Chapter 45

The bright lights and warm air formed a stark contrast with the pitch-black, cold night outside the window. Perhaps this was what it felt like to be home.

Park Min-ah and Yoo Ri were busy in the kitchen, while Park Ji-hoon was on the sofa, sending text messages to Krystal.

"OPPA, do you have a computer? Let's video chat!" Krystal suddenly suggested. She was a bit bored being alone at home, and her sister wouldn't play with her.

"Just a moment." After replying to the text, Park Ji-hoon went back to his room and brought out his laptop.

It wasn't their first video chat; both of them had each other's NateOn accounts, and the video connection was quickly established.

"Wow—OPPA's chest muscles are so sexy!" As soon as the video connected, Krystal teased, seeing Park Ji-hoon wearing only a loose, round-necked sweater, which revealed the outline of his chest muscles when he leaned forward.

Krystal didn't notice that Jessica, who was flipping through a magazine nearby, suddenly blinked and turned to look over when she heard her words.

On this day of the Spring Festival, even without playing games, the whole family was together in the living room.

"Where are you looking?" Park Ji-hoon lightly scolded, then teased, "Not sleeping?"

"I'm not like my sister..." Krystal whispered.

"Oh, Sica, Happy Spring Festival." Park Ji-hoon suddenly interrupted her.

"Tch!" Krystal thought he was deliberately teasing her and huffed, "My sister is..." As she spoke, she glanced over and suddenly noticed Jessica was no longer on the sofa, which startled her.

"What's wrong?" Jessica's voice came from behind her.

"Nothing, nothing!" Krystal quickly waved her hand in defense. She had been caught red-handed by her sister!

"Hehe..." Park Ji-hoon on the other side of the screen laughed unscrupulously.

Jessica glared fiercely at her sister before lowering her head and saying to Park Ji-hoon in the video, "OPPA, may you have a blessed New Year." A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. How had he changed so much?

It was as if he had transformed from a young boy to a mature man, both in physique and demeanor.

Park Ji-hoon reined in his smile and nodded lightly, clearly not as close or casual as he was with Krystal.

"Is OPPA alone at home? Where's Min-ah?" Krystal asked. She really wanted to get closer to Park Min-ah, but last time, because Taeyeon and Tiffany were there, she didn't succeed.

"Min-ah is cooking," Park Ji-hoon said.

"Min-ah?" Jessica, who was about to leave, stopped in her tracks at the name, hoping to catch a glimpse of this prodigy.

Last time, Tiffany had praised Park Min-ah as if she were a rare treasure! And Krystal always muttered about how regretful it was that she hadn't exchanged phone numbers with Park Min-ah.

Thinking about it, she sat down next to Krystal.

"OPPA is too lazy, always making Min-ah do the work!" Krystal moved over a bit and accused Park Ji-hoon.

"If you come over, I'll cook myself," Park Ji-hoon said with a smile.

"Never mind, I don't want to go to the hospital! OPPA's cooking is worse than my sister's... um, my sister's casual cooking is better than OPPA's!" Krystal realized her sister was sitting next to her halfway through her sentence and struggled to change it.

But how could Park Ji-hoon and Jessica not notice?

Especially annoying, Park Ji-hoon laughed again.

Jessica's face turned slightly red as she glared at Krystal, with a look that said, "We'll settle this later."

"Who is OPPA chatting with, so happily?" Yoo Ri came out of the kitchen, hearing Park Ji-hoon's laughter, and walked over out of curiosity.

"Sica?"

"Yoo Ri?"

The two teammates were momentarily stunned by this unexpected encounter.

Jessica was even more surprised, or rather, shocked! In Korea, unless they were close friends or family, people generally didn't visit each other's homes. But the Yoo Ri in the video was clearly not just a guest. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, she wasn't wearing a coat, but had an apron on and was wearing plastic gloves!

She had gone to cook for Park Ji-hoon?

Krystal blinked in surprise. When did they start this?

A blush spread across Yoo Ri's face as she quickly defended herself, "I'm helping Min-ah cook!"

"Min-ah?" Jessica and Krystal were stunned again. When did they become so familiar? Jessica remembered clearly that last time, she had said she didn't know Park Min-ah at all!

"Uncle Kwon dropped Min-ah and me off at home and then brought us back, so I invited Yoo Ri for dinner to thank her," Park Ji-hoon explained.

"Oh—" Jessica and Krystal were enlightened. Although their suspicions weren't completely dispelled, this explanation was more convincing than Yoo Ri's words.

"I'll go help Min-ah!" Yoo Ri said and hurriedly left. Meeting Jessica in this situation was too awkward!

Jessica watched Yoo Ri's back, frowning. She had to admit that the current Park Ji-hoon had a strong masculine charm, especially when combined with his calm and serene demeanor, which was very attractive to girls.

"Big lazy cat!" Krystal, not thinking so much, called out to Park Ji-hoon after Yoo Ri left.

"Hehe..." Park Ji-hoon laughed and said, "You only just found out?"

Krystal was speechless, her face turning red!

"Do you have any photos in hanbok? Send them to me," Park Ji-hoon said. On the day of the Spring Festival, people generally wore hanbok. Of course, exceptions like their family were common.

"No! It's too much trouble," Krystal said, "What about OPPA?"

"No! It's too much trouble," Park Ji-hoon mimicked her tone. He wouldn't tell others about his own family's situation.

"Ha!" Krystal laughed at his joke.

Jessica sat next to her sister, watching the two chat and laugh, suddenly feeling like a third wheel. She and Park Ji-hoon were friends, but due to their personalities, they rarely interacted, giving off a "gentlemanly friendship" vibe.

"Didn't Sica wear hanbok either?" Park Ji-hoon suddenly mentioned her.

"No!" Jessica shook her head lightly.

"Oh." Park Ji-hoon's voice was filled with regret, "I've always wanted to see Sica in hanbok; I bet you'd look beautiful."

"Hmm?" Jessica's eyebrows raised slightly, feeling both surprised and a bit moved—moved by the idea of wearing hanbok! Girls loved compliments, especially someone with a pursuit of beauty like her.

"When did OPPA become so smooth?" Krystal asked, a bit discontent. She remembered Park Ji-hoon as someone who wasn't good with words when it came to women!

"Just a compliment, how can that be 'smooth'? Everyone appreciates beauty, right?" Park Ji-hoon said with a smile.

"OPPA has really changed!" Krystal said after a moment of silence.

Jessica nodded in agreement.

Park Ji-hoon narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "It's time to eat, see you later."

"So soon?" Krystal called out.

"I'm going to eat ribs!" Park Ji-hoon said mischievously before closing the video.

Krystal wanted to say something, but the video was already closed, and she couldn't see him anymore. She could only huff in frustration.

"What did he do? Why has he changed so much!" Jessica suddenly asked.

Krystal glanced at her sister and said softly, "He must have been emotionally stimulated."

Jessica frowned and asked again, "What about his body?"

"His body?" Krystal suddenly became animated, "I know about this because of Min-ah!"

Jessica didn't press further, just looked at her.

"Sister, you don't know, Min-ah's cooking is really, really good!" Krystal continued, "And OPPA has been practicing boxing and martial arts, so his body has naturally become more muscular."

"Is it the ribs you're still thinking about?" Jessica's lips curled slightly.

During the Spring Festival, Mom had made ribs at Krystal's request, but this little one had commented that they weren't good at all, almost getting a scolding from Mom!

Only when they were alone did she realize that Krystal was thinking about the ribs made by Park Ji-hoon's sister, the prodigy. After tasting them once, she couldn't forget them.

Although she knew her sister liked meat, this was the first time she had seen her like this, and she couldn't help but feel a bit curious. Unfortunately, she probably wouldn't have the chance to taste them.

"Um-hmm!" Krystal nodded excitedly. Every time she mentioned it, she got this excited.

Jessica shook her head in exasperation and asked, "Is her cooking really that good?"

"Not just good, it's amazing!" Krystal said with envy, "I wish I had a sister like that!"

Jessica's face darkened.

At that moment, Krystal's phone received a picture message. After looking at it, she jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Jessica curiously leaned in to look.

It was a simple photo of a plate of ribs! It seemed Park Ji-hoon knew her well.

"Unfair!" Krystal gritted her teeth. Not inviting her was one thing, but sending a photo to tease her was another!

The photo was from Park Ji-hoon.

"What are you doing?" Jessica saw Krystal put one leg on the sofa, take off her sock, and switch her phone to camera mode.

Krystal didn't answer, but her actions were clear.

"Click!" A soft sound, and Krystal nodded in satisfaction, sending the photo back. Let this guy tease her!

Jessica watched in shock, then felt a headache. She was a female idol!

In the apartment, Yoo Ri looked at him strangely as he took a photo of the ribs and sent it.

"Little Crystal tasted Min-ah's ribs once and has been thinking about them ever since," Park Ji-hoon explained after putting down his phone.

"They really are fragrant!" Yoo Ri took a deep breath. Seeing Park Min-ah's skilled cooking had already shocked her, and the aroma of the food had shocked her even more.

Who could have imagined that a prodigy praised by three professors at Seoul University would have such cooking skills?

After tasting it, Yoo Ri's eyes lit up, and she said to Park Ji-hoon, "No wonder OPPA's body has changed so much!"

"Hehe..." Park Ji-hoon chuckled and texted Krystal back, "Let's go eat pig's feet next time!"

"If your sister likes, she can come over when she has time," Park Min-ah said with a smile.

Yoo Ri was a bit tempted.

"She gains weight easily, so it's better not to," Park Ji-hoon said, still texting.

Yoo Ri's spirits deflated like a punctured tire. That was true.

Park Min-ah looked curiously at Park Ji-hoon and then at Yoo Ri.

"I heard from Yoon-a," Park Ji-hoon, understanding the little one's thoughts, explained with a helpless smile.

"I didn't ask anything!" Park Min-ah blinked, looking innocent.

"Let's eat!" Park Ji-hoon said with a helpless look. Her personality was hard to grasp. Last time, with Krystal, Taeyeon, and Tiffany, she was poised and had a strong presence; now, with Yoo Ri, she was playful and mischievous, which was a headache.

Yoo Ri smiled and didn't mind Park Min-ah's teasing.

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