Chapter 20: The Princess Carry

The girl wearing a baseball cap and black-framed glasses was preoccupied, one hand clutching a shopping basket while the other sifted through items on the shelves, all while trying to keep up with the grocery list being rattled off by Kim Min-jeong and Ning Yizhuo over the phone.

Because of this, she didn't even notice the tall figure standing beside her until she collided with him.

Her forehead struck his nose squarely. Karina didn't feel any pain, but the tall man she had bumped into immediately clutched his nose in response.

"Oh! So sorry!"

Regaining her senses, Karina quickly set down her basket and rubbed her hands together, eager to apologize. The tall man waved her off, resigning himself to the misfortune.

"It's fine. Watch where you're going next time."

His voice—also uniquely melodic and gentle—made Karina feel as though she had heard it somewhere before, though she couldn't quite place who he was. Given his striking appearance and stature, she figured he was likely a peer in the entertainment industry, which explained the sense of familiarity.

But was there anyone in the Korean entertainment scene who looked as much like Takashi Kashiwabara from the movie *Love Letter* as he did?

If she had to name someone, perhaps her label-mate, Oh Se-hun, bore a three-or-four-part resemblance to Kashiwabara?

However, Karina was certain that this man, who stood at a similar height, was definitely not Oh Se-hun, as that senior was preparing for his military enlistment in just a month.

Hoping to smooth over the awkwardness by acknowledging his identity, Karina offered a sheepish smile and apologized in as humble a tone as she could muster:

"I am truly sorry. I will be more careful next time we meet."

In truth, Karina had simply assumed he was a fellow entertainer, leading her to use the phrase "next time we meet" without much thought. At that moment, she only wanted to dash to the register, finish her shopping, and leave quickly, unaware of the chain of events this single phrase would eventually trigger.

Although Xia Xing suspected the girl might be the same person who had called him a "hoodlum" earlier that evening, he felt such a low-probability event was unlikely and shook his head, trying to put the matter out of his mind.

Yet, speaking of the "hoodlum" incident, Shin Yuna’s distinct, characteristic mention of "Tommy Shelby" flickered back into his thoughts.

Quite an interesting girl... Oh no, if he kept dragging his feet, she would probably be starving by now.

With that thought, Xia Xing picked up his pace, tossed the remaining items into his basket, and hurried off into the vast night.

The bewildered convenience store clerk blinked at the doorway.

Did they charge by the second for staying in the store? Why was everyone tonight in such a frantic rush?

***

Inputting the passcode, he pushed open the door.

The first thing to greet him was Park Se-min, head buried in the trash can. Fortunately, the ventilation system had been running, and the high-powered air conditioning had cleared the air of any odors.

As for the girl... she was fast asleep, slumped over the dining table while clutching her tablet.

She really was something—if she wanted to sleep, she could have just gone to the guest room.

Remembering that he had used the guest room sheets to make a makeshift bed for Park Se-min, Xia Xing felt a pang of guilt. He went to the master bedroom to find a fresh set of autumn bedding, made up the guest room, and then returned to the dining area to wake Yuna.

"Shin Yuna-ssi, sleeping on the dining table isn't good for your health."

Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep long in that position, Xia Xing patiently draped a blanket over her shoulders. He then brought his laptop out from the study and sat beside her to work on some documents.

Without the personnel files of the various department heads on hand, Xia Xing decided to put the budget issue aside and refocus on his primary task: signing the dual-group deal with ITZY and NMIXX as brand ambassadors.

ITZY and NMIXX together—that was a massive group of eleven people.

If he actually signed them, the packaging alone would be a headache. A convenience store shelf usually only had space for a single display row for a drink; even a bestseller like Coca-Cola rarely got more than one or two.

Trying to cram an entire group onto the packaging of a single beverage left very little room for design. But if he designed separate packaging for each member, the terminal displays would end up looking chaotic and unsightly.

Regardless of which strategy he chose, the shelf space required in a convenience store would far exceed one or two rows. To fully leverage the popularity of both groups, a different approach was needed.

Perhaps he could divide the packaging based on sales channels?

Following this line of thought, Xia Xing began drafting his ideas in the report.

He proposed that ITZY and NMIXX each cater to different channels—offline and online—to encourage consumers of both groups to step outside their usual shopping habits and purchase more of the 100% NFC coconut water.

For example, an "NSWER" (NMIXX fan) who usually only bought drinks at convenience stores might be enticed to try purchasing the coconut water online to collect the merchandise bundled with the drinks. Conversely, a "MIDZY" (ITZY fan) who was used to bulk-buying online might purchase Peninsular Foods products at local convenience stores just to support their idols.

As for follow-up marketing, they could arrange group collaborations and release region- or time-limited photo cards and signed portraits to stimulate the fans' collector instincts.

At the same time, he would post content online regarding the sales figures achieved by NMIXX and ITZY, stoking the competitive spirit between the fans of these two groups and others.

After all, these fans were always comparing various data points of their favorite idols; with just a little guidance, it could drive significant sales.

It wasn't until a dull ache settled in his neck that Xia Xing realized it was already 12:30 AM.

He had inadvertently worked for nearly another hour and a half.

Park Se-min was still sprawled out, one arm dangling toward the trash can, sleeping soundly on the floor. And Shin Yuna... unexpectedly, she still hadn't woken up.

"Shin Yuna-ssi, sleeping here isn't good for you."

He tried to wake her again, even giving her shoulder a gentle nudge, but the girl remained unresponsive.

Wasn't he the reason she was so exhausted she had fallen asleep at the table? If she hadn't accompanied him to the supermarket and then helped him pick up Park Se-min, she wouldn't be this drained.

Feeling a mix of guilt and sympathy, and having failed to wake her several times, Xia Xing took a deep breath. He leaned over, scooped the sleeping girl into his arms, and walked toward the guest room.

"Excuse the intrusion, please forgive me."