Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Fate's coming and going is not something one can decide. When he leaves, just wave goodbye sincerely; even if you can't meet again, don't let the farewell become awkward.
When Yoo Jae-suk called, it was already a month later. After agreeing on a time to have dinner, Anna hurried over and understood Yoo Jae-suk's intention when she saw Kim Tae-ho PD from Infinite Challenge sitting with him.
"Brother Jae-seok, Mr. Kim Tae-ho, hello," Anna greeted politely.
Kim Tae-ho PD's straightforward personality meant that the conversation didn't last long. He had a unique insight into people in this industry; whether someone could be useful wasn't determined by how much they talked.
"I discussed with Jae-seok and now want to find someone to be responsible for directing the long-term special projects that happen twice a year for the Infinite Challenge program. Of course, once the proposal is submitted, there will be a dedicated team to plan and evaluate the project. I think Miss Anna, you could give this job a try. The long-term specials of Infinite Challenge are highly anticipated, but of course, the pressure will be significant. I wonder if Miss Anna would be willing."
"Anna, think about it. The pressure will be great, but it's also a fantastic opportunity. After all, there are no fixed patterns in Infinite Challenge; any idea can become a special episode. Risks and opportunities coexist."
"Can I ask a question?"
"Go ahead," Kim Tae-ho said.
"Did Director Kim Tae-ho come to see me today because you truly believe I have this ability, or is it because Brother Jae-seok recommended me that you came to find me?"
Kim Tae-ho smiled slightly; Anna's question completely caught him off guard because everyone knew how many entertainers in Korea wanted to join the Infinite Challenge team. If this opportunity were presented to others, they would have been overjoyed and overwhelmed.
"I'm not someone who is easily swayed; I have my own judgment on who can be useful," Kim Tae-ho replied.
Anna smiled and said, "Okay, I understand."
"When can you start working?" Kim Tae-ho asked.
Hearing Kim Tae-ho say this, Yoo Jae-suk smiled reassuringly.
"In half a month, I still have some matters to sort out."
"Okay," Kim Tae-ho replied. "Miss Anna, I believe Mr. Jae-seok has explained the reason for your departure from Running Man. I've also heard some news about you. I tend to be serious about work, and I hope such things won't happen again."
"Don't worry," Anna said.
After their conversation ended, just as they started eating, Kim Tae-ho received a phone call and hurriedly left. Yoo Jae-suk quickly took a couple of bites of rice, as he was unsure when the next meal would be. Seeing Tae-ho leave, he called Kwang-soo, who readily agreed to come over.
"Brother Kwang-soo is coming soon?" Anna asked, putting down her soup spoon.
"I know he's working out nearby; he should be here shortly," Yoo Jae-suk said with a smile.
Anna nodded and then said, "By the way, Brother Jae-seok, thank you."
"What for?"
"Thank you for recommending me. Getting such an important role right after joining the Infinite Challenge Task Force is no easy feat; I understand that."
Yoo Jae-suk smiled and said, "Even if I say so, if PD Tae-ho thinks it's not suitable, he wouldn't have hired you. I showed him several episodes of Running Man where you were the main director and some concepts you planned for other shows. He approved them before deciding to use you."
"Brother Jae-seok, actually I helped you back then because you've helped me many times. Plus, your matters are closely related to my brother as well."
"Haha, what are you thinking? We're all friends here; there's no such thing as owing each other. I believe that even now, if anything happens in Running Man, Anna, you would still rush to help without hesitation, right?"
Anna smiled bitterly and said, "I'm not that selfless. Maybe I used to be, but I'm not anymore."
"I can probably understand the changes you've gone through during this time. Don't worry, it will get better. Look at me, it took me over ten years to finally make it. Back then, I felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel, but now things are good, right?"
"Yeah." Anna smiled slightly.
Kwang-soo arrived quickly, still wearing his sportswear. Without saying a word, he first devoured a large bowl of cold noodles, seemingly replenishing all the calories he had burned during his workout.
"Take your time eating; no one is competing with you," Yoo Jae-suk joked.
"By the way, what are you two doing here? What secret conversation are you having?" Lee Kwang-soo finished off the cold noodle soup.
"What secret conversation? It's just work-related stuff," Yoo Jae-suk replied.
"What work-related stuff?" Lee Kwang-soo asked.
"Kim Tae-ho PD just left, and in half a month, I'll be working on the Infinite Challenge Task Force," Anna said.
"The viewership for Running Man has been gradually improving; why aren't you considering going back? Dong Wan was talking about this the other day," Lee Kwang-soo said.
"Running Man..." Anna paused and said, "I can't go back."
"Why not?" Lee Kwang-soo wanted to ask further.
"Well, some things are clear to Anna herself; we should just respect her decision," Yoo Jae-suk said.
Kwang-soo fell silent and glanced at Anna without saying a word. He then quietly continued eating.
"Do you have anything planned for the afternoon? Take me out for a stroll," Anna asked Lee Kwang-soo, who was sitting in the driver's seat.
"I only have two schedules this week, so it's pretty relaxed. I have plenty of time. Jung Kook even mentioned that if we find some time, we could all go on a trip to Jeju Island together," Lee Kwang-soo replied with a smile.
"Yeah, that racetrack is really beautiful," Anna reminisced about the past.
Anna recalled what Lee Kwang-soo's manager had said that night. She looked at Lee Kwang-soo, who always had a playful smile, but she increasingly sensed that the Brother Kwangsoo she saw every day was not the same person.
"What are you looking at? Am I giving you chills? Did you suddenly realize I'm handsome? Charming? Deeply captivated by me?" Lee Kwang-soo teased with a smug grin when he noticed Anna staring at him.
Anna spoke up, "Brother Kwangsoo, why don't you go to nightclubs anymore?"
Hearing this, Lee Kwang-soo was surprised and his hand trembled slightly. He quickly smiled, feeling a bit awkward, and said, "How do you know? Who told you?"
"I heard it from your manager," Anna replied.
"Well, I don't even call him to pick me up when I go to nightclubs anymore. It's too crowded. Besides, ever since Cat's Paw closed down, there haven't been many bars with good privacy, so I've been going less," Kwang-soo shrugged it off with a smile.
"Is that so?" Anna sighed in relief and said, "I thought…"
"What did you think?" Kwang-soo asked nervously.
Anna smiled and said, "It's nothing... I just thought you had turned over a new leaf."
"By the way, how are you and Park Chan-yeol doing? When do you plan to announce your relationship?" Lee Kwang-soo asked.
Anna shook her head and said, "Who knows? Let's talk about something else."
Seeing that she didn't want to discuss it further, Lee Kwang-soo changed the subject. "You still have half a month before starting work. Do you have any plans for this time?"
"The reason I want to start work after half a month is because there's a place I still need to visit."
"What place?"
"Mrs. Smith. I want to go see Mrs. Smith and Old Jack." Anna smiled and said, "I even called Mrs. Smith the day I left Running Man, and she said she missed me a lot. So I definitely have to go."
"Then can I go with you?" Lee Kwang-soo asked.
"What do you want to go for?" Anna replied.
"I also want to meet Mrs. Smith and Jack. Besides, I want to buy some things. Jung Kook is in California during his free time; I could hang out with him too."
"No, I want to go by myself," Anna said.
"Come on, you're being so stingy. At most, I'll just help you buy the plane ticket. It would be nice to have company. My English isn't great; what if I get lost?" Lee Kwang-soo said.
"With your unique looks, you probably won't get lost. Besides, you can go find Jung Kook and go together."
"Anna Zheng, how can you treat me like this?" Kwang-soo said with a look of grievance. "I used to buy you candy when we were kids, remember?"
"Yeah, it's to buy ice cream for the pretty sister, and then I can have the candy that comes on top of the ice cream, right?"
"Isn't it because you like those special candies that I bought it?" Lee Kwang-soo said.
"Really?" Anna asked with a mischievous smile.
"Of course."
"Well... but that's not enough."
"Why not? I'll cover the round-trip airfare; that should be fine."
Before Lee Kwang-soo could finish his sentence, Anna laughed and said, "Okay, deal."
Lee Kwang-soo looked frustrated and said, "I got tricked by you."
"You said it yourself; I didn't force you," Anna replied.
Kwang-soo smirked and said, "But let me tell you something interesting."
"What is it?"
"I saw someone at the gym today; guess who came to work out together?"
Anna looked confused and asked, "Who?"
"EXO's KAI, and a girl with the same surname from S.M. Company."
"Zheng..." Anna thought for a moment, then realized, "It can't be Zheng XX, right? So it's her. But just because they work out together doesn't mean they're dating."
"Hey, you can't hide these things. Couples, no matter how well they pretend, you can still tell when their eyes meet."
"You talk as if you have a lot of experience."
"Of course."
"That's true; you were once the little prince of nightclubs," Anna teased.
"I can't be bothered to argue with you."
After several rounds of banter, perhaps because they were tired after lunch, the car became quiet. Anna kept yawning and looked a bit drowsy. Lee Kwang-soo turned down the air conditioning a little and played some light music.
"Where are we going?" Anna asked.
"To Peach and Plum Village in Jeonju. My aunt has a patch of watermelons there. In the evening, we chill the freshly picked watermelons in the stream for a while, then split them open with our hands to eat. It's especially delicious," Lee Kwang-soo said.
Anna's eyelids kept drooping as she said, "Is there really still a place like that?"
"Of course there is." Lee Kwang-soo glanced at her and noticed that Anna had already tilted her head, looking dazed. He said, "You should take a nap. I'll wake you up later."
"Okay... just don't sell me out..."
"Don't worry..."
After that, Anna fell into a deep sleep.
However, no matter where she was, nightmares always came as expected. The pale faces of Andy and Han Yoon-soo, the red blood was particularly eerie and terrifying, their pupils glowing green as they approached through the dark corridor, little by little. She tried to retreat, to escape, but one misstep sent her plummeting into a bottomless pit of black ice spikes, leaving her body riddled with wounds...
Ah~~!
She suddenly struggled awake, the blinding sunlight still pouring in from outside the window. The car was driving quietly, and soft music flowed gently within.
"You're awake? What's wrong? Is it too cold? We'll be there in about ten minutes," Lee Kwang-soo said.
"Yeah, I got a bit cold while sleeping," Anna replied, sitting up and moving her somewhat stiff body.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Lee Kwang-soo asked, noticing her unusual expression.
Anna smiled and shook her head, saying, "No." She chuckled lightly, stretched her arms, and added, "I can't wait to see what the watermelon fields look like."
"It'll be soon," Lee Kwang-soo assured her.
"Brother Kwangsoo," Anna said after a moment of silence.
"What is it?"
"You said, if you found out I'm not the same Anna Zheng as before, would you ignore me forever?" Anna asked calmly.
Lee Kwang-soo paused for a moment, unsure of what he was thinking, then suddenly broke into a smile. "You are you. No matter how you change, you will always be you."
The feeling of drowsiness faded away. A girl slowly transforms into a woman, constantly changing throughout her life while balancing various roles: daughter, lover, mother, friend, colleague, trusted person, and someone she dislikes... countless relationships that are hard to count.
Anna had to admit that at least over the years, regardless of which identity she held, she had been a failure. She had not become a daughter who could honor her parents in their old age, nor could she stay with the one she loved until the end. With her friends, more often than not, she made them worry about her. The only role she might have succeeded in was that of "someone they dislike," after all, she had once been despised by Miss Choi and Han Yoon-soo.
Brother Kwang-soo said, "You are always you." This statement might not be wrong; perhaps Anna was indeed like this all along; she just had never faced herself. Anna knew she was not like those heroines in soap operas who were kind-hearted yet oblivious, unconditionally yielding to everything.
She would fight back, and now she understood just how ruthless she could be when truly cornered. If this were a television drama, she would have forgiven Andy despite the pain he caused her. But in the stark reality before her eyes, the choice she made ultimately led to his downfall.
"What are you thinking about?" Lee Kwang-soo asked as he noticed Anna staring blankly since waking up.
The car turned a corner and crossed a bridge. Beyond the bridge, fields of watermelons came into view along the riverbank.
"Nothing much, just woke up and was daydreaming," Anna replied as she shook off her daze. Rubbing her eyes and looking out the window, she saw the sun setting in the west, casting a golden hue over everything. The sunlight shimmered on the river's surface as the evening breeze stirred the water, creating sparkling reflections. In the watermelon fields, only a couple of people were bending down to work; when they stood up, they startled a flock of birds that flew up and quickly settled back down.
"Beautiful," Anna said.
Kwang-soo smiled proudly and replied, "Of course."
The car came to a stop. The air outside was still warm but much cooler than it had been at noon in the city.
A middle-aged woman working in the field saw Kwang-soo and stood up. Kwang-soo smiled and bowed to greet her. From a distance, Anna couldn't see her clearly but joined him in greeting.
"Wait here; I'll be right back," Lee Kwang-soo said before Anna could respond. He walked along the narrow path in the field and approached the woman with a slight wobble. After exchanging a few words with her, he even gave her an affectionate hug. Anna knew that this woman must be the Aunt Kwang-soo mentioned.
Anna stood still for a moment, and Kwang-soo and Aunt walked over.
"Hello, I am Kwang-soo's Aunt," Aunt introduced herself. Her skin had the healthy tan typical of rural women; although she wasn't considered beautiful, when she smiled, her eyes turned into crescent moons. She was a hearty and kind person.
"Hello, I am Anna Zheng, Brother Kwang-soo's friend."
Aunt looked at Anna happily and smiled again, hugging a watermelon tightly in her arms. "You two play here for a while; I will go prepare dinner. We'll have dinner at home soon. This watermelon is for us to eat later."
"Okay," Anna replied.
Aunt left, and Anna quickly grabbed Lee Kwang-soo's collar and asked, "Hey, what were you mysteriously talking about over there?"
"Nothing much, just said hello," Kwang-soo said.
"Really?"
"Of course, what else would it be?" Kwang-soo replied.
Anna let go of him and said, "Alright, I'll take your word for it."
Kwang-soo smiled and said, "Let's go." He then walked along the path they had just taken into the melon field. The birds that had flown away from the empty field returned to the sky as people intruded once more. That scene was something Anna had never seen before.
"Wow..." Anna exclaimed involuntarily, mesmerized.
After walking a few steps, she noticed Lee Kwang-soo had stopped behind her. Turning back, that scene looked like a shot from a beautiful romantic movie; no matter how it was edited, it could become a painting for people to admire.
"Come on," Kwang-soo said.
"Oh," Anna replied. "What is this?" Anna looked at the wooden structure of the small pavilion, topped with straw that resembled a raincoat.
"This is a pavilion for cooling off or taking shelter from the rain when harvesting melons. You can sit up there and wait for me," Lee Kwang-soo said with a smile.
Anna nodded and ran up to sit inside the pavilion. It was particularly cool there, with the scent of watermelon vines and soil mingling in the breeze, brushing against her face. The slightly damp clothes she had been wearing soon felt dry against her skin.
Kwang-soo moved somewhat clumsily, bending down as he walked through the field, carefully judging which watermelon was ripe enough to eat. The golden sunlight bathed him, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. Seeing him like this, Anna felt a bit unfamiliar; no matter how she searched her memories, she couldn't find an image that matched this radiant figure.
"I found one!" Kwang-soo exclaimed as he picked a round watermelon, grinning widely as he carefully walked back to join her in the pavilion.
"This... how do we eat it?" Anna asked, puzzled.
"Do you like watermelon?" Lee Kwang-soo asked.
"Yes," Anna nodded. "But watermelons are too expensive this year; I've only been able to buy them twice." Anna smiled.
"What about your money?"
"I was planning to save it for my plane ticket to America and other expenses, but now that you say you're buying the tickets, I don't need to save anymore," Anna said with a smile.
"Ah, so that's what you were thinking," Kwang-soo replied.
"Hey, hurry up, I'm thirsty," Anna urged impatiently.
Kwang-soo smiled and said, "Watch me." With that, he rubbed his hands together, found a suitable spot, and with one swift motion, split the watermelon open. The fruit was perfectly ripe, so it shattered into pieces upon impact.
"Go ahead and eat," Kwang-soo said, picking up a piece that was easier to handle and handing it to Anna. Anna took it, took a bite, and indeed, it was incredibly sweet. Eating something sweet could really sweep away a lot of negative emotions.
So they sat quietly, rarely speaking. Occasionally they would say a word or two, but the conversation would quickly end without any awkwardness, likely due to their familiarity with each other.
Until the sun had completely set, the sound of cicadas replaced the evening birdsong, and fireflies danced along the riverbank.
"How beautiful," Anna exclaimed once again.
"Should I catch some for you?" Lee Kwang-soo asked with a smile.
Anna teased him, saying, "Do you think you're Zhao Yincheng? This isn't CLASSIC. I'm not Son Ye-jin either."
"It's not just Zhao Yincheng who is handsome; I'm pretty good-looking too," Lee Kwang-soo said with mysterious confidence.
Anna chuckled and ignored him, jumping down from the pavilion and walking toward the car.
"Where are you going?" Lee Kwang-soo followed her.
"I'm going to eat; I'm hungry. It's so dark now; Aunt must be waiting."
Comment 0 Comment Count