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墨書 Inktalez
Regarding the idol sports event that Running Man holds almost every six months, it always creates a wave of excitement. After all, who wouldn't like attractive individuals with great athletic abilities?
"Is the game setup ready?" Anna asked Dong Wan, who was focused on writing the final complete process.
After a long day of work, Dong Wan looked exhausted, his face shiny and his eyes dull. He replied tiredly, "It's almost done. By the way, have you prepared the game venues and equipment? We need to check them later to make sure everything connects properly."
"Yes, it's mostly ready. I had Han Yufei take care of the props. Yufei, how's it going?" Anna inquired, looking at Yufei sitting nearby.
Yufei shyly smiled and said softly, "I think it's okay. Anna-senpai, Dong Wan-senpai, could you help me check it later?"
"Don't worry; we'll definitely go through everything together. Any issues will be spotted," Anna assured her with a smile.
Park Soo Eun walked in with a gloomy expression after spending the whole day on phone calls. She sat down, grabbed a cup of water, and gulped it down.
"Hey, Sook-eun, that was my water," Dong Wan tried to stop her, but Park Soo Eun ignored him completely. By the time she set it down, it was already empty, and she sighed contentedly.
"Who are you calling 'big sister'? You're making me feel old," Park Soo Eun shot a glance at Dong Wan.
Dong Wan helplessly picked up the cup and refilled it before returning to his seat.
"Have you contacted all your idols? Are you sure who will be participating?" Dong Wan asked.
"Don't even mention how troublesome it was. The agents had to ask here and there; we talked about it all day long until my face felt stiff," Park Soo Eun replied helplessly.
"Hmm? What did you ask about?" Dong Wan asked curiously.
"These aren't the usual problems we often hear about, like whether female artists can wear makeup while swimming, who else will be appearing alongside them, or if the game will affect their Idol image," Park Soo Eun said.
"In this industry, there are only a few real beauties. Not many are willing to disregard their image and get in the water. They definitely don't want the hard-earned image they've built to be washed away as soon as they enter the water," Dong Wan chuckled.
"That's right. Female artists who dare to appear without makeup are really few and far between, aside from our own Song Sister Jihyo. I think Girls' Generation has done it too, but it's really not easy," Han Yufei whispered.
"Yes, but this time the female artist is also from their company," Park Soo Eun said.
Anna suddenly had a bad feeling wash over her.
"Who is it?" Dong Wan asked.
"It's the rookie who just debuted, Jang Bo-Yeon," Park Soo Eun replied.
Sure enough, the more she didn't want something to happen, the more it came true... Anna felt frustrated and remained silent.
"Wow, she's quite the hot topic right now. Just debuted, beautiful, and has great singing and dancing skills. She's a promising newcomer being heavily promoted by S.M., plus there's her dating rumor with EXO's Park Chan-yeol. This time, there will definitely be a lot of attention," Dong Wan said. "Is Park Chan-yeol coming? If he can come along, that would be huge."
Anna lowered her head and said nothing.
"Park Chan-yeol has other commitments; KAI will be coming," Park Soo Eun said.
Dong Wan smiled and looked at Anna, only then realizing she hadn't spoken about this matter at all. He asked, "Hey, Anna Zheng."
Anna snapped back to reality, raised her head to look at him, and said, "What’s up?"
"Why aren't you saying anything? Didn't you used to be a big fan of EXO's KAI? Why are you so unresponsive today?"
"Oh, really? Is KAI coming to record a show? That's great." Anna smiled awkwardly.
"Your reaction is a bit forced, isn't it?" Park Soo Eun glanced at her.
"By the way, have the final seven members been confirmed?" Dong Wan asked.
"Yes, of course. I've been in contact all day and finally got it sorted out," Park Soo Eun said with a smile.
"Who are they?"
"Besides the two I just mentioned, there's IKON's Bobby, WINNER's Nam Taehyun, Super Junior's Cao Kyu-hyun, SHINee's Choi Min-ho, and Infinite's Kim Sungkyu," Park Soo Eun replied.
"Yunhao is joining again? He's so strong," Dong Wan said.
"The fans are particularly enthusiastic about him and Jung Yong Hwa. Yong Hwa can't make it due to scheduling conflicts, so we have to do our best to get Yunhao here," Park Soo Eun explained.
"We're starting filming next Monday, right?" Anna asked.
"Yes."
"What are you all chatting about? So happy, yet none of you are working properly," Miao PD walked in and lightly tapped each of their heads with a rolled-up piece of paper in his hand.
The four exchanged glances and stifled their laughter.
"It seems we really shouldn't have let you all skip the post-production. As soon as you have some free time, you're all so energized," Miao PD said with a smile.
"Not at all, Miao PD, you're wronging us. We were discussing the idol sports event we are filming next week," Dong Wan replied.
"Yes, I was just about to report to you. Here is the preliminary cast list," Park Soo Eun said as she handed the list to Miao PD.
Miao PD picked it up, glanced at it, and nodded, saying, "Have you informed them that there will be games in the water? The female artists will definitely have their makeup ruined; is that okay?"
"The female guest is Miss Baoyan from MESE. We've already discussed this, and she has agreed," Park Soo Eun said.
"That's good. Have you confirmed with their managers that they can participate in the games?"
"Yes, it's been confirmed," Park Soo Eun replied.
"Great," Miao PD said to Dong Wan. "Dong Wan, make sure to finalize the complete program plan. And Anna, you need to prepare the venue setup and arrangements."
"Understood," both of them replied.
"Alright, let's call it a day. Tomorrow is a day off; everyone should rest well and recharge so we can continue working," Miao PD said.
As for the things that should be forgotten, did they simply slip away so easily? Of course not. During the busy daytime work, there might not be time for thoughts to wander freely. However, once night falls and silence envelops everything, nothing can control the flow of thoughts anymore. They seep into a hidden corner where the most sensitive emotions lie, often unnoticed by others.
The weather has become increasingly hot; while the days are clear and sunny, these past few nights have brought heavy clouds.
Thunder rumbled, breaking the stillness of the night; this was the first thunderstorm of the year.
The room flickered with light and darkness as Anna curled up in bed, tightly holding onto Peter, too scared to close her eyes. She always felt that in the boundless darkness of closed eyes, terrifying monsters lurked—ugly creatures with gaping mouths that could swallow her whole if she let her guard down.
A strong wind blew open the window, creating a loud noise, and the curtains fluttered. Anna suddenly sat up, drenched in cold sweat.
Fortunately, at that moment, a phone rang.
Without thinking, Anna answered the call, and to her surprise, it was Park Chan-yeol's voice on the other end.
"Hello, Anna."
In that instant, the release of fear made Anna forget all her defenses.
"Chan-yeol," she called out, wanting to share all her anxieties and fears with him. But just then, another thunderclap sounded, and Anna snapped back to reality. She couldn't let the perseverance she had fought so hard for go to waste. Even if she felt like dying to see him or hear his voice...
"I know you're afraid of thunder."
Anna struggled to hold back the urge to cry, desperately trying to make her voice sound calm and ordinary. All the affection revealed in that first call was wiped away as she closed her eyes and endured the living pain bit by bit.
"I'm not afraid anymore," Anna said.
Park Chan-yeol seemed to chuckle softly in resignation. "Really? I didn't know that. How have you been lately?"
"Good. And you?" Anna said "good," but she was already crying, and Park Chan-yeol couldn't see it; Anna Zheng wouldn't let him hear it either.
"I'm doing well too."
"That's good."
"Go to bed early."
"Okay, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
The phone slipped from her hand, and Anna could no longer hold back; her cries were deeply drowned out by the thunderstorm outside. It turned out that nothing had faded with time; instead, it had been etched even deeper.
It was like a wound that had not been treated, merely covered up. Over time, it seemed healed, but inside it had turned into pus; a gentle touch would cause the pus to flow out, bringing unbearable pain.
Every time she saw him performing on stage, watching the shows he starred in, or the dramas he led, he smiled, and Anna smiled along with him. At that moment, she would tell herself that her decision was right. Look at how happy Park Chan-yeol was in his beloved work, career, and dreams. Occasionally, she could still catch glimpses of his lonely expressions on television, but as time passed, everything would eventually fade away.
However, Anna Zheng found herself trapped in this maze, never truly understanding what it meant to let go. Was it because she didn't love Park Chan-yeol deeply enough? Was it fear of the obstacles and hardships that might come? Was it because there were always girls revolving around him? Or was it simply the absence of companionship?
No, none of those reasons. Distance, dreams, careers, and the people around her were merely incentives.
Ultimately, it was because Anna Zheng lacked confidence. She didn't have self-assurance; she couldn't determine what mattered more when her dreams clashed with Park Chan-yeol's.
She didn't want to be the one left behind. Life's journey was still so long; without the stage, Park Chan-yeol felt like he had lost his wings. The path ahead was fraught with thorns and difficulties; even if they walked together, their feet would be covered in blisters and pain. In moments of exhaustion, if she happened to see regret in Park Chan-yeol's eyes, she truly couldn't bear such piercing pain. That gaze would kill her completely; by then, even if she wanted to regain those wings, it would be too late...
A life without resentment could leave no regrets. Like a quiet full moon on a hilltop, Anna hoped that Park Chan-yeol could always see that beautiful moon—even if the person sitting beside him under the tree to admire it wasn't her...
His garden was destined to be filled with laughter and joy; she just didn't know if she still had the right to enter.
Isn't it another handsome and beautiful idol coming over? Just look at the outfits of the Task Force members to know. Park Soo Eun actually wore a dress today, and Han Yufei, who usually speaks softly, even put on light makeup. Even Kwon Ryeol, who doesn't care much about dressing up, wore a newly bought polo shirt.
"Hey, hey, look at Miss Baoyan, she's so beautiful," Park Seok said with a grin as he nudged Anna's arm.
"Yeah, I can see that. Look at Kwon Ryeol; he's smiling so much his mouth is almost stuck open," Anna joked while continuing her work.
"What do you mean I can't close my mouth? Miao PD is also smiling exaggeratedly today," Kwon Ryeol whispered, afraid that Miao PD would actually hear him.
"Hey, Anna Zheng, weren't you always a fan of KAI? Why do you look so down today?" Park Seok asked.
"KAI has..." Anna almost blurted out that KAI has someone he likes. Seeing the puzzled looks from Park Seok and Kwon Ryeol, she quickly smiled and said, "There are so many people who like him; what am I compared to them?"
Kwon Ryeol and Park Seok, expecting to hear some shocking gossip, turned away in disappointment.
The guests started arriving one after another. To keep things confidential, they needed to enter one by one into a bus before the show began.
"Hello everyone." Of course, it was necessary to greet the Task Force members first.
"Ah, Yunhao is here!" Park Soo Eun suddenly screamed excitedly.
Anna jumped in surprise and looked over. Park Soo Eun's eyes were practically sparkling as she stared at Yunhao, as if there were little hearts in her gaze.
"I think it's not just the audience who wants to see Yunhao perform; this sister is even more eager to meet him. I've never seen her this excited before," Park Seok teased.
Anna found it amusing as well.
“Anna, you go to the car first and talk to the guests about how to enter later, as well as today's game process and precautions. Also, make the atmosphere in the car a bit more lively so they can work together on the tasks later. Of course, the main thing is to manage the rhythm of their entrance,” Miao PD said.
“Miao PD,” Anna replied, “I still need to do venue monitoring. If not, let Dong Wan handle it.”
Anna had never shied away from work before, so Miao PD was slightly surprised. This was clearly an easier task than venue monitoring. After considering it for a moment, Miao PD, though puzzled, did not press further and nodded, saying, “Alright then.”
Anna breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, saying, “Okay, thank you, Miao PD.”
From a distance, it seemed that Jang Bo-Yeon was looking at her from inside the car. Anna didn’t have time to ponder what was going on and hurried to check the set props and the shooting conditions of each camera.
“Miss Anna Zheng.”
A familiar voice came from behind. Anna turned around to see it was Li Agent from EXO.
“Oh, hello,” Anna said with a smile and a deep bow.
Li Agent smiled slightly and said, “I apologize for my previous unannounced visit.”
“Not at all, it's fine,” Anna replied. After thinking for a moment, she hesitated and asked, “Park Chan-yeol… is he doing well lately?”
“Whether good or bad is just a matter of time; eventually, things will get better,” Li Agent said.
Anna understood what he meant and nodded with a wry smile.
“Miss Anna, actually, I’m very glad you made such a correct choice today, and I appreciate it very much,” Li Agent said. “I personally admire you greatly, and it has been proven that you have not disappointed me.”
“Li Agent, I seem to disagree with your opinion,” Anna said with a smile.
“Oh?”
“Actually, in this matter, I had no choice, did I? Everyone has something they need to protect. Standing from one's own position, it may seem like giving others a choice, but in essence, what we receive is merely a notification. I believe no one is willing to achieve their own fulfillment at the cost of hurting those they truly love. Therefore, from my standpoint, to protect the ones I love, I have no other choice. Once I know how to defend them, I just need to go ahead and do it,” Anna said with a bitter smile.
Li Agent looked at Anna in surprise. After a moment of silence, he said, “Miss Anna, this matter…”
Anna smiled and interrupted him, saying, “It’s already in the past. The current situation is the best, isn’t it?”
Li Agent understood that Anna did not want to bring up the matter again, so he smiled and said, “Yes, the current situation is quite good.”
“We're about to start filming. I need to go prepare. Goodbye,” Anna bowed.
“Okay,” Li Agent replied.
As various personnel gave Miao PD an OK gesture one by one, Miao PD nodded at Anna.
Anna said, “On May 3rd, 2016, the first filming of the Running Man Idol Sports Meeting begins in 3, 2, 1—action.” Anna clapped the slate.
Yoo Jae-suk and the Members greeted the audience together.
Over the intercom, Anna spoke to Dong Wan, who was on the bus: “Dong Wan, wait for my signal; we’ve already started here. Please let the Idols enter one by one when I notify you.”
“Is the order still the same as before?”
"Yes, we can arrange them from oldest to youngest," Anna said.
"Got it."
Yoo Jae-suk and the other members were skillfully hosting the opening segment when Miao PD quietly asked Anna, "Have the VJs borrowed from other Task Forces been informed about how to shoot?"
"They've been informed, and I've arranged for our original VJ to film the guests while the borrowed VJs follow our own members. This way, if there's anything they miss in their filming, Brother Jae-seok and Haha Brother will be aware and can remind them," Anna replied.
Miao PD nodded in agreement and said, "Good. Now you should head directly to the next swimming relay location. Once we're done filming here, I'll notify you."
"Okay. I'll head over first," Anna said.
After a full day of filming, the Task Force definitely needed to order food. With such a large group eating on the gym floor was quite a sight. Anna had just taken a couple of bites when she noticed that a few cameras by the pool still weren't set up properly, so she hurried over with the director of the Camera Crew.
Once the cameras were set up, Anna had lost her appetite. The director of the Camera Crew hadn't eaten enough either; filming was both physically demanding and technical, so he ran back to grab a bit more to eat.
Hearing soft footsteps, Anna turned around and saw Jang Bo-Yeon with a bright smile on her face. Anna didn't know how to react and simply smiled stiffly in return.
"Hello, Miss Baoyan," Anna said.
"You don't have to be so formal with me, Sister Anna. I'm very familiar with you, so I don't feel strange at all," Jang Bo-Yeon replied with a smile.
Anna couldn't help but think that she seemed even more beautiful than when they had met before her debut.
"I’m together with Brother Canlie now; you know that, right?" Jang Bo-Yeon continued to smile brightly.
"Well, I've heard." Anna smiled calmly.
Jang Bo-Yeon looked at Anna with her beautiful eyes and said, "Sister Anna, will you bless us?"
Anna glanced at Jang Bo-Yeon. She was indeed adorable, but with such a cute and innocent face saying those words, one couldn't help but wonder if it was intentional or not. There were many things Anna didn't want to explore right now, fearing that she might accidentally witness the darkness she wished to avoid; that would be terrible.
Anna raised the corners of her mouth and said, "Of course, I wish you happiness."
Jiang Baoyan smiled and said, "Thank you, Sister Anna." After a pause, she continued, "Sister Anna, do you still love Brother Canlie?"
Anna didn't look at her; she lowered her head, smiled lightly, and said, "Jiang Baoyan, at this moment, I should tell you that I no longer love him, right?"
Jang Bo-Yeon remained silent.
Anna continued, "Then just think of it that way; thinking like this will put your mind at ease. Moreover, in some time, this thought will eventually become reality."
More people entered, and the quiet swimming pool gradually became lively.
Seeing Jiang Baoyan and Anna chatting together, KAI walked over in surprise and said, "Oh, Anna, do you know Jiang Baoyan?"
Just as Anna was unsure how to respond, Jang Bo-Yeon smiled and said, "Not really, brother. This is our first meeting today, but we hit it off well and chatted for a bit."
Anna felt somewhat speechless inside but could roughly guess Jang Bo-Yeon's intention behind the lie.
"Right? Anna is really nice," KAI said with a smile. "I didn't see you during the first shoot today; I thought you weren't working here anymore."
"Sorry," Anna smiled awkwardly and said, "how could that be?"
"It seems like we used to see each other often, but recently we've been so busy that we haven't had a day off. We don't have time to go to the gym or hang out at bars, so it feels like it's been a long time since we last met," KAI said.
"Brother, you all continue chatting. I'm going to find Yunhao," Jiang Baoyan said with a smile, waving her hand as she went off to find Yunhao.
KAI looked at her back and mysteriously said to Anna, "Anna, can I ask you a question?"
"What question?" Anna felt a bit anxious.
"Do you remember when you came to S.M. Company to find me? At that time, I thought there might be some conflict between you and Chan-yeol. Otherwise, that guy who usually smiles at everyone seemed to dislike you for no reason. Is there some misunderstanding? Also, when I recorded Running Man this time and your name came up, his expression was really bad. What did you do to offend him?" KAI asked quietly.
Anna felt extremely awkward and stammered, "I... I don't know. Maybe it's just that he dislikes me for no reason."
"Ah... that's really strange. Don't worry, Chan-yeol is a good person. Once you clear up the misunderstanding, everything will be fine."
Anna forced a stiff smile and said, "Maybe."
After chatting for a few more minutes, KAI ran off to change clothes, leaving Anna to sigh helplessly.
If misunderstandings are resolved, everything will be fine. But if it's an irreconcilable misunderstanding, then it can only end here.
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