peninsula asteroid.

Chapter 1399 I envy you

Just as Sana Minatozaki felt a surge of tears and tried to suppress the emotion by rubbing her eyes, Momo Hirai turned and gave her a strange look.

"what happened to you?"

Seeing that Sana Minatozaki seemed a little off, Momo Hirai leaned over and asked with concern, "Why do you seem to be spacing out? Are you tired?"

As she spoke, she seemed to realize something, and her expression immediately became tense and angry: "Is that so-called Senior Yoochun still harassing you?"

She and Sana Minatozaki are probably the closest in the group. They have supported each other since they were trainees, and she is well aware of her friend's situation and experiences.

"No, no more."

Rubbing her eyes to suppress the painful feeling in her heart, Minatozaki Sana gently shook her head and whispered, "I've already made it clear to him and formally expressed my refusal, so that oppa hasn't contacted me again."

Although Sana Minatozaki enjoys socializing and making connections, it's essential for a career-oriented person like her.

However, he has a clear sense of propriety and boundaries, and when he is not very familiar with people, he has a warm exterior but a cold interior.

Park Yoochun was introduced to her by a friend. They had eaten together once. Although she had heard that this senior actor didn't have a very good reputation, he was still a senior figure in the industry.

However, when the other party expressed similar thoughts about dating, Sana Minatozaki immediately chose to avoid and refuse. She did not accept the invitations she received afterward. When the other party contacted her again a few days ago, she formally expressed that she did not want to date him.

Fortunately, this senior seemed quite arrogant, boasting that he had no shortage of women, and he didn't use any tricks or pester her, which relieved Sana Minatozaki.

They haven't been in contact for the past few days, which has made her feel a bit more at ease.

"That's fine."

Hirai Momo was pleased to hear this and patted him on the shoulder: "Let's go~"

"Good~"

Sana Minatozaki responded and followed behind with a smile. However, she hadn't gone far when, while chatting with Momo Hirai, her phone suddenly vibrated.

She looked down and her expression froze slightly:
"You filthy bitch, I'm warning you, stay away from my man."

…………

Meanwhile, on the other side, Chi Kyung-won was attending a friend's gathering.

The location was the same club they went to last time. Because of its good confidentiality, it was favored by some celebrities in the industry.

Although it is quite different from the private clubs that Ji Kyung-won usually goes to in terms of privacy, facilities, and services, it is still pretty good. Moreover, he does not mind being compatible with those in the entertainment industry when he is with his friends.

First, they ate barbecue in a private room at the club's restaurant. Ji Kyung-won arrived a little late, and when he entered, he found that almost everyone had already arrived. These were his familiar friends from the SM Entertainment circle, including Kim Tae-yeon and Im Yoon-ah, as well as Lee Soon-kyu, who is usually invisible. On the men's side, Kim Ki-bum and Kim Jonghyun were also there. To Ji Kyung-won's surprise, Onew was also there.

"Jingyuan is here!"

"Holy crap, why does this kid always seem a little more handsome than the last time I see him?"

"Because he does look a bit more handsome now."

Ji Jingyuan greeted everyone with a smile, his tone familiar and casual. He saw Kim Tae-yeon waving at him and patted the empty seat next to him, indicating that he should go and sit down.

The heating in the private room was on quite high. Kim Tae-yeon had already taken off her coat and was wearing a white turtleneck sweater with her hair in a bun. She looked to be in good health.

Ji Jingyuan readily agreed, greeting his friends with a smile along the way, and sat down next to Kim Tae-yeon.

This woman was lucky; she was discharged from the hospital after only a little over a day following the traffic accident. After the liability was determined, she apologized as required and paid compensation as necessary. Now, the incident has completely died down in the media spotlight, and hardly anyone mentions it anymore.

The handling of this incident in a way that helps to "cool down" the public is crucial, because Kim Tae-yeon is about to release her Christmas album. If the incident blows up, haters and even casual observers will easily associate the comeback with the incident, and comments like "The victim is still in the hospital, and you're still releasing a song" are inevitable, which will have a significant negative impact.

"Jingyuan~"

After Ji Jingyuan sat down, Lim Yoona, who was on the other side of Kim Tae-yeon, waved to Ji Jingyuan with a smile. This lady was wearing a beige fleece sweater, and the fitted style showed off her upper body lines. At first glance, her chest even had obvious waves, and it was unknown what kind of magical underwear she was wearing.

He greeted Yoona and Soonkyu with a smile, then looked around after sitting down and noticed someone was missing: "Where's Heechul hyung?"

"They haven't arrived yet, but they should be here soon."

Kim Tae-yeon casually replied, "He..."

Before the woman could finish speaking, the door was pushed open, and Kim Heechul, who had been discussing things just a second ago, appeared in the doorway. He glanced at the number of people inside and walked in, pretending to talk as he said, "Aigoo, the important people are always the last to arrive."

"Oh dear, what did I tell you before? Why are you so late?"

Kim Tae-yeon wasn't going to put up with him and immediately retorted.

"Oh dear, it's all because of that person who's been making a fuss. I told them I was going to have dinner with my friends, but they insisted on coming with me. I told them I wouldn't bring them, but they still kept causing trouble."

Kim Heechul sat down in the last empty seat, greeting his friend next to him while complaining impatiently, "They're so clingy, such a nuisance."

"Heechul hyung's new girlfriend?"

Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan blinked and whispered to the person beside him.

"My new girlfriend, whom I met the week before last, is not in the entertainment industry; she's one of my fans."

Knowing the inside story, Kim Tae-yeon pursed her lips: "But I guess it won't last long, it'll be changed in a few days."

Chi Jingyuan's expression faltered slightly. He nodded, while Kim Heechul continued his boastful rant: "I simply ignored her and left~ She's probably still calling me now, um~"

As he spoke, he took out his phone, glanced at it, and showed it to everyone. Sure enough, there were several missed calls.

Everyone knows who Kim Heechul is, having known him for so long, but some people still disapprove. Im Yoona snorted, looking at him with disdain: "How can you treat your girlfriend like that? Pah!"

"For him, this is hardly a girlfriend, at most a transitional period..." Kim Kibum interjected, waving his hand: "To be honest, Heechul hyung still can't let go of that Twice girl."

He looked at Chi Jingyuan and gestured with his lip: "Last time we ate together, he was complaining about you, saying that if it weren't for you, Jingyuan, he would have won you over long ago."

"Then why don't you go after him again, bro?"

Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan adopted a stubborn and unyielding demeanor: "Didn't you claim to have 'never failed in a confession'?"

These were words Kim Heechul had bragged about before, and Ji Kyungwon was speechless when he heard them.

...He himself has been rejected when he confessed his feelings.

"Oh, I actually tried it again."

Upon hearing this, Kim Heechul's expression became even more complaining: "Last time I called, Momo hung up as soon as she heard my voice, without even giving me a chance to speak."

“Brother, this isn’t good either…” Chi Jingyuan immediately said with disdain.

"The main problem is that the image I created has been destroyed. Girls at this stage want to have a serious relationship, but I..."

Kim Heechul was about to share his thoughts when Kim Tae-yeon interrupted him before he could finish: "Stop talking about your bullshit relationship experience, let's eat!"

The meal lasted almost two hours, filled with drinking and conversation.

Actually, towards the end of the meal, most of the time was spent chatting and drinking. As artists working in the entertainment industry, they usually face a lot of pressure, so everyone enjoyed the relaxed and casual atmosphere.

After finishing their meal and resting for a while, the men and women went to soak in the hot springs separately.

…………

"Ah, I saw Twice on TV a few days ago. Alas, it's really a bit sad."

"Let's not even talk about whether I like it or not, Momo's figure is really... tsk."

"It not only looks great, it's also completely practical."

By the hot spring pool, Chi Jingyuan sat listening to Kim Heechul's rambling, the topics and words of which were rather blunt and direct.

However, since it was just the few men there, and they had been drinking, they naturally became much more direct in their conversation, talking about topics between men.

A warm, lingering scent mixed with the faint aroma of sulfur wafts through the air. Several Japanese dry landscape gardens are placed on either side, their white sand and pebbles outlining winding patterns.

The pool is made of bluestone and is irregularly oval in shape. Steam rises from the surface of the water and condenses into white mist in the cold air, blurring the surrounding scenery.

Four wooden lounge chairs were placed by the pool, covered with thick wool cushions. On a low table next to them was a white porcelain wine pot wrapped in an insulating cloth. Next to it were three small wine glasses, a dish of salted ginkgo nuts, and a dish of roasted chestnuts. The aroma, mixed with the sulfurous smell of the hot spring, was particularly enticing.

"Indeed~"

Listening, Ji Kyung-won nodded in agreement... Hirai Momo's figure is indeed outstanding in Twice. Her figure is well-proportioned, and her muscles are very toned due to years of dance training.

Moreover, her feminine characteristics are very prominent.

If we're really talking about figure, even Ji Kyung-won's ex-girlfriend isn't as good as her.

However, Ji Jingyuan realized that Kim Heechul wasn't actually that fond of Hirai Momo; he was more regretful and disappointed that he hadn't succeeded in getting her.

"Jingyuan, don't disbelieve me, Momo definitely has the best figure in Twice... You're so familiar with Twice, you should be able to tell, right?"

Kim Heechul took a sip of his drink and added a sentence.

"Well..."

However, Chi Jingyuan was somewhat hesitant to accept the title of "best": "The best, not necessarily..."

He took a sip of his drink, smacked his lips, and prepared to retort.

"Axi!"

"Xiba!"

Just then, a series of wailing and howling came from the side, interrupting their discussion about body shape.

Chi Jingyuan turned his head and saw Wen Liu lying on the edge of the pool, vigorously patting the carpet next to him.

This guy was clearly drunk and in a very bad mood; Kim Ki-bum, who was next to him, was trying to comfort him.

Onew, as the leader of SHINee, has never been a huge star, but he has his own loyal fanbase and his career is doing quite well.

However, earlier this year, he was the victim of a sexual harassment incident – ​​a woman filed a police report accusing Onew of sexually harassing her by touching her inappropriately in a nightclub in Seoul.

The news immediately sparked huge controversy, and Onew instantly became the target of widespread criticism.

Although the police investigation took a turn a few days ago, Onew privately insisted that he was framed, saying that he was drunk at the time and there were many people around, and that he would be crazy to touch someone in that situation.

However, his career has suffered a huge blow. He withdrew from the TV series he was filming, left the variety shows he was appearing on, suspended all activities, and has not yet made a comeback.

According to Kim Tae-yeon, this guy has been drinking heavily lately.

"Ah ah, ya yi shi ba."

"I fucking want to fuck her to death. ￥%%%&..."

"Woooooooo..."

With no one else around, this drunk man stopped hiding his true colors, crying and shouting as he cursed the woman who accused him, sparing no vulgarity or obscenity.

Although it was a bit noisy, both Ji Kyung-won and Kim Hee-chul sighed silently.

Being an entertainer may seem glamorous, but it comes with immense pressure, both in terms of career and finances.

At the same time, they are sometimes really vulnerable and under a lot of pressure. An accusation that doesn't require evidence can directly cut off the career of a near-top-tier artist.

Onew probably drank too much, and after making a fuss for a while, he fell into a deep sleep. Kim Kibum sighed and called out to them. Kim Heechul went over and together they carried Onew to the dressing room.

Chi Jingyuan sighed, finished the rest of his drink, and returned to the hot spring.

He sat comfortably for a few seconds, then suddenly felt like someone was missing. He looked to the side and saw Kim Jonghyun sitting there quietly.

He noticed that Kim Jonghyun had been very quiet all evening. He only spoke when everyone urged him to, and he was still very quiet while soaking in the hot spring. It felt like someone was missing.

But in Chi Jingyuan's memory, this guy was actually very lively. He used to talk a lot at gatherings and had a good alcohol tolerance.

After drinking too much, he would occasionally join in with a few awkward dirty jokes.

Why isn't brother saying anything?

Chi Jingyuan sat down next to him and took the initiative to ask, "Are you in a bad mood?"

"Ah~"

The sudden noise seemed to wake Kim Jonghyun. When he saw Ji Kyungwon coming over, he shrank back for some reason, as if he was a little scared.

However, he quickly regained his composure, smiling and waving his hand: "I'm alright, I've been a bit tired and under a lot of pressure lately."

"Sigh, that's how it is."

Hearing his words, thinking of Onew, and then of himself, Ji Kyung-won sighed, then took the initiative to start a conversation: "I heard you're preparing a new album, hyung? How's the progress? When will it be released?"

"The progress is alright, if all goes well, around the beginning of next year..." When the topic of work came up, Kim Jonghyun also chatted with Ji Kyungwon about everything from song production to album preparation.

He spoke naturally, no longer as quiet as before, as if he was indeed just under a little more pressure.

When will my brother's solo concert be held?

"It should be next year."

"Remember to call me when the time comes, I'll come and support you, brother."

"Haha, thanks in advance... Would you like to be a guest performer for me?"

"No problem~"

The two each took a glass of wine, sat by the hot spring pool, and chatted casually while sipping their drinks.

But after Ji Kyung-won smiled and agreed to be a guest performer, Kim Jong-hyun didn't respond and suddenly fell silent.

"..."

Chi Jingyuan looked at him with some curiosity.

The steam from the hot spring reached above their knees. He noticed that Jonghyun had his eyes downcast, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows in the warm yellow light. The guy's eyes were lowered, as if he was thinking about something.

Just as he was about to say something, Kim Jonghyun looked up at Ji Kyungwon, his tone carrying a sense of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted, yet also a hint of inexplicable melancholy:

"Jingyuan~"

"Ok?"

"Brother, I really envy you."

"Brother, I think you mentioned this to me last time~"

At the last gathering, Kim Jonghyun said something similar. When Ji Kyungwon heard these somewhat familiar words, he took it as a casual remark between old friends and waved his hand with a smile: "Hyung, I envy you too."

He gave the same answer last time.

"No, no, I'm not, I'm not joking."

But this time, Kim Jong-hyun suddenly became formal, and his tone sounded somewhat solemn and emphasized.

"..."

Hearing his brother's tone, Chi Jingyuan also stopped joking. Although he found it a bit strange, he became more serious.

"I'm so envious..."

Kim Jonghyun felt Ji Kyungwon's gaze and pursed his lips: "Kyungwon, you do everything very well, whether it's music, the essence of idol production, or acting."

"Everyone around you likes you, and you bring laughter and help to those around you. Life is really perfect. You can do everything to the best of your ability... just like the sun."

"..."

Upon hearing Kim Jongin's words, Ji Kyungwon didn't focus on the unusual emotions he clearly displayed. Instead, he fell silent for a moment in response to the other's praise and envy.

The other person's words were like a fine needle, gently prying open the wrinkles he had deliberately hidden.

He couldn't help but think of Mina, and of her incredulous, trembling eyes and tears beneath those resolute words.

Thinking of Bae Joo-hyun, even though she was overwhelmed with grief, she still smiled as she looked at her own face through the window.

I thought of all the people he had hurt for various reasons.

And for some inexplicable reason... I thought of Sana Minatozaki.

"I... well, not really. I can do everything very well."

A slight surge of emotion welled up within him, and Chi Jingyuan's Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke with a hint of difficulty: "I've made many mistakes, and there's no way to please everyone... No one can be perfect."

"No one else can do that, but you are different."

But Jonghyun looked at him, his eyes somewhat unfocused: "Because Kyungwon, you have the ability to correct things. For those imperfect, regrettable, and regrettable things, you can correct them, make up for them, and then strive to do better..."

"I...I really envy you."