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

Chapter 258 The Princess's Holiday, The Queen's Territory

The night, like thick ink, slowly settled, only to be diluted into a bluish-gray by dawn from the eastern horizon.

As the faint morning light filtered through the sheer curtains of the apartment in Seobingku-dong, Lee Sung-kyung was putting the last neatly ironed shirt into her suitcase.

Even in such a chaotic and turbulent relationship.

What Lee Sung-kyung needs to do is to be the most impeccable one.

"what is this?"

Kang Jae-hoon's fingertips suddenly came into view.

His gaze lingered incredulously between an unopened box of safety supplies that had just been tucked into the lining of his suitcase and the woman's cool, aloof profile.

My brain isn't quite working properly this morning.

Lee Sung-kyung didn't even look up, continuing to pack her toiletries bag:
"Isn't it printed on the packaging box?"

The force with which she zipped up the zipper was like that of a castrator:
"Or... do I even need to read the instruction manual?"

Kang Jae-hoon's mouth opened and closed repeatedly: "..."

"You should watch less melodramatic family dramas."

He finally managed to squeeze out that sentence, albeit awkwardly.

The voice sounded a little weak.

My face feels a little hot.

But I know the answer in my heart.

If even one of these "strategic supplies" is missing when he returns, he might not be able to come back at all.

……

In the end, we still had to say goodbye.

The light in the porch was somewhat ambiguous.

Kang Jae-hoon cupped Lee Sung-kyung's cheeks and kissed her cautiously.

The intertwining of lips and teeth was unexpectedly tender.

It even carried a hint of the clear morning light.

"wait me back."

Lee Sung-kyung slightly raised her chin, her amber pupils resembling frozen lakes under the light.

He responded with a rather emotionless "Yes."
"Ah."

It's so concise it's almost perfunctory.

But the fingers that gripped his clothes tightly, revealing a dark undercurrent more turbulent than any sweet words.

……

The sound of the building entrance door closing behind him hadn't even faded when he was frozen in place by the scene before him—

Next to the S-Class business van.

Two bodyguards, each over 185cm tall, wore transparent communication headsets, their muscles bulging dangerously beneath their suits.
The way the female assistant, holding a tablet, adjusted her glasses seemed like a calculated smile.
The oldest driver was wearing snow-white gloves.

"Good morning, President Kang."

The female assistant's bow caused the air to fold at a ninety-degree angle:

"We are Ms. Lim Yoon-a's specially arranged assistant team for your overseas trip. I am your accompanying assistant and translator Han Na, this is the security team leader Kim Jin-min, this is the security deputy team leader Lee Jae-hwan, and this is the driver Mr. Park."

When each person was called upon, they would quickly bow and greet them, their movements as synchronized as a military parade.

Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

His first reaction wasn't, "How can Yoona be so thoughtful?", but rather—

How did Yoona know that she spent the night at Lee Sung-kyung's place?!

He slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings—

A curtain flashing past the neighbor's window? A security guard's eerie smile? A suspicious white sedan parked across the street?
—Damn it, there's a mole!
……

The path of the morning light piercing through the clouds resembled fine gold foil scattered on the concrete road on which the convoy was traveling.

The S-Class minivan drove smoothly toward Kim Ji-won's apartment, its wheels making almost no sound as they rolled over the falling cherry blossoms.

The sound of assistant Hanna turning on the tablet was as crisp as scissors cutting a ribbon.

"President-nim, here is the schedule briefing—"

Her fingertips glided lightly across the screen:

"Arrived at Incheon Airport VIP channel at 9:30."

"Landed at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport at 14:20."

"Departure from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport at 15:30."

"Landed at Milan Malpensa Airport at 00:20".

"Check-in at the Four Seasons Hotel at 02:00".

"..."

Each time a time point is read aloud, a corresponding document is automatically projected onto the in-vehicle screen—photos of the vehicles used for transportation connections, 360-degree panoramic views of the suites, and even escape route maps of the hotel corridors.

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze swept over the 23-page "Cartier Dinner Full Process Plan," and on page 7, in the notes, there was even a note that "avoid discussing children's school admissions with the wives of brand executives (sensitive)."

This damn sense of professionalism suddenly made him miss Kim Dae-won's scribbled sticky notes.

"...Finally, the emergency contact."

Hanna pushed up her glasses:
"Ms. Lin instructed that all your itinerary during your time in Europe be kept in real-time with her."

The reflection from her glasses obscured her subtle gaze.
"Including... private schedules."

The car air purifier suddenly started working even harder.

At that moment, Kang Jae-hoon suddenly realized—

It's true that Lim Yoona handpicked Kim Ji-won as her official date, but she never said she allowed them to cross any lines in private.

Like the triumphal procession in ancient Rome, a slave always followed behind the hero to remind him that "you are still a mortal," and Kim Ji-won is that living warning sign at this moment.

Glancing at the bodyguard's tense jawline in the rearview mirror out of the corner of his eye, Kang Jae-hoon suddenly felt playful:

“Jin Zhenmin…”

The bodyguard's taut back immediately turned towards him:

"President-nim?"

"I have a professional question."

Kang Jae-hoon imitated the tone of a secret agent he saw in a movie:

"Assuming—"

The van happened to go over a speed bump, making the problem even more bumpy.

"We got caught in a gunfight on the streets of Milan... Who should be our human shield?"

The car was deathly silent for three seconds.

The navigation system's mechanical female voice cheerfully announced: "Turn right in 300 meters ahead."

Kim Jin-min's masseter muscle twitched.

This is the first time in my professional career that I've encountered a question so advanced that it's beyond the curriculum.

Ultimately, he tactically adjusted his headphones.

"According to the SOP..."

"We will prioritize the evacuation plan."

"In case of extreme circumstances."

"We will form a human shield to escort you to safety."

A pause followed by a careful addition:
“Use overturned tables and chairs or overturned cars as secondary cover.”

Kang Jae-hoon nodded thoughtfully.

Suddenly I realized that this arrangement... is quite good.

Although like a puppet being pulled by invisible threads.

But at least the bodyguards that Yoona sent shouldn't be there when he sneaks into Kim Ji-won's room in the middle of the night...

Should we shoot him dead on the spot?
(perhaps.)
……

As the convoy entered the curved driveway below Kim Ji-won's apartment building, she was already waiting there with a small carry-on suitcase—a long, off-white trench coat wrapped around her slender figure, her hair gently swaying in the morning breeze, like a lily of the valley waiting to be picked.

The moment the car door slid open, Kim Ji-won's gaze slid from the bodyguards' suits to Kang Jae-hoon's face, finally settling on the tablet computer in the hands of Hanna's capable assistant—

"Wow……"

She gasped softly, bringing with her a gentle scent of gardenias as she slipped into the carriage:

"Where are they going to kidnap me?"

Kang Jae-hoon was amused by her childlike expression:

"To Paris."

"Does attending a banquet require so much... security?"

Kim Ji-won's lowered voice betrayed her barely concealed excitement and nervousness.

"Hello Kim Ji-won-ssi, I am Han Na, your assistant for this trip."

A professional greeting instantly strips away the ambiguous sense of privacy inside the car.

Kim Ji-won smiled and nodded, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

When her hand quietly slipped into Kang Jae-hoon's palm, she noticed that his fingertips were also slightly cool.

"Do we need to confirm the evening makeup and styling plan now?"

Hannah turned the tablet toward them:
"The brand provided three sets..."

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly squeezed Kim Ji-won's fingertips:

I'll look at it later.

He raised the soundproof partition between the front and rear rows, temporarily isolating this "business class" that Lin Yoona had carefully arranged into a small breathing space.

"Afraid?"

Kim Ji-won shook her head, but her nose unconsciously brushed against his shoulder:

"I just never expected...it would be like this..."

Her gaze swept over the back of Hannah's head, which was faintly visible above the partition.

"…formal."

That's a very light way of putting it.

It's like trying to conceal some kind of lost weight.

Kang Jae-hoon tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear:

"Just think of it as..."

He suddenly leaned close to her ear:

"...They were caught eloping."

Kim Ji-won chuckled, then quickly covered her mouth and peeked ahead, her eyes sparkling again.

……

As expected, a sea of ​​flashing lights appeared at Incheon Airport.

"Kim Ji-won, look here!"

"Oppa, look this way!"

Are you two going to Europe for a date?

Amidst the screams, Kang Jae-hoon gentlemanly shielded Kim Ji-won from the camera's close proximity, maintaining a perfect distance—enough to satisfy fans' fantasies without being so intimate as to trigger a trending topic.

Kim Ji-won's white trench coat fluttered like butterfly wings amidst the clicks of the camera shutter.

She suddenly tiptoed and whispered in Jiang Zaixun's ear:

"They're all filming us..."

Her warm breath carried a mischievous sweetness: "Doesn't it look like a scene of elopement being watched?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Hannah's assistant grabbed him by the shoulder and quickly led him away, leaving Jiang Zaixun standing there, stunned, savoring this sudden moment of rebellion.

……

At an altitude of 30,000 feet.

The display screens on the back of the front seats are silently showing flight information.

At an altitude of 9158 meters, a speed of 851 kilometers per hour, and a cabin temperature of 23°C, these precise figures formed a striking contrast with the unguarded sleeping face of the girl beside him.

Kim Ji-won's head, wrapped in a blanket, bumped against the porthole little by little.

Just as Jiang Zai Xun reached out to support her, Han Na in the front row handed her a U-shaped pillow.

"..."

He reluctantly withdrew his hand and instead accepted the U-shaped pillow offered by his assistant.

……

Milan's midnight is like velvet wrapped in honey.

The dome of the Four Seasons Hotel lobby shimmered with a golden glow under the lights.

Kim Ji-won followed behind Kang Jae-hoon, but her eyes couldn't help but wander around—the light reflected from the crystal chandelier, the well-dressed hotel butler, and a familiar Italian football star in the distance.

Hanna skillfully checked in at the front desk, and when she turned around, she saw Kim Ji-won secretly tugging at Kang Jae-hoon's sleeve:

"Oppa, can we go out for a walk later?"

Before Kang Jae-hoon could answer, Hanna smiled and continued the conversation:
"Kim Ji-won-ssi, considering tomorrow's schedule, I suggest you get a good rest tonight."

The air was suddenly quiet.

Kim Ji-won bent down to adjust the belt of her trench coat, tying the bow very slowly.

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the numbers flashing on the elevator buttons and suddenly spoke:
"Send Ji-won first..."

"President-nim."

Hannah pushed up her glasses for the umpteenth time: "We should ensure yours first..."

"Ding--"

The 2th floor has arrived.

Kang Jae-hoon lives on the 3rd floor.

Kim Ji-won dragged her suitcase and strode into the corridor without looking back, her back ramrod straight.
"Good night."

The moment the elevator doors closed, Kang Jae-hoon saw the curve of her shoulders slumping.

……

"Wishing you... a sweet dream tonight, President."

Hannah's assistant's smile was so perfect it looked like it had been measured with a ruler, and the way she handed over the room key with both hands was so respectful it was almost rigid.

The moment the card is inserted to draw power.

The lights in the suite gradually illuminated, revealing the luxurious yet understated décor of this long-established Italian hotel.

Dark brown wooden furniture, heavy curtains with subtle patterns, and a bottle of freshly decanted red wine and two gold-embossed Cartier dinner invitations on the bedside table.

at this time.

The phone screen suddenly lit up.

Yoona's video call came unexpectedly, vibrating in my palm.

Kang Jae-hoon casually pushed his suitcase to the corner and strolled to the floor-to-ceiling window—the lights of Milan flowed beneath his feet, like a shattered galaxy.

When you swipe your finger to press the answer button.

On the other side of the screen, Yoona is having breakfast in the hotel restaurant.

"arrive?"

"Ah."

Kang Jae-hoon turned the camera to the window: "Just settled in."

"Is the team functioning smoothly?"

The sound of her drinking porridge was exceptionally clear through the speaker:
"Isn't Hanna very capable?"

"His professionalism made me suspect he graduated from a service academy."

Kang Jae-hoon turns the camera back:
"Even if I glance at a street performance a couple of times, it gets recorded?"

Yoona's eyes curved into crescent moons:

"That was something I specifically asked them to do. I heard that Italian street performers love to stage accidents involving Asian tourists..."

"correct."

She waved a crab roe xiaolongbao in front of the camera:
"have you eaten?"

"Airplane food is awful..."

Kang Jae-hoon deliberately frowned, looking aggrieved.

"I'm so hungry I could swallow a whole cow."

Im Yoona suddenly turned her chopsticks towards the camera:

"what--"

Kang Jae-hoon instinctively opened his mouth, then burst out laughing at his own stupidity. She, however, had already turned around, grabbed her spare phone, and quickly placed an order on an app:
"I ordered room service for you... Hmm, black truffle risotto with confit duck leg?"

"sounds good."

A notification sound for "[Image]" suddenly popped up at the top of the call screen.

On the other end of the camera, Lim Yoona glanced down at her phone and raised an eyebrow:

"Speaking of which..." she said slowly, zooming in on the image, "in yesterday's leaked airport photos..."

"You're off-center by 15 degrees."

"what?"

"The standard safe angle for celebrity group photos should be 37 degrees..."

She poked at the photo of him and Kim Ji-won on the screen: "But this one..."

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

He had no recollection of his exact position at the time.

"Pfft."

Im Yoona suddenly covered her mouth and laughed: "Just kidding."

[Assistant's urgent voice-over]: "The car has arrived..."

The background of the video suddenly became noisy, and the camera shook violently—the figure of the makeup artist chasing after the camera with a powder compact could be vaguely seen.

Yoona hurriedly turned her head and replied "Right away," but when she turned back to the screen, a strand of her bangs was askew.
"I have to..."

"Go."

Kang Jae-hoon's thumb gently traced the outline of her chin on the screen, his voice suddenly softening:

"Remember to eat lunch."

"You are!"

She wrinkled her nose and pretended to be fierce, but her spirits deflated when she saw her assistant urging her again.
"Don't be like the Italians who start at 3 PM..."

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly lowered his voice and interrupted her in an Italian operatic tone:
"my dear……"

He pressed his finger to his left chest: "Here... it's already Milan time."

Im Yoona was taken aback at first, then laughed so hard her shoulders trembled—her assistant had already started to pull her away from the camera, forcing her to back off-camera, but she suddenly lunged back at the last second:

"Hey! Kang Jae-hoon!"

The morning light shone through her hair, weaving a golden veil on the screen: "...Dream of me."

The moment the screen went dark.

Just then, another cell phone on the bedside table vibrated.

[Kim Ji-won] 02:47
The pillow is too hard.

A brief complaint was followed immediately by a photo.

She wrapped herself up like a sushi roll, with only her messy bangs and wrinkled nose peeking out from under the blanket.

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly chuckled softly, his fingertips flying across the screen:

[Kang Jae-hoon] 02:47
Should we exchange?

[Kim Ji-won] 02:48
Never.

Yours is definitely harder.

...in every sense of the word.

At that moment, there was a gentle knock on the door.

The waiter pushing the food cart outside the door greeted us politely: "Signore, il suo cibo."

Three minutes later.

Kang Jae-hoon devoured the 180-euro black truffle risotto at an unprecedented speed—it tasted so good that he suspected Yoona had even bribed the restaurant's back office.

The saying goes, "When you're well-fed and clothed, you start thinking about sex."

When they tiptoed out of the room.

End of corridor.

Hannah's assistant was standing at the elevator entrance like a ghost, holding a folder—did this woman never get to sleep?

"Does the president need help?"

The way she pushed up her glasses seemed to announce the outcome of this cat-and-mouse game.

Kang Jae-hoon remained unfazed:
Suddenly... I want to eat tiramisu.

He felt that his acting skills at that moment were enough to win him the Cannes Best Actor award.

"The executive lounge on the first floor is open 24 hours a day."

The gaze behind the glasses seemed to see right through him: "Would you like me to get your food?"

"Myself..."

"I'd better go."

She suddenly pressed the elevator button:
"after all……"

Her gaze fell meaningfully on the room key in his hand.

"...You might not be able to find your way."

The elevator mirror reflected his own face, which was filled with the words "plan failed".

Kang Jae-hoon had a profound realization once again—

What kind of assistant did Yoona send?
It was clearly a walking cage, making even his complaints seem ungrateful.

And the key to this cage.

At this moment, she might be facing the morning sunlight, elegantly applying peach-scented lip gloss.

(End of this chapter)