Chapter 4

The night of February came so quickly; before the bus ride was over, the sky had turned completely dark, and countless lights lit up, more brilliant than the stars in the sky.

"Are we getting off at the next stop? Xiao Xian." Yoon Ah patted Xu Zhuxian, who had been staring out the window, and leaned over to ask, "What are you looking at?"

"Yes." Xu Zhuxian收回了看向窗外的目光，点点头，回答道：“圣元哥哥会在车站那里等我们。”

Thinking of having to meet that troublesome, stern "uncle" again, Yoon Ah couldn't help but pout. Although she had known Kim Sung-yoon through Xu Zhuxian since elementary school, his personality was almost completely opposite to hers, so even after knowing each other for so many years, their relationship wasn't very close. Only Xiao Xian could tolerate his stern personality!

"I see Sung-yoon oppa." As the bus approached the stop, Xu Zhuxian's eyes suddenly lit up, and she called out softly.

"Where? Where? Show me quickly!" Sulli, who had been looking tired, suddenly perked up, leaned over, and pressed her face against the window to ask Xu Zhuxian.

"Is it that tall, straight guy who looks like a pine tree?" Before Xu Zhuxian could answer, Sulli said again.

"Um-hmm." Xu Zhuxian nodded and said.

Yuri and another girl couldn't help but look out the window as well, but Yoon Ah paid no attention.

"Standing straight like a pine tree? I didn't expect that guy to still be as stern as before." Yoon Ah muttered under her breath.

"He has a good aura, very spirited." Yuri nodded and commented, "He's not really standing as straight as a pine tree, but it's more of an aura that gives that impression."

"Um-hmm," the other girl, who rarely spoke, nodded in agreement.

"Here we are! Let's get off quickly, I can't see clearly from here." Sulli was even more anxious than Xu Zhuxian.

"Sulli-ssi, you might scare Sung-yoon oppa with that attitude." Yoon Ah laughed and patted Sulli's arm, adjusting her mood and no longer referring to him as "that guy."

Kim Sung-yoon spent the afternoon familiarizing himself with Seoul University under the guidance of Professor Park Sang-won (the Chinese teacher at Seoul University). He only managed to get away from the overly enthusiastic professor when he received a call from Xu Zhuxian.

After rushing back, Kim Sung-yoon only had time to prepare the ingredients he had bought before receiving a text from Xu Zhuxian saying they were on their way. He put on a jacket and went to the station to wait.

"Sung-yoon oppa," a clear, slightly childish voice rang out from the bus door.

"Xiao Xian." Kim Sung-yoon smiled slightly and reached out to take the bag from Xu Zhuxian.

"Sung-yoon oppa (oppa), hello." Yoon Ah and the other three young girls, who were also slightly childish, walked behind Xu Zhuxian and greeted him.

"Hello." Kim Sung-yoon, who had already received a text from Xu Zhuxian, wasn't surprised and smiled as he took the bag from Yoon Ah.

"How did you end up coming, Yoon Ah? I thought you'd want to stay as far away from me as possible." Kim Sung-yoon led the five of them to his residence.

"Hehe..." Yoon Ah didn't know how to respond and could only let out an awkward laugh. From the moment they met, she had been looking at this "Sung-yoon oppa" with curious eyes, finding him completely different from her memory.

Because he had just been discharged from the military, he had short, slightly messy hair that made him look very spirited. Standing over 1.8 meters tall, he was slender but not weak, with a healthy tan. His thick eyebrows, straight nose, and prominent philtrum, when looked at one by one, hadn't changed much from before, but his originally ordinary features now carried an indescribable aura, making him... well, very appealing.

Xu Zhuxian introduced the other three to Kim Sung-yoon: the tallest, Choi Sulli; the one with slightly dark skin and braces, Yuri; and the one with a slightly cold expression, Jessica.

Although Sulli had been very outgoing earlier, she now behaved like a well-bred lady, quiet, elegant, and polite.

"What a beautiful house!" A few minutes later, a two-story house with a white exterior and a red roof, with a small garden in front surrounded by a white fence, appeared before them.

"The owner is abroad on business, so I rented it." Kim Sung-yoon explained briefly.

Xu Zhuxian's eyes sparkled as she looked at the house. Although it was small, it was elegant and refined, perfectly fitting her aesthetic.

"Come in, it's cold and dark outside," Kim Sung-yoon said with a smile, "I'll give you a key later, so you can come over anytime."

"Wow!" Sulli's eyes widened in surprise, and she nudged Yoon Ah, pointing at Xu Zhuxian and Kim Sung-yoon.

Yoon Ah's lips pouted slightly, but she didn't explain to Sulli. Instead, she turned to Kim Sung-yoon and said, "Sung-yoon oppa, why are you only giving Xiao Xian a key? I want one too!"

As soon as she said it, Yoon Ah felt a bit awkward and looked around to shift the attention. Although she and Kim Sung-yoon had known each other for over five years, their relationship had always been at the most superficial level. Her words made her sound like a child fighting over candy.

Kim Sung-yoon was taken aback, not expecting the Yoon Ah who had always called him "uncle" behind his back to act so familiar. Was it because of her friends?

"Is it different for Xiao Xian? You're all together. Besides, I think Xiao Xian is more reliable than you, don't you think?" Kim Sung-yoon looked at the flustered Yoon Ah, his lips curling into a smile.

"Hehe..." The other three girls laughed softly, all nodding in agreement.

Indeed, Yoon Ah's personality was like a boy's, lively and energetic, while Xiao Xian, who was a year younger, was more steady and trustworthy.

"Hmph!" Yoon Ah huffed, unable to argue.

"Make yourselves at home, treat this place like your dorm." Inside the house, Kim Sung-yoon threw his jacket on the sofa and said to the five of them, "I'll go prepare dinner for you."

"We'll help too." Jessica quickly said, pulling Yoon Ah, who had sat down on the sofa without hesitation.

Kim Sung-yoon's eyes moved to Yoon Ah, who hadn't said anything, and said, "The kitchen is too small, more people would just get in the way. Yoon Ah, come help me. You and Xiao Xian can wait here. There are computers in the upstairs bedrooms."

"Me?" Yoon Ah was still thinking about what had just happened and didn't expect to be chosen, feeling a bit incredulous as she pointed to herself.

"Are you also part of the family? Should I ask the guests to help?" Kim Sung-yoon said bluntly.

"Okay." Yoon Ah said dazedly, not sure when her relationship with Kim Sung-yoon had become so close.

"Xiao Xian, you must tell us, what's your relationship with Sung-yoon oppa?" As soon as Kim Sung-yoon and Yoon Ah left the living room, Sulli hooked her arm around Xu Zhuxian's shoulder and whispered, "Yoon Ah isn't honest either, saying her relationship with Sung-yoon oppa isn't good, but she's already part of the family. So, aren't you the real owner here?"

"Right, Xiao Xian's personality isn't the type to get close to someone easily, let alone accept a key to someone's house!" Yuri nodded, even the usually quiet Jessica looked at Xu Zhuxian with curiosity.

"Sung-yoon oppa is like a real brother to me." Xu Zhuxian explained softly, as she always did, "Sung-yoon oppa was alone as a child, working and studying at the same time. He used to study piano at my mother's school, and my mother really liked him. Sung-yoon oppa lived at my house before he became a trainee."

"Oh." Sulli and the others understood after hearing this.

"But Sung-yoon oppa's physique is so good, just his skin is a bit dark, he would be a perfect match for Yuri." Sulli's eyes twinkled, and she suddenly said.

"Hey! Sulli-ssi, what are you saying!" Yuri, embarrassed and angry, reached out to pinch Sulli.

"Sung-yoon oppa is tanned because of his service." Xu Zhuxian, who couldn't tolerate any criticism of Kim Sung-yoon, explained, "Sung-yoon oppa served for two years on Dokdo."

Xu Zhuxian then told the three of them about the information she had found online about Dokdo.

"No wonder Sung-yoon oppa has such a good aura!" Sulli exclaimed.

Earlier, when Kim Sung-yoon stood at the bus stop, he hadn't deliberately stood straight, but he still gave the impression of a tall, straight pine tree, standing out even in a crowded place.

"Sung-yoon oppa said there are computers in the upstairs bedrooms, let's go up and check, it'll be easier to talk there." Yuri whispered.

Although the exterior of the house Kim Sung-yoon rented was elegant, the interior space was limited. The living room and kitchen were connected, with a separate bathroom, and then the bedrooms were upstairs.

Sulli and the others spoke in low voices to avoid being heard by Kim Sung-yoon, which made them a bit uncomfortable.

Xu Zhuxian, who was also visiting for the first time, thought for a moment and then went upstairs with the three of them.

"Wow! Wow!" Yuri, the most curious, led the way, and as she pushed open the slightly ajar bedroom door, she couldn't help but exclaim.

"What? What?" Sulli, hearing this, pushed Yuri and rushed in.

"Wow! So many books!"

Compared to the simplicity of the first floor, the second floor, which had only one bedroom, was spacious. The first thing that caught their eye was the sky-blue curtains and a large bed big enough for four adults to sleep side by side, with clean sheets and blankets neatly folded in the cabinet at the head of the bed.

Next to the bed was a desk with a laptop and some stacked books, but no chair. Beside the desk was a small, elegant piano and a guitar hanging on the wall.

In addition, there were bookshelves tightly packed with books, neatly categorized.

"Xiao Xian, Sung-yoon oppa's personality is even more exaggerated than yours." Sulli said to Xu Zhuxian, whose eyes sparkled.

"What are these words? I can't understand them at all." Yuri had already come to the desk, picked up a book, and flipped through it, but found she couldn't understand a single word.

"Let me see!" Sulli was delighted and leaned over to take a look, but then deflated like a punctured tire: "I don't recognize them either."

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