Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 124 The Cat Contract and a Turning Point on the Screen

"beep--"

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the phone screen where the call had been disconnected, a cold smile suddenly creeping onto his lips.

I casually tossed my phone onto the bed.

Turned and walked into the bathroom.

The moment the cold water hit his face, the mirror still reflected that same sarcastic expression reminiscent of Zhao Taiwu.

(explain?)

(What's there to explain?)
(It's not like I did anything shameful.)
Reason told him he should call back immediately to explain.

But the nameless fire in his chest burned ever brighter.

Kang Jae-hoon wiped his face, went back to his room, and rummaged through a drawer for the cigars he'd bought during his etiquette class. Just as he lit one, his peripheral vision caught sight of the purple yoga mat in the corner of the living room.
"..."

Caught between frustration and cowardice, he chose to be cowardly and frustrated.

He took the cigar and lighter and went to the outdoor corridor.

The corridor was deserted at noon.

Kang Jae-hoon leaned against the railing of the fire escape staircase, bent down, and lit a cigar.

The firelight flickered.

His profile looked particularly sharp amidst the swirling smoke.

With a slightly furrowed brow and a gloomy gaze, he exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.

He didn't even lift his eyelids when the phone rang from inside the house.

It wasn't until the third time that it sounded.

He stubbed out his cigar, placed the remaining half on the windowsill, and turned to go back inside.

"Hey."

After hearing Kang Jae-hoon's tone, Lim Yoon-ah paused for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, then tentatively asked:
"...Aren't you awake yet?"

Kang Jae-hoon paused for a moment, then glanced at his phone screen and saw that the caller ID was Lim Yoon-ah.

He took a deep breath to compose himself and tried to make his voice sound calm:

"Excuse me, what's wrong?"

“My unnie has already sent the little princess to her apartment. You can go there anytime.”

"I'll go right away."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for two seconds.

"What happened?"

Im Yoona keenly sensed something was wrong: "Was it because of the news that you got scolded by your manager?"

".no."

Kang Jae-hoon mumbled, "It's nothing."

Yoona didn't press further, but simply said softly:

"Then you should take care of yourself and get some rest."

"Hmm...right, this kind of news..."

Kang Jae-hoon paused for a moment: "It must have had a big impact on you, right?"

"Ok?"

Yoona seemed surprised by his question, and then chuckled softly:
"It's alright~ The company will handle it anyway, and the fans are used to it. But you..."

"I do not mind."

Kang Jae-hoon subconsciously used a tone similar to Cho Tae-oh's, only realizing his mistake after he finished speaking.

But Yoona didn't seem to care:

"That's good~"

She paused, then her voice suddenly softened:
“Jaehoon, if you need any help, feel free to contact me anytime, even if you just want to talk to someone.”

"……Um."

"I'm going to rehearse now, bye-bye~"

"Bye-Bye."

Kang Jae-hoon pressed the end call button and lay back on the sofa.

The cracks in the ceiling seem to be longer than they were yesterday.

He remembered that Lee Sung-kyung said he would find someone to fix it tomorrow.

(crack.)

(Like his relationship with Krystal Jung.)
Suddenly, the laughter of children chasing and playing came from downstairs.

Kang Jae-hoon got up and drew back the curtains.

The midday sun stung my eyes.

The sky in Seoul was a dazzling blue, a stark contrast to the night sky in Tokyo.

(Tired?)

(Who isn't tired?)
He turned and pulled the off-white linen shirt from the closet—

The one that Lee Sung-kyung said looked good.

After slowly changing, Kang Jae-hoon straightened his collar in front of the mirror.

The person in the mirror still had a hint of Zhao Taiwu's coldness in his eyes.

He stared at the small camera bracelet on his wrist for two seconds.

Suddenly, he ripped it off and threw it into the drawer.

"boom!"
-
2 p.m.

Downstairs at a luxury apartment building in Cheongdam-dong.

Kang Jae-hoon stood at the access control point wearing a mask.

The guard in the security booth was eyeing him warily.

"May I ask you are?"

Kang Jae-hoon showed the appointment text message sent by Im Yoon-ah.

The guard verified the information and dialed the internal phone line.

Two minutes later.

A middle-aged woman, who looked like a housekeeper, walked briskly over, holding an envelope in her hand:
"This is the access card left by Miss Lin."

"Thank you."

The elevator goes directly to the 11th floor.

The corridor was carpeted thickly, completely absorbing the sound of footsteps. Kang Jae-hoon stood before the door of room 1103 and entered the password—

【070805】

"drop."

The door lock opened with a click.

A faint peach scent wafts towards you.

Two pairs of slippers were placed in the entryway.

A pair of women's slippers, and a brand new pair of grey men's slippers.

Kang Jae-hoon changed into slippers and walked into the living room.

The apartment is decorated in a simple and modern style, with a beige sofa paired with a wooden coffee table. Several abstract paintings hang on the wall, and fresh white roses are placed on the coffee table.

"Meow~"

The calico cat cautiously peeked out from the corner of the wall, its amber eyes wide open.

"Still remember me?"

Kang Jae-hoon crouched down to look him in the eye.

The calico cat cautiously took a half-step back, its tail held high.

Kang Jae-hoon remained motionless, still holding his outstretched hand.

The calico cat hesitated for a moment, then cautiously took two steps forward.

Sudden--

It darted under the sofa in one swift motion, revealing only its round eyes.

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon smiled helplessly and took out the cat treats he had prepared in advance from his pocket.

The rustling sound of the wrapping paper immediately caught the little guy's attention.

The cat twitched its nose twice, but still didn't come closer.

Kang Jae-hoon wasn't in a hurry. He put the snacks on the ground and took two steps back.

The calico cat hesitated for a full minute before cautiously approaching.

When we were halfway through eating.

It suddenly looked up and stared at Kang Jae-hoon for a few seconds—

His amber pupils widened slightly.

"Meow!"

It suddenly leaped onto Kang Jae-hoon's knee and rubbed its head against his wrist, leaving its scent.

Kang Jae-hoon chuckled and gently scratched the cat's chin. The little guy squinted comfortably, then suddenly rolled over, revealing its belly—

This is the highest level of trust.

I petted the cat for a while.

Kang Jae-hoon began cleaning the cat litter.

The little princess followed him around the whole time, occasionally brushing her tail against his calves.

"Want to play?"

Kang Jae-hoon took a cat toy out of the toy box and gently shook it.

The calico cat immediately went into hunting mode—

It lowered its body, raised its rear end high, and trembled slightly at the tip of its tail.

"Whoosh!"

The feather suddenly flew into the air.

The little guy launched himself off, completed a beautiful 360-degree spin in the air, and accurately bit his "prey".

(Perfect!)

It proudly carried its prize back to Jiang Zaixun's feet, waiting for the next round of the game.

We played like that for over twenty minutes.

The calico cat finally collapsed, panting heavily, and lay sprawled on Kang Jae-hoon's lap. Its pink little tongue dangled out like a mini scarf.

Jiang Zai Xun gently stroked its soft belly, and the little guy snored comfortably.

He suddenly felt much calmer.

He took out his phone and snapped a picture of the cat curled up on his lap.

The moment he opened the Kakao chat window, he suddenly realized—

Yoona's profile picture has changed from a Shiba Inu wearing a straw hat and grinning to this calico cat.

(etc.)

Kang Jae-hoon clicked on his own profile picture—

It's the same calico cat, but the photo was taken more than half a year ago, when the little guy was still very thin.

Unlike now, its fur is glossy and smooth.

Two profile pictures placed together...

It inexplicably gives off a feeling of being a couple's profile picture.

(coincide?)

(still.)

His cell phone suddenly vibrated, interrupting his thoughts.

[Lim Yoona]: Ahhh, so cute!

[Lim Yoona]: Please give it lots of kisses for me!

Kang Jae-hoon looked at the message, then at the fluffy cat in his arms.

(Kissing a cat?)

(How do I do this...)
He lowered his head and nuzzled the little princess's head with the tip of his nose, but the cat disdainfully pushed his face away with its paw.

Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

(I was rejected...)
(It might be the smell of smoke...)
Think for a moment.

He still didn't tell Yoona about this embarrassing incident.

Kang Jae-hoon sat quietly on the sofa, watching the cat gradually fall asleep in his arms. The little guy's breathing became even and long, and his pink paws would occasionally twitch gently, as if chasing something in his dream.

Sudden--

"Ding dong!"

The doorbell startled the little princess, who immediately perked up her ears and looked around warily.

Kang Jae-hoon gently stroked its back to comfort it, then got up and walked towards the entrance.

Through the peephole, he saw a deliveryman wearing a black baseball cap standing outside the door, carrying an insulated bag.

"Hello, takeout."

The deliveryman politely handed over the food container: "Enjoy your meal."

Kang Jae-hoon thanked him and accepted the food, carrying the cat in one arm and the food container in the other as he returned to the restaurant.

The moment the lunchbox was opened, a rich aroma of soy sauce wafted out—

Noodles with soybean paste served with sweet and sour pork.

A classic Korean takeout combination.

The noodles were sprinkled with bright green cucumber shreds, and next to them was fried sweet and sour pork that was golden brown and crispy. It was also served with a side of yellow radish kimchi to cut through the richness.

The phone vibrates at appropriate times.

[Lim Yoona]: A treat for cat owners~
[Lim Yoona]: Remember to take a picture and show me what you look like after you've finished eating^^
Kang Jae-hoon looked down at the calico cat in his arms. The little guy was stretching his neck and sniffing the smell of jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) with curiosity.

He picked up his chopsticks and started to eat the noodles, then suddenly seemed to remember something, propped his phone up beside him, and took a picture.

In the photo:
The noodles with soybean paste are steaming hot, the sweet and sour pork is beautifully presented, and a furry cat's paw is quietly reaching towards the edge of the lunchbox.

Click Send.

Almost instantly—

[Lim Yoona]: Ahhh, don't you dare steal any food!
[Lim Yoona]: That's for you!
Kang Jae-hoon couldn't help but chuckle and pulled the cat closer to his chest.

"See this? It's for me."

The calico cat meowed in dissatisfaction, struggled to jump off his lap, and waddled away.

As he ate his noodles with his head down, his phone vibrated again—

[Lim Yoona]: Oh right, there are drinks in the fridge.

Kang Jae-hoon got up and opened the refrigerator—

On the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, there were a dozen or so bottles of apple juice neatly stacked, the brand he had once endorsed.

(...)
Kang Jae-hoon stared at the row of familiar apple juice packages, somewhat dazed.

He suddenly recalled how he casually said, "It's good to focus on filming," when Kim Dae-won said the agricultural cooperative wouldn't renew the contract.

Looking back now—

That feigned nonchalance probably seemed childish and laughable to Yoona.

Kang Jae-hoon took out a can of apple juice. The cool touch brought back memories of the first time he filmed a commercial.

The hissing sound of the pull tab being turned was particularly clear in the quiet apartment.

The moment the apple juice touches your mouth.

The familiar sweet and sour taste explodes on the tip of the tongue.

The noodles with soybean paste were perfectly balanced between salty and sweet, the sweet and sour pork was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the chilled fruit juice just right to neutralize the greasiness.

……

After finishing the last bite of Zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste).

Kang Jae-hoon cleaned up the lunchbox.

The calico cat had already jumped onto the windowsill, lazily basking in the sun and taking a nap.

He took out his phone, took a picture of the cat sunbathing, and sent it to Yoona.

[Kang Jae-hoon]: Mission accomplished.

My phone vibrated as soon as I sent the message.

[Lim Yoona]: You've worked hard~
The sunlight outside the window was gradually setting in the west. Kang Jae-hoon glanced at the time.

It's already 4:30 in the afternoon.

He got up, cleaned the cat's food bowl, and changed the water in the automatic water fountain.

Before leaving, he squatted down in front of the cat's bed and gently patted the little princess's head:
I'll come see you again tomorrow.

The calico cat seemed to understand him, rubbing its head against his palm and purring softly.

Kang Jae-hoon stood at the entrance and looked around the apartment one last time, making sure everything was in order before gently closing the door.

I walked out of the apartment building.

The May breeze, carrying the gentle touch unique to early summer, caressed my cheek.

He glanced back at the window on the 11th floor.

You can vaguely see a calico cat perched on the windowsill, watching him leave.

(tomorrow.)

(the day after tomorrow.)

(The day after tomorrow)

He suddenly realized—

I've actually started to look forward to this kind of daily life.

……

A week later.

Kang Jae-hoon has already developed a fixed daily routine—

I go to the Cheongdam-dong apartment to feed the cats at 3 pm every day, and also have lunch (or dinner) there.

Although Yoona was on tour in Osaka, she always managed to order takeout for him at the perfect moment.

Sometimes it's steaming hot ginseng chicken soup with seaweed rice rolls;
Sometimes it's refreshing cold noodles paired with spicy side dishes;

The most outrageous one was the day before yesterday—

They actually delivered a whole king crab, complete with a full set of crab-disassembling tools.

Kang Jae-hoon stared blankly at the menacing crab for half an hour, and finally sent a picture of himself and the crab staring at each other.

This afternoon.

As usual, Kang Jae-hoon sat cross-legged on the carpet, teasing the little princess with a feather toy.

The calico cat stared intently at the swaying feathers.

His amber pupils dilated into discs, and his hind leg muscles tensed, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

"Jingle Bell--"

The phone suddenly rang, startling the cat so much that it puffed up its fur and scurried under the sofa.

Kang Jae-hoon glanced at the caller ID—Kim Dae-won.

"Hey?"

"where?"

Cheongdam Cave.

Send me the exact location, it's urgent.

After hanging up the phone, Kang Jae-hoon sent Kim Dae-won his location, then knelt down to comfort the frightened cat.
"It's okay, keep playing."

But the little princess had clearly lost interest. She haughtily swished her tail and jumped onto the cat tree, looking down at him from above.

Twenty minutes later.

The intercom went off, and Jiang Zaixun went downstairs to answer it.

In the past...

Kim Dae-won couldn't help but tease and joke with Kang Jae-hoon.

But today is clearly a day of important business.

As soon as he entered, he handed over the file bag he was carrying.

"This is……?"

"A new script offer."

"You've got a new role for me?"

Kang Jae-hoon's fingers tightened slightly as he took the file bag.

His career has almost come to a standstill since his radio program was canceled for alluding to the Sewol ferry disaster.

With endorsement deals falling through and SEM Drama Club having no new productions planned, even Hwang Jung-min is too busy with the post-production of "Veteran" to pay attention to him.

Aside from feeding the cats every day, he basically had nothing to do during this period.

(I can't believe a film crew would actually hire me?)
He opened the file folder and pulled out the script—

Dewy Beauty

"Chinese films?"

Kang Jae-hoon looked at Kim Dae-won in surprise.

We are currently in a golden honeymoon period for film and television cooperation between China and South Korea.

Co-productions can receive policy support from both countries, enjoying tax breaks and guaranteed screen time. For example, "Miss Granny," which at the beginning of the year suppressed Hwang Jung-min's new film "When a Man Loves" to only 9% of screen time, was a Sino-Korean co-production.

The Chinese version is called "Back to 20".

The script for "Dewy Beauty" brought by Jin Dayuan is just one example of this wave of collaboration.

And that's why Kang Jae-hoon was able to receive this invitation.

This success is largely attributed to the popularity of dramas like "The Heirs" and "My Love from the Star" in China.

These two dramas sparked a viewing frenzy as soon as they were introduced to China, which in turn greatly increased the recognition of Korean actors in the Chinese market.

The screenplay for "Red Face and Dew" is adapted from Zhang Xiaoxian's novel of the same name and is invested by Huaxia Xishiji Film & Television.

The director is a big shot who has directed "New Three Kingdoms" and "Legend of Chu and Han".

The female lead is a toothbrush.

The production scale is top-tier among co-productions.

The role of Xu Chenghun, which he was invited to play, was very cleverly designed—

The story of a down-on-his-luck Korean painter offers both an opportunity to showcase acting skills and aligns with the romantic fantasies Chinese audiences have about K-pop stars.

And now.

The number of South Korean films and television shows imported into the Chinese market has reached a new high, with major video websites vying to purchase copyrights.

In this market environment, participating in co-productions is undoubtedly a great opportunity to expand one's career.

Most importantly, it can make up for the awkward career gap that occurred in South Korea.

"The producer from China will be flying to Seoul to see you tomorrow."

"So urgent?!"

Kang Jae-hoon put down the script in surprise.

"Correct."

Kim Dae-won explained, "This movie is scheduled for release on Singles' Day, November 11th. We approached many Hallyu actors, but they couldn't participate due to scheduling conflicts."

He started counting on his fingers:
"Rain signed on for a new SBS drama; Do Min-joon is shooting commercials to make money, Lee Min-ho is in Shanghai with a rich woman; Lee Jong-suk is going to star in 'Pinocchio'; Kim Woo-bin..."

With each name Kim Dae-won uttered, Kang Jae-hoon's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"So I'm just a backup option?"

"So what if you're an alternate? Do you know how much they're offering you in China?"

"How many?"

8 million Korean won!

"How many!?"

Jin Dayuan gestured excitedly:

"8 million! And filming only takes three months!"

Kang Jae-hoon's current net worth is only around 1 million won in South Korea, and that's after filming for "Veteran" wrapped up.

Eight times...

The sheer generosity of the Chinese investors truly astonished this little foreigner.

8 million won —

He could buy a house for Lee Sung-kyung's parents while secretly buying their shared apartment!
Thinking of this.

Kang Jae-hoon's breathing became somewhat rapid:

"What do I need to prepare?"

"It matches the character's melancholic temperament and linguistic artistry."

"I understand melancholy, but what is the art of language?"

"People in China like the admiration shown to them by people from neighboring small countries."

Jin Dayuan explained, "Whether it's in terms of culture or economy. So tomorrow you not only have to express these things, but also say that you are actually half Chinese."

What does it mean to be half Chinese?

Kang Jae-hoon looked completely bewildered.

"When you're away from home, you give yourself your own identity."

Jin Dayuan took out his phone and pulled out a video containing various interviews with Jackie Chan:

"I am half Korean..."

"My maternal grandfather was Genghis Khan..."

"My ancestral home is in Anhui..."

"I'm from Shandong, speak Shandong dialect with me..."

Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

“Just say that your maternal grandmother is of Korean ethnicity from Yanbian, and that her ancestors had relatives in Shandong.”

Jin Dayuan became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke: "It would be best to recite a few lines from the Analects as well, to show that you have a cultural background."

"This……"

Jiang Jae-hoon was a little hesitant.

"That's 8 million!"

Jin Dayuan glared at him angrily, seeing his lack of ambition:
"Do you know how many Korean actors are lining up for Chinese projects right now? So many people are fighting tooth and nail for this opportunity!"

The calico cat on the windowsill suddenly meowed.

His amber eyes were fixed on Kang Jae-hoon.

It was as if she was also trying to persuade him.

"...What time tomorrow?"

"2 PM, Shilla Hotel."

"I see."

Kang Jae-hoon finally nodded in agreement.
-
Nine o'clock that night.

Seongsu-dong Apartment.

Kang Jae-hoon stood in the center of the living room, practicing his self-introduction for tomorrow in front of thin air:
"My maternal grandmother was of Korean ethnicity from Yanbian, and her ancestral home was Weihai, Shandong..."

"I've been listening to my grandmother tell stories about China since I was little..."

"I especially love Chinese culture..."

Lee Sung-kyung, who was doing her skincare routine in the bathroom, peeked out when she heard this:
Wasn't your maternal grandmother from Quanzhou?

Kang Jae-hoon's performance came to an abrupt end, and he awkwardly touched the back of his neck.
"Uh...it's for work..."

"What kind of job would require you to find a new grandmother?"

Kang Jae-hoon honestly confessed about the invitation from Huaxia Film.

"8 billion?"

Lee Sung-kyung's eyebrows almost flew off her hairline:

"Are they crazy?"

“I also think it’s outrageous… but Brother Dayuan said it’s the market price.”

"So... for this 8 million, you're even willing to abandon your grandmother?"

"no……"

Kang Jae-hoon hurriedly explained, "It's just... making up an identity on the spot..."

"Ah."

Lee Sung-kyung sneered: "Then you might as well just say you are the 79th generation descendant of Confucius."

Kang Jae-hoon carefully considered the feasibility:
"But Confucius was a Chinese, wasn't he?"

"Kang Jae-hoon!"

Lee Sung-kyung grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it at him:
"You're actually considering it!"

"Just kidding..."

"Not funny at all."

Lee Sung-kyung rolled her eyes and turned to walk towards the bedroom: "Remember to burn incense for your 'new grandmother'."

"..."

The next day.

A beauty salon on the B1 floor of Cheongdam-dong.

The stylist skillfully styled Kang Jae-hoon's hair into a slightly messy style and then trimmed his eyebrows.

"Okay, are you satisfied with this?"

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the person in the mirror—

Her slightly curled bangs fell across her forehead, with the ends of her hair having a natural curve, making her look both artistic and aloof.

(Melancholic temperament...)
He tried to adjust his expression, his eyes were vacant, and the corners of his mouth were slightly downturned.

—Perfectly fits the persona of a "down-on-his-luck painter".

"Very satisfied, thank you for your hard work."

……

As the car drove towards the Shilla Hotel, Kim Dae-won continued to give instructions incessantly:
"Remember, when we meet later, you must show your love for Chinese culture."

"Ah."

"Also, if the other party asks about your schedule, say that although you are very busy, you are willing to adjust your schedule for this role."

"..."

(End of this chapter)