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

Chapter 204 Bondage Play: The Story of a Salted Fish Turning Over
Krystal Jung, wearing high heels, almost raced through the maze-like, narrow, and crowded backstage passageways.

The "chic exit" she had just forced herself to make is now reduced to the rapid "tap tap" of her high heels on the ground.

Get into the nanny van.

She closed her eyes in frustration.

The scene of the battle just now kept replaying in my mind uncontrollably.

—Lee Sung-kyung's eyes, filled with pity and victory; the conspicuous watch on Kang Jae-hoon's wrist; and that phrase that shattered her dignity, "I feel sorry for my sister"...

"what!!!"

She clenched her fists and screamed silently in her heart!

Wrong!

So frustrating!

It was clearly the other party who provoked us first!

Clearly... she caught that damned "amulet + smoky smell" two deadly moves!

How could someone get so easily provoked by just a few words?!
Over the years, his acting skills have been honed, and his facial expression management has become a masterclass, except for his mouth!
That clumsy mouth!

My skill in arguing—being unable to win—hasn't leveled up at all! I'm practically stuck in the same place, making absolutely no progress!
She was both angry and resentful, and slammed her clenched fist hard on the armrest!

"Boom!"

The dull voice seemed to mock her incompetence!

They can even bully her with a cushion!

Krystal Jung immediately pulled out her phone, her fingertips flashing with anger and pent-up frustration as she opened Kakao, the screen clicking rapidly.
[Krystal Jung]: Oh! Kim Ji-won!

[Krystal Jung]: I lost!!!
[Krystal Jung]: Lee Sung-kyung was so sarcastic! She immediately accused me of "feeling sorry for my sister"! I'm so angry! I couldn't even handle it, I almost choked her on the spot! Ugh! I'm so mad!
send.

Soon, a string of text popped up in the chat box:
[Kim Ji-won]: Oh dear! Calm down, my Crystal Baby!

[Kim Ji-won]: Isn't it normal to lose an argument?
[Kim Ji-won]: Being a little silly is kind of cute!
[Kim Ji-won]: Men usually don't like women who are too smart! Understand?
After sending this message, Kim Ji-won held her phone, waiting for Jung Soo-jung to explode.

really.

Three seconds later.

[Krystal Jung]: Ha!
[Krystal Jung]: I don't care what he likes!
The instant it was sent.

Kim Ji-won's reply seemed to have been waiting in the input box all along:

[Kim Ji-won]: (Innocent winking emoji)

[Kim Ji-won]: I didn't name anyone, did I?

"..."

Krystal Jung stared at the line of text on the screen and an extremely irritating, feigning-silliness emoji. Her breath caught in her throat, and her cheeks flushed red like a burning cloud.

I've been led astray by that wicked unnie again!

She pointed at the slyly smiling emoji of Kim Ji-won on the screen and poked it hard with her knuckles a few times, as if she could poke that bad unnie's forehead through the screen.

He angrily deleted the line of accusation that revealed his true feelings.

Krystal Jung remembered something more important, and her fingers flew across the keyboard again:

[Krystal Jung]: Oh! Is that the point?!

[Krystal Jung]: Didn't you swear that he and Suzy were together?!

[Jung Soo-jung]: But Kang Jae-hoon just admitted it himself! He's dating Lee Sung-kyung!
On the other side of the phone.

Kim Ji-won was sitting on a chair on the set, with a half-eaten apple in her mouth.

The dim light from the screen illuminated her furrowed brows—to speak or not to speak?

Say.

It was a bit too much of a challenge to Crystal's values ​​and her remaining girlish sentiments. She knew all too well that beneath her best friend's seemingly cold and hard exterior lay a sensitive and somewhat idealistic heart.

But I won't say.

She'll find out sooner or later, and then she'll hate herself even more for keeping it from her.

My fingertips hovered over the keyboard for a full ten seconds before finally falling.

[Kim Ji-won]: Soo-jung...

[Kim Ji-won]: Kang Jae-hoon is no longer the wooden block that stutters when you tease him.

[Kim Ji-won]: He is now...

Delete.

Replay.

[Kim Ji-won]: The water is too deep.

[Kim Ji-won]: I'm afraid you... won't be able to accept it.

Krystal Jung's heart sank.

A bad feeling spreads like ink dripping into clear water.

[Jung Soo-jung]: What do you mean?
[Krystal Jung]: Could it be that he... is two-timing? (Bae Suzy & Lee Sung-kyung?)

The "The other party is typing..." message at the top of the screen lit up and then went out.

It went out and then came back on.

Repeated torture.

at last.

A new message pops up.

Only two words.

But those two words, like a cold bullet, pierced through Krystal Jung's crumbling worldview—

Kim Ji-won: Not only that.

more than……

more than?

Krystal Jung's pupils suddenly contracted due to extreme shock.

More than two?!
That……?!

three……?
My thoughts have yet to recover any semblance of order from the overwhelming shock of complete blankness.

News about Kim Ji-won came crashing down like a barrage of attacks:

[Kim Ji-won]: Aigoo...

[Kim Ji-won]: If it really bothers you, our Crystal Baby will cut the Gordian knot!
[Kim Ji-won]: Don't put all your eggs in one basket!
[Kim Ji-won]: There are 35 billion men in this world!
……

at the same time.

Kang Jae-hoon rushed back to the film set from the glitz and glamour of Fashion Week.

A quick glance.

Then I saw Kim Ji-won sitting on a plastic chair in the rest area with her legs crossed.

Holding a phone.

A bright smile spread across his face as he tapped away at the screen with great enthusiasm.

He quietly walked up behind Kim Ji-won.

I was so close I could smell the green and creamy top notes of her tuberose perfume.

closer.

The soft glow of the phone screen illuminated Kim Ji-won's eyes, which were trembling with laughter. Just as Kang Jae-hoon was about to lean closer to take a look at the chat window, which was flashing and seemed to be displaying Jung Soo-jung's unicorn avatar—

Kim Ji-won's nostrils twitched slightly.

A familiar, crisp, and calming woody scent suddenly wafted into my nose.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up with a "whoosh"!

With a flick of the wrist, the phone was firmly pinned to the thigh of the person wearing camouflage pants.

She turned her head sharply, still in shock.

really! ! !

Jiang Zai Xun's chiseled face, now filled with an inquisitive look, appeared less than twenty centimeters from the back of her head.

"ah--!"

Kim Ji-won's heart pounded, and her instinct to accuse the villain first immediately kicked in:

"Why do you walk so quietly?!"

His voice trembled slightly, still shaken.

Are you a cat?!

Kang Jae-hoon wasn't intimidated by her loud voice; he simply narrowed his eyes slightly.

I caught a glimpse of it just now.

The screen reflection is too strong, and the angle is too tricky.

He only managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of "35 billion".

And a row of emojis representing various complex emotions that are being flooded the screen.

"What did you say to Crystal?"

"I didn't say anything! We just chatted casually!"

Kim Ji-won answered quickly, but her eyes unconsciously and extremely rapidly drifted downwards.

Kang Jae-hoon chuckled and looked into her evasive eyes:

When will you stop having that habit of glancing downwards when you lie?

"..."

Kim Ji-won's cheeks flushed rapidly, her eyes darting around as she frantically struggled between "denying it to the death" and "confessing honestly."

A few seconds later.

She decided to switch from defense to offense, suddenly raising her head and gossiping:
Did you run into Crystal at Fashion Week today?

"Ah."

"how is it going?"

"How about what?"

"So...how do you feel?"

Kim Ji-won nudged his arm: "Is there... even the slightest spark of rekindled old feelings quietly igniting?"

Kang Jae-hoon gave her a strange look:
"No."

Kim Ji-won persisted: "Is it that there isn't one at the moment, or is it absolutely impossible?"

"ah!"

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly reached out—

He pinched her soft, smooth cheek with his calloused thumb and forefinger.

It feels great to the touch.

"What do you take me for? Huh?"

"Waaah... I'm such a jerk..."

Kim Ji-won, her speech slurred, caught a glimpse of his suddenly narrowed, dangerous eyes, and her survival instincts kicked in:

"...Let's be good friends!"

The skin beneath his palm was smooth and warm, and his breath brushed against the inside of his wrist.

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly realized that his action had crossed the line.

He recoiled as if burned, but the lingering sensation on his fingertips wouldn't go away.

Suppressing the inexplicable flutter and unease in my heart, I instantly put on perfect facial expression control:
"Ji-won, think more about the script, the lines, and the character development."

"Don't pry into other people's business!"

Done.

No more opportunities for Kim Ji-won to ask questions or retaliate.

He turned and strode towards the dressing room.

Kim Ji-won rubbed her cheek, which had been pinched, and silently bared her teeth at the fleeing figure:

"...scumbag."

The door to the dressing room clicked shut.

Kim Ji-won lowered her head and turned her phone back on.

The screen's dim light illuminated a triumphant smile in her eyes, and a deeper...complex turmoil.

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.

That evening, the hustle and bustle of the "Descendants of the Sun" set completely subsided, but Kang Jae-hoon did not return to his temporary, solitary residence.

Instead, they drove their Santa Fe straight to Seobingkul-dong—Lee Sung-kyung's new home.

He is very clear.

Backstage at Fashion Week, Lee Sung-kyung choked Jung Soo-jung with a "I feel sorry for my sister," leaving her embarrassed and maintaining her "official" aura.

But this matter is by no means over.

We have to coax him!

We must strike while the iron is hot and continue to appease them!

Otherwise, this thorn will become a small, dark bruise in your heart.

If similar "blood stasis" accumulates... quantitative change leads to qualitative change, and it will be too late to resolve it then.

therefore.

As he held a carefully selected bouquet of pale pink Austin roses, glistening with dew, and with unopened "defensive strategic supplies" in his pocket, he pushed open the door to his new home.

He was planning a strategic blueprint: first, to soften the defenses with a flower offensive, and then to resolve the conflict through "in-depth communication."

But Lee Sung-kyung was sitting cross-legged on the living room carpet, staring at the laptop screen on her lap, her fingertips deftly twirling a... rope?
"What are you looking at?"

"Just in time."

Lee Sung-kyung didn't even look up; the movement of her fingers twirling suddenly stopped, and she deftly closed her laptop.

then.

He picked up the rope, which had become slightly curled from being handled, and was eager to try:

"Hand out."

Kang Jae-hoon: ?

Look down at the rope, then at the gleam of ill intent in Lee Sung-kyung's eyes.

An absurd thought, yet one that made his heart skip a beat, flashed through his mind like lightning—

New...new gameplay?!
Stimulate! ! !

Is this what they call turning misfortune into blessing?
Was that slight jealousy in the afternoon igniting some peculiar hobby hidden deep within me?
moment!

All the "plans to coax people" were overwhelmed by an even stronger sense of anticipation!
His worries vanished, and the joy he couldn't suppress was almost bursting from his eyes!

"Happy to oblige!"

Kang Jae-hoon happily extended both hands!

They adopted a cooperative attitude of "letting you take what you want" and even "eagerly waiting".

Lee Sung-kyung took in the almost overflowing smugness in his eyes.

He sneered inwardly, but didn't show it on his face.

Not much longer.

Under Lee Sung-kyung's nimble fingers flying across the paper.

The rope turned into several tight, dead knots wrapped around Kang Jae-hoon's wrists.

Followed by.

She didn't stop.

He bent down and quickly wrapped the remaining part of the rope around Kang Jae-hoon's ankle, binding it securely in the same way.

The movements are fluid, comparable to those of a professional rope bondage artist (amateur version).

Subsequently.

Lee Sung-kyung turned and went back to her bedroom, only to return a few seconds later.

He now had a thin lambskin belt in his hand.

Kang Jae-hoon was still immersed in the anticipation of unlocking a new achievement when he saw Lee Sung-kyung walking towards him with a belt. He was about to say something joking.

But the gentle smile on the other person's face vanished instantly, replaced by raised eyebrows and a murderous aura!
Kang Jae-hoon's heart skipped a beat. His anticipation was instantly crushed by an ominous premonition. The script seemed to have completely deviated from his intended course!

"That... Bible."

He tried to evoke a touch of tenderness:
"I bought you flowers, look..."

"Ah."

A cold laugh cut off all escape routes.

Lee Sung-kyung weighed the small belt in her palm, then stepped on his chest with one foot. The end of the belt hung three inches above the tip of his nose, swaying in a dangerous arc.

"Say!"

"When did you get that 'good luck charm'?!"

"..."

really.

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

Kang Jae-hoon's brain was working at overload speed, and two solutions flashed through his mind in an instant:

Option 1: Be honest and you'll get leniency, but remove details that might upset her.

Option 2: ...It seems there isn't a better Option 2!

Just a fraction of a second before his tongue touched the roof of his mouth, preparing to choose the optimized "Option One"—

"Snapped!"

The thin belt tugged at his side with a slight whistling sound.

"what--!"

Kang Jae-hoon instantly curled up, his facial features contorted, and his scream of pain was so realistic it could fool the Oscar judges.

Lee Sung-kyung's temple veins throbbed, and she kicked him flat with all her might:

"play!"

The tip of the belt tapped against the corner of his twitching mouth:

"Keep going!"

The "sacrifice" on the sofa froze, the distorted expression receding like the tide, leaving only a small, awkward curve at the corner of the mouth, cautiously curling upwards:

"...You didn't use any force, huh?"

Lee Sung-kyung remained silent.

The only response to Kang Jae-hoon's mocking laugh was a pair of suddenly narrowed eyes, filled with icy coldness.

Jiang Zai Xun's heart, which had just been lingering with a glimmer of hope, suddenly sank to the bottom.

It’s over.

That won't work anymore.

If we don't shake out all the old grain and millet, we might be nailed to this sofa tonight as a "human sacrifice".

He who knows the current affairs is a hero!

He immediately cleared his throat, carefully selecting his words to both convey the "core facts" and minimize the risk of detonating the powder keg:
"...It was before the filming of 'Veteran' started...cough..."

He slowed his speech, his tone carrying the strain of someone "forced to recall long-forgotten files," his eyes slightly raised—a standard posture of earnest recollection.

"Director Ryoo Seung-wan warned me that the film is packed with car chases, window jumps, and fight scenes... as well as many improvisational and overly exciting moments... making it very risky."

"...When filming action scenes, you always feel a bit uneasy if you don't have some mental preparation. So I went to Fengen Temple...and got a peace charm."

Kang Jae-hoon very naturally changed the subject:
"Back then, I thought you'd be flying all over the place to fashion shows, so I sincerely prayed for one for you, and I've been keeping it with me ever since!"

Shift focus!

He was an expert at appeasing his wife—

The focus must not remain on the "legacy of the predecessor," but must be immediately shifted to the "current level of concern."

Lee Sung-kyung raised an eyebrow and reached into his pocket.

Fingertips touched the sharp edges of the square plastic film—

Pull it out.

A small, square plastic bag, brightly colored and with pristine edges and no signs of being opened, had a subtle spiral embossed pattern printed on it that was particularly glaring under the light.

"..."

The air froze for a second.

The belt whistled in the wind.

"This way! This way!"

Kang Jae-hoon twisted his tightly bound wrists, desperately gesturing towards the other pocket.

Lee Sung-kyung probed again with a stern face.

this time.

Pull out a thick, dark brown genuine leather wallet.

She opened it expressionlessly.

In the mezzanine, familiar photos came into view—

Last year at the amusement park.

He and she wore childish and funny animal ear headbands, laughing unrestrainedly at the camera lens.

The photo was covered with a thin layer of hardened plastic film, showing that the owner cherished it and wanted to prevent it from being scratched.

Lee Sung-kyung's fingertips paused for a moment.

The icy anger in his eyes seemed to crack open with an extremely tiny fissure.

Use your fingernails to pry open the inner layer.

Beneath a stack of banknotes lies a talisman, folded neatly, bearing the marks of time and countless creases left by handling and pressing.

In the lower right corner of the talisman, a line of fine, dark characters is clearly visible—Lee Sung-kyung.

Her fingertips, which were holding the talisman, trembled slightly.

this means……

Even though Kang Jae-hoon was holding someone else in his arms back then, this piece of paper with his name on it was still pressed firmly against the most important place in his heart.

With a glance.

Her lips, which had been pursed in dissatisfaction, were forced upwards as if by something, forming an awkward yet sweet curve that seemed neither up nor down.

"Her..."

"Has it been dealt with?"

Jiang Zaixun nodded vigorously:

"They threw it into the Han River! They didn't even catch any fish!"

"Humph."

Lee Sung-kyung forcibly suppressed the last vestige of "coldness" on her face and let out a muffled groan with an unclear meaning and a heavy nasal tone.

Lower your head.

Her slender fingers, still carrying a hint of arrogance, wrapped around the twisted and stubborn knots on Jiang Zaixun's wrist.

The last knot had just come undone—

The world is spinning!

Lee Sung-kyung screamed as she was thrown to the ground!
The man, who had just been listless like a defeated dog, now had a simmering, wolf-like fire burning in his eyes.

The rope, twisted and contorted from its torment, coiled around her slender wrist like a serpent.

tie.

Tighten.

All in one go.

"You repay kindness with enmity!"

Kang Jae-hoon leaned down, his nose brushing against her burning red earlobe:

"Learning something new and applying it immediately."

Not long after.

A new work that perfectly matched his "heart" was born.

outside the window.

The lights of the Han River shattered on the dark surface of the water.

On the living room carpet, the thin sheepskin belt lay forlornly.

No one picked it up anymore.

(End of this chapter)