Peninsula: Please, I only want to talk about ordinary people.

Chapter 20 Chocolate Cookies and Skittles

"Yongtai-san, what are you doing here?"

Mina took a half step back, put her phone in her pocket, and stared at his eyes that were sticking out of his mask.

Sangam-dong is half an hour's drive from the JYP building, so it doesn't make sense for him to be here at this time.

"Just finished working overtime, came to bring you something."

Jiang Yongtai lifted the plastic bag in his hand.

The transparent bag contained several boxes of anti-swelling spray and two muscle patches. The streetlight above their heads illuminated the pharmacy logo on the bag clearly.

Mina's eyes narrowed slightly.

Did he notice the photo when I sent it this afternoon? That's why he didn't reply just now, ran to the pharmacy to buy the medicine, and then rushed over?

"Thank you." She reached out and took the medicine bag.

"But Yongtai-san didn't ask me beforehand and just came over like this. Aren't you afraid I'd already gone back?"

Jiang Yongtai shrugged.

"Didn't you send me the photos? Let's try our luck."

Mina wrinkled her nose under her mask and muttered under her breath, "Who delivers medicine like this..."

"What did you say?" Jiang Yongtai didn't hear clearly.

"It's nothing." Mina looked up at him, her tone returning to normal.

"It seems that Yongtai-san is very lucky."

"I've always been lucky." Jiang Yongtai's eyes crinkled slightly. "Why didn't you have someone take you home?"

Minami gestured with her chin toward the convenience store not far behind her.

"I'm going to buy some snacks and then take a taxi back. Nayeon unnie and Momo are nagging me in the group chat to bring them things."

Jiang Yongtai looked back.

"Okay, I'll take you home after you're done shopping."

Mina nodded, and the two walked side by side toward the convenience store. The streetlights cast their shadows into two long and short lines that slowly stretched forward on the sidewalk.

"Didn't Yongtai just have his interview yesterday? How come he's already starting work today?"

She walks with her signature pigeon-toed gait, the medicine bag in her hand swaying with each step.

"I was pulled in at the last minute to fill a gap in a program. I couldn't refuse," Jiang Yongtai said.

"A new show?" She glanced at him sideways.

"No, have you seen 'The Heartbreaking Trip'? This time we're filming a special episode about Jeju Island. We'll be leaving in a couple of days to film."

Minami nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

She wasn't very familiar with the division of labor in variety show production, but she knew what it meant to be pulled into a vacancy when she was a new employee.

"We're also going to Jeju Island at the end of next month to film a music video."

"Really? Nam-chan, you've been to Jeju Island a few times?"

The two walked onto a slightly narrower sidewalk. A cold wind blowing from an alleyway made Minami's long hair under her hat brim spread out, with a few strands sticking to her face.

She raised her hand and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Twice, the last time was in 17, when I went to have a photoshoot."

"Oh, I remember seeing that before."

Jiang Yongtai's response carried a hint of a smile.

Mina stopped, turned around and looked at him, walking backwards on the sidewalk, her tone slightly teasing.

"Yongtai-san probably only watched it to see Sana, right?"

Jiang Yongtai paused for a moment, looking at her helplessly.

"Nan-chan, can we please not mention her? As Once, can't we at least support you by buying a photobook?"

Minami continued walking backwards, her hands behind her back, the medicine bag swaying gently behind her.

"How come I didn't know Yongtai-san was Once? If it was Once, what were I wearing back then?"

Jiang Yongtai paused for a moment, then unconsciously followed.

The streetlights slid overhead one by one. He looked at her slightly raised eyebrows beneath the brim of her hat and suddenly felt that the scene was somewhat familiar, overlapping with a scene from two years ago on the banks of the Han River...

"PD-nim~ What was my outfit for last week's performance~?"

……

"Um……"

Jiang Yongtai put his hands back in his coat pockets and took a step forward.

"Red floral print short-sleeved cardigan."

Mina paused for a moment, then turned around and walked alongside him again, without mentioning the photo book again.

"Besides being lucky, I also have a good memory."

Jiang Yongtai smiled beside her, pointed ahead, and said, "We're here."

Two people stood at the entrance of the convenience store. The automatic door sensed their presence and quietly slid open to both sides.

Minami picked up a shopping basket and walked among the shelves.

There weren't many customers at the convenience store in the evening; only one office worker was standing at the checkout counter cooking instant noodles.

She took her phone out of her coat pocket and opened the list that Hirai Momo had made in the group chat.

Jiang Yongtai followed two steps behind her, with one hand in his coat pocket, as if he were accompanying her through an ordinary, routine task.

Mina squatted down in front of the shelf with puffed snacks, compared the calorie charts of two different packages of potato chips, and chose the one on the left and put it in her basket.

She moves quickly and doesn't like to hesitate when choosing things, but just by buying all the things the members casually mentioned, she unknowingly filled almost a basket.

After she finished picking out the last item, she looked at the already full basket, sighed, and walked towards the cashier.

A hand reached out from behind and stuffed two more things into the basket.

Mina glanced down, assuming that Kang Young-tae wanted to buy something and pay for it together.

But after seeing what it was, her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Manuka honey candy and Crisp Choco, a chocolate cookie shaped like a pizza.

Aren't these two snacks Sana likes?

When she was in the dorm, Sana would often wander around the room with a honey candy in her mouth, and chocolate cookies were her secret stash hidden in the closet.

Has he started to like these things too?

"Have you finished making your selections?" Jiang Yongtai's voice rang out from the side.

"...Hmm." Mina looked away and placed the basket on the cashier's counter.

The cashier started scanning the barcodes one by one. As she watched the items being packed into plastic bags, Jiang Yongtai suddenly turned his head and said, "Wait for me," before turning and walking toward the shelves.

She glanced at his back, assuming he still had something to buy, and didn't pay much attention. She turned back and pointed to the two snacks he had just stuffed into the staff's hands.

"These two are packaged separately."

"OK."

"Wait a minute." Jiang Yongtai came back and put the things he was carrying on the counter.

"Just pack them together, this one too."

Mina looked down at the newly added package on the counter.

Sour Skittles.

She really liked this candy, so much so that the members jokingly called her "Skittles Man".

During a break in the practice room, she would take these out of her bag, and Hirai Momo would come over and ask for two. Lim Nayeon would shake her head and say, "Eating this again? Doesn't your tongue hurt?"

It did hurt. For a while, she ate too much, and her tongue was rubbed raw by the sour powder, making her speech a little slurred.

She looked up at Jiang Yongtai, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

"Yongtai-san likes this too? And if it's not packaged separately, it'll be a hassle for you to get it later."

Jiang Yongtai smiled and shook his head.

"I don't have anything I want to buy. Those three items were for you guys."

Just as the staff finished scanning the last item and announced the total price, Jiang Yongtai handed over his card.

Mina reached out and grabbed his wrist, pressing the card into mid-air, looking at his profile.

What does "Yongtai Sang" mean?

Jiang Yongtai didn't say anything, but just smiled at her and glanced towards the cashier.

There stood staff members waiting for them to pay, and office workers glancing at them out of the corner of their eyes.

Mina glanced in the direction of his gaze and then removed her hand from his sleeve.

Go outside and ask again.

After paying, Jiang Yongtai carried both bulging plastic bags in his hands, and the two walked out of the convenience store.

The automatic door closed behind him, and Mina stood at the doorway, showing no intention of walking any further, simply watching him.

Jiang Yongtai knew she was waiting for an explanation from him, so he helplessly tried to persuade her.

"Let's go first, we can talk as we go."

Mina then started moving, and the two walked back along the way they had come.

"Those two bags of snacks are an apology for troubling her last night."

Jiang Yongtai spoke first, his tone very indifferent.

Last night, Sana Minatozaki was woken up from her bed by a phone call. She drove over in the middle of the night and carried him home from the sausage shop. In the end, she was so angry about the old stuff in his apartment that she ran away.

Buy her two bags of her favorite snacks as an apology. It probably won't make up for much, but it's more sincere than just saying "thank you"...

Mina raised an eyebrow and immediately understood. He hadn't bought the honey candy and chocolate cookies for himself; he had bought them to bring to Sana.

She habitually started with a teasing remark.

"Should I pass on Yongtai's message later?"

Jiang Yongtai glanced at her sideways and chuckled.

"Need not."

He took a couple of steps with the bag, then added another sentence, as if patching up his previous explanation.

"As for the rest... consider it a token of my appreciation."

Mina slowed down a bit, falling slightly behind him. She looked down at a small pebble that had rolled past the tip of her shoe on the sidewalk and kicked it to the side of the road.

"...coward," she muttered.

"What is Nan-chan whispering about again?"

"It's nothing, I'm just thanking Yongtai-san on behalf of the members."

She looked up, her voice becoming exceptionally grateful.

We'll really appreciate Once's thoughtfulness~

Jiang Yongtai smiled and said, "Here you are, please enjoy."

Minami walked a few steps quietly, then suddenly asked, "How did Yongtai-san know I liked that candy?"

Her voice was a little soft, as if she were just mentioning it casually.

"Nan-chan told me about it." Jiang Yongtai walked ahead without turning around.

She looked up at his back, the streetlight casting a small shadow on her face.

Do I have one?

"You mentioned it once when we were playing games together back in our hometown. I noticed you didn't take it just now, so I thought you forgot."

Jiang Yongtai turned and glanced at her. "So I got it for you. Nan-chan, do you want to thank me?"

Minami did not answer immediately.

That happened last year. She was at home in Japan, recuperating from illness, and she was chatting with him on a microphone while playing Splatoon.

While waiting in line, I casually remarked, "I really want to eat rainbow candy."

She herself had almost forgotten about it, but he remembered it in one go.

And it wasn't that she forgot to buy them; she just had several packs stocked up in her dorm room and hadn't taken them today. She didn't expect him to notice...

"...Yes, thank you."

She responded softly, paused, and then said, "But Yongtai-san."

"What's wrong?"

Where did you park your car?

Mina stopped in her tracks. The two of them had already passed the intersection where she had bumped into him earlier, and the JYP building was just ahead.

Jiang Yongtai raised his hand and pointed forward.

"It's not far from the JYP building, look, it's just across the street in front."

Mina followed his raised hand and looked over; the gray Hyundai was parked in a parking space across the street.

She squinted, watching Jiang Yongtai's retreating figure.

"So... Yongtai-san saw me a long time ago and deliberately ran in front of me so I would bump into him."

A gust of wind blew by, and her voice was as chilly as the wind.

"……Well."

Mina snorted and kicked him in the shin.

Jiang Yongtai was caught off guard by the kick, and he swayed to the side, the plastic bag in his hand rattling loudly.

He turned back to look at her with a wry smile, explaining as he walked forward.

"Sorry, Minami-chan, just kidding~"

Mina didn't accept the kick and kicked a second time.

This time he didn't let her kick him, and jumped to the side. She stared at his retreating figure, her eyes darkening.

You still dare to hide?!

She started running to catch up, and Jiang Yongtai quickened his pace ahead.

The two were chasing and dodging each other on the sidewalk. Passersby glanced at them and looked away, probably thinking it was a couple having a fight.

Finally, Mina caught up to him and kicked him in the shin twice more.

Jiang Yongtai tried to dodge left and right but failed, so he simply stood still and put down the plastic bag in his hand as a shield.

"Okay, okay, I apologize, I sincerely apologize."

Mina, catching her breath after their playful tussle, turned her head away, snorted, opened the passenger door, sat down, and forcefully buckled her seatbelt.

Jiang Yongtai put several bags in the back seat and got into the driver's seat.

After the car started, the carriage fell silent, and he glanced at her.

Mina leaned back in her chair, her hat pulled low so her eyes were hidden, and she didn't look at him once.

Jiang Yongtai gripped the steering wheel, feeling somewhat helpless.

It didn't work on Nan-chan tonight...

He didn't know what she was angry about, but he felt that her unhappiness might not just be due to that joke earlier.

He didn't say anything more, and the car drove towards the dormitory.

……

The car was parked downstairs in the dormitory building, and the engine was turned off.

Before Jiang Yongtai could even speak, Mina had already unbuckled her seatbelt and placed her hand on the car door handle.

He suddenly reached out and grabbed her; her wrist was very thin, and her wrist bones pressed against his palm.

Mina paused, then turned around and glared at him.

"open."

Jiang Yongtai quickly released his grip.

"sorry."

"Thank you for bringing me back. Is there anything else, Yongtai-san?"

Her hand was still on the car door handle; she didn't push it open.

"Uh, Nan-chan..." Jiang Yongtai pointed to the hat on her head, "Aren't you going to give me back my hat?"

Mina blinked, inexplicably getting angry, and then glared at him.

"Don't you have another one just like it at home? I've already worn this one, so it's mine now."

After she finished speaking, she pushed open the car door, stepped out with one foot, and then turned back around.

"Thank you for the medicine, Yongtai-san. And..."

She pointed to the back seat.

Jiang Yongtai turned around and handed her the shopping bag. She reached out and took it, the bag hanging heavily in her hand.

"And thank you for these 'Once's heartfelt gifts. Sana and I will enjoy them."

She emphasized the words "and Sana".

"Take care on your journey, goodbye."

After saying that, she bowed slightly, closed the car door, and turned to walk towards the dormitory building.

Oh dear...

Jiang Yongtai gripped the steering wheel, watching her retreating figure. He felt he understood every word of the conversation, but put them together, he couldn't tell whether she was grateful or angry.

He twitched the corner of his mouth, shook his head, started the car, the taillights flashed twice, and he drove back onto the road.

Hearing the car drive away, Mina stopped and looked back.

The streets were empty, save for the streetlights and the wind.

She was indeed a little angry, but what was she angry about?

Sana is furious that she has such an ex-boyfriend? He still remembers what snacks she likes to eat even two years after their breakup?

Did Sana not sleep well last night?

Or am I annoyed by his amazing memory, remembering even something I casually mentioned like rainbow candy?

she does not know.

She looked down at the bag of rainbow candies on top of the shopping bag.

I placed another bag at my feet, tore open the packaging, pinched one, and put it in my mouth.

The sour rice noodles exploded on her tongue. She frowned, picked up the bag from the ground, turned around, walked into the apartment building, and pressed the elevator button.

The elevator slowly climbed upwards, the sour taste of the rainbow candy gradually faded, and the sweetness spread out layer by layer from the middle, leaving only a faint aftertaste on the back of the tongue.

When the elevator reached her floor, she stepped out and returned to her dormitory entrance, where she laboriously raised her hand and knocked on the door.

The door was pulled open by Sana Minatozaki.

She was wearing pajamas, her hair loosely tied back, and a face mask on. Her eyes lit up when she saw Mina.

"Mina! You're finally back! I've been waiting for you for so long~"

Hirai Momo's footsteps echoed in the living room. She came over, took the shopping bag from Mina's hand, rummaged through it a couple of times, and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Thank you, Mina! Kids, come and distribute the things!"

Mina watched helplessly as Momo Hirai ran away, accepting the fact that she was just a tool.

Sana Minato didn't go to share the snacks. When she saw Mina Mina carrying a bag of medicine, her smile faded a bit.

"Mina, are you sick? This is...?"

Mina unconsciously pulled her hand back slightly, then smiled at Sana Minatozaki.

"I'm not sick, my knees are just a little sore from dance practice today, I'll buy some medicine to apply."

"Ah!" Minatozaki Sana's brows relaxed, and she immediately took her wrist and walked towards the room.

"Go take a shower first, and I'll help you apply it when you come out!"

Mina was pulled forward by her, feeling the warmth in her palm, and the nameless anger that had been suppressed by the rainbow candy rose up a little again.

I was a little confused myself.

What's wrong with me?