Night-Owl Romance
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Note: After eons, another update ~! Enjoy and see you next chapter. Hoping it won't be until 2022, but ah well – If I don't like it, I don't post it.
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Chapter 49: Echo Girl's Visit and Selfie King's Oversight
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"SURPRISE~~~~!"
That shrill voice had caught the young man off guard for he was not expecting Echo Girl to be the one standing at his doorway and striking a cute pose. His warm and most charming of grins, originally intended for Mina's beautiful honey brown eyes alone, had remained frozen onto the idol's silhouette, who did not miss the chance to misinterpret his gaze.
"Are you this happy to see me~? I'm honored, oppa!"
Echo Girl was giggling and had bounced gleefully towards the actor, her black coat slipping off her naked shoulder as she latched onto his arm in a powerful hold, a move reminiscent of their earlier encounter by the fish bread stand. The difference now was the idol's increasingly bold attitude and soft chest squishing into his arm.
By that moment the actor's grin had been cleanly wiped off.
"Y-You-!", Zen's voice cracked at their close proximity and instinctively pulled away, but was firmly kept into place. "What are you doing here?", he asked, trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite feeling uneasy. After all, Echo Girl was sporting neither a weather appropriate outfit, nor special garments to conceal her identity while out in public. Her short coat had been fully unbuttoned, revealing a form fitting dark-blue dress underneath with a generous low cut cleavage. The dress appeared as if it had been seamlessly molded onto her toned hourglass shape, Echo Girl accompanying her outfit with complex makeup and an expensive array of accessories. She certainly had a look befitting a fancy high-end banquet.
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So why was she here?
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"Oppa~~~! I haven't been able to stop thinking about you so I've decided to sneak out, he he~! 3", she swooned and Zen was at a complete loss.
*THUD*
Just then, the actor thought he'd heard movement outside his apartment, quickly searching the building's entrance for the source but to no avail. His breathing was more erratic while his senses were flaring out warning messages.
"Sneaking out?", Zen exclaimed worriedly and then lowered his tone as to not awake the neighbors' suspicions. "What will your manager say?"
"Oppaaaaa~~~~!", she whined upset, hearing the actor quickly shhhhh-ing her down a notch. "Ever since learning of your injury, I couldn't just sit around and do nothing about it! I mean... It must be difficult handling this much pain alone, right? As a single man-"
She got shhhhh'ed even louder.
Gripping his arm tighter, she whispered. "Hey... Why are you acting this cold towards me? Weren't you ogling at me not even a minute ago? Hmmmmm?"
"W-Well, that is –"
"Where'd that lovely grin of yours run off to?", she enquired, finger walking on his arm towards his face.
Zen shuddered, his complexion becoming paler.
His immediate reaction had been to escape from her clutch again, however his attempts were still far too feeble. Her long nails were continuously biting into his skin and would surely leave a lasting blood mark if he pressed the matter harder. "Oppa, you don't need to act shyly in front of me~!", she laughed and continued to behave mischievously, pursing her red lips and brushing her naked leg against his injured one. "Hey... If you must know... I am really good at nursing people back to their full health..."
"So let me inside~!"¸ she winked but Zen was no fool.
The woman in front of him had not been subtle with her intentions ever since meeting him, Echo Girl leaning fully into his body as a signal for the young man to give up his futile resistance. He should simply take those steps backwards and shut the door behind them like the good boy he were 3! But the actor's body was unyielding, causing Echo Girl to lose her patience with him.
"Hmph! Won't you invite me inside already?!", she asked harshly.
Suddenly, scenes from the actor's past flashed before his eyes, the portraits of his previous relationships overlapping onto Echo Girl's image whose blue orbs switched to different uncomfortable colors until settling to a honey brown hue he was currently missing.
Zen knew, from the bottom of his heart, that the answer he could give the idol could only be –
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"No~~~!"
"Please get out!" ^o^
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"HUH?!"
Needless to describe the onslaught of knives coming out of Echo Girl's mouth whose beauty had been twisted from anger. One thing was clear to the youth as his apartment's door violently shut, fragments of paint dropping onto the wooden floors – Zen would no longer grieve the loss of this musical production. After all, the opportunity had not been earned due to his skills being recognized, but because of the influence Echo Girl and her management had while butting in the selection process for her co-star. And as much as this knowledge continued to bring him pain and restlessness, the actor was now regarding his injury as a blessing from the heavens.
Sighing lowly, Zen looked at the USB drive in his hand, a gentle smile peeking out despite a deep frown persisting on his face.
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That's right...
No need to focus on what's been lost...
Because the future suddenly looked a whole lot brighter~! 3
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~oOo~
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Mina was staring at her disheveled reflection in the bathroom mirror while ice cold water was trickling down her face, the girl seemingly lost in thoughts. At one point, she raised a hand and moved it tremblingly towards her cheek, scarcely brushing against the spots where Zen's fingers had lingered atop not too long ago. She could vividly recall the sweet warmth spreading throughout her body as she'd felt the actor's gentle touch, with one hand being pressed against her back and the other resting on her cheek. Had those gestures taken place in another setting...
Maybe...
They would have ended up crossing a delicate line which should not be tampered with – for now.
Dare say, with their faces merely inches apart, that their lips would have mistakenly met once or twice, and then another couple of times more, followed by them interlocking limbs as both would be struggling to grip more than it was appropriate of the other's body. It would eventually reach the point where their clothing would become a massive hindrance, resulting in them stripping these annoying layers off and thus entering the final part of a wild horizontal dance – "Ah, so embarrassing!", Mina yelped upset and hid her face in her hands, slipping onto the cold floor next to the shower cabin. She'd slapped both her cheeks simultaneously due to her improper imagination, the party planner's heart audibly pounding.
With her eyes closed and legs brought closer to her chest in a hug, Mina began inhaling and exhaling deeply whilst trying to get those pesky images out of her mind.
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"I won't be able to help myself if we're alone together the entire night. I'm a young guy... Just holding you like this right now is making me imagine what will happen."
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Wasn't this akin to Zen confessing to harboring feelings for Mina...?
Was the silver haired actor truly tempted to crossing the line with someone like her..?
Because...
Truthfully...
She would have probably not denied his company had he requested it, no matter the consequences... 3
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*BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ*
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Alas, since the cold water hadn't done its proper job to wake the girl up to reality, then this phone call would surely butcher Mina's remaining fantasies.
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~oOo~
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Mina was unsure what to expect of Jaehee, suspecting the renewal of a topic which had been heavily overdone by now – her becoming closer to Zen and why it was an unwise move for his career if things progressed further. However, for the entire duration of the call, the assistant had not brought it up once.
Odd... O-O
But a welcoming outcome!
Jaehee was mainly scouting for information with regards to the actor's injury and his overall mental state. She was apologetic in bothering Mina about such matters and she would have enquired the actor himself, but... he couldn't be reached for the time being.
"It's fine.", the coordinator replied and shared a summary of the visit, although she did remove certain parts of the storyline (e.g. the entire rooftop scene). Zen did seem a lot cheerful than he'd been on the messenger and was capable of moving around his apartment without too much effort considering his ankle was stuck in a cast.
"Good news! Zen said he would be definitely taking off his cast before the party."
"That's wonderful news to hear!", Jaehee exhaled relieved, and then swiftly changed the subject to another topic which had peaked her interest.
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The musical they've watched!
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"Eh?", the coordinator's right eye twitched.
Jaehee was patiently waiting for Mina's first impressions, however intensely sweat dropped when she began fumbling her words in panic, unable to provide a coherent sentence about the plotline. Well... it would be a lie to admit that the woman didn't share a similar experience, a good chunk of the young female audience alongside her suffering a mental shutdown by the end of that musical due to the intentional wardrobe malfunction that had snapped his shirt open mid-dance.
"It was shocking...", Mina admitted ashamed, but went on giggling at Jaehee's lighthearted admission.
"If you are interested for more content, another musical I've enjoyed his acting in was based on the tale of Zorro. It makes Promiscuous Jalapeno Topping pale in comparison despite it also being sprinkled with some fan service."
"Oooooh!"
Plus, if she ever required more suggestions for future viewings, Jaehee could include other favorite titles and even bring her some DVD's to watch~!
"I'd like that!", Mina excitedly nodded before a shattering noise was heard in the background, causing Jaehee to groan. "Are you ok?!"
"I'm sorry, I must go tend to Elizabeth the 3rd. Good night."
*END CALL*
Mina blinked, questioning why the woman had the cat in her apartment again since she thought it was back at Jumin's... 'Elizabeth the 3rd does seem to be a handful', the girl thought amused, secretly wishing she had the courage to ask for more pictures of her which weren't in pixel resolution.
*BUZZ*
"The messenger sure's been lively...", she mumbled, scrolling through the wall of texts she'd missed reading while at Zen's. The argument the actor had with Jumin left the coordinator with complicated emotions.
"Don't pretend to be so concerned about Mina's safety when you know very well that I'd do anything to keep her from harm's way! Nothing will go pass me when I'm nearby!"
" I did not sign up for the position of a matchmaker, so if you have nothing important to do there that requires MC's presence, then allow her to leave."
"Also, considering the stress of this past week alone, plus the avalanche of responsibilities that V had dumped on her with this rushed party organization, is it that wrong for me to want her to unwind just for a little while before heading back into another lockdown?"
Rika's apartment being a lockdown environment... I guess, looking at it this way really did make her desolate of the prospect of being secluded here for days, like a hermit. Even though she should be incredibly thankful that she wasn't paying rent and the apartment itself was of a more reasonable size than Zen's small basement one, she would much rather choose to live in a similar place as him. It gave very homey and comfy vibes.
And...
It made her feel really safe to be in.
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*BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ*
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~oOo~
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[707]: YO YO YO!
[707]: MC BACK IN DA HOUSE! *excited emoji*
[Yoosung ]: HURRAY! *excited emoji*
[707]: Hey. Weren't you busy studying?
[Yoosung ]: Hmph.
[Yoosung ]: Why you gotta be like this... T_T
[MC]: Good evening.
[Yoosung ]: MC! *excited emoji*
[707]: MC! *excited emoji*
[MC]: And an excited emoji back to you both!
[Yoosung ]: Man, Seven! You should consider changing her app's settings so she can properly use the messenger's functions.
[707]: No problem! Just wait until the party and then I'll be on it!
[707]: If you'd want the upgrade, that is. ^.~
[MC]: My app is fine as it is; don't go out of your way for this...
[707]: Na, na, na. A lil' tweaking here and there, and you'll have the best version that's in development~!
[707]: Beta-tested by yours truly!
[Yoosung ]: Suspicious.
[MC]: ^.^;;;;
[MC]: Come to think of it – should you be online, Yoosung? Exams are important to pass.
[Yoosung ]: I'm only waiting up for Zen!
[Yoosung ]: I'll be leaving after.
[707]: Hmmmm... you wanna get the inside scoop out of him?
[MC]: Scoop?
[Yoosung ]: *sneaky emoji*
[Yoosung ]: Just the selfie scoop, he he he~!
[MC]: I didn't peg you a fan of Zen's selfies... O-O
[Yoosung ]: Ugh... I'm not. Repeating myself – I am tired of seeing his face so often.
[707]: *laughing emoji*
[MC]: Then...?
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[Yoosung ]: Your face reveal selfie~! *puppy eyes emoji*
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[MC]: Ah. O-O;;;
[Yoosung ]: If, If, If it's not a problem with you!
[Yoosung ]: I'm just curious since both him and Seven had hyped your looks sooooo muchS! -
[Yoosung ]: And CCTV pics are off limits.
[MC]: To be fair, it's not a problem anymore. You're going to see my face soon enough.
[MC]: It's just... Don't feed into their trolling!
[MC]: Zero hype pls. T-T (E)
[707]: RUDE!
[707]: I wasn't trolling!
[MC]: Also, another problem might be... well...
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- Zen has entered the chat room –
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[Yoosung ]: HYUNG! HI HI HI!
[Yoosung ]: *puppy eyes emoji*
[ZEN]: *suspicious emoji*
[ZEN]: You guys are glued to the messenger today, huh.
[707]: Naturally.
[ZEN]: Yoosung, is it wise for you to have finished your studying this quickly? ^^
[MC]: He's on a break.
[ZEN]: Already? *disappointed emoji*
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[Yoosung ]: NGH!
[Yoosung ]: Double damage!
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[Yoosung ]: I've important things to do beforehand and I couldn't focus!
[707]: Yeah, he was whining how he wanted your selfies tonight so he can study properly.
[ZEN]: Oh. Weird request, but that can be resolved fast~!
[ZEN]: I've almost overlooked tonight's batch for MC, thanks for reminding me. ^^
[MC]: Batch...? O_O
[Yoosung ]: Dude, I never said I wanted selfies with HIS face –
[ZEN]: *takes bathroom selfie, water dripping from his face*
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[707]: OH LA LA~! *saves*
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[ZEN]: Yo, it's not meant for you to save!
[ZEN]: But MC *hearts and wink emoji*
[MC]: ...
[MC]: *saves*
[ZEN]: !
[ZEN]: *hearts and wink emoji*
[ZEN]: You're being too cute on purpose!
[MC]: :D
[Yoosung ]: *depressed emoji*
[707]: Woah! Such fast development!
[Yoosung ]: No, but hyung. Seriously... T-T I've been thinking about this all day and it's the only thing that can cure my heartache, plus give me a mental boost!
[Yoosung ]: So don't keep a guy waiting!
[ZEN]: HUH?!
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[Yoosung ]: You know what selfie I want from you tonight!
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[707]: *shocked emoji*
[707]: The "Oh la la" selfie? O_O
[MC]: The "Oh la la" selfie...? O_O
[ZEN]: No "oh la la" selfie, WTF!
[ZEN]: Yoosung...
[ZEN]: I know not having a girlfriend can be difficult to endure, but... I don't know what to say.
[ZEN]: I don't swing towards your direction. O-O
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[Yoosung ]: YOUR SELFIE WITH MC! *angry emoji*
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[ZEN]: Ah...
[707]: As much as I had fun messing with the kid.
[Yoosung ]: I'm not that much younger than you!
[707]: We're actually disappointed in your lack of picture updates throughout the entire evening with MC!
[Yoosung ]: Yeah, Zen! What gives?
[MC]: They were supposed to be given picture updates...?
[ZEN]: No!
[ZEN]: Nothing of the sort, don't trust these people!
[Yoosung ]: Still!
[Yoosung ]: MC said she had no issues with you sending one, am I right?
[MC]: Right, I did write that.
[MC]: But...
[Yoosung ]: Then my eyes are waiting for the blessing ~!
[ZEN]: Erm.
[ZEN]: Well...
[ZEN]: The thing is...
[Yoosung ]: Come oooooooon!
[Yoosung ]: Even 50% of her face is ok!
[ZEN]: ...
[ZEN]: Well...
[MC]: I've tried telling him... ^^;
[Yoosung ]: Telling me what?
[707]: *shocked emoji*
[707]: NO WAY!
[707]: Trolling-mode on hold!
[Yoosung ]: O_O What's going on?!
[ZEN]: How should I say this...
[MC]: RIP.
[707]: Correct sentiment MC!
[707]: But let me add to that!
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[707]: THE SELFIE KING OF MYSTIC MESSENGER TOOK 0 SELFIES WITH MC!
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[Yoosung ]: *shocked emoji*
[Yoosung ]: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!
[Yoosung ]: DUDE, ARE YOU FOR REAL?!
[ZEN]: *depressed emoji*
[ZEN]: I...
[ZEN]: I really...
[ZEN]: ... didn't think of taking one after we got together.
[Yoosung ]: YOU!
[Yoosung ]: YOU YOU YOU!
[Yoosung ]: PTIU!
[707]: Such wild times we are living!
[707]: Never thought I'd live to greet the day when the Selfie King FORGETS to take a photo.
[Yoosung ]: Shameful!
[707]: I vanquish your title of SELFIE KING!
[Yoosung ]: VANQUISH IT FOREVER!
[ZEN]: *depressed emoji*
[ZEN]: *depressed emoji*
[ZEN]: *depressed emoji*
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[MC]: Everyone please relax!
[MC]: It's not a big deal anyway. ^^;;;
[MC]: The party is due very soon. ^^;;;
[MC]: And then we'll all see each other in person, ok? ^^;;;
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[ZEN]: No, no, no - they are correct.
[ZEN]: It's been a terrible oversight from my part!
[ZEN]: I'M SORRY! I ADMIT MY SINS AND AGREE TO SUFFER THROUGH ANY OF YOUR FOUL PUNISHMENTS!
[707]: *tilting glasses emoji* Hoooooo... Is that so?
[Yoosung ]: *shocked emoji*
[ZEN]: You guys...
[ZEN]: Just don't understand!
[ZEN]: How pretty Mina is 3
[ZEN]: *hearts and wink emoji*
[ZEN]: I simply forgot to capture her beauty in a photo~!
[Yoosung ]: OMG! - *shy emoji*
[Yoosung ]: So jealous!
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[MC]: Yoosung, don't listen to them!
[MC]: Zen and Seven keep hyping up my looks!
[MC]: My face is only average...
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[707]: Lies.
[Yoosung ]: -!
[ZEN]: Jagiya.
[ZEN]: Don't make me come to you when my leg heals up just to prove you wrong!
[MC]: Oppa...
[707]: Lolol! Like that's gonna happen! I won't give Zen the address, LOL!
[ZEN]: Mark my words I'll take it out of you somehow!
[Yoosung ]: MC, I lack trust in both Seven and Zen when it comes to many topics.
[Yoosung ]: But when it comes to you, I'll believe everything they tell me ^o^!
[Yoosung ]: Anywho.
[Yoosung ]: Good night, for now~! *shy emoji*
- Yoosung has left the chat room –
[707]: Ye, I should be heading off as well now that today's mission has been completed successfully. ^.~
[707]: 7 – 0 – 7 TO THE SPACE STATION!
- 707 has left the chat room –
[MC]: Well.
[MC]: I think I should go too, then. ^^
[MC]: E-mails and stuff.
[ZEN]: Can you stay a little bit more?
[ZEN]: I actually wanted to talk to you about something but the others had derailed me.
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*Zen was typing a message*
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- Jaehee Kang has entered the chat room –
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*Zen erased the message*
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[Jaehee Kang]: Good evening, I hope I haven't interrupted anything.
[ZEN]: Good evening! Nah, it's fine. ^.^
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~oOo~
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"Oh...", Mina reacted sadly.
With both Yoosung and Seven having logged off, the party planner was adamant in leaving quickly as well before being trapped by Zen's loveliness again 3. She had truly loved meeting him in real life and, in other circumstances, the girl would have relished the thought of spending even more hours alone with him... but she had unfulfilled R.F.A. responsibilities for today that, either way, would have stretched until dawn.
Which was OK, her body was ready! OwO!
However, the girl was a weakling of the heart. A tiny request from Zen and everything had been thrown out the window, Mina impatiently wiggling an invisible tail.
Those e-mails can wait!
What Mina hadn't foreseen was Jaehee suddenly entering the chat room whilst Zen was in the midst of typing out his thoughts, then another derailment ensued. His apology towards the assistant had revealed a shocking piece of about Echo Girl visiting him not long after Mina's departure.
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Not long after his rooftop confession.
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"Oppa...?", Mina's heart constricted at the news as her hands began trembling again.
The coincidence of Echo Girl's arrival at his apartment... was too suspicious.
Zen's rapid and powerful denial of things happening between them, rejecting the woman immediately...
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Was suspicious!
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Mina started spacing out as another cloud of gloominess was suffocating the living room and affecting her breathing. The party planner became inactive during the majority of this conversation, too busy browsing the internet and sinking in a poisonous rabbit hole.
Meanwhile, Jaehee had shared her concerns about the idol's presence at his home address, but the actor wasn't too worried.
She was gone and that was the most important fact!
Jaehee had also mentioned how Echo Girl had made an unexpected appearance tonight at an event where both Chairman Han and Mr. Han were attending. There were even official photos being updated in real time, Jumin's wooden expression a constant in his pictures but these made waves online – a handsomely cold bachelor! Girls were swooning around him, one in particular with magenta hair accompanying him in many photos while his father was at the clutches of that woman, Glam Choi. Echo Girl had made an appearance at that event too, but pictures of her were suspiciously low in number and mostly around Mr. Han.
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Regardless, Echo Girl's pictures looked so incredibly stunning, every angle of her face, body or outfit was perfect whilst Mina's were lacking in every department. Tonight, the idol's photos were especially popular – that dark blue dress was making waves and the designer had posted the image with his creation and a huge sold-out! marker over it.
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Every latest thread linking Echo Girl with Zen had turned into popular hits, some people calling them a visual monster couple if they'd ever start dating – naturally, the reactions from netizens were mixed, plenty of Echo Girl's fans throwing tantrums and shade towards the musical actor. Zen shouldn't get any funny ideas in his head while working with their goddess!
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Why was she tearing up?
It's not like she hadn't searched Echo Girl before... she didn't carry strong feeling of anything about her, more like – oh, she is a celebrity! Cool! Not Mina's style, but still cool!
Yet...
Now she was perceiving the idol negatively.
Why?!
Zen had written in the messenger how he had zero interest in the woman and their relationship would have merely been settled to a business level.
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So why was she tearing up?!
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"Uff..."
Listening to Zen's request and not leaving when she'd planned had been a grave mistake. She should have remained in blissful, happy ignorance, not having their meeting tainted by her unkind heart and brain.
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- MC has left the chat room –
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End note:I like to meddle with the idea that a person's worst critic is themselves, so that is why some people hate receiving compliments from others or are cursed with such terrible self-image issues. The compliments they receive from external factors don't coincide with the internal voices screaming at them every day inside their head.
Well,
The day will come when MC learns to be kinder to herself – but not today~! OoO
