Chapter 50: The Date! (Bonus Chapter for 14,000 words) A chance encounter with Running Man recording...
"Oppa, how's your album coming along?" After sitting down, Jiang Tinghan patted Haha's head and asked.
It's been so long since we last met, haha, I still remember her scent, and I'm still as silly as ever.
Haha, this name is really good; it gives the feeling that it's constantly being mocked.
"Do you really have to ask me such an uninteresting question?" Kwon Ji-yong glanced at Jiang Tinghan. Just from his words, he seemed quite displeased, but looking at the upturned corners of his mouth, it was clear that he was just teasing him out of habit.
Jiang Tinghan went along with his wishes and uttered a 'complaint' about him: "At least you're an artist, Oppa. Or is it that I can't keep track of your work progress?"
Kwon Ji-yong couldn't handle such a heavy accusation, so he immediately revealed everything: "I've already written four songs!"
"7 Hours, Take Me, and there's another song that I, Yong Bae, and Daesung are going to sing together. I wrote this song a few years ago, but there hasn't been a suitable opportunity until now. I think it's perfect for our comeback."
Jiang Tinghan was slightly surprised: "Is Bigbang going to make another comeback? As a trio?"
Kwon Ji-yong shook his head: "From now on, we will definitely be doing activities as a trio, but it won't be a group comeback. It will be my solo song, with Daesung and Yong Bae as the featured artists. I also plan to collaborate with a Western singer, and there's also 'Listen to the Cold,' which will be a mix of old memories and new attempts. These three different styles will definitely make this album very diverse."
The more he spoke, the brighter his eyes became, as if a flame of imagination had ignited within them.
“Diversification?” Jiang Tinghan repeated, then chuckled. “So you really are a fan of Lumera, aren’t you?”
Kwon Ji-yong looked at her with his amber eyes, the natural color of which was more beautiful than any colored contact lenses. At that moment, his eyes curved into a smile: "I'm a fan of Coldy."
Jiang Tinghan couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile, her radiant expression lasting only a second before she regained her usual composure: "Well, what about the fourth song?"
Kwon Ji-yong reached out and pinched Jiang Tinghan's cheek. Heaven knows how long he had wanted to do this. During the previous autograph session, he was not satisfied with just shaking hands. Although Jiang Tinghan was tough on the outside, he was soft on the inside.
"You shower your fans with sweet nothings, but only say 'hmm' to me?"
Jiang Tinghan calmly grabbed Kwon Ji-yong's hand and said, "Haven't you heard, Oppa? The more concise your response is to someone you know well, the closer the relationship is."
Kwon Ji-yong had one hand grabbed, and with the other hand, he circled it and tapped Jiang Tinghan's forehead: "What kind of twisted logic is this? I just want to hear sweet nothings, what can I do? Weren't you quite the smooth talker downstairs just now?"
Jiang Tinghan released Quan Zhilong's hand and raised an eyebrow: "I wasn't very good with words, I only said I liked you."
Kwon Ji-yong's lips curled into a smug smile, and he said calmly, "I know."
Jiang Tinghan was speechless: "Narcissistic."
"So, what about the fourth song? Our collaboration isn't still unfinished, is it?"
Kwon Ji-yong: "It's been so long, I'm sure I've finished writing it, but I can't let you hear it now."
Jiang Tinghan suddenly realized: "A birthday present?"
Kwon Ji-yong pursed his lips: "Dating smart people is really boring. It's not interesting to say it out loud."
Jiang Tinghan replied with a single word again: "Oh?"
Kwon Ji-yong immediately changed his tune: "It's so interesting to date a smart person. Discovering their surprise is also a surprise."
Jiang Tinghan laughed again: "Anyone with a normal IQ could guess that, what does it have to do with being smart or not?"
And coincidentally, she had been wanting to dedicate a song to Kwon Ji-yong, and had almost finished writing it, and was waiting to give it to him on his birthday.
Musicians' love stories are always celebrated in countless songs.
Kwon Ji-yong can change his tune eight hundred times a day and can respond to anything: "That just means I see beauty in the eye of the beholder."
Jiang Tinghan: "Okay, so you mean you think I'm not smart."
Kwon Ji-yong: "No way! Basically, whatever you say makes sense."
Jiang Tinghan: "Is that not allowed?"
Upon meeting, the two of them were each ten years younger than the other, acting as childish as kindergarteners.
It's better not to lose any more weight, otherwise it would be a crime.
Kwon Ji-yong bantered with Jiang Tinghan for a while, and finally got to the next useful topic: "So, my darlings, at this rate, you should be making a comeback soon, right?"
Were they talking a little too businesslike?
But understanding each other's work is also a way of showing care, especially when they are in the same industry.
Jiang Tinghan: "Yes, it's my birthday month comeback, but this time it's a solo comeback."
Kwon Ji-yong was immediately taken aback: "You're going solo after only six months? Why didn't you tell me before?"
His tone carried a hint of resentment that Jiang Tinghan had kept many secrets from him.
Jiang Tinghan: "It was only finalized in a meeting yesterday."
Kwon Ji-yong: "That should have been said yesterday, it was a full twenty-four hours late."
The unreasonable person has changed, but this drama queen/troublemaker role can be played in turn.
Jiang Tinghan: "Oh."
Kwon Ji-yong sighed, as if he was used to it, and said, "I get this kind of cold violence every day. I have a thousand things to say to my fans, but to me they only say 'oh.' I'm a fan too, so why am I treated differently?"
Jiang Tinghan leaned over and kissed his cheek, but this time she was very wary and covered her lips with her hand: "You can't kiss me back."
Kwon Ji-yong felt the gentle touch on his face and was overjoyed, but muttered, "What an unfair contract."
Jiang Tinghan pretended not to hear: "I have to write at least eight songs, which doubles my workload. Plus, the company wants me to find someone to collaborate with."
Kwon Ji-yong asked knowingly, "Surely I wouldn't get this kind of good fortune?"
He touched the spot where he had been kissed, then suddenly pressed his finger against Jiang Tinghan's face. Beneath the soft, white skin were slightly bony bones, as if he were returning the kiss.
Jiang Tinghan was stunned for a moment. The feeling of being poked was very strange, and she couldn't help but pull back a little.
She tried to remain calm and said, "Well... I'd like to collaborate with a singer who is good at ballad rap. Currently, the company is recommending Epik High and some other senior male idol groups."
Wake One gave her a lot of suggestions about the candidates, such as Zico, Choi Seungcheol, Bang Chan, Mark, Han Jisung, etc., from several generations. However, she couldn't accept some of them, so she didn't consider them.
It's better not to reveal these names, otherwise Kwon Ji-yong will get extremely jealous and might even bring up each of the male guests for comparison, even if she has never met any of them.
Upon hearing that familiar name, Kwon Ji-yong narrowed his eyes. He didn't think that he was included in this list of 'male idol seniors,' and the group mentioned earlier was even less likely to be included. The explosive news of BigBang's leader joining Epik High had not yet appeared.
"Tinghan, you agreed to my date request today, you wouldn't be trying to get me to introduce you to Epik High, would you?"
Epik High, along with Kwon Ji-yong, were both previously under YG Entertainment and were members of the YG Family. They are masters of ballad rap.
"How could that be?" Jiang Tinghan picked her up and ran to her side, laughing happily. He raised his paw and patted Kwon Ji-yong's arm, which happened to touch the blackened heartbeat tattoo.
"It's not like I can't contact them through official channels, it's just that I haven't made a decision yet."
Kwon Ji-yong saw the dust on Haha's body. He had even had the floor mopped so clean, so he wondered where this silly dog had found such a dirty corner. He immediately gave Haha two smacks on the head, just the right amount of force, enough to stun him without hurting his brain.
Haha, it wriggled free from Jiang Tinghan's hand and ran over to play with the two two-legged creatures. They even beat it up! How wicked! It's better to go bother the cats instead.
With the third wheel finally gone, Kwon Ji-yong said with satisfaction, "I'll decide for you! Choose G-Dragon. Reason one: he's very good at ballad rap. Reason two: he can write with me. Reason three: he's very popular, and collaborating with him will definitely make this song a success like never before."
Jiang Tinghan teased him again, saying, "Narcissistic."
But it must be said that Kwon Ji-yong was right.
However, she had her reasons for not choosing Kwon Ji-yong: "Oppa, you've been meeting your fans for so many years, how can it be in my album? You should greet them in your songs."
"If you can make a comeback this month or in July, I can invite you to collaborate on my album."
Kwon Ji-yong fell silent for a few seconds before stammering, "Well... it's still a bit difficult."
He doesn't procrastinate, but he's an ultimate perfectionist. He polishes each song over and over again. He's already decided that if the album isn't finished by October or November, he'll release "7 Hours" as a pre-release track and then naturally delay it for a few more months.
But this is a last resort and won't be used, because "7 Hours" isn't really suitable as the first track of his comeback. It would make it seem like he's done nothing but heartbreak in the past few years. He should make a song to announce his real comeback.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. Talking about songs is giving me a headache. Let's go on a date!" Kwon Ji-yong said provocatively, his face full of eager anticipation and adventurous impulse.
Jiang Tinghan guessed that Kwon Ji-yong wouldn't stay still. She looked at her outfit today. As a spokesperson, she was wearing clothes from Blumarine's sub-brand Blugirl. The green cropped top and the loose-fitting matching skirt had two layers of pleats that looked like the wave shape of curved green leaves. The whole outfit had a casual and ordinary feel, with a slight spring and summer vibe, but there were no Blugirl logos on the clothes.
Kwon Ji-yong exuded a relaxed vibe, wearing only a regular short-sleeved shirt and shorts. The large black letter tattoo on his thigh was constantly flashing in front of Jiang Tinghan's eyes. When he was still, only the edge of the tattoo could be seen, but when he moved, the edge of his shorts would automatically pull up, revealing half of it.
When it comes to seducing human rights activists, Zhilong is number one.
Jiang Tinghan felt that she really couldn't look at Kwon Ji-yong's tattoos too much. The longer she looked, the more she wanted to get one herself. How could someone have so many tattoos and still look harmonious? Sometimes they even looked good and sexy, like the letter tattoo on his thigh or the cross tattoo on his calf.
But she'll have to wait until she's decided to retire from the entertainment industry and never take the civil service exam again before she can get a tattoo.
She hid her wicked thoughts and said seriously, "Okay, but don't wear PMO anymore."
Kwon Ji-yong: "Arasoo Arasoo".
He dutifully wore long sleeves and pants, along with a baseball cap and a mask, and still looked like a trendy guy. After all, while white long sleeves are common, green pants are really hard for anyone but a trendy guy to pull off.
Jiang Tinghan now has black hair like Kwon Ji-yong, which makes it easier to hide. A mask is a must, along with a pair of silver diamond-shaped glasses that highlight her temperament. The two of them didn't bother with their styling, just combed their hair and went out.
Just before leaving, Jiang Tinghan suddenly remembered something: "Oppa, did you bring your nicotine gum?"
Kwon Ji-yong pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket, put them in Jiang Tinghan's bag, and said with a smile, "Today is a day of indulgence."
Jiang Tinghan naturally handed him her bag. Out of professionalism as a female celebrity, even though she was wearing a mask, her bag contained a cushion foundation, lipstick, lip balm, and a small bottle of eye cream. The cushion foundation was from a brand she endorsed. As for whether it was good or not, Jiang Tinghan thought the older version was alright, and there were quite a few positive reviews online.
The lipstick was Dior Velvet 772, which Kwon Ji-yong had sent to her by a delivery guy around March. It looked quite gentle for everyday wear. Jiang Tinghan didn't know where Kwon Ji-yong had done his research; maybe he'd been on Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform). There were also some miscellaneous items: a power bank, a comb, a mirror, sunglasses, earphones, dry tissues, wet wipes…
The bag didn't look very big, but it was actually quite heavy, so Jiang Tinghan was all smiles when she clung to Quan Zhilong.
Suddenly feeling a weight on his shoulder, Kwon Ji-yong realized that his girlfriend's bag was like a Pandora's box, but he could also imagine what was inside that made it so heavy, and he happily carried it on his back.
He indulged this little mischief and took Jiang Tinghan's hand as "compensation".
The sun was shining brightly today, so the two of them decided not to go to the amusement park and had the driver take them to Seongsudong, which is considered a fashionable place with many galleries, stylish cafes, and second-hand vintage clothing stores.
The important thing is that there are many secluded alleys, because I lived in Seongsu-dong for a period of time before, and many of the shop owners there were friends of Kwon Ji-yong, which is perfect for secret rendezvous.
Our first stop was naturally the ancient clothing store, a place teeming with hidden talents!
It's not hard to see that they both have a fondness for retro styles.
The two were overwhelmed by the choices. Jiang Tinghan held up a brightly colored, frivolous shirt and compared it to Kwon Ji-yong, originally intending to make fun of him. But for the fashion icon, it was a piece of cake, and he managed to see a refreshing feeling of a seaside boy.
Jiang Tinghan changed her mind again: "Let's buy this one."
Kwon Ji-yong picked up a skull-patterned sleeveless shirt that he would have loved in his youth, and also a delicate vintage Guess snakeskin green bag, a minimalist yet highly fussy combination: "Baby, this is perfect for you to wear when you play electric guitar, Nao Mu Mo Shi Da."
Jiang Tinghan couldn't help but chuckle: "Who plays guitar with a bag hanging on their hand?"
But she still accepted it.
Rather than buying things for themselves, the young couples seem more enthusiastic about dressing each other up, as if they're playing a real-life version of Miracle Nikki.
After browsing the vintage clothing store, the two strolled hand in hand through the wide gallery. Kwon Ji-yong was quite familiar with some of the paintings, not because he had a deeper understanding of famous paintings, but because they were all by Korean painters, and Jiang Tinghan didn't recognize any of them.
Kwon Ji-yong originally wanted to explain the simple background of these paintings to Jiang Tinghan, but there was also a couple nearby. The boy was talking about the paintings in a condescending tone, looking extremely smug.
The girl looked somewhat speechless, but still gently praised him, saying "Amazing." The boy, completely oblivious, was encouraged and spoke even more enthusiastically, his sense of superiority growing stronger.
Kwon Ji-yong: "..."
His posture seemed rather annoying, so he remained silent.
Jiang Tinghan glanced at Kwon Ji-yong's silent expression, and a slight smile appeared on her lips beneath her mask: "Oppa, tell me, I want to know the background of these paintings."
Kwon Ji-yong then cleared his throat and began to tell Jiang Tinghan the story behind these words in a warm and sharing tone.
Jiang Tinghan responded from time to time, following him from beginning to end. When they saw a painting they liked, they would stop and take a closer look. The two held hands tightly and never let go.
After leaving the gallery, Kwon Ji-yong said he remembered there was a pretty good coffee shop nearby, but it was quite far away.
Jiang Tinghan: "It's okay, let's walk slowly. There's still plenty of time today."
Kwon Ji-yong narrowed his eyes and said, "I'll go buy it for you. You just wait here. I'll take care of you today."
Jiang Tinghan suspected that he might also want to have a smoke on the way, but it didn't matter. She had no reason to stop her boyfriend from being attentive.
She pulled her hand out of Kwon Ji-yong's large palm, hooking her fingertips around his little finger: "Okay, I'll have an iced Americano."
Kwon Ji-yong said softly, "I'll be back soon."
There were a few round tables and chairs by the door, and you could feel the breeze blowing in from inside from time to time. Jiang Tinghan had been walking and standing for several hours, so it was a good opportunity for him to rest.
She wore a long-sleeved thin shirt by Kwon Ji-yong as an outer layer when she went out. Because the shirt was a bit short, and the weather wasn't that hot, Kwon Ji-yong is a true fan of oversized clothing. The shirt was so long that it even covered her skirt, making it look like she was only wearing a shirt.
Although Jiang Tinghan didn't think Quan Zhilong would feel hurt because his girlfriend was taller than him, she still wore a pair of flat shoes. Even so, this outfit made her already long legs look even longer, giving the impression that her legs started right below her neck.
However, covering the lower body with a shirt is also a recent fashion trend. Kwon Ji-yong even helped her tie a belt to accentuate her waistline, turning the shirt into a dress, which gave it a completely different feel.
Jiang Tinghan was now slightly sweating, so she took off her coat and glasses, stuffing them into her shopping bag, revealing the vibrant green dress that had been hidden all along.
In her spare time, she started thinking about guest performers again. Actually, many of the choices were quite good, such as Fang Can, who has creative abilities and might be able to handle the feature part on his own. Other idols also had good rap styles.
As for her inclinations... she felt that collaborating with Epik High might create a different kind of spark. Jiang Tinghan listened to their collaboration with Lee Hi on "Cold," and found its style to be very unique and captivating.
Sigh, I suddenly feel like I'm in a flower shop but don't know which flower to choose.
Jiang Tinghan put down her phone, rested her chin on her hand, and stared blankly into her mind, looking somewhat worried.
If only we could invite the most vibrant and beautiful flower that's growing freely in the florist's shop.
"Excuse me, may I have the honor of being interviewed?" A polite voice suddenly came from beside him, causing Jiang Tinghan to look up.
You won't believe it until you see it, and what you find will shock you.
Isn't that Yoo Jae-suk?
He was accompanied by another popular MC, Haha, and behind them was a camera crew. This group was most likely filming "Running Man".
Jiang Tinghan could see the “RM” logo on the uniforms worn by the camera crew.
It's been so long since I've seen them, and I actually managed to run into the Running Man team who were filming!
That's true. South Korea is only a small country, and there are countless celebrities. You see them all the time, and you can run into several celebrities while walking on the streets of Seoul.
Jiang Tinghan was somewhat relieved that Kwon Ji-yong wasn't there, otherwise she would have had to ask the production team to delete it. She was also glad that she had taken off her coat and unconsciously completed a disguise.
She didn't warn Kwon Ji-yong. Seeing that any person with a brain would know not to approach this group of people, she decided to take the initiative, took off her mask, and put on a surprised smile.
"Senior, it's me."
Yoo Jae-suk's expression instantly changed from "·o·" to "OoO"! His eyes widened considerably, clearly showing his astonishment.
HAHA next to him also looked surprised: "Is...is it Coldy? Coldy from Lumera?"
Last month, Coldy's Sulwhasoo advertisements were everywhere, making it hard not to remember her appearance.
Jiang Tinghan also seemed surprised: "Yes, you are HAHA senior, right? Ah, I am Coldy."
"I never expected to run into two seniors here."
Yoo Jae-suk snapped out of his daze: "Oh, is Coldy taking a day off to go shopping?"
Jiang Tinghan nodded: "Yes! I was tired from shopping, so I sat here to rest for a bit... Didn't you say you wanted to interview me? What's the question?"
"It's a Q&A about posing for photos... Perfect timing, Coldy, could you do me a favor?" Yoo Jae-suk's eyes gleamed, and Haha, ever the opportunist, chimed in.
Jiang Tinghan was immediately surrounded by two burning gazes, and cautiously asked, "What kind of help?"
"The rules of the game are like this: we need to randomly take photos of passersby, and then the public judges will score them. The one with the highest score wins. So, Coldy, you'll be our model," Yoo Jae-suk explained.
HAHA also praised, "With Coldy as the main character in the photo, we're sure to win!"
It was just a small favor, and Jiang Tinghan had no reason not to help: "Sure, can we take the picture here?"
Yoo Jae-suk: "The lighting here isn't very good, let's go to the riverbank."
Jiang Tinghan hesitated for a moment: "Then please ask the production team to take a look at this pile for me..."
HAHA was brimming with confidence, filled with the belief that he would definitely win: "Don't worry, the staff will take good care of you! We'll send you back to this place safely after the photos are taken!"
"Ah... okay." Taking out her phone to message Kwon Ji-yong in front of everyone was too much, so Jiang Tinghan decided to improvise. Jiang Bian wasn't far from here, so he should be back soon.
"Wow... I really didn't expect to run into Coldy here. There are so few people here. Haha and I have been wandering around for tens of minutes, and the people we found either didn't have time or didn't want to take pictures. Coldy, you really helped us a lot." Yoo Jae-suk said with a hint of gratitude on the way.
Jiang Tinghan: "It's nothing, it just means I have a connection with my seniors."
HAHA asked curiously, "But did you come out alone today? No teammates?"
Jiang Tinghan: "I came with a friend, but he had something come up at the last minute."
Fortunately, she was working in South Korea, not Japan, because the pronunciation of "he" and "she" is exactly the same in Korean.
When Kwon Ji-yong returned with two cups of coffee, he found the round table empty, with no one and no shopping bags.
Kwon Ji-yong: "???"
He has such a big wife!
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Author's Note: Tsk tsk tsk, secretly calling her "wife".
It's exactly the first anniversary of Power! I really want to speed things up to the moment the dragon reappears, but that's still a long, long, long time... I will speed it up! (Firmly)
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