Chapter 6: That Iou
……
“First question, according to your habit, do you think you’ll change your number in the next ten years?”
“No, I’ve been using this number since I was a trainee until now.”
“Then second question, do you think you’re the kind of person who honors debts and pays them back?”
“What kind of talk is that? Of course I am.”
“Then no problem, come on, write me an IOU.”
……
Spring 2013, night.
Creak—bang~
Standing by the super large balcony window of her own apartment, Jessica, who had just returned home from outside, gazed a bit dazedly at the city lights under the nightfall, her mind full of those scenes with Lin Xiuyuan from before.
Due to the situation being too shocking, she didn’t even notice Krystal coming out of the room.
“Older sister~”
It wasn’t until the other came behind her and patted her shoulder that Jessica snapped back to her senses, “Oh, Soo Jung, what’s up.”
Seeing Jessica’s reaction that clearly showed something was wrong, Krystal asked with care, “Older sister, what’s wrong with you? I noticed that after you came back from outside just now, your whole demeanor wasn’t quite right. Did something happen?”
“Nothing, I just ran into a… magical friend.”
Jessica lowered her eyelids, her tone a bit ethereal, giving the Lin Xiuyuan she met for the first time today a title.
Krystal asked puzzledly, “Magical? How magical? It’s rare to hear you say that, older sister, and what was that about going to see the future? Did you see it?”
Jessica, with a complex expression, nodded lightly, “I saw it, but it wasn’t the future I wanted.”
“Ah?”
Jessica took a deep breath and shook her head lightly, not continuing to dwell on the topic with her, but instead deeply looked at her beloved little sister, her mind echoing with that future information that was hard to accept.
Although she still didn’t quite understand why such a thing would happen for the time being, the result was unacceptable to Jessica, and she hadn’t expected it to involve the young girl in front of her.
So after a moment of silence, she spoke up, “Soo Jung, do you like the stage?”
Krystal was first stunned, then smiled and wrinkled her nose, “I like it, of course I do, otherwise why would I be a trainee and an idol? That’s weird, older sister, why are you suddenly asking this?”
“No, older sister will protect you.”
Hearing this, Krystal thought the other was referring to those dark things in the industry, and immediately showed a touched smile, proactively stepping forward to hug her, “Ah~ don’t worry, older sister, those dirty things I can take care of myself, you don’t need to worry.”
Sister’s fragrance, closeness.
To this, Jessica just smiled faintly, her gaze turning back outside the window, that deep gaze hiding a determination that only she knew.
At the same time, there was also Lin Xiuyuan’s figure.
Then she sighed inwardly: It seems I can only trouble the future me.
……
……
2025, coffee shop.
“Soo Jung, help me take a look, when did I ever write this IOU.”
“IOU? What IOU.”
The puzzled Krystal took the mobile phone and glanced at the text message on the screen, which was very concise with only one sentence, accompanied by a color photo.
: Dear VIP customer, warm reminder, your bill is due【photo】
She tapped open the photo and scanned it, her eye corner twitching immediately, “Twenty million, older sister when did you sign this IOU, I didn’t know.”
Jessica tapped on the date and time of the IOU, “Look at the date, 2013, what was I doing back then?”
“2013? Older sister hadn’t left the group yet then, right.”
Mentioning this again, Jessica’s gaze still flickered a bit, she nodded lightly, “Yeah, not yet, I remember that year was《I Got A Boy》 comeback, followed by all concert tours. This early spring date seems like the gap after comeback but before the concert tour.”
Things from over ten years ago, she could only remember roughly now.
Even Krystal was the same, “Seems like it, but back then I was running commercial performances and music festivals with V mom and them, didn’t pay much attention to your side, older sister.”
After speaking, she lowered her head again and carefully examined the IOU photo for a few minutes, reaching a conclusion while overturning her own guess.
“Could it be a scammer… but the words are all weird, not really like what a scammer would send. Most crucially, older sister look at the hand in the bottom right of the photo, it’s your hand, doesn’t look photoshopped on.”
Jessica silently took back the mobile phone, staring at the IOU she had looked at all night, “Yeah, the handwriting is also from 2013 me, clearly different from my current handwriting, that feeling is very familiar, probably no mistake.”
It’s just that she didn’t remember owing anyone money at any point.
To really figure out the situation, an IOU and account from over ten years ago, unless she went to the bank for transaction records, the mobile phone couldn’t have clues.
But transaction records from over ten years ago, just thinking about it felt absurd and stupid.
“How about arranging to meet?” Krystal suggested again.
“I’ve thought about it too, just wanted to ask you first, see if you remember.”
Hearing this, Krystal shook her head very straightforwardly, “Really don’t remember, 20 million that amount not too much not too little, even if you borrowed it, older sister, you’d probably be too lazy to tell me.”
“Yeah, too embarrassing.”
Jessica, adjusting her big forehead, lightly pursed her lips, her gaze seriously staring at the IOU photo in a daze for a few minutes, ultimately deciding to do as Krystal said and arrange to meet.
She really couldn’t think of whose money she borrowed, and even more couldn’t figure out why money from over ten years ago, the other party was only coming to her now, too ridiculous.
If it weren’t for all the little details in the photo proving that this was indeed an IOU she wrote herself, Jessica would probably directly block this number and not even bother with the other party.
Thinking of this, Jessica no longer hesitated, picked up the mobile phone and replied with a text message to the other party.
: Hello, this is Jessica. Regarding this IOU matter, I hope we can chat in person, are you available to meet?
The moment the text was sent, Krystal on the opposite side propped her cheeks with both hands, her tone full of curiosity, “A debt bill from over ten years ago suddenly popping up, and we have zero impression of it, how does it give me the feeling of an idol drama plot.”
“Then a young big handsome guy appears, and you have a world-shaking, tear-jerking romance, ultimately getting married and leaving the industry?”
Jessica looked up, seeing her little sister’s over-imagined expression, couldn’t help laughing, knocked on the table, “But don’t forget, this is an IOU from over ten years ago, probably no young big handsome guy, more likely a greasy uncle.”
“Ah, older sister, don’t destroy my fantasy.”
The obviously playful Krystal still acted cute and acted cute a bit.
Jessica chuckled lightly, “Because this is the truth, I’m just stating facts.”
Just then, her mobile phone lit up, a new text message popped up.
: Sure, address and time, I’m free anytime.
Newcomer new book, trouble all you big shots to move your fingers, vote more data tickets, write more comments to boost popularity, thanks~
