Chapter 11

PARK Ji-hoon had already put on his roller skates and was crouching on the ground to adjust them when he didn't expect trouble to come from above. A figure rushed straight at him and then firmly pressed down on his back.

Wearing roller skates, standing on the ice, and in a half-squat, he had no strength to resist and ended up lying flat on the ice in a very standard position.

"Ah!" A familiar voice sounded in his ear, and a soft body pressed against his back. The faint breath was also familiar.

Tiffany didn't know why she instinctively chose to use PARK Ji-hoon as a "cushion." Perhaps it was out of dislike, or perhaps it was due to the trust from the past. But when she heard the "thud" as he fell to the ice, she was startled and hurriedly tried to get up.

"Are you okay?" A concerned voice suddenly came from beneath her.

Clearly, she had fallen harder, yet he was the first to show concern for her!

However, instead of feeling grateful, Tiffany felt a surge of anger from deep within and coldly said, "I'm fine! Sorry!" After that, she got up directly without even offering a hand to help him.

What a great actor!

PARK Ji-hoon slowly stood up, rubbing his knee that had been hit, with a bitter smile.

Was the aftermath of that call so severe?

"Ji-hoon, are you okay?" LEE Jae-shuk and KIM Jong-kook walked over and asked.

"I'm fine," PARK Ji-hoon said, moving his legs.

However, LEE Jae-shuk, who had seen the whole process, looked at Tiffany thoughtfully. In his eyes, it seemed like a playful quarrel between young lovers. Especially since Tiffany's initial direction of sliding was not toward PARK Ji-hoon, but she ended up on top of him. Considering their previous strange attitudes... Could these two be having a spat?

Soon, everyone gathered on the ice.

After the opening, LEE Jae-shuk said, "Today, let's have Ji-hoon and Jong-kook choose their teams!"

"Huh?" PARK Ji-hoon and KIM Jong-kook were both taken aback. The female guests should be the ones to choose!

"Why us?" Both strongly resisted. Facing familiar people, PARK Ji-hoon's reaction was better.

"Exactly! I want to see who you'll choose!" LEE Jae-shuk, annoyed by the two, said directly.

The two were speechless.

Let's play rock-paper-scissors.

Usually, at such times, the two would compete fiercely, but PARK Ji-hoon and KIM Jong-kook both looked listless.

"Scissors, paper, rock!" KIM Jong-kook won.

LEE Hyori raised her hand enthusiastically.

"Hyori!" KIM Jong-kook made his choice directly.

LEE Jae-shuk shook his head, finding it a bit boring.

At this moment, PARK Ji-hoon, as if possessed, shouted, "Eun-hye!" Although he had no acting experience, he had been a writer and had seen a lot. He had been trying hard to find an opportunity.

"Ah!" KIM Jong-kook, who was just high-fiving LEE Hyori, demonstrated what a "lightning-fast reaction" was, turning his head quickly and calling out to PARK Ji-hoon with a look of regret. His face was even a bit red!

"Ha ha..." The audience burst into laughter after a moment of silence.

"Good job, Ji-hoon!" LEE Jae-shuk came forward and high-fived PARK Ji-hoon, praising him excitedly.

"Why mention her?" Although KIM Jong-kook and PARK Ji-hoon were "old friends," they weren't very close, so he could only say with regret.

"I don't know, I suddenly thought of Eun-hye." To his surprise, PARK Ji-hoon's response made him even more speechless and angry.

"Good job!" LEE Jae-shuk praised again with a smile. He had already received a call from PARK Ji-hoon before coming.

"Again!" KIM Jong-kook, with a face full of embarrassment, urged PARK Ji-hoon.

The result was the same, with KIM Jong-kook winning again.

"KIM Soo-roo!" Determined to avoid Tiffan and Nicole, he made his choice.

However, when only two people were left, it was finally their turn to choose.

What left PARK Ji-hoon speechless was that he, who had been losing all along, won this round! This meant he would have to make the choice!

Beside him, Tiffan didn't even look at him, seemingly indifferent to his choice.

"Ji-hoon mentioned earlier when making rice wine!" KIM Jong-kook's revenge came, "He likes KARA more than Girls' Generation, and he likes Nicole more!"

"I'll vouch for it!" YOON Jong-shin raised his hand and said.

Tiffan, who had been looking to the side, finally turned her head. Her gaze toward PARK Ji-hoon carried a hint of disdain.

Is this the true face of this man?

When a person has a prejudice against another, especially when they feel betrayed, they tend to think the worst of the other person.

TAEYEON was betrayed in love, but Tiffan was betrayed in friendship!

"Nicole!" At this moment, PARK Ji-hoon also chose Nicole.

"Hmph!" Tiffan let out a barely audible snort and turned her head away.

PARK Ji-hoon thought he had made a decision, but he didn't know that this was just the beginning.

The ice game involved skating forward, popping the balloons on the other two people, and then breaking the wooden ladle with one's body before returning to the starting point to win.

PARK Ji-hoon faced Tiffan and LEE Hyori!

He asked to switch once, but LEE Jae-shuk refused. After all, they were guests and juniors, and LEE Jae-shuk, as a respected "National MC," had already taken good care of him. How could he refuse again?

He could only adjust his mindset and start.

As expected, Tiffan faced him with a very strong attitude.

However, his reaction greatly surprised Tiffan. She thought he would avoid her as before, but unexpectedly, he acted quickly and popped her balloon before she could react—she never thought that the somewhat lazy him could move so fast!

She couldn't help but be stunned, turning to watch him charge toward LEE Hyori.

Again, unexpectedly, the brave PARK Ji-hoon in front of her was lightly pushed by LEE Hyori on the face and fell as if hit by a great force.

"Ha ha..." The audience, including KIM Soo-roo, burst into laughter.

Tiffan, however, frowned. Being close, she could clearly hear the sound of his fall, but he got up without hesitation, with no sign of pain on his face.

Is this "physical gag"?

After getting up, PARK Ji-hoon was again caught by LEE Hyori's "hair grab" and had to beg for mercy.

Laughter continued, and he indeed succeeded in drawing the camera's attention.

Tiffan no longer cared who won or lost, just staring at PARK Ji-hoon, watching him struggle with his body, not knowing what he was trying to achieve! He wasn't even a regular cast member, so why go to such lengths?

When he used his body to break the wooden ladle, he sat down on the ice, making the onlookers feel a twinge of pain in their coccyx.

A bit puzzled.

His personality, wasn't it somewhat lazy and casual?

Why so determined?

She vaguely felt that he might be hiding something—after all, they had known each other for two years—but that feeling was quickly overshadowed by her disgust.

No matter what secret he had, she had seen him with other women, yet he still tried to blame TAEYEON. How could such a man be worth her attention?

A faint sense of regret and melancholy.

At first, she was against TAEYEON being with him, and she wasn't the only one. In the end, she was moved by his gentleness and consideration, changing her stance to support and help them.

But he slapped her in the face!

Whew—

After the ice game, everyone played for a while and then returned to the farmhouse to prepare dinner.

Tiffan vaguely sensed that LEE Jae-shuk was intentionally putting her and PARK Ji-hoon together, even making them go out to dig for loaches together.

For the sake of the show, she reluctantly spoke a few words to PARK Ji-hoon, but the disgust couldn't be hidden.

PARK Ji-hoon seemed to notice and no longer tried to take care of her or joke with her.

Until dinner was over, during the brief free time, Tiffan instinctively started searching for PARK Ji-hoon's figure—no matter what he was doing, she would criticize him in her heart, which made her feel better—strangely, she couldn't find him, not even among the working crowd.

"Ji-hoon is making a phone call outside!" At this moment, LEE Jae-shuk walked over, as if understanding her thoughts, and pointed outside the courtyard.

Tiffan's face turned red, wanting to argue but finding no way to do so. After saying that, LEE Jae-shuk walked away, not mentioning anything else.

Hesitating for a moment, she still went out.

It was already past 10 PM, and there were no streetlights in the countryside. The outside was pitch black, and the cold wind was biting. She could vaguely see a figure standing by the road, talking on the phone.

She lightened her steps.

"Uh-huh, I know."

"Uh-huh!"

"Uh-huh! I know, I'm not a three-year-old!"

It seemed he was being instructed by someone, and he kept responding, sounding a bit impatient, but the affection was evident, and his voice was unusually gentle!

"Study well, don't play too much, and don't stay up late..." Soon, he was the one giving instructions.

Tiffan's expression grew colder. Does this guy treat every girl like this? She had heard him and TAEYEON talk before, and he was just as considerate.

What a great actor!

What a playboy!

"Turn off the water heater after you shower..." Even this? Is the other person a three-year-old?

"Make something good to eat, don't always eat instant noodles..." How considerate!

PARK Ji-hoon's words were carried by the night wind to Tiffan's ears.

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Feeling it was not worth it for TAEYEON, not worth it for herself, and finding her previous matchmaking efforts ridiculous...

She didn't know when, but PARK Ji-hoon ended his call. Turning around, he saw Tiffan standing near the door, paused, and then asked softly, "Are you looking for me?"