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墨書 Inktalez
“Anna, do you still love me?” Park Chan-yeol asked softly.
“I…” Before Anna could finish her sentence, Park Chan-yeol leaned in close to her ear, and those three words became a mark that would cause Anna pain for many years to come.
“But… Anna Zheng, I hate you…” After saying this, the arms that had been tightly wrapped around her suddenly loosened. Anna almost lost her strength and had to lean against the wall behind her to support herself.
Park Chan-yeol smiled, staring at Anna with intensity, laughing.
You hate me?
Why do you hate me?
I have always loved you and waited for you; why did I receive this statement instead?
“Anna Zheng, I hate you.”
Their relationship had somehow evolved into this.
Not only had they not become strangers, but they had also turned into people who hated each other so deeply.
Anna forgot how she left that place and how long it took her to return home. She didn’t even know when Han Yoon-soo had left. It seemed she had said many apologies to herself, but Anna's memories were no longer clear.
How could love turn into hate? What kind of intense chemical reaction must have occurred for these two completely opposite emotions to transform so thoroughly?
The second heavy snowfall in Seoul arrived unexpectedly. When the snow came, it finally brought the only good news of this winter: Ji-hyo and Gary were getting married, with the wedding set for December 28th, three days after Christmas.
"Anna, will you be my bridesmaid?" Ji-hyo asked happily, her face glowing with the joy of the upcoming wedding. I remember back then when Sister Ji-hyo said that adults handle emotional issues with rationality. However, true feelings ultimately cannot be controlled by reason.
"Sure," Anna replied.
"What happened to you? The house is a mess, like a homeless person's place, and you don't even tidy up. Also, what about what Brother Jae-seok said about going to the Infinite Challenge crew? What are you thinking? Hey, don't just stay silent," Lee Kwang-soo sometimes came over with Brother Jae-seok, and other times he came alone. Whenever he came alone, he would help Anna clean the house, making everything spotless while constantly nagging.
"I mean, you broke up and you're acting like this. I've had breakups every day before; if I reacted like you, I would have jumped off the 63 Building long ago. Plus, I know you still have some money, but you can't just sit around doing nothing. Unless you marry me and let me take care of you, but you're not willing to do that, so go out and find a job quickly. If you keep this up, you'll be eliminated by society. Also, this house is too old; I saw cracks in the corners earlier. It's almost a dangerous building now. I'm really afraid it might collapse one day. Maybe we can sell it and buy a new place; I can help with the down payment if needed. There’s no limit on the repayment period; just give me a little interest."
A faint smile finally appeared on Anna's weary face as she sat up from the sofa and said, "When did you become so naggy like an old lady?"
"I'm doing this for your own good; after all, I've lived many more years than you," Lee Kwang-soo said comically while wearing an apron and holding a feather duster.
"Yes, yes, you're the best, brother. But... I've thought about it; I'll consider job hunting when it gets warmer. It's too cold right now; let me take a break," Anna smiled slightly. Of course, what she didn't say was that she really wasn't in the mood to work at the moment. It was better to resolve her current issues first rather than risk distractions at work.
Kwang-soo sighed helplessly, seemingly seeing through Anna's thoughts.
"Running Man will have its Christmas episode soon, and at the beginning of the year, a new Assistant Director will be selected," Lee Kwang-soo said.
"Really? Has a candidate been decided?" Anna asked.
"I don't know; according to Miao PD, for some reason they might only select one this year."
Anna nodded, knowing that Miao PD still listened to her opinions.
"I don't know why either; now people in the Task Force are spreading rumors that you left because you copied Han Yufei's ideas."
Anna smiled and said, "That's inevitable. If Han Yufei hadn't made this public and only Miao PD knew about it, then I might still have a chance to return to Running Man. But now, unless there's evidence found, I won't have another opportunity to go back..." Anna paused and added, "What Jung Kook said before was just a lie to me."
"Did you know all of this?" Lee Kwang-soo asked in surprise.
"Of course. It can't be as simple as Jung Kook said. I'm not stupid," Anna replied with a smile.
"Jung Kook just wanted to reassure you."
"I know. That's why I'm really happy to see how much you all care about me."
"Brother Jae-seok is also thinking that if we can't return to Running Man, maybe only someone as unconventional as Mr. Kim Tae-ho would use you, and he trusts Brother Jae-seok a lot."
"I understand. If I really get to work with Kim Tae-ho PD, I will definitely learn a lot. It's just that with such negative news surrounding me, if I join the Infinite Challenge crew, I'm worried that Han Yufei might come up with some ideas that could affect Infinite Challenge negatively," Anna said.
"I hadn't thought of that. However, during these recent recordings, I've noticed Miao PD's attitude towards Han Yufei seems a bit strange. I wonder if he knows something."
Anna chuckled and said, "Who knows? Let's just take a break for now and wait until winter passes. There will surely be a solution."
"Are we going to Cat's Paw Bar tonight? I haven't been there in a while. Let's invite Sister Jihyo and Brother Gary too; they're getting married soon, so they should treat us," Kwang-soo said with a smile.
"They'll treat us at the bar, but if you're bringing a girl along, you'll have to take responsibility for that," Anna teased.
"I've already quit drinking, okay?" Kwang-soo said proudly.
"Sure, I'll believe it when I see it."
"I'll prove it to you," Kwang-soo said as he took out his phone and dialed Ji-hyo's number.
Amidst the noise and laughter, worries seemed to temporarily vanish. She hadn't forgotten her dreams; she was just like a seagull with a wounded wing. The stars and the sea were still there, but she could only stay on the warm island for now to heal her wounds. She couldn't keep wavering on the path of her dreams again. It had been a long time since she last saw Brother Gary; his demeanor with Sister Jihyo was completely different from when he was with Jung Eun-hee—he talked more, laughed more, and seemed like a child again.
This must be the expression that love should have, returning to the most unguarded state, with a childlike heart and absolute honesty. When they decided to be together, they must have been afraid and worried, concerned that this relationship, which everyone anticipated, might not last, inevitably causing unimaginable setbacks to their careers and lives.
However, overcoming all these fears proves that the love in their hearts transcends these fears.
How wonderful. Anna unconsciously smiled.
"In just over ten days, you're getting married. I called you two out to play, and you're still so eager to respond," Kwang-soo teased.
"It was her who insisted on going out. I said we should decorate the house at home, but Sister Ji-hyo said she wanted to drink and insisted we come out," Brother Gary said with a smile.
"Where will you live in the future?"
"Xilai Village."
"That's so close to Brother Jae-seok and Haha Brother. I want to buy a house there too," Lee Kwang-soo said.
"What about your house in Nanyangzhou? Plus, your parents still live there," Ji-hyo pointed out.
"That's true; it's better to be closer to my parents," Lee Kwang-soo thought for a moment and replied.
Jung Kook mocked, "You should first figure out which woman you're marrying before deciding where to live."
"Hey, bro, I've turned over a new leaf, okay?" Kwang-soo defended himself.
"Then what was going on with Miss Lee Xiao Ai in the last episode?" Ji-hyo asked with a smirk.
"That was for show; sister, don't you know?" Kwang-soo said innocently. "I'm ignoring you all; I'm going to dance. Come on, Anna, join me."
"Who wants to be with you? Not me," Anna pretended to say disdainfully.
"Alright, alright, I won't pay attention to you anymore. I'm going to have some fun," he said, turning towards the dance floor. In no time, he was chatting with a beautiful girl, his excitement evident.
"Ah, there's really no way to deal with him."
"Jung Kook just got back from America yesterday, right? You're always off recording shows and holding concerts, running back and forth to America. If someone didn't know better, they'd think you were secretly getting married there," Gary joked with a laugh.
"Not married, but I do have a group of friends there making music together," Kim Jong Kook said with a smile.
"You can make music here too; you could come find me and Gil," Gary replied.
"The style of Leessang is different from mine. I've just been learning about some Western pop culture these past couple of years. We have to keep up with the times; we can't be eliminated just because we're getting older. That wouldn't be good," Jung Kook said. "But Anna, I remember where I saw your friend with silver hair."
Anna looked surprised and asked, "Where?"
"I went to Berlin with friends last year. When my friend accidentally hurt his leg, we met him at the hospital. He has an Asian face and is very handsome, plus his silver hair is quite unique. Even though it was just a quick glance, I felt that he had a very distinct aura," Jung Kook recalled thoughtfully.
"The hospital...?" Anna wondered. Last year, that was during the time when Hogga disappeared. Could it be that he went to the hospital for treatment during that mysterious time? What illness could require such a secretive trip to Germany? Anna asked Kim Jong Kook, "Brother, are you sure it was him?"
Jung Kook frowned in thought and said, "I think so. He was very unique; I shouldn't be mistaken. By the way, who exactly is he? Are you two friends? I really didn't expect to meet him in Korea."
Anna shook her head helplessly. Were they friends? Who exactly was he? She couldn't answer that at all.
"I only know that his name is Hogga. As for what he does or how old he is, I don't know anything," Anna said with a bitter smile.
"Hogga? Isn't that the name of a type of alcohol? How could someone have such a strange name? Anna, you weren't tricked, were you? Although I've never met him, this person you're talking about sounds really odd," Ji-hyo remarked.
"I don't know either, but if he wanted to harm me, he should have acted long ago. At least right now, he's helping me," Anna said.
"That hospital is a very high-end one in Germany, and the costs are quite high. My friend only dared to go there because he knows a doctor there. It seems that Mr. Hojia must be very impressive, Anna. Having a friend like that is a good thing if he is genuinely helping you," Jung Kook said with a smile.
"Maybe..." Anna replied.
"But tell me, Anna, why does he always help you? There must be some reason behind it; has he never asked for anything in return? Relationships, whether good or bad, are reciprocal. How could there be no reason or no return?" Ji-hyo asked.
Sister Jihyo's question was something Anna had pondered before.
"Sister Ji-hyo, I also want to know why," Anna said.
"If that's the case, Anna, I advise you to keep your distance from that person. My intuition tells me this isn't a good thing," Ji-hyo said.
Anna nodded. She had tried to distance herself from Hogga, but it seemed that the initiative was always in Hogga's hands. Whenever he appeared and offered help was completely out of Anna's control. Before she knew it, she had already owed him many favors. Over time, it seemed that Anna had given up resisting and adopted a natural attitude towards Hogga. She knew it wasn't right but felt helpless.
"Hey? Isn't that Park Chan-yeol?" Gary pointed towards the entrance. "Ah, who would have thought that after leaving EXO, he turned out to be a rich heir inheriting such a large enterprise? It's really enviable."
Anna looked over at the sound and indeed saw Park Chan-yeol. Upon closer inspection, behind him was Miss Baoyan.
"Isn't that Jang Bo-Yeon..."
"So they both left one after another because of each other... It seems the rumors about them dating are true. They wouldn't be leaving just to get married, would they?" Gary said.
Ji-hyo glanced at the dejected Anna and quickly interrupted Gary, saying, "Let's not worry about others; let's drink." He put his arm around Gary's shoulder and raised his glass. "Hey, are you looking at Jang Bo-Yeon because she's pretty?" Ji-hyo pretended to threaten.
"No way, you're the one who's pretty," Gary surrendered.
"This is more like it," Ji-hyo said with a satisfied smile.
Anna understood Sister Jihyo's intention and smiled knowingly. Even though it was juice, she lifted the cup and drank it all in one go.
Park Chan-yeol seemed to have seen Anna, but the indifference in his gaze made Anna's heart ache. She had never seen him look at her that way before.
Anna Zheng, I hate you...
What should have been whispered sweet nothings turned into those six decisive and harsh words. His fleeting expression once again conveyed everything.
Park Chan-yeol and Jang Bo-Yeon did not stop but walked through the crowd and headed up the stairs to the second floor. It seemed someone tried to stop them for a moment; Park Chan-yeol exchanged a few words with that person before being allowed to pass.
Who is he looking for?
Anna unconsciously stood up and looked over, vaguely seeing Park Chan-yeol and Jang Bo-Yeon enter Cat's office.
Do they know each other? Why is Park Chan-yeol looking for Cat?
"Anna, what are you daydreaming about? Go dance!"
"I'm not going yet; I need to rest for a bit. You all go ahead," Anna replied with a smile.
"Alright, then hurry up and join us."
With only Anna left in her seat, she continued to gaze in the direction of the second floor, unable to tear her eyes away.
More than half an hour passed before Park Chan-yeol and Jang Bo-Yeon came out from there, walking down the stairs with even graver expressions. They quickly left the bar.
Cat held a crystal wine glass, lazily leaning against the railing on the second floor, watching Park Chan-yeol's departing figure with a bright smile. It seemed she sensed Anna's gaze, and she met Anna's eyes with a slight smile before turning and entering her office.
Anna stood up and quickly made her way to the second floor.
Once again, she was stopped. Just when Anna thought she wouldn't be able to see Cat, the person blocking her seemed to receive a directive through their earpiece and allowed Anna to pass.
Entering Cat's office, this was one of the few times Anna had been here. It seemed Cat already knew Anna was coming; there was wine poured on the table.
"Have a seat," Cat said. "This is purplebin, a wine suitable for girls. Give it a try."
"Thank you... but I can't drink alcohol."
Cat chuckled and said, "Oh, I almost forgot, Anna, your stomach can't handle alcohol."
Anna was curious about how Cat knew this, but then remembered that her alcohol poisoning incident happened at a bar, so it wasn't surprising that Cat was aware.
"Just say what you need to say," Cat said as she sat down at her desk, resting her chin on her hand with an alluring gaze that seemed to see through everything.
"I want to ask about Park Chan-yeol... Why did he come to see you? Do you know him?" Anna inquired.
"Still so concerned about him," Cat said with a slight smile.
"Can you tell me?"
Cat lit a cigarette, taking her time to inhale and exhale the smoke. "I won't say why he came to see me, but what I can tell you is that his family's business is facing significant troubles."
"What kind of troubles?"
"Someone is buying their stocks, which means that before long, the company will change hands. Park Chan-yeol will have nothing."
"What should we do? How can we help him?" Anna asked anxiously.
"I don't know; there's nothing I can do about it," Cat said with a smile. "This shouldn't be something you, Anna, should be worried about. The girl who came with him earlier seemed quite close to him."
Anna's expression stiffened, and she forced a smile as she replied, "Is that so... It's just that as a friend, I want to do what I can to help him."
"Maybe there is a way," Cat said.
"Thank you for telling me all this," Anna said as she stood up to express her gratitude.
"Not at all, I just..." Cat smiled thoughtfully and added, "I feel like you, Anna, are too pitiful."
"What?" Anna frowned in confusion.
"You want to help too many people. Why not ask yourself how you can help yourself out of your own predicament?"
Anna smiled bitterly.
Cat flicked her fingers and said, "Let me give you some advice: don't take everything upon yourself. Otherwise, one day you won't be able to bear it."
Anna thought for a moment and replied with a smile, "Okay, I'll think carefully about what you said. Well then, goodbye."
"Goodbye..."
Why did she come to Cat when the family business was in trouble? What good would it do to seek her out? Anna's confusion remained unresolved, but she understood Cat's personality; if she didn't want to talk, asking wouldn't help. But was she really facing a significant crisis?
"Where have you been? You look like you've lost your mind. No one bullied you, right?" Lee Kwang-soo searched for Anna for a while and finally felt relieved when he saw her appear.
Anna quickly smiled and said, "I went to the restroom. Besides, who would dare to bully me?"
"Sister Ji-hyo and Brother Gary left first, and Jung Kook also left. What about you? Do you want to play a bit longer?" Lee Kwang-soo asked.
"Me?" Anna shook her head and said seriously, "Brother Kwang-soo, you don't need to worry about me. Just don't let it delay your date."
"Hey, I told you I've turned over a new leaf. Why doesn't anyone believe me?" Kwang-soo replied.
"Alright then, let's head back. If you still have a date, I can go by myself..." Anna's words were cut off as Kwang-soo gently tapped her on the head.
"Hey, Anna Zheng, how many times do I have to say it? I won't! Okay, I'll take you home," Kwang-soo said as he walked towards the door.
Anna shrugged with a helpless smile, feeling a bit unaccustomed to Kwang-soo's sudden change of heart. She quickly caught up with him, and they left the bar together.
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