NABC Chapter 37 I Won't Get Angry Solo Fans Will Get Criticized
Chapter 37 I Won't Get Angry Solo Fans Will Get Criticized
Chapter 37 I Won't Get Angry / Solo Fans Will Get Scolded (10000)
Seeing that only the two of them were left at the table, Jiang Yongtai finally relaxed and looked at Mina, who was standing silently with her smile gone.
"Nan-chan, why did you step on me just now?"
Mina snorted, didn't turn her head, and put her chopsticks into her plate.
"Did I? Wasn't it Sana who stepped on it?"
The first kick was Sana, and the second kick wasn't yours?
Jiang Yongtai really wanted to say that, but seeing her expression, he knew that even if he said it, he wouldn't get her approval.
He sighed, his gaze moving down from her face to her knees.
"Nan-chan, have you had another relapse?"
Mina paused slightly. "Really? No."
She said that, but actually pulled her legs under the table.
Jiang Yongtai glanced around.
Lunchtime had passed, and there were only a few people left in the cafeteria; even the closest staff members were several tables apart.
He picked up the spoon and pretended to tap it towards her knee.
Minami dodged to the side and glared at him.
"What are you doing!"
"Didn't you say it was nothing? So it's okay if I knock once, right?"
Jiang Yongtai had an innocent expression, but his eyes were smiling.
I can't be bothered with you.
Minami rolled her eyes at him.
If there weren't other people around, I really wanted to kick him again and fulfill the vow I made to the penguin pillow last night!
She picked up her tray, stood up, and walked towards the recycling area.
Jiang Yongtai smiled and picked up his plate to follow.
The two put their plates away in the recycling area and walked side by side toward the elevator.
Jiang Yongtai pressed the down button, the elevator doors opened, the two walked in, and the doors slowly closed.
"Nan-chan, are you free tonight? I'll come pick you up." Jiang Yongtai looked down at her.
"Why did you pick me up?" Mina looked up, her eyes filled with confusion.
"I know a traditional Chinese medicine doctor who is very good at acupuncture. Kim Jong-kook also went to see him because of his injury problems."
Jiang Yongtai's tone became serious, and the joking tone from before was gone.
Mina looked into his earnest eyes, then looked away, her voice unconsciously softening.
"Thank you, Yongtai-san, but never mind, I really—"
"It's settled then, Nan-chan. I'll text you after I get off work."
Jiang Yongtai smiled, interrupting her refusal.
The elevator doors opened just then, and several staff members wearing name tags came in. They nodded to Mina when they saw her.
Mina pursed her lips, swallowed the words that were about to come out, glanced at Kang Young-tae who was already wearing a mask and looking at the elevator indicator light nonchalantly, and wrinkled her nose.
When exactly did this person discover that her knee injury had flared up again? She seemed perfectly normal today.
The elevator reached the first floor, and the two people walked out with the flow of people, stopping at the entrance of the lobby.
Jiang Yongtai turned to look at her, his eyes still holding that smile that was making her a little annoyed.
"Thank you, Nan-chan. I'm off now. Remember to wait for my message."
Mina looked at him helplessly.
"Are you really going? The company also has partnered rehabilitation therapists, and isn't Yongtai-san quite busy lately?"
"We are friends."
Jiang Yongtai didn't give her another chance to refuse. He waved to her, turned around, and walked out of the automatic doors of the JYP building.
Mina watched his figure disappear through the door and sighed.
That phrase again—
She turned and walked towards the coffee shop, already thinking about something else.
Sana is probably waiting to settle scores with her right now, isn't she?
But ultimately, whose fault is it? It's all Yongtai's fault!
Originally, she just wanted to sit quietly and watch a good show. How could he say he liked her in front of so many people? As soon as Mina walked into the coffee shop, she saw Minatozaki Sana sitting by the window.
Her orange curly hair cascaded over her shoulders, her elbows propped on the table, staring blankly at the two iced Americanos in front of her.
Mina walked over and sat down opposite her, speaking in the same tone as usual.
"Sana, is this my drink?"
Sana Minatozaki snapped out of her daze, turned to look at her, and a smile had already appeared on her face.
"Okay, I've ordered for you~"
When Mina saw that smile, her heart skipped a beat.
She took a deep breath and looked intently at Minatozaki Sana.
"I'm sorry, I was just teasing you, that's why I brought up Jiang Yongtai—"
Sana Minato smiled and shook her head, then stirred the ice cubes in her cup with a straw.
"I don't blame you. Thanks to Mina, I've figured some things out just now."
"————What is it?"
Mina felt a bad premonition rising in her heart.
Sana Minato narrowed her eyes, leaned forward, and stared at Mina's face.
Mina leaned back in her chair, swallowing hard as she was stared at.
"Hmph~ Mina, are you—"
"Is it something?" Mina's voice was a little tense.
"Have you been in contact with Jiang Yongtai all along?!"
Sana Minatozaki proudly stated her conclusion.
Mina's shoulders relaxed immediately, and she let out a breath.
"You mean this? I thought—"
"What did you think?! What else are you hiding from me? Isn't this enough?!"
Sana Minatozaki widened her eyes, trying to make her question sound fierce.
She stormed out of the cafeteria and sat in the coffee shop for a while, looking at two iced Americanos, going over all the scenes in her mind.
When Jiang Yongtai said "I like Minai," Mina's overly natural reaction was actually unnatural.
She clearly hadn't seen Jiang Yongtai in a long time, at least on the surface.
In addition, there was that hat that Mina said she "bought casually" but which turned out to be the same as the one in Kang Young-tae's house.
When these fragments are pieced together, they are enough for her to draw a conclusion.
Mina and Kang Young-tae are still in contact behind my back, and it didn't just start recently!
"That's all, that's all."
Mina waved her hand, puzzled, and asked, "Sana, how did you find out?"
Sana Minato crossed her arms and raised her chin slightly.
"Jiang Yongtai's hat is an old style, you can't buy it anymore! And—your acting was terrible just now!"
""
So that's how it is —
Mina secretly felt annoyed.
But is my acting really that bad?
"Tell me, when did you and him start dating?"
Sana Minatozaki took a sip through the straw, waiting for her to confess honestly.
"What do you mean 'started'? It's not like I'm dating him!"
Mina's voice rose half a tone, filled with shame and anger at being wrongly accused.
"Don't interrupt, you know what I mean."
Sana Minatozaki rolled her eyes at her.
Is Mina dating Kang Young-tae?
The thought flashed through her mind for only a fraction of a second before being dismissed; the possibility was probably even lower than if she and Jiang Yongtai were to get back together!
Mina was silent for a moment, then looked down at her iced Americano.
"—When I'm at home."
"Hyogo?" Minatozaki Sana paused for a moment while drinking her coffee through her straw.
Minami nodded.
"Yes, while he was recuperating at home, he—"
She recounted how she and Jiang Yongtai had reconnected, and also mentioned that she had actually gone out to buy games with him the last time, but wore his hat on her head when they returned because she was afraid of being recognized by passersby.
However, only the general outline of the events was given; no mention was made of the bag of rainbow candies, the steamed buns Jiang Yongtai gave her, the knee medicine, or the long phone call on the balcony.
After listening, Sana Minatozaki remained silent for a while before speaking again, her tone surprisingly calm.
"Well, that means he did help your condition somewhat."
I guess so.
Mina smiled, recalling those nights when she and he played games together over a microphone back in their hometown of Hyogo.
"Playing games with him makes me feel much more relaxed."
"Okay, that's good."
"Sana, aren't you angry?"
"Why should I be angry? The most important thing is that you get better, Mina. Being friends with him is fine too."
He's actually a pretty good friend; at least he can immediately tell what you're thinking.
Sana Minato shrugged, surprisingly appearing indifferent.
Jiang Yongtai always seems to know what she's thinking, and he can arrange everything perfectly without her having to say a word.
A man like this is more suitable as a friend than a lover.
When Mina heard her last sentence, her expression suddenly became a little unnatural. She lowered her head and unconsciously twirled the straw with her fingers.
"Actually—most of the time, he can't guess what I'm thinking."
1
Sana Minatozaki nodded. "Oh, you didn't guess? Oh—"
She nodded halfway, then suddenly stopped and abruptly raised her head.
"What?!"
The staff at the next table glanced over curiously, and Mina quickly pressed her hand down.
"Shh, shh! Sana, keep your voice down!"
Sana Minatozaki realized what was happening and quickly bowed slightly to the people at the next table with a guilty smile on her face. Then she turned back to stare at Mina Mina and lowered her voice.
"Mina, what did you say?! He can't understand you?"
"Well, didn't you tell me about his talent before? So when I was initially helping you guys cover for him, I wasn't really keen on getting close to him."
Mina chuckled. "I'm not like you. You think it's great to find a boyfriend who understands you."
"————That was before."
Sana Minato pursed her lips, her gaze shifting slightly downwards, the shadow of her eyelashes falling on her eyelids.
Mina heard the sadness in her voice and quickly stopped smiling.
"I'm sorry, that's not what I meant—"
"It's okay."
Sana Minato smiled and shook her head, as if she had completely let go of it.
"You continue."
Mina looked at her expression, making sure the smile wasn't forced, before continuing.
"Later I found out that Jiang Yongtai sometimes didn't know what I was thinking."
"You mean, he can read it for everyone else, but it only works sometimes for you?"
Sana Minatozaki frowned, not quite understanding.
"Yeah, he's frustrated too."
Mina recalled the helpless look on Kang Young-tae's face when he said to her, "Mina-chan, you're doing it again," and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.
Sana Minato leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on Mina Mina's face. She remained silent for a while before letting out a soft laugh, tinged with self-deprecation.
"Do you know why I suddenly started avoiding him back then?"
Minami raised her eyes.
"It's because he never fails me."
Sana Minatozaki's tone was so calm that even she was a little surprised.
"I felt so tired at the time. No matter how I tried to hide it, he knew whether I was happy or not."
I didn't even have a chance to say "It's okay," he already said it for me.
She looked at Mina, her eyes becoming somewhat unfocused.
"So I ran away, afraid he would see me trying so hard to act like nothing was wrong, but looking like a circus clown—"
"——Sana." Mina looked at her with heartache.
Sana Minatozaki met her gaze, then suddenly tilted her head, a sly smile appearing in her eyes.
"But Mina, back when he was still at KBS, we met for the first time in two years. Do you know what he said to me?"
"What did he say?" Mina asked curiously, peering forward.
He said—he couldn't understand me anymore.
Sana Minato smiled, finished the last sip of her coffee, and stood up to stretch.
"Let's go back to practice."
Mina also stood up, holding the almost untouched cup of coffee in her hand, her mind still replaying Sana Minato's words from earlier.
Sana Minatozaki took two steps, then turned back, a smile playing on her lips, her voice a little softer than before.
"Mina, thank you for telling me all this. As for you and Jiang Yongtai—I'm not angry."
His ability to help you relax during your time back home is more important than anything else.
Sana——
'
Mina felt a lump in her throat, took a step forward, took her arm, rested her face on her shoulder, and her eyes reddened.
"Are you about to cry? Let me get my phone out first!"
Sana Minatozaki smiled mischievously, her fingers already reaching into her pocket.
"—Yada!"
Mina raised her reddened eyes, rolled her eyes at her, and then burst out laughing.
Seeing her laughing and crying at the same time, Minatozaki Sana chuckled twice, her eyes curving into two arcs.
"Mina looks so cute right now~"
"Nei~"
Mina brushed her blonde hair aside, revealing an expression that fans call "the princess of a fallen kingdom".
"Hey! Don't you dare charm me!"
Kang Young-tae returned to tvN and handed over the pre-interview transcripts of Yoo Jeong-yeon to Park Soo-bin, who had just returned from Son Chang-woo's office.
Park Soo-bin took the notebook, flipped through a couple of pages, and nodded.
"The content is very solid. It's great that you were able to produce the first draft of the script today. Thank you for your hard work, Yongtai."
Jiang Yongtai responded, sat back down at his desk, and took out his phone to book an appointment with the old Chinese medicine doctor—8 p.m. tonight, just in time.
-
Except for Kim Sung-woo, who was on leave, the rest of the crew gradually returned. Choi Min-young was distributing coffee to everyone, and several FDs...
The stagehands and staff also took their seats.
Jiang Yongtai twirled the pen in his hand twice, just about to announce the start of a meeting, when his phone suddenly vibrated.
He glanced down at the screen—Jiang Huiyuan.
He frowned. Since her debut, Jiang Huiyuan rarely called him directly. She usually only replied half-heartedly to Kakao. If she took the initiative to call, it was probably because something really happened.
He gestured to Park Soo-bin, got up, walked outside the office, and answered the phone.
"Oppa, why are you taking so long? What if I've been kidnapped and the kidnappers are calling for ransom? Don't you care about your sister?!"
Jiang Huiyuan's voice came through the receiver in one breath.
Jiang Yongtai rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"Then let them kill the hostage. Is there anything else? If not, I'm hanging up. I have a meeting."
"Wait a minute, Oppa, I have something to do!"
"Just say what's wrong. Do you need some pocket money?"
"No, that's not true. I have money now!"
Jiang Huiyuan said proudly, her tone suddenly softening and becoming a little coquettish.
"Oppa~ Are you free the day after tomorrow?"
"The day after tomorrow?" Jiang Yongtai mentally reviewed the schedule.
"I'm busy. The first episode is scheduled to be recorded the day after tomorrow, and I need to set up the recording studio the day after that."
"Huh? Can't you spare even a little bit of time? Just a tiny bit~"
Jiang Huiyuan deflated like a punctured balloon, but immediately pleaded again, unwilling to give up.
"—What do you want to do?"
"I didn't really plan anything special, it's just that the day after tomorrow is my second debut anniversary, and I wanted to treat Oppa to a meal!"
Her anticipation almost overflowed from the receiver.
Jiang Yongtai frowned even more deeply. "Is your debut date the day after tomorrow?"
He remembers very clearly that IZ*ONE's debut date was in October.
"It wasn't IZ*ONE! It was when I participated in the audition program; that counts as my debut day!"
Jiang Huiyuan explained confidently.
Jiang Yongtai chuckled, "Are you talking about that time you acted like a chuunibyou and cosplayed as Luffy?"
"Oppa, don't mention that!"
Jiang Huiyuan's voice suddenly rose, and you could almost picture her covering her ears through the receiver.
"—Okay, so it's just dinner, right?"
Jiang Yongtai sighed and leaned his shoulder against the wall of the corridor.
"Huh? Oppa, you said yes?"
"Okay, send me the address later."
"Yes! Oppa, remember to dress smartly then~"
Jiang Huiyuan's voice instantly jumped from zero to one hundred.
Jiang Yongtai raised an eyebrow. "Why would I dress up so handsomely for your debut anniversary?"
"Oh, I told you to wear it, so just wear it. Can't I take pictures? I won't bother you anymore, bye-bye!"
The moment I finished speaking, the receiver went dead.
Jiang Yongtai listened to the dial tone, shook his head, and a helpless smile appeared on his lips.
What's this girl up to now?
He put his phone in his pocket, pushed open the office door and went in, nodding to the people waiting in the room.
"Excuse me, I had to make a phone call. Let's begin."
Mina sat on the sofa in the practice room, frowning, looking down at her knees.
The skin surface had an abnormal light red tinge, and it stung a little when I pressed it lightly with my finger.
Her teammates had all gone back. When Sana Minato peeked back from the doorway as she left, she asked if she wanted to come along. She really wanted to say yes, but when she thought of the serious look in Yong-tae Kang's eyes at noon, she hesitated and shook her head.
Sana Minato glanced at her, didn't ask any questions, said "Don't practice too late" and closed the door.
She was the only one left in the practice room. She took out her phone and checked the time. It was almost 7:30. The screen was quiet, with no new messages.
She looked up and saw her reflection in the mirror opposite her; her hair was still a little wet.
After her practice session, she took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and even hesitated for a moment about whether to put on makeup, but in the end she did.
-
She looked at her lightly made-up face in the mirror, squinted, and tapped Jiang Yongtai's profile picture on the screen with her finger.
Yongtai-san, if you say you suddenly have to work overtime later, the next time we meet, it won't just be a matter of stepping on your foot!
The moment my fingertip touched the screen, the image suddenly zoomed in—it was a phone call from him.
She coughed lightly, paused for a moment, and then answered the call, deliberately keeping her voice very soft.
"Yongtai Sang".
"Nan-chan, you didn't stand me up, you're still at the company, right?"
His voice carried a hint of laughter, and the sound of wind could be heard in the background.
Mina rolled her eyes at the mirror in a pretty way.
"Yongtai-san, shouldn't I be the one worried about being stood up?"
"It seems not. Come downstairs, I'm downstairs at your company, the security guard has been watching me."
Jiang Yongtai glanced at the expressionless security guard at the door and gave a wry smile to the person on the other end of the phone.
Mina hung up the phone, picked up her bag, and stood up from the sofa, her steps lighter than she realized.
Downstairs, Jiang Yongtai was standing face to face with the security guard.
The security guard stood with his hands behind his back, staring intently at his face.
Jiang Yongtai took out a cigarette case from his pocket and handed it over.
"Uncle, are you smoking?"
"Sir, we cannot accept items from fans. Please leave."
The security guard's gaze remained fixed.
"Uh, I'm not a fan, I'm waiting for someone."
"Sir, I've seen many paparazzi and fans say this. Please leave."
"I'm really waiting for someone."
"—Please leave."
Just as Jiang Yongtai was about to begin his fifth round of explanation, he caught a glimpse of the automatic door opening and a figure wearing a mask and hat walking out.
He immediately waved in that direction, then turned to the security guard and smiled, "Uncle Security Guard, the person I'm waiting for has arrived. Let's go now."
The security guard glanced back, his brow furrowing slightly.
This kid actually managed to wait for us?
He sized Jiang Yongtai up and down, then turned around and walked into the building without looking back.
Mina walked up to him, a helpless smile playing on her lips above her mask.
"Yongtai-san, what are you doing?"
"Nothing much. Just chatting with the security guard."
Jiang Yongtai called out to the security guard's retreating figure, "See you another day, uncle."
The security guard didn't even stop walking.
Mina tugged at his sleeve, "Get in the car, it's cold."
The night breeze blew her still slightly damp hair, the ends brushing against her collar, and she unconsciously pulled her coat tighter around herself.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Yongtai immediately took her into the car, and the two of them took off their masks and fastened their seat belts.
Minami exhaled, and a small patch of white mist condensed on the car window.
Jiang Yongtai handed over his coat, which he had taken off and was draped over the back of the chair.
"Nan-chan, warm your hands."
"oh."
She took it and covered her hands with the coat. A trace of his body heat still lingered in the fabric, slowly seeping into her hands.
Jiang Yongtai turned the heater up two levels, started the car, and the car smoothly drove out of the parking space and onto the main road.
Minami turned her head to the side, her face turned towards the car window. The light from the streetlights flickered across her profile, casting a long, thin shadow on the bridge of her nose in the darkness. Her eyelashes trembled slightly each time the light swept across her face.
She broke the silence by speaking.
"Yongtai Sang".
"Um."
How did you figure out my knee had relapsed?
Jiang Yongtai glanced at her sideways. The light from the streetlamp fell on her profile, sliding down her brow bone to her jawline, with a few strands of golden hair sticking to her ears.
She didn't turn her head, but kept looking out the window, leaving him only a quiet silhouette.
"I could tell from when you were dancing in the practice room, and also when you went to get your water bottle afterward."
He looked away, his tone casual.
Mina raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
That's all? Sana is right next to me. Is he really looking at me so intently?
The car was quiet for a few seconds. Jiang Yongtai glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and seeing that she didn't say anything, he casually changed the subject.
"Did Sana come to settle accounts with you this afternoon?"
Mina turned her gaze away from the window and looked at his profile as he drove.
"No, Sana told me she's going to confront Yongtai tomorrow."
Jiang Yongtai was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"What grievance does she want with me?"
"Yongtai-san himself knows the answer."
Mina smiled and then turned to look out the window.
The words Sana Minatozaki said that afternoon, "You and Kang Young-tae—I'm not angry," lingered in her mind for a long time.
Wouldn't Sana be angry? She didn't dare to think any further.
The carriage fell silent again.
Seeing that she stopped talking, Jiang Yongtai reached out and turned on the stereo. A tune he hadn't heard much of came out of the speaker.
The two sat quietly and drove towards the clinic.
Mina looked at the somewhat dilapidated sign in front of her. The paint on the lettering had faded, and under the streetlights, the words "Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic" were barely legible.
She turned her head, her mask covering most of her face, leaving only her eyes, which were full of questions.
Are you sure this is the place?
Jiang Yongtai nodded, a smile appearing in his eyes.
"This is it, let's go in."
Mina followed him and pushed open the glass door. A strong smell of Chinese medicine wafted towards her, and even though she was wearing a mask, she still wrinkled her nose slightly.
The clinic is small. The waiting area is right inside the entrance, with a few old wooden chairs and a human meridian chart hanging on the wall, the edges of which are yellowed and curled.
-
Behind the counter was a whole wall of Chinese medicine cabinets, with the names of medicinal herbs pasted on the densely packed small drawers, most of which she couldn't understand.
A middle-aged man looked up from behind the counter and glanced between the two men.
"Hello, do you have an appointment?"
Jiang Yongtai nodded and gave his mobile phone number. The middle-aged man checked the information on the registration book, walked around from behind the counter, and gestured towards the corridor.
"Come with me."
Mina followed Jiang Yongtai inside, her fingers unconsciously gripping his cuff.
The corridor was narrow, and several framed photos hung on the walls on both sides. Most of them were group photos. She recognized that the elderly man in the white coat was standing next to Kim Jong-kook.
In the photo, the two stand side by side under the same sign. The old man looks serious, while Kim Jong-kook is all smiles.
There were also several photos of her with celebrities, including actors and singers. Mina recognized one or two of them, and her tension eased a little, but only a little.
At the end of the corridor is a treatment room.
The middle-aged man pushed open the curtain, revealing two massage beds inside. The sheets were very clean, and next to them stood an infrared therapy lamp and a cart filled with glass cupping jars.
The smell of Chinese medicine in the air was fainter than outside, mixed with a faint aroma of burnt mugwort.
"Wait here for a moment, I'll go get my father."
The middle-aged man lowered the curtain and left.
Mina looked at the two massage beds covered with white sheets in front of her, and tugged at Kang Young-tae's sleeve.
"Yongtai-san, is this place reliable? Should we go back?"
Jiang Yongtai smiled and gestured with his chin toward the row of group photos on the wall.
"So many of your seniors have come here, so relax, Nan-chan. I've heard acupuncture is very comfortable."
Mina felt utterly exasperated, and her voice unconsciously rose a few decibels.
"Then I'll try Yongtai Sang too, it's really comfortable!"
Just as Jiang Yongtai was about to retort, the curtain was pulled open.
The old man in the white coat from the photo walked in. He was still wearing the same white coat, but it was a bit older than in the photo.
He glanced at the two of them indifferently. "Which of you has a problem?"
"he!"
Minami's hand instantly pointed at Kang Young-tae.
Jiang Yongtai gave a wry smile. "Stop joking, Nan-chan."
He turned to Dr. Kim and bowed slightly.
"Dr. Kim, it's because her old knee injury has flared up again. I mentioned it on the phone."
Dr. Jin nodded, asked no more questions, and gestured with his chin toward the massage bed behind Mina.
"Then sit down and roll up your trouser legs, let me take a look."
Mina glanced at the doctor's face, then at Kang Young-tae, and knew she couldn't escape it today, so she obediently sat down by the bed.
She bent down and slowly rolled up her trouser legs to reveal her knees.
The right knee was noticeably more swollen than the left, with a faint redness showing through the skin, and the surrounding soft tissue was slightly bulging. There was also a slight feeling of fluid buildup at the joint.
She rolled up her trouser legs very gently, but she couldn't help but frown slightly when her fingers touched the outside of her knee.
Dr. Kim knelt down in front of her and gently pressed around her knee with his thumb.
When the pressure was applied to the outside of the patella, Mina's leg trembled violently, and her fingers instinctively gripped the bed sheet tightly.
Dr. Jin didn't even look up, continuing to probe down along the joint space with the same force, observing her reaction at each point.
When the pressure was applied near the medial collateral ligament, Minami gasped, and Kang Young-tae pursed his lips as well.
"Ballet?" Dr. Jin looked up at her.
"—Yes, I learned that when I was a child."
Dr. Jin nodded, stood up, walked to the table, picked up an acupuncture needle, and held it over an alcohol lamp a couple of times.
Minami looked at the needle, then at Kang Young-tae.
Jiang Yongtai nodded slightly to her, his lips silently making a gesture—"It's nothing."
Mina closed her eyes as the needle fell.
No pain.
She opened her eyes with trembling hands and looked down at the silver needle in her knee. The skin around it was only slightly red, a completely different sensation compared to the stinging pain when Dr. Jin pressed it with his fingers.
Dr. Jin glanced at her and chuckled softly.
"First time? Don't be nervous. If you're really scared, just hold your boyfriend's hand."
Mina paused for a moment, and a faint red flush quickly appeared on the area that the mask couldn't cover.
"Doctor, he's not my boyfriend!"
Dr. Jin had already turned to get her acupuncture kit, her tone very confident: "I know, I know, some period, I've heard that song too."
Mina was speechless for a moment, and became a little anxious. She turned to look at Kang Young-tae, her eyes filled with "You better explain yourself!"
Jiang Yongtai smiled and said to Dr. Jin, "Doctor, she is indeed not my girlfriend right now."
Dr. Jin returned with the acupuncture kit, sat down by the bed, and casually remarked as he removed the needles, "Young man, if it's not like that now, then you'll have to work harder."
"Hey! Yongtai-san!"
Mina's face flushed even more with anxiety.
What did he say, "now"? Was it really necessary to add a time noun?! Couldn't he just say "no" directly?
Seeing that she was about to explode, Jiang Yongtai stopped laughing and seriously explained to Dr. Jin, "Doctor, I was just joking. She's not my girlfriend. We're just friends."
Dr. Jin glanced at them, shook his head, muttered under his breath, "These young people nowadays," and then refocused his attention on the silver needles.
Jiang Yongtai shrugged helplessly at Mina, indicating that he had done his best.
Mina rubbed her forehead, too lazy to look at him again, and shifted her attention to Dr. Kim, asking, "Doctor-nim, will acupuncture help?"
"sure!"
Dr. Jin looked up, her expression suddenly turning serious, as if she had touched a bottom line that could not be questioned.
While fiddling with the silver needles, he launched into a long discourse, from unobstructed meridians to the circulation of qi and blood, from "you young people shouldn't rely on your good constitution to tough it out" to "you'll know how powerful it is when you get old," all those old-fashioned sayings.
Mina was completely overwhelmed by his imposing manner and could only nod repeatedly in agreement.
In the intervals between her nodding, her knees were unknowingly covered with a dense array of silver needles. It wasn't exactly painful, but the aching sensation made her too afraid to move.
"Okay, wait half an hour, I'll pull it out. Don't move around."
Dr. Jin stood up, finished speaking, lifted the curtain, and went out.
Mina looked down at the silver needles on her knee and felt like she was about to have a phobia of trypophobia.
She looked up, her tone tinged with reproach: "Yongtai-san—look what you've done."
Jiang Yongtai sat down next to her, his voice softening: "I'm doing this to help you, aren't I? You don't want to be forced to rest again because of a relapse of your old injury when you return, do you?"
Mina knew he was right, so she could only sigh and hang her head.
A recurrence of a knee injury means limited range of motion, and if the company finds out, subsequent stage choreography and comeback schedules may be affected.
She's already lost a year and doesn't want to rest anymore.
Both of them fell silent, but the silence didn't feel unbearable; instead, it had a strange sense of comfort.
It was as if both of them had tacitly agreed that there was no need to force a topic of conversation at this moment, and that they should just keep each other company.
"Yongtai Sang".
Minami suddenly spoke, but did not look up.
"Um?
'
Who is your favorite member of Twice?
Jiang Yongtai paused for a moment, then laughed.
"Didn't I ask that at noon?"
Mina pouted and muttered in a voice only she could hear, "Who knows if you're telling the truth or not—"
"Nan-chan, could you speak louder? I can't hear you."
Jiang Yongtai frowned. Mina usually speaks softly, and when she deliberately lowers her voice, it becomes even more inaudible.
Mina looked up at him, her tone slightly defiant.
"If you can't hear me, fine. I'm not saying this to you anyway."
Jiang Yongtai was somewhat taken aback by her remark, and chuckled, "Yes, oh dear~"
He suddenly sensed something; there was a very light emotion in the air, so light that it almost slipped past the edge of his perception.
It wasn't pain, nor frustration, but the lingering concern of waiting for a second answer after asking the question; she was trying to figure out what he meant by what he said at noon.
Jiang Yongtai glanced at Mina with surprise and raised his eyebrows slightly.
It's working again now? His ability is definitely unpredictable with Nan-chan.
Mina didn't look at him; her attention was entirely on the silver needles in her knees, her fingers idly twisting the edge of the bedsheet.
Jiang Yongtai thought for a moment, then coughed lightly. Mina looked up at him in confusion.
He looked down into her eyes, and a slow smile crept onto his lips.
"Nam-chan, what I said at noon was true. I really am from Once, and you're my favorite member of Twice."
Mina paused for a moment, her beautiful eyes lingering on his face for a brief instant before looking away.
"----oh."
She looked down at her knees again, her fingers loosening the twisted sheets.
The clinic was quiet, with only the ticking of the clock. After a while, she spoke softly again.
"Is Yongtai a solo stan? Be careful, he might get attacked by other Once fans~"
Half an hour passed quickly with the ticking of the clock.
Dr. Jin lifted the curtain and came in, removing the silver needles one by one from Minami's knee. He then gently pressed several acupoints with his fingers to confirm that the redness and swelling had subsided considerably.
He straightened up, his tone calm yet carrying the certainty of an experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctor: "It's best to rest these few days and avoid strenuous exercise."
Mina silently shook her head.
Dr. Jin glanced at her and sighed.
"Judging from your appearance, you must be an idol. Oh well, I know my words are of no use to you. Just come more often when you have time."
"----Inside."
Minami lowered her head and responded softly.
"Thank you, doctor." Jiang Yongtai bowed slightly.
Dr. Jin waved his hand, his serious expression suddenly relaxing and replaced by a knowing smile.
"I often have celebrities come here, and I usually ask them to take a group photo, but you guys—"
He glanced at Jiang Yongtai, then at Ming Jingnan, and shook his head meaningfully.
"Never mind, it's not suitable, it's not suitable."
After saying that, he lifted the curtain, smiled, and left.
Jiang Yongtai and Mina exchanged a helpless glance.
What an insolent old man!
A middle-aged man peeked out from behind the curtain, holding a bill in his hand.
"Gentlemen, your treatment is over. Who will pay the bill?"
"I'll do it," Mina said first.
Jiang Yongtai reached out to stop her and shook his head.
"Nan-chan, I'm the one who dragged you here, so you can treat me to a meal next time."
Next time?
Mina looked into his eyes, stopped arguing, and nodded.
Jiang Yongtai paid at the counter, and the middle-aged man handed him a packet of traditional Chinese medicine, along with instructions for use.
"Sir, soak your feet in this when you get home, it will help your girlfriend recover faster."
Mina and Kang Young-tae had given up trying to correct him; they simply responded with a tacit "Yes," took the medicine packet, and turned to leave.
Pushing open the glass door of the clinic, a night breeze rushed in, instantly dispelling the lingering smell of Chinese medicine on my body.
It was a bit colder outside than before. Jiang Yongtai took a step forward, took a deep breath of the clean and refreshing air, and turned to look at Mingjing Minami.
"Nan-chan, I wasn't lying to you, am I? Do you feel much better now?"
Mina glanced at him. "You'd better not be lying to me."
After saying that, he turned around and walked towards the parking spot, his hands behind his back, his steps light as he stepped on the shadows cast on the ground by the streetlights.
Jiang Yongtai watched her stepping on her shadow, shook his head with a smile, and quickly chased after her.
"I won't help you if you fall."
"No way! Oh dear—"