Chapter 25 I Don't Want That Way

Shin-hye and Jung So-min sitting beside him all couldn't help but smile subtly, their eyes flashing with a hint of strangeness.Through their time working together on set, they realized that the chara..."A little bit Then that's really true!"

"F***, a little bit Just say it if it's related, what kind of pretentious jargon is this"

Ji Jingyuan's teasing had piqued everyone's interest, especially after his description. Several of the sisters began complaining loudly, dissatisfied with his words. While Huang Meiying smiled mischievously and clapped along to fuel the excitement, both Kim Taeyeon and Sunny frowned, looking at him with disdain.

"Wow, this is news to me! I've never heard about it before. When did this happen Last time we were in town, I didn't notice anything."

Kim Heechul, who was sitting beside him, looked at Park Jeong-won with a mixture of surprise and excitement, as if knowing this inside information made him very satisfied. After finishing his words, he seemed to remember something, took a sip from his glass, smacked his lips, and said: "Irene is really good, she's famous for being beautiful, and I heard her personality is also very good and gentle... Speaking of which, a friend I knew the other day asked me for Irene's contact information. Although I have her phone number, I rarely contact her. I originally thought about finding an opportunity to ask for her opinion, but now that I know Jeong-won, you and Irene are in this kind of relationship, there's no need to say more..."

"With that, he spread his hands and shrugged. "After all, who has ever competed for this sort of thing..."

"Hehehe." Chi Jingyuan smiled twice upon hearing this, but after thinking about it, he still tried to salvage the situation: "Actually, there really isn't..."

"Fine, go if you want. EXO is back on top now, wuli yuan oppa naturally has to work."

Kim Taeyeon twitched her lips and interrupted her, snatching a piece of grilled meat from the grill grate like a fast-fingered thief right as Ji Kyeongwon was flipping it.

Seeing Kim Taeyeon's childish appearance, Ji Kyeong-won and Kim Hee-chul looked at each other and smiled.

This sister, in her usual activities or when facing outsiders, always has a strong aura and presence. She carries the demeanor of Girls' Generation captain very well, even in front of juniors from the same company. This kind of childish or defiant behavior is only shown in front of close friends.

After knowing that the relationship between Ji Chang-wook and IU was unusual, everyone joked about it a few times, but they didn't say much. In fact, including Taeyeon, several people from their younger days weren't very familiar with IU. They didn't have much contact in private either. It was only because of Ji Chang-wook that they took the initiative to make a few jokes.

Each person had their own grilled meat wrapped in foil, and after a while, Kim Heechul brought up another topic.

"Speaking of which, EXO's comeback results are really good this time. The other day, Donghae even complained to me that the company chose a comeback date that overlapped with Xiumin and your group XO's, after the first stage broadcast, besides fans paying more attention, there were no waves at all, and they probably won't get even one #1 before the end of the promotions."

"The makeup and choreography for 《callbaby》 are both great, I especially like it." Huang Meiying nodded in agreement.

Kim Taeyeon took a sip of her drink and said with some emotion, "That's right, the once youthful juniors have all grown up now. I estimate that even if we were in our youth again, we couldn't compare to EXO.

What are you talking about Didn't we already lose to them

Sunny wrapped the grilled meat and glanced at Kim Taeyeon strangely: "Don't you remember what happened at 'r.r' last year He couldn't even beat one person, let alone the whole EXO group."

"Oh, Lee Sun-kyu, aren't you a member of Girls' Generation" Kim Taeyeon was annoyed and glared at her menacingly.

Sunny, however, was not afraid at all. As if she hadn't heard a word, she ate the wrapped barbecue with gusto, her voice nonchalantly replying: "Just stating the facts."

“Hahaha…” The three people beside her laughed out loud. Ji Jingyuan, after laughing, saw the embarrassed expression on Kim Taeyeon’s face when she was teased by Sunny, yet helpless against her. He proactively smiled and explained: “Actually, this time, the song given by the company is really good, and a lot of resources were invested in it, so that's why the response to this comeback is better.”

"That makes sense, your xo comeback trailer was really extravagant. They filmed in ten locations around the world, and I heard it cost tens of billions of Korean won. It's rare to see Lee Soo Man be so generous."

"If the next few single albums do as well... I don't have to say it's better than 'e', just as long as they are at a decent level, then Exo would really be making a big splash."

Sunny nodded in agreement, looking at Ji Chang Wook and asking, “I read that you’re also one of the producers for the whole album. Did you write any of the title tracks”

“This time I participated in quite a lot of the noodle making process.” With most of the dishes on the table already eaten, Ji Jingyuan took a few more plates from the side cabinet and nodded: “As for original songs, the title tracks are 《x》 and 《l》, and there’s also a non-title track from 《o》 which I really like.”

Huang Meiying chimed in curiously: "On the same level as 'Fury'"

I can't really say, but songs like "Rage" aren't that easy to write. They're pretty good, I guess.

"That's really big news!" Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate.

Whether it was the three of them in their youth, or SJ's Kim Heechul, at one point they were among the most popular idols on the peninsula. However, the current music scene is clearly undergoing a generational shift. Looking at the current Ji-won, who though humble, exudes confidence, the group reminisces about their own group and the industry over the past two years. They think of many friends who, unable to keep up with the changing times, have left the stage and been overtaken by time. This inevitably evokes a bittersweet feeling of "the new generation pushing aside the old."

After a few drinks, Kim Hee Chul started sharing some interesting gossip. His circle of friends and connections is vast, extending beyond the music industry to include the film and television industry as well as sports figures. He's incredibly well-informed, and Ji Chang Wook listened with rapt attention.

Maybe this guy is playing the role of Park Chan-wook in SJ.

Although there weren't many people at this birthday dinner for Kim Tae-yeon, everyone knew each other well and felt comfortable talking. With professionals like Kim Hee Chul and Hwang Me Young creating a fun atmosphere and getting everyone to cheer, the meal was full of laughter and energy. There wasn't a dull moment the entire time.

By the end of the meal, everyone was full and satisfied. It was almost time to wrap things up when Kim HeeChul turned to Kim Taeyeon with a concerned look and asked, "By the way, Taeyeon, how's your solo album coming along Is it finalized"

"It's been decided. We'll officially start preparing after we finish our comeback this year, and we're currently doing some preliminary preparations and market research." Kim Taeyeon took the wet tissue Huang Meiying handed her, wiped her mouth, then watched as she distributed two each to everyone else, smiling and nodding.

"When will you be back home, when you were young" Ji Jingyuan took off his apron and looked up.

"Probably July, the exact date hasn't been decided yet. I think it will be around mid-July or late July…However, we'll be releasing a Japanese single next month, but I don't think we'll be promoting it." Huang Meiying stood up and handed Park Ji-won a tissue while she spoke.

A stable running novel app, comparable to the old version of book chasing artifact, an app that users who love old books are using, huanyuanapp.

"Hmm..." Chi Jingyuan mumbled about the time he had been gone, wiped his mouth and nodded. "That's good."

"So, hearing that Nu'est is only coming back in July, you guys released your fourth single in June, and by July the promotions are almost over. You won't be meeting them, so no worries about getting overshadowed, right Are you happy" It seems like she has recovered from the failure Sunny just pointed out. Kim Taeyeon is now very confident, tilting her head back to look at Ji Kyeong-won with a smug and arrogant expression.

“Inside, I was just worried a moment ago, now I've relaxed a lot, thank you so much to the anger of Shao Shi’s subordinates for being merciful.” Ji Jingyuan hurriedly nodded and even patted his chest as if he was very frightened. This kind of act made Sunny directly laugh out loud, Kim Heechul wiped his mouth halfway and couldn't help but almost blew the paper away. After finally calming down, he asked Taeyeon again: “How about that song Is it from the company’s music library or bought from a well-known producer outside”

"It's not decided yet, we'll see what the company and producers say…" Kim Taeyeon retracted her gaze that she had just cast at Park Kyung-won because of his over-the-top performance. After raising her eyes and thinking for a moment, she replied: “But as for song selection, I plan to participate too. Although I might not be involved in composing or writing lyrics, I have some ideas about the style."

"Who did the company decide to have as the producer this time"

"It hasn't been decided yet, we're still discussing it. But the company asked for my opinion, and I've already submitted my suggestions."

"Who is it"

"Jin Tae-yeon said nothing, and merely nodded towards Ji Kyeong-won across from her. "

"Jingyuan" Both Kim Heechul and Sunny looked at Ji Chang Wook with some surprise. Hwang Me-young didn't seem to be affected at all, looking like she had probably heard it from Kim Taeyeon before.

"Taeyeon unnie mentioned this to me before, but it wasn't confirmed yet," Ji-seong nodded in confirmation, not concealing anything.

Last year, Kim Taeyeon had already mentioned this to him. It seems that she and her company recently brought it up, and the company even asked for his opinion. After Chikyeongwon said it was okay, the company didn't directly confirm it, probably because they still need to discuss it in a meeting.

"I think that's pretty fitting. Everyone saw the quality of XO's album this time, and Jingyuan's songwriting abilities are undeniable. When it came to choosing songs, there were even more options. Plus, Taeyeon and Jingyuan know each other so well, making communication easy." Kim Heechul thought about it for a moment and felt that this pairing was still pretty good: "Wow, I suddenly feel excited about it."

"Right"

Kim Taeyeon grinned and threw on her clothes, raising her chin at Ji Kyung-won: "I also think... Right, don't leave yet, let's take a certification photo first."

Don't you take a picture before eating

"Not too happy about that, forgot"

……

How to explain this when I get back

"Whatever comes must also go."

"I'll send sunny Nuna back."

"Jingyuan, did you drive here"

"Well, I got my driver's license a while ago."

"Dafu, what kind of car did you buy Is it parked in the parking lot at the entrance"

"It's a Mercedes, the same brand as Taeyeon Nuna's."

A few people, disguised, went downstairs while discussing their return arrangements. At this moment, they didn't know if the news of their gathering here had leaked out. As soon as they reached the second floor, many people were taking pictures of them with their phones. It seemed that a few others gathered around and, after seeing them, looked eager to come up and interact.

But it was already quite late, and it seemed like Kim Taeyeon, Kim Hee Chul, and the others didn't intend to greet the passersby. They kept their heads down and quickly walked down the stairs amidst the clicking of cameras. Ji Kyeong Yuan also followed closely behind.

The first floor and the entrance were also crowded. When they walked out, there were quite a few onlookers, probably because fans had recognized them earlier and posted about it online.

"Oh my! slsag!"

"Is this a ckseries"

Hardly stepping out the door and into the parking lot, Kim Taeyeon's eyes widened at Ji Sung Won's sports car. She circled his SLS a few times, her expression clearly wishing she could just ask for the keys to take it for a spin.

In the middle of it all, she glanced back at Sunny. She probably wanted Sunny to take a taxi home and ride shotgun with her instead so that Chi Jingyuan could drive them both back.

Probably seeing Taeyeon's thoughts, Sunny scoffed and after Ji-sung unlocked the car with his key, she directly pulled open the car door and got in. She raised an eyebrow at Taeyeon then slammed the door shut with force.

“Well, then we’ll be going.” Pi Jingyuan was quite helpless towards the interactions between the two sisters. He waved goodbye to Kim Taeyeon and Kim Hee Chul and a few others, got into his car, started the engine, and quickly drove out of the parking lot towards Girls' Generation's dormitory.

Actually, it wasn't surprising to Ji Jingyuan. Sure enough, there were quite a few posts online saying that they saw him at this barbecue restaurant in Xin Tang Dong, Zhong District. What's more, the restaurant was quite famous, so many fans who heard the news came around hoping for a chance encounter.

And the identities of the few people who had dinner together in the evening were quickly revealed. Fans from several families and many passersby were somewhat excitedly discussing this matter. In addition, some fans who happened to encounter them took pictures and uploaded them online. By noon the next day, the topic "#internal gathering" even reached the top trending topics.

"Girls' Generation, SJ, EXO! What kind of heavenly group gathering is this! A mini town"

Yesterday, March 9th was Taeyeon's birthday, and Heechul, Pani, Sunny, and Yuan all made public posts about it. They are all very close friends with Taeyeon, and last night they were obviously celebrating her birthday. Speaking of which, our Taeyeon is really happy. She must have been very happy last night.

"Why only two members of Girls' Generation went, where are the others Has the internal conflict gotten to the point where they don't even want to pretend anymore"

"Black fans, stop joking around. You guys already celebrated dinner together earlier and even posted certified photos. This is clearly Taeyeon's own private gathering. Instead of checking official SNS, you come here to spread hate, which is truly disgusting."

Besides these ordinary messages, a post made by one account was bumped to the top position of the forum:

"Browsing my phone at noon, I saw that I'd actually made it onto the trending list. Well, I guess I might as well share my experience from last night."

Looking back, I'm still so happy. It was really lucky that I ran into yuan at the BBQ place last night. To be honest, I don't usually pay much attention to K-pop or J-pop and I don't really follow any idols, but because of watching "Produce 101 Season 2" I became a fan of Park Jihoon and that's how I noticed EXO. Yesterday, I recognized him through his hair color, hesitated for a bit, and then went up to ask him.

Yuan, after being recognized, didn't avoid or ignore me. Instead, she proactively greeted me and naturally pulled her mask down. Wah! She was incredibly polite. This little detail still moves me now, no wonder she's a top student at Yonsei University.

Let me be honest, Yuan in real life is truly exceptional. I was even a bit starstruck when he took off his mask. Honestly, over the years, I've met quite a few idols, but very few compare to him. In person, he's much more handsome than on camera, and that charisma just can't be captured on television.

"He is indeed a very attractive idol, even I, a woman almost thirty, find myself smitten. I hope he continues to flourish!"

"This post is so lucky!" "I'm so envious, why didn't I go yesterday." "Yuan is definitely worth it, fans are really happy." etc. kind of rainbow farts.

If Chi Jingyuan sees this post, he should know right away that it was probably posted by the fan Nuo Nuo who I met yesterday.

At the same time, a few people briefly stopped in the parking lot, and photos of Chi Jingyuan driving away were also posted online by many people. Although the license plate was not captured, his SLS AMG car model was already no secret. Some fans immediately remembered it.

"I checked, yuan's car is a Mercedes-Benz SLS, the market price is around seven or eight hundred million won. If it's a special model and modified, it should be even more expensive. Did he buy such a good car after only three years of debut"

Haven't you seen last year's leaks With a yearly income of 5.5 billion yuan, he ranked second among all artists on the Peninsula. Buying a good car is nothing easy, right

"At such a young age, driving such an expensive car, wouldn't that be a bad influence"

"What's it to you"

The matter of the car didn't generate much heat, only some fans who were particularly interested in such things and some passersby who disapproved offered their opinions and engaged in friendly discussions.

...including some people who have always been followed.

Tzuyu and EXO's Yuan are good friends, they are said to have known each other for a long time, and even trainees who followed Tzuyu have seen Yuan.

Minasaki Sazanami scooped a spoonful of mixed rice into her mouth and chewed it with satisfaction. Maybe the rice was a bit hot, she hurriedly opened her mouth and let out several puffs of hot air. After it cooled down a bit, she puffed out her cheeks and mumbled to Namiki Nanna and Hinazume Momoko at the same table about her achievements yesterday:

I thought it would take some effort, but it's not a very secretive thing. I just casually asked about it while having dinner yesterday, and several of Tzuyu's friends knew.

The three trainees from Neon have all been selected for the survival audition program that JYP Entertainment is currently preparing. At this time, the three are having lunch at a restaurant near the company.

And for some time, I didn't know who said it. Zhou Ziyu seemed to know Ji Sung-won. Mizuki Akazaki, who understands the minds of her friends, volunteered to investigate the matter and quickly returned triumphantly, now reporting on her bountiful harvest.

"Ping Jingtao seemed somewhat unconvinced, the spoon hovering in mid-air. She frowned and asked, "Really How could a foreign trainee from Xia Guo know someone like Chi Jingyuan, a top idol Exo debuted before she joined the company, right Could it be..."

"It shouldn't be, I heard they knew each other a long time ago, it seems like when Tzuyu first came to be a trainee. But how they met, I don't know."

"I feel like Momiji is getting a bit off-track," Kasumi shook her head rapidly, her mouth puffed out. It seemed she was shaking her head so fast that the rice in her mouth almost came out. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand and chewed for a few times before swallowing. After taking a breath, she said, "Do you remember when we held a showcase with s back in 2013 Kenzou Ike was there too."

"Uh-huh."

Then they got to know each other, and I heard they even chatted for a while after the showcase... Also, do you remember the first concert of EXO's world tour last year

Of course, I went with a to see it too.

"Zhou Tzuyu and her friends also went to see it, but they heard that they didn't get tickets at the time. Do you know what happened in the end"

"Could it be from Keiichi Ikegami" Momoko Hirai opened her mouth in surprise, and Nanami Namii also lifted her head, her gaze returning from the forum thread on Keiichi Ikegami's car that she had been reading on her phone.

"Yeah, it was him who gave them to her. He gave her several tickets directly, and they were even EXO's internal tickets, all in the front row seats right next to the stage. Some of those seats weren't even sold to the public. Her friend who went with her bragged about it for days after."

Recalling the other party's expression at that time, Minazuki Saria wrinkled her nose and sighed, "But come to think of it, it's really a little enviable."

“Ahead of the queue…” Pingjing Tao savored this term, recalling how they had struggled to get tickets for the concert at that time, mobilizing friends to grab them on time. For a moment, she felt a little uncomfortable inside.

A short silence fell upon the little table, broken only by the crisp clinking of spoon against stone pot and the sound of chewing.

Although the company has become stricter about body management recently, everyone who practices every day to participate in the program is very tired and starving.

And as the protagonist, Minami Mamei, has remained silent throughout. The pressure since her selection has been immense. Though she's been very tired these days, her appetite hasn't been good. After forcing down a few bites of rice, she couldn't eat any more.

"In that case, since we already know Zhou Tzuyu now, it should be possible to get in touch with her and get closer. That way, we might be able to obtain Pool Jingyuan's contact information easily."

At last, Pingi Momo logically voiced an opinion. Kuzusaki Saria glanced at her and Namine Rika without saying anything.

"That's indeed simple."

Naomi Minami nodded lightly, staring at the table in front of her, her hands somehow back into the sleeves of her jacket. The cuffs drooped a little limply, revealing a dark hole. She held her phone between her sleeve and fingers, pursed her lips, then lowered her head and murmured:

"But I don't want to do that."

Peninsula asteroid

This novel is first published on the Traditional Chinese Novels Website.emiere tomorrow. The third section will look back on some memorable moments from three years ago, both before and after their debut, and reveal some secrets about the members that fans are interested...