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

Chapter 287 The Crystal Who Knows How to Act Cute Has the Best Fate
The crystal chandelier in the office building lobby was still bright, but it made even the last bit of color drain from Krystal Jung's face.

She followed Kim Ji-won back to the top floor in the elevator, pushed open the office door, and found it empty.

The evening breeze drifted through the open French windows, carrying the lingering aroma of tea from the coffee table, along with a faint scent of peach.

"They're gone."

Krystal turned to her, her eyes revealing a desperate sense of helplessness beneath a forced composure.

Kim Ji-won glanced at the empty teacups and the obviously tidied sofa area, her brows furrowing slightly.

He then decisively took her hand:
"These things can't be left overnight."

The high heels tapped rapidly on the ground.

"If there's a conflict, it must be resolved on the same day. The longer it drags on, the more people's hearts change, and the less meaningful it becomes."

"Then...what should we do?"

"Let's go straight to his house and confront him!"

Kim Ji-won has already pressed the elevator button.

Krystal Jung hesitated and said:

"Now? But unnie...didn't you say before that you were eager to..."

"Ugh……"

Kim Ji-won sighed and pulled her into the elevator:

"Since you've chosen to play this game... then you can't look at this abnormal relationship with common sense. A normal girl's modesty and self-respect are luxuries here, or even stumbling blocks."

Krystal looked at her, seemingly understanding but not quite.

But the certainty in Kim Ji-won's eyes was like a rope, pulling her heart back from the brink of sinking.

"Let's go."

The elevator numbers descended, and two silent figures were reflected in the metal cabin.

One made a resolute decision, the other hesitated.

The car merged into the traffic of Seoul's night, heading towards Seongsu-dong. Jung Soo-jung gazed at the fleeting lights outside the window, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the hem of her dress.

Kim Ji-won tidied her hair in front of the makeup mirror and casually applied a layer of lip gloss.

……

Downstairs at the apartment building in Seongsudong.

Krystal looked up at the dark window on the fifth floor, her beautiful face appearing somewhat distorted under the streetlights.

"She's definitely with Im Yoona!"

His voice trembled slightly with anger and resentment.

"It could also be business entertainment."

Kim Ji-won gently took her cold hand:

"I just signed a contract with tvN today, maybe they're celebrating."

But they all knew how slim that possibility was.

"Let me ask first."

Kim Ji-won took out her phone, swiped her finger across the contacts, and found the number saved as "Driver Park".

Compared to needing to probe indirectly when dealing with Hanna, this honest driver might be a better starting point.
-
"What exactly did you do to me—?"

The apartment in Cheongdam-dong was brightly lit.

Lim Yoon-a performed in the center of the living room.

She is currently playing a modern man whose soul has entered the body of the Queen in "Queen Cheren," and her face is filled with horror and disbelief.

Kang Jae-hoon reclined relaxed on the soft sofa, cuddling his calico cat, and lazily continued his lines:

"Please take care of your health, Your Majesty. Please put on your shoes first."

Im Yoona didn't respond to him, completely immersed in the character's breakdown as she faced the drastic change alone. She clenched her small fists, her voice filled with shock and anger as she said:

"What's going on here? Are they so desperate for women that they're even kidnapping men to perform sex reassignment surgery?!"

After reciting this absurd line.

She couldn't help but burst out laughing first:

"Wow, didn't the screenwriter laugh when he wrote that line?"

Kang Jae-hoon looked at her and smiled, the corners of his mouth also curving up.

Just as I was about to answer, the phone on the coffee table suddenly lit up.

Krystal Jung's name flashed on the screen.

Kang Jae-hoon glanced at it but didn't move.

"Not answering?" Yoona asked.

"Rehearsing the lines is the most important thing."

After the call automatically ended, the screen went dark. A few seconds later, it stubbornly lit up again.

This time it was a text message notification tone.

Kang Jae-hoon finally picked up his phone. Jung Soo-jung's message was concise and clear:
"I'm downstairs."

He frowned but didn't reply.

When he put down his phone, he noticed that Yoona was looking at him with a meaningful gaze.

"Are there no security measures in the house?"

"It's all used up."

"I'll go and buy."

As he stood up, the calico cat meowed in displeasure and jumped off his lap.

Yoona hugged the calico cat and scratched its chin:

"Come back soon."

"Ah."

The soft sound of the door closing echoed in the apartment.

Yoona raised her eyes and looked at the closed door, her gaze as deep as night under the warm yellow light. The calico cat in her arms meowed, seemingly unaware of what was happening.

……

Downstairs in the apartment building.

The night wind ruffled Krystal Jung's hair.

Watching Kang Jae-hoon stride out of the elevator.

"Oppa, I'm sorry."

Without any pleasantries, Krystal buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled against his skin:
"I was so embarrassed today. I barged in like a clueless little kid and said a lot of stupid things."

Kang Jae-hoon looked down at the girl in his arms.

As far as I can remember, this seems to be the first time Krystal Jung has apologized.

She was always proud, even when she was wrong, she would hold her head high. Seeing her so broken now, he felt a sharp pang in his heart.

"I'm the one who should apologize."

Kang Jae-hoon tightened his grip on his arm, his voice slightly hoarse.

If she hadn't provoked that bright moon back then, she would still be hanging high in the sky, shining with a clear and awe-inspiring light, and wouldn't have had to fall to the mortal world for him, getting all this messy.

If she hadn't been so greedy, she wouldn't have been caught in this suffocatingly complex emotional vortex, forced to do things that went against her nature.

Krystal shook her head in his arms:
"It's not Oppa's fault... it's my own fault for not controlling my emotions."

This almost humble posture caused a surge of guilt to rise in Jiang Zaixun's heart.

"Soojung...you really don't need to do this, you don't need to compromise yourself to please me. Just be yourself."

"This is who I am."

Krystal looked up at him through her tearful eyes, the streetlights shattering into a galaxy in her moist gaze:

"Impulsiveness is real, willfulness is real... and loving you is real."

The night breeze suddenly became gentle, and Kang Jae-hoon felt something bursting forth from his chest. He cupped Jung Soo-jung's face in his hands, gazing at her tear-streaked face.

All words have lost their meaning at this moment.

not far away.

Under the shade of the roadside trees, Kim Ji-won leaned against the car, quietly watching the two embrace and kiss.

She took out her phone, the cold light from the screen illuminating her expressionless face.

With a tap of his finger, he deleted the "live broadcast" text message that he had already edited and was ready to send to Lim Yoona.

Some plays lose their authenticity when the audience is present.

……

August was scorching and busy.

The "Queen Cheolin" project has officially started, and Kang Jae-hoon's time has been fragmented.

Script readings followed casting meetings, and business dinners came one after another. He mingled with various sponsors, exchanging toasts and building a solid financial backing for the project amidst the clinking of glasses.

One morning in late August, director Lee Il-hyung's phone call broke his non-stop work schedule: "Jae-hoon, 'A Violent Prosecutor's Story' is scheduled for release on September 10th. You need to make time for the production press conference tomorrow."

The film was completed in April and was originally scheduled for release in May.

Unexpectedly, "Train to Busan" shone brightly at the Cannes Film Festival, forcing CJ Entertainment to temporarily adjust its release schedule to avoid two blockbusters competing against each other.

Logically, they should have struck while the iron was hot, but "Train to Busan" was delayed until July for its official release.

Just as its box office was nearing saturation, it coincided with the nationwide viewing frenzy of the Rio Olympics.

This repeated delays left the legal comedy sitting untouched in the editing room for almost half a year.

"What time?" Kang Jae-hoon asked.

"Don't be late at 2 PM," Director Li Rijiong instructed.

After hanging up the phone, Kang Jae-hoon glanced at the densely packed schedule on the wall.

The square marked September 1st reads: National Central University Opening Ceremony.

He went to attend the opening ceremony of Central University, ostensibly to fulfill his promise to Hanna and to support the "sister" he had taken in at the beer house.

Actually, they went to select interns.

Asking for a letter of recommendation is such a trivial matter that it's not worth Dean Li Yongguan using such a large favor.

Jiang Zai-xun secured the dean's personal recommendation and a VIP seat at the opening ceremony in exchange for a promise from "Yijing Film Industry" to provide the art academy with fixed internship positions every year.

This is the best of both worlds.

Students in the ivory tower have absorbed enough theoretical knowledge and now need to step into society to put it into practice.

Meanwhile, Kang Jae-hoon's four projects are operating in parallel, which is exactly when he is most in need of cheap and energetic labor.

……

On the day of the opening ceremony, the auditorium of National Central University was packed to capacity.

Kang Jae-hoon, as a special guest, sat on the stage, his gaze sweeping over the youthful faces below. These young people, harboring dreams of making movies, were like uncut gems—

Some will become excellent screenwriters, some will become outstanding script supervisors, and perhaps among them are the future Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook.

"Oh my god? Isn't that Kang Jae-hoon senior?"

In the audience, a girl nudged her companion with her elbow.

"It really is him! Wow! He looks like he's glowing when he sits there..."

I heard his company is hiring interns.

"I wish I could be selected."

"He's looking this way! Damn, I should have worn a full face of makeup today!"

"..."

Whispers spread like ripples throughout the auditorium.

Countless gazes, some bold and some shy, were focused on him.

The noise gradually subsided only after the principal walked onto the podium.

The principal's speech was always long and encouraging, eliciting polite applause in the auditorium.

When the program moved to the alumni speech segment, the host announced Kang Jae-hoon's name.

"Next, please welcome Mr. Jiang Zaixun, President of Yijing Film Industry, to give a message to the new students."

Applause erupted like a tidal wave.

He calmly rose, slightly straightened the hem of his suit jacket, and as he took the microphone, his gaze swept over the young and passionate faces in the audience:

"Film is the art of deception."

The opening remarks elicited soft laughter from the audience.

“We use fake stories to trick the audience into shedding real tears.” He paused, “but before we can fool others, we have to fool ourselves first.”

"so--"

"Before you learn to deceive the audience, first deceive yourselves into this dream."

Some students in the audience unconsciously sat up straight.

"I hope that four years from now, you will all become skilled 'liars'."

The brief and powerful speech ended with even more enthusiastic applause than before.

Several girls in the front row even stood up excitedly.

As Jiang Zaihun nodded slightly and handed the microphone back, his peripheral vision caught sight of several exceptionally focused faces around Dean Li Yongguan—

These are the real goals of his trip.

……

After the opening ceremony, sunlight slanted across the lawn outside the auditorium. Jiang Zaihun stood in the shade of a tree, side by side with Dean Li Yongguan.

"Dean-nim."

He leaned slightly forward, lowering his voice:
"I look forward to the election next year, when you will be reinstated as the chairman of the Busan International Film Festival. I will host the event for you then."

Li Yongguan chuckled upon hearing this, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out:
"You little rascal, you know how to pick your moments to do favors."

The two looked at each other and smiled, understanding each other tacitly.

The dean beckoned to several students:

"These children have a solid foundation and good comprehension."

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze swept over each of them.

A boy wearing black-rimmed glasses subconsciously straightened his back, while the girl next to him with her hair in a ponytail nervously pursed her lips.

"business card."

He reached out, and Hannah immediately took out a gold-embossed business card holder from her handbag.

Kang Jae-hoon personally handed it to the group:
"See you at Next Scene Pictures next Monday."

The students' fingers trembled slightly as they received the business cards, and their foreheads almost touched their knees when they bowed.

"Thank you, thank you, Senior!"

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon nodded slightly, and as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of Han Na under a tree in the distance—

She was talking to a slender girl, presumably the "sister she took in at the beer house".

Jiang Zai Xun glanced at his watch; there were still two hours until the afternoon press conference. After saying goodbye to Dean Li Yongguan, he walked towards Han Na and her sister.

"Boss."

Hanna pulled the girl beside her forward and said, "This is my sister."

The girl nervously clenched her fingers as she bowed:

"Hello, President Jiang."

Kang Jae-hoon sized up the girl.

Students at art universities are generally good-looking, but this girl stood out among the group of handsome men and beautiful women.

It's not the kind of refined beauty, but a unique charm with a wild beauty.

"Nice appearance."

Kang Jae-hoon raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why study acting?"

The girl clenched her fingers even tighter:
"Because my grandmother wanted to see me on TV."

"He is still a filial child."

Kang Jae-hoon chuckled:
"Here's a prompt for you: portray the progression of three emotions—admiration, disgust, and acceptance—through your eyes."

The girl took a deep breath, her eyes gradually changing—

When she looked up again, her eyes were filled with tender affection; in an instant, they turned into a disgusted sidelong glance; and finally, they turned into a calm and indifferent lowered gaze.

Although she was a little inexperienced, her emotional transitions were relatively smooth.

Kang Jae-hoon crossed his arms and pondered for a few seconds:

"After I've settled things at school, I'll come to the 'Queen Cheren' drama crew for an internship."

Hannah nudged the girl's elbow.

The girl then realized what was happening and bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you, President! I will definitely do my best!"

Kang Jae-hoon waved his hand and turned to leave.

The girl watched his departing figure, still somewhat incredulous.

"Unnie, does this mean I've debuted?"

"I guess so."

Hannah smiled and ruffled her hair.

"So, should I use a stage name?" the girl asked, her eyes sparkling. "How about I use my unnie's last name?"

"Han...Shaoxi?"

"Inside!"

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the sycamore trees on campus, casting dappled shadows on her face, as if crowning this rising star.

(End of this chapter)