Chapter 8

"Min-jeong-woo. In Korea's traditional method of calculating age, you and I are the same age. However, in the company, we need to distinguish between seniors and juniors. From now on, I will speak to you in plain language, and you will speak to me in formal language. Can you accept that?" After taking a few deep breaths, Lee Soon-gyu managed to suppress the conflicting emotions in his heart and spoke calmly to Min-jeong-woo. Min-jeong-woo was taken aback for a moment but then nodded: "I can accept it."

Lee Soon-gyu nodded: "It's inconvenient for me to go out. What do you want to eat? As your senior, I'll order takeout for you." Min-jeong-woo shook his head: "Anything is fine. You decide, senior." Lee Soon-gyu spoke with dissatisfaction: "Do you act like this at school too? When seniors ask for your opinion, do you push it back to them?"

Min-jeong-woo paused, thought for a moment, and then said: "Then, I'll have truffle ribs. Something simple." This time, it was Lee Soon-gyu's turn to be stunned: "Ribs? And... truffle?!" Min-jeong-woo was puzzled: "Yes." Lee Soon-gyu's face fell: "Hey, are you being disrespectful to your senior? Are you just teasing me? I've never even heard of truffle ribs. Did you make it up?" Min-jeong-woo was about to speak but then frowned and thought for a moment, shaking his head uncertainly: "Maybe... I've never eaten out. I always eat what my mother makes, so maybe the restaurants here don't have it. I was careless."

Lee Soon-gyu smiled helplessly: "Kim family... where exactly is your high IQ? I can't see it at all. Or is it really being dragged down by your EQ?" He picked up the phone, dialed a number, and while waiting for it to connect, asked Min-jeong-woo: "How about jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork? I haven't eaten either, so let's have them together." Min-jeong-woo shrugged, and the call was connected. Lee Soon-gyu smoothly ordered two jajangmyeon and one sweet and sour pork, gave the address, and then hung up. After that... there was a moment of silence. Rubbing his head, Lee Soon-gyu stood up and walked around Min-jeong-woo. Min-jeong-woo sat on the sofa, looking at him calmly.

After a while, Min-jeong-woo spoke: "Senior, can I start packing my luggage?" Lee Soon-gyu chuckled: "Go ahead. You didn't seem to care about my opinion when we first met, but now you're being quite sincere." Min-jeong-woo didn't respond, picked up his luggage and clothes, and stood up, casually choosing a room and looking around.

Simple furniture, a TV, a bed, a table, and a chair. There was nothing else. Min-jeong-woo put his bag in the wardrobe and neatly arranged the luggage on the bed. Lee Soon-gyu's voice came from outside: "Just put it down for now, I have something to say to you." Min-jeong-woo turned off the light and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He sat back down on the sofa, looking at Lee Soon-gyu. Lee Soon-gyu had already taken off his jacket, which belonged to Min-jeong-woo, and casually threw it over. Min-jeong-woo caught it. Lee Soon-gyu leaned casually against the side: "My father told you to follow me, right? You heard that, didn't you?" Min-jeong-woo nodded: "He told me first." Lee Soon-gyu was taken aback, feeling a bit helpless: "You really are... I suddenly feel the task is very challenging."

Min-jeong-woo frowned: "What exactly do I need to change? Does being a star require a certain personality?" Lee Soon-gyu waved his hand: "Being a star doesn't require a certain personality, but yours definitely won't do." Seeing the puzzled look on Min-jeong-woo's face, Lee Soon-gyu sat down next to him: "You always talk about IQ and EQ. Let me use that as an example. The normal IQ range is between 90 and 110. People in this range can go to school, work, get married, and have children. But the lower it is, the harder it is to share common experiences with normal people. Your current situation is similar. In the entertainment industry, normal social interactions and behaviors vary from person to person, but they all fall within a normal range. You, however, are below this normal range, and even far below it."

Min-jeong-woo pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then looked at Lee Soon-gyu: "How do I change?" Lee Soon-gyu looked surprised: "You believe me? You believe me so easily?" Min-jeong-woo nodded: "The CEO also thinks I need to change, so I think you're not lying. Maybe I do have a problem in this area."

Lee Soon-gyu leaned in, looked at his face, and sighed in admiration but also with a hint of regret: "I don't know if it will work. They say personality is the hardest to change. If you can't change, it will be a waste of your good looks." Min-jeong-woo paused, suddenly looked up at Lee Soon-gyu, and the aggressive look in his eyes made Lee Soon-gyu involuntarily step back: "You... what are you doing?"

Min-jeong-woo's voice was cold: "Are you saying that if I can't change, I can't be an artist?" Lee Soon-gyu raised his head defiantly: "Of course. If you offend people with your words, you won't survive in the entertainment industry, let alone perform, attend events, or appear on shows. Seniors will keep criticizing you, and you won't be able to handle it." Min-jeong-woo shook his head: "Are you still holding a grudge over what I said today? I said that wasn't..."

Lee Soon-gyu interrupted Min-jeong-woo: "You're like a robot, showing no emotional fluctuations. How can that work? In the future, you'll debut and participate in many shows. Not to mention your entertainment skills, you won't even be qualified to appear on stage." He frowned, patted his cheeks, and suddenly the doorbell rang.

Lee Soon-gyu went to open the door, and the takeout was delivered. He paid, took the food, and opened the boxes. The aroma made him take a deep breath. He placed the food on the table and gestured for Min-jeong-woo to come over: "Are you hungry? Let's eat. We can talk while we eat." Min-jeong-woo sat down, took the chopsticks Lee Soon-gyu handed him, and thanked him before starting to eat.

Lee Soon-gyu was sure he was hungry, as it had been a long time since they met, and he had walked a long distance with a heavy backpack, even though he was only thirteen years old. After taking a bite, Lee Soon-gyu casually asked: "How is it?" Min-jeong-woo nodded: "It's very good. It's my first time trying it."

Lee Soon-gyu pouted: "If you don't like it, just say so. What's the big deal? I don't know what kind of family you come from, but you seem to look down on everything." Min-jeong-woo frowned: "I don't. It really is very good. This sweet and sour pork is greasy and has too much starch. My father doesn't allow such dishes on the table."

Lee Soon-gyu was taken aback: "Then why didn't I see you looking like you enjoyed it? Even a smile would have been nice." Min-jeong-woo looked puzzled: "If it's good, just eat it. Why do I need to smile or show any expression?" "Uh." Lee Soon-gyu was speechless. He put down his chopsticks and looked at Min-jeong-woo helplessly: "What's the point of learning so many skills if you have no sense of fun and no emotional sensitivity? Artists need to be liked, and they need to use their emotions to infect others. Even your works should be either cute or handsome, etc. You..."

Lee Soon-gyu paused, suddenly frowned, and stood up: "That's not right. When you played the piano and sang today, you expressed a lot of emotion, which was very infectious. How can you be so..." He stroked his chin, looked at the stunned Min-jeong-woo, and suddenly snatched his chopsticks. He took a deep breath and smiled cutely: "I'll show you how to react when something is very good. Your emotions are fine; you just don't know how to express them. Come, look at me..."

Min-jeong-woo stared at Lee Soon-gyu with wide eyes. Lee Soon-gyu cleared his throat and suddenly squinted his eyes, smiling and jumping: "Wow, this is so good. Sweet and sour pork is the best dish. The aroma and the crispy texture are just..." "Are you shooting a commercial?" Lee Soon-gyu froze, and after a while, angrily threw the chopsticks at him: "Do it with me. Let me see you express your emotions correctly. Let me see your emotional and fun side."

Min-jeong-woo shook his head slightly, and Lee Soon-gyu glared at him, not blinking. After a while, Min-jeong-woo scratched his head, thought for a moment, and suddenly smiled, half-closing his eyes and looking up in admiration: "This is so good. Sweet and sour pork is indeed the best dish. The aroma and the crispy texture are just..."

For a moment, Lee Soon-gyu was dazed. She felt his smile and his face were more dazzling than the light above. This wasn't the first time today, and she didn't know why, but every time she looked, she felt the urge to look away. But subconsciously, Lee Soon-gyu felt something was about to change. Indeed...

"Isn't this boring?" All the dazzling light disappeared because the smile was gone. He frowned and looked at her. Min-jeong-woo's confusion was genuine. Lee Soon-gyu pursed her lips and rubbed her head helplessly. After a while, she waved her hand: "Let's... eat. Let's eat first and talk later." Min-jeong-woo bowed slightly, picked up his chopsticks, and continued eating. Throughout the process, Lee Soon-gyu didn't say a word.

After they finished eating, Lee Soon-gyu didn't say much. She was probably speechless from being stimulated by Min-jeong-woo. She gave him some instructions, told him to rest well, and turned to leave. Her dorm was upstairs, just a few steps away. But just as she was about to open the door, Min-jeong-woo's words made her stop involuntarily.

"Are you disappointed in me?" Lee Soon-gyu paused, slowly turned around, and shook her head: "Not disappointed, just suddenly feeling that your problem is more serious than I thought. Maybe you really aren't suitable for this profession. Or maybe you're not good at interacting with people. Unfortunately, being a star is all about interacting with all kinds of people."

After a moment of thought, Lee Soon-gyu forced a smile: "Tomorrow, I'll ask my father if he has any ideas. To make you... more suitable." "Soon-gyu, can I call you that?" Lee Soon-gyu was taken aback and instinctively wanted to glare. But seeing Min-jeong-woo's gentle, dazzling smile again, she was captivated.

Min-jeong-woo walked up and looked directly into Lee Soon-gyu's eyes: "Maybe I really didn't realize that my personality would make me so abnormal in social interactions. At home and at school, I strictly follow my father's rules. Every day, I have no time to think about anything else besides various skills. I don't know if there's really any hope for me to change. But you, Soon-gyu, are the first person to care so much about me. Besides my siblings, you are the first stranger. This feeling is very strange. When I realized you had come back to look for me after leaving, and when I carried you and talked to you, walking through the snow, I never experienced such a special feeling and experience."

Lee Soon-gyu instinctively stepped back but was involuntarily drawn to his smile and eyes, unable to look away. Min-jeong-woo gently raised his arm and stroked the bandage on her head: "For what I did today, even if I can't change and lose the opportunity to be an artist, I want to sincerely say, I'm sorry. And... thank you."

He slowly approached Lee Soon-gyu, and just as his lips were about to touch the bandage on her forehead, Lee Soon-gyu closed her eyes involuntarily. She felt timid and uncertain, waiting for something. But in the end, she only heard a sentence. Min-jeong-woo's reversal.

"Is this what you mean by emotional and fun?"

Lee Soon-gyu instantly opened her eyes and looked at Min-jeong-woo's face, which had lost its smile and was now calm. His eyes were full of questions, seeking confirmation. Lee Soon-gyu's chest slowly rose and fell, looking directly into Min-jeong-woo's eyes. With a slap, Min-jeong-woo, with a look of shock, covered his face and looked at the door that had been slammed shut, completely confused.

"I was just trying to find the feeling. Why... did you hit me?"

{Piaotian Literature}