50: Chapter 50 This man... is truly irresistible.

At the Sky Entertainment headquarters, inside the T-ara practice room. Early morning sunlight slanted through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, carving patches of light and shadow onto the floor, while tiny dust motes danced slowly within the beams.

The air conditioner emitted a steady, low hum, mingling with the faint, distant beat of music coming from some unknown practice room.

The giant floor-to-ceiling mirrors reflected the empty practice room, as well as the figure that had just walked through the door, her frame still somewhat stiff.

Soyeon stood at the doorway, her fingers unconsciously picking at the strap of the backpack on her shoulder, the frayed edges of the leather strap feeling rough and familiar to the touch.

She wore a simple black tracksuit, her long hair tied into a ponytail at the back of her head, her face bare. Though she still carried the exhaustion of a long flight and days of emotional turbulence, her eyes were much clearer than when she had left, and... softer.

That layer of sharp thorns she always subconsciously raised seemed to have been blunted by the sea breeze of Jeju Island, the disinfectant of the hospital, and certain heavy yet warm things.

Inside the practice room, the other five members of T-ara were present. They seemed to have just finished a round of basic warm-ups; fine beads of sweat dotted their foreheads as they stood or sat, their gazes all fixed directly on her.

Jeon Boram was the first to smile, walking over quickly: "Soyeon! You're back? How is your mother?"

"The surgery was a success, and she's recovering. Thank you, Unnie." Soyeon smiled at Jeon Boram, and while the smile was still faint, it lacked its usual tension.

Lee Qri also walked over, gently patting her arm: "It's good to be back. You must be tired, right?"

Hyomin and Park Ji-yeon also crowded around, asking all at once about the situation on Jeju Island and about her mother's health.

The atmosphere seemed lively, but everyone's gaze drifted, intentionally or not, toward Eunjung, who stood in the back, leaning against the ballet barre, remaining silent.

Eunjung was also wearing a tracksuit, her hair tied in a bun, revealing her smooth forehead and cool, composed face. She didn't rush forward like the others, but simply watched Soyeon quietly with calm eyes, though the fingers gripping her water bottle tightened almost imperceptibly.

Ever since that night of drunken truths and shared secrets, followed by the company facing public opinion attacks from CJ Entertainment and the upheaval in Soyeon's family, the subtle, complex emotions between them—mixed with competition, heartache, understanding, and a certain sense of shared suffering—seemed to have reached a critical point.

They needed to face it, to clarify things, especially now that Soyeon had left and returned.

Soyeon responded to the members' concerns one by one, and her gaze finally traveled past everyone to land on Eunjung's face.

Their gazes met in the air.

The practice room suddenly fell quiet. Even the most boisterous Park Ji-yeon noticed something, closing her mouth and blinking her big eyes as she looked from Soyeon to Eunjung.

Jeon Boram and Lee Qri exchanged a look and quietly stepped back half a pace. Hyomin pursed her lips, a flash of complex emotion crossing her eyes.

Three seconds of silence. Only the low hum of the air conditioner and the faint sound of traffic outside remained.

Then, under everyone's surprised gaze, Soyeon suddenly moved.

She set down her backpack, bypassed Hyomin and Park Ji-yeon who were standing in the way, and walked straight to Eunjung. Without hesitation or unnecessary words, she reached out her arms and pulled the slightly stunned Eunjung into a gentle yet firm embrace.

She rested her chin on Eunjung's shoulder, her arms wrapping around her slender back. She could smell the faint scent of sweat and refreshing body wash on Eunjung, feeling the momentary stiffness of her body, followed by the softness as she slowly relaxed.

"Eunjung-ah," Soyeon's voice sounded in her ear, very light, carrying a trace of imperceptible tremor, but exceptionally clear, "Thank you."

Thank you for saying the things I couldn't say in the car that night, thank you for your silent observation and preparation all this time, and thank you for the concern you sent when the company was in trouble.

And thank you for... liking the same person as me, yet still choosing to use your own way to maintain the "sisterhood" that belongs to the six of us under this complex relationship.

This "thank you" contained too much to put into words, but at this moment, a hug seemed enough to convey it.

Eunjung's body completely relaxed.

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her hands to hug Soyeon back, responding softly in her ear, her voice carrying a hint of relief and warmth: "Welcome back, Unnie."

The tense air instantly dissipated.

Jeon Boram and Lee Qri smiled with relief. Park Ji-yeon patted her chest and muttered: "Scared me to death, I thought you were going to fight..." Hyomin looked away, her eyes somewhat unfocused.

However, this warm atmosphere did not last long.

With a soft "click," the practice room door was pushed open from the outside.

Two small heads poked in; it was Girls Generation's Taeyeon and Im Yoona. Taeyeon had a gentle smile on her face, while Im Yoona looked mischievous, carrying a beautifully wrapped square box in her hand.

"We heard Soyeon Unnie is back from Jeju Island? We brought some gifts..." Taeyeon's voice cut off abruptly when she saw the two hugging in the practice room.

The smile on her face faltered almost imperceptibly, her gaze sweeping quickly between Soyeon and Eunjung, a flash of complex emotion passing deep in her eyes, but she quickly returned to normal.

Im Yoona also widened her eyes, then wore an "I get it" expression, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Soyeon and Eunjung separated and stood up, both looking somewhat unnatural, especially Soyeon, whose ear tips were slightly flushed.

"Taeyeon, Yoona, why are you here?" Jeon Boram, as the eldest, spoke up to greet them, trying to diffuse the subtle atmosphere.

"President asked us to bring this over." Im Yoona held up the white cake box tied with a light gold ribbon, walking in with a grin and placing the box on the small coffee table in the center of the practice room, "He said it's to celebrate Soyeon Unnie's mother's surgery success, and to celebrate Unnie 'coming home'."

"President?" Soyeon's heart skipped a beat, her gaze landing on the exquisite cake box.

Taeyeon also walked in; she was wearing a simple hoodie and jeans today, looking fresh and gentle. Her gaze lingered on Soyeon's face for a moment, as if confirming her state, before she added softly. Her tone was still gentle, but what she said caused ripples in the heart lake that had just calmed down for Soyeon:

"President said there will be a company dinner tonight, his treat, to celebrate two things."

She paused, looked into Soyeon's eyes, and said clearly, word by word:

"First, celebrating your mother's surgery success and wishing her a speedy recovery."

"Second," the corners of her mouth curled into a faint, meaningful arc, "celebrating... someone's mobile folder password finally being successfully 'cracked'."

"..."

The practice room was instantly filled with an eerie silence.

Folder password?! Cracked?!

Except for Eunjung, whose eyes flickered as if she understood, the other T-ara members were all bewildered.

And Soyeon's face turned bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye, from her cheeks all the way to the root of her neck! She looked at Taeyeon in disbelief, ashamed and embarrassed, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into immediately!

President... how could he tell Taeyeon about this?! And using terms like "cracking the password"?! What on earth is he trying to do?!

"Wow! Password? What password? President is daebak, he can even crack Unnie's phone password?" Park Ji-yeon, clueless, asked excitedly.

"Yah! Park Ji-yeon! Shut up!" Soyeon, flustered and angry, made a move to cover the maknae's mouth.

"Ahem!" Hyomin cleared her throat, her gaze sweeping ambiguously between Soyeon and Taeyeon, and suddenly teased: "How would President know Unnie's folder password? Could it be that you..." She deliberately drew out the sound, with an "I get it" expression.

"Hyomin!" Lee Qri was quick, covering this outspoken sister's mouth, giving her a look to signal her not to talk nonsense. Didn't she see that Taeyeon was still here?

[part:gemini-3.5-flash]

Kim Taeyeon still had a gentle smile on her face, as if she didn't catch the ambiguity in Park Hyomin's words. She merely rubbed the smooth edge of her phone unconsciously. The screen was dark, but one could vaguely see that the lock screen was a simple landscape photo.

"Alright, alright, let's look at the cake first!" Im Yoona broke the awkwardness, quickly untying the ribbon on the cake box and lifting the lid.

An exquisite cream and fruit cake was presented before everyone. The cake had a fresh, light green base, with a clear line of words written in chocolate syrup:

[Welcome home, Ms. Park.]

"Ms. Park..." Looking at those three words, Park So-yeon's cheeks, which had just cooled down, began to burn again. This was a nickname Song Tianhao occasionally used to tease her in private, carrying a hint of playfulness and a unique intimacy. Now, it was written so grandly on the cake for everyone to see...

"The President is really something, writing 'Ms. Park' of all things. It sounds so formal yet so funny," Im Yoona grumbled, though her eyes were full of laughter.

Park So-yeon took the cake. When her fingers touched the bottom of the box, she felt something unusual. She gently lifted the cake and found a folded light gray sticky note tucked underneath the bottom of the box. The Sky Entertainment logo was in the corner.

Her heart raced. Taking advantage of everyone's attention still being on the cake itself, she quickly grabbed the note, turned her back, and quietly unfolded it.

On it was only a single line of familiar handwriting that pressed deeply into the paper:

[Every day, a little bit more.]

There was no signature, nor any other words. But Park So-yeon understood instantly: "Every day, a little bit more of a smile."

This was the third term of his "interest," as well as his continuous, gentle urging and... care.

A sour yet warm current welled up in her heart once more, mixed with immense embarrassment and an unspeakable sweetness. She quickly clenched the note tightly in her palm, took a deep breath, turned around, and tried her best to make her expression look normal.

"The President seems to be in a very good mood today," Ham Eunjung suddenly said softly, her gaze thoughtfully sweeping over Park So-yeon's flushed ear tips and her tightly clenched fist.

"Yeah," Kim Taeyeon chimed in, her voice still soft, but her gaze toward Park So-yeon held a clear meaning that only the two of them could understand. "The President also said you guys can decide on the dinner location, and he'll foot the bill. And..."

She paused again, looking at Park So-yeon, conveying clearly:

"He is waiting for you... to tell him in person whether the third thing has been completed."

The third thing... the third smile...

Park So-yeon felt like her face was about to burn up. She had completed it—on the car ride back, facing the car window. But she hadn't said anything.

Yet he had clearly sensed it from the subtle change in her demeanor since she returned, but he still wanted her to say it "in person."

This man... was truly too wicked... yet impossible to resist.

The dinner that night was set in the largest private room of a high-end Japanese restaurant in Gangnam District, famous for its ingredients and privacy. The artists, core managers, and assistants currently under Sky Entertainment in Seoul filled two large tables.

The atmosphere was lively, with the relief of surviving a disaster, anticipation for the future, and the joy of celebration interweaving. The members of Girls Generation and T-ara quickly mingled, toasting each other, sharing industry anecdotes, complaining about the hardships of practice, and looking forward to their upcoming comebacks.

As the boss and "financial backer," Song Tianhao was naturally the main target for toasts. As the leader of Girls Generation, Kim Taeyeon also toasted him several times on behalf of the members, always being graceful and smiling sweetly, showing no signs of anything unusual.

Park So-yeon, on the other hand, was rather quiet. Most of the time, she just ate quietly or conversed in low tones with Ham Eunjung and Jeon Boram beside her. Occasionally, she would look up, her gaze uncontrollably drifting toward the man in the main seat, who was surrounded by everyone and looked much more relaxed than usual.

He did indeed seem to be in a good mood today. Although he still didn't say much, he accepted almost all the toasts from everyone, and a smile remained on his face.

It was just that his gaze would occasionally sweep toward Park So-yeon's direction as if by chance, making Park So-yeon's heart skip a beat every time, forcing her to hurriedly avert her eyes.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew even livelier. Song Tianhao seemed to have been plied with quite a bit of alcohol. Although he still sat upright, his eyes were a bit hazier than usual, and his reactions seemed slightly slower.

By the time the dinner ended, it was already late at night. Everyone said their goodbyes in twos and threes, arranging their own vehicles to return.

When Song Tianhao stood up, his body swayed almost imperceptibly. Kim Taeyeon, who was closest to him, instinctively wanted to reach out and support him, but Park So-yeon and Ham Eunjung stood up almost simultaneously, supporting his arms firmly from both sides.

"President, are you alright?" Park So-yeon asked softly, her tone carrying a worry she hadn't even noticed herself.

Ham Eunjung nodded to the somewhat worried Jang Se-hoon and the assistant nearby. "We'll walk the President to his car."

Kim Taeyeon's extended hand paused slightly in mid-air before she naturally withdrew it. With her smile unchanged, she nodded to Park So-yeon and Ham Eunjung. "Then I'll trouble you two unnies. President, take care on the road."

Her gaze lingered on Song Tianhao's face for a brief second before she quickly looked away, turning to walk toward the business van arranged by the company along with the other members of Girls Generation.

Park So-yeon and Ham Eunjung supported Song Tianhao, slowly walking toward his car parked by the roadside. The driver had already gotten out and opened the back door.

The night wind carried a chill, dispersing some of the alcohol's effects. Under the dim yellow light of the streetlamps, the shadows of the three people were stretched long, overlapping with one another.

After helping Song Tianhao sit comfortably in the back seat, Park So-yeon and Ham Eunjung stood outside the car door and exchanged a glance.

The air was somewhat quiet, with only the faint noise of the city in the distance.

Looking into Ham Eunjung's clear and calm eyes, Park So-yeon suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, yet carrying a sort of reckless honesty and resolve:

"Eunjung."

Ham Eunjung tilted her head slightly. "Hmm?"

Park So-yeon took a breath, looked into her eyes, and said word by word:

"Next time... let's do it together."

These words had no context and their meaning was ambiguous. But Ham Eunjung froze for two seconds, looking at the complex yet clear emotion in Park So-yeon's eyes.

There was concern, compromise, resignation, and also a strange, tacit understanding as if they had reached a consensus. Suddenly, she understood.

She understood what she meant by "together."

It wasn't eating together, nor was it practicing together. It was about forming an unspoken common ground and... tacit understanding in certain more private, unspeakable emotions and relationships.

The corners of Ham Eunjung's mouth slowly curved upward.

She nodded, her voice equally soft. "Okay."

A single word, simple, yet it seemed to seal an important pact belonging only to the two of them.

The driver got in and started the engine. Park So-yeon and Ham Eunjung also got into their respective vehicles, as the company had arranged another car to send them back to their dorm.

The black sedan smoothly drove away from the restaurant's entrance, merging into the late-night traffic.

And under the streetlamp not far from where the car had just been parked, Song Tianhao's figure stood there once again at some point. He leaned against the cold utility pole, holding his phone, the screen glowing with a faint white light.

On the screen, a text message that had just been sent was displayed, and the recipient was Kim Taeyeon.

[The cake was delicious. Thank you. Next time, I'll buy you another flavor.]

The sending time was a few minutes ago.

Almost at the same moment he looked up, he received a reply, very quickly:

[Okay. Oppa, drink less too, and take care of your health. Good night.]

Song Tianhao looked at this reply and curled his lips almost imperceptibly. Then, he raised his head and cast his gaze toward the company business van carrying Park So-yeon and Ham Eunjung, which had already driven some distance away.

Through the dark window tint, he naturally couldn't see anything. But it was as if he could see the two girls inside the car, perhaps smiling at each other, or perhaps silently sharing some wordless understanding.

The curve of his lips deepened a bit more. It was the kind of smile—playful and with a hint of pleasure—that came from seeing things develop in an interesting and highly anticipated direction.

The night wind blew past, bringing the chill of late autumn. He put away his phone, slid his hands into his suit trouser pockets, turned around, and walked unhurriedly in another direction—toward his luxury Villa in Cheongdam-dong. His silhouette stretched long under the streetlamp, tall and steady.