Yixing smiled, a hint of something deeper flickering in his eyes before he masked it. "Duly noted," he replied smoothly. "Though I suspect we might need to discuss that 'cover' of yours later. I have questions."

The walk to the car park wasn't long, but a slightly awkward silence settled between them. The only sound was the muffled thump of Yixing's running shoes and the gentle rattle of the guzheng case on his shoulder. Feeling the need to break the ice and repay his help, Jisoo finally spoke up.

"Hey, are you busy right now?"

Yixing's steps slowed slightly. "What if I am, and what if I'm not?"

Jisoo looked at him curiously, catching the playful tone in his voice. "What if you are, and what if you're not?" she echoed, a small smile playing on her lips.

His dark eyes sparkled with amusement as he held her gaze. "Well, that's the question, isn't it?" he replied cryptically. "I suppose you'll just have to find out."

Jisoo found his coy, almost teasing demeanor amusing—it was a stark contrast to the reserved, professional persona Yixing had demonstrated at the conference and the dinner table. This unexpected, relaxed side of him definitely piqued her curiosity.

"Okay, smarty pants. If you're not busy," she continued, "I want to treat you to dinner for playing my Sherpa." She checked her watch. "There's this awesome kebab place about ten minutes walk from here. I'm feeling happy after the gig, so you're buying... wait, I'm buying. My treat."

Yixing’s smile instantly turned genuine. "Dinner? And it's free? Of course, I'm not busy." Jisoo couldn't help but grin at his earnestness; he was unexpectedly adorable when food was involved. "We just need to dump this thing in your car, and I'm good to go."

They reached her car quickly. Yixing spotted the sleek, late-model Genesis sedan. He let out a low whistle. "Nice ride. Good taste," he commented.

"Oh, this? It's Sehun's," Jisoo said, waving a hand. "He basically tricked me into covering a quarter of the price, so yeah, I get to use it whenever I need a decent ride."

Yixing chuckled, then efficiently stowed the instrument case in the back. Once finished, Jisoo turned to him.

"Hold up, I need a quick change. Can you shield me for a minute?" she said, her tone casual and comfortable.

Yixing raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the request. "Getting quite comfortable around me, aren't you?" he teased lightly.

Jisoo let out a light, melodic laugh. "Well, you already caught me in my little secret. I figure I might as well be at ease around you now."

With that, Jisoo quickly and expertly slipped into the back seat, expertly shielding herself from view as Yixing dutifully turned his gaze away, creating a barrier with his broad shoulders. In a minute, Jisoo had changed into something much more casual and comfortable: a plain white top paired with slim black pants, a long gray coat, and a pair of sneakers to ease her feet.

As Jisoo emerged from behind Yixing's protective stance, the man's gaze widened momentarily, as if he hadn't fully processed how fast that change had been. Jisoo found his fleeting look of surprise hilarious.

"You're quite the gentleman, you know," Jisoo said warmly, pulling her coat tight. "Thanks for the privacy. My modesty is safe. Shall we be off, then?" she asked, gesturing toward the direction of the restaurant, her lips curving into a confident smile.

They walked along the bustling riverbank, letting the casual topics flow easily between them.

Jisoo enthusiastically shared how she’d spent almost a month prepping for this show with her team. She mentioned that she had a dedicated group of music club students helping her arrange the electronic tracks for her guzheng pieces. When Yixing casually asked if her students knew about her gigs, Jisoo nodded and leaned in conspiratorially. "They know," she whispered jokingly, "but they all signed a very serious, very binding non-disclosure agreement."

Yixing threw his head back and laughed, thoroughly amused. "Oh, I bet they did," he managed between chuckles, shaking his head slightly. 

By the time they reached the restaurant, Jisoo immediately chose a rooftop table overlooking the river. She deliberately picked a spot where they could sit side-by-side rather than facing each other, figuring the chill arrangement would minimize any lingering awkwardness.

While they waited for their seafood stew and kebabs, Jisoo watched Yixing meticulously wipe down the tabletop and their utensils. It was a tiny detail, but it totally didn't go unnoticed. She couldn't help but observe how well-groomed and attentive he was, even in this super informal setting. The gelled-up, suit-clad professional from the conference was gone; instead, Yixing's relaxed appearance, with his hair falling more freely, gave him a much more approachable, "boy-next-door" kind of charm.

To seemingly ease the momentary silence, Yixing gently steered the conversation back to the elephant in the room. "So," he began, his tone genuine and curious, "What’s up with all the secrecy and the face covering?"

Jisoo shrugged casually. "Boring bureaucracy, mostly. Being faculty means you have to maintain a 'serious' image and credibility. I do perform at official university events, but performing informally on an open stage like this? Not exactly 'dignified.' But honestly, I love playing. Performing for a huge crowd, plus the thrill of keeping my identity secret? Total endorphin rush."

Yixing then asked about her stage name. Finding the setup too perfect to resist, Jisoo took out her phone. "It's called Jin Xian," she said. Instead of saying it out loud, she typed the two Hanja characters (金絃) onto her screen and slid the phone toward him. "Guess the pun," she challenged, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Yixing took the phone, his brow furrowed slightly in concentration. The first character, 金 (Jin), was often associated with her first name. The second character, 絃 (Xian), immediately gave it away—it means 'string' or 'stringed instrument,' a direct reference to the guzheng.

Sure enough, as Yixing saw the characters, he immediately chuckled and gave her a thumbs-up. "Very clever, Professor Kim," he admitted, acknowledging her creative blend of her name's characters and the string instrument.

"Okay, so what about your family?" Yixing asked next. "Does Minseok know you do this?"

Jisoo immediately leaned in, her eyes wide with mock panic. "Oh, God, no. You absolutely cannot tell him, okay? Promise me!"

Yixing’s expression softened, clearly amused by her urgent plea. "Why the high security around Minseok?"

"Because he would hate the idea," she explained, lowering her voice. "He thinks street performing is beneath my title or whatever. You know how he is about reputation."

Their conversation flowed naturally, Yixing’s genuine curiosity drawing Jisoo to open up fully about her musical journey. As she spoke, she realized Yixing had been mostly listening intently, his dark gaze fixed solely on her. A warm, almost affectionate smile lingered on his features, as if her infectious joy was spreading to him as well.

Feeling slightly self-conscious under his undivided attention, Jisoo eventually stopped talking. "Okay, my turn," she said, shifting the spotlight. "Do you play any instruments?"

Yixing leaned back in his chair. "My story is pretty boring, I promise. I was raised by typical Chinese parents, so of course, I can play the piano—that was mandatory." He smirked. "But calling it a hobby is a stretch. It was mostly mandatory practice. My biggest 'gigs' were playing a few pieces for the family during Chinese New Year. Since college, the focus has been strictly business, so I never really pursued music as a hobby."

"Mandatory piano is the most Minseok-esque thing I've ever heard," Jisoo commented, grinning. "It's impressive that you survived."

Yixing shook his head ruefully. "Barely. But hey, at least I passed the 'culturally refined' test for my parents."

Jisoo nodded slowly, a wry grin spreading across her face. "Oh, the sacrifices we make for our parents' expectations," she said, managing to sound both sympathetic and totally amused. "A moment of silence for your lost musical freedom."

The waiter arrived with their food, and the easy banter continued as they dug into the stew and kebabs. The familiar, comfortable dynamic made Jisoo feel completely at ease. She realized that Yixing felt surprisingly safe to be around. Maybe knowing he was Minseok's long-time friend helped; in an odd way, hanging out with Yixing felt like she was just relaxing with Minseok himself.

Yixing took a bite of kebab, then leaned back slightly. "Okay, the food is fantastic, but something is missing," he said, glancing pointedly at the water pitcher. "How about we order some liquor to celebrate the successful show?"

Jisoo raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk touching her lips. "I'm driving, remember? Trying to get me arrested, are we?"

Yixing dismissed her concern with a confident wave of his hand. "Relax. We are not risking your license. I'll call a designated driver for you, and I can even have someone from my office come pick up your car later tonight. Consider it my continued act of non-princely service."

The logistics were surprisingly smooth, and the situation felt just right for a celebratory drink. Jisoo found herself readily agreeing. With a small smile, she conceded, settling on ordering a beer for herself. Yixing, meanwhile, placed an order for a bottle of soju alongside their beers.

Drinking quickly made the situation even more relaxed. Slowly, the wall of professional respect Jisoo had automatically built around Minseok's friend started to crumble, replaced by a fun, easy camaraderie. Their conversation and interaction flowed with a natural, refreshing rhythm that was totally different from their formal previous meetings.

Yixing leaned back again, swirling the amber beer in his glass, his dark gaze returning to Jisoo. "Tell me," he said, a subtle, playful curiosity coloring his tone, "What's Professor Kim's alcohol tolerance like? I'm trying to gauge the risk factor here."

Jisoo let out a light, almost melodic chuckle in response. "Oh, my tolerance used to be tragically low. Seriously, in college, I could barely finish one glass of cheap wine before I was giving drunken, tipsy lectures on Rousseau’s social contract theory. My friends had to ban me from serious drinking."

She paused, taking a slow, appreciative sip of her beer before continuing, a hint of pride seeping into her words. "But after years of heavy socialization—both in college and for work—I've built up my tolerance quite a bit. These days," she stated confidently, "I can usually finish two full beers before I even feel the slightest buzz."

Yixing's lips curved into an amused, almost admiring smile as he listened intently. "Is that so?" he mused, his gaze flickering down to the bottle of soju resting on the table between them. With a fluid, practiced motion, he reached for the bottle and expertly poured a shot glass of the clear, potent liquor, sliding it toward Jisoo.

"Well, then, let's see how you handle this," he said, his deep voice tinged with a warmth and informality that Jisoo found surprisingly endearing.

Without hesitation, Jisoo picked up the glass and tossed the shot back. Then, she fixed Yixing with a dramatic look of mock seriousness. "My survival is totally on you now, Prince Zhang," she declared, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "If I suddenly start giving a drunk lecture on Confucian ethics, you have to drag me home and save my career."