Chapter 25: Sour, the Taste of Jealousy

Although he was still a newcomer and, by all accounts, could not yet be considered a household name with significant fame, Lin Shouxia’s debut performance had been stellar. Coupled with the tag of being associated with Lee Ji-eun, he stood out as one of the most impressive rookies of his cohort in terms of buzz and recognition on forums.

Of course, he was not without his critics. Even his own fans often remarked that their "oppa" didn't seem very bright, and his appearance on *I Live Alone* had firmly linked him to the word "dim." Yet, aside from that, there were no other points of contention for netizens to discuss in dedicated threads. While such a personality might be off-putting in other contexts, in the entertainment industry, it served as a unique, contrasting charm that garnered him considerable attention.

Liu Zhimin, naturally, was well aware of his shortcomings. He was a fool who would only realize he was freezing long after the fact, and he was hopelessly dense when it came to matters of the heart.

He walked the streets of Seoul wearing a hat and mask, his mind still lingering on the girl back in the practice room. He had belatedly realized that Liu Zhimin seemed angry, yet he had failed to comprehend the reason for her frustration. Come to think of it, he hadn't been in the right headspace all day, wasting most of Liu Zhimin’s morning. Was she angry because he had squandered her morning but had scheduled work with Shin Yuna for the afternoon? But... he hadn't wanted it to be this way. Some things, like his collaborative stage partner, were simply beyond his control. Perhaps... he should bring a small cake as an apology?

"Hey, are you still going to look at her?"

The sound of an argument nearby caught the man’s attention. He glanced over to see a young couple quarreling. The girl’s brows were furrowed, her face puffed up in annoyance, while the boy beside her scratched his head and bit his lip, looking utterly innocent. The familiar scene caused the man to slow his pace. He wandered through the chilly Seoul wind, glancing at the couple from time to time.

"I—I just have a normal colleague relationship with her."

"A colleague relationship? You were practically face-to-face; is that still a colleague relationship? If I hadn’t brought you food today, how much longer were you going to hide it from me?"

The girl was frowning, her fists clenched as she reached the crux of the argument, her face full of grievance.

"I didn’t mean to hide it from you... Queli and I were assigned to the same project team by the company. I couldn’t help it."

Familiar scenes and familiar dialogue. Standing under the shade of a tree, Lin Shouxia watched the bickering couple, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he were looking into a mirror.

"You must be happy performing with Yuna-xi, right?"

"Yuna-xi is coming soon, isn't she? I'll clear out for you right away."

Liu Zhimin’s voice echoed in Lin Shouxia’s mind, sounding sharp and jealous.

"If you're jealous, you can just punch me twice to vent."

The bickering of the couple pulled Lin Shouxia’s thoughts back to reality. *Jealous... so that’s what jealousy tastes like? If Nuna is jealous, then she must like me, right?*

The slow-witted man touched his forehead, the corners of his mouth curling up into a goofy, involuntary smile. The weather seemed quite nice today. The sunlight bathed him in warmth, making him stretch lazily. As his pace quickened, the gloom that had shrouded his heart vanished.

Holding two cups of coffee, he hurried to the door of the practice room. The previously quiet room finally came to life with his arrival. He reached out to shake the girl leaning against the wall and placed an iced Americano into her hands.

"Why did it take so long?" The girl paused, looking up at his smiling face, a sense of stifled frustration in her heart. It was nearly noon, and according to the schedule, she would soon have to leave LOEN and return to the dorms. *This guy is smiling so happily... Is it because he’s about to see Shin Yuna?*

"I went all the way to Dongdaemun to buy it."

"You went that far?"

"Young-ro told me you like the taste there."

"As long as it's you—"

"Knock, knock, knock..."

As a knock sounded, the man swallowed the words he hadn't finished. He looked back to see Lee Ji-eun, wearing headphones, standing before them.

"What’s going on with you two? The atmosphere is so bizarre."

Passing by Lin Shouxia’s practice room, Lee Ji-eun had been intrigued by the open door. She peered inside, noticing the heavy, stifling atmosphere. Liu Zhimin sat cross-legged on the floor with furrowed brows, while Lin Shouxia stood guard beside her with a solemn expression. One would think this was the scene of a young couple having a lover's spat. She noticed there was coffee here, too?

And yet, there wasn't a cup for her. This Lin Shouxia—she was, after all, a national treasure-level singer who had collaborated with him and helped promote him, yet he didn't even think to bring her a cup. He really had no respect for her.

"Sunbae," the girl climbed up from the floor and respectfully greeted the senior singer.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Discussing the stage," the man replied, his voice lazy, lacking the vigor he had possessed just moments ago.

"Is Yuna coming soon? Have you finished your work?"

Noticing the strange atmosphere, Lee Ji-eun instinctively assumed Lin Shouxia’s old habits had surfaced again. She darkened her expression, attempting to put pressure on this easily flustered man.

"Yes, Yuna-xi is coming soon." As if a program had been triggered, the moment she heard Shin Yuna’s name, Liu Zhimin’s voice turned sour again. "Shouxia-xi, I won’t cause you any more trouble. I'll leave now and clear the spot for Yuna-xi."

"Huh?"

Lee Ji-eun frowned, realizing things were not so simple. *Clear the spot... what kind of strange talk is that?* She looked back at Lin Shouxia and saw that not only was there no anger on his face, but he was also radiating a natural, irrepressible joy. *Good grief... he isn't a masochist, is he?*

Lee Ji-eun looked left and right, then decided to slip away; she didn't want to get involved in the affairs of her juniors.

"Nuna, what are you talking about?"

Unlike his usual "punching bag" persona, Lin Shouxia stood straight and imposing. Conversely, it was Liu Zhimin who shrank back, her argument losing its weight and her confidence wavering.

"I said I won't cause you any more trouble."

"And the next sentence?"

"I'm clearing the spot for Yuna-xi."

"Oh..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shouxia’s expression became peculiar; despite his straight face, one could see traces of a suppressed smirk. So... he had guessed correctly. Liu Zhimin was jealous, wasn't she? Jealous of him—that was right, wasn't it?