Chapter 42: What Do You Mean by Like

"Christmas Eve is just a couple of days away. We don't have any schedule that day. Are you planning to go out and do something?"

"Of course I'm going to spend it with you guys."

"Oh, please, Rina. Don't use us as an excuse for your cowardice."

Compared to the two younger members of the group, Yujin, being much closer in age to Karina, was actually better at reading the other girl's mind.

Take acting spoiled, for instance. The captain, who always presented a strong front to the world, would only occasionally reveal her childlike side in front of her.

She understood Yu Jimin, and she knew that the girl's heart wasn't nearly as strong as she pretended it to be.

The youngest daughter of the Yu family actually rather enjoyed being coddled.

"I just need to think about it some more." Rubbing her hair, Yu Jimin had gradually calmed down from that momentary rush of excitement.

Carefully examining her current situation, she found it hard to muster the determination to enter into a relationship.

The agency was caught in internal strife, the group was effectively shelved, and during this blank period lasting half a year, they didn't even have the opportunity to hold livestream broadcasts to solidify their fan base.

If she were to... choose to accept a romantic relationship at a juncture like this, wouldn't it seem far too selfish?

"If he asks you out, then go."

"Him?"

"He'd never ask me out."

The girl pouted her lips and muttered a soft complaint, lazily kicking off her cotton socks, using a plush doll as a makeshift pillow, and lying down on the sofa just like that.

Staring wide-eyed at the ceiling above, the girl's vision gradually began to blur.

***

"Sunbaenim Ji-eun had me ask you, there's an audition opportunity in a couple of days, are you planning to go give it a try?"

Not long after returning home, Lin Shouxia received a phone call invitation from Lee Do-hyun.

This guy was a absolute workaholic; the moment he opened his mouth, the conversation was all about work.

"What project?"

"Death's Game."

"Wait, why is hyung telling me this? Shouldn't it be our company's manager?" Lin Shouxia rubbed his head. Having just downed a bit of red wine, his head was spinning, and his speech wasn't entirely coherent.

"Because that's my personal connection..." Lee Do-hyun spoke in a low voice. Since it was an opportunity he had secured through his own efforts, he intended to recommend Lin Shouxia to try out and see if he could land a supporting role or something similar.

After all, he did feel a sense of indebtedness. Without the collaboration with Lee Ji-eun back then, the chance to gain his initial batch of attention—let alone where he was today—would hardly have existed.

Carrying the sentiment of repaying a favor, Lee Do-hyun naturally recommended Lin Shouxia, whom he thought was pretty decent, when the director's team was looking to cast actors.

"Prep properly. It's not a very difficult role, so don't embarrass me."

"Understood, hyung." Lin Shouxia's voice sounded calm, but inwardly he was actually quite thrilled.

Having the opportunity to participate in the filming of a television drama is an unmissable chance for an artist who started out as an idol.

If one wants to gain status in the industry and shake off all sorts of labels, debuting as an actor is undoubtedly the best choice.

For the production crew, before confirming suitable candidates for the roles, they had to organize auditions anyway. Lee Do-hyun's recommendation simply added one more name to their list.

If the audition went well, without a doubt, they would have more options.

If they were unsatisfied with the audition, they would simply send the person away, and Lee Do-hyun wouldn't have anything to say about it.

Yet for Lin Shouxia, it was a marvelous opportunity—an exceptional chance to squeeze into the acting circle.

"Your voice doesn't sound like it's in a very good state. Get some proper rest."

Lee Do-hyun gave a few more words of instruction and was just about to hang up the phone when a lingering voice sounded from the other end.

"Hyung..."

"What do you call liking someone?"

After pondering for a long time, the man, unsure of the girl's intentions, intended to seek some outside help. Lee Do-hyun was older than him by six years, after all, and should have more experience in such matters.

"Huh?"

Lee Do-hyun was momentarily stunned. As for such an abstract concept of emotion, he couldn't explain it clearly right away.

"Probably... having the thought of wanting to spend a lifetime accompanying her."

"It's like feeling nervous and excited the moment you see her, but feeling a sense of longing and regret when you can't see her."

"Anyway, it's a very tangled, conflicted kind of feeling."

"Why ask about this all of a sudden, though?"

"Did you meet someone you like?"

"No." Lin Shouxia hastily denied it, dragging in his older sister—who was currently at home binge-watching a drama—out of desperation. "It's my sister. She seems to be in a relationship."

"Huh?"

"Oh..." Lee Do-hyun wasn't a particularly gossipy person. After asking that single question, he quieted down and didn't pry any further.

Still... after considering it for a moment, he felt that certain things still warranted a couple of reminders.

"By the way, Christmas Eve is coming up soon. If you have any thoughts of going on a date, you can choose to invite her then."

"Hyung, I already said it's not about me..."

"I'm just giving you some advice. Have a nice date~"

"Tsk..."

After hanging up Lee Do-hyun's call, Lin Shouxia lay alone on that single bed. Even though he had drunk some wine and his head was dizzy, sleep simply refused to come.

He bit his lower lip, lit up his phone screen once more, and looked at his chat window with Yu Jimin.

"Christmas Eve is a great time for a date."

He recalled what Lee Do-hyun had just instructed and even had the thought of placing a call to see, but after glancing at the clock on the wall, that impulse was helplessly suppressed by his own reason.

It was already very late; who knows, maybe Yuzi had already fallen asleep?

Tossing and turning, the man still couldn't fall asleep. Letting out a sigh, he put down his phone and walked over to the window once again.

As the largest city in South Korea, Seoul was still bustling and brightly lit even in the dead of night.

Yet this hustle and bustle did not belong to him.

He lazily set up a chair on the balcony, retrieved a can of chilled beer from the refrigerator, and tried to distract himself with small sips.

Just as he was planning to crack open another can of beer, the sound of a telephone ring echoed in his ear. The moment he answered, a cute and languid voice rang out:

"Shouxia-xi, why haven't you gone to sleep so late?"

"Probably because I anticipated that you would call me?"

"So I haven't been able to fall asleep the whole time."

"Tsk..."

"Then why couldn't you sleep just because I was going to call?"

"Could it be because you wanted to hear my voice?" Yu Jimin buried her head under the duvet, her voice small and soft, sounding like voice-acting from an animation as it traveled into the man's ear.

"Huh?"

"Isn't that it? I thought you couldn't sleep because you wanted to hear my voice. If that's not it, we might as well just hang up."

Yu Jimin let out a soft humpph, shifting all the blame onto Lin Shouxia. Since he wasn't sleeping for no good reason, and it wasn't because of her that he had insomnia, she had no obligation to take responsibility for it.