must really love it!

After hesitating for a moment, seeing her friend's pained expression, Yu Dingyan finally spoke in a low voice, giving an ambiguous answer:

"I can't make decisions for you, but I will support you."

Park Jihyo nodded with difficulty, silently expressing her support, even though she felt the relationship should end.

Lin Nayeon closed her eyes, and her mind went back to everything about Li Mingye.

She gripped the jade rabbit bracelet tightly, her knuckles turning white, her fingers trembling slightly.

……

"Okay, I understand."

Li Mingye hung up the phone, clutching his forehead with a headache, feeling a throbbing pain in his temples.

As expected, their relationship was discovered.

The person on the other end of the phone explained everything to him, thus resolving his doubts.

Li Mingye rubbed his face vigorously, his knuckles spreading to reveal his deep eyes.

If this agent had been tough, it would have been fine, but he chose to be soft, leaving him with no options.

Go and persuade Lim Na-yeon to stop caring about those choices and be with him?

He couldn't bring himself to say it; it would be too selfish and inconsiderate of her.

He can't ruin Lim Na-yeon's future because of his own selfish desires, after she has worked so hard for her dreams for so many years.

"Give up being an idol, and I'll make you a chaebol's wife."

He also felt that this was too condescending.

Lim Na-yeon is a very career-oriented woman with an exceptionally strong sense of self-respect. She wants to shine on stage, not be a caged canary.

In fact, the fact that she hasn't received a breakup notice yet already shows that Lim Nayeon is deeply in love with him, and that she is still struggling and hesitating under these circumstances.

"rough."

Li Mingye lay back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, and couldn't help but let out a Chinese curse.

"Damn it."

"Fuck."

He added two more sentences in other languages, attempting to vent his anger.

He couldn't take his anger out on their manager, who was forced into it and was just doing her job. Besides, she hadn't caused any real harm to Lim Na-yeon; she had only spoken.

He felt like he had a lot of anger but nowhere to vent it.

Li Mingye dialed the phone number again.

"Is there anything else?"

"Find a reason to get rid of that trainee who snitched in a month."

He wasn't quite sure what the trainee's purpose was.

Could it be to steal Lim Na-yeon's debut opportunity?

But he no longer cared about the reason.

"……good."

Without being asked why, Li Mingye hung up the phone somewhat helplessly and put it aside.

Venting like this doesn't solve anything; he still feels depressed and empty inside.

Aside from punishing the trainee who snitched, he didn't even know who to blame.

After thinking it over, I realized it was his own fault.

He was too naive back then and didn't realize the weight of this relationship.

"rough."

He cursed softly again, his eyes as still as a dead well.

Suddenly, the phone vibrated and the screen lit up again.

He slowly picked up his phone, raised it to his forehead, looked at the familiar name, and felt a mix of emotions.

Are you free today?

Contact person: Kim Ji-won.