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墨書 Inktalez
How did I suddenly end up buying these?
Anna got into the car and saw the bag placed in the passenger seat, feeling a bit regretful. Although it wasn't her first time giving a gift, she felt somewhat embarrassed about giving it to Han Yoon-soo.
How should she say it? How could she hand it over in a more natural way?
Throughout the journey, Anna kept thinking about this question.
Finally arriving at the door, Anna let out a long breath and gathered her courage to knock.
"I'm coming."
Soon, Han Yoon-soo's delighted face appeared, "Anna, you're here? Come in, come in!"
Anna smiled lightly as she walked into the house, but as soon as she entered the living room, she froze in place. The bag in her hand fell to the floor, and all the hairs on her body stood on end.
"You... how are you here?" Anna asked in extreme panic.
Indeed, the person before her was Andy.
Andy was smiling all along, that harmless smile, but only Anna knew what was hidden behind it. Miki hadn't guessed wrong, and neither had Park Chan-yeol; given Andy's personality, he would indeed return to Korea. Anna had thought that Andy would come looking for her, but she never dreamed that he would appear in Han Yoon-soo's home.
"Sister," he greeted with a smile, sending chills down Anna's spine.
Han Yoon-soo happily walked over, picked up what Anna had dropped on the floor, and pulled Anna aside to sit down. "Andy just came back from Italy and came to see me. Didn't you tell Anna? She's so surprised." Han Yoon-soo looked at what was in her hand. "What is this?"
Anna forced a smile and said, "Oh, this is a scarf and hat I bought for you."
Han Yoon-soo was extremely happy and eagerly tried them on. "They're so nice, so nice! Thank you, Anna..."
"Nothing," Anna said.
Han Yoon-soo quickly put away the things Anna had bought and said, "It's almost noon. I'm going to cook; let's have lunch together." As she spoke, she tied on an apron and walked toward the kitchen.
"Mom, do you need my help?" Andy asked.
Anna looked at him in disbelief upon hearing his words.
"No, you two haven't seen each other in a long time. You should catch up," Han Yoon-soo said as she entered the kitchen.
The smile on Andy's face gradually faded away.
He took a cigarette out of his pocket, intending to light it.
"Don't smoke. Don't you know she has asthma?" Anna intervened.
Andy smiled coldly. "When did you become so close with her? Your relationship is really good, buying scarves and visiting. My sister is truly filial."
"When did you come back?" Anna asked. "What do you want to do now that you're back?"
"Didn't I say? I just returned from Italy. Don't worry, I didn't expose you. I told our mother that I came back after finishing my work there. How's that answer? Are you satisfied, sister?" Andy broke the cigarette in half and tossed it into the trash can.
"What exactly do you want to do? She's very pitiful right now; don't you know that? No, you must have known about Han Yoon-soo being our mother all along. Why are you doing this?"
"I warned you long ago to stay away from Park Chan-yeol. Why didn't you listen?"
"Andy, I'm begging you. Even if you're back now, please don't act like before. Just live your life well and don't cause any trouble, okay?"
Andy chuckled. "I'm your brother. Why do you always side with outsiders? Why don't you ask me what kind of life I've been living there, huh?"
“Andy, as long as you promise not to do anything bad anymore, we can live like we did when we were kids, taking care of each other, okay?”
Andy looked at Anna coldly, a mocking smile curling at the corners of his mouth. “Everything I lost, I will reclaim piece by piece.” He stood up, looking down at Anna. “That bastard Hogga is dead, and Jin Yu Cheng is also on borrowed time. Let’s see this time who you can team up with to deal with your own brother.”
“It’s not that I want to deal with you, Andy. Why don’t you understand? You’ve brought yourself to this point.”
“Even if that’s true, so what?” Andy said with a smug smile. “Things are different now; everything is back under my control. But don’t worry, sister, today I realized having a mother feels really good. We’re still family. So while I still want us to be a family, don’t touch my bottom line again. Otherwise, this time no one will be able to save you.”
“You!” Anna understood that she wouldn’t compromise, but she couldn’t be as weak as before either. She had no protective shield left; she could only rely on herself. Anna met Andy’s gaze without backing down.
“It seems that with me around, this meal won’t be enjoyable.” Andy chuckled nonchalantly as he walked past Anna into the kitchen and said to Han Yoon-soo, “Mom, I have to go; suddenly there’s a meeting I need to attend.”
“Are you leaving already?” Han Yoon-soo asked. “It’ll be ready soon. It’s so cold outside; why not eat something before you go?”
“No thanks, I’ll come by whenever I have time. I’m not leaving Korea again. From now on, I’ll always be here with you,” Andy replied with a smile.
“Alright then,” Han Yoon-soo nodded appreciatively.
“Then I’ll take my leave now, Mom.” After saying this, he looked at Anna and said, “Goodbye, sister.”
With that, he left the room.
Anna stood there, unsure of what to say. She felt pain in her clenched fists; she didn’t know how to stop Andy.
“Anna, what’s wrong? You seem preoccupied,” Han Yoon-soo asked during dinner when she noticed Anna was lost in thought.
“It’s nothing,” Anna replied but then thought for a moment and added, “By the way, what did Andy say when he came today?”
Han Yoon-soo explained, “He said you told him about my situation, so he came to see me right after returning from Italy.” At this point, Han Yoon-soo smiled appreciatively. “I didn’t expect Andy to hold any resentment towards me. I really feel guilty, but seeing that you both are doing well makes me very happy.”
“Andy he...”
“Andy what happened?” Han Yoon-soo asked.
Anna thought for a moment, but ultimately chose to conceal the truth. She smiled and said, “Andy is quite busy, but I will come over as soon as I have time.” Anna looked around the room and added, “You must take good care of yourself when Chan-yeol and I are not around. Chan-yeol is currently living in the dormitory. How about this? Can I move in with you for a while? It’s closer to work.”
“Anna, is that really true? Are you willing to live with me?” Han Yoon-soo could hardly believe that Anna would suggest such a thing; it was something he had longed for.
“Of course! After we finish lunch, I’ll see if Brother Kwangsoo has time to help me move,” Anna said with a smile.
“Great, that’s wonderful! Let’s eat quickly,” Han Yoon-soo exclaimed joyfully. “Hurry up, or it will get cold.”
“What’s going on? Suddenly asking me to help you move?” Kwang-soo complained while sorting through things with Anna. He had just come from the gym and was still in his workout clothes.
“Brother Kwangsoo, do you remember you told me you saw Andy?” Anna asked.
“Yes, but I must have seen wrong,” Kwang-soo replied, confused.
“You didn’t see wrong; that person was indeed Andy,” Anna said with a bitter smile.
Of course, Kwang-soo couldn’t understand the connection and continued his task, asking, “But where are you moving to?”
“I’m moving to Han Yoon-soo’s place, which is my mom’s,” Anna said softly.
“You two? Have you finally reconciled? Have you come to terms with it?” Lee Kwang-soo asked cautiously.
“What do you mean come to terms? I can’t just pretend not to see when there’s danger,” Anna murmured quietly.
“What?” Kwang-soo didn’t catch that clearly.
"Nothing much. Hurry up and pack," Anna said.
"But, Miao PD has been transferred to another program. Can you and Dong Wan handle it? Originally, we were supposed to celebrate your promotion to PD with Brother Jae-seok, but with the current situation, no one feels like celebrating," Kwang-soo said.
"Yeah, there's nothing worth celebrating anymore. The budget has been cut, and even the main PD has been reassigned. We're almost out of options. I just had to step into this position at this time; everyone understands how it is," Anna said helplessly.
"Are you giving up?" Kwang-soo looked at Anna.
Anna smiled, "Of course not. I will stick it out until the last day."
Kwang-soo chuckled softly, not saying anything further, and carried a box downstairs to put it in the car.
"Good thing your car is big; otherwise, with my small car, I don't know how many trips it would take. Normally, I don't think we have that much stuff, but once we start packing, there are so many boxes and bags that it's not enough," Anna said from the passenger seat, glancing at the back of Kwang-soo's car filled to the brim. "Thank you so much, Brother Kwangsoo," Anna smiled.
"By the way, does Andy know about your mother's situation?" Kwang-soo asked.
"He knew early on," Anna replied with a bitter smile.
Kwang-soo glanced at her and asked, "Why do I feel like you're not happy at all that Andy is back?"
"There have been too many things happening lately; I really can't feel happy," Anna said.
"Is it because of Running Man?" Kwang-soo asked.
"It's a bit of everything."
"I heard that there’s already a rough plan for the new show; they’re just waiting to finalize it and do a trial shoot. If the trial shoot goes well, then they’ll choose fixed members and responsible staff for the program. Miao PD will definitely be the main PD for the new show. If Running Man really comes to an end someday, you need to be prepared. It's natural to feel reluctant and sad, but your goal is not just Running Man; it's to become an outstanding program PD. Even if Running Man really ends, your dream still exists."
"Why are you suddenly saying all this today?" Anna was a bit surprised; Kwang-soo rarely talked seriously about these things with her.
"I think if Running Man ends, I won't invest so much energy in variety shows anymore. After all, my goal is to become an excellent actor. Running Man has given me so much; no other show will make me feel this way. However, of course, I might still occasionally participate in some variety shows," Kwang-soo said with a smile.
"I feel the same way. If Running Man ends, I think I would want to take a break for a while and plan a show of my own. At that time, I would be the main producer and choose the hosts and staff according to my ideas. We would start from scratch together," Anna said. "But as long as Running Man exists, I will give it my all until the end. Just like you, it has given me too much."
"Hey, that's quite ambitious. If you plan your own show, I might reconsider what I just said and join as a regular cast member," Kwang-soo joked mischievously.
"How can you be so inconsistent? You change your mind faster than you change girlfriends," Anna teased.
"Not at all! My girlfriend is still you. I tell you, since the first snow until now, I haven't seen any other woman. I've been saving that 500-won coin," Kwang-soo said proudly.
"Are you kidding? Who would believe you?" Anna shot him a glance. "Our fake relationship isn't even mentioned in the newspapers anymore. If you dare to use that to mock me again, I'll definitely give you a beating."
"Alright, alright, I'm scared of you," Kwang-soo laughed. "Are you hungry? I haven't had lunch yet; I'm starving."
"I'm full from lunch and not hungry at all," Anna replied. "But could you help me bring the stuff upstairs later? There should be plenty of good food that just needs reheating."
"Okay, I was thinking about how there's a Chinese restaurant nearby that has great jajangmyeon."
"Since you're helping me move, let's put everything away first, and I'll treat you to jajangmyeon, okay?" Anna said.
"I was waiting for those words," Kwang-soo said happily.
Anna smiled and fell silent as she looked out the window. She could vaguely see the apartment building where Han Yoon-soo lived. At this time, the streets of Seoul were starting to get congested again; it had been cloudy all day and was now much darker. Hogga was gone, and Park Chan-yeol had become just an ordinary friend. Anna Zheng could only protect herself and those around her now.
Life is truly exhausting. It’s only now that she realizes pursuing dreams is already hard enough, but chasing them without worries is also extremely difficult. Dragging one heavy sandbag after another makes the path to her dreams slower and slower. Yet how easy is it to let go of those sandbags? Once released, she wouldn't know who would get hurt; their tears would hurt more than her own blood.
Thus, Anna could only tightly bind those sandbags to her shoulders.
She understood what Andy meant by his possessions; Anna never intended to help Jin Yu Cheng. Regarding Jin Yu Cheng, there was the Yoo Jae-suk incident before and the Hogga incident after. Although that shot may have saved her life, Anna could gauge how much selfishness Jin Yu Cheng had—one was to eliminate a hidden danger, and the other was to repay a favor owed to Anna at that time.
Winter is clearly coming to an end, yet why is it still so cold?
Once the seeds of hatred are sown, they either need to be completely burned away, or they will take root and sprout, becoming difficult to remove.
Anna had thought before that there would come a day when her relationship with Park Chan-yeol would be exposed, but she never expected that it would happen not when they were dating, but at such a critical moment now.
Moreover, the relationship between Anna and Lee Kwang-soo, which had gradually faded from the media's memory, was brought back into the spotlight. This time, in front of a confused public and amidst sensationalized news reports, Anna was completely portrayed as a bad woman who was dating Lee Kwang-soo while cheating with Park Chan-yeol.
Anna finally experienced what it felt like to be pointed at by thousands.
Photos appeared online and in newspapers. Although Brother Kwangsoo stepped forward immediately to clarify that they had peacefully separated to reduce some of the pressure on Anna, this could not stop public opinion from stabbing Anna like sharp knives.
And what other choices did Park Chan-yeol have at this point?
If he admitted to their relationship, Anna Zheng would become the target of everyone's scorn. As he looked at the news and those reports, he could never have imagined that things would turn out this way.
What reason could explain their intimate actions in those photos?
Of course there was a reason; this reason severed all possibilities between them.
The nominal 'sibling relationship' between them could only be publicly acknowledged. When it came time to inform their agent so he could draft a statement, Li Agent said nothing but shook his head and sighed. Park Chan-yeol turned around and walked to the rooftop; he had almost forgotten the taste of nicotine after not smoking for so long.
This time, he understood that he and Anna Zheng were truly finished. The last glimmer of hope between them had been completely extinguished.
In one day, public opinion shifted several times. Anna was exhausted. When she saw the statement released by Park Chan-yeol, she knew that public opinion would gradually calm down. But her heart was finally shattered beyond repair.
They salvaged this turmoil through self-destruction.
Was it fate or human intervention?
In Anna's heart, she could probably understand a bit. In this world, there are not many who know these things and can profit from them.
"Anna, when did you break up with Brother Kwangsoo? We didn't even notice. No wonder every time we see Park Chan-yeol recording Running Man, you two seem to be quite familiar with each other. You really kept it well hidden," Park Soo Eun said, half comforting and half teasing. After all, the matter had settled down, and she didn't think it was that serious.
"Yeah," Anna replied with a bitter smile.
Anna's mind was a mess because starting today, Park Chan-yeol would really become her brother. From now on, in front of the world, they would forever be siblings. Why did it hurt so much inside?
They joked for a while longer before returning to their work. Just as things quieted down, the studio door was suddenly pushed open.
Anna and the others jumped in surprise to see Director Zhao standing at the entrance with a furrowed brow, and everyone sensed that the atmosphere was not good.
"Anna Zheng, come here for a moment. I need to talk to you," Director Zhao said.
"Okay." A sense of foreboding arose within her.
Following Director Zhao out of the studio, Anna asked, "Director Zhao, what do you need to talk to me about?"
Director Zhao sighed and said, "Just come with me."
Since starting at SBS, this was Anna's first time stepping into the office of the Variety Department head. Inside the office was Minister Kwon, who was already waiting. Anna had only seen him from afar and had not spoken to him much. He was serious, which made Anna feel a bit intimidated.
Anna bowed and greeted him; Minister Kwon glanced at her but did not speak.
"Sit down, Anna," Director Zhao said.
"Thank you, Director Zhao," Anna replied as she took a seat. Director Zhao also sat down beside her.
An extremely oppressive silence filled the room, and the air was thick with an awkward yet severe atmosphere.
"You are Anna Zheng," Minister Kwon finally spoke.
"Yes, Minister Kwon," Anna replied respectfully and cautiously.
"The little girl, so young with a pretty face, is about to ascend to the heavens," Minister Kwon's words, filled with anger and disdain, began to slowly dismantle Anna's mental defenses. "Who brought her in?" Minister Kwon asked.
"It was me, Minister Kwon," Director Zhao said.
"Do you know how much trouble she has caused all by herself? We've already held two press conferences. Are we supposed to treat her like a deity? Did you bring in a staff member or an untouchable immortal? Huh? How do you even do your job?" Minister Kwon questioned Director Zhao. "And someone like her has been promoted to the PD of Running Man?" Minister Kwon said as he threw the personnel adjustment plan onto the table. "If you dare to use someone like this, it's no wonder Running Man is getting worse by the day. With such improper conduct and atmosphere, how can anyone focus on making a good show?" The more Minister Kwon spoke, the angrier he became. He glared at the head-down Anna. "Look at you, involved with Miao PD, Lee Kwang-soo, and now dragging in an idol like Park Chan-yeol. They say flies don't buzz around an egg without cracks; what is going on with you? Less than four years of work, two press conferences, multiple absences, long leaves—are we supposed to treat you like a big star?!"
"Minister Kwon, I didn't—"
"You didn't?" Minister Kwon sneered and threw a newspaper directly at Anna's face. "Which of the incidents reported here isn't true? Huh? Tell me!"
The sting on her face from the humiliation left Anna feeling both angry and wronged, yet she had no strength to refute him. The moment she stepped into the office and saw Minister Kwon, she realized that this time, her connection with SBS was likely coming to an end.
"Minister Kwon, things are not as you think. Anna takes her work very seriously; she is talented and hardworking. It's just inexplicable why so many issues seem to be linked to her," Director Zhao knew that Minister Kwon was being excessive, but due to his authority, he couldn't overstep.
"You find it inexplicable? I can't make sense of it either," Minister Kwon slammed the table. "Right now, because of this Anna Zheng, rumors are flying outside, and everyone is questioning our hiring standards. Girls should cherish themselves and not be so shameless. If you were upright and proper, why would so much dirt be thrown at you? Why isn't it thrown at others?"
Anna felt helpless; she knew there was no turning back now and could only helplessly lift the corners of her mouth.
"You can still smile? It's truly astonishing how thick-skinned you are," Minister Kwon became even more furious.
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