Chapter 15 Chapter 15
Xia Qing sat in the classroom, her hand hidden under the desk, secretly holding her cell phone.
The screen was playing Bigbang's latest music stage video downloaded from the computer. Her eyes were closely following the figure in the center of the screen, and she didn't even notice the Chinese teacher walking up to her.
"Ahem—" the teacher cleared his throat loudly. Xia Qing snapped back to her senses and quickly hid her phone in her bag, her movements as smooth as if she had practiced them.
She stole a glance at Lia, who was across the aisle. She was so absorbed in taking notes that she didn't even notice her small movements. "Huh..." Xia Qing let out a long breath.
Since that meal, she seemed like a different person.
Originally, her "only love" was TVXQ, posting posters, watching videos, and writing repos, enjoying it every day. But after meeting Kwon Ji-yong offline, she couldn't help but secretly switch sides.
At first, she was guilty and hid it from Lia, secretly looking through materials, clicking on fancam, and watching the performances. But when it comes to chasing stars, once you get into it, you can't control yourself. Unconsciously, she became the most active "tap water" in the class -
"GD is so talented!" "He's even more handsome in person than on TV, his eyes light up!" "I dreamed he gave me an autograph yesterday!" "Oh my god, I should have asked for one that day TT"
She even secretly joined Bigbang's fan club and registered under the name "GD is the sugar of my heart."
Lia almost died of laughter when she first saw this ID, forgetting for a moment that she had a forum handle called "lovelovegd222." It's the same thing, so let's not laugh at each other.
Of course, the most obvious change is that Xia Qing no longer drags her to participate in activities organized by Li Zhengheng.
Li Zhengheng is definitely an outstanding student among high school students. He is handsome, has excellent academic performance, and comes from a wealthy family, but this excellence is only limited to the "high school range."
When Xia Qing began to be obsessed with Quan Zhilong's talented creations and stage charm, she no longer looked down on the petty quarrels between high school students.
"Lia, although Li Zhengheng is good, he's just mediocre after meeting my brother in real life." She held her face with her hands, looking like she had suddenly realized something. Lia didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but she didn't say anything.
At least, she stopped trying to match him up with Li Zhengheng, which saved him a lot of trouble.
Li Zhengheng had actually noticed this change pretty quickly. Ever since that day at the bowling alley, he'd felt more and more that Lia was intentionally or unconsciously keeping her distance from him.
Her attitude wasn't exactly cold, but it also didn't move forward. There seemed to be a natural barrier between them, one he couldn't truly cross no matter how close he tried to get. He wasn't a slow-witted person. Hope was slim, and he quickly withdrew.
Lia knew this all too well, and felt a faint sense of guilt. But there was a distance she had subconsciously created, a distance that even she couldn't overcome.
During the break, Xia Qing excitedly leaned over Lia's desk, her face flushed. "Last weekend... I went to see GD Oppa!" Lia was momentarily confused. "Who?"
"Kwon Ji-yong!" Xia Qing lowered her voice, "I went to the music show, got up at four in the morning, and lined up with the VIPs!" Lia looked at her in shock: "Didn't you say you had tutoring on the weekend?"
Xia Qing choked for a moment, then shook her hand seriously, "That was the original plan, okay? Why would I need to study after I was selected? Of course, I'll go to the Life Approach first!"
She became more and more excited as she spoke: "You know what! When Oppa came down from the stage, I was standing at the very edge - he saw me!" "He even winked at me!!!"
"The people around thought he was flirting with her!" She held her face in her hands, intoxicated. "Actually, it was me! It was me!!!" Lia didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Didn't he have dinner with you alone before? Is it worth getting so excited about just a wink?"
"How can this be the same! Last time I was just taking advantage of you, this time I'm the one being teased by the exclusive fans!" "Then you've seen him more times than me now." Lia stuck out her tongue.
Xia Qing nodded proudly: "Of course, I'm the fan leader now!" Lia laughed. This guy always has his way. I wonder how long he can keep this up. "Lia——" A group of girls in the front row suddenly came over.
"We want to dance to 'Tell Me,' do you want to join us?" Lia was stunned and turned to look at Xia Qing. "It's the New Year's Gala!" Xia Qing clapped her hands. "The one that Mr. Zhao mentioned yesterday." Lia suddenly understood.
The Zhao Laoxuetou Xia Qing was referring to was their homeroom teacher. Because he loved preaching that "learning is the most important thing in life," the students nicknamed him "Xue Ni Ge Tou," which sounds like a homophonic nickname.
As the end of the year approaches, the school begins to prepare for the New Year's Gala. This is a major annual event for the high school department, and because it is directly related to the class rankings, even the teachers are particularly concerned.
Girls joint performance at the end of the year stage! "One of the girls excitedly encouraged, "We also want to do a corresponding collaborative stage!" If Bigbang is the current trending group, then Wonder
Girls were no exception. Even though Lia had almost no time to pay attention to other idol groups, she could often hear the chorus of their newly released "Tell Me" played on repeat over the recess announcement in the school corridors.
“Tell me tell me te-te-te-te-te-te-tell me...” She almost memorized it just by listening.
Xia Qing got excited when she heard that: "Then we have to go! My cousin has a DSLR, and I'll take a star-level photo of you from the audience!" Lia didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This guy, what kind of "we" is this? She hesitated.
With her training schedule packed and her homework heavy, she wasn't sure if she could spare enough time to practice with everyone.
Probably seeing her embarrassment, Xia Qing immediately smoothed things over for her: "Of course, our Lia is usually very busy and has to go to the company to practice. But she learns quickly, so it doesn't matter if she can't come sometimes, right?" Several girls nodded in unison.
Lia looked at Xia Qing gratefully and said to everyone, "Yes, I may not be able to come to rehearsal every day, but... I can practice the movements on my own and try to participate as much as possible." "That's great!" The girls almost jumped up.
"Oh right," one of them suddenly remembered something. "Lia, we haven't decided on a boy yet. Can you ask... Yu Seungho? If he's willing to join us, then we're set!"
"...Huh?" Lia was a little surprised. "Why me?" "You're a trainee... you should be able to communicate with him more easily, right?"
As the girl spoke, her voice weakened due to lack of confidence, and she could only look at Lia pitifully.
Lia scratched her head, thought about it, and didn't refuse outright: "I can help ask...but I can't guarantee whether he agrees or not." "Of course, of course!--" Everyone nodded, fearing that she would regret it the next second.
Lia didn't regret it, but she wasn't optimistic about the possibility of it working out. Aside from that chance encounter at the convenience store, she had no connection with Yu Seungho.
Unlike Lia, a half-baked trainee, he's a long-time, established actor. Aside from the likes of Lia, most people across the country are familiar with his face, even if they can't pronounce his name.
Most of the time, he was on leave to work on the set, and when he did come back, he would just sit quietly in the last row of the classroom. He always seemed tired, with dark circles under his eyes and drooping eyelashes, and he looked like he could fall asleep at any moment.
No one bothered him, even the teachers tolerated his behavior. He never actively engaged with the group. Despite being called the "national little brother," he was a quiet shadow in the class.
When he first started school, the girls were crazy about his looks. But then they realized he was often absent or sleeping, and the popularity quickly faded. Lia was a little distressed.
She wasn't good at striking up a conversation, and the other person didn't seem approachable. She wouldn't... just walk right into someone's path and run into a snag. "Ah—" she sighed bitterly. ... Soon, her opportunity arrived.
On Friday, Lia noticed the figure in the back row. Normally, she didn't pay much attention to his presence, but that day, she paid extra attention, as she had a request. She discovered that he wasn't always sleeping, as she'd imagined.
Except during breaks, he did keep his eyes open and stare at the blackboard during class. His posture was casual, and he didn't take notes seriously, but... he wasn't really daydreaming. "So he wasn't always sleeping..."
Lia turned quietly to observe, only to meet his gaze. He reacted quickly, his gaze fixed squarely back at her. Hastily turning back, she picked up a pen and scribbled a few words on her textbook, looking like a guilty thief.
The class passed quickly. Rarely, she didn't hear a single word the teacher said. Her mind was whirling with thoughts, but she had no plan. When the bell rang, she looked back and found him staring back at her.
He tilted his head slightly, his expression a little puzzled, as if silently asking: You're looking for me? Lia encouraged herself and moved over from her seat. "...Excuse me, I have something to ask of you." "What is it?"
She took a breath. "For the school's New Year's performance, our class is planning to dance to the Wonder Girls' "Tell Me." We're planning a boy-girl collaboration. I was wondering if you could possibly do it?"
Yu Chenghao raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was genuinely surprised. He lowered his head and thought for a moment. His tone was not harsh, but he could hear hesitation: "Thank you... but I think it might not be suitable for you." Lia nodded: "Is it because of your tight schedule?"
"That's also the reason." He raised his head, his eyes frank, "Also, I've never learned to dance, and I'm afraid I'll hold everyone back." His words were appropriate, and his tone wasn't cold, just with a sense of tired alienation.
Lia wasn't surprised; she was even a little relieved. "I understand. I'll let everyone know." She smiled at him, said nothing more, and turned to return to her seat.
Just after taking two steps, he suddenly said in a low voice from behind: "Thank you for asking me." Lia stopped and looked back at him.
The afternoon sun slanted down on his face. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes still indifferent, but his expression was unexpectedly serious. Lia smiled and nodded: "You're welcome."
She returned to her seat and faithfully relayed Yu Seungho's response to the girls in the front row. "Ah—is that so..." someone muttered in frustration.
"It doesn't matter, let's just have an all-girl lineup." Another girl said cheerfully, "It will be more convenient for us to schedule." "Xia Qing really won't participate?" Lia asked casually.
"She said she danced like a robot. She might as well go line up to see Quan Zhilong." Lia burst out laughing. This guy is too self-aware. ... That night, the company's training ended earlier than usual.
Lia returned to her dorm, showered, changed into pajamas, and sat on the edge of her bed, drying her hair. Just as she was about to pick up her phone to check the news, a call came in—it was her mother.
She was a little surprised. At this time, her parents rarely called. "Mom?" "Baby, are you free to talk now?" Her mother's voice was still soft. "Yes, what's wrong?"
"I've discussed it with your father, and we still hope you can come back before the New Year." She paused, "We can also update your social security and school district registration." "School district registration?" Lia was a little confused.
"Well... this way, if you want to transfer back to the United States to study in the future, the procedures will be much simpler." Lia held the phone and said nothing.
Of course, she understood what her mother meant. Her parents had always been both supportive and concerned about her trainee status in Korea. They supported her in pursuing her dreams, but they worried she'd have nowhere to turn.
"Well...I know." She said softly, "I'll ask the company if there is any vacancy. If possible, I will come back." "Okay." The mother paused, and her tone became softer. "We all miss you very much."
Lia looked at the dimmed lights in the room for a long time before she softly replied, "I miss you, too." After hanging up the phone, she put the phone upside down on the pillow and leaned against the headboard.
It was dark outside the window, with sparse stars hanging in the sky. The rustling sound of wind blowing through leaves could be faintly heard from downstairs in the dormitory building.
She closed her eyes, and the familiar scene of home slowly emerged in her mind: the soft beige sofa in the living room, the wooden floor in the kitchen, the rose bush in the yard, and her mother pruning it early in the morning. It seemed like she hadn't been home for a long time.
Before she knew it, she was really homesick. ... The next day, she went to see Sister Baoheng and explained her reason for asking for leave. Sister Baoheng was very straightforward: "Okay, I'll go and report to the company."
"But..." She paused, "Bigbang will have a concert at the end of the year, and the company originally planned to arrange for you to go and watch it. If you go back to the United States, you might not be able to make it."
"Ah..." Lia paused and lowered her head, "That's... a pity." She smiled and pretended to be relaxed, "I can only watch it next time." As for the concert, there will always be a chance.
But even as I said it, I couldn't hide the slight disappointment in my heart. A few days later, the date for my return to the United States was confirmed, and I would leave in a month.
She had requested leave from school in advance, and had arranged training at the company. She had even gone to the recording studio to ask for leave separately from Teddy. That night, Lia turned off the lights and lay in bed, the dim light of her phone screen reflecting off the background.
She sent a text message to her mother: [Mom, I plan to leave on December 16th. I've already requested leave from school and work.] "Huh..." She stared at the text for a few seconds and let out a soft breath.
The night was dark and so quiet that she could almost hear the stars twinkling in the distance. She closed her eyes and slowly buried herself in the quilt.
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