Chapter 245: “cute” Bae Joo Hyun
……
In 2013, the night Kim Soft Soft had a blowout at the highway exit gate.
“Um, Bae Joo Hyun…”
“Hm?”
“If a stranger suddenly approached you to talk, based on your personality and situation, what do you think would be the first thing you’d say to get your attention?”
“A pickup line?” Bae Joo Hyun raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone probing.
“You can think of it as a pickup line, or just a chat.”
“The first sentence?”
“Yeah, first impression.”
……
Bae Joo Hyun was silent for a few seconds, her gaze flickering.
“What’s wrong, is it hard to say?” Lin Xiuyuan couldn’t help but press.
“It’s a bit awkward…” she pursed her lips and added softly, “Because I actually prefer it when people compliment me.”
In the underground parking lot, the lighting was a bit dim.
As Bae Joo Hyun spoke these words, Kim Soft Soft and Sulli, standing beside her, exchanged a glance and almost simultaneously burst into laughter.
However, the laughter wasn’t mocking, but carried a certain sympathetic resonance.
“That’s perfectly normal, I like compliments too,” Kim Soft Soft chimed in with a smile.
“Exactly, me too,” Sulli added, raising her hand in agreement.
Seeing this, a slight blush crept onto Bae Joo Hyun’s face. After a moment of hesitation, she softly answered Lin Xiuyuan’s question.
“If I had to say the first sentence that would attract me, it would be to directly compliment me, to say I’m good-looking.”
“You like direct people?”
“Yes.”
“Then what compliment is most effective for you?”
Bae Joo Hyun bit her lip, seemingly gathering a lot of courage before softly uttering two words.
“Cute.”
Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback, his face full of question marks.
“???”
The underground parking lot suddenly gained a hint of unexpected contrast.
A contrasting woman?
……
In front of the restaurant counter in 2025.
Lin Xiuyuan glanced at Bae Joo Hyun beside him, suddenly recalling a casual question he had asked back then, which unexpectedly proved useful at this moment.
So, after the pleasantries, he was the first to speak with a smile, “When you came in just now, I noticed you. I didn’t expect your image in videos to be so different.”
Bae Joo Hyun had intended to speak first, but Lin Xiuyuan had beaten her to it, causing her to pause slightly.
But after hearing his words, a faint smile flickered in her eyes.
After all, the other person’s female companion was Krystal.
To be noticed by him in this setting, the implied meaning was self-evident.
And just as Bae Joo Hyun was thinking this, Lin Xiuyuan finished his unsaid sentence, “You seem rather cool and proud on stage, but who knew you’d be more on the cute side in private.”
“Ah? Me?” Bae Joo Hyun’s heart skipped a beat, her cheeks warming.
“Yes.”
Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then extended a fair, slender, and well-defined right hand, introducing himself with a smile, “Nice to meet you, I’m Lin Xiuyuan, Krystal’s friend.”
Looking down at the hand, Bae Joo Hyun felt a subtle flutter in her heart.
As a genuine “hand enthusiast,” she hesitated for a moment before extending her hand and lightly shaking his, “I’m Bae Joo Hyun.”
Just as she was about to say something more, Lin Xiuyuan spoke again, “Are you here out of curiosity about my identity, or have you come specifically to thank me for that incident just now?”
Finding herself being led by a young man, Bae Joo Hyun became slightly flustered and quickly explained, “Ah, no, I just happened to be coming to pay the bill.”
Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her, or rather, peeked past her head at her friend who was eating opposite her, and smiled again.
Who pays the bill before finishing their meal?
And her nervous demeanor at the moment had a hint of social anxiety.
It even reminded him of that night in 2013.
But over ten years have passed, and she’s still like this?
However, Lin Xiuyuan didn’t expose her, nodding gently, “Ah, I see. My apologies for being presumptuous.”
With that, he turned to pay the bill.
In his peripheral vision, he keenly sensed Bae Joo Hyun’s gaze fixed on him, her look filled with curiosity and even a hint of absentmindedness, unreserved.
Lin Xiuyuan understood in his heart that this state of “absentmindedness” was a common minor issue for many idols.
It was merely a side effect of overwork and excessive stress.
So, after completing the payment, he didn’t continue the conversation, just politely nodded and returned to his seat.
By the time Bae Joo Hyun came back to her senses, he had already sat back down opposite Krystal.
Glancing at Lin Xiuyuan one last time, Bae Joo Hyun turned back and spoke to the counter staff, asking to pay.
But the next second, she was informed that the bill had already been paid by that young man for her.
This outcome made Bae Joo Hyun pause slightly.
She then couldn’t help but turn her head and gaze deeply at the young man who, on their first meeting, had directly called her “cute” in front of her.
After all, people usually described her as “pretty,” “good-looking,” or “beautiful.”
Never “cute.”
Her face, at first glance, indeed didn’t seem to fit the word “cute.”
Only acquaintances who had truly interacted with her and understood her personality would occasionally tease her with that evaluation.
So, after glancing at Lin Xiuyuan’s retreating back, Bae Joo Hyun returned to her seat, but as she looked at the man’s profile from the side, a thought arose in her heart: He looks so young.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiuyuan returned to the dining table.
Krystal was looking down, replying to messages on her mobile phone. Seeing him sit down, she closed the screen and looked up at him.
A half-smile played on her lips, her eyes holding a hint of playful teasing.
“Xiuyuan~” she said, resting her hands under her chin, her tone light and drawn out, “You had quite a long chat. How was it? Did you have a pleasant conversation with Bae Joo Hyun? Don’t tell me you’ve already exchanged contact information?”
She deliberately elongated the words “contact information,” her gaze seeming to hold a mix of teasing and subtle probing.
Lin Xiuyuan, under her gaze, couldn’t help but chuckle and, with a pointed look, replied, “No contact information was exchanged.”
Then he added, “But… I used your secondary gold card to pay her bill and treat her to dinner.”
“……”
Krystal blinked, stunned for a moment, then rolled her eyes fiercely, both annoyed and angry, “You really are… I’m taking it back.”
“Well then, next time I’ll use Yoona’s,” Lin Xiuyuan continued to smile.
Krystal glanced at him. She wanted to say something more, but in the end, she just pursed her lips and let out a soft hum.
Then she picked up her small bag from the back of the chair and stood up, “Let’s go, it’s getting late.”
Lin Xiuyuan stood up with a smile, adjusting his clothes.
They walked side-by-side. As they passed another table, Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously turned his head and glanced in Bae Joo Hyun’s direction.
In that instant, his gaze was devoid of any extra emotion, just a quiet and polite nod.
Bae Joo Hyun froze, pursed her lips, and looked back, feeling a slight tremor in her heart.
Lin Xiuyuan then turned and, with Krystal, walked towards Kim Tae Yeon and Sunny’s table. He greeted them with a smile, exchanged a few brief pleasantries, and then left the restaurant side-by-side with Krystal.
Under the warm yellow lighting, their figures gradually disappeared into the night as they pushed open the door.
Inside the restaurant.
Bae Joo Hyun’s friend looked at her, a hint of curiosity in her eyes, “That guy just now, Joo Hyun, do you know him? You seemed quite familiar.”
Bae Joo Hyun’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively wanted to shake her head and say “no.”
But in her mind, the young man’s voice suddenly echoed.
“You seem rather cool and proud on stage, but who knew you’d be more on the cute side in private.”
And the faint smile when he offered his hand.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Lin Xiuyuan.”
These two sentences made Bae Joo Hyun bite her lip lightly. After a moment of frowning, she finally nodded and replied softly, “Yes… a friend.”
She said it quietly, but clearly.
The emotion that arose in her heart the moment she spoke those words, even she couldn’t distinguish.
Was it surprise, curiosity, or some ineffable ripple?
She really, really, really liked it when people called her cute.
And the person who said it on their first meeting.
He was the first.
……
Meanwhile.
The night wind wasn’t cold. The light under the streetlights swayed slightly in the wind.
After sending Krystal back to her residential area, Lin Xiuyuan parked the car in the parking lot and accompanied her upstairs.
The elevator door opened, and they reached the corridor.
Then the door lock clicked, and as they entered, a warm atmosphere greeted them.
However, as soon as he stepped into the foyer, Lin Xiuyuan paused.
Krystal, who had intended to turn and give him a hug, was also taken aback.
Because all the lights in the apartment were on.
Even more surprisingly, the sound of trickling water could be heard from the bathroom.
Both of them froze, a look of bewilderment appearing on their faces.
About ten seconds later, Jessica walked out, wrapped in a bath towel, her hair still wet and dripping.
But when she looked up, she met Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze, and Krystal standing beside him.
“……”
She froze on the spot, her eyes clearly showing shock and a hint of panic. She instinctively clutched the towel tighter, as if a secret had been suddenly exposed.
“You… how did you get here?” Jessica’s tone was filled with disbelief.
Lin Xiuyuan was also taken aback. He quickly raised his hands with a smile, his tone calm and teasing, “Me? I’m bringing Krystal back. On the other hand, Jessica, how are you here again? Don’t tell me you forgot to pay the bill again. Though that’s unlikely, you should have enough water for a month even with heavy usage.”
Jessica was stunned at first, then her expression darkened. She glared fiercely at Krystal, seemingly blaming her for not warning her that someone was coming.
Krystal, glared at by Jessica, felt a bit helpless and could only shrug, pretending nothing was wrong, “How was I supposed to know you were coming up, Jessica.”
Jessica resentfully turned and went back into the master bedroom, her footsteps hurried.
Not long after, she found a simple set of pajamas from Krystal’s wardrobe and changed into them. She came out again, her expression finally returning to a semblance of calm.
“Ahem.”
Jessica, who had entered the living room, cleared her throat softly, trying to mask her previous embarrassment, and said casually, “Don’t misunderstand. This time I didn’t forget to pay the water bill; the water pipe really broke and was leaking everywhere.”
Lin Xiuyuan couldn’t help but chuckle, his tone light and cheerful, “I thought it was another hot water issue. Thank goodness, thank goodness.”
Jessica pursed her lips and said nothing more. She casually picked up a towel to dry her hair and turned to look for the hair dryer.
Krystal, on the other hand, frowned slightly, looking a bit troubled.
She had originally planned to take advantage of the rare occasion of returning to the apartment to have some “good times” with Lin Xiuyuan, but unexpectedly, a “variable” had suddenly appeared.
However, amidst her frustration, Krystal suddenly had an idea.
So, she turned to Lin Xiuyuan and said in a measured tone, feigning calmness but with a hint of impatience, “Xiuyuan~ when you go back to the villa later, remember to replace the mattress in the master bedroom. It’s gotten dirty.”
Krystal deliberately emphasized the last three words.
At the same time, Lin Xiuyuan blinked, pretending to be clueless, and said, “Ah? The mattress?”
“Don’t play dumb,” Krystal rolled her eyes at him, her tone commanding, “The mattress. It needs replacing.”
Knowing he couldn’t escape it, Lin Xiuyuan first chuckled lightly, then scratched the back of his head with his hand before casually agreeing, “Alright, I got it.”
After that, they chatted for a bit about the situation for the next two days. Lin Xiuyuan would definitely be busy tomorrow, but he was free the day after.
So, Krystal directly invited him to have ‘Peach’ the day after tomorrow.
Understanding her meaning, Lin Xiuyuan made an “OK” gesture and then turned to leave.
In this scene, Jessica, drying her hair, poked her head out from the side. Seeing Lin Xiuyuan’s retreating back, a clear hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes.
So…
“Jung Soo Jung.”
She called out to Krystal, her tone filled with confusion, “What’s going on between you two? Why suddenly have him replace the mattress? Is there something wrong?”
Krystal, who had been waiting for this moment, felt her heart tighten, but her expression remained natural. She leisurely replied, “This is a matter between tavern members, Jessica. You shouldn’t pry.”
“Tavern members?” Jessica was startled, frowning suspiciously, “No, what connection could a tavern and a mattress have in your so-called inner circle? It’s not some kind of cult organization, is it?”
Her gaze became even more suspicious, feeling as if an itch needed scratching, making her even more curious.
Krystal, who had precisely wanted her to be curious, had no intention of explaining. So she casually threw out a parting remark.
“You’re being too nosy, Jessica. I’m going to take a shower.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she got up and went back to the master bedroom, preparing to remove her makeup and wash up.
Jessica remained standing there, the buzzing of the hair dryer in her hand mixing with her bewilderment, leaving her completely confused.
— What tavern members?
— How did it involve the master bedroom mattress?
— Bed partners???
……
Meanwhile.
Lin Xiuyuan, already back in the car, looked down at the navigation map.
He clicked his tongue and started the car, continuing towards the next destination: Big Dragon Cub’s home.
His schedule these past few days was so packed it was like a Second Generation idol’s “Death Schedule,” leaving almost no room to breathe.
Seoul isn’t that big, and traffic wasn’t too bad tonight, so Lin Xiuyuan soon arrived downstairs from Big Dragon Cub’s apartment building.
After parking the car, he went up and used fingerprint unlock to enter.
Just as Lin Xiuyuan entered the entryway, changed his shoes, and was about to look up to greet them, his waist suddenly tightened.
Big Dragon Cub, who had run out from the living room, suddenly grabbed his clothes, pushing him against the wall next to the entryway.
“Hey, Ji-yeon~”
Before Lin Xiuyuan could finish speaking, he saw her raise her chin, her breathing rapid and fervent, her eyes filled with excitement and long-suppressed emotion.
The next second, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him fiercely.
What Krystal wanted to do earlier but couldn’t, Big Dragon Cub was going to do it all for her.
The lighting in the entryway reflected on her slightly flushed cheeks; the whole person exuded an explosive impulse.
Lin Xiuyuan gently held her back and smiled, ultimately reciprocating her actions.
The atmosphere instantly became heated, and even the air seemed to thicken a bit.
That’s all for today; he probably has dry eyes from staying up too late recently…
He’ll go to the hospital tomorrow to get them checked and some eye drops. Everyone remember to protect your eyes!!!
