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"Are you two sharing a room or what?" Mrs. Smith asked with a mischievous smile as she looked at them.
Anna instantly blushed and said, "Two..."
Park Chan-yeol interrupted her, saying, "One room is enough for us."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Anna stopped him and then turned to Mrs. Smith, saying, "I think there's still an empty room on the second floor. Can we stay there?"
"That room is for my son when he comes back occasionally. If you think it's necessary, this handsome young man can stay there today," Mrs. Smith said with a smile. "Alright, you two figure it out. I need to take Jack for a walk now."
"Okay. Got it, thank you, Mrs. Smith," Park Chan-yeol replied.
As Mrs. Smith and Jack left the house, Anna glanced at Park Chan-yeol and said, "Are you crazy? How can we stay in the same room?"
"Why not?" Park Chan-yeol asked with a cheeky grin.
"Of course not," Anna insisted firmly.
"We've slept together before. What's there to be afraid of?" Park Chan-yeol said.
Anna's face turned even redder at his words, and she weakly argued, "That was because you were sick; it was unavoidable!"
Park Chan-yeol chuckled, turning his face toward her and said, "Why is your face so red? Are you thinking of something inappropriate?"
Anna quickly patted her cheeks and said, "It's just too hot in here."
"Ah, don't worry, if you don't want to, I won't do those things you're imagining," Park Chan-yeol said with a smile.
"What am I even thinking?" Anna could only respond weakly.
As it was time to sleep, the two lay back to back on one side of the bed, each lost in their own thoughts. Even the faint light from the night lamp felt ambiguous and awkward. The soft sounds of them playing with their phones gradually faded into silence. Anna secretly glanced at Park Chan-yeol, only to find him turning around at that moment. Their eyes met, startling Anna, who quickly turned away.
"What’s wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Park Chan-yeol chuckled.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Anna asked.
"I can't sleep," Park Chan-yeol replied, stretching out his arms and enveloping Anna in a warm embrace. The sudden warmth made Anna stiffen, her heart racing.
"What are you doing? You said..." Anna tightened her fists nervously.
"Relax, I just wanted to hug you. It's been a while since I've held you like this," Park Chan-yeol said, his breath brushing against the back of Anna's neck, sending an unusual sensation through her.
Anna let out a long sigh, trying to calm her emotions.
"Why did you suddenly come to America?" Anna asked.
"There are many reasons, but mainly two," Park Chan-yeol said, closing his eyes with a slightly hoarse voice.
"What are the two?"
"First, when we were on the phone, I sensed something unusual from your words. Second, I wanted to see you. I couldn't wait any longer to meet you," Park Chan-yeol said with a smile.
"Aren't you busy lately?" Anna asked.
"Tomorrow morning, I have to go back. That's why I said I want to hold you while I sleep tonight," Park Chan-yeol said.
Anna felt warmth in her heart and smiled lightly without saying a word.
Park Chan-yeol fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Anna, what happened to your injury?"
Anna was a bit surprised because Park Chan-yeol's tone suggested he knew something.
"Someone told me that Andy is in America," Park Chan-yeol said.
Anna was completely shocked, "How did you know? Who told you?"
"I don't know who sent me the message, but judging by your reaction, it must be true," Park Chan-yeol replied.
Anna realized she could no longer hide it and nodded, "That's right. At that time, Andy was in America, but he's not there anymore."
"Where did he go?"
"Hogga... Hogga sent him to another place." Anna hesitated when mentioning this name.
"This Mr. Hojia is really impressive," Park Chan-yeol chuckled. "Is your injury because of Andy? Did this Mr. Hojia save you too?"
"That's right," Anna said. "Are you angry?"
"Of course I'm a little angry, but I still have to thank him for saving my girlfriend... However, Andy... I didn't expect him to be so ruthless towards you as well."
Anna smiled helplessly and said, "I didn't expect that either. A misunderstanding from many years ago has continued until today."
"At that time, I was like a paratrooper among the trainees at SM, with a very short training period. Many people, not understanding Teacher Lee Soo-man's intentions, thought I had taken Andy's place. The selection process for trainees is unimaginably brutal. Andy left in anger, and Teacher Lee Soo-man personally called him, but he couldn't accept any of Teacher Lee Soo-man's advice anymore. Later, we learned that he was living well and successful, and we all thought he had long since dismissed his past ideals."
"That was Andy's pure and untainted dream; he would never forget it. The more you love something, the more resentment there will be," Anna sighed.
"However, I only found out recently that Andy has always loved Kim Mi-kyung. He really knows how to hide it; he is very meticulous," Park Chan-yeol said.
"You two are destined to be nemeses. In Andy's mind, you took away his dream, his lover, and even me. That's why he hates you so much," Anna said.
"I feel like I didn't do that," Park Chan-yeol replied helplessly. "Moreover, whether it's a dream, a lover, or you, none of these are possessions that can be taken away."
Anna felt warmth in her heart.
"Why did he come to find you?" Park Chan-yeol then asked.
"One reason was to take revenge for me betraying him, and the other is, as you said, to at least keep this 'family heirloom' by his side," Anna said.
"I've heard a lot from Miki; I have a rough idea of what it is. Thanks to that powerful Mr. Hojia, it should be completely resolved now," Park Chan-yeol said.
Anna nodded.
After a moment of silence, Park Chan-yeol spoke up: "Let's invite Mr. Hojia to dinner tomorrow afternoon."
Although Anna hesitated a bit, she nodded and said, "Okay."
"Get some sleep."
"Can we adjust to the time difference?" Anna joked.
"We have a time difference over here, so I can easily fall asleep when I have some free time," Park Chan-yeol said.
After a while, a steady, light snoring sound came from him. Anna knew that this time Park Chan-yeol was really asleep. Looking at his hand, Anna gently placed her hand in his palm. Perhaps it was because the past couple of days had been too relaxed, Anna felt no drowsiness at all.
Andy, Andy's matters were in the past, but what did his words truly mean? What other unknown secrets were waiting for them? Why did he give such a cruel curse? Anna looked at Park Chan-yeol's sleeping face and had some answers she already knew, yet she lacked the courage to confess to him, fearing that if she wasn't careful, the happiness she had finally grasped would quietly slip away. She could only choose to cover up some truths that she found frightening herself.
Who exactly told Park Chan-yeol about Andy's situation in America? Why did it always feel like they were trapped in a strange loop, unable to escape no matter how hard they tried?
Park Chan-yeol, if one day you find out that several vibrant lives were lost because of me, would you still want to hold me? Am I really the same as Andy? Should those who pose a threat to oneself be made to disappear forever? That was not my intention, yet it became an unchangeable outcome.
I dare not tell you because I cannot bear to imagine the contempt and disgust in your gaze when you look at me. That is something I truly cannot accept.
Why have I fallen into another strange loop? Or perhaps from the very beginning, I have never escaped that loop?
Anna could hardly remember the faces of those people; she only knew that if she truly encountered them in her nightmares, their expressions looking at her would surely be fierce and filled with resentment... Perhaps seeing them once would allow her to seek forgiveness; otherwise, she wouldn't even know where to find an opportunity for repentance.
"Hogga, I would like to invite you to lunch," Anna said over the phone.
On the other end, Hogga's voice came through with a hint of laughter. "Are you inviting me to lunch or is it your little friend?"
Anna felt a bit awkward as she glanced at Park Chan-yeol playing with Jack in the yard. Then she said, "It's Park Chan-yeol, the one you met yesterday."
"If it's your little friend, then forget it. Because it's not yet time to sit down and chat," Hogga replied.
"What?" Anna was surprised.
"I mean, there’s no need for that right now. Please thank him for his kindness on my behalf."
"Okay, I understand," Anna said.
After the call ended, Anna felt confused. She walked into the yard; it had rained all night yesterday. Although the air was a bit cooler today, the sunlight was bright and the sky was a clear blue.
"Chan-yeol," Anna approached Park Chan-yeol.
"What's wrong?" Park Chan-yeol asked.
"Hogga said he doesn't have time today at noon," Anna could only interpret Hogga's words this way.
"Alright, let's talk about it later," Park Chan-yeol said.
"What about Mrs. Smith?" Anna looked around the yard but didn't see her.
"She said she was going to help the neighbors and just left," Park Chan-yeol replied.
Anna sat down on a nearby wicker chair, and Park Chan-yeol joined her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Anna rested her head against his neck, showing a relaxed smile.
"This feels nice," Anna said with a smile.
"When we grow old, let's build a house like this and settle down."
"When we grow old, who knows if we'll still be together," Anna replied.
"Of course we will be together," Park Chan-yeol said seriously.
Anna's heart tightened. After a moment of silence and much hesitation, she slowly spoke up. "Chan-yeol, what if one day you find out that I have many bad things about me? What should we do?"
"How bad is it?"
"For example, one day, you might realize that I am very much like Andy, and I also have many sins."
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could that be possible?"
Anna smiled faintly, a bit bitter, as if lost in thought. "Yeah, it's impossible. I won't be like him."
The day passed quickly, especially when spending time with the person you love. It felt like there were endless conversations, and every moment spent together made time seem insufficient.
However, this brief reunion and separation did not make Anna sad at all because she knew that after these days, she could return to Korea, and there would be many more opportunities to embrace each other.
When she opened her eyes, the other side of the bed was already empty. A message from him on her phone contained just four words: "I'll wait for you." That was enough to convey everything.
On the evening of Park Chan-yeol's departure, Hogga appeared at Mrs. Smith's house as usual, bringing various exquisite foods. Anna sensed that he was deliberately avoiding Park Chan-yeol.
Anna observed this man; his silver hair was clearly not dyed. What else was different? There were aspects that were not the same as before...
It seemed that during this encounter in America, he had never taken off those black leather gloves.
"You've been staring at me for a long time," Hogga said, glancing at Anna. She snapped back to reality and avoided his gaze.
"Why do you always wear gloves?" Anna asked.
Hogga smiled lightly. "It's my habit."
"But it seems like you didn't used to."
Anna's words caused a flicker of light to pass through Hogga's cold gaze, and he raised the corners of his mouth. Noticing Hogga's unusual expression, Anna realized she might have said something wrong.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Anna said.
"It's okay, I'm happy," Hogga replied. "I'll take you for a check-up tomorrow morning. If everything is fine, you can start working the day after."
"I can go by myself," Anna said.
"Do you remember your attending physician's name?"
Anna was at a loss for words; she hadn't paid much attention to her attending doctor at that time. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I have my medical records; I can look it up from there."
"So you have a U.S. driver's license? Planning to drive Mrs. Smith's old pickup truck? Or are you going to take a taxi with your medical records?"
"I..."
"Alright, I'll come by at nine o'clock tomorrow."
Anna was completely speechless. Hogga always managed to give her no reason to refuse him, creating an intense sense of deep conflict within her. To this day, Hogga had been unconditionally 'good' to Anna without any demands in return. As a result, Anna felt increasingly indebted, and she was terrified that one day Hogga might whimsically ask her to repay these 'good deeds,' which she would be unable to do. However, such malicious speculation was repeatedly overturned, making it seem as if Anna had some 'petty thoughts.' She couldn't escape this contradictory cycle and could only remain entangled in it.
Hearing news from her home country while abroad should have been a joyful thing, but that morning, when she was supposed to go to work with Allen, she received a phone call that left her anything but happy.
"Anna, something has happened," Dong Wan said on the line.
"What happened?" Anna asked.
"I don't know who spread the rumors, but they say you have an improper relationship with Miao PD, which is why you were chosen for this study program in the U.S. There are also many photos published in the newspapers showing you joking around with Miao PD. This is quite a scandal; it's a big problem." Dong Wan sighed despondently.
"What?!" Anna exclaimed in shock. "How could this happen? This time, the learning slots were decided by everyone's votes!"
"We know that, of course," Miao PD said. "He mentioned that you should see the news soon, so I called to tell you not to worry. Brother Jae-seok and the others have already started working together to clarify this matter."
"Will it be useful?" Anna asked helplessly.
"Everyone is trying to find a solution right now, so don't worry, it should be fine. I called to let you know because I was afraid you would see the news and start overthinking," Dong Wan reassured her.
"I understand, Dong Wan. Please let me know what I need to do as soon as possible," Anna said.
"Okay, Anna, wait for my news."
"Alright."
After the call ended, although Allen couldn't understand Korean, he could always sense some emotions from Anna's expressions and tone.
"What happened?" Allen asked.
Anna replied helplessly, "I want to know what exactly happened too."
"Are you going back home? To handle your own matters?"
"If I must go back, then of course I will. Even though I really want to follow you and learn a bit more," Anna said with a smile.
"There will be plenty of opportunities in the future," Allen smiled back.
"Allen, you don't understand; opportunities like this are actually very rare for us. So, I really don't want to miss this chance... It's all my fault; if it weren't for my injury a few days ago, it wouldn't have delayed things for so long," Anna said.
"You must have learned quite a bit these days; I can tell just by looking at your state. You're much smarter than the gentleman from last year."
Anna thought for a moment, "Mr. Dong Wan?"
Allen's memory was starting to fade a bit. After recalling, he nodded and said, "That should be the name. However, to be honest, when the Running Man Production Team first came over from Korea for program learning and exchange, I never expected that Korea would have such a long-running and popular show."
Anna smiled and said, "Allen, don't underestimate the effort our country puts into producing programs. Although our country isn't that big and we don't have that many people, we really put our heart into doing what we love."
"Yes, I completely agree with that."
Anna smiled with relief and then asked, "Allen, can I see some of your post-production techniques today?"
"In our country's variety shows, post-production rarely undergoes special processing. You should be able to see this in the show 'gonnago.'"
"Yes, it's precisely because there isn't much special post-production, yet the finished program has great effects that I want to take a look," Anna said with a smile.
"Alright, I'm not an expert in that area. I'll take you to find Thompson later; he will help you understand what you want to know."
"Thompson?" Anna thought for a moment, "Is he the gentleman who always wears the 2009 Nike sweatshirt?"
"Yes, that's him." Allen laughed and said, "He's quite a charming gentleman, isn't he?" Allen teased.
Anna knew Allen was saying this on purpose because Mr. Thompson was quite disheveled. She smiled helplessly and said, "Well, I suppose I could call him a gentleman if he ever wears something a bit more presentable."
When immersed in work, perhaps one can focus entirely on it. However, once work is done and lying in a quiet bedroom, worries come knocking at the door uncontrollably.
No matter how busy or overwhelming work may be, there is always some trace to follow. But the human heart is not so easily grasped. Anna was not like those pitiful female protagonists in melodramatic dramas who are bullied and harmed without understanding how to fight back. As many who have interacted with her have said, she is very smart. After finishing the call with Dong Wan, she probably had some guesses in her mind. Moreover, after seeing domestic news reports about her and Miao PD being photographed in so-called ambiguous situations, all those photos were taken during Task Force filming.
Anna was indeed feeling somewhat passive this time. If she rashly returned home or hurried to speak out, people would definitely think she had something to hide, making the situation worse.
Staying here meant she could only watch helplessly from the sidelines.
"Anna, I will publicly announce our relationship; that way, it will naturally clarify things," Park Chan-yeol said over the phone.
Anna smiled slightly. She knew he was anxious, but things were not that simple.
"Your fans won't just think that I am innocent with Miao PD; they will instead believe that I am being inappropriate. If that happens, we will never receive blessings," Anna replied.
Right now, someone was needed to help, but this was a task that Park Chan-yeol could not assist with.
Brother Jae-seok said that people would rather believe interesting but malicious news than listen to dull yet truthful words.
Hearing Brother Jae-seok say this made Anna understand the deep sense of helplessness in this situation. If things were not handled well, both Miao PD and Anna could end up in a dire situation, covered in mud and insults.
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