Peninsula: My cheat code is unscientific

Chapter 72 Sunny Under the Confused Tree
"Look! We've even exchanged numbers! Don't hide it from me anymore! Don't worry, I won't hold it against you for lying to me before about not knowing about the scary parts of RM!"

Yoona stared at the glaring "Yoona 2". Although she already knew that Kang Cheol and Taeyeon had exchanged numbers, she didn't expect it to be this kind of nickname.

Her eyes were twitching. She felt as if she had become a part of the play between Kang Cheol and Taeyeon unnie, and that they were actually letting Kang Cheol off the hook because of her.

She almost blurted out, "Unnie, don't you know who the king and queen are?!"

She forced herself to swallow back her complaint, her mind already racing with a hundred ways to settle scores with Jiang Che, but right now, Taeyeon's matter was more important.

Yoona was silent for a few seconds, as if she had gone through a fierce internal struggle, and then sighed:
"...Okay, unnie...she...didn't cause you any trouble, right? Didn't she say anything strange?"

"No way! Absolutely not!" Taeyeon immediately shook her head vigorously.
"We had a really good chat! We clicked really well!"

But as she spoke, her gaze began to wander unconsciously.

Yoona's lips twitched uncontrollably again as she looked at her. What kind of drug did Kang Cheol give Taeyeon unnie?!

She took a deep breath, trying to calm the urge to punch someone, and asked:

"So...unnie, is there something you need to contact her about?"

“It’s just…” Taeyeon clutched the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at Yoona, her voice barely audible:
"I just wanted to ask her... when can we meet up next time? When is it convenient for us to... chat? Because chatting with her is really enjoyable and relaxing..."

Looking at the usually most thoughtful leader in the group, Yoona felt a complex mix of emotions as she watched him display such an almost pleading, expectant expression because of a secondary personality.
She originally intended to say that the alternate personality would not reappear, thus completely extinguishing Taeyeon's hopes.

But as the words were about to come out, she suddenly remembered what Jiang Che had said—Taeyeon unnie's breakdown and crying after getting drunk in Macau, and the heavy pressure she usually faced.

My heart softened for no reason.

Well, let's just consider this... giving Taeyeon an outlet for her emotions. Anyway, they won't meet in person, so let's just be online friends.

"If you want her to come out," Yoona lowered her voice and began to improvise rules:
"I usually have to wait until night, when I'm asleep and my mind is more relaxed, to do that."

She glanced at Taeyeon's eyes, which lit up instantly, and added:
"Since you've already exchanged contact information... then send her a message tonight. I'll... try my best to get her to come out and reply to you."

"real?!"

Taeyeon was so surprised she almost jumped up, grabbing Yoona's hand, but then asked worriedly:

"Will this have any negative effects on your health? Will it make you very tired?"

She remembers that in many movies and TV shows, switching between dual personalities is very mentally taxing.

"No, don't worry, Unnie."

Yoona shook her head and gave her a reassuring smile. She wasn't lying about that; after all, the so-called "release" was really just letting Kang Cheol chat with Taeyeon.

Taeyeon nodded, but then, as if suddenly remembering something important, she tentatively whispered:
"Then...you wouldn't be spying on our messages, would you?"

Yoona's lips twitched involuntarily again, and she thought to herself helplessly, "Not to mention I don't even want to see it, even if I did... I wouldn't be able to see it."

She helplessly spread her hands:

"Don't worry, I don't even know what his phone password is."

"Mmm!" Taeyeon was finally relieved and happily held her phone, tapping and swiping on it, probably thinking about what messages to send that night. She was radiating a light and happy feeling.

Just then, the door to the lounge was pushed open, and Sunny strolled in after finishing her phone call.

Looking up, I saw Taeyeon and Yoona standing very close together again. Taeyeon's smile was so sweet it was almost dripping with honey. Was Taeyeon faking it all this morning? Now she's not studying vocal music properly, but studying military strategy instead?

Her eyes darted around, and she decided to cut to the chase and go straight for the kill! 'She's determined to get to the bottom of this today! If Yoona admits it, she'll risk her life to bring these two wayward teammates back on the right track!'

If Yoona denies it...that would be perfect for Taeyeon to give up. Look at her, it's clearly unrequited love; a short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one!

Thinking of this, Sunny walked over in a few steps, plopped down between the two, and forcibly separated them.

Taeyeon and Yoona were both startled and stared at her blankly.

Sunny looked directly at Yoona and said something shocking:
"Yoona, what do you think about Taeyeon liking you? Give Taeyeon an answer, okay?"

puff--!
Taeyeon almost choked on her own saliva and wished she could just strangle Sunny.

She clearly likes the alternate personality... not the primary personality! If Yoona knew I liked her alternate personality... wouldn't that bother Yoona? And then she wouldn't show the alternate personality anymore!

Overwhelmed by shame and panic, Kim Tae-yeon jumped up, her voice trembling:

"Hey! Lee Soon-kyu! What nonsense are you talking about? Are you delusional?! How could I possibly like Yoona! We're just friends! Best friends! The best of friends! Don't talk nonsense!"

Yoona was also caught off guard by Sunny's direct attack, and mentally she cursed Jiang Che a hundred times over.

But she reacted very quickly, immediately displaying a shocked and absurd expression, as if she had heard the biggest joke ever:

"How could Taeyeon unnie possibly like me? Unnie, stop messing around! We've always been best friends and teammates! If this gets out, it'll cause a huge problem!"

She paused, then added decisively:
"Anyway, I definitely don't like Taeyeon unnie! I absolutely don't have that kind of thought!"

Upon hearing this, Taeyeon secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness… The dominant personality seemed to think Sunny was joking and quickly chimed in:
"Exactly! Sun-kyu, you're getting more and more outrageous!"

However, Sunny was completely dumbfounded at this moment.

She anticipated two possible outcomes:

'Either Yoona admits it, then it's option A, and she'll do everything in her power to bring them back to the right path.'

Either Yoona will deny it in shock, then option B should appear—Taeyeon will definitely give up, and Yoona can comfort her appropriately.

But to her utter surprise, option C appeared!

Yoona denied it, but Taeyeon's reaction... why did she seem relieved?! Normally, if someone is truly in love with a teammate and is exposed to their face and rejected without hesitation, shouldn't they feel embarrassed, sad, and upset?
What's with Taeyeon's relieved expression? Is it her acting? Impossible! If Taeyeon's acting was that good, I could have grown 10 centimeters taller!
So... I was just overthinking it? They're actually fine? All those interactions in Macau were just me seeing them through a shipping lens?

Then how do you explain the strange atmosphere between them, their intimate little gestures, Taeyeon's unusual attitude...?
Sunny looked at one teammate who seemed to be asking, "Are you alright?" and the other who seemed to be saying, "Thank goodness you're alright." For the first time, Sunny had serious doubts about her own observation and reasoning abilities.

　Ugh, everyone, you really need to keep reading! Otherwise, who knows if it'll pass censorship later on? A lot of things are missing from chapter 68 already, including 500 words of crucial content.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)