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

Chapter 245 Ji-won's Tears Fall Silently, During Hoon-ga's "Thinking of You on This Night"

The cold water in the bathroom washed away the surface grievances and calmed the turbulent thoughts.

Kim Ji-won took several deep breaths in front of the mirror.

Only after confirming that his perception of meekness had been completely shattered by a false image of docility did he push open the soundproof door again.

The noise of the banquet hall enveloped her once again.

The second episode is nearing its end.

On the huge projection screen, Jiang Muyan stepped off the plane and onto the unfamiliar land of Uruk, her face showing a mixture of travel fatigue and uncertainty about the unknown.

Camera switch.

The door of another Jeep that had just come to a stop opened.

Yoo Si-jin led his team out in single file.

in the sun.

Captain Yoo's military boots stomped firmly and powerfully as he walked toward Kang Mo-yeon, a faint, dashing smile playing on his lips.

Their eyes met from afar.

The background music and lighting at that moment perfectly captured the ambiguity and sense of destiny.

The end credits song began to play.

Show ends.

The bright lights inside the clubhouse instantly dispelled all the ambiguous light and shadow, and illuminated everyone's face again.

People began to move their bodies, talk to each other, and marvel at the unfolding plot.

Kang Jae-hoon subconsciously looked around—

Kim Ji-won has not returned yet.

"What about her?"

"Yo."

Bae Suzy glanced at him with amusement in her beautiful eyes, a half-smile playing on her lips:
"It's only been a short while since we last met, and you're already so eager to protect her?"

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon was speechless.

Arguing with a woman who is emotional and jealous is like tap dancing in front of an erupting volcano.

So, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Bae Suzy seemed quite satisfied with his "pragmatic" attitude.

She then stood up, stretched slightly, and her exquisite curves were inadvertently revealed:
"Let's go, I'm sleepy. Let's go home."

Kang Jae-hoon hadn't had a chance to respond.

But then Bae Suzy, who had just straightened up, stopped abruptly.

"and many more."

"Wait for what?" Kang Jae-hoon asked, puzzled.

Bae Suzy did not answer.

His gaze suddenly fell on the passageway leading from the banquet hall to the rear rest area.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Just when Kang Jae-hoon thought she was just being petulant—

Kim Ji-won finally appeared at the entrance of the passage.

She lowered her head slightly, her gaze seemingly fixed on the hem of her skirt, her steps unhurried, as she re-entered the bustling scene of clinking glasses and revelry.

See this.

Bae Suzy's fair and soft wrist slipped naturally through Kang Jae-hoon's arm:

"Okay, let's go."

She didn't look in Kim Ji-won's direction again.

Like a princess gracefully leaving with her rightfully-right prince.

……

The pale golden light, like soft silk, once again filled the luxurious banquet hall, clearly highlighting every figure in their finest attire.

however.

The bright light shone into Kim Ji-won's eyes, yet it carried a cold, penetrating power.

She walked slowly back to the center of the hustle and bustle from the back passage, her gaze sweeping over the area where that familiar figure had once stood—it was now empty.

next second.

My heart felt as if it had been suddenly gripped by an invisible hand, and then thrown down heavily.

She saw it.

It's on the dark carpeted passageway leading to the main exit.

Bae Suzy affectionately linked arms with Kang Jae-hoon, and the two slowly moved towards the door, their silhouettes resembling a meticulously composed cinematic scene.

The light fell on Bae Suzy's delicate nape and her voluminous hair, and on Kang Jae-hoon's broad shoulders—

Their silhouettes were so harmonious, as if they were born to walk side by side on this star-studded avenue.

Bae Suzy did not turn around.

But Kim Ji-won could sense that the woman's actions and posture revealed a deliberate show-off.

And Kang Jae-hoon...

He didn't turn around.

An indescribable sour feeling suddenly rushed to Kim Ji-won's nose.

She is actually very patient.

Really.

In order to film the cold water soaking scene in "Descendants of the Sun".

They knew perfectly well that prolonged immersion in icy water could cause potential and irreversible damage to a woman's body, especially to vulnerable areas like the uterus.

She gritted her teeth and soaked in the water again and again, her face turning pale from the cold, but she didn't utter a sound.

This forbearance even extended into her life off-screen.

Facing a love rival.

She could tolerate Krystal Jung's arrogance;

In front of Lim Yoona, she could suppress all her resentment and act like a timid and invisible person;

Even when Bae Suzy called her to the restroom in such a humiliating manner and warned her with harsh words, she could still force herself to put on a mask, suppress all her grievances and anger deep in her heart, and then walk out as if nothing had happened.

All for the sake of getting closer to that figure.

Kim Ji-won can convince herself to endure it.

These grievances and embarrassments will all become insignificant pebbles underfoot when climbing to the summit.

Just get over it.

But right now.

Watching as the person she held dear in her heart was so easily taken away by Bae Suzy.

The belief that had always sustained her was now crumbling.

She can endure physical pain, withstand external pressure, and even digest the malice from her love rival.

But she couldn't easily resolve it.

It was a tacit "abandonment" from the person she admired.

Kim Ji-won didn't know how she walked out of the lavish celebration party that made her feel so alone.

And how did I manage to get home in such a daze?

My memories are fragmented, leaving only some blurry pieces:

The city night view outside the taxi window is blurred into a patchwork of light.

When the driver asked for the specific address, I instinctively blurted out the familiar place name.

When her parents asked with concern, "Why are you back so late? Have you eaten?" she could only manage a stiff smile, her voice barely audible, as she replied:

"Well, I've had the celebration dinner. I'm a little tired, so I'm going back to my room now."

Even her mother's muttered remark, "This child looks so pale," couldn't stop her from walking.

When she finally threw herself onto that soft, big bed.

The strings of "reason" and "decency" that had been held together finally snapped.

The tears that had been held back all night burst forth silently.

The old house wasn't well soundproofed.

She couldn't even cry freely.

Outside the door were her parents, who had just returned from Zhangjiajie yesterday, weary from their journey.

They were proud of her success, having just returned a day after the relaxation of their trip and the joy of seeing their daughter's career take off.

How could she let them hear her breaking down and crying?
How can we let them know that the strong and courageous "Yin Mingzhu" in front of the camera is, under the so-called halo of success, just a little girl who is miserable and loses miserably in the battlefield of love?
……

at the same time.

Inside the luxury apartment building in Gangnam District that Bae Suzy bought.

The warm central air conditioning silently emitted a comfortable temperature, and the expensive carpet absorbed all footsteps.

The atmosphere, however, plummeted to freezing point.

"Bang!"

The metal belt buckle slammed hard onto the smooth, mirror-like surface of the dark walnut wood floor.

The belt itself was held tightly in Bae Suzy's dazzlingly white hand.

She had already changed out of the dress she wore to the celebration banquet and into a black silk nightgown with a beautiful drape.

Her usually sweet and lively face was now covered with an impenetrable frost as she approached Jiang Zaihun, who was tightly bound to the sofa armrest with the belt of her bathrobe.
"explain."

The rich lychee fragrance pressed down on Kang Jae-hoon as if it were a tangible presence.

The hand holding the belt slowly rose, the long, thin end of the belt hanging down, swaying gently with Bae Suzy's soft breathing, as if it might fall at any moment.

What exactly is your relationship with her?

"What kind of relationship do you have? We're just colleagues on the set."

Kang Jae-hoon tried his best to make his voice sound calm and innocent, and struggled with his wrist, but the belt of his bathrobe was tied very tightly.

"Colleagues from the film crew?"

To intensify her interrogation, Bae Suzy grabbed a belt and lashed it against the back of the sofa next to Kang Jae-hoon.

"I think they're a couple from the film crew."

Kang Jae-hoon raised his eyes, meeting the sight of her full curves and sharp gaze:
“Suzy, I think you could switch careers to become a writer or screenwriter in the future.”

"Are you still being stubborn?"

Bae Suzy's cold smile looked somewhat eerie under the warm lighting.

The leather belt in her hand seemed to extend her words, its end swaying dangerously:

"Just now in the restroom, she admitted it to me herself! You, and her!"

Kang Jae-hoon's heart clenched instantly.

He could even feel the rush of blood to his brain—Kim Ji-won had really gotten information out of him.
But he quickly suppressed his shock.

His intuition told him that Kim Ji-won wouldn't be that stupid.

This is more like Bae Suzy's usual tactic—deception!

No evidence!

Conclusive evidence!
All the intense reactions stemmed from her extraordinary sixth sense, which she had named "Kang Jae-hoon Detection Radar"!
Leniency to those who confess?

He'll rot in jail!

These are the ironclad rules of the real world, not fairy tales written for children!
Very few people knew about the feelings between him and Kim Ji-won. Without any real evidence, his only way out was to stick to the story that it was fabricated!

Not only must we hold them fast, we must also fight back!
Turn defense into offense!

"admit?"

"Acknowledge what?"
Kang Jae-hoon's brows furrowed tightly, and his face quickly contorted into an expression that mixed shock, absurdity, and anger at being unjustly accused.
"Bae Suzy! If you really suspect that I have some kind of shady relationship with Kim Ji-won, you can call right now!"

"Call screenwriter Kim Eun-sook and ask! She's on set every day! Call director Lee Eung-bok and ask! The director knows exactly who has had too many takes!"

He stared intently at Bae Suzy, his demeanor forceful:

"ask!"

"Fight now!"

"Hit me right in front of me!"

"If you can really find out anything, I'll hang myself in the living room without this belt! No questions asked!"

This was a rapid-fire attack that turned defense into offense.

His indignant expression and tough attitude completely stunned Bae Suzy.

Should I call Kim Eun-sook?
For Li Yingfu?

How could she possibly hit him?
on the one hand.

She doesn't have any deep personal relationships with top screenwriters and directors like Kim Eun-sook.

Asking about such baseless rumors rashly would make you look like a joke who doesn't know how to behave.

on the other hand.

What she feared most deep down was—

just in case!

What if we ask around and still can't get any information?

Kang Jae-hoon and Kim Ji-won are indeed just colleagues (at least in other people's eyes), so wouldn't her crazy outburst today make her a complete laughing stock?

This "family scandal" has not only been aired in public, but it has been aired in an extremely embarrassing way!

A wavering and hesitation appeared in Bae Suzy's eyes.

His hand holding the belt froze in mid-air due to a brief mental confusion.

Kang Jae-hoon immediately and keenly caught this wavering.

The fighter plane is fleeting!
Without hesitation, he immediately turned his gun around and took a risky approach!

"Wait!" He abruptly broke Bae Suzy's silence:

"Suzy, you didn't say anything really hurtful to her in the bathroom just now, did you?"

"I……"

Bae Suzy instinctively wanted to retort.

But it did happen.

"Hey! Bae Suzy! Are you really crazy?!"

Kang Jae-hoon leaned forward excitedly, trying his best to express his anger even though he was tied up:
"Do you know what this behavior of yours is called?"

"This is called workplace bullying!"

"You've been in this industry for so long, don't you know what 'public opinion is a fearsome thing' means?"

"If word gets out about your behavior, what will people in the industry think of you? What will the media write about you?!"

This series of accusations, both defamatory and damaging, instantly placed Bae Suzy in a morally reprehensible position, accusing her of "abusing her power to bully others"!

The core of the conflict has been perfectly shifted!
The focus shifted from "whether Kang Jae-hoon cheated" to "whether Bae Suzy bullied him".

"you?!"

Bae Suzy was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events and Kang Jae-hoon's "righteous" questioning.

She did this to teach that vixen who dared to covet her man a lesson!
How did it suddenly become her bullying people?

Before she could even begin to apply her logic of "the wife catching the mistress," Kang Jae-hoon forcibly dragged her into another battlefield of moral judgment!

Bae Soo-ji's chest heaved violently with anger.

Those beautiful, large eyes instantly welled up with tears of anger.

"Kang Jae-hoon!"

"Are you mean to me?"

"You actually yelled at me for another woman?!"

Kang Jae-hoon's previously assertive demeanor instantly softened.

He is very clear.

The charge of "beating his girlfriend for the sake of other women".

It's a killer move for any woman who's burning with rage.

If I try to reason with her or argue with her while she's in this emotional high ground, I'm afraid I'll really be hanging on this sofa tonight with my skin torn and bleeding.

In the blink of an eye.

Kang Jae-hoon's brows relaxed.

"I wasn't being mean to you. It's just... I was speaking a little too loudly."

With his wrists still bound, he could only try to reassure people with his eyes:
"I'm just anxious because I'm afraid you'll misunderstand and do something irrational that will damage your image."

"..."

Silence spread rapidly through the living room.

Only the rise and fall of Bae Suzy's chest indicated that the turmoil in her heart was far from over.

suddenly.

Without saying a word, she forcefully slammed the leather belt, which symbolized "torture," at him.

"Snapped!"

The belt hit Kang Jae-hoon squarely on the shoulder, then slid off onto the sofa.

Do it all.

Bae Suzy didn't even glance at him.

The black silk nightgown billowed and splashed as he turned around quickly.

She walked a few steps to the master bedroom door and pushed open the heavy door—

"Oh!"

The huge tremor caused the decorative paintings on the living room wall to shake.

The living room returned to quiet.

All that was left was Kang Jae-hoon, who was tied to the armrest of the sofa.

"……well……"

He looked at the tightly closed master bedroom door and sighed helplessly.

This woman...

Even when she throws a tantrum and slams the door, she does it with such...elegant yet powerful posture?

It's so beautiful it's heartbreaking.

I tried several times to break free of the tight knot on my wrist.

But that knot was probably Bae Suzy's extraordinary performance in a fit of anger, as strong as a sailor's knot.

Kang Jae-hoon twisted his body again, trying to reach it with his legs or in another position, but the sofa cushions only groaned under the weight, and the knot remained stubbornly tied to the hard wooden armrest of the sofa.

A few minutes passed.

The master bedroom was completely silent.

Clearly, the woman had no intention of making an exception.

People have to bow their heads under the roof.

Being tied to the living room sofa overnight... Kang Jae-hoon found the thought utterly absurd, and if it got out, Kim Dae-won would laugh at him for the next century.

Continuing down this path is not a solution.

Must save ourselves!

Begging for mercy must be sincere, the appeal must be original, and the risk factor cannot be high.

After confirming once again that the master bedroom was still completely silent.

Kang Jae-hoon cleared his throat and began his solo survival concert with deep emotion:
"Thinking of you on this night~"

I wish you could be by my side~

"..."

The first two lines are in tune.

The following lyrics begin to wildly test the limits of the melody.

"I wonder if you... can still change for me... Waaah~"

"Thinking of you...cough...night..."

"Please...you can..."

This heart-wrenching singing style reached its most emotional peak, even bordering on the slightly off-key—

crunch--

A slight scraping sound.

The master bedroom door, which had been tightly closed, was opened a crack.

The light flowed from inside, casting a warm yellow band of light on the floor by the door.

Bae Suzy's figure was hidden in the shadows behind the door.

The expression was unclear.

Kang Jae-hoon's singing came to an abrupt end.

He forced a fawning and pitiful smile, though the way he was tied up made the smile look a little ridiculous.

"My dear wife...I was wrong..."

The address seemed to freeze the atmosphere inside the door for half a second.

"What's wrong?"

His voice was cold and emotionless, but it was slightly calmer than before.

"The mistake was..."

"My mistake was letting you witness those things at the 'Descendants of the Sun' wrap party that might have triggered unpleasant associations with you... It was all my oversight!"

Kang Jae-hoon cleverly shifted the blame for his "womanizing" to "his lack of consideration that caused his girlfriend worry and distress."

"anything else?"

The sound from behind the door seemed to soften slightly.

besides? ? ?

Kang Jae-hoon's brain was working at lightning speed:
"Not only did I fail to understand your good intentions at the first moment, but instead... Anyway, I shouldn't have raised my voice, I shouldn't have tried to reason with you, and I especially shouldn't have made you unhappy..."

As he spoke, he made a "struggling" gesture.

of course.

It's futile.

But this only highlights his "tragic" situation.

"Look at me now... I've punished you, I've scolded you, and if I keep you tied up like this, what you'll see when you wake up tomorrow morning is a cold, stiff sculpture, but one that still loves you deeply..."

silence.

The silence that lasted a few seconds felt like an eternity.

Just as Kang Jae-hoon's heart began to pound, considering whether he should belt out another "Tears Behind Bars 2.0" to gain sympathy—

"Click."

The door to the master bedroom was pushed open completely.

Bae Suzy was still wearing that black silk nightgown, arms crossed, and walked out expressionlessly.

She didn't look at Kang Jae-hoon and went straight to the island in the open kitchen.

Under the light.

She lifted the gleaming kitchen scissors from the knife rack with her fingertips.

She took the scissors and walked to the sofa.

She glanced down at him.

then.

Bend down.

"Crack!"

The restraints snapped instantly.

The slight stinging and numbing sensation from the instantaneous return of blood caused Kang Jae-hoon's wrist to twitch uncontrollably.

Before he could say thank you or continue to pledge his loyalty, Bae Suzy had already straightened up, her face still stern, but the coldness in her tone had lessened considerably, leaving only a hint of lingering anger and awkwardness:

"Go take a shower, it smells awful."

After saying that, she turned around and walked back to the master bedroom. This time, she didn't slam the door, but just gently closed it.

Alert lifted.

Kang Jae-hoon raised his free wrist, brought it to his nose, and smelled it—

What's so unpleasant about it?
It's clearly the perfume smelling like Kim Ji-won...

Kim Ji-won...

Ugh.

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the expensive chandelier on the ceiling and let out a wail in his heart.

obviously.

This turmoil is far from over.

Kim Ji-won... she probably suffered quite a bit of injustice tonight.

He didn't hear what Bae Suzy said in the restroom, but even a fool could tell it wasn't anything nice.

That girl looks docile, but she's incredibly stubborn at heart. Tonight, she was humiliated like this, and she watched helplessly as he was taken away by Bae Soo-ji. I can only imagine how heartbroken she must be.

I need to contact her myself.

At the very least, we need to explain and reassure them.

but.

Now at this point in time.

Bae Suzy was in the bedroom just one wall away.

If he dares to call or text Kim Ji-won at this critical juncture, he's practically courting death. The volcano that has just subsided will definitely erupt again, and it will be devastating.

On the left are bombs that could explode at any moment, and on the right are wounded soldiers who may need comforting.

And he.

Caught in the middle.

Like a clown walking a tightrope, every step must be taken with utmost care, lest one careless mistake shatter them to pieces.

Kang Jae-hoon rubbed his temples.

I feel even more tired than if I had been filming action scenes for 24 hours straight.

The mental strain of juggling different women is far more exhausting than physical exhaustion.

sometimes.

He might even wonder what he was really pursuing. Was it this exciting yet dangerous game of ambiguity, or a safe harbor where he could finally find peace and security?
But the thought only flashed through my mind.

Him now.

Like a ship already in the eye of a storm, it can only grit its teeth and steer, trying to find a balance in the raging waves.

Let’s talk about it after tonight.

Kang Jae-hoon sighed again and resignedly got up from the sofa.

Bae Soo-ji told him to take a bath, which was a good delaying tactic. The warm water might wash away some of his fatigue and give him some time to calm down and think things through.

As for Kim Ji-won...

We can only wait until tomorrow and find a safer opportunity.

Hopefully, that girl won't get stuck on something.

He dragged his heavy steps toward the bathroom, feeling as if the expensive carpet beneath his feet had turned into a sticky swamp.

This seemingly glamorous life of having multiple wives hides a bitter reality that only the person experiencing it truly knows.

(End of this chapter)