Chapter 54 After Ren Xiyao returned that day…
That day, after Ren Xiyao returned, she waited behind the dormitory building until someone came down before sneaking back in. Fortunately, the teacher in charge of student selection didn't push open the door when waking her up that morning, thus escaping a potential disaster. Lin Shan didn't sleep a wink all night, constantly worrying about her. She didn't delay addressing her knee injury either. During training, she went directly to the team doctor, saying it was a training injury, which didn't raise any suspicion. Thankfully, the injury wasn't serious. She rested for three days and reduced her training volume for a week. Following the doctor's advice, she mainly focused on upper body strength training. Up to this point, everything had turned out alright.
Kwon Ji-yong rested in the hospital for a day and was discharged. His work schedule was adjusted to give him some time to rest. Ren Xiyao felt that Kwon Ji-yong seemed a bit more clingy after this incident. But as long as he was alright, everything else was minor.
In their daily lives, where time is divided down to the minute, the two of them continued their work and training while keeping each other in mind, and before they knew it, it was mid-May.
At the beginning of the month, "LOSER" and "BAE BAE" swept the South Korean music scene with unprecedented force, winning trophies left and right. What followed was an overwhelming schedule: music broadcasts, fan signing events, brand activities, magazine photo shoots, and all sorts of variety show interviews.
Kwon Ji-yong felt like a spinning top, his sleep time compressed to the limit every day. His body was exhausted, but his mind was in a state of high excitement. In the backstage waiting room, he often slumped on the sofa, not wanting to move a finger, but as soon as the camera was on him, he could immediately switch back to the radiant and confident G-Dragon.
During these brief moments of switching between conversations, what he most often did was take out his phone and stare at the chat window with Ren Xiyao.
"The next recording is about to start, Jiyong, you should touch up your makeup a bit, your dark circles are a bit noticeable." The manager handed him a glass of iced Americano.
Kwon Ji-yong took the coffee, gulped down a large mouthful, the cold liquid stimulating his tired nerves: "Got it." He rubbed his temples, feeling like his head was stuffed with mush.
His phone vibrated, and he immediately opened it.
"The final test before heading to the plateau this afternoon"
"Try recording"
Do not disturb
The message was brief, sparing even a single punctuation mark. Kwon Ji-yong couldn't help but laugh, as if he could see her focused yet slightly smug expression as she sent it. He remembered her on the ice rink, always so calm, like a drawn sword, precise and sharp.
He quickly replied with "Wow! That's amazing! Keep it up!" and added a kiss emoji.
He waited a few minutes, but there was no reply. As expected. When she was training, her phone practically disappeared. Sometimes he did want to push her away, but Ren Xiyao wasn't like him, always glued to her phone. Her schedule was more precise than a clock, her time divided down to the second. If he missed a chat window, it wouldn't be Ren Xiyao who would be anxious and frustrated, but him.
The sun next to him leaned over and glanced at his phone screen, then smiled knowingly: "He's reporting to your queen, isn't he?"
Kwon Ji-yong rolled his eyes at him: "What queen? She has a name."
"Yes, yes, Ren Xiyao." Taiyang shrugged: "But seriously, aren't you two working hard? You're so busy you don't even have time to rest, and her training is like a battle."
"It's tough." Kwon Jiyong looked at the "Do Not Disturb" message on his phone screen and lowered his voice. "But what can we do?" He paused and added, "However, it's good this way too." At least for now, they are still in the same city, breathing the same air, unlike the upcoming world tour and high-altitude training camp, where they will be truly separated by vast distances.
"Brother, get ready to go on stage!" a staff member reminded him at the door.
Kwon Ji-yong took a deep breath, put his phone back in his pocket, stood up, and put on G-Dragon's signature smile again.
The recording went smoothly. The variety show was a relatively relaxed music talk show, and the host was known for his gentle yet insightful style. The atmosphere remained harmonious throughout the conversation about music creation and anecdotes among the group members.
Until the host posed that classic question: "GD-ssi, after such a long time coming back, have you noticed any changes in your mindset? For example... your ideal type?"
The question immediately drew excited screams from the fans in the audience. Kwon Ji-yong, holding the microphone, smiled subconsciously, not a standard, business-like smile, but one tinged with helplessness and... an almost imperceptible sweetness.
He glanced at the members beside him; Taeyang and Daesung exchanged a knowing look, both with smiles on their faces. The other members, however, wore expressions of anticipation, as if they were watching a good show.
Kwon Ji-yong cleared his throat, looked at the camera lens in the distance, and his tone was not as flamboyant as before, but rather hesitant: "Ideal type... actually, there doesn't seem to be a particularly fixed standard."
A small commotion arose from the audience.
He changed the subject and continued, "But I admire people who are...very focused and passionate about what they do." He tilted his head slightly, as if recalling something, "Hmm...shining in their field, that's cool."
The host followed up, "What about appearance? Or personality?"
Kwon Ji-yong laughed again, this time with a hint of slyness: "Appearance... as long as you're pleasing to the eye? As for personality..." He drawled, his eyes darting around, as if organizing his thoughts or sketching a specific image in his mind: "Maybe... a bit stubborn? Like, sticking to what you love." He paused, then added: "Sometimes... you might be a bit sharp-tongued, but actually you're very soft-hearted?"
After he finished speaking, he couldn't help but laugh, a little embarrassed.
Taiyo, standing next to him, burst out laughing and nudged him with his elbow. Daesung also lowered his head, his shoulders shrugging slightly. The fans in the audience erupted in excitement, speculating about who the description was referring to.
"Oh?" The host keenly caught the members' reaction: "It seems this description is quite specific? Does GDxi already have someone in mind?"
Kwon Ji-yong quickly waved his hand, a suspicious blush on his face: "No, no, it's just... a feeling, a type I admire." He tried to steer the conversation back on track, but the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide.
He knew that this broadcast would inevitably spark all sorts of speculation. But he couldn't resist. He just wanted to talk about her.
His ideal type? No need for a standard template, just follow her description, that's enough.
The air in the training hall always carried a mixed smell of ice chips and sweat. Ren Xiyao had just finished a set of sprint skating and was panting heavily, supporting herself on her knees. Her lungs were burning and her thigh muscles ached, but the results displayed on the stopwatch made the corners of her tense lips turn up slightly.
"Wow, Xiyao! You actually passed the record yesterday!" Lin Shan slid over and patted her back hard: "At this rate, you'll definitely be in good shape for the Yunnan plateau next month!"
"It's still early." Ren Xiyao straightened up and adjusted her breathing: "The adaptation period is only halfway through, we can't let our guard down."
"Okay, model worker!" Lin Shan made a face: "But seriously, you seem to be in a good mood today? Did you find some money?"
Ren Xiyao glanced at her, said nothing, and slid straight to the sidelines.
"You didn't know, did you? Someone's 'ideal type' statement yesterday pleased our Xiyao!" Li Enjing chimed in, her face full of teasing smiles. She had sent the interview preview clip to Ren Xiyao as soon as possible last night.
Ren Xiyao's cheeks flushed almost imperceptibly. She picked up her water bottle and took a sip, trying to cover it up by asking, "What did you say?"
"Stop pretending!" Li Enjing took out her phone, opened the clip, and deliberately turned the volume up a little: "Listen to this... tsk tsk tsk, isn't this describing you?"
"Boring." Ren Xiyao snatched Li Enjing's phone, turned off the video, and tossed it back to her: "Don't play on your phone during training time."
“Yes, yes, we won’t disturb you from your ‘focus on your passion’.” Li Enjing and Lin Shan exchanged a smile and tacitly stopped teasing her.
Ren Xiyao returned to the center of the ice rink to continue her next training session. But in her mind, the image of Kwon Ji-yong speaking kept replaying in her mind. He was smiling, his eyes sparkling, his tone carrying a hint of cautious probing and an undisguised tenderness.
What nonsense is this guy spouting on TV? Back at the hotel that evening, after washing up, Ren Xiyao sat cross-legged on the bed, stretching while watching technical videos on her tablet. Her phone screen lit up; it was a call invitation from Kwon Ji-yong.
She hesitated for a moment, then answered the call. A magnified face appeared on the screen, the background seemingly being the roof of a van. Kwon Ji-yong looked like he had just finished a schedule; his makeup was still on, but his eyes were bright and sparkling.
His voice was tinged with laughter, and his first words were, "Did you miss me?"
Ren Xiyao didn't look at him, continuing to stare at the tablet: "I'm busy."
"Hey! How could you say that!" he complained. "I'm exhausted from recording the show today, can't you at least say something nice to comfort me?"
"Who told you to talk nonsense on the show?" Ren Xiyao finally looked up at the screen, her tone indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Kwon Ji-yong paused for a moment, then realized what he meant, his eyes brightening even more: "You saw it? Hehe... Did I say something wrong? This isn't what you said. Where did I go wrong? Correct me so I can say it better next time."
Ren Xiyao looked at him, but couldn't help but slightly curve her lips into an almost imperceptible smile: "If you talk nonsense again next time, it won't just be 'Do Not Disturb,' it'll be 'Blocked.'"
"No!" Kwon Ji-yong immediately begged for mercy, "I was just praising you! Really! In my heart, you are the best!"
She reached out to press the hang-up button, and Kwon Ji-yong quickly said, "Wait!"
The finger on the screen stopped.
"I miss you," he said.
Ren Xiyao paused for a moment, then replied softly, "...Mm."
"Just 'hmm'?"
"Otherwise what?"
Kwon Ji-yong sighed, "Ren Xiyao, can't you learn from other girls and say something nice?"
"for example?"
For example, "I miss you too".
Ren Xiyao thought for two seconds, then said, "Oh."
Kwon Ji-yong: "..."
Seeing his deflated expression, she finally laughed: "I know, I miss you too."
Three seconds later, a message popped up: "Going to sleep for morning training tomorrow, goodnight." Kwon Ji-yong stared at his phone, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
In his previous relationships, there had been push and pull, but it was mostly ambiguous testing, short-term passion. But she was different. Her push and pull wasn't about suspicion or testing, but a unique understanding and fun between them, a back-and-forth exchange that knew when to stop, and they enjoyed it.
Kwon Ji-yong could see through her words and actions. Her heart was like a calm volcano, but beneath it, he could see the surging love. So, although they were often apart, and there was a push-and-pull dynamic, their busy schedules and impending separation were realities. But in this relationship, they both tried to get closer to each other in their own ways, expressing their unspoken love.
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