Peninsula: My mentor Kim Tae-yeon

Chapter 112, the final chapter of the volume: Goodbye, Teacher

January 7th, Fukuoka.

The live broadcast was delayed until 1:30 PM, and most of the groups had already arrived in Fukuoka on the evening of the 6th.

Although Su Xia was not invited, she arrived here a day early and stayed at the same hotel as the groups attending the Golden Disc Awards.

After Su Xia arrived, Ive and LESSERAFIM, who were attending the ceremony, as well as other industry artists she had met at MAMA, came to visit her.

Su Xia is at the peak of her career, enjoying great success. Given the previous failures of collaborating with other bloggers, Su Xia, who has already secured a collaboration with a blogger, is seen by various celebrities as the most suitable channel for promotion in China under the current complete lockdown.

Anyone who has benefited even a little from the benefits of being a fan of Su Xia will be eager to make friends with her.

Basically, those she knew either didn't come, or she had already met them on the 6th, so Su Xia didn't run into many celebrities when she was having breakfast at the hotel restaurant on the morning of the 7th.

They're probably all fast asleep.

It was past noon. After having lunch at a restaurant, Su Xia set off for Fukuoka PayPay Dome.

Su Xia was not invited to the 39th Golden Melody Awards, but he showed up uninvited. The organizers wouldn't support him leaving; at most, they would keep him out of the camera's view and let him be backstage.

Therefore, after arriving at Fukuoka PayPay Dome, Su Xia went straight to the backstage area.

"Attorney Su!!!" A powerful female voice suddenly rang out from the side.

Yes, it rang out with a loud bang!

Su Xia looked over and saw Li Yongzhi's familiar figure.

"It's Yongzhi." Su Xia's face showed a look of realization, and she joked with a smile, "I was just wondering, Haiyuan didn't come, and Beibei didn't come either, so where did this shrewish roar come from?"

Of all the people I know, only these two are the ones who shout at the top of their lungs.

"Oh ho ho ho!" Lee Yong-ji let out a cryptic laugh. "I didn't expect to see you here, Attorney Su?"

"Well, I didn't have much to do at home, so I came over to take a look around. I'm just wandering around backstage," Su Xia explained casually.

He had to have a reason for coming to the Golden Melody Awards even though they didn't invite him, right? The reason he gave to Lee Yong-chih was the same reason he gave to the Golden Melody Awards program team.

"I'm going to the IVE waiting room to find Yujin, want to come along?" Lee Youngji asked.

"No, I'll wander around first. I know where IVE's waiting room is." Su Xia waved his hand in refusal. He was here to find Taeyeon in this world. He wasn't in a hurry to see IVE. He had already seen them yesterday.

"Okay." Li Yongzhi could tell that Su Xia had something to do, so she nodded immediately. "Then, Attorney Su, I'll head over now."

"Okay, sure."

Watching Lee Young-ji's departing figure, Kim Tae-yeon suddenly appeared.

"Yongzhi has a very high emotional intelligence; you should learn from her."

Su Xia didn't say anything, but turned around and walked deeper into the backstage area.

Kim Tae-yeon shrugged and followed.

I was planning to head straight to Taeyeon's waiting room and get straight to the point, but who knew she hadn't arrived yet?

I asked a staff member and found out that Taeyeon is a seasoned veteran. She knows that the Golden Melody Awards start at 1:30 and last for six or seven hours, so she arrives as late as possible. Her red carpet appearance is at 2:00, and she should finish walking the red carpet and return to the waiting room around 2:30.

Therefore, Su Xia arrived early.

Looking at Taeyeon's waiting room, which was only occupied by staff, Su Xia sighed helplessly, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It's fine if we don't meet.

"She's not here yet, let's find a place to sit first?" Su Xia looked at Kim Tae-yeon, his tone relaxed without even realizing it.

"Okay." Kim Tae-yeon chuckled and agreed.

Su Xia didn't go to the IVE waiting room, but instead found a storage room backstage to stay in.

Kim Tae-yeon floated in the air, looking at Su Xia who was staring at the floor, seemingly lost in thought, with a complex expression on her face.

Her thoughts drifted back to two years ago, to the moment she first met Su Xia.

It was the winter of 2023 when Kim Tae-yeon first met Su Xia, a miserable graduate student who had spent her 23rd birthday alone at school and was preparing her graduation thesis.

Kim Tae-yeon quietly observed Su Xia, watching him struggle to obtain his graduation certificate and degree, studying legal knowledge that she couldn't understand or comprehend.

Under Kim Tae-yeon's observation, this rather handsome young man's personality gradually became more defined, and he also gradually mastered Chinese, a language he had never systematically studied before.

She watched Su Xia transition from a struggling graduate student to the workforce, watched him take a temporary internship at a law firm after graduation, and watched him struggle every day to make ends meet.

She would appear beside Su Xia late at night after he had fallen asleep, watching him as if he were looking at a part of her own life.

It only takes 28 days for a person to form a habit, but Kim Tae-yeon, after observing Su Xia for over a year, had already formed a habit.

In March of 2024, after observing Su Xia for fifteen months, Kim Tae-yeon chose to appear and confess some of her secrets to him.

This included an urgent desire to go home, as well as a desire to change Su Xia's current situation.

She thought that since fate had brought her and Su Xia together, she should also give Su Xia something, right?

So she guided Su Xia onto a path she was familiar with.

Fortunately, he was truly talented, especially his amazing learning ability, which allowed him to make a name for himself in a very short time.

At first, Kim Tae-yeon only thought that while finding a way to go home, she could also help Su Xia improve his life.

But later, she found herself somewhat reluctant to part with this sharp-tongued guy.

Her desire to go home diminished somewhat as a result. She even had the chance to go back a few times, but she suppressed it with reasons that she herself couldn't convince herself of.

until----

Su Xia has developed her own social circle.

He has someone he likes, maybe more than one?

He has made many good friends.

His friends were tolerant of his "bad" personality, and he was willing to help them.

They have a good relationship.

At this moment, Kim Tae-yeon also realized something.

She should leave.

Su Xia is still young, or rather, too young.

Having things that are not appropriate for one's age too early will inevitably lead to trouble sooner or later.

As his teacher, Kim Tae-yeon taught Su Xia many things over the past six months, such as controlling his greed, not trying to make a fortune with a small investment, not trying to make a fortune in the stock market, and not accepting gifts from others, especially money or sex.

She taught him these things, and he obediently learned them.

But some things cannot be taught through everyday language.

Thinking of this, Kim Tae-yeon's eyes deepened.

Now, let the teacher give you one last lesson.

Su Xia came out of the storage room at two o'clock.

It wasn't Taeyeon who came; it was two staff members who came to move things, so Su Xia had to give up the storage room to them.

I strolled leisurely to Taeyeon's waiting room and stood at the door, quietly watching the scene inside.

Su Xia was waiting for Taeyeon to arrive.

Time passed slowly as he stood at the door waiting. Passing staff members noticed Su Xia standing there and cast strange glances at him.

But Su Xia didn't care at all; his attention wasn't on that at all.

Kim Tae-yeon glanced at the scene in the distance, then smiled and said, "Do you remember what you gave me for my birthday?"

Hearing Kim Tae-yeon's words, Su Xia was pulled back from her reverie.

The dormant memories were awakened, and I returned to March 9, 2024.

He vividly remembers the scene.

After asking around for ideas, I still didn't know what to give her, so I ended up giving Kim Tae-yeon a wishing ticket. Then I was told she hadn't celebrated her birthday in a long time because—

Her father's death anniversary falls on her birthday.

How tragic!

"I remember, one—a wish ticket." Having spent so much time together, Su Xia vaguely guessed what Kim Tae-yeon wanted to do.

"Then I'll use this wish ticket now," Kim Tae-yeon said cheerfully.

Su Xia didn't speak, but footsteps came from behind him. He didn't turn around, but quietly stared at Kim Tae-yeon in front of him.

Kim Tae-yeon glanced at the person behind Su Xia and continued, "My wish is to live a good life, and if possible, to change your temper."

"Hmm... whatever, you're right. People who like you will like you no matter what, so it's fine if you don't change."

After saying that, Kim Tae-yeon smiled at Su Xia and then pointed behind him.

"have a look."

Su Xia subconsciously turned around, and the sand soldiers reacted swiftly to the Tsar's command, as always.

Turning around, a face that bore a striking resemblance to Kim Tae-yeon immediately came into view.

The reason they were still one point short was because the Taeyeon in front of them was younger and also more—unfamiliar.

Taeyeon (whose surname is not included in this world) was startled by Su Xia's sudden turn around.

Although this was the first time Taeyeon had seen Su Xia in person, she recognized him even from behind.

She didn't know why, but she recognized him at a glance, as if she had known him for a long time.

At that moment, a female assistant jogged out of the waiting room and whispered in Taeyeon's ear, "Attorney Su has been waiting for you for a long time, standing here for more than ten minutes."

"Hello, Attorney Su, I'm Taeyeon." Taeyeon smiled and extended her right hand to Su Xia. She had specifically learned how to greet people in a friendly way in China.

Su Xia looked down at Taeyeon's outstretched right hand, but didn't move.

"That's rude of you," Kim Tae-yeon's voice rang out.

Su Xia pursed her lips and reached out to hold Taeyeon's right hand.

The instant their hands clasped together, Su Xia clearly felt as if something was being stripped away from her body.

The next second, Su Xia saw Kim Tae-yeon's figure appear beside Tae-yeon. Her body, which was originally indistinguishable from a real person, began to become illusory at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Su Xia had imagined countless times what it would be like when Kim Tae-yeon left, but when that scene actually appeared in front of her, Su Xia found that no matter how many times she imagined it, it was just an imagination. When the scene actually appeared in front of her, her body still couldn't help but tremble.

Kim Tae-yeon was aware of the changes in herself, but she still had a smile on her face.

"Su Xia, this is the last lesson I'll teach you." Kim Tae-yeon looked at Su Xia, her voice carrying the same tenderness she had when they first met.

"A person is destined to be alone in this life; no one can accompany you for a lifetime."

"Parting is the main theme of life. Remember how you feel today, and you will cherish every reunion after parting."

Kim Tae-yeon's figure had become extremely blurred, as if she might disappear at any moment, but her voice still rang clearly in Su Xia's ears and was firmly imprinted in his heart.

"Finally—live well, my only student." Kim Tae-yeon smiled at Su Xia, her smile fading away like the afterglow of the setting sun.

"teacher----"

Su Xia stared blankly at the dissipating Kim Tae-yeon. This was the first time she had formally addressed Kim Tae-yeon as "teacher," yet the vanished Kim Tae-yeon seemed to let out a soft chuckle. She didn't know if it was her imagination, or—

Seeing that the spot where Kim Tae-yeon had been standing was now empty, Su Xia's eyes instantly reddened.

But he held back.

Kim Tae-yeon once said that men can cry, but they shouldn't cry in public, because it makes people think they are weak.

So he held back.

Su Xia was stunned when Taeyeon across from her suddenly turned red.

No, we just shook hands, why are you so agitated?

"Attorney Su—are you—alright?" Taeyeon couldn't help but ask.

Su Xia took a deep breath and looked at her intently with her bloodshot eyes.

This is not her.

A smile appeared on his face.

"I'm fine, I'm just a little excited because it's my first time meeting my idol."

Kim Tae-yeon suddenly realized and accepted this explanation.

After all, she had seen fans cry their eyes out when they first met their idols. It was a bit strange for Su Xia, a blogger with millions of followers, to do this, but it wasn't impossible.

"Perfect timing, I have a question that has been bothering me for a long time that I would like to ask Attorney Su."

"Please speak."

"Why are your singing and dancing so similar to mine? I mean, my singing and dancing habits. These are things I figured out myself, and I haven't taught them to anyone else."

This question is puzzling not only to the general public and those who know Taeyeon, but also to Taeyeon herself.

Why is Su Xia able to make Cover to this level?

Even if she were to personally train a blogger to specifically cosplay these songs and dances, it would be difficult to cultivate such a lifelike resemblance in a short period of time.

This requires that her voice, vocal range, dance habits, and other qualities all match hers, which is an extremely difficult thing in itself.

Su Xia remained silent for a long time.

"Perhaps, we are destined to be together."

A smile appeared on Su Xia's face.

Taeyeon could tell that, unlike the forced smile from before, Su Xia's smile this time was genuine.

"Is that so?" Taeyeon nodded and didn't delve any further; everyone has their own secrets.

"Would you like to come in and sit down?" Taeyeon invited.

"No, thank you." Su Xia had recovered, except that her eyes were still slightly red.

"I'm already satisfied just to have met my idol."

"Goodbye, Taeyeon." Su Xia bowed slightly to Taeyeon and turned away gracefully.

Taeyeon looked at Su Xia's retreating figure with a puzzled expression.

That figure—is it fleeing?