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

Chapter 216 Kim Ji-won's Wonderful Night

The night breeze from the Aegean Sea swept across the empty terrace of the cliffside hotel on Zakynthos Island.

Kim Ji-won curled up alone in a rattan lounge chair on the balcony, gazing at the blurry coastline and the dark, monster-like silhouettes of the reefs in the distance.

Feeling stuffy.

An unnamed fire burned in my heart.

That bastard Kang Jae-hoon!

I've been back in Korea for so many days and it's like I've vanished into thin air, I haven't sent a single message!

What am I to him?
A plaything that comes when summoned and goes when dismissed?
Or is it just a quick meal to fill the void during a period of unemployment?!
Or perhaps it's an alternative option on the bench?

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and the angrier she became.

Just as I'd made up my mind to "I'll ignore him! Tell him to get lost!", the next second I was shattered by that tiny, desperate hope deep inside...

at this time--

Benedict! Benedict! Benedict!
Kim Ji-won's body tensed instantly.

The hotel clearly has a doorbell, so why use such an outdated method so late at night... You don't even need to guess who it is!
not see!

I'd rather die than open it!

Get him out of here!

Kim Ji-won clenched her teeth, forcing herself to fix her gaze on the dark, inky depths of the Aegean Sea in the distance.

Benedict!
Tuk-tuk-tuk!
The knocking didn't stop; instead, it became even more frequent.

The dam of reason, under the repeated erosion of persistence, eventually cracked open.

damn it……

Even if he is... even if he's a scammer, we should still see what new tricks he'll use to fool people this time!

I hesitated for a few seconds.

Kim Ji-won still stood up and walked to the door.

She raised her hand to tidy her hair, which was a little messy from the sea breeze, and subconsciously pulled up the neckline of her nightgown before reluctantly opening the door a narrow crack.

however.

Before she could even see the face of the person outside the door, a large hand pushed open the door, and the person and their luggage squeezed in.

Kim Ji-won was pushed back half a step by him, and muttered in dissatisfaction:

Hey! What are you doing?!

The door clicked shut behind me.

Kang Jae-hoon casually tossed his suitcase aside, not caring whether it tipped over or not.

Stretch out your long arms.

Without saying a word, he pulled Kim Ji-won into a tight embrace.

"Miss me so much."

Kim Ji-won was taken aback by his sudden hug and blunt words, and then the grievances in her heart suddenly welled up again.

“Liar!!”

She struggled fiercely, pounding on his strong, broad back, and finally, unable to contain her anger, she opened her mouth and bit down hard on his shoulder.

This phrase, "I miss you so much," might work every time on those three.

But for Kim Ji-won, who knew the inside story and even personally helped him arrange the "surprise" for Lee Sung-kyung's birthday, and who knew exactly how busy his time management was, it was simply unconvincing.

She knew perfectly well that during the time Kang Jae-hoon was back in Korea, he was definitely indulging in some kind of pleasure and decadence!
But whether it's one person or three who received equal treatment...

Just thinking about it made her feel even more choked up, and she had no desire to delve into it further!

"I was detained in a dark room for three days by the Ministry of Culture under the pretext of 'cooperating with the review'."

"?"

Kim Ji-won froze at his casual words, and her teeth, which had been biting his shoulder, loosened slightly involuntarily.

Her watery eyes looked at his jawline, which was so close to hers, with suspicion and astonishment.

in Korea.

Only the prosecutor's system has the power of imprisonment and detention.

However, the Ministry of Culture wields enormous resources and censorship power, and the law stipulates that citizens and practitioners have an "obligation to unconditionally cooperate with investigations."

therefore.

If the Ministry of Culture really wanted to "keep" you for a few days to assist you (which is essentially a disguised form of pressure and house arrest), they would have plenty of high-sounding reasons and room to maneuver.

but.

Because it was during the Busan International Film Festival, news of such sensitive events was strictly censored, and the media did not report a single word.

It's understandable that Kim Ji-won was unaware of the details.

"Do you think I'm joking?"

Seeing her reaction, Jiang Zai Xun knew there was a chance, and immediately took out his phone from his pocket.

Unlock the screen.

Slide your finger.

I opened the joint email from the actors' union that I had received earlier, and solemnly shoved the screen in front of Kim Ji-won.

The blinding light from the phone screen instantly illuminated Kim Ji-won's surprised face.

She subconsciously focused her gaze on the densely packed small print—

The email header clearly indicated "Korean Actors Union," and the core of its content concerned the Ministry of Culture's pressure on the Busan International Film Festival and the plan for a joint boycott by nine major associations...

It contains a huge amount of information and is highly internalized.

Kim Ji-won was somewhat stunned by this sudden "evidence".

His slender fingers were about to swipe the screen to see more, but he had already put the phone away in time.

Kang Jae-hoon needed her to "verify the authenticity of the email," not to scrutinize the sending time...

Even if it was just a fleeting glimpse.

Kim Ji-won also knew that this was definitely not something that Kang Jae-hoon could make up at will.

While her brain was still struggling to process the turbulent undercurrents hidden behind that highly impactful email.

Kang Jae-hoon's arms had already pulled her body back into his embrace.

"These past few days... I've been in real trouble. I've been interrogated repeatedly, had my phone records checked, and even my meals and sleep have been watched. I almost didn't make it back to see you."

This half-truthful complaint instantly touched the softest spot in Kim Ji-won's heart.

Even though doubts remain.

For example, did he deliberately exaggerate to gain sympathy?

For example, did he secretly contact anyone during the three days he was "cooperating with the investigation"?

But most of those thoughts quickly melted away in the face of his real embrace.

She stopped struggling.

He just made a few unintelligible humming sounds from his nose, as if to say, "You big liar, who knows if what you're saying is true or false."

Kang Jae-hoon noticed her softening emotions and knew that this was the perfect opportunity to strike while the iron was hot.

Slightly loosen your arms a little.

Bend over.

He deftly opened the suitcase next to him that he had just casually tossed on the ground, pulled out a brown paper document bag from among a few folded clothes, and turned to hand it to Kim Ji-won.

Kim Ji-won looked at the file folder suddenly handed to her, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes, and hesitantly took it:
"This is……?"

"A gift to calm your nerves, see if you like it?"

What kind of gifts would be packaged in a document bag?

Kim Ji-won glanced at him suspiciously, her fingers deftly untying the knot on the brown paper bag and pulling out a neatly bound stack of documents.

At the top of the homepage.

The bold, black-and-white text of "HANARO 100% Apple Juice Endorsement Contract" immediately catches the eye.

This is……?
Her gaze was drawn to the core clause below the title as if by a magnet—

Contract term: 1 year

Endorsement rights: Advertising placement throughout South Korea's online and offline markets (including TV commercials, OOH, and Digital).
Endorsement fee: 1.5 million Korean won

……

Supplementary Terms and Conditions:

"This contract is effective with Mr. Kang Jae-hoon serving as the special brand ambassador. During this period, Mr. Kang Jae-hoon voluntarily and free of charge cooperates with the brand in fulfilling the following related promotional obligations:"
1. Collaborate with Ms. Kim Ji-won on at least two large-scale offline promotional and sales events.

2. Collaborate with Ms. Kim Ji-won to shoot a complete set of brand promotional posters (including official main visuals and customized materials for different channels).

3.…

Below the file.

The signature area.

Party A: Agricultural Cooperative Distribution Division

The space for Party B's signature is currently blank.

Party C: Jiang Zaixun
While she was engrossed in reading the contract details.

Kang Jae-hoon moved closer from behind again, his arms naturally encircling her slender waist, his magnetic whispers blowing into her ear like a warm breeze:

"Don't look down on me, Jiwon... My current situation is sensitive, and my abilities are limited, so this is the best I can do for you... I'll try to get you better deals in the future."

This level of endorsement?

The agricultural cooperative's products are not considered ordinary fast-moving consumer goods by the South Korean public.

Its healthy, approachable, and somewhat semi-official image ensures that the endorsement itself is not "low-class."

Regarding Kim Ji-won's current situation.

Getting this endorsement that boosts national recognition is like a windfall.

Kang Jae-hoon's words of humility are not genuine.

The real purpose is to highlight one's "meticulous efforts".

Kim Ji-won didn't know how she was feeling at that moment. Was she angry?
It seems to have been shattered by this unexpected event.

Feeling wronged?
It also melted into the "cage" he wove with actions rather than empty words.

She took a deep breath, as if trying to calm the turbulent flow of complex emotions, and turned her head to the side—

Her beautiful eyes, gazing at Kang Jae-hoon, were now brimming with tenderness and a touch of emotion she herself hadn't even realized.

Her tender gaze told Kang Jae-hoon directly that she liked the gift very much.

To outsiders, Kim Ji-won appears to be unambitious and unassuming, and is even described by some uninformed people as "Buddhist-like" or "a lazy bum."

But beneath the Buddhist-like exterior lies a different core.

Some come from privileged backgrounds and have an inherent sense of confidence.

Therefore, they are extremely picky about scripts and collaborations, preferring quality over quantity, resulting in low output and giving people the illusion of being indifferent to fame and fortune.

Some, however, also yearn for better opportunities and recognition.

However, due to insufficient team strength, limited resource acquisition capabilities, or bad luck, they have repeatedly missed out on their desired projects.

Over time.

This led to a passive form of "contentment with what one has."

Kim Ji-won belongs to the latter category.

She is not without ambition in her career, but reality and opportunities have temporarily limited her stage.

……

Kim Ji-won turned around, her eyes brimming with tears that seemed about to overflow.

Without further hesitation, she stood on tiptoe and kissed Kang Jae-hoon's lips.

At this moment, she no longer cared what Jung Soo-jung, who was far away in Seoul, would think when she found out; she also had no energy to think about the several pink beauties with ambiguous relationships and different backgrounds who were entrenched around Kang Jae-hoon.

She just wanted to capture the real touch and warmth of this moment.

And on this captivating male body, they leave their own mark, however brief, yet clear.

The contract in his arms made a painful rubbing sound as it was squeezed and crushed.

Kang Jae-hoon was slightly taken aback.

He immediately took the initiative, gripping her slender waist even tighter with one hand to deepen the kiss that had come so naturally.

……

The next morning.

Unobstructed, pure golden sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, waking the warmth of the night.

Jiang Zai Xun's brows furrowed very slightly at first.

My left arm was pressed down by a heavy, warm little head all night, and a chilling, tingling sensation filled my fingertips and shoulder blades. The stinging pain from poor blood circulation spread like needles.

He tried to twitch very slowly.

"Um……"

A groan of dissatisfaction at being disturbed from his sleep rang out against his chest.

Her eyelashes fluttered a few times, and she opened her eyes groggily.

"Wake you up?"

Kang Jae-hoon's voice was hoarse from the early morning and tinged with apology.

Kim Ji-won blinked, and when her blurry vision focused and she could clearly see the face so close to hers—

All the crazy and embarrassing scenes from last night flooded my mind instantly.

boom!
Kim Ji-won's fair, almost translucent face instantly flushed with an irrepressible peach-red hue.

"ah!"

A short, startled scream.

She frantically pulled the snow-white thin blanket over her head, wrapping it up in a slightly trembling "cocoon of shame."

shy.

Extremely shy.

But curled up in the dark, warm bed, the lingering soreness and memories remained incredibly clear.

Last night's truly meaningful "coming-of-age" experience perfectly confirmed all her secret fantasies about matters between men and women, and even... even surpassed those fantasies.

"Ugh... I'm too ashamed to live anymore..."

A muffled sob drifted from the small "cocoon".

"Okay, okay... my face is burning..."

A barely audible laugh resonated within his chest.

Kang Jae-hoon tried to slightly lift the "barrier" that was trapping her from seeing him.

"No! Don't look at me!"

"Okay, okay... I won't watch!"

Kang Jae-hoon immediately surrendered:
"Then...why don't you sleep a little longer?"

"Shall I go downstairs to the restaurant and get you some hot breakfast to tide you over?"

He had just made to loosen his grip on her arm and sit up when a small hand emerged from the gap in the quilt and grabbed his wrist.

The force was considerable.

"do not want!"

"..."

Jiang Zai Xun looked down at the little paw on his wrist that wouldn't let go even a little, and the smile in his eyes instantly softened into a gentle, deep pool.

"it is good……"

He did not break free, but instead turned around.

I lay back down, feeling warm and cozy from the morning sunlight.

"Shua-"

The blanket was lifted by one corner.

His strong arms pulled that fragrant, warm body back into his embrace, in an even closer and more intimate way.

His chin rested on the top of her soft hair, which exuded a faint scent of gardenias.

The steady, powerful heartbeat in my chest, like the calmest ocean waves, lapped against the small boat in my arms, which was embarking on its first voyage after weathering a storm.

"Go to sleep..."

The even breathing sounds intertwined once again.

moment.

“Ding ding ding—!”

The phone alarm unexpectedly shattered the tranquil and gentle peace of this haven.

Kim Ji-won eventually had nowhere left to hide.

With a thousand unwilling thoughts, he dragged his heavy body and struggled to sit up.

The thin blanket slipped down to her waist.

As soon as she sat up straight, the strange sensation in her lower limbs made her unconsciously furrow her brows, and her lips were bitten so hard that faint white marks appeared.

Regardless of what happens next last night, the initial trauma is unavoidable.

"uncomfortable?"

Kang Jae-hoon's concerned voice came immediately.

"A bit..."

Kim Ji-won's voice was barely audible, and her cheeks were slightly flushed.

Kang Jae-hoon didn't ask any more questions.

He simply threw off the covers, got out of bed, went around to her side, bent down, put one hand under her knees and the other around her back, easily picked her up horizontally, and steadily carried her to the bathroom.

"ah……"

Kim Ji-won's sudden gasp was drowned out by the sensation of weightlessness. Only after her body was gently and comfortably placed on the toilet seat did she belatedly realize and shyly turn her head away.

Kang Jae-hoon leaned against the door frame silently for a few seconds.

After confirming that she did not need any further assistance, he turned and went back into the room where the light was gradually becoming brighter.

My gaze fell on the messy bed.

The small patch of dried, dark-colored marks in the center cannot be ignored.

He calmly picked up the roll of bed sheet with the mark and turned around.

He strode towards the restroom.

The soft sound of the cleaning box being pulled open pierced Kim Ji-won's eardrums as she sat on the toilet seat, still reeling from the humiliation.

"what!"

Kim Ji-won practically leaped out:

"Hey! Put it down! Kang Jae-hoon! Stop! I'll wash it myself! I don't need you!"

But nothing can stop it.

As she awkwardly and laboriously made her way back from the bathroom to the bedroom door—

What she saw was a scene she would never forget:

Wearing only underwear, Kang Jae-hoon was meticulously scrubbing the bed sheet inch by inch. The deep red stain was gradually fading and disappearing as his hands patted and turned it over.

His face showed none of the mockery, smugness, or impatience that an ordinary man might display; only a pure and simple appreciation and sense of responsibility.

perhaps……

Perhaps it is because he shows a gentleness and tenderness at such times, so different from his domineering and forceful nature in bed, and takes care of everything himself, big or small.

That's why proud and arrogant women like Yoona and Suzy are willing to maintain that delicate and dangerous "sharing" balance.
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.

[P.S.: Readers who participated in the fan title contest, please accept the invitation from the book club administrators! It will expire next month!]

(End of this chapter)