Peninsula: I'm the Top Streamer

Chapter 652 The Green Willow Zhimin

Summer days are bright and early.

The cool morning light filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, which weren't fully drawn, and cut diagonally across the bedroom carpet, creating lines of light and shadow.

Liu Zhimin's thick eyelashes trembled, and her consciousness slowly rose from a deep sleep.

The first thing she felt was the amazing softness and enveloping sensation of the bed beneath her, followed by an extremely familiar scent that stirred her heartstrings.

The scent dominated her sense of smell, making her know exactly where she was even with her eyes closed.

She was enveloped in a warm and firm embrace, with Kwon Hyun-hyuk's strong arms wrapped around her waist, heavy and bringing a sense of security that she longed for.

His breathing was even and long, and his warm breath brushed against the hair on her head, indicating that he was still asleep.

Last night's memories flooded her mind like fragments, and he silenced all her questions in the most primal and domineering way, along with the "punishment" that left her exhausted and ultimately unable to do anything but beg for mercy.

Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably, and she instinctively snuggled closer to him, like a cat clinging to the last bit of warmth.

I really want to stay here and take another nap...

Sudden.

"……drop!"

On the bedside table, her own phone screen lit up unexpectedly, and a soft message notification sound, though faint, was exceptionally clear in the quiet morning, abruptly breaking the languid tenderness.

Liu Zhimin's body froze instantly.

Oh no! The itinerary!
As the leader of aespa and an idol in the midst of intense comeback preparations, this "kindly greeting" text message from her manager at this time is definitely a death knell.

Group activities, practice sessions, and filming...

Countless images instantly flooded her mind.

All the beauty and weariness were poured over me like ice water, instantly reviving me.

She suddenly opened her eyes, carefully and swiftly moving out of Quan Xuanhe's arms, afraid of accidentally waking him.

The movements were as light as a feather, and the body tensed as it broke free from that intoxicating embrace.

There was no time to think!

She disregarded her decorum and quickly got off the huge bed, naked.

Her feet touched the cold floor, the sensation bringing her slightly more awake. Her gaze quickly swept over the clothes that had been carelessly tossed onto the low couch and sofa the night before—her elegant dress, stockings, lingerie…

A scene of utter chaos lay scattered everywhere, a stark reminder of the haste and disorder of the previous night.

Ruined!
Liu Zhimin bit her lower lip, her bare feet pacing frantically on the carpet as she frantically searched for clothes to put on, her movements hurried and flustered.

Like a spinning top on wheels, she held her breath and nervously moved around the room, tiptoeing to search for her scattered belongings, trying not to make a sound.

She frowned as she picked up the crumpled dress.

She came straight over last night without even bothering to change her clothes before coming, as that would have been too late and troublesome.

The faint rustling of fabric seemed to have startled the person in bed.

A muffled murmur came from behind me, followed by the rustling sound of someone turning over.

Liu Zhimin froze instantly. Afraid of waking Quan Xuanhe and disturbing his sleep, she slowly turned her head away.

Quan Xuanhe, lying on the bed, twitched his eyelids a few times and slowly opened them a crack.

His eyes still held a clear hint of sleepiness and languor, and his gaze, somewhat hazy, locked onto Liu Zhimin's figure.

Liu Zhimin looked at Quan Xuanhe on the bed, blinked, cleared her throat, and said in a deliberately low voice that couldn't hide her urgency: "I have to go. My manager is urging me, and I still have to run my schedule."

She was out of her mind and overslept.

Liu Zhimin bent down and grabbed her phone and handbag that she had thrown beside the sofa, finally finding the pair of silver stilettos that she had kicked off the sofa.

"Wait, let me get you two clothes. It's not right to leave in this."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk got out of bed, looked at Yoo Ji-min who was in a hurry, and turned around to take out a T-shirt and jeans for her from the closet.

"Wear it. It will be big, but it's considered oversized."

Liu Zhimin covered herself; she was only wearing her underwear, which made her feel quite embarrassed.

Although they had already been intimate, to be honest, he still felt a little embarrassed that Kwon Hyun-hyuk was staring at him so intently in broad daylight.

Liu Zhimin hurriedly reached out and grabbed it, then ran into the bathroom to change her clothes.

Liu Zhimin came out of the bathroom with her head slightly lowered. She was wearing Quan Xuanhe's oversized T-shirt, which looked like a short skirt. Although her pants were tied tightly, the cuffs were comically piled on the ground.

If she were photographed looking like this, it would definitely be the headline of tomorrow's news.

"Aespa leader Yoo Jimin made a mysterious appearance at a male actor's house in the early morning, and left in a hurry dressed in men's clothing."

"Tuck your clothes into your pants and fold up the cuffs."

Seeing Yoo Jimin's completely oversized hip-hop girl look, Kwon Hyun-hyuk squatted down and took the initiative to tidy her up.

This made Liu Zhimin feel both sweet and anxious.

"Bari bari, Unnie is urging me." Yoo Jimin emphasized as she put on her foot-straining high heels.

Her cheeks were flushed with anxiety.

Quan Xuanhe had already changed his clothes, watching her frantically trying to move around like a startled rabbit.

"You think you can flag down a car looking like this during Seoul's morning rush hour?" He casually picked up a hat and a pair of non-prescription black-rimmed glasses from the coat rack.

"Stop dawdling, it'll be faster to take you there."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk decided to personally see her off.

Liu Zhimin opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but after thinking about it, she realized that Quan Xuanhe was right.

She had no choice but to resign herself to her fate, slinging her small chain bag over her shoulder—a bag that clashed terribly with her clothes—and quickly follow after him.

The incandescent lights in the underground parking garage were still bright.

Kwon Heonhyuk owns three cars, so he rented three parking spaces, all of which are Porsches.

His custom-made Porsche 911 is just sitting here collecting dust.

However, to avoid others recognizing it as his car and to prevent it from getting dusty, he covered it up, placing it between his other two cars.

As Liu Zhimin passed by, she looked around curiously, glancing left and right, but her gaze lingered a little longer on the car covered by a tarpaulin.

This must be the famous Porsche ambassador's custom-made 911!

She hasn't sat on it yet...

Liu Zhimin's mind was wandering; although she was anxious, she also had other thoughts at this moment.

He walked around the front of the car, opened the door, and sat in the driver's seat with swift and decisive movements. Liu Zhimin quickly jumped into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt.

The sound of the engine starting was exceptionally clear against the somewhat empty echo of the underground parking garage.

The vehicle smoothly glided out of the parking space and merged into the main road from the sparse traffic on the side road.

Liu Zhimin turned her head to the side, watching the street scene rushing past the window. The city was awakening: hurried pedestrians, gleaming early morning buses, convenience stores opening on street corners…

“Last night…Miyeon unnie…” Yoo Jimin finally couldn’t hold back and muttered it almost incoherently in a low voice, her gaze still fixed on the window, as if talking to herself, yet also with a hint of probing. The morning light made her tightly pursed lips and lowered eyelashes stand out clearly.

"Jimin." Quan Xuanhe's voice rang out in the carriage, calm and even, yet carrying a clear warning, his gaze still focused intently on the road ahead. He had, of course, heard her question, which was barely audible.

Liu Zhimin's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. Of course, she remembered how he had made her "shut up" last night.

The deep-seated fatigue had not completely dissipated, and the soreness in her waist and legs was instantly brought back to vivid memory by his calm tone.

She subconsciously shrank her neck and finally shut her mouth completely, swallowing back all her remaining curiosity and questions about Zhao Meiyan, Zhou Ziyu, and the rooftop.

Already honest.

Liu Zhimin secretly glanced up and quickly looked at the man in the driver's seat through the rearview mirror. She quickly lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the overly wide hem of her T-shirt.

He kept everything from her, wasn't he afraid she might do something on purpose...

The vehicle eventually stopped at an intersection. Across the street stood the familiar SM Entertainment building.

"Just let me out in front of that building!" Liu Zhimin said immediately.

"Don't stop too close." She was afraid that he would step on the gas and drive right up to the company gate, then she would be completely unable to explain herself.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk didn't say anything, but instead slowed down as instructed and gently stopped the car at a temporary drop-off area a few dozen meters away from the SM building.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Liu Zhimin, like a wound-up toy, grabbed her bag and her hand was already on the door handle.

"Thank you, Oppa, I'm leaving!" Before she finished speaking, she had already pushed open the door a crack and was about to slide out, almost sideways.

"Wait a minute." Kwon Hyun-hyuk's voice had the deep, resonant quality characteristic of early morning.

Liu Zhimin stopped moving, half of her body still outside, and turned back to look at him warily, her eyes filled with doubt and urging: "What's wrong? We're going to be late!"

Kwon Hyun-hyuk leaned forward, his arm reaching across the center console to her, and pressed down on the hat on her head.

"Your hat is crooked," he said simply, straightening the brim of her hat with his fingers, his fingertips lightly brushing against the wisps of hair on her forehead.

"oh oh."

Liu Zhimin was taken aback by this sudden, almost gentle action, and her cheeks flushed again, her previous fighting spirit instantly dissipating.

"Let's go in." Quan Xuanhe withdrew his hand and gestured with his eyes to the huge glass curtain wall building behind her.

Liu Zhimin then came to her senses, "Yes!"

She responded, quickly climbed out of the car, and closed the door behind her. As soon as her feet touched the sidewalk, she pulled her hat down even lower, almost covering her face.

She started running, almost without looking back, towards a relatively quiet side entrance on one side of the building. The morning air was slightly cool, blowing the hem of her loose T-shirt and a few stray strands of hair.

Kwon Seonhyuk remained in the driver's seat, not leaving immediately. He watched the slender figure, wrapped in oversized clothing and wearing a baseball cap, disappear quickly into the shadows of the SM building, like a nimble and cautious little fish, vanishing at the side entrance.

After the vehicle left the side entrance of the SM Entertainment building, Kwon Heonhyuk did not go straight home, but instead turned around and drove to the set of "Dark Glory".

Although the party had just ended, the night was still long, and Liu Zhimin had just left early in the morning, the crew's schedule was tight, leaving him little time to rest.

When we arrived at the film set, the staff were already busy setting up the lighting and preparing the props; the familiar set was in perfect order.

When director Ahn Gil-ho saw him, he nodded, didn't ask about his personal life, and only checked whether he had recovered.

Quan Xuanhe rubbed his temples, replied "No problem," and turned to walk into the dressing room.

The makeup artist skillfully applied his makeup. Kwon Soonhyuk closed his eyes to rest, taking a deep breath and forcibly suppressing the distracting thoughts arising from last night's events. Here, he wasn't the Kwon Soonhyuk entangled in romantic entanglements, but rather the calm, vengeful, and meticulously planned character.

After changing into the expensive yet cold clothes belonging to his character in the drama, Kwon Heon-hyuk walked out of the dressing room.

The atmosphere on set quickly turned to him.

Han Hyo-joo was also ready. When she saw him come out, her eyes held a hint of knowing-it-all playfulness.

"Who did you spend last night with?" Han Hyo-joo approached, his voice low and laced with familiar teasing.

Her gaze inadvertently swept over a small red mark on the side of Quan Xuanhe's neck, near his collar, which was being tried to be covered by foundation but still showed through.

That was Liu Zhimin's "masterpiece" made in a moment of panic last night.

As one of those who witnessed the initial chaos of the party, she clearly caught more information, her eyes showing both mockery and a hint of schadenfreude, as if to say, "You deserve this trouble."

After all, she remained calm and collected, unlike those young girls who took love and romance so seriously.

Han Hyo-joo is better at handling relationships between men and women.

Han Hyo-joo suddenly remembered that after the party last night, she had approached someone alone…

Hopefully, it's someone who can understand what I'm saying.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk twitched the corner of his mouth, ignoring the conversation about the party, and said only, "The director is waiting, let's finish this scene first."

He skillfully steered the conversation back to work, while subtly raising his collar slightly.

Filming begins. Under the camera's lens, Kwon Hyun-hyuk quickly gets into character, performing a scene between adults with Han Hyo-joo.

The superb acting skills impressed director Ahn Gil-ho, who shouted "Cut!" in satisfaction.

His professionalism was on full display at that moment, as if the chaos of last night and this morning had never happened.

During a break, Kwon Seonhyuk went to a corner to get some fresh air. His phone screen lit up; there were unread messages.

A message popped up from Yoo Jimin: "Oppa, I got to the company safely... I got scolded by my manager unnie (>_<)..."

The screen turned,
In the narrow corridor outside the practice room, morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the end, casting long, slanted shadows on the floor.

Liu Zhimin hurried to the practice room.
The door was pulled open from the inside.

The manager, Unnie—the most stern-faced member of the team—stood there holding a folder, her figure almost blocking the entire doorway.

She didn't speak, her gaze lingering for half a second on Liu Zhimin's extremely eye-catching oversized menswear that didn't belong to her at all, and her jawline seemed to tighten even more.

"Practice training at eight o'clock."

"It's 8:27 now."

"The choreographer for the new title track waited for you for fifteen minutes. You're the leader, Jimin."

Liu Zhimin's Adam's apple bobbed, and she whispered, "Mianye, unnie."

The agent didn't respond immediately, but looked at her cautious expression with a sense of helplessness.

Where they went after sneaking away for one night was pretty obvious after the party ended.

She paused for a full three seconds, but the final instruction she uttered was concise and clear, as if the sternness from before had been completely compressed away.

"Practice extra at noon to catch up on the schedule, and don't cause any more trouble for anyone."

Her gaze lingered for a moment on the incongruous silhouette of Liu Zhimin before she stepped aside to make way.

"Winter and the others have already started, go inside."

Liu Zhimin responded almost immediately, giving a mumbled "Yes," as if she had received some kind of pardon. She lowered her head and quickly passed by her sister, slipping into the practice room.

The members stared at Yoo Jimin as she walked in, their gazes lingering on her for a few seconds, taking in her ill-fitting outfit.

It's something everyone in the know understands.

(End of this chapter)