The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 412 Album Release...

The following day, June 30th, Tokyo was in the height of summer. Even as evening approached, the gentle evening breeze made it so hot that fine beads of sweat clung to the hair around Misamo and the other two's ears.

Upon arriving in Bunkyo Ward, Minami, her slender figure, alighted from the car, glanced at her two fellow countrymen beside her, and muttered under her breath, "Signals!"

"Selfish girl." Sana Minatozaki snorted and followed right behind her.

Hirai Momo smoothed her bangs, tidied herself up, and then cleverly looked around to see if there were any paparazzi: "Let's go in quickly, my mother and sister will be coming from Kyoto in a little while, and we're going to have dinner together."

Her parents were unaware of what had happened among the group members, so when they came to Tokyo to see her, they invited two of her "friends" to have dinner with them. The purpose of the three of them leaving the group to come to Tokyo was quite simple.

The "Misamo" subunit, which started two months ago, has been quite busy since it's scheduled to debut in its hometown at the end of next month. The three members are here to film materials, teasers, and music videos for the subunit.

After a short rest, we'll head to the Kansai region for recording tomorrow. And since we're already in Tokyo... Mina has been regularly visiting this mental health hospital since the beginning of this year to talk with specialists about her love for her teacher.

Sana Minatozaki and Momo Hirai then encouraged Mina to meet with the psychologist who was treating their beloved teacher, and to find out how the treatment was going and whether the teacher's condition had worsened...

“We’re all back in Korea now, can’t you speak your native language?” Mina scratched her slightly itchy face, glancing at Momo Hirai, who was still speaking fluent Korean, making her feel out of place with her and Sana-chan.

Hirai Momo glanced at the two of them speechlessly, and tentatively said something in Japanese, but her lips weren't very fluent and her pronunciation was incoherent, so she said blankly, "What do you care about me? Anyway, you can understand whatever I say."

Seemingly unwilling to continue this embarrassing topic, she took the lead and walked into the hospital.

"..."

Taking the elevator, the three arrived at Eiko Eri's office. She wore a black business suit and gold-rimmed glasses; at first glance, she still possessed a certain charm.
"Auntie Eiko~" Mina greeted her with a sweet smile, and then introduced the two members next to her.

The three women, "Misamo" and "Misamo," sat on the same sofa with smiles of sisterly affection, showing none of the fierce bickering they had engaged in earlier in the dormitory.

"Sana and Momo," Eiko Rei said with a smile as she poured tea for the three of them, then exclaimed, "You two are very popular! You're going to debut in Japan next month, aren't you?"

The debut of the three-person subunit was teased when the project was first launched. After a period of intense comebacks in the first half of the year, TWICE took a short break.

The "Misamo" subunit is something many Once members are extremely excited about...

"..."

We chatted briefly about work.

Eiko Eri sat on the sofa, legs crossed, earnestly explaining to Mina Miyako's recent treatment progress: "...Currently, Makoto is progressing in a positive direction, but he resists medication. He himself has told me that he experiences severe brain pain when experiencing intense emotional fluctuations...However, he has improved a lot recently..."

She rattled off the details of Gong Cheng's treatment progress.

Sana Minatozaki and Momo Hirai felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this...

Seeing the expressions on the three people's faces, Eiko Nagare asked curiously, "Minami, did he talk to you about any of the physical reactions?"

"For example, sleep disorders, headaches, and so on. If these patients resist taking medication, even a good night's sleep becomes a problem..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Sana Minatozaki and Momo Hirai both looked at Mina Mina.

Mina bit her lip and stammered, "I really didn't... say that..."

Immediately afterwards, she was met with a reproachful look from Sana Minatozaki, as if to say, "You're so arrogant all the time, how come you don't know anything?"

Hirai Momo asked anxiously, "Didn't they say Oppa's condition had improved a lot?"

Eiko Nagare didn't quite understand her Korean, so Mina glanced at Hirai Momo and helplessly translated it into Japanese and repeated it: "..."

“His improvement shows his positive attitude towards treatment. Mental illness is different from a cold or fever, where you can recover immediately after taking medicine or getting an IV drip…” Eiko Eri gave Hirai Momo, who spoke fluent Korean, a strange look, but still patiently explained:

"For patients with general mental illnesses, in addition to medication or psychological counseling, the surrounding environment is also very important... In short, it cannot be resolved overnight."

After her explanation,

Hirai Momo nodded in sudden realization. Simply put, her teacher's illness had improved, but it wasn't cured!
"..."

After Mina inquired about Makoto's condition, the three were about to leave when Eiko suddenly smiled and urged them to stay, saying, "Isn't today Makoto's new album release? If you're not in a hurry, you can stay and listen to his songs and music videos."

As she spoke, she glanced at the elegant women's watch on her wrist.

With only half an hour left until the release of Tarot's new album, this young man, known as the "Emperor of Pop" in his home country, is making a comeback to the world music scene after half a year with his third full-length album. He has swept the world this month and is being watched by almost everyone.

"Is the doctor also a fan of Makoto Miyamoto?" Sana Minato asked with a smile, her bright eyes sparkling.

Eiko Eri took off her glasses and laughed heartily: "I wouldn't call myself a fan, but I really enjoy listening to some of my good songs. My patient here is incredibly popular with the general public."

In today's pop music market, you may not be a fan of "Tarot," but you've definitely heard his songs. A superstar who rose to fame in the streaming era, his songs have unparalleled reach...

"Besides, Xiao Cheng is Xiao Nan's boyfriend, Mo. Even if we disregard his status as a patient, I still care about him a lot." She took a sip of tea and winked at Mina with a smile.

However, when Hirai Momo and Minatozaki Sana heard this, their expressions trembled slightly.

I'm not really keen on going to watch Gong Cheng's music video with this doctor.

Eiko Eri put down her teacup and leaned back lazily on the sofa. She glanced at Mina and explained why she was paying attention to Makoto Miyamoto's new album: "I told you, right? After Makoto's world tour at the beginning of the year, he can only be completely and utterly focused on his creative work..."

“Yes.” Mina nodded seriously.

"For a singer and songwriter like him, music is a vehicle for his emotions, and these songs, created during his illness and treatment, often better reflect and reveal his psychological changes and fluctuations during this period, allowing us to understand him from another perspective..."

Eiko Nagare shared her perspective, saying that someone like Miyako Makoto is a sensitive person, and when such people create songs, things they want to express, or things they find difficult to say, will be revealed in the arrangement and lyrics, "thus reflecting their psychology..."

"I see~" Hirai Momo sighed softly, seemingly understanding, but still finding the doctor in front of her quite professional.

After seeing the three of them sitting on the sofa with serious expressions, Eiko Nagare estimated that there was still some time before the release of "Tarot's" new album, and continued to explain her thoughts: "..."

She got up and sat on her desk, projecting her laptop onto the screen hanging on the wall not far away. She smiled and said, "You know what, Xiao Cheng's new album was filmed here. Besides being concerned about his condition, I'm also very curious about the final product of this superstar's music video."

After speaking, Eiko pointed to the album cover of "Judgement" that she had brought up on the Maze Entertainment website on her computer—a pink octopus, a miniature cartoon that filled the entire screen with bright colors.

The colorful bubbles around the octopus's tentacles, combined with the mosaic-style artwork, make it look incredibly sweet.

"..."

Sana Minatozaki, Mina Nai, and Momo Hirai stared at the octopus cover, their faces darkening.

If fans and the public don't understand, how could they not understand what this octopus means?

Every time they see this album cover—the three of them can't help but silently exclaim in their hearts, "Damn!"

Eiko Nagare shifted her wheeled chair, pointed to the octopus projected onto the screen, and analyzed from a psychological perspective: "Do you know how the octopus is explained in psychology?"

Hirai Momo, Mina shook her head.

Meanwhile, Sana Minato looked at Eiko Nagare with some interest. The release of an album and the teasers that sparked speculation among fans are common pre-album promotion tactics in South Korea. They not only generate buzz but also whet people's appetites.

“It is a symbol of Eros.” Eiko Nagare took a sip of tea. “The octopus is a symbol of sexuality and represents the spirit of Eros.”

Upon hearing this explanation, Hirai Momo's mouth dropped open: "Sexual spirit?"

"One way to understand it is that Eros, the god of love in ancient Greek mythology, represents both humanity's most primal animalistic nature and is closely related to the highest form of the spirit. The octopus symbolizes positive connection, which relates to the fluidity and variability of people's own emotions or feelings..."

"The complex relationship he is deeply involved in, and in psychology, it may also symbolize those terrifying things or experiences deep in his heart that he feels unable to get rid of. Combined with Tarot's childhood trauma and his complicated emotional life, it may be sending a signal that he is unable to get rid of or escape from it."

……

"I'd like to see what this octopus's new album is like! Hmph!"

In a barbecue restaurant in Seocho-gu, Lim Nayeon and Kim Yerin were having a small gathering. The barbecue on the table was sizzling with oil and steam. The two of them specially made a clean space and set up a tablet to wait for the release of "Judgement".

Kim Ye-rin picked up the grilled meat, puzzled, and took a bite: "Octopus? You mean the cover?"

"...I guess so." Lim Nayeon realized she had misspoke, and pursed her rabbit teeth. She had no interest in publicizing that she and Gong Cheng had dated for three years, and that he was either cheating on her or on his way to cheating.

Kim Ye-rin swallowed the grilled meat, picked up the small fan on the table and blew it on herself: "Unnie, I heard a rumor circulating online that this guy is dating eight women at the same time, is that true?"

"I've done the math. You get one, Joo-hyun gets one, Miyeon gets one, and Jisoo gets one, that's only half. It doesn't match up..."

Seeing the gossipy look in her eyes, Lim Nayeon felt a little annoyed: "Hey, Yeri! Are you just going to reopen old wounds like this?"

"It's clearly you who, like Joohyun unnie, can't forget her, okay?" Kim Yerin glanced at this hopeless unnie, pouted and revealed, "And another thing, she just came to our company a few days ago, and she was holding hands with Yoona sunbaenim~ This is pretty reliable news, quite a few trainees in the trainee department saw it."

"It's just that it's something that happens inside the company, and no one dares to talk about it. The president has also issued a gag order."

Although gag orders are not very effective, they can prevent most people from spreading rumors. Even if a small number of people do spread rumors, without solid evidence, no one will believe them, and even if they are true, probably no one will care.

"You actually believe a daily gossip story? They even said that bad boy has an illegitimate child!" Lim Nayeon couldn't help but roll her eyes, without pointing out that he was actually dating eight women at the same time. "Wait..."

"What did you just say? Irene still can't forget him?"

Kim Yerin nodded, took a sip of her cola, and said with a sigh, "Wow, let alone our Joo-hyun unnie... since Oppa debuted, how many celebrities have wanted to get close to him?"

Then she quickly added, "I wasn't talking about you, unnie. Just a week ago at the fashion gala, someone said one thing and the brand started contacting Zhao Meiyan and Son Chaeyoung. Who wouldn't give up on that kind of opportunity? If it were me, I wouldn't give up either..."

Kim Ye-rin spoke eloquently, "Back in 16, when Oppa had just debuted, we had eaten together several times because of his close relationship with Seulgi unnie, didn't we? Among the artists my age, how many of them have privately asked me to introduce that guy to them?"

“Things have been a bit better these past two years. Everyone has figured out how cold he is to outsiders, but there are still quite a few people who are still hoping to get close to him.” She gestured with her hand. “Even if he leaves out just a little bit of his resources, it’s enough to make people flock to him.”

"When I met him, this bad boy wasn't this arrogant yet!" Lim Nayeon grumbled. Whether she felt her friend thought she was like those other women or what, she wasn't feeling very comfortable.

Before she found out that Gong Cheng had cheated on her, especially last year, seeing this bad boy's achievements getting higher and higher, to be honest, she sometimes felt a little inferior when facing Gong Cheng.

His influence has grown even more in Europe and America, and some European media have reported on his aesthetic preferences: "Idol killer!" Upon closer inspection, it's actually about this bad boy's scandals. However, many of his fans and music lovers believe that the so-called "idols" are just commodities.

I'm not good enough for this bad boy...

How could she not care when she saw these comments?
“So…” Kim Ye-rin had no idea what this unnie was thinking with her eyes dimming at this moment, and continued to express her opinion: “It’s because unnie and he have known each other for a very long time, and they started dating before he became successful, that kind of relationship is pure!”

"Tell me, what kind of good girls are still clinging to him? Aren't they all after his resources and fame? No matter how handsome or charming they are, celebrities in this industry who chase fame and fortune care more about profit, right?!"

She clicked her tongue and sighed, "I guess Oppa knows it in his heart... If I were him, I'd probably have a headache too, seeing all those girls' admiring eyes, but having to figure out what they really want?"

"What do you think I like about him?" Lim Nayeon suddenly looked up at Kim Yerin and asked. She wanted to know what kind of woman she was in her friend's eyes, given that she was dating him.
Kim Ye-rin, despite her young age, shook her head knowingly. "How would I know what you're thinking? Unnie, let me ask you this: when you found out he cheated on you and was dating our Joo-hyun unnie behind your back, did you hate him?"

"Of course I hate him!" Lim Nayeon's expression wasn't as intense as I'd imagined. Instead, she sighed, her face downcast. "I hate him so much I want to kill him, but then I wonder if I'm not good enough? Anyway, it's so frustrating!"

"That's right."

"Right to what?"

Kim Ye-rin wrinkled her nose and said seriously, "This is about love, right?"

"You seem to know a lot?" Lin Nalian looked at her friend, who was several years younger than her, with suspicion...

A sentence Dahyun once said to her, Sana, Momo, Mina, Tzuyu, and Chaeyoung involuntarily flashed through her mind: "Do you think it's easy for Oppa to juggle eight relationships? Can you consider how hard and difficult it is for him to balance those eight relationships?!"

"The relationships between these unnies are so dramatic, each one more so than the last. Of course, the oppas are really wicked too." Kim Ye-rin pouted and chuckled.

Lim Nayeon grinned, showing her rabbit teeth, and took a vicious bite of the grilled meat, retorting, "What melodrama? This is all his conspiracy!"

"How can love be a conspiracy? It can only mean that this guy has been plotting against you all along..."

"He did say that he fell in love with me at first sight..." Lim Nayeon couldn't help but chuckle, but when she saw Kim Yerin's amused look, she immediately tightened her face and coughed.

……

Backstage at an event in Busan, IZ*ONE had just finished work and were packing up to return to Seoul.

Zhang Yuanying glanced at the time on her phone, quickly took out her earphones from her bag, put them on, and walked towards the nanny van...

I had barely sat down when it was already 10 p.m.

While waiting for the bus to depart, Zhang Yuanying stretched out her finger, and as she was about to click on Maze Entertainment's official website, she saw that @TTTTTTarot, whom she followed on Instagram, had updated his status.

She clicked on it out of curiosity and took a look.

"Good night--"

A simple post with a selfie.

Just five minutes earlier, Zhang Yuanying skillfully saved the selfie taken by the French windows to her phone's photo album, and then opened Maze Entertainment's official website.

The webpage had just been refreshed.

Maze Entertainment released the announcement right on time at 10:00 AM:
Tarot's third full-length album, "Judgement," has been officially released on major platforms worldwide...

After some brief explanation: "Judgement - Track list as follows:"
1. Love Is Gone

2. "Someone You Loved"

3. "HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY"

4. I Really Want to Love This World

5. Past Lives

6. As It Was

7. White Ferrari

8. *TELEKINESIS*

9. *Glimpse of Us*

10. *Street Lights*

11. Circles

"

"A total of 11 songs are included. Please enjoy listening."

Immediately afterward, Zhang Yuanying scrolled down the webpage on her phone, where Maze Entertainment released a brand new poster image that seemed to have a similar feel to the album cover of "Judgement".

The octopus on the cover has its dark eyes covered by a mosaic, but the poster in front of it isn't an octopus or anything like that, but rather...

A pair of eyes embedded in a black and white layer, the whites of the eyes tinged with a faint gray mist, like the surface of the sea shrouded in gloom, so dark that not a trace of clarity could be seen, while the deep black pupils had no focus, no waves, like the boundless seawater silently churning with loneliness.

"Why did the art style suddenly change?"

Sitting next to Jang Won-young, Kang Hye-won scratched her head. The pink cover of the poster and the album felt like two completely different things!

But in the line of sight, the black and white layer of eyes makes one stare back. At first glance, they resemble ocean waves, reefs, or being immersed in the deep sea, instantly evoking a profound sense of suffocation and desolation...

After saying that, seeing that Zhang Yuanying didn't intend to pay attention to him, Jiang Huiyuan took out her earphones, put them on, and opened Maze Entertainment's official website, ready to listen to the representative's new album.

Below the poster is the physical album configuration released by Maze Entertainment: "..."

For example, there are photocards, posters, numerous autographed items, free lucky draw merchandise, and so on—it all seems quite abundant. The publicly released physical album packaging covers, on the other hand, feature an octopus on one side and that pair of obscure, beautiful eyes on the other.

For some reason, Zhang Yuanying found it difficult to calm down when she saw Oppa's deep black eyes.

The vast emptiness was like a deep, deserted sea… a stark contrast to the bright warmth in his eyes that he used to display, leaving one with a heavy heart and a profound sense of loneliness…

After clicking on the music video, she patiently waited for it to load.

The gray circle spun around...

About ten seconds later, the dark video screen slowly came into light.

But the dim scene remained gloomy... Zhang Yuanying turned the brightness of her phone screen to the highest level, but it still didn't feel bright enough. She took off one earphone, raised her innocent face, and asked her manager, Unnie, who was driving, "Unnie, could you turn off the lights in the car?"

“Okay.” The agent driving the car nodded with a smile.

With a "whoosh," the carriage was plunged into darkness.

Only a few mobile phone screens remained in the carriage, projecting a dim light.

Zhang Yuanying looked down at the MV screen and suddenly felt that the screen was brighter...

On the beach under the moonlight, the waves surged. Gong Cheng's broad shoulders and narrow waist stood on the sand. The shot was taken from the side. The salty sea breeze and waves made his hair flutter, but the expression on his face was dim in the night.

The rustling sound of waves surged into Zhang Yuanying's headphones, lasting only a few seconds.

A woman's voice, soothing and gentle, softly asked, "Can you tell me about the world in your heart?"

"can."

There are voice-over-sounding questions and answers, including female voices and Gong Cheng's voice.

Zhang Yuanying was surprised and began to guess the girl's identity. Just as she was wondering, the camera suddenly turned to show the dim horizon in the video.

The screen instantly became much brighter...

……

"So that's it?"

In a Tokyo hospital, Eiko Eri stood up in shock, staring at the special performance in the music video, her throat bobbing, "The inner world..."

Previously, she had been curious about how the footage Gong Cheng shot at her location would be used in the music video, but now she understood.

She glanced at Mina, Sana, and Momo, who were looking puzzled.

Eiko Nagare took a deep breath and explained, "When conducting psychotherapy on some trauma patients, we sometimes use hypnosis. Under hypnosis, these patients construct a safe zone, space, or inner world within themselves, subconsciously rejecting the things that hurt them..."

At this point, she looked at the dark waves on the big screen with a complicated expression: "This vast ocean is Tarot's inner world."

Eiko Nagare became increasingly curious about the emotional changes contained in this "patient" and "pop superstar's" new album, as it was of great importance to his treatment.

Is that so?

Mina watched the music video thoughtfully.

In the scene, the question from the previous conversation, "Can you tell me about the world in your heart?", is still there.

The barely audible "okay" following the silence was like two pebbles falling on a calm lake, just creating shallow ripples before the music video abruptly changed scene...

There were no dramatic flashes of light or shadow; only a layer of soft, warm light slowly covered the originally cool tones, and a bright treatment room was fully revealed before our eyes.

The room wasn't large, but it exuded a comforting warmth. Gong Cheng lay on a light-colored wooden sofa, wearing a black shirt with the collar buttons undone, revealing his fair collarbone. A beige blanket was draped over him. Eiko Eri sat beside him, asking cautiously, "What did you see?"

Sana Minatozaki's pupils contracted instantly upon witnessing this scene...

"ocean……"

Could you be more specific?

"An endless sea, black..."

"Are you alone?" Eiko asked tentatively, trying to guide the conversation.

"Hmm." Gong Cheng responded almost imperceptibly, his tightly furrowed brows and tired eyes... making Mina, Sana, and Momo feel uneasy, their hands slightly clenched into fists.

The question posed in the music video continues: "Are you lonely?"

"It's alright, I'm actually not lonely at all," Gong Cheng denied, lying on the sofa.

“But in your world, there’s only you…” Eiko Eri whispered, “Is there nothing else besides the sea?”

In the video, Gong Cheng's handsome features were even more furrowed, and his closed eyes seemed to tremble slightly before he slowly spoke: "There is a piano and a letter."

As soon as the words were spoken, the bright and cheerful treatment room instantly transformed into the vast Black Sea.

"So, this music video represents two worlds? The world in our hearts and the world in reality? And the bridge connecting the two worlds is psychotherapy?" Lee Bo-na sat in her dormitory at Ewha Womans University, watching the music video with her roommates.

As she spoke, her eyes involuntarily reddened: "Oh my, seeing Oppa receiving treatment breaks my heart..."

With Li Baona's sour voice...

Within the MV's shots.

Gong Cheng stood by the waves when a letter was suddenly washed ashore by the sea. He bent down and picked it up. The black envelope looked unremarkable.

Meanwhile, in the voice-over, Eiko Eiri's voice comes through: "Can you tell me what's written in the letter?"

“…” Gong Cheng, standing by the waves, did not answer. His slender fingers opened the envelope, and when he picked up the letter inside, there was only one short line of text. He read it aloud: “Let’s both calm down…”

"Is it this letter that's causing you pain?" Eiko Eri continued to ask.

Upon hearing this question, Hirai Momo, sitting in the hospital, instantly grabbed Mina's wrist. Her previously calm expression froze, and her unfocused pupils understood in an instant!

Who is the letter referring to?

For a moment, she stared at the MV screen, breathless, waiting for Gong Cheng's answer. Her grip tightened, making Mina's wrist ache.

Sana Minato and Mina Mina also turned to look at Momo Hirai.

Haji Cheng: The biggest reckoning in history is here!

In the music video, as Eiko Eri's question is answered, Miyako Makoto's upright figure, wearing a black shirt and trousers with the cuffs already soaked by the waves, silently throws the letter in his hand into the sea.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Eiko Eri changed the subject: "Then could you go and play that piano? You're a famous singer..."

The moment those words burst out of the headphones...

Gong Cheng's figure, disheveled by the sea breeze, slowly walked towards the piano not far away, and the footprints he left on the beach, as captured by the aerial camera, revealed the song title "Love Is Gone".

Immediately afterwards, a wave crashed in, "splashing" away the words of "Love Is Gone".

When the camera "turns its head," a cold, single piano note instantly fills the music video.

"Doctor, although I hate to admit it, it's not just that letter." Gong Cheng sat beside the black piano by the sea, his hands resting on the black and white keys, his voice calm: "Spotlight, cameras, all those things I once had, which I don't have here, have made me feel tired and numb..."

Beneath his melancholy brows, he fell silent, his slender fingers playing the clear, melodious piano.

Immediately afterwards, a watermark appeared in the video—Tarot's arrangement and lyrics.

The gentle yet subdued piano melody complements the surrounding sound of ocean waves perfectly.

Gong Cheng's voice was husky and unadorned: "Please don't leave tonight~"

"Stay a little longer for me~"

Like sandpaper soaked in tears, it gently caresses the nerves of every listener.

Gong Cheng's voice was like a blunt knife gently cutting through the surrounding silence of the night and the waves.

In the shot, the piano's "feet" and Makoto Miyamoto's legs are gradually submerged by the surrounding seawater... The video transitions to a street scene under Tokyo Tower, where Makoto Miyamoto carries Nana Komatsu on his back under colorful neon lights, the blue and red streetlights flashing, and their faces...

It constantly reminds me of how wonderful we once were.

Let's immerse ourselves in love again~

Gong Cheng's smiling face was bright as he turned around and looked at Komatsu Nana with a smile. His slightly parted lips seemed to be humming something, while Komatsu Nana's distinctive face was blinking and smiling happily.

"I need you by my side right now~"

The moment you rejected me, my heart shattered...

Some scenes from idol dramas seem to be Gong Cheng's memories, flickering in the eyes of fans.

As the music video progressed, Sana Minatozaki seemed to realize something. She whispered in Eiko Nagare's office, "Boss!"

Judging from the lip movements of Miyako who had just been mimicking Nana Komatsu's, she seemed to have guessed what he was singing.

"Please~ please stay for me~"

……

"I'm sorry don't leave me I want you here with me~"

I know your love has long since vanished.

The music video special begins. In a cozy room, Nana Komatsu's hair is disheveled. She crouches in despair in a corner, her phone lying on the floor with its screen saver shattered into pieces. However, the notes in the chat list are still faintly visible, and the chat history is incredibly ambiguous.

Gong Cheng sat on the sofa, his tall figure rubbing his temples in frustration.

Immediately afterwards, Nana Komatsu stood up straight, her acting skills were superb, her face with a small mole, her eyes were blurry with tears, and she looked at Makoto Miyamoto with a broken expression, and "slap" landed on his handsome face.

Please don't tell me that love has completely disappeared.

"The curtain has fallen between us..."

Gong Cheng's hoarse and soulful voice resounded throughout the music video, while the piano music grew increasingly rapid and trembling, like ocean waves.

"Is this not me, you idiot?" Lim Nayeon, sitting in the barbecue restaurant, trembled along with the piano music. She bit her lip and clenched her fists. Suddenly, she realized that the character played by Nana Komatsu in the MV seemed to be her stand-in.

He carried me on his back under the streetlights, singing to me. And those vague, ambiguous chat logs revealed this bad boy cheating on me with his bandmates and other girls…

It seems that out of all his female relatives, only I have ever slapped him hard.
"What do you mean?" Kim Ye-rin sometimes really admired the musical talent and expressiveness of the guy in the music video.

The sad melody made people feel depressed.

Lim Nayeon pursed her lips, her mouth trembling, and remained silent.

As Nana Komatsu left, Makoto Miyamoto stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the room. The camera followed his angle, filming the back of Nana Komatsu as she got into the car downstairs, while she held a dog that was looking back at her...

Seeing this, Lim Nayeon's claim is even more conclusive!

My heart is trembling uncontrollably...

The chorus melody suddenly rises, with a deep bass gradually entering, weaving together with the piano melody to form a fine web, bursting forth intensely.

I'm sorry!!!

"Please don't leave me~ I just want you by my side..."

The scene returns to the vast, desolate sea, where Gong Cheng plays the piano. His voice erupts with the melody, a desperate song, accompanied by trembling screams, yet ultimately ending in a choked, powerless sob. The high notes, combined with his numb, pained expression, are utterly broken…

The sea breeze ruffled his tousled hair, and the soaring high notes were like shouting in a desolate wilderness, with only his own echo reverberating in his ears... Coupled with the endless black sea surrounding him in the MV, the sense of loneliness was instantly amplified infinitely.

"I'm suffocating~ I'm so vulnerable~ I know this isn't easy~"

"Please don't tell me..."

In the song's finale, Gong Cheng's piano solo returns to minimalist single notes, sparse yet heavy, like the weak beating of a heart. But as his voice gradually calms, its hoarseness carries an almost numb sense of relief.
"Your love has vanished completely..."

"The curtain has fallen between us."

The outro gradually fades, the piano music grows fainter and fainter, and finally falls silent. Only the desolate sound of waves remains in the music video, like a relationship coming to a complete end, or like a weary heart finally ceasing its struggle, leaving only loneliness and deathly silence...

Lim Nayeon sat in the private room, her heart heavy as she gazed into those sorrowful eyes… those eyes seemed to be the same ones from the poster Maze Entertainment used for their official announcement tonight, filled with brokenness, like a lonely island.

She wanted to pick up the glass and take a sip, but her slender fingers trembled uncontrollably.

How the hell can you be so shameless?
!

"Where are you?" Lim Nayeon took out her phone and, behind Kim Yerin's back, sent a message to Gong Cheng under the table.

……

"Does it sound good?"

As the music video ended with the song "Love Is Gone," Gong Cheng stood up from the piano and asked a question.

In the comments section, someone exclaimed, "It sounds great!"

"Immortal product!"

"Talking about chicken feathers is so upsetting!"

"..."

In the video, Eiko Eri replied, "It's a very sad song, you're very sad..."

"Maybe~"

As Gong Cheng finished answering, the camera shifted to the treatment room, where Gong Cheng, lying on a light-colored wooden sofa, slowly opened his eyes. Then, like a short film, Eiko Eri talked to him about his condition:

Try doing something that allows you to focus...

As she drew back the curtains of the treatment room, Tokyo's night fell into twilight.

Gong Cheng, tall and slender, donned a baseball cap and walked out of the hospital. The camera followed his silhouette as he walked down the street, while the surrounding sky and environment shifted and changed using a montage-like technique.

Day and night, the landscapes and buildings of Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Los Angeles, and other cities seem to proclaim the passage of time.

During the event, many fans who recognized "Tarot" excitedly asked for photos and autographs.

With a warm smile, he agreed to the fan's request as usual, showing no signs of being plagued by mental illness. Just as the scene froze on him taking a photo with an eighteen or nineteen-year-old fan, fragmented information entries filled the MV's visuals.

#Tarot suffers from depression#
Waiting for it to trend on social media...

In the special episode where the stars shifted, Gong Cheng lay in the villa, his dejected face reflected in the camera lens, with numerous wine bottles scattered on the carpet.

Scattered wine bottles, pieced together haphazardly, form the song title "Someone You Loved".

There was no unnecessary build-up in the prelude.

A few seconds later, the extremely slow piano music faded away...

"I'm completely hooked this time~"

"I'm afraid no one can save me..."

Gong Cheng's textured voice rang out, and in the scene, he was sitting on the hood of a sports car on a mountaintop, looking down at the red sunset in the distance.

The lyrics are as straightforward as a murmur of despair, without any embellishment. The vocals are not particularly high-pitched, but they possess an extremely strong penetrating power.

"I need someone to heal me~"

"I have someone to confide in~"

"Having someone to keep me company~"

The screen flashes back to Gong Cheng's past during his "depression" period, showing his deteriorating condition and weary eyes...

At IU's home, she sat with Park Jiyeon and Choi Sulli, staring at a music video on a tablet.

Choi Sulli's fair skin, her puffy eyes, and her red, teary eyes stared at the lyrics and song in the MV: "Aigoo, why sing a song that makes people so sad?"

"His song is very targeted." Lee Ji-eun was both impressed by the younger man's talent and shocked by the straightforwardness of his lyrics, which evoked empathy and sadness. She glanced at her friend Choi Sulli beside her and said, "Sigh, this song was also created based on his own illness. Perhaps you two could exchange ideas?"

This friend's condition is also very serious, but she doesn't seem as optimistic as her younger boyfriend.

"Forget it, we're not familiar with it. Actually, this song isn't that sad..." Choi Sulli wiped away her tears, seemingly recalling her own experiences, and smiled brightly at her two friends, "Actually, although the melody of this song is very sad, it's uplifting overall."

After sharing her feelings, she looked intently at the music video.

Gong Cheng sat in the sunset, his voice seemingly piercing through the clouds: "Blood stains the setting sun~ Night falls~"

When my heart is breaking, I always close my eyes.

"I want to be in your arms~"

……

As several sad songs' music videos played, the order of the album's music videos seemed to gradually move in a brighter direction.

The prelude to "White Ferrari" is like a hazy dream overture, with delicate electronic sound effects wrapped in a thin layer of moisture, spreading out.

On the coastal road in Hyogo Prefecture, a pure white Ferrari sped by, its name matching the song title.

Gong Cheng sat in the driver's seat, his hair flowing in the wind, while Han Suxi, with her cold and beautiful face, sat in the passenger seat.

A low, husky, and delicate voice, tinged with relaxed languor: "Pure white Ferrari~ Beautiful moments~"

"In this lifetime~"

"Life~"

"So many years have passed~"

His singing voice is like a casual murmur, hidden in the gaps between guitar and electronic effects, like fragments of memories suddenly flashing back...

Sana Minatozaki seemed to sense something and glanced at Momo Hirai and Mina Mine in the office. As for Eiko Nagare, she went to the restroom, excitedly turning to her two friends and saying, "Going for a drive, going for a drive is me!"

Their bright, sparkling eyes kept blinking.

"Is it when it's given away for free?" Upon hearing this, Mina felt a surge of anger rising within her.

"I'm sure we'd be better off in another dimension."

You're tired of running around~ Your back aches and hurts~

In the music video, Gong Cheng gently leans against the microphone, his gentle voice carrying a hint of melancholy. As the song ends, the sound of rain grows louder and louder, falling on the windows of a white Ferrari, while Han Suxi, the passenger in the front seat, disappears from view.

"Returning to the origin~Completely naked~"

"We can roam freely."

……

"The beginning of 'White Ferrari' lacks a strong rhythm and has a very casual melody, like talking to yourself or having a drink alone and reminiscing about the past. The long notes and shouts in the middle are like standing on a wasteland, in front of a waterfall, on the eve of the end of the world. The final ending is the most personal thing left after the layers of emotion have been peeled away. I think this song is still sad!"

"Why is this album so tear-jerking?"

"This song doesn't feel as sad as the previous ones, it just sounds more..."

"Geigei is awesome!"

"That Park Jin-young is ridiculous. He dared to make our oppa so depressed. I wouldn't mind destroying JYP."

……

Jisoo watched the comments and bullet comments on this song's music video with great satisfaction. They were written for me!

She immediately took out her phone and texted Gong Cheng, "Where are you, you little rascal! I miss you!"

"..."

……

Meanwhile, Bae Joo-hyun was watching the music video for "As It Was".

As the upbeat melody of the synthesizer begins, the music video for "As It Was" immediately grabs your attention with its striking visual contrast...

Against a warm background, Gong Cheng, dressed in a bright yellow suit, stands alone on a rotating platform. The light and shadow beneath his feet flow slowly with the rotation, as if he is being carried forward by time.

He lowered his eyes slightly, his fingertips gently touching the "light shield" beside him that seemed to separate him from the world.

A little girl was looking at him, her childish voice mixed in with the marketing of synthesizers.

“Come on Tarot, we wanna say “Goodnight“ to you”

Immediately afterwards, a loud electronic drumbeat began.

"Finally, a song with a more upbeat rhythm." Kang Seulgi stared blankly at the music video. After listening to the first few songs, she felt like she was about to melt away.

blinked.

In my line of sight, the image of Gong Cheng standing on the rotating platform suddenly rotated 180 degrees.

"It's affecting me~"

Gravity is pulling me down—I can't break free!

The scene suddenly shifts to a bright room, where the walls, floors, and furniture are all in soft, warm colors. Gong Cheng sits on a white sofa, and the television opposite him plays blurry old images, like fragments of memories.

He reached out to touch the television screen, but his fingertips only touched the cold glass. As the camera zoomed in, a faint sense of melancholy could be seen in his eyes...

"The world seems to be against us."

"And I'm the one who's sitting on pins and needles~"

“ooh~”

In the chorus, the scenes in the music video become even more vivid.

Gong Cheng stepped out of the room and into a wide-open space covered with white gravel. Behind him was a gradient sky. He spread his arms and danced lightly to the beat of the drum. The white gravel stirred up fine dust at his feet. The camera slowly pulled away from the low sky, blending his lonely yet free figure into the vast background.

"This world~"

"Only you and me~"

"You know it's not the same as it was~"

"As it was~"

As the lyrics "As it was" are repeatedly sung, several rapid montage shots suddenly flash across the screen: blurry images of Gong Cheng as a teenager, a moment of embracing a girl, and wandering alone on a rainy night. Each shot carries a faint retro filter, like a memory treasured in the heart, both gentle and distant.

As the background harmonies begin, the camera cuts back to a close-up of Gong Cheng standing under the sky. A faint smile appears on his lips, and the melancholy in his eyes gradually fades, replaced by a gentle sense of relief.

"Let's go home~"

"Let's go~"

"Light-speed internet, I don't want to talk about the past~" With the catchy rhythm, Son Seungwan suddenly jumped up, "Aigoo! What's wrong with this kid? His songs are so amazing!"

Seeing that Kang Seulgi didn't quite grasp the subtlety in her expression, she explained, "With those catchy melodies like 'As It Was,' this song is definitely going to be a hit, even more so than the previous few songs that made us want to sing..."

"Hey~!"

You understand it's not what it used to be.

"Just like before~"

……

The intro to "Street Lights" begins.

Zhang Yuanying stared at the last song in the music video...

Gong Cheng stood in the desolate rainy night of Seoul, his voice heavily laced with Auto-Tune effects: "Please tell me~"

"Is this the end of my life's chapter?"

The sense of distortion conceals an undeniable weariness, like a monologue worn hoarse by time.

He stood under the streetlight, raised his face, raindrops mingling around Gong Cheng's eyebrows and eyes. In the close-up shot, Zhang Yuanying clutched her heart, trembled violently, and pressed the screenshot button.

Unlike the sad eyes in the previous music videos, in this song, the handsome eyes of this oppa are bathed in a gentle warmth by the warm light.

"The streetlights are dimly lit, and the light and shadow dance like shuttles."

"Fragments of my life flash before my eyes like a rewind."

"So I took a taxi and paid the fare~" Gong Cheng got into a taxi. Fine raindrops hit the car window, and the raindrops became colorful under the streetlights, reflecting a series of scenes.

"I know the final destination of this journey, but I am still on the road."

Gong Cheng's voice, enhanced by Auto-Tune, exudes a helpless honesty, while the background harmonies rise like a thin mist, softening the sharp pain in the lyrics.

Immediately afterwards, the music video went dark.

Suddenly, an award announcement burst into Zhang Yuanying's headphones: "The winner of the 61st Grammy Award for Record of the Year is—"

The scene then transitions to the opening sequence of the music video...

An endless black sea, with waves surging under the night sky. The angle of the aerial shot seems to correspond to a teaser poster released earlier for this album. Gong Cheng, captured by a drone, floats in the center of the sea, appearing somewhat small, and his face is not clearly visible, just a slender black shadow.

In the headphones, the sound of crashing waves roared for a few seconds, and then the dark coastline, centered on Gong Cheng's figure, suddenly began to brighten... The shimmering scene under the moonlight was like a movie in reverse, suddenly flashing with neon colors.

Multicolored lights, like dreamy bubbles, coalesced on the sea surface, creating a scene reminiscent of "the moon reflected in water," flashing like a revolving lantern display of the live broadcast from this year's Grammy Awards ceremony. "The winner of the 61st Grammy Award for Production of the Year is—"

“TTTarot!”

Amid the hysterical shouts of the award presenters, the headphones were instantly filled with deafening cheers.

Zhang Yuanying stared in shock at the screaming faces reflected on the sea.

"Ah ah ah ah..."

As the cheers, screams, and the sound of the waves gradually faded away.

The vocals of "Street Lights" resumed once again.

"Streetlights, their glow fading away~"

"Fragments of life that I have experienced..."

The scene kept flashing back and forth between Gong Cheng sitting in a taxi and the Black Sea.

"On this lonely street~"

"Heading towards the destination of this journey~"

After Gong Cheng got out of the car, his tall figure stood under the streetlights, bathed in a warm yellow glow. He looked up slightly, gazing at the sky where the light rain had stopped. A drone was shooting his face from above, his cheeks bathed in the streetlights, warm, sad, and yet powerful.

"..." Zhang Yuanying looked at this face, not knowing how to describe it. It seemed to have experienced many vicissitudes, but the eyes were still clear and bright.

As the drone's camera angle gradually rose to match the singing, she recognized the area being filmed as Gangnam District.

When they reached a high enough angle, Zhang Yuanying and Jiang Huiyuan simultaneously covered their mouths and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my god!"

In the distance, the streetlights of the entire Gangnam district flickered under the thin mist, like shattered starlight scattered in the night. And the blurry circles of light gradually... as the drone ascended.

The streetlights, viewed from above, pieced together Gong Cheng's face, eyebrows, eyes, and features, twinkling and shimmering like yellow stars.

"Dafa!"

Jiang Huiyuan murmured in shock.

The song continues: "I'm just still on my way~"

Life is inherently unfair.

The fleeting streetlight icon fades away, and the music video ends in a white room. On a counter sits a silver microphone, surrounded by frames displaying numerous music awards.

The Grammy's phonograph design is extremely eye-catching.

Zhang Yuanying speculated, "Could it be the room where Oppa left the music industry back then?"

"I'm just still on my way~" came Gong Cheng's hoarse singing voice.

With a casual gesture, he pushed open the door and stepped into the frame. Gong Cheng came to the counter displaying hundreds of trophies and picked up the microphone.

Life is inherently unfair.

The song ends, the music video ends, and the screen goes black...

……

In an instant, the live chat exploded with comments: "Aigoo! Oppa is really coming back to the music scene!"

"The fog has returned..."

"Peerless Divine Skill!"

"My dears, I'm sobbing..."

Amidst the overwhelming barrage of comments...

……

While sitting on set, Lim Yoona watched the music video for Gong Cheng's new album. She was very concerned about her sponsor's depression, especially since the songs were so heartbreaking.

With red eyes, she opened Gong Cheng's chat window: "Want to hook up?"

[The younger male sugar daddy]: "Register first, then wait for your number to be called!"

(End of this chapter)