179: Chapter 179 Will she think that her older sister prioritizes romance over friendship?

Choi Sulli's fingers hovered above her phone screen, her fingertips slightly cold.

Krystal's message lay quietly in the chat box, the cute cat emoji at the end seemingly blinking innocently.

The immense joy of her successful invitation was still bubbling up in her chest like champagne, bringing a sweet, dizzying sensation, but it was now gently, yet undeniably, pricked by this short line of text and that emoji.

"Unni, shall we have dinner together tonight? I'm better now, and my appetite is back. Why don't we go eat that steak you said you wanted to try?"

Eating together, with Krystal. That steakhouse she had wanted to try.

Just a short while ago at the photoshoot, Krystal had been clutching her stomach with a pale face, her brows slightly furrowed in discomfort, looking like a little kitten caught in the rain, making one's heart ache.

Choi Sulli still remembered how worried she had been at the time, even considering canceling her afternoon schedule to accompany her back to the hotel.

Now that Krystal said she was "better" and that her "appetite was back," as her unni and teammate, she should logically and emotionally be happy, should agree immediately, and should be concerned about whether she was truly alright.

But... she had just mustered the courage of a lifetime to extend that dinner invitation to Song Tianhao for "just the two of us."

Song Tianhao had agreed. Although he said, "I'll treat," it was still a dinner for the two of them.

In Paris, after having just experienced such a peculiar and soul-shaking trial, in a romantic restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower—it was a scene she had imagined many times while secretly looking up travel guides.

On one side was the closest younger sister who had just "recovered from illness" and taken the initiative to invite her out.

On the other side was the Song Tianhao who had just agreed to have dinner with her, the one who made her heart lose its rhythm.

Choi Sulli felt her heart being pulled in two directions by invisible threads; on one side was the long-standing sense of responsibility and care for her younger sister, and on the other was the small flame of anticipation and palpitation in her chest that was becoming impossible to suppress.

She tightened her grip on the velvet pouch, but its cool, smooth texture could not calm her down.

What should she do? How should she reply?

Tell Krystal she had plans for the evening? With Song Tianhao? But what would Krystal think? Would she think this unni was putting romance before friendship? Would she feel left behind?

And... and she hadn't figured out how to explain it to Krystal, or rather, she wasn't ready for anyone to know about the secret feelings she had for Song Tianhao that went beyond a superior-subordinate, or even a senior-junior relationship.

But if she agreed to Krystal, it meant canceling the dinner with Song Tianhao, or... the three of them together?

The three of them?

Choi Sulli was startled by this sudden thought, and then a heavy sense of loss submerged her like a tide.

What she wanted wasn't a harmonious team dinner for three; what she wanted was that kind of... time alone, just the two of them, quiet, where she could properly look into his eyes, say "thank you" to him, and perhaps chat about something else.

"What's wrong?"

Song Tianhao's voice sounded from beside her, calm and devoid of emotion, like a splash of cold water that instantly jolted Choi Sulli from her chaotic thoughts.

She looked up sharply, meeting his gaze. In the slightly dim light inside the car, those eyes were still clear and deep, looking at her with a hint of inquiry.

"I..." Choi Sulli opened her mouth, her throat feeling a bit dry. Subconsciously, she wanted to cover it up and say "it's nothing," but that wasn't her personality. Besides, in front of Song Tianhao, it seemed increasingly difficult for her to hide her emotions.

She bit her lower lip, as if having made up her mind, and tilted her phone screen toward him, her voice slightly tight, carrying a hint of grievance and dilemma that she herself hadn't noticed, "It's... Krystal. She said she's better and asked if we could have dinner together tonight..."

Her voice grew quieter, and she stared at Song Tianhao without blinking, wanting to see something on his face. Would he find it troublesome? Would he be displeased? Or would he understand her dilemma?

Song Tianhao's gaze swept over her phone screen, lingering for about a second. There was no change in his expression, not even a twitch of his eyebrow; he simply withdrew his gaze calmly and looked back at the Parisian streetscape flashing past the car window, his tone indifferent, as if he were talking about the most ordinary little thing.

"Then let's all go together," he said, then took out his own phone. While pulling up his contacts, he continued in that steady, matter-of-fact tone, "Send the restaurant address to my assistant. Tell Krystal Jung-xi, seven o'clock, at the hotel's rooftop restaurant."

He paused, his fingertips tapping on the screen, and added, "I'll book the table."

Crisp, clean, without any hesitation, not even asking Choi Sulli "What do you think?" or "Is this okay?", he directly provided a solution and took over the responsibility of making the arrangements.

Choi Sulli was stunned.

She had anticipated many possibilities; Song Tianhao might have frowned, might have said "You sisters go eat," or might have let her decide for herself...

But she had never imagined that he would accept the "three-person" option so naturally and calmly, and then effortlessly arrange the location and time.

The intense sense of loss in her heart didn't completely disappear, but a feeling of relief clearly rose up. She didn't have to make this difficult choice, didn't have to say "sorry" to Krystal, and didn't have to face the potential awkwardness.

Song Tianhao had decided for her, in a way that seemed overbearing but in reality, bore all the struggle and potential blame for her.

"O-okay, Song Tianhao." Choi Sulli lowered her eyes and replied softly. Her fingers tapped rapidly on the phone screen, forwarding the restaurant name and address to Song Tianhao's assistant's number, then opened the chat box with Krystal.

She stared at the cat emoji for two seconds, took a deep breath, and began to type.

"Sounds great! It just so happens that Song Tianhao is free tonight and said he'd treat us to dinner! Seven o'clock, at the hotel's rooftop restaurant, Song Tianhao has already booked a table! I heard you can see a great night view of the Eiffel Tower from there! Krystal, is your stomach really okay? Let's eat something light tonight."

She tried to make her tone sound relaxed and natural, carrying a sister's concern for her younger sister, as well as the illusion that "Song Tianhao treating us is just a side note, we are the main characters." Click, send.

The message almost instantly showed "Read."

A few seconds later, Krystal replied.

"Okay. See you at the rooftop restaurant."

No emoji, no extra words; it was unusually concise.

Choi Sulli stared at that line of text, and the tension she had just let go of in her heart crept back up slightly. Krystal wasn't usually like this; even if she was uncomfortable, she would include an emoji in her messages or add a "Got it, Unni." Such a dry "Okay" made Choi Sulli feel a bit uneasy.

She stole a glance at Song Tianhao beside her. He was still looking out the window, his profile lines appearing calm and distant in the moving light and shadows, as if the small interlude just now had never happened.

Choi Sulli gripped the velvet pouch in her hand, its cool touch making her feel slightly more at ease. At least they could still have dinner together tonight. At least she hadn't been completely rejected.

It's just, what would dinner for three be like?

At 6:50 PM, Choi Sulli stood in front of the full-length mirror in her room, adjusting the belt of her light apricot dress for the third time.

The dress was new, bought before she came to Paris; the style was simple, the tailoring decent, and the V-neck was cut just right—not too revealing, yet it perfectly highlighted her slender collarbones and beautiful necklines. The color was gentle, making her skin look even fairer.

Choi Sulli's hair was carefully curled at the ends and draped smoothly over her shoulders. She wore delicate, light makeup, and her lipstick was a peach shade slightly brighter than bean paste, making her look radiant without appearing too deliberate.

She turned left and right in front of the mirror, always feeling like something was off. Was it too formal? Or not pretty enough? What would Krystal wear? Would Song Tianhao... notice that she had dressed up on purpose?

"Choi Sulli, calm down, it's just dinner, and there are three of us anyway." She muttered to herself in the mirror, trying to cheer herself up, but her heartbeat refused to cooperate and was still beating a little too fast.

In the end, she sighed as if giving up, picked up her matching off-white lambskin clutch and a thin knit cardigan, and walked out of the room.

The elevator went straight to the top floor. As the doors opened, the cool evening breeze rushed in, mixed with the aroma of food and the faint sound of a piano.

The hotel's rooftop restaurant was more beautiful than she had imagined.

The entire rooftop had been transformed into a sky garden, surrounded by greenery, with warm yellow string lights wrapped around the railings and flower stands, twinkling with warm points of light in the darkening sky. The dining tables were distributed in an orderly fashion, covered with pristine white tablecloths, and each table was set with an exquisite silver candlestick and a small vase of fresh flowers.

One side of the restaurant had a transparent glass railing; at this moment, the Parisian streetscape unfolded beneath her feet, the lights were just coming on, and traffic flowed like a weave. In the distance, the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower was already clearly visible, waiting under the deep blue sky for the moment to be illuminated.

A waiter led her to the reserved table. It was an excellent viewing spot near the glass railing. Song Tianhao was already sitting there.

He had changed his clothes; he was no longer wearing the slightly formal three-piece suit from the day, but a soft, dark gray casual suit with a simple white cotton T-shirt underneath, the collar slightly open, which lessened the coldness of the day and added a bit of casualness and languor.

Song Tianhao was looking down at his phone, the light from the screen reflecting on his well-defined face. Hearing footsteps, he looked up.

The moment their eyes met, Choi Sulli felt her breath hitch for a second.

His gaze lingered on her for two seconds, very calm, without any special emotion, just a natural sweep, and then he nodded slightly at her: "You're here."

"Good evening, Song Tianhao." Choi Sulli tried to make her voice sound natural. She walked to the seat opposite him and sat down, placing her clutch on the empty chair beside her. This position was just right; she could see Song Tianhao and also see the direction of the entrance.

"Where is Krystal Jung-xi?" Song Tianhao put his phone aside and asked casually.

"She should be here soon. I sent her a message before I left." Choi Sulli checked her phone; there were no new messages. The bit of unease in her heart began to bubble up again. Could it be that Krystal wasn't coming? Or was she angry?

"Hmm." Song Tianhao acknowledged, beckoned the waiter over, and handed the menu to Choi Sulli. "See what you'd like to eat. The escargot and beef bourguignon here are good." His tone was very casual, as if he were talking about the weather.

Choi Sulli took the menu, but her mind was completely elsewhere. She flipped through it aimlessly, her eyes glancing toward the entrance from time to time.

6:58 PM.

The glass door at the entrance was pushed open, and a tall, slender figure walked in; it was Krystal.

She had also changed; she wasn't wearing the casual clothes from the day that were convenient for moving around, but a black spaghetti-strap maxi dress, with a light gray denim jacket thrown loosely over it, and her long hair hanging down.

There was no makeup on Krystal Jung's face, only some lip balm on her lips. Her complexion looked better than it had during the day, but it was still somewhat pale, carrying a sense of fragility after recovering from an illness. In her hand, she seemed to be clutching something, but it wasn't clear.

The waiter went up to her, Krystal whispered something, and the waiter led her toward them.

Choi Sulli immediately sat up straight, a bright smile blossoming on her face, and waved at Krystal: "Krystal, over here!"

Krystal walked to the table and bowed slightly to Song Tianhao: "Good evening, Song Tianhao." Her voice was very soft, without any inflection.

"Sit down. Are you feeling better?" Song Tianhao looked up at her, his tone peaceful.