Peninsula: I'm being supported by a top idol.

"what?"

"Finally a response? I thought you were dead! Why didn't you reply to my messages?"

"I didn't see it." Cui Shi'an swallowed hard. Actually, he had seen those text messages when he got up around nine o'clock.

I was going to reply, but then I received a message from her calling me a stingy person, so I just ignored it.

"Didn't you see it? What time is it? Don't tell me you're still sleeping!"

Cui Shi'an then pretended to yawn: "Yeah, I just woke up."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhimin felt a little resentful. She had been sending messages all morning, feeling anxious and uneasy, only to find that the other person not only failed to receive her emotional signals but also said that they were sleeping.

"Don't you attend classes? How can a college student be so lazy?"

"Because you don't have classes in the morning?"

Liu Zhimin was speechless, and retorted defiantly:

"You think you can slack off just because you don't have classes? I still go to the practice room when I don't have any schedules!"

Cui Shi'an frowned: "Did you call specifically to encourage me to be more ambitious? Or are you just looking for a different angle to find fault?"

Liu Zhimin was speechless for a moment before he remembered why he had called.

It's strange, but just hearing his voice makes me want to vent all my frustrations, and I completely forget what's most important.

"Actually, there was a slight accident..."

"What's wrong?" Sensing that something was wrong with her tone, Cui Shi'an also became serious.

"Just now... Jang Won-young from IVE, she... she asked your name."

Cui Shi'an was visibly stunned for a moment, then blurted out in disbelief, "My name? Even Zhang Yuanying knows it?"

The subconscious sense of novelty in his tone—that his name was known by a big star—instantly ignited Liu Zhimin's nameless anger.

"What?" Her voice suddenly rose, filled with sarcasm:

"Are you proud that she knows your name? Should I go get you an autograph right now?"

"No..." Cui Shi'an was a little embarrassed by her choking and quickly explained:

"That's not what I meant... I just found it a bit novel, after all, the other person is a household name in K-pop, and it's surprising that they would know about an ordinary college student like me..."

"Ugh!" Liu Zhimin was even more annoyed, practically shouting into the microphone:

"I'm a K-pop star too! I know your name, so why don't you find it surprising?!"

Cui Shi'an was a little confused by her sudden outburst of anger: "I didn't say you weren't? Why are you so agitated?"

"Shut up!" Liu Zhimin ordered, annoyed and embarrassed, forcefully steer the conversation back on track: "Anyway, in case—I mean in case—reporters come looking for you, don't say anything, just deny it!"

"Deny?" Cui Shi'an was even more puzzled. "Deny what?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by what sounded like a soft inhale, before a somewhat unnatural yet forcedly composed reply came through:

"...rumors of a romantic relationship."

"Love, love?!" Cui Shi'an's voice was filled with absurdity, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Ha... with whom? You?... This is too funny!"

His reaction made Liu Zhimin feel inexplicably uncomfortable, and a feeling of great displeasure welled up inside him.

She snorted, her tone laced with sarcasm: "What? Are you embarrassed by rumors of dating me?"

"That's not what I meant!" Cui Shi'an immediately denied, his voice filled with both panic and a hint of being touched by those words.

"What I mean is, we... are worlds apart. How can anyone believe that a top star like you would date an ordinary male college student like me? It sounds like a fantasy."

Hearing him say that, Liu Zhimin's slight unease subsided, replaced by a little bit of smugness.

She gave a haughty snort, her tone rising:

"Hmph, that's more like it... at least you have some self-awareness."

Finally, she regained her usual competence and instructed, "I will investigate the source of this matter. Don't worry, just continue with your life as usual."

Cui Shi'an chuckled on the other end of the phone, and said self-deprecatingly:

"I don't have much to worry about. Being rumored to be dating the famous Karina, when you think about it, seems like a pretty prestigious thing."

Tch, is it just about saving face? She's definitely a lifelong single.

Liu Zhimin's lips curled up slightly, and his mood visibly improved.

When she returned to the lounge, she was like a completely different person, smiling softly at everyone.

"Is there any more food? If so, I'll have some too."

The members were completely bewildered by her sudden change in attitude; just minutes before, the sky was overcast and there was thunder and lightning...

Especially in the winter, witnessing this scene, he became even more convinced of Ningning's previous assertion—love is something that cannot be hidden!

At that moment, Kim Dong-won secretly resolved that he must be extra careful in the future and never repeat the mistakes of this love-struck unnie.

……

Meanwhile, at the Korean Grand Dining Hall.

Cui Shi'an sat down with his plate, his gaze inadvertently sweeping across the wall, and he was surprised to find that the newly posted posters included aespa.

In the pictorial, Liu Zhimin occupies the central position, her carefully drawn eyes, with a touch of theatrical allure, seem to pierce through the paper, quietly gazing in this direction.

Cui Shi'an slowed down his chewing and couldn't help but glance at it a few more times.

As I watched, a thought inexplicably popped into my mind:

The magazine photos... are just so-so. Although they look nice, they seem to have captured her vibrant, sometimes mischievous, sometimes lively charm.

Real people are more vivid and appealing...

If I really had such a beautiful and special girlfriend...

The moment the thought popped into his head, it startled him.

He quickly shoveled down two mouthfuls of noodles, as if trying to swallow this unrealistic idea.

The other party is a highly popular idol, and due to the strict control of her company, even a normal relationship is a luxury, let alone now when her career is on the rise.

In comparison, the senior student is more... realistic.

At least we're on equal footing, and perhaps in the future we can openly take walks and go on dates together...

The key difference is that the senior student is much gentler than her.

"Hey, what are you looking at so intently?" His roommate, Tian Ming, waved his hand in front of his eyes, and following his gaze to the wall, he said, "Oh, looking at a pretty girl?"

Cui Shi'an snapped out of his daze, feeling a little embarrassed. He casually pointed at the aespa poster with his chopsticks and asked, "Um... when was that put up? I didn't notice it before."

"This?" Tian Ming glanced at it. "It's been posted for a while now, at least several months. Were you living in another dimension before? Why are you only asking now?"

"Nothing, just asking," Cui Shi'an replied vaguely, then lowered his head and continued eating.

Tian Ming didn't delve into it further, and instead asked, "Do you have any plans for this afternoon? If you're free, how about coming to Zhenling Cave 2 with me?"

"Zhenling Cave 2?" Cui Shi'an looked up, somewhat puzzled. "Aren't there computers in the dorm? Why go so far to use the internet?"

Tian Ming's expression instantly became somewhat awkward, and his eyes darted around: "Uh... well... there's something else."

Seeing his expression, Cui Shi'an immediately realized: "You want to go see that internet cafe manager? You two hooked up so quickly?"

"Hey! What do you mean by 'flirting'!" Tian Ming retorted immediately, as if his tail had been stepped on, but a suspicious blush appeared on his face. "This time... I'm really serious!"

Cui Shi'an couldn't help but laugh and tease, "What, where's your Fiona? Don't you want her anymore?"

Tian Ming waved his hand and said in a disillusioned tone:

"Steak burgers are okay to eat occasionally, but they're not a long-term solution. I still think... white rice is the most delicious and comforting."

White rice...

These three words were like a tiny needle, gently pricking Cui Shi'an, and the smile on his face gradually faded.

Even the most ordinary white rice has become a taboo that he needs to avoid.

The thoughts I had just had about "reality" and "appropriateness" now seem particularly pale and ironic.

After all, he couldn't even keep up with the most basic aspects of life, so his aspirations for ordinary romance were probably out of the question from the very beginning.

"...Go ahead." He listlessly poked at the kimchi in his bowl with his chopsticks.

"I have something to do this afternoon."