Peninsula: I'm the Top Streamer

Chapter 598 Night Bus and Sleepless Neighbor (6K)

On camera, Kwon Heon-hyuk, wearing a light blue denim jacket, is acting out the emotions of "farewell" with Kim Yoo-jung.

"Action!" Director Fang Youli's voice rang out in the slightly quieter film set.

A cool breeze swept across the lake, ruffling the stray hairs at Kim Yoo-jung's temples. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she was trying to hold back something.

Kim Yoo-jung's eyes were unfocused, then she lowered her head, her gaze empty, and uttered words that did not reflect her true feelings.

"That's great."

Her voice carried a sense of bewilderment and a barely perceptible melancholy, and her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes.

The camera gave Kwon Heonhyuk a close-up, a very close-up of his face, especially focusing on his eyes.

This is his strength.

Director Fang Youli understood his strengths very well, so he specifically modified some of the storyboards to target him.

The effect was so good that the director was so engrossed in watching it that he couldn't bear to call "cut".

The crowd of onlookers remained, and although they were a little further away, the sound of mobile phone cameras would occasionally ring out again after a brief silence.

Han Hyo-joo stood quietly, her hands casually in the pockets of her beige trench coat, watching everything with great interest.

The whistle signaling the end of filming rang out, breaking the brief tranquility by the artificial lake with the sounds of staff packing up equipment. Kwon Hyun-hyuk let out a long sigh of relief, pulling himself out of the heavy emotions of his role.

He casually smoothed his wind-blown hair, and when he looked up, he saw Han Hyo-joo walking slowly through the dispersing crowd toward him.

Han Hyo-joo still wore that gentle smile, and her beige trench coat looked particularly elegant in the spring evening light, contrasting sharply with the slightly messy background of the film set.

"Well done." She stopped a step away from him, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment. "You handled the emotions very well in that scene just now."

Han Hyo-joo is undoubtedly a good actress, but she was also quite amazed when she saw Kwon Heon-hyuk's performance.

Kwon Heonhyuk's acting skills are improving at lightning speed, there is no doubt about it. With his own talent and sixth sense, he is becoming more and more adept at immersing himself in the characters, and his performances are so vivid and lifelike.

He's poised to become a Best Actor winner.

"I'm just showing off my limited skills in front of Nuna."

Han Hyo-joo won the Best Actress award at the age of 24 and the Best Actress award at the age of 26, which is quite an impressive achievement.

Han Hyo-joo's smile deepened, her eyes glancing meaningfully at Kim Yoo-jung, who was still touching up her makeup not far away, and at the scattered fans and media who had not yet completely dispersed and were excitedly discussing "Han Hyo-joo visiting Kwon Seon-hyuk on set".

Kim Yoo-jung also looked over at that moment, met Han Hyo-joo's gaze, and quickly walked over to greet Han Hyo-joo.

"Hyojoo unnie!"

When Kim Yoo-jung was young, she also worked with Han Hyo-joo. They collaborated on two historical dramas, "Dong Yi" and "Iljimae," in which she played Han Hyo-joo's childhood self.

However, I was young at the time, and we didn't keep in touch much after filming. When we met in public, we were just polite to each other and didn't get to know each other very well.

"Yes, Yu-jung."

Han Hyo-joo smiled and nodded, looking at her with a gentle smile.

Kim Yoo-jung also knew that Kwon Hyun-hyuk and Han Hyo-joo had a close relationship, or rather, anyone who paid attention to the two of them knew that they were very close.

Therefore, she didn't chat much with Han Hyo-joo, who was like an older sister to her. It seemed that she sensed the huge difference in their auras, so she exchanged a few pleasantries and then took her leave.

Han Hyo-joo returned a very natural and friendly smile, then looked at Kwon Hyun-hyuk again and gently changed the subject, "We're done for the day. What are your plans next?"

"Let's go back to the hotel. We have an early shoot tomorrow." Quan Xuanhe took a sip of coffee, the warmth going down his throat and relieving some of his fatigue.

Filming is almost over; this drama is nearing its end.

"Is Nuna leaving tonight?"

Han Hyo-joo shook his head slightly.

"Then come with me!"

Night began to fall over the city, and the film crew's bus had already started moving. Kwon Hyun-hyuk whispered a few words to his assistant, who then took his things and, with an "I understand" expression, silently walked towards the bus.

The unassuming black van drove slowly down the road.

The car's small interior space gradually filled with Han Hyo-joo's delicate fragrance.

Once in the car, Kwon Hyun-hyuk relaxed and nestled into Han Hyo-joo's arms, savoring the warmth from his older sister.

The car's interior was spacious and quiet, with only the low rumble of the engine and the faint sounds of the city lights flashing past the windows. Soft overhead lights illuminated Han Hyo-joo's gentle profile.

Quan Xuanhe rested his head on her lap, his posture languid and relaxed.

Han Hyo-joo lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows beneath them. With an almost instinctive gentleness, her fingers began to lightly comb through the soft, stray hairs on Kwon Heon-hyuk's forehead.

Her movements were extremely gentle, her fingertips occasionally brushing against the skin of his forehead, with an intimate caress.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk closed his eyes, his nostrils filled with the reassuring, delicate fragrance emanating from her, mixed with the scent of the leather seats in the car.

"Have you met with screenwriter Kim?"

He let out a soft hum that was somewhere between a response and a sigh, his voice sounding somewhat languid due to his relaxation: "Not yet, I can't find the time."

He shifted his head, seemingly trying to find a more comfortable position on her lap.

Han Hyojoo adjusted her posture slightly in response to his movement, her fingers gently tracing the edges of his thick, dark eyebrows with an almost imperceptible air of doting and appreciation.

"Take my advice, or you'll be fine. Otherwise, it'll probably be another tough road for Nuna to get the role."

Upon hearing this, Han Hyo-joo looked helpless and sighed.

Who could have imagined that "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" would flop so badly, truly marking a disastrous end to her hiatus of several years.

From the end of 2019 until now, she has produced very little, and more importantly, her output has been poor, with none of her projects succeeding. It's as if she has wasted the last two years of her time.

It's not so much a box office poison as it is a problem; the key issue is that it has been a box office flop for several years in a row, and even when it wasn't a flop, the response was lukewarm.

Her last well-received work was "W: Two Worlds" in 2016, which was six years ago.

After six years without any good works, it's time for things to start to decline.

This is quite painful for an aging actress, and it also indirectly highlights that her judgment in choosing a career path isn't very good, causing her career to gradually decline.

"Yes, I'll listen to you."

"If you make a mistake next, I'll make you regret it."

Han Hyo-joo currently has two projects: "Superpowers" and "Dark Glory," which hasn't started filming yet.

There was another drama series I was originally going to take on, "Happiness," but I turned it down after listening to Quan Xuanhe's advice.

"Don't worry, Nuna."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk spoke in a lazy tone, but with considerable confidence.

"The Superpowered" has received quite good reviews and could be considered one of the best Korean dramas of 2023.

As for "Dark Glory," need I say more?
With both critical acclaim and popularity, it became a hit beyond its niche, and even people who don't follow Korean dramas have heard of its existence.

It can't compare to "Squid Game", but it's second only to "Squid Game".

When the second season premiered, it garnered over 1.24 million hours of global viewership within three days of its release, topping the TOP 10 in 139 countries and regions. Ultimately, with a total viewership of over 400 million hours, it became Netflix's third most-watched series globally in 2023, behind only "Wednesday" and "Daredevil".

By the end of 2023, the total viewing time for both seasons exceeded 550 million hours, making it one of the most popular non-English dramas in Netflix history, even surpassing the initial growth rate of "The Squid Game".

Therefore, we can see that Dark Glory's popularity and reputation are both strong, with neither being weak.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk's insightful guidance paved the way for Han Hyo-joo to win her second Best Actress award and experience a resurgence in her career.

Upon arriving at the hotel's underground parking lot, the two tacitly avoided the lobby entrance and took the elevator directly upstairs through the VIP passage. As the elevator doors closed, their figures, standing side by side, were reflected in the metal walls.

The door to the suite closed softly behind him, isolating him from the outside world.

The soft glow of the wall lamp cast a warm golden light on Han Hyo-joo's off-white trench coat, highlighting the gentle lines of her profile.

"Are you tired?" Han Hyojoo turned around, her fingertips naturally brushing against the collar of his slightly wrinkled denim jacket, the movement like brushing off dust, or confirming his presence.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk took Han Hyo-joo's hand, which she hadn't had time to retract, and their palms pressed together, conveying an unspoken understanding.

"Yes, a little, but things have recovered on the road."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk grabbed Han Hyo-joo's hand, and his hand began to wander.

It's unclear who moved first, but their shadows intertwined and merged under the lamplight, stumbling yet closely together disappearing into the bedroom.

As the night deepened, and after an unknown amount of time, the darkness outside the window remained profound, but a faint gray-white tinge was beginning to appear on the city's edge—dawn was breaking.

Han Hyo-joo slowly opened her eyes, the haze in them replaced by clarity. She propped herself up, the thin silk blanket slipping off her smooth shoulders, revealing her beautiful, slightly sweaty curves.

She got out of bed silently and stepped barefoot onto the soft carpet.

He carefully picked up the clothes scattered on the ground—the expensive beige trench coat, the turtleneck sweater… and put them on one by one.

In front of the bathroom mirror, she quickly tidied her slightly messy hair and makeup, wiped away the fine sweat on her neck with a warm towel, and smoothed away the slight traces left by passion on her body (such as faint red marks on the side of her neck).

In the mirror, she regained the composure and elegance befitting a top actress, yet her eyes still held a languid, moist glow, as if she had been thoroughly nourished.

She deliberately kept quiet, not wanting to disturb Quan Xuanhe.

Back in her bedroom, on the notepad provided by the hotel on the bedside table, she picked up a pen and, with the help of the faint morning light streaming in from the window, smoothly wrote a line of words.

As she wrote, Han Hyo-joo had a smug smile on her face.

She's quite busy; after learning the lessons here, she has to rush to get up and continue her journey.

When the alarm clock rang, Quan Xuanhe slowly woke up, only to find himself alone in bed.

"Nuna?"

Kwon Hyun-hyuk tried calling out, but received no response.

The bed was empty, with only the deep indentations on the sheets beside him bearing Han Hyo-joo's silhouette and faint fragrance. "She really left quickly..." Kwon Hyun-hyuk muttered as he sat up, rubbing his throbbing temples.

The two of them are now familiar with the procedures, and he has no objection if Han Hyo-joo is busy and leaves first.

Just as he was about to get out of bed, a folded note on the bedside table caught his eye.

A line of neat and elegant handwriting was left on the pure white paper.

Quan Xuanhe picked it up, glanced at it, and was first stunned, then a look of both laughter and tears spread across his face.

You seem to be sleeping very well. Don't overwork yourself.

PS: This resupply was very timely; keep up the good work next time!

"Keep up the good work..."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk held the note in his hand, feeling the paper with his fingertips, thinking about Han Hyo-joo's queen-like demeanor last night, which ended up in pieces.

He glanced at the understated yet sarcastic comment and chuckled helplessly.

Women of all ages share one thing in common: they say one thing but mean another.

He shook his head, casually placed the note on the cabinet, and was about to get up to wash when his phone on the bedside table vibrated unexpectedly. The screen lit up, and the caller ID showed "Meiyan".

Kwon Hyun-hyuk paused.

Having just experienced Han Hyo-joo's caresses last night, the peace of this morning was shattered by his girlfriend, which felt a bit strange.

He cleared his slightly dry throat and answered the phone.

"Meiyan?" His voice was low and hoarse, as if he had just woken up.

Zhao Meiyan's familiar voice came from the other end of the phone, still clear and pleasant, but it seemed to have lost some of its usual sweetness, and gained a crispness and a slightly deliberate ease: "Xuanhe, good morning. Did I wake you up?"

"He's awake, just woken up."

"Why are you calling so early? What's the matter?"

"We're coming back soon, right? How about we film a challenge together then?"

Gidle will be making a comeback in March, specifically on March 14th, with the album "I NEVER DIE" and the title track "Tomboy".

Their hearts must have been pounding with uncertainty, but Quan Xuanhe knew it all too well.

This is what it means for a song to pull Gdile back from the brink of giving up and then throw him back up.

It was incredibly popular, and can be considered the single of 2022.

While Tomboy's popularity was largely due to his perceived popularity, the actual number one song on the annual charts was IIVE's "Love Dive".

Speaking of 2022, it really was a great year for girl groups, with a hundred flowers blooming and a hundred schools of thought contending, it was simply dazzling.

When his girlfriend extended an invitation, Quan Xuanhe readily agreed without the slightest hesitation.

"OK, no problem!"

"Isn't there your solo performance? Is there anything I can do to help you out or anything else? I'm happy to assist you."

Because Zhao Meiyan was so considerate to him, even Quan Xuanhe, with his thick skin, couldn't accept it without feeling guilty.

He couldn't show favoritism, especially since this was his official girlfriend.

Following her comeback in March, April will feature Cho Mi-yeon's solo performance, her first solo stage performance, which is of great significance and Kwon Heon-hyuk doesn't want to miss it.

"Eh?"

Kwon Hyun-hyuk's enthusiasm pleased her, but she was a little confused by his words about 'supporting' her.

How can he help out? He's not an MC anymore. If he were still an MC, it would be easier; maybe the two of them could do a stage performance together again. Unfortunately, that's not possible now.

This really gave Zhao Meiyan a headache; she didn't know how to get him to do it.

"Anything is fine with me. If your company allows it, I can make a cameo appearance on stage or something."

"After all, I also want to stand on the same stage with you again."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Meiyan was slightly moved, and then took a deep breath and agreed.

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Zhao Meiyan did not put down her phone immediately. The screen was still on the interface where the call had just ended, reflecting her somewhat absent-minded face.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily curved upwards into a soft arc.

What a sensation it would be if he really made a guest appearance on my solo stage! Would it be another classic moment just for the two of them?

Will the two become popular again due to their large number of CP fans?

Just thinking about it fills my heart with an indescribable sense of satisfaction and sweet feeling of being cherished.

As expected, Quan Xuanhe still had her in his heart.

However, this elation lasted only a short time.

Will Cube allow this? A man with whom a relationship already exists is standing on a female idol's solo stage?

This sounds incredible; there will probably be a lot of obstacles from the company's side.

But Kwon Hyun-hyuk's words, "After all, I also want to stand on the same stage with you again," were like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples that lingered for a long time.

Zhao Meiyan sighed softly, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the hem of her hoodie.

Of course, she was looking forward to it. No artist could refuse the opportunity to share the stage with Kwon Heon-hyuk, let alone her sweetheart.

Finally, she blinked hard, suppressing the surging, complex emotions. Now was not the time to dwell on these entanglements.

cheer up!

A surge of energy welled up on Zhao Meiyan's fair face as she cheered herself on, determined to achieve something great!
If you encounter difficulties, overcome them; you might just succeed.

After hanging up the phone with Zhao Meiyan, the warm feeling of the conversation seemed to linger in the room.

Quan Xuanhe stretched, his muscles under the sheets relaxing. He threw off the covers and got out of bed to wash up.

As he finished tidying up and pushed open the suite door, the cool morning air and the bright overhead light of the corridor rushed in. He casually stretched his stiff shoulders and neck, and was about to walk towards the elevator when he paused.

At the same moment, the door to Kim Yoo-jung's room opened at the other end of the corridor.

She shuffled out, her steps unsteady. What caught the eye were the dark circles under her eyes, which were more pronounced than usual. Even her usually bright and sparkling eyes had lost their luster, and her gaze was unfocused, carrying a hint of barely perceptible resentment.

She looked up and her eyes met those of Quan Xuanhe, who had just come out of the door.

“Oh? Yu-jung,” Kwon Hyun-hyuk raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her haggard face and panda eyes without any politeness. A knowing yet mischievous smile appeared on his lips as he spoke slowly.

"What, did you go out to steal last night? Didn't you sleep well?"

Of course he knew the reason.

Given Han Ji-min's previous experience, Han Hyo-joo's intense battle last night, which nearly drained his "stock," must have been quite noisy. Even the best soundproofing in the hotel couldn't mask the shouting.

It seems they disturbed Kim Yoo-jung's sleep.

These words were like a spark falling into a haystack, instantly igniting the pent-up frustration and irritability that Kim Yoo-jung had been holding in all night.

"Oppa! Thanks to oppa, I didn't sleep well all night!"

Without any hesitation, she rushed up to him in her slippers, put her hands on her hips, and glared at him fiercely.

However, due to the height difference, they don't seem very intimidating; instead, they appear somewhat comical.

Kim Yoo-jung's face was a mixture of embarrassment and exhaustion, and she felt a lump in her throat. Seeing him act as if nothing was wrong only made her angrier.

"Oppa is like that at night."

So much energy?
After hearing the first sound last night, Kim Yoo-jung finally understood the relationship between Kwon Hyun-hyuk and Han Hyo-joo.

She was quite thoughtful at the time, considering things carefully, and even hesitated for a while.

With Han Hyo-joo, a formidable figure, around, she truly wasn't confident she could control Kwon Hyun-hyuk. Han Hyo-joo wasn't a woman as easily fooled as Jo Mi-yeon.

But this hesitation dissipated after listening to wave after wave of pleasant sounds, mainly because I was numb from listening; it seemed like there was no end in sight.

Kim Yoo-jung's feelings of shame and indignation intensified.

"Even with earplugs, it didn't help! I tossed and turned, and it wasn't until dawn that I finally managed to doze off."

"If I get yelled at by the director today because I'm wearing makeup with these dark circles under my eyes, oppa, you're fully responsible!"

Her rapid-fire outburst, coupled with her listless and miserable appearance, as if she had been brutally ravaged all night, was both pitiful and laughable.

The teasing smile on Quan Xuanhe's face gradually faded.

He looked at the little woman in front of him, who was puffed up with anger and had red eyes, and he knew exactly what she was thinking.

This disheveled and resentful state of his now, besides being due to genuine sleep deprivation, is it also mixed with some resentment from "witnessing (or hearing) his crush being intimate with someone else"?

"Oppa went too far!"

Kim Yoo-jung followed him relentlessly. The more noise she heard last night, the more her resentment and slight bitterness surged within her. She couldn't let him off so easily.

No! We have to find a way to get this tough nut off the ground as soon as possible. If we drag this out any longer, who knows how many 'supplies' are waiting for him!

Kim Yoo-jung's mind instantly conjured up all sorts of daring "conquest plans".

She secretly made up her mind: either she would win over Quan Xuanhe before filming wrapped up, or she would quickly cut ties with him; otherwise, this man would be too difficult to control!

In the quiet hotel corridor in the early morning, only Kim Yoo-jung's playful scolding and chasing sounds and Kwon Hyun-hyuk's cheerful and relaxed laughter echoed.

(End of this chapter)