Just then, another reporter took the microphone and asked a question that surprised Ou Yangguang:
"Ouyang, in 'The Heirs,' you and Kim Ji-won played step-siblings, and in 'We Got Married,' you were a virtual couple. Did this dual relationship confuse you while acting? In real life, do you tend to see her more as a sister or a wife?"
This question elicited a burst of good-natured laughter from the audience, and even Park Shin-hye, sitting next to her, couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. The atmosphere instantly lightened considerably.
Ou Yangguang was visibly taken aback for a moment, then chuckled. He subconsciously touched his nose, a slightly shy gesture that made everyone laugh.
“Ah, this question…” He paused, seemingly thinking seriously, before answering with a smile, “When filming, I would completely immerse myself in the role of Choi Young-do, who treats Rachel (Kim Ji-won's character name) as a younger sister he has to accept, and his feelings towards her are very complicated. But when recording 'We Got Married,' I would switch back to the role of Oh Sunny, Ji-won Noona, who is a very warm, considerate, and sometimes mischievous… wife.”
When the word "wife" was mentioned, his ears turned slightly red, but his eyes were bright.
"So it's not confusing at all; on the contrary, it's a very interesting experience. As for real life..." He drawled, revealing a slightly sly smile, "That's a secret; I'll leave it to everyone's imagination."
He skillfully defused the question, answering it while maintaining suspense and a sense of humor, eliciting knowing smiles from the reporters in the audience and making the atmosphere of the press conference even more lively.
Backstage, the director and screenwriter came over, patted him on the shoulder, and expressed their satisfaction with his performance.
"Yang Guang, you did a great job, you really captured the essence of Choi Young-do," the director said with a smile. "You also answered the last question very cleverly."
"Thank you, director. I will continue to work hard." Ou Yangguang bowed slightly.
After letting go of the tension from the press conference and getting into the car back at the company, Ou Yangguang felt a deep sense of exhaustion wash over him. He leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples.
My phone vibrated; it was a message from Kim Ji-won.
"You did a great job at today's press conference! Your speech was superb! And that last question... your answer was pretty good, Mr. Secret? (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧"
It was followed by a little lion emoji.
Looking at his phone, imagining her cute, teasing expression, Ou Yangguang finally smiled, his first truly relaxed and warm smile of the day. He replied:
"Thank you, Noona. Rather than Choi Young-do, I'd rather be Oh Yang-yang, who belongs only to you. The secret... belongs to both of us."
Just after the message was posted, Chenghuan's voice came from the front row: "Yangguang, it's Yixing's birthday. The members are all having dinner together tonight, right? It's at a restaurant near the company. We've already made a reservation."
Ou Yangguang looked up at the city lights of Seoul just coming on outside the window. His body was exhausted and wanted to rest, but thinking of his promise to Yixing that morning, and the fact that the team needed to stay focused right now, he nodded: "Okay, I'll go."
The gathering was held at a hot pot restaurant with good privacy. The members arrived one after another, including Kris, who remained silent in a corner. The atmosphere was slightly more lively than during the day in the dorm, but there was always a barrier between them; even the laughter seemed deliberate and restrained.
Everyone took turns toasting Zhang Yixing, offering their blessings. When it was Ou Yangguang's turn, he raised his glass, looked at Zhang Yixing, and said, "Brother, happy birthday. You've worked hard." A thousand words were ultimately reduced to these simple words.
Zhang Yixing looked at him, seemingly understanding his unspoken words. His gaze was complex, but it eventually turned into a smile full of gratitude and understanding. He clinked glasses with him and said, "You've worked hard too, Xiao Guang."
The dinner didn't last long, as everyone had plans for the next day. Stepping out of the restaurant, the night breeze was cool. The members walked back to their dormitories in twos and threes.
Ouyang Guang and Zhang Yixing were left behind.
“Brother,” Ou Yangguang said softly, looking at the backs of the other members ahead, “No matter what happens in the future, we…we who are the rest of us must keep going.”
Zhang Yixing stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing at the dazzling yet cold night view of Seoul. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "I know. It's just that sometimes... I feel a little tired."
His voice carried a barely perceptible hoarseness and confusion.
Ou Yangguang didn't speak again, but simply walked silently beside him. A few scattered stars pierced through the city's neon lights in the night sky, flickering with a faint but determined light.
Back in his dorm, Ou Yangguang took a shower and checked his phone again. Kim Ji-won had sent several more messages, sharing her recent trivial matters; the last two were:
"Ah Guang, today is Yixing's birthday. Did you say happy birthday to Yixing for me?"
"You must be very tired today. Get some rest. Good night."
As he looked at the message, he could almost feel her worry and tenderness through the screen. He replied:
"Okay, time to sleep. With Nuna here, it's okay to be tired. Goodnight, see you in my dreams."
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