Chapter 93: Stormy Weather
After the encore, the weather in Seoul had turned cool.
As night deepened, the people who had just finished their celebration banquet opened the door, and a cold wind mercilessly crept up their necks and into their arms. Realizing that it was getting late, they pulled their coats tighter and hurriedly said goodbye, leaving only Han Yunxing and Shen Lina on the street.
Having perfectly concluded her first Asian tour, Han Yunxing had a few drinks at the party, and now her cheeks were flushed. She was leaning against Shen Lina, quietly counting the few cars passing by on the street.
A white sedan stopped, and Han Yunxing's eyes lit up. She skipped over to the car, bent down, and knocked on the window three times.
The car window slowly rolled down, revealing a pair of well-defined hands resting on the steering wheel. Han Yunxing's wandering gaze met Quan Zhilong's smiling eyes, and she smiled, "Little assistant, you're late~"
Kwon Ji-yong raised his hands in surrender: "Yes, it was my fault."
His voice was tinged with laughter as he spoke. Kwon Ji-yong reached into the back seat, took out a cashmere scarf, and walked over to Han Yoon-sung.
As the night breeze blew by, Han Yunxing unconsciously shrank her neck. Quan Zhilong bent down and tied her scarf with gentle and skillful movements. His slender fingers darted around her neck and finally tied a knot.
The alcohol made Han Yunxing's reactions sluggish. Before she knew it, half of her face was buried in the soft scarf, the coldness dispelled, leaving only her crescent-shaped eyes exposed.
Shin Lina stood guard for them from the side, and was also fed a lot of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection), finally watching Kwon Ji-yong put his artist into the car.
She took out her phone to call a car, when suddenly the passenger window rolled down and Han Yunxing poked her head out: "Unnie, come on in, we'll take you home."
Shin Lina didn't want to be a third wheel, so she quickly waved her hand in refusal, but the voice rang out again: "Unnie~"
Because of the scarf, her voice sounded muffled, but it seemed she would keep shouting until she got on the bus.
"I'd rather obey than be polite," Shen Lina said, quickly walking to the back seat. Before she had even settled in, the person who had been urging her on seemed to have completed a task and was now soundly asleep.
Shin Lina shook her head with amusement and quietly told Kwon Ji-yong her address.
After entering the address into the phone's navigation, Kwon Ji-yong turned to the side and carefully tucked Han Yoon-sung's loose long hair behind her ear, gently adjusting her head position.
With the car audio system turned down to its lowest volume, the sedan smoothly drove into the night accompanied by soft music.
Upon arriving at their destination, Kwon Ji-yong left amidst Shin Lina's gratitude and drove back to his apartment building.
The car came to a smooth stop in the parking lot. Kwon Ji-yong stared at Han Yoon-sung's sleeping face, looking her up and down. Finally, he reached out and pinched the tip of her nose, whispering, "Yoon-sung, let's go home."
Upon receiving the word "go home," Han Yunxing groggily opened her eyes. She was not fully awake and was extremely sleepy, her eyelids drooping.
Kwon Ji-yong looked at the person who was staggering and chuckled softly, then instinctively reached out to support her.
Hearing the laughter, Han Yunxing instantly perked up, nuzzling her head against his shoulder, but stopped a second later as if she had run out of energy.
Kwon Ji-yong's heart softened as she rubbed against him. He got out of the car, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, leaned down, and turned to the person inside, saying, "Get in."
Han Yunxing's wet eyes met his smiling eyes. She smiled affectionately and jumped onto his back without hesitation, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and tilting her head naturally to her left shoulder.
The dim streetlights in the garage cast long, overlapping shadows on the ground.
Kwon Ji-yong's palm rested steadily on Han Yoon-sung's knees, her warm breath brushing against his ear. He tilted his head, trying to make out the face of the person on his back. Han Yoon-sung leaned on his shoulder and mumbled softly about going home. He listened to these words in his sleep, his eyes softening, and he walked steadily toward home.
*
Many things happened in 2019. With half of December gone, just when everyone thought there wouldn't be any more big news this year, a major social event arrived at the tail end of 2019.
Media reports have revealed that members of YG Entertainment are involved in multiple scandals, including sex trafficking, gambling, and corruption. CEO Yang Hyun-suk has been taken away for investigation, and Lee Seung-hyun, who is currently serving in the military, has also been summoned.
YG's stock price, which had surged due to Kwon Ji-yong's comeback, plummeted in an instant, creating an atmosphere of unease throughout the company.
After hanging up Yang Hyun-seok's call, Kwon Ji-yong stood motionless, holding a cigarette. The gray smoke blurred the expression on his face, and the scarlet cigarette butt kept shrinking. The burning pain spread from his fingertips. Kwon Ji-yong suddenly stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with cold indifference.
*
With the maknae's words "It's my own fault" still echoing in his mind, Kwon Jiyong forced himself to suppress his complicated emotions and stormed into Yang Hyun-seok's office.
Several unpacked cardboard boxes were on the floor inside. Yang Xianshuo looked up at the trophies on the bookshelf, and when he heard the door slam shut, he turned to look at the person who had come in.
"Jiyong is here." He gestured for Kwon Jiyong to sit down as if nothing had happened, and then leisurely walked to the corner to make coffee.
“Drink up,” Yang Hyun-seok placed the coffee in front of Kwon Ji-yong. Regardless of whether the other person drank it or not, he gently stirred it with a silver spoon, then took a sip and said, “We’ve known each other for almost 20 years, haven’t we?”
His hand paused for a moment, the spoon making a crisp sound against the cup. As if making a casual remark, he smiled and looked at Kwon Ji-yong: "Time flies, doesn't it? Back then you were just a child, and I was young too. For the sake of our musical dreams, I brought you into YG Family, growing it from its initial size to one of the top three now."
"What a pity." He sighed, then changed the subject: "You know the current situation. In order to prevent YG from being hurt again, I will resign from all positions and leave for a while."
"I have to thank you for making a good friend. Otherwise, Seung-hyun would have been in deep trouble." He raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp. "Anyway, after dealing with the summons, let him rest for a while."
"A period of time?" Kwon Ji-yong asked coldly. "Are you forcing him to leave the group?"
“I don’t have that authority,” Yang Hyun-seok said, pointing to a box in the corner. “I’m no longer the president.”
Kwon Ji-yong's eyes flickered with a mixture of emotions. Upon receiving the news, he was momentarily unsure whether to be relieved that Lee Seung-hyun had extricated himself in time, or furious that the nightclub was still operating so brazenly.
Along with helplessness came feelings of powerlessness and shame. He felt he had taken on the responsibility of being the captain, and sometimes the title felt like a boulder weighing on his heart, but in the end, it seemed he hadn't done a good job.
If it had been discovered in time from the beginning...
"I disagree," Kwon Ji-yong interrupted Yang Hyun-seok, saying it was none of his business. He couldn't bring himself to give up the members.
“As the team leader, you have to consider the team. Ask the other members if they agree.” Yang Hyun-seok’s tone turned cold.
Kwon Ji-yong was not intimidated at all. He reached out and gently pinched the space between his eyebrows, and said in a deep voice, "I will not make decisions for any member, but I will also not let you force him to make decisions."
“If this is a game of capital, then I suppose I’m qualified to be at the table too.” Kwon Ji-yong opened his eyes and stared sharply at Yang Hyun-seok.
The air became condensed.
"Don't try to change the rules of this circle. Why are you still so naive?" Yang Xianshuo stared at him with a strange look. After a while, he laughed and scolded, "Don't think too much, kid. We were pushed out to take the blame. I admit we made a mistake. I'll come back when things get better."
“Keep an eye on the members during this time, and don’t let them run around or talk nonsense.” He pondered for a moment, then added, “Sei-hyun, let him do his military service properly first.”
Kwon Ji-yong knew why Yang Hyun-suk had summoned him; it wasn't just about recent events, but also about his future contract renewal. He was a sentimental person, but from the moment he entered, listening to the man's nostalgia, evasiveness, and weighing of options, the thought in his mind became increasingly clear:
Is YG Family still the same YG Family?
The shelves are neatly arranged with medals of all sizes, showing how much the owner loves them. The crystal trophy that Xu Taizhi and the children won before they disbanded is carefully wiped and placed in the center of the display case.
Before leaving, Kwon Ji-yong's gaze fell on the crystal trophy. He then turned away without a word, and a loud bang echoed through the silent room as the door slammed shut.
The shocking news that rocked the entertainment industry was broadcast with great fanfare. YG Entertainment's CEO, Yang Hyun-suk, was suspected of gambling and corruption. He voluntarily resigned from all positions at YG to accept the investigation and was ultimately sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year.
Lee Seung-hyun, the former partner of a nightclub embroiled in a sex and hospitality scandal, was summoned by police for questioning even after enlisting in the military. Due to his cooperative attitude and lack of knowledge of the subsequent events, he was ultimately not prosecuted. However, public opinion remains negative, and the military has requested that Lee Seung-hyun complete his military service discreetly. After issuing a public apology, Lee Seung-hyun announced an indefinite hiatus. The situation regarding Bigbang's contract renewal remains unclear.
YG artists were thrust into the spotlight, especially Kwon Ji-yong. After taking the initiative to apologize to his fans and stabilize the situation, the usually active social media influencer went silent. When he reappeared, it was to announce a collaboration with Nike.
His strong destiny is no joke; those waiting for him to fall behind can only look up to him from afar. Watching his shoe designs sell out in seconds, his net worth has increased once again.
*
The collaboration between Kwon Ji-yong and Nike shoes sold out quickly upon release, leaving fans lamenting the lack of stock and expressing envy for Kwon Ji-yong's friends.
They wish they were Kwon Ji-yong's friends or family so they could get shoes designed by him personally, especially limited edition ones.
However, fans can also take this opportunity to get a glimpse into Kwon Ji-yong's circle of friends and family.
Han Yoon-sung was on the list of those who would receive the shoes without even having to guess, and she posted about it on Instagram the very day she received them.
@Lyra_a: [Aigu, I'm a bit tired, let me massage my legs~]
In the accompanying photo, Han Yunxing is sitting on a carpet massaging her calves with a mischievous expression, and her shoes, a collaboration with Kwon Ji-yong, are eye-catching.
—Baby, let me massage your legs.
—kkk knows you have GD friends and family only!
—Kiyo, you've been working hard on performances lately! Take a good rest~
—Finally, the photos are here! They look great!
—Always the king of instant likes, did this dragon set Yunxing to its special attention list?
—Irresponsible and bold speculation, he was watching Yunxing post the message from the side.
......
Han Yunxing scrolled to this comment and her gaze met that of the man who was interacting with Iye like a child.
Noticing her gaze, Kwon Ji-yong stopped dressing up Iye. He released Iye, held up the two collars, and leaned close to Han Yoon-sung with a slightly troubled expression: "Babe, which one do you think looks better?"
Han Yunxing put her phone out of her mind and focused on helping Iye choose new accessories.
After thinking for a moment, she pointed to the pearl necklace on Kwon Ji-yong's left hand, and with her other hand she hugged the kitten that was stomping on her body.
Kwon Ji-yong also felt that the pearl suited Iye better. He squeezed Iye's paw as a way of greeting it in advance, and then hung the pearl necklace around its neck.
Against the backdrop of the fur's luster, the pearls emit a soft, subtle glow.
iye clearly accepted the new decorations well. It perched on the sofa armrest, seemingly oblivious to the cameras aimed at it from both sides by its two owners, and elegantly licked its fur with its paws.
After the photos were taken, Han Yoon-sung leaned against Kwon Ji-yong's arm, tilting her head to watch him edit the photos of Iye.
In the photo, iye, adorned with a pearl necklace, looks every bit the elegant lady cat, exuding a cool and aloof aura.
Kwon Ji-yong's long, slender fingers zoomed and slid across the screen. Han Yoon-sung noticed that he was also holding another red velvet necklace. Suddenly remembering something, she winked mischievously, "Oppa~ this one is pretty too." Her hand was itching to touch it.
The red velvet was wrapped around Kwon Ji-yong's wrist by Han Yoon-sung, but in the end, it ended up hanging back on her slender wrist as if it had brought it upon itself.
-----------------------
Author's Note: A small warning:
Let's leave behind a not-so-bad ending, at least in this parallel world.
Still Life will be a five-person version, but there should only be one plot point that mentions the group later on.
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