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

Chapter 167 Park's "Thoughtful" Arrangements & Suzy's "Soul-Soothing" [Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets]

Jiang Zai Xun stared at the word "Teacher" flashing on the screen, his steps faltering. The morning hustle and bustle instantly faded into the background noise.

He swiped his finger across the screen to answer the call:
"teacher?"

"Jaehoon."

"Yes, teacher, please speak."

"……Well."

Huang Zhengmin seemed to be organizing his thoughts, and in the background, a faint howling sound of mountain wind could be heard:
"This place...the location where 'The Wailing' was filmed...the conditions were a bit tough."

Hear the words.

Kang Jae-hoon raised an eyebrow.

hard?

Although the filming locations for "The Wailing" are remote, they are still far superior to the sub-zero temperatures and snow-covered landscapes of "The Himalayas" at altitudes of several thousand meters...

Compared to the mosquito-infested and unbearably humid filming environment of Thailand for "Ode to My Father"...

The set of "The Wailing" was practically a resort.

Faced with Huang Zhengmin's sudden "complaints".

Kang Jae-hoon's mind raced.

Blessing to the soul.

"Shall I send you two bottles of good wine tomorrow?"

He deliberately added tentatively, "Moutai?"

Is life tough on set?

The medal translator automatically decoded: Craving alcohol.

"Tsk!"

Hwang Jung-min let out a click of his tongue, clearly dissatisfied, as if something had been exposed:

"Work! This is work time! What are you drinking for!"

His words were full of righteous indignation and stern pronouncements.

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon was holding his phone, about to say "Okay, thank you for your hard work," when Hwang Jung-min on the other end of the line added in a very natural, almost casual tone:
"but……"

"That ginseng chicken soup from last time..."

Huang Zhengmin smacked his lips.

It was as if they were reminiscing.

"...It's really good."

Ginseng chicken soup?!

Hard mountain winds = wanting chicken soup?

This old man...

It's kind of cute when it's roundabout.

"Okay, teacher. I'll bring it to you tomorrow."

"Ah."

Hwang Jung-min sounded very satisfied, as if Kang Jae-hoon should have thought of this.

"Focus on filming."

"Beep...beep...beep..."

There was a busy tone.

call ended.

Put the phone back in your pocket.

Kang Jae-hoon took a sip of his iced Americano and lifted his foot to continue walking towards the dressing room.

The cool liquid slid down my throat.

My mind cleared up a bit.

I agreed so readily just now.

Where can I get chicken soup with ginseng?!

read this.

Kang Jae-hoon took out his phone again.

Open the food delivery app.

Just as I was about to open the search bar and type "ginseng chicken soup"...

The movement suddenly stopped.

Wait!
The ginseng chicken soup that the teacher described as "really good"...

Refers to……

Want takeout?
What delicacies hasn't Hwang Jung-min eaten?

Would you really appreciate a takeout ginseng chicken soup?

Kang Jae-hoon belatedly realized what was happening.

The teacher refers to—

Simmered in a clay pot over low heat, with goji berries and red dates added, until the chicken is so tender it falls off the bone with the slightest touch, the rice is plump and sticky, and the broth is golden and rich...

Lee Sung Kyung Brand Ginseng Chicken Soup

How should we talk to the Bible about this?
The idea just came up.

Someone gently patted my shoulder from behind.

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted.

Kang Jae-hoon snapped back to reality.

Turn around.

He met Bae Suzy's smiling eyes.

Is Oppa waiting for me?

Her voice was as sweet as honey.

The deliberately omitted prefix "Jae-hoon" speaks volumes.

"Uh……"

Kang Jae-hoon responded vaguely, almost unconsciously.

At this moment, all he could think about was the matter of "Huang Zhengmin's designated special supply of ginseng chicken soup for Seongsudong".

The difference in address didn't cause much of a stir.

Bae Suzy's gaze swept over the lingering absent-mindedness on his face, then fell on the paper cup he was holding.

—The familiar “Tint.” minimalist black letter cup sleeve.

"Oh, you went out of your way to buy this?"

Kang Jae-hoon then realized that he was still carrying the iced Americano that Kim Dae-won had "kindly" bought for him.

He instinctively wanted to explain, "It was bought by the agent," but his mouth had barely opened—

Bae Suzy extended her free hand with an extremely natural movement.

She simply snatched the iced Americano with her brand logo from his fingers.

Simultaneously.

He shoved the mocha cup he was holding in his other hand into the hand that hadn't even reacted yet.

"Here, change."

Kang Jae-hoon looked down at the mocha in his hand, which was clearly darker in color and had more milk foam:
"……this?"

"I made this myself using the Indonesian beans that just arrived at the store."

Done.

She lowered her head and, without any hesitation, took a sip of the iced Americano from the spot where he had just drunk from.

The cold, thick liquid slid down my throat.

She immediately frowned slightly.

—My sweet tooth was instantly exposed; I was clearly a little disgusted with this pure, bitter iced Americano.

Seeing that he was holding the mocha without moving, Bae Suzy's beautiful eyebrows rose slightly:

Why aren't you drinking?

"Are you afraid I'll poison you?"

Before Kang Jae-hoon could answer.

She then leaned forward half a step.

Her left hand's fingers brushed naturally past her ear, gently tucking a few stray strands of hair behind it, revealing her small, fair ear and the smooth lines of her neck.

then.

Simultaneously.

Lower your head.

Her cherry-red lips approached the mocha straw that she had shoved into Kang Jae-hoon's hand, and she took a small sip.

The tip of the straw was immediately stained with a trace of her cherry blossom pink lipstick.

"Look, it's not poisonous~"

"...?"

Kang Jae-hoon held the "contaminated" mocha cup, looking at Bae Suzy's eyes and brows, which appeared exceptionally vivid in the sunlight, and the two overlapping lipstick marks of varying shades on the straw...

My temples are throbbing again.

at this time.

A rhythmic clapping sound of high heels approached from afar.

Bae Suzy's gaze was instantly drawn to it.

Her eyes, which had been carrying a sly smile, curved into an even sweeter arc.

"Hyojin unnie~"

She affectionately linked her arm with Kong Hyo-jin's:

"Unnie looks amazing today! Your skin is glowing!"

He can come up with compliments effortlessly.

The two walked towards the dressing room, talking and laughing. Bae Suzy didn't forget to turn back and wink at Kang Jae-hoon.

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze followed the two figures as they walked further and further away.

She looked down at the mocha in her hand, still warm from her lips and bearing the double marks of her lips.

There was silence for a few seconds.

In the end, I resigned myself to my fate.

He put the straw, which had a troubled history and had already witnessed two verbal battles, into his mouth.

The warm, sweet, milky liquid slid down my throat.

It masked the vague, inexplicable sense of turmoil in his heart.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The morning's filming moved to a meticulously constructed indoor stage area.

The huge LED background screen flickered with flowing cold light.

Bae Suzy is rehearsing on stage.

A white cropped sweatshirt paired with high-waisted athletic pants simply accentuates a slender waistline.

The in-ear monitor hangs on the side of the neck.

Swaying her waist gently.

A lazy, somewhat nonchalant wave.

Tiptoe to the ground.

Spin.

Looking back.

Strands of hair flew in the rhythm.

Every seemingly random pause is full of design.

Her smile shifted between languid and playful.

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze inevitably followed that agile figure.

Bae Suzy, standing in the center of the stage, radiates a glow, exuding an aura completely different from her off-stage persona.

pleasing to the eye?

The weight of this word seems a bit light.

[PS: You can search for the video of Bae Suzy in her pink sweater during her practice room on Bilibili, titled "Yes No Maybe".]

"Beautiful, right?"

A cheerful voice came from beside me.

Kang Jae-hoon snapped out of his daze.

Screenwriter Park Ji-eun was standing next to him at some point.

He quickly bowed:
"Writer!"

Park Ji-eun smiled and waved her hand, indicating that he shouldn't be so reserved, and her gaze also fell on Bae Suzy rehearsing on the stage:
How have you been doing with the filming these past few days?

"Thanks to writer Park, the script is very solid. Baek Seung-chan's clumsiness and innocence as a newcomer to the workplace, and his... um..."

Kang Jae-hoon paused for a moment, then very naturally turned his gaze to the dazzling figure on the stage, his tone carrying just the right amount of admiration:
"That bewildered feeling of being completely overwhelmed by the brilliance of a top idol, yet unable to resist being drawn in, was portrayed so vividly by Suzy. It gave me a lot of inspiration and made me feel a lot of empathy. To be honest, sometimes when I look at her, I can't tell if I'm acting or if I'm really captivated by 'Cindy'."

This is half true and half false.

However, the credit was cleverly given to Bae Suzy's performance.

It also served as a compliment to the charm of the characters created by the screenwriter.

Park Ji-eun was thoroughly pleased by his "precise and sincere" flattery, and the smile in her eyes and brows was impossible to hide:
"No matter how good the script is, you still have to bring it to life in front of the camera, right? If the actors are comfortable performing, the audience will be comfortable watching!"

Kang Jae-hoon nodded vigorously.

She perfectly captured Baek Seung-chan's innocent and flattered reaction to being praised by his senior.

Park Ji-eun's gaze returned to the figure in the center of the stage, moving rhythmically to the beat.

Kang Jae-hoon seized the opportunity, revealing a perfectly timed hint of Baek Seung-chan-esque confusion and thirst for knowledge:

"Editor Park, I actually have a small question, and I wonder if it would be convenient for me to ask you?"

"Oh? Tell me about it?" Park Ji-eun asked with great interest.

"It's about Baek Seung-chan's romantic storyline."

Based on the only scripts available so far, for the first four episodes.

The story revolves around Baek Seung-chan's one-sided affection for Tak PD, played by Gong Hyo-jin, while Tak PD is in love with Na Joon-mo, played by Cha Tae-hyun. Na Joon-mo, in turn, is entangled with Baek Seung-chan's crush from his school days, Baek Wol-kwang.

As for the character Cindy...

In the first four episodes, he is more like a symbolic figure detached from this complex love quadrangle, a top idol who can only be admired from afar, whose dramatic function does not seem to have been truly integrated into the emotional entanglement of the core characters.

For any Korean drama with commercial aspirations.

The emotional storylines occupy a central position in attracting and retaining viewers.

The iconic "eight-episode rule" (usually arranging a kissing scene in the 8th episode) is an emotional climax and a guarantee of high viewership.

Based on the current role relationships.

The kissing scene will definitely be arranged for Baek Sung-chan first.

Kang Jae-hoon is a professional actor.

I'm not opposed to kissing scenes.

That's part of character development and the job.

however.

If available.

Compared to her role as a senior actress, Gong Hyo-jin, in portraying the emotional struggles of adults.

Subconsciously, he preferred to work with Bae Suzy on these kinds of intimate scenes.

after all.

The numerous lip-print "warm-ups" off-set, the warmth of their embrace in the dressing room, and the subtle, accelerating heartbeat as I watch her dance from below the stage—all these intertwine to form a silent logic.

His collaboration with Bae Suzy seems to allow him to more naturally and smoothly connect with the sparks that may arise in the dramatic situation.

Park Ji-eun is a screenwriter who has been working in the industry for nearly 20 years and has firmly held her position as one of the top screenwriters in South Korea.

Those eyes, which had seen it all, accurately caught the subtle "little thought" hidden at the end of Jiang Zaixun's words, almost exactly a few syllables after he finished speaking.

Critics and audiences may be obsessed with pink bubbles.

But as a creator.

Park Ji-eun's creative path has always been clear—

At its core, "The Producers" is a pseudo-documentary disguised as a variety show. In the real world of the workplace, where do you find so many passionate, irreplaceable romances?

More often than not, the scenery passes by in a blur.

They each grow up peacefully.

therefore.

From the very first stroke of her pen, she had already predetermined the ending—

The four main characters ultimately did not get entangled in romantic love, but instead found new beginnings and brilliance on their own paths, resulting in an open ending full of lingering charm.

"You want to film a kissing scene?"

"what?"

Kang Jae-hoon hurriedly waved his hand: "Writer Park, you've misunderstood! I was really just trying to understand the character's emotional logic from Baek Seung-chan's perspective..."

however.

Park Ji-eun didn't give him a chance to finish explaining.

"Row."

"I see."

"I'll arrange it for you tonight."

I'll send you the script later.

Park Ji-eun happily made the decision.

Jiang Jae-hoon: “……?”

Watching his ever-changing and fascinating facial expressions, Park Ji-eun's smile deepened.

But she didn't point out the young man's wandering thoughts.

How the script is written and how the actors perform are her domain.

"See you tonight."

She was decisive and efficient.

Kang Jae-hoon was not given any opportunity to appeal or refute.

Wave.

Turn around.

Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

no……

and many more!

Park-nim?!
Please let me explain!

I was just trying to subtly express my confusion about the direction of the character's romantic storyline...

but……

Kissing scene?

With Suzy?

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze unconsciously drifted back to the radiant figure on the stage.

at that time.

Bae Suzy was facing away from the audience.

Her waist slender like a willow branch in spring, accompanied by the soothing and affectionate chorus melody.

A silky, taut wave begins at the shoulders and back, spreading layer by layer, descending, and reaching the fingertips.

Then it bounced back sharply.

The whole movement was smooth and fluid.

It exudes a sense of languid power.

now.

Kang Jae-hoon felt a sense of unease because screenwriter Park's unconventional approach caught him off guard.

Strangely enough.

A vague, indescribable expectation arose within me?

He quickly shook his head.

Suppress this inappropriate thought.

"elder brother."

Kang Jae-hoon turned to Kim Dae-won, who was checking the procedures with the production assistant. "Help me arrange two catering trucks to be delivered to the Gangwon-do 'The Wailing' film crew tomorrow."

Hwang Jung-min is very concerned about his image.

Should we let him eat special meals by himself?
impossible.

We need to put on a good show of appearances.

"Also, please buy two more portions of ingredients for ginseng chicken soup. Young chicken, glutinous rice, chestnuts, dates, ginseng, and so on..."

"Ok?"

Jin Dayuan stopped writing and looked up at him:
"do it yourself?"

Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

If he had that skill, would he be so worried?

Jin Dayuan seemed to read the air, subtly shifting the toothpick in his mouth:

"Oh—I see. The one from Holy Water Cave was a materials kit... right?"

"..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Dusk is falling.

Light pollution in cities is beginning to take over the sky.

The Producers crew moved their location.

The filming location was chosen on the street near the KSB building.

Several powerful soft lights were mounted high up.

The blinding white light illuminated this man-made space in every detail, yet deliberately created a unique blend of urban nighttime hustle and bustle and alienation.

Kang Jae-hoon held the few pages of script paper that still retained the warmth of the printer.

My temples are throbbing.

His gaze struggled to scan the surreal scene composed of the words "Baek Sung-chan was drunk and acting cute", "mistaking Luo Jun-mo's lips for chicken gizzards", and "kissed him".

It felt like a rough feather had been stuffed into my throat.

He was so choked up that he couldn't make a sound.

He looked up.

With a last glimmer of hope, he looked a few meters away.

Writer Park Ji-eun was looking at him with a smile.

He looked over.

A very kind smile spread across his face.

Without hesitation, I gave him a big thumbs-up, full of affirmation and encouragement.

Thumbs up!
Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

He silently averted his gaze.

Bow down.

I checked the words on the paper one last time.

Ok.

That’s right.

It was indeed a kiss on Cha Tae-hyun's lips (chicken gizzard limited edition).

silence.

It’s Cambridge tonight.

"What are you looking at? Why are you making such a interesting expression?"

A voice, carrying the sweet scent of lychee, sounded from my side.

Bae Suzy had somehow come over and peered into the script in his hand.

She has no scenes tonight.

Logically, he should have gone home to rest long ago.

But the rumors of the "main event" tickled her curiosity like a kitten's paw, so she stayed behind to watch the drama unfold.

now.

The sheer explosiveness of the melon pulp clearly exceeded her expectations.

"puff--"

Bae Suzy quickly scanned the key lines of description, her beautiful eyes instantly curving into crescents, her lips unable to suppress their smirk, her voice filled with undisguised gloating and mischief:

"Wow... The kissing scene partner is such a handsome, charming, and irresistible senior like Cha Tae-hyun. Oppa should feel like he got a great deal!"

She deliberately emphasized "handsome and dashing" and "made a fortune".

Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

He didn't even bother to argue.

Just raise your hand.

With a touch of pent-up embarrassment and frustration, he flicked her smooth forehead.

“Hiss—it hurts!”

Bae Suzy took an exaggerated breath, covered her forehead, but her eyes were still bright and curved.

Before leaving, she gave him a fist bump:

"Fighting! With my eyes closed, I'll just consider it... well, a sacrifice for art!"

Done.

Then, with light steps, he darted to the other side.

All that remained was the lingering sweet smile in the air and the black line on Kang Jae-hoon's forehead.

"..."

Bae Suzy's teasing went unnoticed.

Kang Jae-hoon's attention returned to the script itself.

Kissing scenes are not the key point.

What really bothers him is his drunken tantrums.

"Sungchan, Sungchan, do you want to eat chicken gizzards?"

These lines...

This state...

How can we act it out naturally?
Kang Jae-hoon believes that his alcohol tolerance is quite good, thanks to the subtle influence of Hwang Jung-min.

Even if it occasionally gets out of control.

He just lay down and fell asleep immediately.

The kind where you black out or lose consciousness.

They belong to the type that are quiet and never disturb the neighbors.

This requires a multi-layered state of being not fully conscious, yet also precisely expressing coquetry, grievance, silliness, and ultimately mistaking lips for chicken gizzards...

There's absolutely no corresponding entry in his life experience database!
I haven't experienced it.

They could only rely on borrowing performance material.

Performance material...?
A flash of inspiration struck Kang Jae-hoon.

My hand instinctively reached into my pocket—

mobile phone!

The screen is unlocked.

My fingertip paused briefly on the album icon.

It's like a tiny internal struggle.

I clicked on it anyway.

Swipe down quickly.

Date search.

Time froze on a certain birthday night...

Party...

A noisy corner...

The video has started playing.

in the screen.

Kim Ji-won's cheeks were flushed, and one hand was loosely clenched into a small fist and pressed tightly against her chest below her collarbone.

Chin raised, voice soft and sticky:
"Ji-won isn't pretending to be pretty!"

Sway your body slightly from side to side.

"Huh~huh~"

He clenched his fists down, causing his shoulders to twitch cutely twice.

"She's just naturally beautiful~"

The last syllable was drawn out and soft.

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon suppressed a chilling sense of shame.

Fingers move slightly.

Drag the video progress bar back to a few seconds before Kim Ji-won started "Hmph~ Hmph~".

play.

time out.

Carefully observe the amplitude of her wrist tremors, the rhythm of her body swaying, and the structure of her sentences and the stickiness of her tone...

So back and forth.

He watched intently for a very long time...

Ten times.

Jin Dayuan, standing nearby, glanced curiously at his artist's overly serious expression and the status on his phone that seemed to be frozen in time, as if he were studying some martial arts manual:
"...What are you researching?"

Kang Jae-hoon quickly turned off the screen, his face expressionless.

"Acting reference material."

ten minutes later.

Kang Jae-hoon felt as if the nerve in his brain called "acting cute" had been forcibly activated.

He cleared his throat.

Imitating the posture seen in the video.

One hand was loosely clenched into a small fist, and subconsciously it wanted to be placed below the collarbone...

It was only halfway up.

A strong, physiological sense of shame overwhelmed him instantly, like a surging tide.

"Attention all departments—"

The director's voice came through the loudspeaker, drowning out the noise on set:

"Actors, get ready!"

White LED light strips cut through the dark concrete pavement.

Cha Tae-hyun had already stood still, his face bearing a tragic and composed expression of "having seen through everything" and "what is meant to happen cannot be avoided."

Kang Jae-hoon walked over quickly.

Their eyes met for a fleeting moment in mid-air.

They nodded to each other tacitly and solemnly.

The air was filled with a solemn feeling, almost like a sacrifice for a noble cause.

"Hum~hum~"

A barely audible, suppressed sound escaped Kang Jae-hoon's throat.

It's like they're confirming that a switch has been turned on.

"Action!"

The command is like a starting pistol.

Kang Jae-hoon's character, Baek Seung-chan, instantly enters a "drunkard" state—

My body felt like it had lost its backbone, swaying limply.

Redness on the cheeks (makeup effect).

His eyes were unfocused and vacant.

His steps were unsteady and he staggered.

"Senior~"

"Sungchan, Sungchan wants to eat chicken gizzards~"

Cha Tae-hyun, who plays Na Joon-mo, looks impatient:

"Eat, eat, eat! Tomorrow! I'll take you to eat tomorrow! Let's go home now!"

"No... no..."

Kang Jae-hoon shook his head violently, so violently that several strands of his bangs were flung out.

He suddenly clenched his fists, mimicking the haunting, demonic image deep within his mind, pressed them against his chest, and squeezed his arms down twice, simultaneously forcing out that coquettish, trembling sound from deep within his throat:
"Hmph~ Hmph~! Sungchan... Sungchan wants to eat chicken gizzards right now~! Hmph~ Hmph~!"

"..."

The entire film set fell silent for a moment.

Behind the monitor, screenwriter Park Ji-eun covered her mouth tightly.

His shoulders were shaking violently.

Several staff members holding reflectors around him were so trying not to laugh that their faces were contorted.

Cha Tae-hyun, who plays Na Joon-mo, was clearly taken aback by this sudden and incredibly effective display of affection, almost losing control of his facial expressions as his lips twitched.

"Crazy...crazy...really..."

at this time.

Kang Jae-hoon's character, Baek Sung-chan, stared "dazedly" at Cha Tae-hyun's lips, which were slightly pouting in helplessness, so close to him.

That lip shape.

In the drunkard's confused vision.

seem……

Does it really look a bit like a roasted, charred, and curled chicken gizzard?

"Chicken...gizzard..."

Cha Tae-hyun's character, Na Joon-mo, immediately sensed something was wrong:
"Hey! You..."

The words have not yet fallen.

Following the drunkard's irrational, linear thinking, Kang Jae-hoon suddenly leaned in!
Time seemed to be infinitely stretched at this moment.

The camera precisely captures the moment the two men's lips touch—

Cha Tae-hyun's portrayal of Na Joon-mo is marked by a tremor in his pupils and an expression that is an extreme distortion of shock, bewilderment, and offense.

Kang Jae-hoon's portrayal of Baek Sung-chan conveys a sense of satisfaction and focus, as if he has found "delicious food," and he even sucks on it...

"Crack!"

"Pfft—Hahahahahahaha!"

"Oh my God!!!"

"Aigoo! Cha Tae-hyun's expression! Absolutely priceless!"

"Kang Jae-hoon's sucking... Pfft, hahaha!"

"Help! My stomach hurts!"

"..."

The set was instantly engulfed in volcanic laughter.

The staff who had been holding back completely broke down.

People were laughing so hard they were almost falling over, wiping away tears, pounding their chests and stamping their feet, and squatting on the ground unable to get up—there were so many of them.

Writer Park Ji-eun was already laughing so hard she collapsed onto her assistant.

There is no image at all.

Kang Jae-hoon and Cha Tae-hyun both took a big step back as if they had been burned.

Cha Tae-hyun looked utterly hopeless.

He frantically wiped his lips with the back of his hand, his expression indescribably complicated.

Kang Jae-hoon was horrified by this devastating public execution.

I wish I could plant myself right there in the foundation of the KBS building.

A quick-witted props guy suppressed a laugh and swiftly handed over two unopened bottles of mineral water.

Cha Tae-hyun snatched a bottle from him.

He unscrewed the cap and gulped it down his throat.

The rinsing was so loud it was earth-shattering.

It was as if they were washing away something unclean.

……

Finally, the director officially announced that filming was over.

Kang Jae-hoon almost immediately dropped the "Thank you for your hard work" and, ignoring the suppressed laughter of the crowd, hurriedly fled towards the locker room.

however.

He had just turned into the shadows of the relatively quiet corridor leading to the locker room.

A figure, as light as a ghost, silently approached.

"How did it feel to kiss Cha Tae-hyun?"

Kang Jae-hoon froze in place.

This is the last thing he wants to talk about right now!
He didn't even bother to turn his head.

The voice was muffled, squeezed out of his throat, with a hint of self-abandonment:

"not so good."

The tone was decisive.

There's no room for reflection.

"Well……"

Bae Suzy seemed to have received a satisfactory answer.

She walked briskly around to him.

The corridor lights were not very bright as dusk deepened.

The shadows softly outlined her smiling eyes.

Eyes rolling.

Like countless cunning little stars hidden within.

"That……"

She drew out her words, her fingertips seemingly casually fiddling with the clasp of her handbag.

"Do you want……"

"Shall I comfort your deeply wounded heart?"

Comfort?

Before Kang Jae-hoon could even grasp the deeper meaning behind those words...

Bae Suzy suddenly turned around.

He quickly glanced around.

It was confirmed that the corridor leading to the locker room was now empty, with no one else present.

then.

She pulled a individually wrapped wet wipe from her elegant handbag.

Tear it open.

With a forceful, almost unavoidable urge, she vigorously wiped the spot where she had just had "intimate contact" with Cha Tae-hyun.

This sudden, forceful, and inexplicably "disinfecting" move made Kang Jae-hoon frown slightly.

Is this a form of comfort or a form of secondary harm?

Just as Kang Jae-hoon was about to take a half step back.

Bae Suzy held the wet tissue that was covered in what she couldn't tell if it was moisture, a lipstick mark, or both.

His fingers loosened slightly, almost naturally.

Let it fall.

Simultaneously.

She barely paused.

His body leaned forward like a butterfly rushing towards nectar!
The tiptoe provided a delicate balance, and that sweet-smelling face instantly magnified in Jiang Zaixun's eyes!
Soft, warm lips with a cherry blossom pink lipstick shine—

Under his stunned and completely unresponsive gaze, it was firmly imprinted on his lips, which had just been wiped and were now cold and perhaps even a little numb!

(End of this chapter)