Chapter 359: This is my boyfriend~

Inside the Apartment.

Facing this request for help from Park Hyomin.

"Where are you?" Lin Xiuyuan's voice calmed down as he asked, "Send me your specific location; I'll be there in a moment."

Listening to the noisy background sound on the other end, he did not ask what exactly was happening.

Some things cannot be explained clearly over the phone.

"Okay, I'll send it to you right away! Thank you, Xiuyuan!" There was a clear sense of relief in Park Hyomin's voice, even a touch of ease as if a burden had been lifted.

Hanging up the phone, Lin Xiuyuan looked at the location information that quickly popped up on the screen: a street somewhere in Gangnam District, Seoul.

So he took a deep breath, first quickly returning to the RV in the south of France through the Time Gate, and explained the emergency to Jessica and Krystal in the briefest of terms.

Then he returned to the apartment in 2013 Seoul, took the car keys from the drawer, walked quickly downstairs, and sat in the car parked below.

He then started the engine and, following the navigation instructions, headed straight for the address Park Hyomin had provided.

The night view of Seoul outside the car window flew backward rapidly.

Lin Xiuyuan gripped the steering wheel, his gaze focused, but in his heart, he was quickly calculating the scene he might encounter in a moment.

Soon, following the location sent by Park Hyomin, the car sped all the way and finally stopped in front of a bar with an avant-garde decor style and neon lights flashing on the storefront.

Looking at the noisy entrance and the fashionable young people going in and out, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but frown slightly.

On the way here, he had guessed it was this kind of place, but he didn't expect his guess to actually be right.

And it was a state of asking for help, which felt a bit wrong.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan took out his phone and dialed Park Hyomin's number again.

However, what came through the receiver was the cold, automated prompt: "The user you are calling is temporarily unavailable."

He called twice, and it was the same both times.

Now it was truly not right; the vigilance in Lin Xiuyuan's heart immediately rose.

At the same time, he did not hesitate, pushed open the car door, got out, and walked straight toward the bar entrance.

As he entered that door with excellent soundproofing and was instantly surrounded by deafening electronic music and dazzling lights, the phone that had been tucked in his hand was also used to call Park Jiyeon.

"Hello, oppa, what's wrong?"

This call connected quickly, and Park Jiyeon's voice rang out immediately.

"Jiyeon, Hyomin just called me, her tone was very urgent, and she asked me to come to this bar to find her." Lin Xiuyuan spoke quickly, his gaze scanning the dance floor and the bar counter sharply. "But I've arrived now, and I can't get through to her phone. Are you two together? Do you know what's going on?"

Park Jiyeon on the other end of the phone was clearly stunned, and then her tone also became nervous. "No, oppa, we're off today, everyone has their own plans. I'm here at the company studio with Shaoxi organizing data. Enjing unnie went back to her own home, and Hyomin unnie—"

Speaking of Park Hyomin, Park Jiyeon thought about the situation for a moment. "When I left this morning, she was still sleeping in the Dormitory. It seems like she didn't have any special plans today either; maybe she's resting at home or went out to see friends. How could she have run to a bar? And why can't you get through to her phone?"

"I'm not sure either. I'll look for her inside first. You try to see if you can get through to her phone, or ask others who might know her whereabouts." Lin Xiuyuan said while quickly walking through the crowded people.

On the dance floor, young men and women were twisting wildly under the flashing lights, and the air was filled with a mixture of alcohol, perfume, and pheromones.

The bar counter was full of people, and the bartender was tossing bottles with flashy techniques.

His gaze, like a searchlight, quickly swept across one area after another.

"Okay, I'll call her right away. Oppa, which bar are you at? I'll come over to find you." Park Jiyeon's voice was full of worry.

"Don't come over yet, try calling first. I'll notify you once I find her. If I can't find her, you coming over won't help and might instead cause unnecessary problems." Lin Xiuyuan analyzed calmly, his gaze continuing to search.

"Got it, oppa, be careful. You must tell me immediately once you find her." Park Jiyeon urged.

Hanging up the phone, Lin Xiuyuan continued to walk deeper into the bar.

His line of sight swept over several semi-open booths nearby, but he still didn't see that familiar figure.

Just as he was about to change direction, his phone vibrated again; it was Park Jiyeon.

"Oppa, how is it?" As soon as he connected, Park Jiyeon's urgent voice came through.

"Still haven't found her, how about you?" Lin Xiuyuan asked.

"Still can't get through, it keeps saying unavailable! I asked Enjing unnie, and she doesn't know Hyomin unnie's specific plans for today either. Should we call the police or tell the manager oppa?" Park Jiyeon's voice became more and more panicked because she thought of some rumors in the industry.

To this, Lin Xiuyuan softly reassured her, "Don't worry yet, let me look again."

Then he looked up and cast his gaze toward the second floor of the bar.

There was a circle of suspended VIP booths, surrounded by glass railings, offering better privacy and a wider view, allowing one to take in the entire dance floor below.

Furthermore, the lighting was relatively softer, so one could clearly see the silhouettes of the people in the booths.

So much so that when Lin Xiuyuan's gaze swept over those booths one by one, a side profile suddenly caught his attention in one of the more central booths that seemed to have quite a few people.

Although the lights were dim and the distance was not close.

But that iconic long hair, the slender shoulder contour, and the half-face revealed when she turned her head slightly.

It was definitely Park Hyomin.

"Found her."

As soon as he saw her, Lin Xiuyuan said in a low voice to the other end of the phone, while observing the situation in that booth more carefully.

Park Hyomin seemed to be surrounded by several people; next to her, someone was holding a glass as if urging her to drink, and others were talking and laughing.

Sitting right next to her were two young women, who invisibly formed a barrier, helping her avoid some unnecessary physical contact.

"Found her? Really? How is she? Is she okay?" Park Jiyeon asked repeatedly.

"I see her, but the specific situation isn't clear yet; she just looks fine for now." Lin Xiuyuan said quickly, "Jiyeon, you don't need to worry anymore, just go back to the Dormitory with Shaoxi and wait. I'll bring Hyomin back to you in a moment."

"Really? That's great. Oppa, you must be careful. If anything is wrong, hurry up and call the police or call security. We'll go back to the Dormitory and wait for you two."

A relieved Park Jiyeon had a slight tremor in her voice.

Ending the call with Park Jiyeon, Lin Xiuyuan did not hesitate and walked quickly toward the staircase leading to the second floor.

And standing right at the staircase were two security guards wearing black suits, with burly builds, and sporting meticulously groomed "mom-born" hairstyles.

security guard.

The two men had their arms crossed in front of their chests, their eyes vigilantly scanning the guests who wanted to go upstairs.

However, Lin Xiuyuan did not stop his footsteps; he walked directly in front of the two, and in fluent English with a distinct American accent, he spoke to them quickly in a cold tone.

"Excuse me, (I need to go upstairs to see my friend; she is right there in the middle VIP booth. It seems there is a bit of a misunderstanding, and I need to go clarify it immediately. Please move aside.)"

This time, Lin Xiuyuan deliberately used standard American English, coupled with that natural confidence and a slightly urgent tone, along with his own outstanding appearance and temperament, which made the two security guards subconsciously look at each other.

In a place like Seoul's Gangnam District, especially in a high-end bar, a young man who can speak fluent, authentic English and has an extraordinary temperament often implies that he might have an unusual background or status.

The two men's duty as security guards was to screen guests, but they also did not want to easily offend a potential important figure.

After all, who could blame them when this was their mother tongue, carved into their very marrow.

So, after hesitating for less than two seconds, one of the security guards turned slightly to the side, clearing the way.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan nodded politely in thanks, then quickly stepped past them and onto the spiral staircase covered with dark carpet.

Once on the second floor, the noisy music seemed to weaken slightly, but the atmosphere remained intense.

And Lin Xiuyuan's gaze locked onto the booth where Park Hyomin was located at the very first moment.

As he walked over quickly, he also saw the situation at the booth more clearly.

In his field of vision, Park Hyomin was indeed surrounded by three men and two women.

The coffee table was covered with wine bottles, fruit platters, and snacks.

One of the young men, wearing a slim-fit shirt with obvious arm muscle definition but slightly thin lower limbs—a typical gym-goer with developed upper body—was holding a wine glass, leaning toward Park Hyomin and saying something, his face carrying a fawning yet somewhat pushy smile.

To this, Park Hyomin maintained a social smile on her face, but a trace of exhaustion and imperceptible resistance could be seen in her eyes.

She was pressed tightly against the two female friends beside her, seemingly seeking a bit of security.

What made Lin Xiuyuan's eyes tighten even more was that he noticed a phone with a pink case soaking in a glass wine cooler at the edge of the booth.

Last time when they were at the Hot Spring in Nihon, he had seen this phone; it was Park Hyomin's.

This explained why her phone calls wouldn't go through; he didn't know if it was intentional or if it had accidentally fallen into the alcohol.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan's gaze swept quickly over the other men and women at the booth.

Although their clothing and styling were fashionable, there were no particularly eye-catching designer logos; they looked more like trendy brands or designer labels that focused on style.

Combined with the atmosphere of friends gathering and urging drinks, Lin Xiuyuan's judgment of the situation in his heart quickly adjusted.

It seemed it was not the worst-case scenario he had worried about when he arrived.

It was more like a so-called gathering of friends.

And they were playing a bit too hard, or someone had ulterior motives to force drinks and build connections.

This caused Park Hyomin to feel uncomfortable and pressured, but she couldn't easily tear off the mask and leave, which was why she had urgently called him to act as a shield and resolve the situation.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan's tense nerves relaxed slightly.

He looked down at the Patek Philippe watch on his wrist, which still refracted a low-key, luxurious luster under the dim lights, let out a soft breath, adjusted his expression, and walked straight toward the booth with steady steps.

His appearance quickly attracted the attention of the people at the booth.

So when Lin Xiuyuan walked to the edge of the booth and stopped, everyone's gaze focused on this person who had suddenly appeared.

Park Hyomin, who was feeling somewhat annoyed by being urged to drink, also looked over following everyone's line of sight.

When she saw Lin Xiuyuan's familiar face, a light of surprise and relief instantly burst forth from her eyes, as if a drowning person had seen a lifebuoy.

Her whole body stood up from the sofa almost immediately, her movements slightly swaying due to alcohol and nervousness.

But a genuine smile had already bloomed on her face, and her voice, carrying obvious joy, pierced through the not-too-loud background music, "You're here!"

"Mm, I'm here." Lin Xiuyuan nodded, his gaze lingering on Park Hyomin's face for a moment, confirming that besides some intoxication and nervousness, there was nothing else abnormal.

He then raised his hand toward her, his tone calm and natural, "Let's go, I'll take you back."

His gaze never truly met anyone else at the booth from beginning to end, as if they were just unimportant background props.

This kind of disregard was, in itself, an attitude.

However, things are often not that simple.

"Wait a minute!" The sturdy young man who had just been urging her to drink stood up immediately, blocking the path between Lin Xiuyuan and Park Hyomin.

His face carried the displeasure of being interrupted and a hint of scrutiny, "Who are you? We're having a good time here, and you come up and want to take Xiaomin away; isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

At this, Lin Xiuyuan finally cast his gaze directly onto this young man, his eyes flat and waveless, as if looking at a piece of furniture.

He ignored the other's questioning and instead tilted his head slightly to look at Park Hyomin, who had already bypassed the coffee table and walked to his side.

He asked in a volume everyone could hear, "You didn't tell them?"

Park Hyomin was stunned for a moment, then reacted, a flash of embarrassment crossing her face.

But her subsequent reaction was very quick; she immediately reached out and took Lin Xiuyuan's arm, her sexy body leaning in as she did so.

Then she raised a bright but slightly deliberate smile toward her friends at the booth, "Ta-da! Let me officially introduce him to everyone!"

She shook the arm she was holding with Lin Xiuyuan and continued, "This is my boyfriend. I kept lying to you all before saying I didn't have one because an idol's status can't be public, you know. Now you've seen it with your own eyes; I really do have a boyfriend, so you don't need to go to the trouble of introducing me to any more friends."

Under the background of DJ electronic music and noisy voices, her voice was not particularly clear, but everyone at the booth heard it.

And Lin Xiuyuan, feeling the cool touch and slight trembling coming from her arm, also cooperated by not pulling his hand away; instead, he slightly adjusted his posture to let Park Hyomin lean more steadily.

Following that, he lowered his head slightly, leaned into Park Hyomin's ear, and asked quickly, "What's the situation? Are they forcing you into pimping?"

The warm breath sprayed onto her earlobe; Park Hyomin's body stiffened imperceptibly, then she also turned her head, her lips almost touching Lin Xiuyuan's ear, and explained in the same low, hurried voice.

"It's sort of a semi-forced group date. They're all friends I knew before, their families have a bit of money, and lately, they've been wanting to introduce me to people in their circle. They dragged me out today saying it was just a normal gathering of friends, but when I arrived, I realized something was wrong. I couldn't refuse and it wasn't good to directly fall out with them, so I could only find you."

With this brief explanation, the situation became much clearer, and Lin Xiuyuan had a handle on things.

And their intimate "whispering" act, ignoring everyone else, was seen by the others at the booth—

Especially by the sturdy young man who had stood up, and another boy next to him who had been glancing at Park Hyomin the whole time; it confirmed Lin Xiuyuan's identity as her boyfriend and completely extinguished the last bit of potential thoughts they might have had.

But it also made them even more jealous.

However, at this moment, Lin Xiuyuan straightened up, his gaze once again sweeping lightly over the people at the booth with their varied expressions; he had no interest in wasting words or conflicting with these people, wanting only to take Park Hyomin away as soon as possible.

So when his gaze fell on the colorful Cocktail that still had more than half left in front of where Park Hyomin had been sitting.

He asked Park Hyomin in a low voice once more, "Which drink is yours."

Park Hyomin immediately pointed to that glass of wine.

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then made a move that surprised everyone in the booth.

He extended his left hand, which wore a priceless Patek Philippe wristwatch; under the shifting lights of the bar, the watch refracted a low-key yet precise radiance.

He leaned over slightly and steadily pinched Park Hyomin's Cocktail with two fingers.

Then he raised the glass, his gaze sweeping calmly around the men and women in the booth.

He said nothing, nor did he have a provocative look in his eyes; it was just that indifferent sweep.

He then tilted his head back and downed that brightly colored Cocktail in one gulp.

His Adam's apple bobbed, the entire sequence of movements crisp and clean.

"Clack."

When the empty glass was gently placed back onto the coffee table by him, it emitted a soft sound.

The whole process ended, and the people in the booth all fell silent.

Their gazes were involuntarily drawn to the watch on Lin Xiuyuan's wrist, and they were stunned by his composed, indifferent, yet intangibly oppressive aura.

After all, in their view, someone who could wear a Patek Philippe watch was clearly not someone they could easily provoke or cross.

After finishing the wine, Lin Xiuyuan casually picked up a small handbag that Park Hyomin had placed on the sofa, fished the dripping wet phone out of the glass decanter where it had been soaking, wiped it off, and tucked it into Park Hyomin's bag.

After finishing all this, he reached out very naturally, wrapped his arm around Park Hyomin's slender yet somewhat stiff waist, and pulled her into his embrace with a slight force.

"Let's go." Lin Xiuyuan's voice was not loud, but it was enough for the people in the booth to hear clearly.

Park Hyomin also gave him face by nodding slightly, then after offering an apologetic smile to the few people there, she leaned into Lin Xiuyuan's embrace.

Then, with Lin Xiuyuan holding Park Hyomin like that, they calmly left the second-floor VIP area under the complex and unspeakable gazes of the people in the booth.

They walked down the stairs, passed through the noisy dance floor and the crowd, and walked out of that bar with its hazy lights and deafening music.

Until they arrived outside.

The cool night air rushed toward them, instantly dispelling the stuffiness and the smell of smoke and alcohol from inside the bar.

Once outside, Park Hyomin took a deep breath of fresh air for the first time, and her body and nerves, which had been tense the whole time, finally relaxed completely at this moment.

Leaning against Lin Xiuyuan's side, she felt the solid strength coming from the arm around her waist, and an unprecedented sense of security and a strange feeling of dependence quietly welled up in her heart.

Is this the man that Zhiyan likes???

>