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

Chapter 280 Moonlight Headphones and Morning Discipline

Time surges like the tides.

The fragrance of gardenias on Jeju Island has been replaced in the blink of an eye by the salty sea breeze of Busan Port.

The rainy season in June had just ended, and the scorching sun of July began to swelter on the asphalt roads, turning the city into a hazy, dreamlike scene.

The crew of "Goodbye, My Soulmate" is currently filming a key scene in a small hotel in Haeundae, Busan.

Jung Soo-jung's character "Ha-eun" and Kim Ji-won's character "Smiling" have just finished a wonderful day trip to Busan, but their first conflict breaks out over the issue of accommodation.

"Action!"

The neon lights of the motel crackled, and Jung Soo-jung, playing Ha Eun, stood in the narrow corridor, her slightly furrowed brows revealing her discomfort.

"Let's change hotels."

She picked up her luggage without allowing any refusal: "It's on me."

"You stay here, I'll treat you to a meal!"

The crystal chandelier in the upscale restaurant swayed so much it seemed to squint in a smile.

Seeing her friend's stiff smile at the exorbitantly priced menu, "He En" silently ordered a double steak set meal.

Amid the clinking of cutlery, she caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye of "Smiling" suddenly getting up and leaving her seat to walk toward the businessmen at the next table.

Five minutes later, he held up a glass of red wine like a triumphant general:

"The manager said I'm a good salesperson!"

"He En's" face instantly turned even darker than the browned crust of the steak, and the knife he gripped tightly made a screeching sound as it scraped across the porcelain plate.

"Cut!"

On the monitor, the reddened corners of the two girls' eyes during their argument looked more real than the script required.

Just as director Julie was about to praise her, Kim Ji-won's phone suddenly vibrated. The instant the screen lit up, Jung Soo-jung caught a glimpse of that familiar face out of the corner of her eye—

Kang Jae-hoon is smiling at the camera.

"Here."

Kim Ji-won nudged her with her elbow: "Someone came all the way here to see you."

Krystal Jung stared at her trembling eyelashes in the playback footage:

"Don't talk nonsense, he's here to promote 'Train to Busan'."

"Is it?"

Kim Ji-won zoomed in on Kang Jae-hoon's profile in the photo, raising an eyebrow and saying:

"He didn't go to a single promotional event in Seoul, but he went to all the trouble of coming to Busan..." She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, "What do you think he's after? Is it because the seafood hot pot is too delicious?"

"Maybe he's looking to relive old memories with you."

Krystal crossed her arms and retorted, "After all, you guys almost knocked down the wooden walls of Jeju Island."

Kim Ji-won stretched and smiled knowingly.

"Oh, I hope he doesn't knock on the wrong door tonight."

Director Julie's demand for a retake interrupted Krystal Jung's prepared rebuttal.

At that time, half a month had passed since the filming of the Jeju Island scenes was completed.

What she thought was a deep, settled feeling of excitement turned out to be nothing more than sand stirred up by the sea breeze, which would fly everywhere with the slightest provocation.

Kim Ji-won's words, "Isn't it because you're in Busan?" were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, stirring up ripples she herself didn't want to acknowledge.

The name of those ripples is expectation.

……

As dusk spread like thick ink along Busan's coastline, the city's lights began to twinkle as the last rays of light dipped below the horizon.

The wool carpet in the hotel corridor absorbed all footsteps, leaving only the warm orange glow cast by the wall lamps, as if laying out some kind of secret expectation.

Krystal Jung had just finished showering, her hair still dripping wet, and was applying lotion in front of the mirror—

"Dong dong".

Two light taps fell like raindrops on the windowsill.

Her fingers paused, and she looked up at the door.

Two more sounds.

It's clearer this time.

Krystal Jung walked to the door in her slippers, took a deep breath, and leaned down to look through the peephole.

Kang Jae-hoon's face was slightly distorted in the fisheye lens.

He was wearing a dark gray shirt today, with the top two buttons undone, his tie loosely hanging around his neck, and he was carrying a paper bag with the Train to Busan logo on it.

Krystal Jung's finger hovered over the doorknob when she suddenly realized she was wearing a bathrobe. She hurriedly tightened her belt and haphazardly brushed her half-dry hair.

calm.

She gave herself a silent warning, then slowly opened the door a crack:
"Is something wrong?"

The voice was colder than she had expected.

Kang Jae-hoon seemed amused by her attitude, a slight smile appearing on his lips:
"Ah."

He raised his hand to push the door open, but Krystal Jung stood firmly behind it, guarding the small space.

"Let's say it right here!"

"You are joking?"

Kang Jae-hoon withdrew his hand, his gaze sweeping over the emergency indicator light at the end of the corridor:

"I don't want tomorrow's headline to be 'Shocking! A male celebrity surnamed K was turned away at home late at night.'"

"That can't be..."

Krystal Jung's fingertips almost carved grooves into the solid wood door panel.

"Row."

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly took half a step back and shrugged:

"Let's talk tomorrow."

The turn was swift and decisive, without a trace of lingering.

"and many more!"

Krystal blurted it out, then bit her lower lip in annoyance.

Kang Jae-hoon stopped and turned half his face to the side:
"Ok?"

"you"

Her voice trailed off: "Where are we going?"

"Is there a third person waiting for me at this hotel?"

There was silence.

Finally, Krystal Jung suddenly flung open the door.

The force with which she pulled the tie made Kang Jae-hoon stagger, and the next second he was dragged into a room filled with the aroma of incense.

Krystal cautiously peeked out and looked around, but when she turned around, she bumped into a wall of people.

Kang Jae-hoon had already braced himself against the wall, trapping her in a small space.

Her back was pressed against the door panel, the icy temperature seeping through her thin bathrobe, while the chest in front of her radiated a scorching heat.

"I"

She wanted to say something to break the ambiguous silence, but found her voice was incredibly dry.

Kang Jae-hoon slowly lowered his head.

Just as their lips were about to touch—

Krystal Jung suddenly raised her hand and grabbed his chin.

"It's a beautiful thought."

Immediately, a straight punch struck him hard in the abdomen.

"Cough cough."

Kang Jae-hoon clutched his stomach and took two steps back, his astonishment more evident than his pain—was this still the same Jung Soo-jung who needed him to open even bottle caps?
"You're being so ruthless because you're getting revenge for me not coming to see you for so long?"

Seeing that Krystal Jung was about to kick him, he quickly raised his hands in surrender:

"Wait! I brought you something."

"what?"

Kang Jae-hoon pulled his phone out of his pocket, and then, as if by magic, produced a pair of thin white earphone wires. He waved the phone screen, which displayed the audio file for "Give You the Universe":

"Want to be the first listener of the movie theme song?"

Krystal Jung stared at the tiny audio icon, her lips twitching:

"You came all the way here to see me in the middle of the night just for this?"

"Otherwise what? Didn't some people just refuse?"

Krystal stared at him for a long time before finally taking one of the earphones.

The two sat side by side on the edge of the bed, about a fist's width apart.

As the intro began, her fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly on her thigh to keep the beat.

The bass and guitar chords, like moonlight, slowly seeped into the room, while the lead singer's gentle whispers seemed to recount a distant memory. For a fleeting moment, she suddenly saw images, like film reels, flashing before her eyes—

The scent of the sea breeze when they first met on Jeju Island, the gentle touch on her hair after their heated argument on set, the warmth of his fingertips as he lifted her veil during their wedding scene...

"its not bad, right?"

Kang Jae-hoon's voice suddenly rang in my ears.

Krystal Jung was startled to realize that their fingers had become tightly intertwined without her noticing. She tried to pull her hand away in a panic, but he gripped it even tighter.

"How about it?"

Krystal Jung turned her face away: "...It's alright."

"Just okay?"

Kang Jae-hoon sighed dramatically: "Do you know how hard it was to find this song?"

He began to pour out his grievances in a serious manner:
"The producer insisted on rock, and I argued with them for three nights straight. The composer was even more outrageous; he insisted on adding a suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument). I almost flew to London to ask Ed Sheeran to write a song, but his manager said..."

"ah!"

Krystal Jung finally couldn't help but burst out laughing:
"This is clearly a blushing, adolescent song!"

"Ah, we've been caught out."

Kang Jae-hoon wasn't annoyed; instead, he took the opportunity to get closer.
So...you forgive me?

The music was playing its interlude, with the sound of waves mixed with the distant sound of wind chimes.

This time, Krystal Jung didn't dodge.

His nose brushed lightly against her cheek, stopping abruptly just as their lips were about to touch:

"May I?"

Krystal Jung opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in his pupils—

Her hair was half-dry, her lips were slightly pursed due to nervousness, and her eyes were filled with an expectation that she herself did not realize.

"So annoying..."

She grabbed his tie and pressed herself against him.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the lights of Busan went out one by one.

The phone screen on the bedside table was still lit up; the progress bar for "Give You the Universe" had long since reached the end, but no one reached out to turn it off.

The white headphone cord dangled off the edge of the bed, swaying gently as I turned over.

The distant sound of ships setting sail echoed from the harbor, but it was muffled by the soft down comforter and the mingling of breaths.

Some questions no longer need to be asked.

Some answers are unspoken.

……

The first rays of dawn pierced the horizon, like a golden paper cutter, slowly and precisely slicing through the night sky of Busan.

A thin mist floats above the bay, draping the city in a hazy veil.

Krystal Jung was awakened by a slight pain.

She opened her eyes and found herself lying on her side, her back pressed against Kang Jae-hoon's warm chest.

His arm was still around her waist, and his breath brushed evenly against the back of her neck.

The strange sensation in her body instantly brought back memories of the previous night—

Her boldness was unbelievable, the whispered words in Kang Jae-hoon's ear, and the feelings she had never experienced before...

My cheeks started to feel hot again.

Carefully moving his arm away, Jung Soo-jung turned around and, in the dim morning light, looked at the sleeping man beside her.

Kang Jae-hoon's sleeping face was unexpectedly serene; his usual sharp edge was now concealed beneath his long eyelashes.

"The easier it is for a man to get his hands on meat, the less he will cherish it."

Kim Ji-won's words suddenly came to mind.

Her fingertips unconsciously touched his brow bone, then recoiled as if electrocuted.

Will he be cherished for giving himself away like this, or will he simply have another romantic affair to brag about at the dinner table?
This feeling of gain and loss is too unfamiliar.

It felt so unfamiliar that she wanted to run away.

Lost in thought, Kang Jae-hoon's eyelashes trembled slightly.

Like a thief caught red-handed, Krystal hurriedly closed her eyes and even deliberately slowed her breathing to pretend she was still fast asleep.

Kang Jae-hoon's movements were gentler than she had imagined.

She felt him slowly pull his arm, which she had used as a pillow all night, and gently shake it, followed by a long, stretching motion that caused a slight tremor in the bed.

Just as she was contemplating whether or not she should "coincidentally" wake up—

A warm hand suddenly covered her lower back.

"..."

The kisses started on the shoulder and gradually spread towards the side of the neck.

Krystal bit her lip, trying to appear calm.

But the hand grew bolder and bolder, sliding down her waist and finally gently covering her most private area.

"!"

I can't keep up the act any longer!
Krystal Jung slammed her elbow back hard!
"Boom-"

"hiss--"

Kang Jae-hoon gasped, clutching his chest: "Murdering your husband so early in the morning?"

"Pooh!"

She turned and glared at him, but the fact that they were naked made her ears turn bright red instantly.

"Who acknowledged you?"

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly laughed, his chest heaving and causing the blanket to rise and fall slightly. He propped his head up with one hand, while his other hand remained firmly around her waist.

"So last night was just mutual comfort between adults?"

Krystal Jung was amused by his nonchalant attitude: "Otherwise what?" She deliberately turned her face away, "You think sleeping with me will solve anything? Of course I can find someone else."

Before he could finish speaking, his chin was suddenly gently pinched and turned back.

Kang Jae-hoon's eyes narrowed dangerously:
"for example?"

"For example, like."

Krystal's gaze wandered uncontrollably, and her voice trailed off: "There are plenty of them in the industry."

"There are plenty?"

Kang Jae-hoon's fingers slowly slid down her spine.

"Snapped!"

The crisp sound was particularly jarring in the quiet room.

Krystal Jung's eyes widened suddenly:
"Kang Jae-hoon! You—"

Before she could react, another punitive pat was given:

"Shouldn't someone be punished for saying such things so early in the morning?"

"I'll fight you!"

She lunged forward in a fit of rage, but halfway through her movement, she suddenly frowned, her waist slightly buckling—

Kang Jae-hoon caught her with lightning speed, the force of his arm tightening around her leaving her nowhere to escape:
"Showing off?"

"Leave me alone!"

She remained stubborn, but unconsciously snuggled closer to him.

"Get some rest today."

Kang Jae-hoon nuzzled the top of her head with his chin: "I'll ask Director Julie for leave for you later."

"I'm fine..."

Krystal Jung shifted awkwardly, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw him making a gesture as if to raise his hand again. She reflexively covered her back.

"Try hitting me again!"

Morning light filtered through the gauze curtains, casting dappled shadows on the two of them.

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly changed the subject:
"I heard your contract with SM expires next month?"

Krystal Jung looked up alertly:

"Are you investigating me?"

"This is called caring about your future wife's career development."

He laughed as he dodged her incoming punch:

"Have you considered signing Next Scene? Same terms as Ji-won, 70/30 revenue split. Guaranteed at least one leading role in a drama every year."

These conditions are so generous they're almost outrageous; they're an offer no idol eager to reinvent themselves could refuse.

Complex emotions surged within Krystal Jung.

Is he... trying to use resources to bind her?

Would she trade a bright future for her current compromise?

"Are you signing actors or keeping caged birds?"

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly leaned in and stole a kiss on her lips:

"It's like extending an olive branch to the future boss's wife."

Krystal pushed his face away, but couldn't hide the smile on her lips:

"I'll think about it."

Kang Jae-hoon raised his hand again—

"I understand! I will seriously consider it!"

She quickly answered, shrinking herself under the covers.

Outside the window, the cries of seagulls skimming across the bay mingled with the distant whistles of ships.

As Kang Jae-hoon stood up, the sheet slipped down, revealing his muscular back, with several suggestive scratch marks on it. Jung Soo-jung quickly looked away, only to hear him chuckle meaningfully.
"I've already seen it."

"roll!"

A pillow hit him squarely on the back of the head.

As the sound of running water came from the bathroom, Krystal buried herself in the blankets that still held his warmth.

The hustle and bustle of the morning market downstairs gradually grew.

Inside the room, two hearts, each with its own secrets, surprisingly beat in unison.

(End of this chapter)