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墨書 Inktalez
“Anna… Anna… Anna Zheng!”
A hand tapped her shoulder, startling Anna. She snapped back to reality and realized that Lee Kwang-soo had appeared in front of her at some point.
“Oh, what’s up?”
“What were you thinking? You seemed so lost in thought. I’ve called you several times,” Lee Kwang-soo said.
Anna smiled and replied, “It’s nothing. I probably didn’t sleep well last night, so I was a bit distracted… By the way, didn’t the shoot end? Why are you still here?” Anna glanced around the empty studio.
“I was just about to leave, but then I saw you here daydreaming, and you didn’t respond when I called. Let’s go.”
Anna nodded and said, “Okay.”
The car was very quiet, and Anna’s mind was completely elsewhere. Noticing Anna’s dazed expression, Kwang-soo asked, “Why didn’t you sleep well?”
“Eh?” Anna didn’t catch that.
“I asked why you didn’t sleep well,” Kwang-soo repeated.
“It’s just… insomnia, there’s no particular reason.”
“Is it because of Park Chan-yeol?”
Anna was surprised that Kwang-soo would ask such a question.
Kwang-soo smiled and said, "Why the long face? Did I hit the nail on the head?"
Anna lowered her head, sighed, and gave a bitter smile without saying anything.
"Things will eventually come to light. Look at Brother Jae-seok, isn't he the same? Don't go home and overthink it alone. How about we invite Jung Kook to go out to a bar?" Kwang-soo suggested with a smile.
Anna shook her head and replied, "No, Peter is still at home. I've been out all day; I need to feed him and take him for a walk."
"Isn't that simple? It's still early. I'll go home with you first, and then we can go together. I can help you feed Peter," Kwang-soo said cheerfully.
Anna thought for a moment. It had indeed been a long time since she had gone out to have fun. To avoid going home and overthinking things alone, she nodded and said, "Okay."
Whenever Peter saw Kwang-soo, he would get overly excited and leap at him. Luckily, Kwang-soo was leaning against the door; otherwise, he would have been knocked over. Peter happily stuck out his tongue and licked Kwang-soo's hand. Before long, both of Kwang-soo's hands were covered in sticky drool until he noticed Anna putting dog food in Peter's bowl, at which point Peter shifted his focus to the food.
"Wow..." Kwang-soo complained while half-lifting his hands and rushed to the bathroom.
Anna couldn't help but laugh.
"Brother, what if someone recognizes you while we're walking the dog like this?" Anna assessed Kwang-soo.
The sky outside was gradually darkening, but she still couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't be recognized.
"It's fine; if I'm recognized, I'll just have to admit our relationship. I can manage," Kwang-soo joked.
Anna shot him a glance and said, "Come on, how can I let you suffer just for me?" Saying this, she rummaged through a nearby cabinet and pulled out a baseball cap that Andy used to wear, placing it on his head. Anna smiled and said, "This should work."
They had never ended Peter's playtime so abruptly before, but there were too many people on the lawn at the riverside park at that moment. Anna, feeling nervous, didn't even dare to ask Kwang-soo to say something. As soon as Kwang-soo arrived, his tall and slender figure attracted some glances. Anna quickly advised him not to speak; with that voice combined with his unique stature, anyone who had seen the show would recognize him as Lee Kwang-soo.
After taking care of their business, the two hurriedly led Peter back home.
Peter clearly wasn't satisfied with his playtime and walked home with his head down.
"I'm sorry, Peter," Lee Kwang-soo said, patting Peter's head.
"Just give him the dried beef bones we made yesterday when we get home," Anna said with a smile. "I guarantee he'll perk up immediately."
"By the way, I've always wanted to ask you something," Kwang-soo said.
"What is it?"
"Why did you suddenly move away back then?"
Anna smiled bitterly. Yes, that big house they had before—who would want to move into this small place unless absolutely necessary?
"My dad got drunk and ended up hitting someone, but we didn't have the money to compensate them, so we had to sell that big house and move into this one that my grandparents left behind," Anna explained.
"Oh, I see. At that time, I was in college, and when I came home on weekends, I saw that your house was empty. My parents didn't even know where you had gone," Kwang-soo said.
"Yeah, none of us said anything because of my father's temper. In that place, who could make friends?" Anna replied.
"But when you saw me on TV later, weren't you surprised?" Kwang-soo asked with a smile.
Anna teased, "I was surprised, indeed! Because in my memory, you were always that handsome older brother. How did you end up like this..." Anna looked Kwang-soo up and down.
"Exactly! I knew you must have had a secret crush on me when you were little. Otherwise, why would you always follow me around? Back then, didn't you think I was handsome and were deeply charmed by my charisma?" Kwang-soo said with a cheeky grin.
"Brother, you also say it's something from childhood. What did we understand back then?" Anna rolled her eyes at him.
Lee Kwang-soo took a couple of steps closer to Anna, retreating slightly as he spoke, "That's not right. Logically speaking, I should be more handsome now. Why are you less interested in me?"
Anna smiled and pulled him back, continuing to walk as she said, "Because I now have the ability to judge men. Besides, I really know you too well."
"That's just superficial."
"Your appearance reflects your heart. Brother, it looks like a flower is about to bloom on your forehead, and it's colorful too," Anna said with a laugh.
Lee Kwang-soo instinctively touched his forehead, shaking his head with a helpless smile as he replied, "No way."
It had been a long time since they visited Cat's Paw Bar. He had been so busy that it felt like every day was filled with work and a pile of worries. The only time he felt calm was when he was with Peter. If it weren't for running into Kwang-soo today who suggested coming out to play, Anna would have almost forgotten this place.
"Where's Jung Kook?" Anna asked.
Kwang-soo hadn't seen him either but mentioned that he had arrived long ago. The two began searching and soon spotted Jung Kook smiling and waving at them, accompanied by a blonde Russian beauty who was drinking with him.
Kwang-soo and Anna exchanged knowing nods and decided not to interrupt.
"I'll go to the restroom first. Wait for me here for a bit," Kwang-soo said.
Anna nodded. "Okay." Watching Kwang-soo's figure disappear around the corner, Anna sat at the bar. The bartender was still the same man, maintaining an air of unfamiliarity. Having experienced this before, Anna calmly ordered two drinks.
Looking at the familiar seats not far away, the lights flickered on and off. It was there that she had drunkenly lost consciousness just to get closer to Lee Ji-hyun, nearly costing her life. If Park Chan-yeol hadn't shown up then, the consequences would have been unimaginable. A pang of pain struck her heart.
The surroundings were vaguely noisy, yet Anna felt it was very quiet. She glanced at the men and women in the dance floor, wondering if Park Chan-yeol's figure would appear again amidst the bizarre scene...
The extreme loneliness always strikes unexpectedly, hitting deep in the chest.
Clearly, it was a heated atmosphere, clearly filled with excitement, yet because this place held memories of him, her heart began to feel restless.
Anna suddenly missed him so much, truly missed him. She missed him to the point that every figure she saw at that moment resembled him...
She finally understood that saying: I miss you, feeling like everyone in the world is you.
If only she had taken one more look when they parted, just one glance; perhaps she wouldn't be missing him so intensely now. No one could understand the desperate desire to imprint a person clearly in one's mind, so that in the years without that person, she could revisit those memories at any time to alleviate the pain of longing. However, as long as she couldn't clearly see his expression in her memory, as long as there was any blur, it would bring extreme anxiety, fearing that she might misremember his appearance.
Forgive me for those excuses; everything is still because I miss you... Chan-yeol.
Her gaze became hazy, everything lost focus, but at that moment, a flash of silver-white streaked past her eyes and disappeared at the exit... Anna felt a jolt of electricity in her mind, suddenly becoming alert.
It was him...
Was it him?
It was him!
Anna set down her glass and immediately jumped off her chair, weaving through the crowd and rushing out the door.
How could it be him? Wasn't he supposed to be gone? Why was he here? The streets were bustling with traffic and people coming and going, light and shadow intertwining; there were always dark corners where people's gazes couldn't reach. Strange, terrifying yet mysterious. Someone who used to be seen casually could suddenly appear before her after a brief farewell. Anna didn't even know why she chased after him; perhaps it was curiosity or some other unfathomable reason.
Was it really him? Why was he here?
"Not having fun? What are you doing here?" Cat's voice came from behind her.
Anna was startled and turned around. Cat, holding a lady's cigar, still exuded an enchanting charm, like a spirit of the dark night.
For some reason, Anna always felt that Cat had a mysterious aura about her that made people uneasy.
"I'm looking for someone," Anna said.
"Have you found them?" Cat asked.
Anna shook her head and replied, "No."
Cat raised the corner of her mouth and said, "If you can't find them, then forget it. When the time comes to meet, you will naturally meet." With that, Cat turned away.
"Sister Cat, do you know this person?"
"I don't know," Cat replied with a smile.
"But you haven't even heard me say who it is."
"Well, no matter who it is, I don't know," Cat said as she continued walking. "Come on in quickly; your little companion is still waiting for you."
As Cat returned to the bar, Anna furrowed her brows. She vaguely felt that he was not far away and thought that if she turned around, she would see that familiar yet mysterious smile. But perhaps the farewell he spoke of was just like this—who says parting between people must mean being separated by thousands of mountains and rivers? In the same city, in the same space, at the same table across from each other, as long as one chooses to ignore it, it can be considered a separation.
Kwang-soo, sweating anxiously, was just about to go out to look for her when he saw Anna walk in.
"Where have you been? You scared me to death," Kwang-soo said.
"I... went out for some fresh air," Anna replied with a smile.
"Not feeling well?"
Anna shook her head and said, "No."
Anna had never realized before that when someone leaves, seeing them again can be such a difficult thing. She never knew that not being able to see someone after parting could be so sorrowful. She stared at that familiar seat, feeling increasingly afraid, as a certain emotion grew stronger within her. All the previous avoidance and restraint had come to nothing.
She wanted to see him, regardless of whether he was doing well or not, regardless of what had happened. At this moment, she just wanted to see him for one reason: she missed him.
"What's wrong?" Kwang-soo asked, noticing something was off with her expression.
"Nothing, Brother Kwangsoo. I have something to do, so I'm leaving."
"What is it? Why are you in such a hurry? Let me take you..."
"No need, Brother Kwangsoo. You and Jung Kook enjoy yourselves. Please tell Jung Kook for me..." Anna said, and without waiting for Kwang-soo's response, she rushed out of the bar and jumped into a taxi that had just arrived.
"Driver, take me to S.M. Company," Anna said.
The driver nodded and headed in the direction Anna specified.
Dialing Park Chan-yeol's number, it connected quickly. Anna smiled happily, eagerly calling out the name that had been swirling in her heart for so long.
"Chan-yeol..."
However, fate repeatedly cruelly interrupted all the beautiful moments. The determination she had finally mustered shattered in an instant. Why is it that every time I convince myself to be a little reckless, there are so many facts proving that I am utterly wrong?
"Anna unnie." Jang Bo-Yeon's voice was as cheerful as ever. "What’s going on? Why are you in such a hurry to find Brother Canlie?"
“Jiang Baoyan......” Anna murmured to herself, never feeling more embarrassed than she did at that moment. She lowered her head in self-mockery and smiled lightly; the determination she had finally mustered had turned into a sad joke. “You... are together again.”
Jiang Baoyan smiled and said, “Yeah, of course. By the way, Brother Canlie is taking a shower. Should I tell him you called?”
Anna bit her lip and forced out a few casual laughs.
“No need, thank you, Jiang Baoyan.”
“Well then, goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
The road was empty, and the car was already on Yuanxiao Bridge, with bright lights all around. The tears in her eyes hadn’t even had time to fall before they were dried by the wind coming in through the window.
Happy love looks somewhat similar, while unhappy love has various causes, the two most common being: too early or too late. They met too early; if only they had waited a bit longer, until Park Chan-yeol was no longer the idol that so many girls liked, until he gradually faded from this circle, until Anna had experienced the passage of time and her sensitive heart became indifferent. Then there wouldn’t have been so many mistakes coming their way day after day, so many unexpected arrangements, and so many trivial errors that separated them. This road wouldn’t have drifted further apart as it did today...
“Miss, we’ve arrived.” The driver stopped in front of S.M., but Anna didn’t get out. She looked at the giant poster on the building; it used to be EXO, but it had been replaced.
“Driver, I won’t get out. Just take me directly to Yumi Apartment. I’ll calculate the fare for you,” Anna said.
The driver turned the car around and started driving again, saying, “Oh dear, young girls just waste so much money on transportation just to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars.”
Anna smiled slightly and said, “Yeah, I like him so much; I just wanted to come and see...”
The latest ratings for the show were out again. During this time, every time she saw the ratings, she felt anxious. Unsurprisingly, this week’s ratings dropped another percentage point and had fallen below 7.
Although she knew that worrying wouldn’t help, everyone really couldn’t feel happy right now.
Director Zhao had another conversation with Zhao Miao PD and Yoo Jae-suk yesterday. They wouldn't disclose the specifics, but everyone knows it can't be good news. Running Man has been managed by Director Zhao and Miao PD, and if the situation weren't truly dire, Director Zhao wouldn't be putting pressure on Miao PD and Brother Jae-seok like this.
Recently, Anna has indeed been less focused on work, but she has thought about how to implement appropriate reforms to break out of the current predicament. In fact, there have always been efforts for innovation; it's just that no one dares to take such a big risk. Because of their deep affection and appreciation for the show, they fear making a wrong move, as no one can bear the consequences.
"Have the proposals for the show recording the day after tomorrow been prepared? It seems we haven't done a Liu M's Bond special this year," Dong Wan asked Anna.
"The proposal for the day after tomorrow is ready; I'll need you to take a look at it later," Anna replied as she handed the document to Dong Wan. "As for the Liu M's Bond special, many people have already suggested it on the homepage. We've been doing this kind of special for several years now, so this time we must bring something new."
"We need to think carefully about this. Are there any suitable games provided by the writers?" Miao PD asked.
"There are quite a few new games submitted recently; Anna, Yufei, and I have been reviewing them," Dong Wan said.
"Would it be possible to create a real-life CS-style game?" Anna inquired.
"I've thought about that too, but in reality, it would be quite difficult because there are so many cameras following them, making it hard to keep things discreet. Plus, it wouldn't easily produce many lively and fun moments," Dong Wan explained.
Anna pondered for a moment and nodded, agreeing with Dong Wan's reasoning.
"Think about it some more; feel free to propose any good ideas. Also, let's carefully filter and integrate the game plans submitted by the writers," Miao PD said while lowering his head, his brow furrowed as if he had been thinking for a long time. He then added, "The tasks in the next two months will be very challenging."
"What?" Dong Wan asked. A bad feeling began to settle in everyone's hearts.
"The bureau has decided that over the next two months, if the ratings do not increase to around 9-10, they will consider changing members," Miao PD stated.
"What?!" Anna exclaimed. Although she had thought such a situation might arise during her conversation with Miao PD earlier, this was truly terrible. "Does Brother Jae-seok know about this?"
"What about the members? Do they know now?" Dong Wan asked.
Miao PD shook his head slightly and said, "The other Members don't know yet, and only a few of us among the staff are aware. To reduce the pressure on everyone else, please don't reveal this for now."
"But instead of changing members, can't we just add new ones? Or have Mr. Song Joong-ki or Miss Lizzy return?" Anna asked.
"This has been considered, but Mr. Song Joong-ki is currently too expensive and has a tight schedule. I inquired about Miss Lizzy before, and she is not very willing to return to variety shows," Miao PD replied.
Indeed, the entire Asia knows how popular Mr. Song Joong-ki is right now. For "Running Man," if they use a top host along with such a high-profile artist, it would definitely be unsustainable.
"Is there no other way?" Dong Wan asked.
"At the moment, the best solution is to come up with ways to boost the ratings over these next two months," Miao PD said.
The mood was heavy, and everyone fell silent.
Dong Wan cautiously asked, "If we can't improve the ratings in these two months and the situation doesn't get better after changing members... does that mean 'Running Man' will be gone?"
Dong Wan voiced a question that everyone was thinking but had been deliberately avoiding.
Miao PD looked serious, sighed, and did not answer.
However, that sigh made it clear to everyone present that "Running Man" was facing significant problems, even a life-or-death situation. Whether they could survive depended on what happened in the coming days.
"For the special episode the day after tomorrow, prepare well since it's a guest appearance by Girls' Generation, who are very popular with our audience," Miao PD said. "Although their company is experiencing some turmoil due to EXO's situation, we should proceed with our recording as planned. Understood?"
"Understood," they replied in unison.
"Also, Miao PD, on the day of filming, we need Girls' Generation to change into the sportswear prepared by our production team as soon as they leave their dormitory. The clothes need to be delivered to them in advance," Dong Wan said.
Miao PD originally wanted Han Yu-fei to deliver the clothes, but due to her somewhat timid personality, Miao PD was worried that she might not handle the situation well. So, looking at Anna, who was lowering her head in fear of being called out, he said, “Anna, it’s not very convenient for Dong Wan to deliver the girls' clothes. You go instead…”
Anna lifted her head and could only smile in agreement. “Okay, got it, Miao PD.”
“Alright, you all get back to work. I have other matters to attend to.” After saying that, Miao PD stood up and left the studio to go to the post-production team.
Once Miao PD left, Anna let out a bitter sigh.
“What’s wrong? You’re going to deliver clothes, and it’s for S.M. You should be thrilled,” Dong Wan asked.
Han Yu-fei also asked with a concerned smile, “Yeah, what’s wrong, Anna?”
Seeing their confused expressions, Anna helplessly shook her head and said, “It’s nothing. I’m just too happy.”
In her heart, Anna thought, yes, if she were even luckier and ran into Jang Bo-Yeon and Park Chan-yeol, that would truly be a reason to be overjoyed.
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