novellhall 6. An irresistible kiss
6. An irresistible kiss
Watching Lin Yoona's expression shift and her emotions surge, Li Jingcheng remained calm on the surface, but in his heart he had already opened the system again. Unfortunately, it was still lifeless, showing no sign of being activated.
He relied solely on his enhanced memory after transmigrating, and just now he dumped all the dirt on Lee Seung-gi that he could find. Normally, one would have some doubts and reconsider the truth; at the very least, how could he still be so convinced?
Moreover, according to the timeline he remembered, Yoona and Lee Seung-gi's first formal private contact should have been just last month.
Could it be that Yoona is actually a hopeless romantic?
But looking at the real person, they really don't look like him.
Thinking of this, Li Jingcheng shifted his gaze from the system interface and thoughtfully returned it to Lin Yun'er's face.
At this moment, Lim Yoona's mind was in complete turmoil. Last night, she was anxious and restless, fearing that the other party would make an exorbitant hush money demand or even more outrageous requests. Little did she know that the truth was that this strange young man had gone to such lengths to pursue her.
She was utterly dumbfounded, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly involuntarily.
Strangely, she couldn't bring herself to dislike Li Jingcheng. His face was strikingly handsome, with clean-cut features, and he exuded a calm yet captivating aura. His appearance alone made it difficult to feel any aversion. Moreover, he hadn't taken the photos for money or to blackmail her; from beginning to end, he was only after her.
Although the way this pursuit is done is rather unusual.
Yoona has always been aware of her charm, but being stared at so directly and intensely by him still made her heart flutter slightly, and she also quietly developed a few subtle feelings of affection for this man who had suddenly barged in.
But despite her feelings, she was always very clear-headed about reality. The two of them didn't really know each other, and he wasn't in the entertainment industry. Dating someone outside the industry was too risky, especially since he had those kinds of photos in his possession.
She even secretly admitted to herself that if she weren't a member of Girls' Generation, or the dazzling Yoona, but just an ordinary girl, she might have been moved and nodded in agreement to such a face and such an almost insane pursuit.
Li Jingcheng quietly observed the complex emotions flickering in her eyes, knowing she was weighing the pros and cons in her mind. He wasn't in a hurry, but instead turned his attention back to the system, his heart involuntarily quickening.
Ultimately, in his previous life he was just an ordinary office worker, and a system was far too important to him. With the support of a system, he would have real confidence in everything he did.
"Um..." Lim Yoona spoke softly, her voice low and gentle. Her eyes were slightly lowered, her long eyelashes trembling gently with her breath. Her already beautiful features now had an added touch of vulnerability, revealing a charming and pitiful quality.
"How about this... I'll offer 40 million for the photos, is that okay? You know Dispatch, I'm offering you their asking price, the price for a top-tier idol."
Seeing that Li Jingcheng seemed about to say something, she quickly interrupted, her tone soft and gentle, carrying a cautious, reassuring tone:
"We... we're not that familiar with each other yet, and it's a bit sudden to say all this on our first meeting. I can't just agree to be with you right away. How about we deal with the photos first? I'll transfer the money to you, and then we can add each other on KakaoTalk, chat slowly, and get to know each other better, okay?"
As if afraid he wouldn't believe her, Lim Yoona added softly, completely reassuring him, "Besides, after what happened yesterday, I really don't have the mind to date for a while. And with Lee Seung-gi... it was only the first time we met privately, and nothing else will happen after that, so you really don't need to worry about that."
[Ding! Detected that the host is intercepting the target, Im Yoona, and interrupting her established romance with Lee Seung-gi, meeting the activation conditions—the Everything Can Be Intercepted System is now officially activated!]
[The new player gift pack has been sent to your system inventory. Please claim it yourself.]
A cold, high-tech AI prompt sounded in my ear.
New player gift pack!
Li Jingcheng had no intention of refuting it. His expression could no longer remain calm as his heart pounded violently in his chest, and an overwhelming joy surged through his entire body. All the anticipation and anxiety he had felt for the system before turned into a wave of excitement that almost overflowed from his eyes, but he forcibly suppressed it, turning it into a bright smile that he could no longer hide on his face, and even his breathing became slightly rapid.
And Yoona saw every single detail of this.
Just now, she clearly saw that when the other party rushed to answer the price, it was probably because they wanted to object. So she quickly added her opinion on relationships: they could add each other as friends first, get to know each other slowly, and gradually develop feelings.
So is that why he's so happy?
Lim Yoona paused slightly, her ears subtly warming. Seeing his sudden loss of composure and barely concealed excitement, the subtle affection she felt for him deepened even further.
Lee Kyung-sung, however, was oblivious to her thoughts. After the initial excitement of the system activation, reason returned immediately. He hadn't intended to continue this charade, even though he considered himself the most handsome man in Korea. But truly winning over Im Yoon-ah wasn't so simple. However, since the system had suggested that the rewards for successfully intercepting such a key figure would be even more substantial, he figured they would be even greater.
He immediately changed his mind. At the very least, he needed to secure a place in her heart first, which would make it much easier to steal her away if necessary.
Thoughts raced, and a new plan quickly took shape.
He took the memory card containing the photos directly from his pocket without hesitation and handed it to Lim Yoona. His gaze was gentle and focused, and his tone was sincere.
"Everything is here. I assure you, there are no backups, you can rest assured."
His face still held the lingering excitement from activating the system, but in Yoona's eyes, it seemed more like he was delighted by her response.
Then, Lee Kyung-sung naturally changed the subject, explaining his reason earnestly and practically, "Actually, I've been facing some difficulties lately. An elder in my family recently passed away, and the inheritance process for his estate needs to be completed, but the inheritance tax in South Korea is just too high. My funds are stuck in cross-border transfers, and I'm temporarily unable to access the funds. So..."
"I'd like to borrow 2 million Korean won from you for an emergency. I can write an IOU, and the repayment date will be February 1st of this year."
He had already prepared a speech, even anticipating that if she thought the amount was too high, he could lower it. After all, his real purpose wasn't to borrow money, but simply to establish a new relationship between them, even if it was a creditor-debtor relationship.
Unexpectedly,
"no problem."
Without much hesitation, Lim Yoona nodded gently. Her voice was still soft, yet it carried a hint of decisiveness, "No need for an IOU, I trust you."
Li Jingcheng was taken aback.
You just agreed like that? You didn't even want an IOU?
He originally just wanted to use this as a pretext to have a creditor identity for easier contact later.
But she agreed so readily, even offering to forgo a written IOU.
Was it because of the advances from her suitors that she lowered her guard? Or was it the atmosphere at the moment that led her to make her decision, driven by her emotions?
Li Jingcheng was somewhat unsure, but he also knew that this was an unexpected yet extremely advantageous development.
His mind raced, and he immediately changed his mind.
Since she's willing to believe him to this extent, why not take this step a little further?
Lee Kyung-sung lowered his head slightly, deliberately lowering his voice. This was a deep, magnetic voice he had practiced in his previous life. "It seems I've already entered Yoona's heart."
He raised his eyes, his gaze warm and focused as he looked into hers, his voice as soft as a sigh, "I have to try my best to become everything in your heart."
"I'm sorry, I lied to you."
A warm breath gently brushed against her slightly flushed cheeks, and Lim Yoona's body tensed involuntarily. Her fair skin glowed with a faint pink, and her heart pounded so fast it was almost out of control. She even felt that her heart hadn't been this frantic even on the day she was confirmed to debut.
Her lips parted slightly, but her mind went blank. She even forgot how to breathe, feeling only a slight tremor creeping up her spine.
"Actually, things at home have been settled... During that time, I even had suicidal thoughts. Until I met you, Yoona, in Namsan."
As he spoke, he subtly observed her reaction. A girl's earlobe is often a sensitive spot, and he subtly let his breath brush against that delicate skin.
"I was jealous of Lee Seung-gi...that's why I did something wrong. I just wanted you to contact me first."
"You..." Lim Yoona held her breath instantly, her heart pounding wildly, and she didn't even have the courage to look up at him.
Even without makeup, her eyebrows and eyes were still beautiful and charming, her skin was as delicate as smooth porcelain, and a faint, soft fragrance lingered around her, which would waft into one's nostrils and gently stir one's heart.
"Next time we meet, I'll be countless times better than Lee Seung-gi." Lee Kyung-sung said this, and should have stopped there and turned to leave.
But looking at her face, so soft and delicate it seemed as if it would break at the slightest touch, and smelling her faint, calming fragrance, Li Jingcheng finally couldn't resist.
He leaned down slightly and gently placed a warm, brief kiss on her delicate, soft cheek.
Very light, very fast.
Instantly separate.
The next second, a hint of hesitation crossed his mind. Would it be too abrupt and upset Yoona?
But then she relented. He wasn't a saint, especially a time traveler. The filters these idols had on their minds would be amplified infinitely in their eyes. Since she'd already taken this step, at least it would leave a clear mark on her heart. It was better than waking up tomorrow and having completely forgotten him.
Im Yoona froze completely when he suddenly kissed her cheek, then abruptly turned her face to meet his gaze.
Her clear eyes widened slightly, her long eyelashes trembling in panic. A faint blush quickly spread across her fair cheeks beneath her bare face. A mixture of astonishment, confusion, a hint of embarrassment, and panic made her forget to breathe for a moment. She stood there, stunned, unsure of how to react.
"Forgive me this time, Yoona."
Li Jingcheng didn't dare linger. He left those words behind and turned to walk towards the door. When he reached the door, he suddenly turned back, a light smile playing on his lips, and added to her, who was still in a daze, "By the way, Yoona's bare face... is also the most beautiful."
As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his right hand, his index and middle fingers extended and joined together, the other three fingers slightly curled, and gave her a gesture with a touch of roguishness, pointing to himself.
Before Lim Yoona could figure out the meaning of that gesture, he had already turned and walked away quickly.
Half of him was eager to go back and check the newbie gift pack he had just activated, while the other half couldn't help but feel anxious, wondering how she would react next.
My steps quickened unconsciously.