sbdcsierra Chapter 1398 Trance
Chapter 1398 Trance
Chapter 1398 Trance
"Ok?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Sehun's eyes widened, realizing the possibility as well: "There really is such a possibility!"
"Tsk tsk, as expected of our XO's center, even in something like this, he still has to stand right in the center!"
Chi Jingyuan suppressed a laugh and clicked his tongue in a comical way.
Just then, Kim Jongin walked into the practice room. Ji Kyungwon immediately looked over. The kid looked radiant and full of energy, obviously having had a good time and resting well these past few days.
Just thinking about his relationship with Jennie Kim gave Ji Kyung-won a strange feeling.
"what's the topic?"
Kim Jongin came in and greeted everyone, then, noticing the stares, he walked to the side and gave Oh Sehun and Ji Kyungwon a strange look: "Why is everyone looking at me? Kyungwon's gaze is really odd~"
He looked down at his clothes and the door, asking, "What's wrong with me?"
Chi Jingyuan quickly shook his head:
"Ani, no, he's super handsome."
…………
In the afternoon, Ji Kyung-won went to KBS TV station.
After discussing it with him, the company arranged for him to be the MC for this year's KBS Year-End Song Festival. He came here to pick up the script and to talk to the PD of the Song Festival about the key points of the job and the time to rehearse together.
Ji Kyung-won hadn't been to KBS for a long time, and this time he noticed something different from before.
The area appeared rather quiet, with a few scattered flags and slogans outside the gate. Although the ground had been swept, some debris was still visible, and the atmosphere at the entrance felt somewhat desolate in the winter.
Once inside the TV station, although the heating had dispelled the previous chill, the place felt quite empty. There were far fewer staff members coming and going, and many seemed to be deliberately keeping their voices low and quiet. The atmosphere gave Chi Jingyuan only the feeling of desolation.
Seeing the state of the television station, Chi Jingyuan couldn't help but shake his head.
The major television strike that began in September this year brought shockwaves to both KBS and MBC, the two major broadcasting stations. Not only were many programs canceled, but the actual operations of the stations were also greatly affected.
MBC has experience and resumed operations last month, and I've heard they're recovering well. But KBS clearly intends to hold on, and there's still no sign of recovery.
Seeing the atmosphere around us, it really makes one wonder if this year's Song Festival can still take place. I heard that there are only seven or eight groups in total for the entire event, and the MCs are directly selected from each group.
However, the show's producer seemed very enthusiastic.
"...Jingyuan-xi, although this year's Song Festival is not large in scale, we will not relax the overall requirements. And since you are the MC, we are planning to increase the proportion of MCs a little... We can't waste your popularity, haha."
"I heard you're filming a new TV series? We'll discuss the rehearsal schedules for those MCs with your company and try to make it convenient for you to come..."
PD even knows that Ji Kyung-won is currently filming "The Spy," so he has obviously been keeping an eye on him.
Since the other party was so considerate, Ji Jingyuan naturally didn't put on airs. He was very humble and even a little flattered, so he bowed and said, "PDnim is joking. Of course, I will coordinate with the TV station's schedule... Just follow the usual schedule. I will definitely take leave to come back for rehearsals."
He felt a little helpless. His manager had told him that the MC job was easy and that he was only MCing the first half, so he only needed to rehearse and didn't need to practice much.
It seems the organizers have a new idea now; knowing he's coming, they want to increase the MC's screen time and role.
But now that I've already accepted the offer, it's impossible to back out at the last minute.
"Then I'll take my leave, PD-nim."
After chatting amicably with the production team for a while, Ji Kyung-won took the newly acquired MC script, said goodbye to the group, and left the office with his manager.
"Well."
As soon as he stepped outside, Chi Jingyuan immediately relaxed a little.
“Normally, the Song Festival rehearsals are held two days in advance, around the 27th.” Assistant Choi Ji-chang took the script from Chi Kyung-won and put it in his bag, then followed Chi Kyung-won toward the Heavenly Ladder.
"Hmm, if I had known... never mind."
Chi Jingyuan felt a little soreness in his neck. He shook his head and nodded slightly. He regretted taking on the MC role a little and wanted to complain, but after thinking about it, he didn't say anything.
Putting that aside, Chi Jingyuan thought about tonight's gathering and began to give some instructions:
"By the way, bro, I think I'll be drinking tonight, you..."
But Chi Jingyuan stopped halfway through his speech.
Because he saw a figure walking towards him from the opposite direction.
The girl was wearing a light beige short down jacket with soft white down feathers standing up at the collar, and the hem just covered her waistline, revealing the edge of a dark gray fleece-lined sweatshirt underneath.
She wore light brown fleece-lined sweatpants with the cuffs bunched up on black platform cotton shoes.
Her face was sweet, but her eyes and brows looked somewhat tired.
Minatozaki Saka?
Upon seeing the person who had just arrived, Chi Jingyuan was slightly taken aback.
What is she doing here?
Oh yes……
Ji Jingyuan remembered that Minatozaki Sana was also an MC for this KBS Song Festival. He had just heard his manager mention that there were four MCs in total: he and Park Chanyeol were male, and Bae Joo-hyun and Minatozaki Sana were female.
Sana Minatozaki came here probably to do the same thing as him.
Thoughts flashed through his mind, but Chi Jingyuan quickly regained his composure. The ease and smile he had shown while chatting with his assistant vanished, replaced by a deliberate stiffness.
After reflecting on his own actions and with Jung Eun-ji's reminder, Ji Kyung-won now realizes that some of his previous thoughts stemmed from misplaced anger, and that he had misunderstood and hurt someone as a result.
Just as Jung Eun-ji said at the time... the only thing she did wrong was to like him.
Ji Jingyuan felt apologetic, and even Jung Eunji could see it... but for various reasons, or perhaps because of his pride, he chose to ignore it.
But choosing to ignore it doesn't mean that he can completely ignore it psychologically. Every time he sees Sana Minatozaki, Chi Jingyuan feels a little awkward.
Adding to that the confrontation at the gym, after learning about Sana Minatozaki's feelings, the relationship between the two underwent a subtle change, and Ji Jingyuan sometimes had some strange thoughts.
This triggers a conditioned reflex, making one want to stay away from it.
It seems that as long as one remains silent, maintains the previous state, and remains aloof, there is no question of who is right or wrong.
Anyway... we're not people we see often.
Seeing Sana Minatozaki walking towards him, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, revealing a very faint, almost imperceptible smile. He nodded slightly at Sana Minatozaki, his eyes only briefly meeting briefly before he looked past her and turned to the manager behind her.
"Europe……"
Sana Minatozaki was talking to her manager when she looked up and saw Ji Jingyuan. She was startled, then her eyes lit up slightly and a smile appeared naturally.
She only managed to say the first words of greeting before Chi Jingyuan's gaze swept past her, and they quickly brushed past each other.
Sana Minatozaki, whose smile had been on her face, froze, seemingly at a loss for what to do.
Did he see himself? Yes.
Did he call? Yes, he did.
But that indifferent, stranger-like attitude made Sana Minato's heart skip a beat.
She pursed her lips, her sweet smile turning somewhat bitter, clearly recalling the stiff and awkward relationship between the two of them.
...Originally, after the previous collaboration on stage, she thought things would be better, and even the resentment and anger in her heart had faded a bit.
It turns out that it was just her own opinion.
After remaining silent for a few seconds, Sana Minatozaki only started walking forward again after being reminded by her manager.
One step, two steps.
She had only taken two steps when she couldn't help but stop, turn her head, and look over there.
In sight, Chi Jingyuan walked quickly while gesturing, seemingly talking to his assistant beside him, without any intention of stopping.
A brief silence followed, a bitter taste in his mouth.
Sana Minatozaki glanced at her manager, who had a strange expression, tucked her hair behind her ear, and smiled sweetly: "Let's go, Oppa."
The two quickened their pace and entered the PD's office that Chi Kyung-won had just come out of.
"I might drink tonight, not just possibly, it's a certainty."
"Brother, could you pick me up later, and then..."
On the other side, Chi Jingyuan continued the previous topic, giving instructions to his assistant.
Cui Zhichang was listening attentively to Chi Jingyuan's instructions, but suddenly there was no sound.
He looked over curiously, only to find that Chi Jingyuan, who had just been explaining things to him, suddenly stopped just as he was about to turn the corner and pass the bend.
Chi Jingyuan turned around and casually looked back in the direction they had come from.
Seeing Chi Jingyuan's actions, Cui Zhichang also looked back in confusion.
But there was only an empty corridor; the people from before had long since disappeared.
"Crack~"
Footsteps approached, and when Cui Zhichang turned around again, Chi Jingyuan had already silently walked away, the sound of his shoes hitting the ground seeming a little heavier than before.
…………
"Sana, your data in Japan has been very good lately. Your search volume is growing rapidly, the most among the group members, and you've gained a lot of new fans."
"The effect of this MAMA collaboration stage is already evident; the song 'Uchiage Hanabi' is still incredibly popular."
After leaving KBS, Sana Minatozaki returned to SBS, where Twice, who had just made a comeback, were recording a program all day.
As she approached Twice's waiting room, she ran into their manager, Kim Sang-min. Upon seeing her, he grabbed her arm and beamed, sharing the good news:
"The company will increase its resource investment in you in response to this situation, and we'll also add more styles of the upcoming merchandise sets for you... Fighting~"
"Thank you, Oppa~"
Upon hearing the news, Sana Minatozaki's eyes lit up, and her complexion seemed to improve. She immediately bowed and thanked them, saying, "I will do my best."
She cherished her collaboration with Ji Kyung-won on the "Uchiage Hanabi" stage and put in all her effort, never slacking off even when she was sick. Now that it has finally paid off, she is naturally happy from the bottom of her heart.
I was on stage then. The memory of making eye contact with Ji Kyung-won and being cheered by the whole audience still comes to mind.
Just after the initial joy, the chance encounter with Chi Jingyuan, where they brushed past each other as if ignored, immediately extinguished the happiness that had welled up inside, as if a fence had been erected in their way.
"Sigh, if it weren't for this song, and if there were more live performances, the effect would definitely be even better..."
Watching her manager shake her head and leave with a slightly wistful expression, Sana Minato pursed her lips, pushed open the door, and walked into the dressing room.
The lounge was quite spacious. The six members were chatting, catching up on sleep, or doing their own things. A few people were not there.
"Sana is back~"
"Did you get the script? How does it feel?"
"This time, Jingyuan oppa and the other two members of EXO will be MCs, right? When will they rehearse?"
When they saw Sana Minatozaki return, the group greeted her with words or glances, and some even asked her questions with concern.
Sana Minatozaki smiled sweetly and said softly as she walked inside, "I got it. It feels great. They said we'd rehearse together a couple of days before the party, hehe~"
"So warm!! Wow, Dahyun's body is so warm... and so soft!"
She answered every question, making sure to reach out to everyone who asked, leaving no one out.
As she walked past the sofa and passed behind Kim Da-hyun, she playfully placed her cold hand directly on Kim Da-hyun's neck, giggling.
Kim Da-hyun shivered from the cold, her brows furrowing immediately, but she didn't push Minatozaki Sana's hand away. Instead, she squeezed it and said, "Unnie, your hands are so cold. Are you wearing too little?"
"I opened the window for a bit when I came in," Sana Minatozaki explained with a smile, leaning her head over the back of the sofa and giving Dahyun a close hug.
"Why are you standing in the wind when it's so cold?"
"It feels quite comfortable~"
She chuckled and offered an explanation, without mentioning that it was because she was in a bad mood. After spending some time with Kim Da-hyun, Sana Minatozaki casually glanced to the side as she stood up, where Tzuyu was scrolling through her phone.
The photo displayed on Chou Tzu-yu's phone made Minatozaki Sana pause slightly—it was Ji Kyung-won, whom she had just met half an hour earlier.
In the photo, Ji Kyung-won is wearing a suit and looks very handsome.
Many media outlets reported on Ji Kyung-won's attendance at the premiere of "Along with the Gods" last night, and Chou Tzu-yu was clearly looking at such news at that moment.
But... is it really necessary to look at a photo for this long?
Because in Sana Minatozaki's line of sight, Tzuyu stared at the photo for a long time without moving an inch.
Sana Minatosaki didn't make a sound to disturb Tzuyu, and quietly walked to the small sofa in the corner and sat down.
She took out her phone, intending to browse some news to pass the time, but her fingertips hovered above the screen before suddenly stopping.
The manager's instructions, Chou Tzu-yu's focus when facing the screen, and the scene of her chance encounter with Ji Kyung-won backstage at KBS not long ago all flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
After a two-second silence, she gently slid her index finger down to open the text message interface. Her finger quickly slid down the screen and found the chat history with Chi Jingyuan.
The most recent conversation was during the last time we played the "Who to reply to first" game, and I sent it out through the game... but I didn't get a reply.
Going back a little further, we have to go back to the beginning of the year, when he was still dating Mina, at that time...
Scrolling up the chat history, Sana Minatozaki looked at the casual and friendly text messages between him and Ji Jingyuan, and suddenly became lost in thought.
The familiarity between the lines now seems incredibly distant.
She couldn't help but open the photo album again, and it took her a long time to find the many photos she had saved before, including many of her and Chi Jingyuan's. In the photos, the two of them looked a little immature back then, especially her, whose cheeks were even a little chubby.
It really has been a long time.
Sana Minatozaki slowly looked at these photos, which seemed to have become somewhat blurry in her memory. Suddenly, her emotions surged, and she felt a slight sting in her heart, as if something had gently pricked her.
She sighed softly to herself, closed the photo album, and opened a webpage. However, instead of opening the news as she had planned, she skillfully opened a YouTube live stream and put on her headphones.
"My blood, sweat, and tears..."
At the beginning of the video, a cacophony of voices and sound effects accompanied by the music of "Blood Sweat & Tears" filled the air. The video was somewhat shaky, but it remained firmly focused on the person in the center of the stage, Chi Kyung-won.
This is a fancam of Ji Kyung-won during EXO's stage performance at last year's DMC.
Unlike his previous fancams, Chi Jingyuan's dance moves in the video appeared noticeably stiff. In particular, his right arm remained hanging limply at his side throughout the entire video, without any exertion. Some of his arm-raising movements were also omitted in this manner.
Amidst the shaky camera work, one could vaguely see him occasionally furrowing his brow and clenching his teeth, as if enduring some intense pain.
Sana Minatozaki has watched this fancam many times. Sometimes when she's in a bad mood, she naturally wants to watch it. It has become a kind of established habit for her.
It seems that doing this can relieve some of the pressure she is under.
When Ji Kyung-won performed, he was criticized for "slacking off" because he didn't move his hands much, which became a hot topic and he was attacked by many haters.
Even today, many anti-fans in the comments section are still accusing Ji Kyung-won of slacking off, saying that this video is the biggest evidence.
"Who dances without even moving their hands?"
This is a comment that has been highly upvoted and has received many likes.
But for Sana Minatozaki, others may not know the details, but as someone who experienced it firsthand, she is also a victim and someone who is being protected.
The experience that once filled her with fear and dread has now become an inseparable and important memory in her idol career, reminding her of the warmth of being protected without hesitation.
Every time she sees this fancam, it seems to give her a brief moment of warmth and security, like being protected and rescued without regard for her own safety.
"My blood, my sweat..."
As she looked, her vision suddenly became a little blurry.
With a shift in light and shadow, the surrounding scenery changed, and Sana Minatozaki, who was originally on the sofa in the lounge, suddenly found herself in what appeared to be a coffee shop.
"Sana, don't you like the wind?"
Sitting across from her, Chi Jingyuan was making slurping noises while biting his straw. When he couldn't get any more out, he looked up at her with a smile and said, "You guys don't have any schedules either, right? We happen to be free today, so let's go for a drive."
He wore a simple white shirt, his hair framing his face in a few wisps; he looked very handsome, just the style she liked.
Sana Minatosaki was somewhat stunned by what she saw, especially the affectionate and even doting expression on her face, which she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Just a drive? It's just a drive, Oppa? It's been so long since we last met."
But the unprecedented scene did not make Sana Minatozaki feel awkward. On the contrary, she instantly got into character, tilting her head sweetly and playfully.
It was as if this dialogue and this scene had been repeated countless times.
"Where do you want to go? Anywhere is fine, since you're dressed so beautifully today."
"Oppa, it's not just my clothes that make me look good~"
"I wanna go……"
“Sana…”
Just as Sana Minatozaki was keeping everyone in suspense, her eyes meeting Chi Jingyuan's with a charming look, a familiar voice suddenly came from her ear, and a distinct force came from behind, patting her back twice.
Sana Minatozaki suddenly woke up, the sweet atmosphere and space she had just shared shattered instantly. Her slightly blurry vision quickly cleared, and Chi Jingyuan disappeared. All that remained in front of her was the large face of Momo Hirai, who was grinning at her and urging, "Get up, it's time to record the show."
"Ah, oh..."
Sana Minatozaki shook her head and gave a deep reply.
"My blood, my sweat..."
The music in her ears was still loud. She looked around and saw that it was still the SBS waiting room, and the members around her were slowly standing up, ready to start working.
It turned out she was too tired and had fallen asleep.
Sana Minatozaki supported herself on the armrest of the sofa, stood up, and took off her headphones at the same time.
But just as she took off her headphones, detached herself from that familiar music, and stood there alone, the lingering melody of slumber enveloped her.
Looking around, in a daze, I suddenly felt an urge to cry.
...I once dreamed that we were inseparable.
When I woke up, I found that we were like strangers.