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墨書 Inktalez
Staring out the window, she vaguely saw a plane flying by and wondered if it was the one carrying Cat and Hogga. Anna opened the wardrobe, where hung the red scarf that Hogga had wrapped around her neck last Christmas. She had always wanted to return it but kept forgetting, and now it suddenly came to mind.
Anna took out the scarf; it was still soft and warm. She stared at it for a long time before putting it back in its place.
When this enormous web was torn apart, she never expected it to be so brutal and painful.
After so much struggle and gritting her teeth, when the truth finally came to light, she realized that it would have been better to live forever in that dream without waking up.
This had been a long-lasting war; no one was a winner. Everyone was battered and exhausted, their hearts already riddled with scars, having changed with the passage of time. The state of mind changed, and so did the person.
Once changed, it became difficult to return to the original self.
Hogga remained in their lives in an indelible way. It was a pain that both she and Park Chan-yeol could not mention yet could not avoid. Time would not erase it.
The phone rang again; it was Kwang-soo calling. Anna closed the wardrobe, picked up her phone, and returned to the window.
"Hello, Anna."
"Oh, Brother Kwang-soo."
"Tomorrow is Sister Jihyo and Brother Gary's wedding. Aren't you the bridesmaid? I'm the best man; we need to arrive early. I'll pick you up so we can go together."
"No need, I can drive myself."
"Do you know the way?"
"I..."
"Alright, I've been to that place. I'll pick you up early tomorrow morning."
"Okay, that sounds good."
"Great, see you then."
"Goodbye."
Life continues to move forward. This little-known anecdote can only be buried deep within Anna's heart, unable to be shared with anyone. After all, there are too many heavy causes and effects involved. Experiencing it once is already exhausting.
Whether Jin Yu Cheng appeared to save Anna at that time is not something worth pondering deeply. After all, someone like him always has his own plans; a win-win situation is the best outcome.
News reports have begun to announce that Park Chan-yeol will return to EXO after some time. Fans are overjoyed, so happy that they are brought to tears. Anna feels truly calm, a smile playing on her lips.
Sometimes, you travel across the seas in search of love,
Other times, you lose yourself in the passage of time.
After experiencing trials akin to life and death, one realizes that being able to sleep peacefully beside the person you love is not as simple as one initially thought.
In dreams, who is it that comes to wipe away your tears?
It has become a secret known only to oneself.
A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. When she opens it, she sees a much older Han Yoon-soo.
"Come in," Anna says.
Han Yoon-soo looks as if he has found a treasure; his eyes are red but he smiles brightly.
"Okay, okay."
"Please sit down," Anna said.
Anna and Han Yoon-soo sat on the sofa, with Anna secretly wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes.
"You don't need to feel indebted to me. You have your own life, and I have my own life. It's just that I really can't thank you; after all, there have been too few days where I've felt happy."
"Anna, I was really wrong. I'm so sorry," Han Yoon-soo said, crying.
"If you say you were wrong, then who made you make that mistake? Haven't I made mistakes as well... Let's just leave it at that; it's all in the past. If you want to come by in the future, feel free to do so. But please give me some time; when I get used to the existence of 'mother,' then I can call you that."
"Anna..." Han Yoon-soo wiped her tears. "Anna, I've thought it through. I'll find a way to dissolve my marriage with my husband, so you and Chan-yeol won't be siblings anymore. Then you both can..."
"No need for that," Anna interrupted her. "Things between us have already changed. He is no longer the Park Chan-yeol he used to be, and I am no longer the Anna Zheng I once was. There is too much distance between us now, too many secrets, too many things he doesn't know about the dirtiness of it all, and there's also a Hogga that will never disappear. What happens in the future will be left for later." Anna thought of something and continued, "Now that the Park Group is essentially gone, Park Chan-yeol will return to the stage. What about you? What are your plans?"
"I'm planning to sell the old house in the suburbs and move to Gangnam... so I can be closer to you."
Anna smiled bitterly and remained silent.
Han Yoon-soo looked at Anna's gaunt face and cautiously said, "Can I cook some noodles for you?"
Anna hesitated for a moment; Han Yoon-soo noticed her hesitation and felt a bit disappointed.
"Sure," Anna said.
Hearing her affirmative response, Han Yoon-soo smiled happily and immediately stood up to head toward the kitchen.
Anna still felt a bit dazed. She sighed lightly and glanced at Han Yoon-soo, who was busy in the kitchen, remaining silent. Quietly, all that could be heard was the sound of water boiling in the pot.
The wedding of Ji-hyo and Gary is undoubtedly a major event in the entertainment industry and something that the public is keenly interested in. However, they did not want to attract a lot of reporters on their wedding day, turning it into a press conference rather than a celebration. Therefore, they rented a semi-private resort where the ceremony would take place, allowing only close friends and family to attend.
Despite this, after years of navigating the entertainment world, they had made quite a few friends in the industry. From the music scene to idols, actors, and producers, there was hardly enough time to greet everyone.
Watching Brother Jae-seok and others chatting animatedly like they were at a leadership meeting, Anna was busy helping Ji-hyo prepare for the wedding, feeling overwhelmed.
"Hey! Gary! At this time, you can't find the wedding ring? Do you even want to get married?!" Hearing that Brother Gary had misplaced the five-carat wedding ring he picked up just yesterday, Sister Jihyo was about to lose her mind.
"Don't be angry... I gave it to Kwang-soo... Hey! Lee Kwang-soo, where's the ring?" Brother Gary was trying to calm Ji-hyo while asking Lee Kwang-soo.
"I distinctly remember it being in my pocket. How could it be gone..." Lee Kwang-soo was also sweating profusely, searching everywhere but finding nothing.
"Is this it?" Anna spotted an exquisite box hidden under Ji-hyo's white veil gloves in the corner.
"That's it, that's it." Gary quickly took it and checked; the ring was intact inside.
"Oh dear, Sister Jihyo, it was just covered by your own things that you couldn't see it," Kwang-soo remarked.
Ji-hyo slapped him on the head. "Things like this should be kept by the best man; stop making excuses."
"Now that you're married, you still don't know how to be gentle..." Lee Kwang-soo muttered quietly as Ji-hyo turned away.
The wedding felt like a battle—hastily yet solemnly proceeding. Once the ceremony was finally over, Anna let out a sigh of relief.
Starving and with nothing else to do, she quickly grabbed a plate and filled it with food, planning to sit down and eat something. The exquisite buffet had every dish appealing to her taste.
"It's so nice to see girls dressed like this; can't you eat more gracefully?" Jung Kook sat down beside her and joked.
"Jung Kook?" Anna swallowed her food and smiled. "Long time no see."
"You still remember me after such a long time? Everyone was looking for you and thought you had vanished," Jung Kook said.
Anna smiled apologetically.
Before long, Seok and Kwang-soo also came over with their trays.
"I heard from Miao PD that, Anna, once the Christmas holiday is over, you're coming back," Jae-seok asked.
Anna nodded, "Yes, the truth has come to light, and I will be going back."
"It seems like you're in good spirits. Have you figured out the things that were bothering you?" Jae-seok asked.
"What things?" Kwang-soo asked in confusion.
"None of your business," Yoo Jae-suk joked.
"Well, I've figured it out."
"That's good to hear," Jae-seok said with relief.
"What’s going on? So mysterious," Kwang-soo complained. Looking at Anna in her dress, he added with a smile, "But you look really good in that outfit. You should wear it more often. Stop wearing flat shoes and jeans all the time; it lacks femininity."
"Why do you care? If I dressed like this every day, how would I work? I'm not a star or model standing around for people to look at."
"Hey, if you want to be an actress, I can recommend you," Kwang-soo said with a laugh.
"Come on now," Jung Kook replied. "Do you think everyone is like you, dreaming of starring in movies every day? Everyone has their own dreams. I want to be a singer, Brother Jae-seok wants to be a host, and Anna wants to become an outstanding producer. Everyone can live their own way. Besides, who says that just because someone looks good, they have to become an actress?"
"I only said one thing; why are you so chatty about it?" Kwang-soo retorted.
"There's more, do you want to hear it?" Yoo Jae-suk continued.
"Alright, alright, I give up. I can't argue with you guys," Kwang-soo said. "But we have to get back to work soon. I originally wanted to invite you all to the Cat's Paw Bar tonight, but for some reason, it's closed."
"Closed?" Jung Kook exclaimed in surprise. "With business being so good, they should at least transfer it if they're not running it anymore. There must be many people wanting to take over. What a pity. If I had known, I would have talked to that Boss Lady about taking over. Even if I stop being an artist in the future, I could still have a job to support myself." Jung Kook laughed at his own self-deprecation.
"Yeah, I find it strange too," Lee Kwang-soo said.
"If it's so sudden, then there must be something urgent going on. Who knows? Kwang-soo loves to have fun; he'll find a new place soon enough," Yoo Jae-suk teased with a smile.
Anna remained silent, offering a faint smile in agreement but lost her appetite.
She knew that Cat's Paw would never open its doors again because the cat there had already left.
"Anna, what's wrong? You suddenly stopped talking," Lee Kwang-soo asked, noticing Anna's silence.
"Oh, it's nothing," Anna replied awkwardly with a smile. "I just got a bit tired while eating."
"You can get tired from eating? You're something else," Lee Kwang-soo laughed as he got up to grab some more food since his plate was already empty.
Anna thought for a moment and asked Jung Kook, "By the way, Jung Kook, do you remember that friend with silver hair?"
"Yeah, what about him?"
"You said you saw him in Germany once? Or was it at the hospital?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know what illness he was visiting for?"
"Well, how could I possibly know that? Patient information is confidential."
"Oh." Anna looked lost.
"Why are you asking these questions?"
"Nothing much, just concerned, you know, friends," Anna said with a smile.
"Silver hair, not very old. Anna, you actually have a friend who's that age," Yoo Jae-suk said in surprise.
"He's not old; it's just his hair color," Anna replied.
"That's amazing... I really want to meet him if I get the chance," Yoo Jae-suk said with a smile.
"Yeah, I met him briefly, and he's quite handsome," Jung Kook added.
"I can't see him anymore..." Anna murmured softly. Her nose tinged with sadness, and tears almost fell; she quickly sniffed and forced a smile.
"What? Who can't you see anymore?" Jung Kook vaguely heard.
"It's not... I mean, he will be in Germany from now on, so I won't be able to see him again," Anna said, trying hard to put on a smile.
Yoo Jae-suk pointed at Anna with a mischievous grin and said, "Oh, Anna, look at how sad you are. To be honest, do you like that friend?"
"What do you mean like? Brother Jae-seok, when did you become so nosy?" Anna replied.
"You’re so sad just because he’s leaving Korea. I thought you still liked Park Chan-yeol. Although he treats you well, I feel like there's some mismatch in status. Now that you've developed feelings for someone else, that's a good thing," Jung Kook said.
"I already said it's not like that..." Anna found it hard to explain. She felt increasingly flustered inside.
"Who do you like?" Kwang-soo asked as he walked over with a plate full of food, his understanding only partial.
"Definitely not you," Yoo Jae-suk joked.
"Why couldn't it be me? I'm quite good," Kwang-soo replied.
Anna chuckled, "Good? Where? How come we didn't notice?"
"That's because you all lack an aesthetic eye, or maybe it's just that my goodness isn't so obvious, which proves I have depth," Kwang-soo began his enigmatic self-assurance.
"I can't be bothered to deal with you."
Yoo Jae-suk glanced at the two of them, smiled lightly, and said nothing.
Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what flavor the next one will be. Perhaps the one in front of you is bitter and sour, but the next could be sweet and delightful, leaving a lasting aftertaste. Only when you reach the last piece will you know what flavor your life has ultimately been. Patience is key; savor each piece without missing any, or else how can life be complete?
"Anna, no matter how many heart-wrenching things you've encountered during this time, once you start working again, you need to set your goals and move forward diligently. You owe it to yourself, understand?" Yoo Jae-suk advised earnestly.
"I understand, Brother Jae-seok. I will."
"I can see that something has happened to you. If you don't want to talk about it, just make your own adjustments. You're so close to your dream now; you mustn't give up halfway again."
"Yes, definitely. Thank you, Brother Jae-seok."
"Hey? Anna, you're here so early. Are you so excited to be back at work that you couldn't sleep?" Dong Wan rushed into SBS Building and saw Anna hurrying over as well.
"I am excited, but sleeping isn't a problem; otherwise, I wouldn't have the mood to work today," Anna said with a smile.
"Wow, your hair has grown quite a bit; it looks much better this way."
Anna smiled apologetically and said, "I just didn't feel like cutting it."
"Tomorrow is the official start of work. I don't know why we have to come to this meeting today, and so urgently. With so few people working, there's no one to crowd the elevator," Dong Wan said, looking at the elevator that had just arrived and opened its doors. Inside, there were only Anna and Dong Wan, a stark contrast to the usual crowded scene.
"Who knows? Maybe it's about the official start of work tomorrow, just some early briefing," Anna replied.
" Ji-hyo and Brother Gary went on their honeymoon. They should be back in time for next Monday's recording, so it works out fine."
"I really envy them."
Dong Wan chuckled and said, "I see you and Kwang-soo are getting a bit distant because of your departure. You two aren't breaking up, are you?"
Anna laughed lightly, "Brother, why are you still so nosy? If feelings fade, people will part ways; if feelings are strong, they will stay together. It's just how it goes naturally. You should focus on yourself; when will you introduce me to a sister-in-law?"
"Why is this about me?" Dong Wan said innocently. "I need to focus on my career right now; I don't have the energy to think about those things."
"It's just that fate hasn't arrived yet. When it does, you can't stop it," Anna said.
"Alright, alright, I'm scared of you now. I should have known better than to bring this up."
As Anna looked at the approaching elevator, she suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Dong Wan, did Han Yufei say anything when she left?"
Dong Wan thought for a moment. "Not much; she just admitted her mistake. Then she said goodbye to everyone and left."
"Oh." Anna nodded thoughtfully.
"Don't overthink it; she knows she was wrong. Nothing will happen, so don't worry."
Anna raised the corners of her mouth slightly. "It should be like that."
"Recently, the ratings for Running Man have started to decline again, showing no signs of improvement. Everyone is feeling quite exhausted." As the elevator doors opened, the two stepped out, and Dong Wan continued, "A few days before the break, I saw Miao PD being called in for a talk by the higher-ups. I wonder what they discussed."
"What could it be?" Anna asked as she walked alongside Dong Wan.
"Who knows? Anyway, I don't think it's anything good," Dong Wan replied as he pushed open the conference room door. To his surprise, besides Ji-hyo and Gary, the other five members of Running Man were already seated in the meeting room, along with Zhao Xiaozhen, who was now the Deputy Director of SBS Variety Department.
What was going on? Anna immediately became alert, observing the serious expressions on everyone's faces. Such expressions made it hard for Anna to associate them with anything positive. The first day back at work felt much heavier than she had imagined.
"Oh, Anna, Dong Wan, you're here! Please take a seat," Miao PD said.
Both of them stopped talking and quietly sat down.
Anna glanced at Seok and Kwang-soo sitting across from her, deep in thought with their heads down, showing no response. Park Soo Eun seemed to be focused on her own materials. Miao PD and Zhao Xiaozhen called Jae-seok over to a nearby partition and began discussing something in hushed tones that she couldn't make out.
Once everyone had arrived, they returned to their seats.
Miao PD seemed to have made a significant decision; he sighed and looked at everyone with confusion before speaking up. "The reason I've called you all here today is to announce something...," Miao PD hesitated for a moment before glancing at Minister Zhao Hyun-jin and finally said, "It's about Gary's departure."
"What?" Everyone could no longer contain their emotions—shock, panic, surprise, disbelief. "How could this be? Why?"
Anna remained silent; she chose to observe the situation first and see Jae-seok's reaction. However, Jae-seok maintained a blank expression and did not speak. Anna understood that Jae-seok's lack of reaction only confirmed the undeniable fact of Gary's departure.
Seeing the chaos in the room, Minister Zhao Hyun-jin spoke up. "Alright everyone, please calm down and listen to me."
The conference room finally quieted down.
"Zhao PD... oh no, I mean Director Zhao, why did you suddenly decide to let a member leave? It's been so difficult for Running Man to get to this point; how can we do this?" Dong Wan asked.
"What I want to say is... Running Man has been a program that I've cherished since the beginning. I don't want any personnel changes either. However, everyone needs to understand one thing: before Running Man is a family or a collective, it is first and foremost a program. What are the conditions for a program to survive long-term? Hmm? Dong Wan, what do you think?"
"The audience's affection, the quality of the show, the ratings."
"That's right. I believe that not just Dong Wan, everyone should understand this principle. The ratings crisis for Running Man has lasted too long. It is a flagship program airing during prime time on weekends, featuring top variety stars like Yoo Jae-suk, Kim Jong Kook, and Mr. Haha. Without ratings and freshness, how can it be sustained?"
"Then there's no need to suddenly change members," Park Seok interjected.
"It’s not sudden," Miao PD replied. "This idea has been in discussion since before the Christmas holidays. Gary and Ji-hyo decided to get married, so the Monday Couple is no longer the focus. Ji-hyo has performed well as a female member, but Gary's presence has diminished over the past year."
"But changing members doesn't necessarily guarantee better ratings," Chi Seok-jun said.
"This is what I’m about to say: if this change in members does not help recover the ratings, then Running Man will... will come to an end," Minister Zhao Hyun-jin stated.
Anna never imagined that while she returned, Running Man was facing such a crisis. During previous periods of low ratings, there had already been discussions about changing members, and now it had come to this point. The current situation was beyond anyone's control. For most shows, to the audience, it feels like a youthful crush rather than true love. At first, there is a sparkle in the relationship, but gradually it fades away; this is a natural law that cannot be stopped. Unless you can transform that affection into genuine love. Clearly, Running Man is not doing well enough at present.
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