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

Chapter 224 The Sound of the Door Closing: A Small Protest from the Little Golden Pufferfish

As Kang Jae-hoon watched the figure stepping onto the stage to the upbeat beat of "Lion Heart," bathed in the spotlight and amidst deafening screams, his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

How could she come?

We haven't heard a thing!
A sense of loss of control instantly shot through Kang Jae-hoon's spine, completely shattering his previous ease and confidence around Kim Ji-won.

He knows all too well how insane Girls' Generation's schedule has been lately!

Preparations for his fourth tour in Japan are in a frenzy, and his personal schedule is packed full.

This kind of award.

This is especially true for Girls' Generation, who no longer need this kind of "certification".

The symbolic meaning outweighs the substance.

As is the usual practice.

Usually, a member would be sent as a representative, such as Kim Hyoyeon or Lee Soon-kyu. It would never be Im Yoon-ah, who has the heaviest schedule and the most meticulous management of her exposure, who would personally go!

But she just happened to be standing here.

As for whom they came?

Is it our beloved group Girls' Generation that received the shining honor of being in the Top 10 of the year?
Or for...

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze swept subtly over Kim Ji-won, whose smile instantly froze beside him.

but.

The moment of shock was limited to that extremely brief heartbeat.

A strong will to survive and a crisis management awareness instantly kicked in.

Kang Jae-hoon put on a smile that was three times more enthusiastic than before, took the golden trophy handed to him by a staff member, and walked towards the path where Lim Yoon-a was gracefully walking onto the stage.

This subtle gesture, captured on camera, is a testament to gentlemanly conduct.

But to those in the know, it means something entirely different.

"No matter when or where we meet, Yoona always makes my heart race... out of control."

In the instant of handing over the trophy and exchanging a polite hug, Kang Jae-hoon quickly turned his head and uttered a love confession.

Whatever her purpose in suddenly appearing today—

Is it a warning, a declaration, or just a passing whim?

Starting with a sweet nothing is never a bad idea.

really.

A smile, as gentle as spring sunshine melting snow, instantly bloomed in Lim Yoon-a's eyes and brows:

"Tsk... Such a sweet talker, going off to fool around with that Park Hyung-sik kid again?"

“Every word comes from the heart, and there is absolutely no falsehood.”

Kang Jae-hoon responded immediately and decisively.

He slightly increased the distance between them, his deep eyes gazing directly into Yoona's eyes with a sincere, electric light, and he even blinked quickly and innocently.

This quick and intimate exchange was completed within the brief two or three seconds of the embrace captured on camera.

To outsiders, it was just a congratulatory gesture.

But Yoona's smile deepened even more.

The look in his eyes instantly filled with a smile that could drown a person.

satisfaction.

Very satisfied.

For the sweet nothings he could say without hesitation.

Even more impressive was his unwavering gesture of leaving Kim Ji-won, who was still "shining" beside him, to come forward without hesitation.

She was enjoying the moment.

Enjoying this silent declaration.

It was as if reminding someone—who truly touched the heartstrings of this dazzling male protagonist.

……

A few meters away.

Kim Ji-won, who had been completely forgotten, froze.

The sweet smile on her face had already hardened into an awkward, forced state the moment Kang Jae-hoon went to greet her without hesitation.

She watched helplessly as—

Just moments ago, he was interacting with his sweetheart in a "tacit" way, drawing screams from the entire audience, but now he's rushing off to another woman with an eagerness to get to her.

My heart was instantly filled with mixed emotions, like a turbulent sea.

There was bitterness (he ran to her without hesitation).

There was a stinging sensation (from that natural embrace and whisper).

I admire (the absolute confidence that Lim Yoon-a possesses, which is bestowed upon her by time and status).

There is also a deep sense of powerlessness.

The reason she won the argument with Krystal Jung was because she understood her, knew where the pain points were, and stood on the moral high ground of "you've already broken up," so her position was perfectly justified.

But it's a completely different story when it comes to Yoona.

From an ethical and moral perspective

Kim Ji-won's behavior at this moment clearly belongs to the category of "knowingly acting as a mistress," and is something that cannot be brought to the table.

This inherently flawed stance.

This made her feel inferior and less confident when facing Yoona.

If she possessed Kim Min-hee's top-tier skill and strong heart—able to disregard worldly opinions, manipulate top male gods at will, and leave public opinion helpless—then it would be fine.

But she's only twenty-three years old this year.

First experience with love.

And the opponent is a "big boss" like Lim Yoona.

Where do we find so many masterful techniques and unbreakable mental fortitude to deal with this sudden, overwhelming onslaught?
however.

To Kim Ji-won's utter surprise...

After her brief hug and whispered conversation with Kang Jae-hoon, Yoona did not walk directly to the microphone in the center of the stage.

Instead, she walked towards me with an elegant posture.

Kim Ji-won was stunned.

Yoona stopped in front of her very naturally.

A gentle breeze carries the scent of peaches, a signature fragrance of Yoona.

Her soft, slender arms gave Kim Ji-won a gentle hug that was a "model of embrace."

Out of instinct, and also out of the panic of being suddenly attacked, she could only subconsciously raise her hand and gently hug the other person's slender waist and back.

In that seemingly friendly and harmonious moment of embrace.

Kim Ji-won clearly heard Im Yoon-ah whisper in her ear:
“You look so pretty today, Jiwon-ssi.”

Her tone was so gentle, like an older sister sincerely praising her younger sister.

Kim Ji-won had no idea how to respond; her mind was blank.

Im Yoona's flawless facial expressions, her composed and natural demeanor, her soft and affectionate tone...

All of this left Kim Ji-won, the person involved who felt guilty, feeling incredibly dizzy and confused.

Is it genuine?

The comment that her expensive outfit made her look radiant is simply an objective compliment from a senior to a junior on her style.
still is……

Beneath her charming smile lies a veiled self-deprecation: "In the end, I'm nothing more than a canary carefully kept and lavishly decorated by others."
Before she could savor the full meaning of those whispered words, Yoona had already turned around and stood in front of the microphone in the center of the stage.

"Thank you to the company, thank you to the members, thank you to SONE..."

Clear and melodious words of gratitude flowed smoothly from her lips.

The sound echoed throughout the entire venue.

That powerful aura that commands the entire scene and that genuine confidence cannot be created by any styling trick.

"gone."

Just as Kim Ji-won was staring blankly at Im Yoon-ah's back, trying to decipher a trace of true emotion from that flawless posture, Kang Jae-hoon reminded her that it was time to leave.

"……Oh."

She responded subconsciously, her mind still a little foggy, but her body had already reacted first.

Her right hand gently rested in the firm crook of Kang Jae-hoon's arm, which he had prepared for her.

Turn around.

Still shaken and disoriented, she followed him step by step toward the side platform.

The noise was gradually left behind.

"Aren't you happy?"

Jiang Zaixun turned his head to look at her slightly puffed-out cheeks and her subconsciously pouting lips, which looked like they could hold an oil bottle, and couldn't help but chuckle.

cute.

"Hmph!" He was met with a small, extremely dissatisfied nasal sound.

Kim Ji-won turned her head away from his infuriating smile, but her pout became even more pronounced.

Need I ask?
It would be strange if I could be happy!

If your sweetheart runs off to another woman right in front of you, and even openly hugs and whispers in her ear (even though that woman also hugged you and said something), any woman in the "competition" position would probably be furious.

Seeing Kim Ji-won's unwilling and aggrieved expression, Kang Jae-hoon coaxed her softly:

"Okay, okay... I'm sorry, I made you suffer."

He really didn't expect Lim Yoona to suddenly launch a "surprise attack".

Although she has always been very assertive, this kind of "surprise check-up" similar to Bae Suzy's style, appearing in Lim Yoona who is known for being "composed," was indeed beyond his expectations.

For a moment.

He even suspected that there might be a mole among them who informed Im Yoona that he had brought Kim Ji-won as his partner...

But then he immediately rejected that idea.

With Yoona's connections, obtaining a list of guests attending an awards ceremony would be a piece of cake.

Hearing his sincere apology, "I'm sorry," Kim Ji-won's nose seemed to sting even more.

But at the same time.

An intense sense of rationality instantly returned—

It's okay to be coquettish, it's okay to complain, but too much of a good thing can be bad!
Kang Jae-hoon has already taken the initiative to apologize and lower his stance. If he continues to be unreasonable and hold onto this point, how would he be any different from the emotional Jung Soo-jung?
"me……"

"She's not some rich heiress who's been pampered since childhood and can't stand the slightest grievance."

"Okay."

Before Kang Jae-hoon could speak again, Kim Ji-won had already changed the subject:

"Let's hurry up, or the audience will see us having a little meeting backstage."

Done.

She even playfully stuck her tongue out at Kang Jae-hoon.

Jiang Jae-hoon nodded.

The two walked away from the passageway that might be captured by the cameras.

……

After a while.

After delivering her acceptance speech, Lim Yoon-a used the excuse of going to the restroom to slip away from the guest area to Kang Jae-hoon's private waiting room.

She gently pushed the door open.

My gaze immediately fell on the center of the room—

really.

Kang Jae-hoon was leaning against the vanity, waiting for her.

But what made Yoona's clear, doe-like eyes narrow slightly instantly—

There was another figure in the room that hadn't immediately disappeared!

Kim Ji-won!?

She hasn't left yet?

Yoona paused slightly, her eyebrows unexpectedly twitching upwards.

In that instant sharpening of his gaze, a hint of coldness crept in: Don't you know the rules? The play's over and you're still not leaving the stage?
Almost at the same time that Yoona's eyes turned cold.

Having been "prepared" by Kang Jae-hoon beforehand and knowing exactly how to behave, Kim Ji-won immediately stood up and explained in a gentle tone the reason for her "delay":

"It is a great honor to meet you on such an occasion. I dare not leave abruptly, lest I be gossiped about for being impolite. I thought I would say goodbye and express my greetings before leaving..."

Kim Ji-won attributed her continued presence to the respect due to senior artists and her fear of being disrespectful.

They adopted an extremely humble posture.

There wasn't a single flaw in his words.

She flawlessly portrayed the image of a humble young girl who held her seniors in awe and feared being disrespectful.

Anyone who sees this would have to say: What a polite and well-mannered junior!

Even when passing by Kang Jae-hoon, Kim Ji-won didn't look up at him.

"that……"

Just as Kim Ji-won had already turned the doorknob and her champagne-pink skirt was about to disappear into the shadows outside the door, Im Yoon-a suddenly spoke up.

Kim Ji-won paused in her action of pulling the door open, turned around obediently, and looked at him with clear eyes that seemed to be asking:

"Yes? Is there anything else you need, senior?"

"……nothing."

The words that Lin Yoona was about to say circled back down before she swallowed them back down.

She originally intended to give this seemingly obedient junior a warning and make her wake up.

Filming is filming, and reality is reality.

Don't have any inappropriate thoughts about Lim Yoon-a.

But Kim Ji-won's submissive, gentle, and humble demeanor made it seem as if she could frighten people to tears if she raised her voice even slightly.

All the words of criticism seemed to have lost their footing.

To insist on saying something would be too harsh and baseless, thus falling short of the proper approach.

In the end, he could only manage to squeeze out one dry sentence:
"Thanks for your hard work."

Looking at his submissive demeanor, Lin Yoona couldn't help but feel a hint of suspicion rising in her heart:
Isn't Kim Dae-won's observation too subjective?
Or at least, is it an exaggeration?

Seeing that Yoona was indeed speechless, Kim Ji-won bowed again with perfect form:

"Thank you for your concern, senior. Congratulations on winning the award. Goodbye, senior."

then.

Then he turned around, grabbed the doorknob, and shrank back into the backstage lights streaming in from the doorway.

Just as the door was about to close, her gaze quickly swept inside—

Just then, they saw Kang Jae-hoon reach out and pull Lim Yoon-ah into his arms.

That embrace.

Just moments before, it belonged to her meticulously dressed, gorgeous clothes and her body temperature.

"boom."

A slightly louder slam than usual sound as the door closed clearly entered the room.

Not big, not small.

Just enough for the people inside to hear.

It's like a small comma carrying emotion.

inside the door.

Holding Lim Yoon-ah, Kang Jae-hoon immediately understood—

This is the little guy who was wronged but dared not speak out, and only dared to express his dissatisfaction in this way, sending his little protest through the door.

only……

At this moment, Kang Jae-hoon was distracted and gently rubbed his chin against the top of Im Yoon-a's hair, which exuded a delicate fragrance:
"You came all this way just to see me?"

Lim Yoona lifted her delicate face from his chest and frankly admitted:
"Ah."

Yes.

The core and original motivation for Lim Yoon-a to come here is, of course, because she misses him.

That month in Greece was too long.

We've been separated for too long.

Although his itinerary was monitored and he knew who was with him, how could those cold reports compare to the warmth of seeing with one's own eyes and touching with one's own hands?

not to mention……

Lee Sung-kyung was in a privileged position, living and working closely with him.

Bae Suzy, that little madwoman, could detonate a surprise bomb at any moment.

Then I thought about the fact that we might not see each other for the next six months.

She had to see it for herself.

Confirm his presence, his temperature, the way he looks at me... is it still familiar?

of course.

One of the purposes was to give that little brat Kim Ji-won a good talking-to.

but……

That was more like an incidental, impromptu "task".

[PS: I'm experiencing some writer's block, so I'll be posting less today. I'll make up for it later.]

(End of this chapter)