Chapter 17

After all, they were just kids. Not only could they not remain unperturbed, but their hearts were already in turmoil. Even the expression on their faces, which practically screamed "I'm a tattletale," was a typical childish move. When the boy was exposed, Lee Soon-gyu immediately understood why Seo Mi-na would coincidentally bring sweet and sour pork to a corridor not far from the CEO's office.

Near the CEO's office, regardless of the industry or company, it was a place where lower-level employees rarely ventured. Seo Mi-na was just a trainee, and even if the company was small, the CEO was still the CEO, the person who could make her dreams come true. How could she casually approach this place, especially with sweet and sour pork in hand?

This was also why Lee Soon-gyu could shout "Moon Jung-woo is lying" without any reservations. Not only would Moon Jung-woo not approach this area without permission, but it was a rule, unrelated to how much he was valued. Even Lee Soon-gyu rarely came to this area. Despite being the CEO's daughter, Lee Soon-gyu was never the type to rely on her status. She won people's respect by using the name of the CEO's daughter, but ultimately, it was her fair, enthusiastic, and meticulous personality that made her popular.

The boy's fate was no longer a concern. After Lee Soon-gyu explained everything to Lee Su-young, the boy was expelled. His reluctance, pleading, and fear were all in vain. Even if the company was small, he was just a trainee. If his reputation was bad, no other company would take him. While companies might be competitors in some aspects, they all united to maintain their authority when it came to trainees, a vulnerable group. They couldn't afford to be lenient. How would they manage artists once they became famous?

When Moon Jung-woo caught up with Seo Mi-na, they were not at the dormitory but on a park bench not far from SW. By the time he reached her, her tears had dried, and she was just sitting there in a daze. Moon Jung-woo remained silent for a while, then sat down next to her, forcing a smile and calling out, "Nuna..."

"Do you still want to lie to me?"

Moon Jung-woo paused, slowly retracting his smile and lowering his head without a word.

Seo Mi-na bit her lip, stood up, and turned to leave. But a "Sorry" reached her ears, making her stop in her tracks.

Moon Jung-woo stood up, reaching out to grab her hand, a familiar gesture from the past month. But that hand, which she could usually hold affectionately, now seemed blocked by an invisible barrier that neither of them could cross.

"Senior, can you sit down and listen to me for a moment? Even if... you give me a few slaps afterward."

Seo Mi-na paused for a moment, then slowly sat down, her face calm but her eyes filled with sarcasm. "For a few slaps, I'll listen to you. I just hope you keep your promise."

Moon Jung-woo squinted his smiling eyes, but Seo Mi-na glared at him and pointed. "Stop that. Your smiling eyes make me feel genuinely disgusted."

Moon Jung-woo's smile froze on his face, slowly fading. He tried to force a smile but couldn't. "Sorry... it's a habit."

Seo Mi-na snorted. "Yes, a habit. A habit you practiced on me."

Moon Jung-woo didn't respond, lowering his head in silence for a while before speaking softly. "I have a personality flaw."

Seo Mi-na frowned. "What did you say?"

Moon Jung-woo cleared his throat. "I said, I have a personality flaw."

Seo Mi-na stared at Moon Jung-woo's profile, shaking her head. "You're only fourteen, right? Or maybe fifteen by Korean age. I heard your IQ is 160. With such a beautiful face, you already know how to cover one lie with another?"

Moon Jung-woo turned to look at Seo Mi-na, pursing his lips. "I have a personality flaw. I don't know how to read people or socialize. My upbringing made me like a machine, and the skills I have are just tools. I don't know how to interact with people, and I don't even have the desire to. I can't tell the difference between kindness and malice, whether it's from others or myself."

Seo Mi-na was taken aback, frowning at Moon Jung-woo, wanting to say something but unable to. She wanted to ask him why he had been so good at being cute over the past month if he was like a machine. But then she remembered that the pain she felt when she learned the truth was because it was all an act.

Suddenly, she recalled his expression and demeanor before he approached her, which was exactly the same as now. Could it be that he really had a personality flaw?

She laughed coldly and shook her head, looking at Moon Jung-woo. "Is this your excuse for lying to me?"

Moon Jung-woo's face was calm, but his tightly clenched fists were at his sides. "No. Soon-gyu told me to get close to the company's seniors. This was my initial way to compensate for my personality flaw. But after spending time with you, I really did see you as Nuna. You bought me sweet and sour pork, brought me delicious food from home, and cooked soup for me when my voice was hoarse during my voice change. All of these things... I..."

"Stop!" Seo Mi-na interrupted him, turning away. "Stop. I must be blind. How could I meet someone like you? In school, in my neighborhood, no one is as terrifying as you. Are you even a child? You're just a bastard, a cold-blooded liar who only thinks of yourself!"

Moon Jung-woo stared at Seo Mi-na, his expression strange. After a while, he spoke softly. "Did you treat me as a romantic partner? The Nuna now... seems like a怨妇 (a woman who is bitter and resentful)."

Seo Mi-na was stunned, turning to look at Moon Jung-woo with a shocked expression. Fresh tears streamed down her face, but she couldn't speak, pointing at him.

Although the past month hadn't changed Moon Jung-woo much, he had learned a lot. Just by looking at Seo Mi-na's expression, he realized something.

Bowing slightly, Moon Jung-woo said, "Sorry, Senior. This is my true personality. I say what I think without considering whether it might make the other person uncomfortable."

Seo Mi-na took a long time to recover. The contrast was too great, making it more than just discomfort. Her anger gradually turned into a bit of curiosity. She stared at Moon Jung-woo, asking tentatively, "You mean... this is your personality flaw?"

Moon Jung-woo pursed his lips and nodded slightly. "Yes."

Seo Mi-na's expression was strange, shaking her head and leaning back in the chair. "I finally understand a line I saw on TV."

Moon Jung-woo turned to her. "What line?"

Seo Mi-na looked at him, smiling for the first time after crying. "Sometimes, the truth hurts more than a lie."

Moon Jung-woo wasn't stupid; he understood what Seo Mi-na meant but didn't respond.

The atmosphere became somewhat heavy. Seo Mi-na suddenly frowned. "You came to apologize, but why did I end up saying more?"

Moon Jung-woo was taken aback. "I've already apologized, and I've said what I needed to... Oh."

Moon Jung-woo nodded, leaning closer. "I understand. You mean the few slaps you promised? Go ahead, I did something wrong and made you angry and sad, so I should be punished."

Seo Mi-na stared at Moon Jung-woo's cheek for a while, then slowly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly burst out laughing, clutching her stomach and gasping for breath, unable to stop. Moon Jung-woo looked at her in confusion, not understanding what was happening.

After a while, the laughter subsided, and Seo Mi-na sat up, looking at Moon Jung-woo, biting her lip and tugging his ear. "I know why Soon-gyu made you change. Your natural cuteness makes people happier, even just by looking at you. But your original personality... is really frustrating."

Moon Jung-woo unexpectedly nodded. "I do have a high IQ, not to brag, but to thank you, Senior. Although it's only been a month, I've noticed some changes. At least, after saying '怨妇' (bitter and resentful woman), I realized it wouldn't make you feel good."

Seo Mi-na laughed softly, kicking the snow at her feet. "So, this method has worked, hasn't it?" It was March, and the weather was gradually warming. The snow melted as soon as she kicked it.

Moon Jung-woo was silent for a moment, then hesitantly spoke. "Maybe it's a coincidence, but when you threw the sweet and sour pork on the ground and ran away, I felt something I've never experienced before."

Seo Mi-na nodded, biting her lip, then suddenly turned to look at Moon Jung-woo. Although her face was calm and even a bit smiling, her eyes were serious. "Do you know what I was thinking just now?"

Moon Jung-woo shook his head, not responding. Seo Mi-na stood up and stretched. "In that moment, I decided to quit SW, stop being a trainee, and go back to school."

Moon Jung-woo was taken aback and quickly stood up. "Senior..."

Seo Mi-na waved her hand. "Since you said this method has worked for you, are you willing to try it again?" Moon Jung-woo looked puzzled and nodded instinctively.

Seo Mi-na's eyes flashed with something he couldn't see, and she smiled. "After hearing your story, I'm even more certain. I'm going to quit."

This time, she didn't give Moon Jung-woo a chance. She smiled. "Don't worry, it's not because of you. You hurt me so much, but I don't want you to be that important to me."

Moon Jung-woo looked at her. "Then... why?"

Seo Mi-na shook her head. "You don't need to know the reason. But I want you to know something because I won't be a trainee anymore and won't have to worry about it."

Moon Jung-woo didn't speak, waiting for Seo Mi-na to continue. Seo Mi-na turned away from Moon Jung-woo, tilting her head to look at his face, avoiding his eyes, and watching the leaves slowly sprout green buds. "Actually, you don't need to apologize to me because... my closeness to you wasn't purely accepting."

Turning to look at Moon Jung-woo's surprised expression, Seo Mi-na's smile, for some reason, resonated in Moon Jung-woo's heart, making him understand something and making something similar to an idea crack the shell and try to break free.

"Good looks, great talent, and favored by the CEO. You and Soon-gyu have a better relationship in just over a month than I have had with her in two years. You wanted to get close to me as a senior... and I also wanted to get close to you, a promising and highly favored trainee."

Slowly walking to Moon Jung-woo, for some reason, the usually carefree and fearless Moon Jung-woo was forced to sit back on the bench. He stared at her, his face complex and at a loss.

The wind blew, messing up Seo Mi-na's hair and Moon Jung-woo's. But that smile and silence, through his sweater, touched his skin, making his heart slowly turn cold.

Is this... what I don't understand about human hearts? And the changes I need to practice, do I need to understand these things? If I really have to change like this, and after changing, I become like this, what do I gain and what do I lose... can intelligence calculate that?

; {Piaotian Literature}