Chapter 19

PARK Ji-hoon was well aware of his current relationship with S.M. Entertainment. Although the company didn't exactly view him as a thorn in their side, it was close to that. It wasn't just because he had hit Kim Heechul; more importantly, it was because the members of Super Junior had also been involved! And he was a senior artist, no less. If the public found out... Zhao Daxi had asked LOEN Entertainment to inform S.M. Entertainment that he wouldn't publicize the incident, which is why the matter was left unresolved.

After so many years in the industry, even as an actor, he had some understanding of S.M. Entertainment. The company appreciated not just talented artists but also those who were obedient. Now, he had a "record" with S.M. Entertainment. If Krystal, Tiffany, and others continued to be friends with him, they could easily be warned by the company, or even have resources deliberately tilted against them. Such things were common in the entertainment industry.

Because he genuinely considered Tiffany and others as friends, he didn't want this to happen. He didn't tell them to prevent them from acting impulsively and disregarding the company's stance.

He told Krystal because their relationship was really deep! Not replying to her text messages a few times was just a way of deceiving himself. Since it was impossible to gradually distance himself, he had to explain the reason to her. She wasn't a member of Girls' Generation, so she wouldn't be particularly monitored by S.M. Entertainment.

Soon, the car arrived at the neighborhood where the Jeong family lived. Krystal didn't live in the dorm. PARK Ji-hoon asked the driver to wait and personally escorted Krystal home.

"OPPA, are you taking so many ads because of this?" Krystal asked, finally letting go of the straw she had been biting for a while.

"A little bit," PARK Ji-hoon replied.

Krystal didn't say anything more, continuing to bite the straw. Although she was young, it didn't mean she was naive. She understood PARK Ji-hoon's thoughts.

PARK Ji-hoon didn't say much either. After sending her to the building, he stopped.

"Thank you, OPPA!" Krystal noticed his movement and turned to say.

"Uh-huh," PARK Ji-hoon nodded, preparing to say goodbye.

"OPPA, when you get back, send me those three text messages!" Krystal looked into his eyes and said seriously.

PARK Ji-hoon was somewhat amused but, seeing her serious expression, nodded and said, "Don't tell your sisters. Their careers have just started to turn around." It was hard to imagine what those nine girls had gone through!

"Uh-huh," Krystal responded and then asked, "OPPA! Is that woman really your sister?"

"Ha ha..." PARK Ji-hoon laughed but didn't answer, waving and saying, "I'm going back." PARK Min-ah's words made him not want to reveal their relationship until he had achieved something.

Krystal watched his back, huffed, and then turned to go upstairs. But she immediately let out a sigh.

How would she deal with her sister's questioning tonight?

...

When Jessica got off work and returned to the dorm, the first thing she did was call her sister!

"It's really just like that!" Krystal said helplessly. She knew it would be like this. She explained her relationship with PARK Ji-hoon, but her sister refused to believe it!

"Alright, I'll believe you for now," Jessica said, seeing that Krystal was about to explode.

"What do you mean 'for now'? It's the truth!" Krystal called out, dissatisfied.

When it came to her relationship with PARK Ji-hoon, it could be called a long-standing friendship! Not only before her debut, but even before she officially joined S.M. Entertainment!

In the fall of 2005, at 12 years old, she and her friends went out to play and accidentally saw a man with a buzz cut awkwardly bargaining with a shop owner in a small clothing store—PARK Ji-hoon, who had just been discharged from the military.

Because of this, PARK Ji-hoon was teased by her for over four years!

At the time, PARK Ji-hoon's appearance was so funny—a big man, holding a piece of clothing, standing in front of the shop owner, unable to get a good price but unwilling to give up. She often regretted not taking a picture then! Seeing PARK Ji-hoon's handsome but awkward appearance, she went over to help negotiate the price.

Afterward, PARK Ji-hoon treated her and her friends to ice cream.

It was just a chance encounter, not a big deal. But unexpectedly, the next day, she saw PARK Ji-hoon eating alone in a fast-food restaurant. At the time, the people in the restaurant were either children, parents with children, or couples. He, a young man with a buzz cut, stood out and looked very awkward.

Perhaps because of the sense of achievement from helping him negotiate the price the previous day, or because she felt sorry for him, Krystal walked in and sat next to him.

She got a free meal and found out that he was renting a place nearby.

That's how they became friends. A strange combination, a 12-year-old and a 22-year-old, but they became friends.

She even followed him to the X-Man filming site and visited movie and drama sets under the guise of "visiting." Many people mistook her for his sister.

During her trainee days, she often complained to him and received his encouragement... After five years, it would be strange if they didn't have a good relationship!

It's no wonder PARK Ji-hoon found it hard to cut ties. He had watched her grow up, and how could he really bear to cut off contact?

Jessica only discovered that her sister knew PARK Ji-hoon by chance and didn't pay much attention at the time. Today, she found out that their relationship was so close!

Fortunately, it wasn't the kind of relationship she was worried about.

She didn't forget to ask her sister why PARK Ji-hoon and Taeyeon had a falling out, but the answer was "I don't know." Krystal knew from PARK Ji-hoon that the conflict with S.M. Entertainment wasn't the main reason.

Meanwhile, Sunny and Sooyoung were also curious about what YoonA wanted from PARK Ji-hoon. Their phone numbers had been blocked, and PARK Ji-hoon must have been affected by something, but they didn't want to add to the chaos, fearing it would affect his relationship with Taeyeon. So, what did YoonA say to him when she pulled him aside? They saw him take out his phone at the time.

YoonA didn't say, and they didn't want to ask.

They tacitly didn't mention encountering PARK Ji-hoon to Taeyeon. It seemed their relationship was on the brink, which was hard to imagine!

But when it comes to relationships, even close friends can hardly interfere. They could only pray and wish for the best.

...

After returning home, PARK Ji-hoon first sent the three text messages to Krystal, then sent a thank-you message to YoonA, and went online to watch the "We Got Married" videos.

He never thought she would stand up for him at this time.

"Huh?" PARK Min-ah brought in a large cup of hot water and, seeing him watching "We Got Married," couldn't help but exclaim. She had specifically researched Girls' Generation and had watched a few episodes of the show.

"YoonA helped me contact this program," PARK Ji-hoon explained, understanding her confusion without needing to ask.

"Oh," PARK Min-ah nodded, somewhat surprised but not overly so. She placed the hot water next to him and sat on the bed, watching with him.

It was an interesting variety show.

"All female idols!" After a moment, she said softly.

"That's what makes it interesting," PARK Ji-hoon said with a smile.

PARK Min-ah pouted and focused on YoonA, asking, "Why wasn't it YoonA sister back then?"

"What's the reason for that?" PARK Ji-hoon said, amused.

"Isn't YoonA sister beautiful?" PARK Min-ah persisted.

"Beautiful," PARK Ji-hoon replied with a bitter smile.

"Is her figure not good?" Before he could answer, PARK Min-ah asked again.

"Great!" YoonA's figure was among the best among all female artists.

"Is it because YoonA sister has dark skin?" PARK Min-ah pressed.

"No!" PARK Ji-hoon finally couldn't help but twitch his lips and said, "I just happened to meet her and developed a liking for her, and we started dating." This "her" naturally referred to Taeyeon.

"But you've known YoonA sister longer, right?" PARK Min-ah asked.

"I didn't know her at first!" PARK Ji-hoon corrected.

"Oh," PARK Min-ah finally stopped asking.

"Go to bed early!" PARK Ji-hoon said, feeling a bit overwhelmed by her questions.

"Watch it!" PARK Min-ah took off her slippers and sat on the bed, saying.

PARK Ji-hoon could only nod, somewhat amused.

At that moment, his phone rang with a clear and pleasant piano sound—the notification for a text message.

PARK Min-ah immediately picked up the phone from the bedside table, handed it to him, and stretched her neck to peek over his shoulder.

"Anything you want to ask, you can ask me!" It was a short message.

"Okay, thank you," PARK Ji-hoon replied.

"YoonA sister is really taking care of you!" PARK Min-ah said with a mischievous smile after he looked up, having seen who the message was from.

"She doesn't even know you, and you're calling her 'sister' so affectionately!" PARK Ji-hoon couldn't help but say.

"What should I call her then? 'Sister-in-law'?" PARK Min-ah said, even more playful.

"Ah!" PARK Ji-hoon turned around, somewhat annoyed.

PARK Min-ah immediately jumped up, ran to the other side of the bed, and pressed against the wall, grinning at him and making a face. Her two delicate, white canine teeth showed, and her playful appearance was like a refreshing breeze after the rain, blowing away the烦恼 in his heart.

"Can I not catch you if you run there?" PARK Ji-hoon said, looking fierce. After that day, he understood her thoughts and had been trying to be more lively.

Seeing him climb onto the bed, PARK Min-ah quickly lifted one foot and extended it in front of him, trying to block him.

Her small foot, in a pink sock, with her big toe curled, seemed ready to pinch his nose.

"Uh!" PARK Ji-hoon, as if hit by something, suddenly stopped, staggered a few steps, and retreated, looking dazed.

"I'll never wash your socks again!" PARK Min-ah's face turned red, and she said angrily. As a girl, she washed her feet and socks every day and was very clean!

"Whoosh!" PARK Ji-hoon used the footwork he learned from boxing and instantly returned to the bed, saying seriously, "I might have been too tired just now. Yes, it must be that!"

"Ha ha!" PARK Min-ah couldn't help but laugh. Seeing him being lively made her happy too.

[Recommended novel: "Hanyu zhi Xingfu Xiaoyusan" (Korean Entertainment: A Happy Little Umbrella), a fresh and slow-burning type. If you're interested, you can check it out.]

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