174: Chapter 174 Soo-jung seems to be in a bad mood?

There was silence inside the room for two seconds. The quiet of the hallway seemed to be infinitely magnified at this moment, and Sulli could even hear the drum-like beating of her own heart in her chest, along with the buzzing of blood rushing to her eardrums.

Her fingers holding the doorknob tightened unconsciously, her other hand hanging by her side, her fingertips slightly cold.

Just as she was about to assume no one was in the room or that the president had indeed already gone to sleep, and was preparing to turn and leave, there was the sound of the door lock being turned from the inside.

*Click.*

The dark solid wood door pulled inward, opening a crack, and warm yellow light spilled out from the gap, falling onto the thick carpet of the hallway.

Song Tianhao stood behind the door.

He didn't open the door fully, only pulling it wide enough to clearly see the visitor outside. He wore dark blue silk pajamas, and his hair wasn't as meticulously groomed as it was during the day; a few strands fell across his forehead, making him look a little less sharp than usual and a bit more casually at home.

A trace of fatigue that hadn't fully faded lingered on his face, with some tiredness between his brows, but his eyes remained clear.

Seeing that it was Sulli, a flicker of surprise crossed Song Tianhao's eyes before he quickly regained his composure.

"President..." Sulli's face instantly flushed red, feeling even hotter than when she had been baked by the lights during today's shoot.

She hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to look into his eyes, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, filled with obvious awkwardness. "I'm sorry to bother you so late... I-I came to get the charger."

She spoke very quickly, as if fearing that if she slowed down, she would lose the courage to finish.

Song Tianhao's gaze lingered for a moment on the crown of her lowered head and her flushed ear tips, then he stepped aside, opening the door wider.

"Come in and wait, it's cold outside." His voice was slightly lower than usual, with a hint of hoarseness from having just woken up or from working for a long time, giving it a unique quality in the silent hallway.

Sulli froze for a moment, shot a quick glance up at him, and then carefully stepped inside.

The door closed gently behind her.

This was a luxury hotel suite, much larger than the one she and Krystal were staying in. The living room was spacious, decorated in a classic European style with dark wood furniture, an off-white carpet, and a glittering night view of Paris outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.

On the coffee table in the center of the living room, a silver-gray laptop screen was still lit. A few documents were scattered next to it, and a cup of coffee was already empty, leaving only a dark trace at the bottom of the cup.

A faint aroma of coffee floated in the air, mixed with a hint of the clean scent of aftershave and body wash that belonged to him.

Sulli's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the lit laptop screen. Although she couldn't make out the details from a distance, she could see what appeared to be some business report interface, filled with charts and English text.

"Take a seat, let me see where I put it," Song Tianhao said, walking toward the single armchair by the window, where the suit jacket he had worn during the day was draped.

Sulli didn't dare to sit, standing just a short distance from the entrance, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her pajamas. Her gaze followed Song Tianhao's back, watching him bend over to search the sofa, the silk fabric of his pajamas tracing the smooth lines of his back with his movements.

Her heart was still beating fast, but unlike the pure nervousness from before, it was now mixed with a deeper, more secret throb of excitement. Late at night, in his room, just the two of them, him in pajamas, his hair slightly messy, his voice low and raspy...

This realization made the temperature of her cheeks rise by a few more degrees.

Song Tianhao quickly found the white multi-port charger in his jacket pocket. He turned around, walked back, and handed it to her.

"Here." His voice was very casual, as if this were just the most ordinary transfer of an item.

Sulli quickly reached out to take it. Her fingertips touched the cold plastic casing of the charger and inevitably brushed lightly against his warm fingers.

The touch was extremely brief, like a feather brushing against skin, yet it carried a distinct electric sensation that zipped from her fingertips to her heart in an instant.

Sulli's fingers curled imperceptibly, and then she quickly gripped the charger tightly, as if holding onto a hot secret.

"Th-thank you, President." She kept her head down, her voice a little tight.

Song Tianhao didn't seem to notice her subtle reaction, or perhaps he did but didn't care. He glanced at the phone in her other hand, which already had a black screen, and asked casually, "Is your phone dead?"

"Yes." Sulli nodded, finally gathering the courage to look up at him before quickly averting her gaze to the collar of his pajamas. "Tomorrow... there's still the street shoot, and I was afraid of missing any messages, so..."

"Tomorrow's street shoot is in the afternoon; there's free time in the morning," Song Tianhao said, his tone giving away no emotion. "But going to bed early is the right choice to keep your energy up."

"Yes, President," Sulli replied, but she didn't leave immediately. She stood there, clutching the charger tightly in her hand, her knuckles trembling slightly from the force.

Her mind was racing, searching for an excuse to stay a little longer, or rather, a reason that would allow her to have more "non-work" connection with him.

The room fell silent for a few seconds. There was only the faint sound of Paris night traffic from outside the window and the subtle hum of the air conditioner vent in the room.

Song Tianhao didn't urge her to leave, just quietly looking at her, as if waiting for her next words, or perhaps simply out of politeness.

"President..." Sulli took a deep breath and spoke again, her voice slightly louder this time, yet still carrying an uncertain, tentative tone. "Will... will you be having breakfast at the hotel tomorrow morning?"

After asking, she held her breath and stared at him without blinking, her gaze a mix of anticipation, nervousness, and a trace of cautious ingratiation.

Song Tianhao looked at her. The girl was wearing light pink cotton pajamas with a loose white hotel bathrobe thrown over them, her soft hair draped over her shoulders. Her makeup-free face looked exceptionally pale and clean under the warm yellow light, and her eyelashes fluttered slightly out of nervousness.

At this moment, she didn't look like the artist in front of the camera during the day who needed guidance to bring out a sense of story, nor did she look like the lively and excited tourist under the Iron Tower. She was just an anxious girl who had knocked on an older man's door late at night and gathered the courage to make an invitation over a trivial matter.

He fell silent for two seconds.

Those two seconds felt as long as a century to Sulli. She almost thought her abruptness had displeased him and was preparing to apologize and flee.

"Yes," Song Tianhao finally replied, his voice still steady. "I will. Around eight-thirty."

Sulli's eyes lit up instantly, like fireworks suddenly bursting in the night sky. The brilliance was so direct it almost overflowed.

"Then... then can I join you?" she asked almost impatiently, with a hint of cheerfulness. Realizing she was being too direct, she quickly added, "I mean... Krystal and I, can we have breakfast with you, President? I-I know a very nice café nearby, we could also go out to eat..."

She was incoherent, her cheeks growing even redder with excitement and anticipation.

Song Tianhao looked at her instantly brightened eyes and flushed cheeks, a trace of almost uncatchable emotion seemingly flickering in his eyes.

He didn't answer immediately, but raised his wrist to glance at his watch. The movement was casual, but it carried an easy, leisurely aura of being in control of time.

"Let's just have it in the hotel restaurant," he said, lowering his wrist. "Nine o'clock, first-floor restaurant. Be on time."

"Yes!" Sulli immediately straightened her back and responded in a crisp voice, a wide smile blooming on her face, so brilliant that it seemed to light up the entire room. "Thank you, President! Then... then I won't disturb your rest any longer! Goodnight, President!"

Holding the charger, she bowed deeply, then turned and almost skipped to the door. Opening it, she turned back to flash him another brilliant smile before gently closing the door.

*Click.*

The soft click of the door lock closing was exceptionally clear in the silent room.

Song Tianhao stood in the center of the living room, looking at the closed door with an expressionless face. A few seconds later, he walked over to the coffee table, picked up the cup of cold coffee, went to the small bar counter, and poured the remaining coffee into the sink. The sound of rushing water echoed as it washed away the dark liquid.

He walked back to the sofa and sat down, his gaze falling on the laptop screen. The screen displayed the business analysis report of the CJ Group's European branch, as well as some materials on the layout of the entertainment industry in the European market. He looked at it for a few seconds, reached out, and closed the laptop.

Then, he raised his hand and gently pressed the space between his eyebrows with his thumb and index finger.

In the hallway, Sulli practically skipped her way back. The thick carpet completely swallowed the sound of her footsteps, but her heart was singing joyfully in her chest. She clutched the white charger tightly, as if holding some precious treasure, unable to suppress the smile on her face.

The president had agreed! He had agreed to have breakfast together tomorrow!

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Even though it was in the hotel restaurant, and even though Krystal might be there too, but... but that was having a meal with Song Tianhao!

It wasn't a business meal, it was breakfast!

It was a private breakfast where they could chat about other things!

She felt as if her footsteps were light and airy, as if she were walking on clouds.

The nervousness, awkwardness, and racing heartbeat she had felt in his room just moments ago had all transformed into a sweet, bubbling joy.

He had even let her inside; although she had only stood at the doorway, and although it was only for a few short minutes, it was his room... late at night, and he was wearing pajamas...

Sulli's face flushed again, but this time it was a blush mixed with shyness and sweetness.

She quickened her pace, wanting to return to her room immediately to share this good news with Krystal.

Even though Krystal might not be very interested, this was something worth being happy about!

Just as she reached the corner of the corridor where her suite was located and was about to turn, a figure happened to walk out from the other side of the corner, near the public water dispenser. It was Krystal.

She was wearing a set of dark blue silk pajamas, draped with a white hotel bathrobe, and was holding an empty glass water bottle; it looked like she had come out to get water.

The two of them bumped into each other right at the corner.

The smile on Sulli's face hadn't yet faded; it hung brightly on her face, and her eyes were still filled with the lingering glow of joy.

As for Krystal, there was no expression on her face. She just swept a calm gaze over Sulli, then over the white charger Sulli was clutching tightly in her hand, and finally, her gaze lingered for a split second on Sulli's cheeks, which were clearly flushed with excitement.

The air stagnated for half a second.

The smile on Sulli's face froze for a moment, then became even brighter, carrying a hint of the guilty conscience of being "caught doing something bad," but more so the eagerness to share her joy: "Krystal! Are you out to get water? I got the charger!"

She shook the charging cable in her hand.

Krystal's gaze shifted from her face to the charger, and then back to her face.

Her expression remained indifferent, and those beautiful, somewhat cold eyes revealed no emotion under the warm yellow wall lights of the corridor.

"Hmm." She replied indifferently, her voice devoid of inflection. "Since you got it, go back and rest. It's very late."

After saying this, she didn't look at Sulli again, nor did she go to get water. Instead, she took the empty water bottle, turned around, and walked straight to their suite door, swiped her card, opened the door, and went inside.

The door closed gently behind her without making much sound.

Sulli stood at the corner, the smile on her face slowly fading, and she blinked.

Krystal seemed to be in a bad mood? Was she tired? Or...

She shook her head, cast aside this small doubt, raised a smile again, and walked quickly back to her room door to swipe in.

The lights in the suite's living room were still on, but the door to Krystal's bedroom was already closed.

Sulli walked on tiptoes to her own bedroom door, thought for a moment, and then walked to the outside of Krystal's bedroom door and knocked gently.

"Krystal, are you asleep?" She asked in a lowered voice.

There was no response from inside. Sulli hesitated for a moment, but then, facing the door, she spoke in a voice that couldn't suppress her happiness: "Krystal, I talked to Song Tianhao, and he agreed to have breakfast with us at the hotel restaurant on the first floor tomorrow at nine!"

She waited for two seconds; it remained quiet inside.

"Krystal?" She called out again.

"...Hmm, I got it." Krystal's voice finally came from inside, muffled and devoid of emotion, as if it were coming from under the covers. "I'm asleep."

"Oh... then goodnight!" Sulli, suspecting nothing, replied happily, turned around, returned to her room, and gently closed the door.

She threw herself onto the soft bed, rolled around holding her pillow, then buried her face in it and let out a silent scream to vent the overflowing happiness in her heart.

Only then did she get up, plug the charger into her phone, and watch the screen light up to show the charging icon. Her heart felt filled with something, warm and swelling.

She picked up her phone, her fingers sliding across the screen, opened the photo album, and found the photo Krystal had taken of her and Song Tianhao in front of the Iron Tower today.

In the photo, she was smiling like a flower, and Song Tianhao was standing beside her. Although he wasn't smiling, his profile looked exceptionally handsome and tall against the backdrop of the night and the lights. She was still wearing his suit jacket.

Sulli's finger gently stroked the figure on the screen, and the corners of her mouth rose unconsciously.

After watching for a while, she exited the photo album, opened her contacts, and found the number saved as "Song Tianhao".

Her fingertip hovered over the screen for a long time; she typed a few words, deleted them, typed again, and deleted again.

In the end, she only sent a short text message: "Song Tianhao, goodnight. See you tomorrow. : )"

After sending it, she put her phone on the bedside table, turned off the lights, and burrowed under the covers.

In the darkness, she kept her eyes open, looking at the ceiling, while everything from tonight began to replay uncontrollably in her mind.

The silent corridor, the way he looked in his pajamas when he opened the door, the scent of coffee and his own scent in the room, the temperature of his fingertips when he handed over the charger, his action of checking his watch when he agreed to have breakfast together...

Every detail was infinitely magnified and savored repeatedly.

She turned on her side, curled up, pulled the quilt up to cover the corners of her mouth that she couldn't help but lift again, and closed her eyes, slowly drifting into dreamland with a heart full of anticipation and sweetness.

Meanwhile, in the room next door, Krystal was not asleep.

She was lying on her side in bed, back towards the door, her eyes open in the darkness.

It was very quiet in the room, with only the faint sound of air from the air conditioning vent.

She could hear the faint sound of Sulli seemingly humming softly from next door; although it was very vague, that cheerfulness could be felt even through a wall.

Krystal's fingers unconsciously squeezed the corner of the quilt.

In her mind, the scene she had just seen in the corridor replayed uncontrollably.

Sulli coming out of Song Tianhao's room, the unabashedly bright smile on her face, and the white charging cable she was clutching tightly in her hand.

It was so late, to go get a charger.

Was she really just going to get a charger?

It took that long?

When she came out, her face was so red, her eyes so bright...

Krystal turned over, lay flat, and looked at the ceiling in the darkness.

There was a stifling feeling in her chest, hard to define—a bit sour, a bit astringent, and a bit... inexplicably irritable.

She knew that Sulli had a crush on Song Tianhao, or rather, admiration, dependence, and perhaps some of the innocent sentiments of a young girl.

Starting from that time in the practice room when Song Tianhao personally came to bring them a late-night snack and pointed out the details of Sulli's dance; starting from when Song Tianhao appeared like a savior when they were treated unfairly by their former company and signed them; starting from the times Song Tianhao's seemingly strict but actually caring words and actions...

That kind of feeling, it wasn't that she couldn't understand it.

Even... what about herself?

Krystal closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow under her eyelids.

What emerged in her mind, however, was a different picture.

Not the "private tutoring" between Sulli and Song Tianhao in the corner of the studio today, but from much earlier, in Seoul, during a vocal lesson arranged by the company.

She was a bit frustrated because she couldn't hit a certain high note.

After class, Song Tianhao happened to pass by the practice room and heard her practicing that section repeatedly inside.

He didn't come in, just stood at the door and listened for a while.

Then, when she failed again and put down the microphone in annoyance, he pushed the door open and walked in. Without saying anything, he walked to the piano, sat down, and played a simple melody.

"Here, the breathing position is wrong." He pointed out very calmly at the time, then demonstrated the correct way to breathe and produce sound once, "Don't force it with your throat. Try it."

Just those simple two sentences and a demonstration.

She tried it, and then, the problem that had plagued her for days actually just passed like that.

He just nodded at the time, said "Not bad," and got up and left.

But that afternoon, the sunlight shining through the practice room window onto his profile as he sat at the piano, the simple notes flowing from his fingertips, and his calm but effective guidance... that scene, for some reason, had remained in her mind ever since.

Krystal opened her eyes again; in the darkness, her gaze was somewhat complex.

She remembered Sulli outside the door just now, saying in that joyful tone, "Song Tianhao agreed to have breakfast together tomorrow."

Have breakfast together...

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to suppress that inexplicable emotion in her chest.

Then, she turned over, again facing away from the door, and closed her eyes.

Only, at the last moment before closing her eyes, her fingers tightened again, clenching into a fist.

In the darkness, there was only the sound of her light, seemingly uneven breathing.