Peninsula: I'm the Top Streamer

Chapter 673 Please! Jealousy
The bright lights in the photography studio were finally turned off, and the air was filled with the mixed scents of cosmetics, hairspray, and hot electronic devices.

After the last set of photos was taken, the staff quickly began packing up the equipment, and the noise in the studio gradually subsided.

Kim Yoo-jung changed back into her own clothes, a refreshing cotton dress, her face still flushed with excitement from the photoshoot, but her eyes shone even brighter than before.

She walked quickly to Quan Xuanhe, who was talking with the director, and waited for him to finish.

As soon as the photographer left, Kim Yoo-jung immediately put on a bright smile, leaning forward slightly with just the right amount of intimacy and anticipation.

"Oppa, thank you so much today. I couldn't have done so well without you."

She paused, her voice softening even more, with a hint of coquettishness, "And...is oppa busy tonight? We haven't seen each other in so long..."

Her eyes were frank and eager, and her smile was as sweet as the summer sun. Her undisguised closeness and desire to keep her there were almost overflowing.

She speaks boldly and directly, completely unlike the reserved nature one would expect from a bright and sunny young woman.

I still really want to improve.

The employees who hadn't completely left the shed glanced over here, their eyes carrying knowing and gossipy smiles.

Kim Yoo-jung didn't seem to care; all her attention was focused on Kwon Heon-hyuk's face as she waited for his response.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk looked into her bright eyes, which at that moment resembled a girl trying hard to get candy, and he knew what that meant.

He was about to speak—

"Buzz—buzz buzz—"

A sudden and rapid cell phone vibration and ringtone sounded, coming from the pocket of Quan Xuanhe's coat on the low table next to him.

Kim Yoo-jung turned her gaze toward the source of the sound.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk reached into his coat pocket and took out his phone.

The screen lit up, and a name appeared prominently.

Ryu Jimin.

The name is now flashing on the screen, carrying an undeniable presence and silently proclaiming its weight.

Quan Xuanhe's gaze lingered on that name for a second, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

He probably knew what Liu Zhimin meant by calling.

"I'll take a call."

He said this to Kim Yoo-jung, who was eagerly waiting, then took his phone, walked to a corner, answered the call, and naturally turned to a quieter corner next to him, with his back to Kim Yoo-jung.

"Hello?" he
Liu Zhimin's voice immediately came from the other end of the phone; it was clear, bright, and had a strong penetrating quality.
"...Oppa! It's all over the internet, what does this mean?...Visiting her on set? You even bought her things?...I'm working myself to the bone in the practice room, and you're off to be there for another woman, huh?...Is Kim Jisoo really that great?...What am I to you?..."

As Quan Xuanhe listened to Liu Zhimin's rapid-fire, jealous, and aggrieved chatter on the other end of the phone, he couldn't help but feel helpless.

Having too many women is one of the downsides.

Acknowledging the other person's existence is a huge difficulty, and to do so without any emotional reaction, willingly and without resentment, is even more difficult.

He raised his hand to rub his temples, and spoke into the microphone with a soothing tone.

“I said it was just support among friends. How much can you believe in things on the internet? They just made their comeback and are riding high. Even the slightest thing will be blown out of proportion. You should be focusing on your comeback stage right now, shouldn’t you? I have something to do tonight, I’ll talk to you in detail later. Okay, go practice.”

Liu Zhimin seemed to want to say something more on the other end of the phone, but Quan Xuanhe didn't give her the chance, his voice gentle but implying that the call was over.

"Okay, I'm working now, I'll hang up. Practice hard."

After saying that, he hung up the call before Liu Zhimin could speak again.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk put his phone back in his pocket, turned around and walked towards Kim Yoo-jung, who had been waiting in the same spot, her smile still bright but with a hint of inquiry in her eyes.

"Sorry, it's an urgent work matter," he explained succinctly, without mentioning the content of the call.

Kim Yoo-jung wisely refrained from pressing for details about the "urgent matter" that had interrupted her invitation. She blinked her bright eyes, her smile returning to its pure and radiant form, tinged with a touch of girlish thoughtfulness.

"It's okay, Oppa, work is important. But..." She tilted her head slightly, with a playful expectation in her eyes.

"Oppa hasn't answered what I just said yet? Are you really busy tonight? We haven't had a proper get-together in so long..."

They're playing their cards openly, not hiding them anymore.

Quan Xuanhe gently but directly interrupted her unfinished invitation. He raised his hand and patted her shoulder lightly, with an air of affirmation that came from a senior and "benefactor".

“Yu-jung,” he said in a steady voice, with a hint of approval.

“You did very well today, you maintained your good form. As for tonight…” He paused, “There are still some things to take care of, let’s do it another day.”

His refusal was decisive, leaving no room for ambiguity.

Kim Yoo-jung was frustrated, but she still maintained excellent composure, smiling sweetly and charmingly.

She nodded immediately, her voice still clear and pleasant.

"Okay, I understand, Oppa. Thank you for your care and guidance today! I'll be going now, Oppa, you should also go home and get some rest!"

Her tone was full of gratitude and obedience, as if the enthusiastic invitation from before had never happened.

"Let's go, see you next time. It won't be long before we meet again."

Quan Xuanhe nodded and said.

Upon hearing this, Kim Yoo-jung nodded obediently, turned around, and walked briskly towards her assistant and team.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk stood still, watching calmly as Kim Yoo-jung was escorted away from the photo studio by her assistant and stylist.

The noise inside the shed was almost over, and the staff were busy packing up.

He didn't linger any longer, picked up his coat, turned around and headed towards the exit, returning to his van.

Liu Zhimin was stunned when she heard the busy tone on her phone.

"Ugh! Kwon Hyun-hyuk!" She gritted her teeth and yelled at the phone screen, which had already ended the call, as if that would penetrate the radio waves and hit the man in the face.

He actually hung up on her without saying a word?
When she was angry and halfway through her questioning?!

She gripped her phone tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white. The feeling of being ignored and neglected, mixed with jealousy, welled up inside her.

Kim Jisoo? Support? Friend? You're kidding me!

The online rumors are quite detailed; he's such a busy person, yet he went to the backstage area for a music performance and even bought things... The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

Without much hesitation, Liu Zhimin pressed the redial button again. This time, she jabbed the screen hard, as if she wanted to pierce the phone.

The call was connected.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, followed by Kwon Hyun-hyuk's voice, more composed than before, with a hint of helplessness: "Jimin."

Liu Zhimin took a deep breath, suppressing the angry outburst that had just surged up, but her voice was still taut: "Oppa, why did you hang up on me?"

It was full of questioning.

This has become a matter of attitude again. Quan Xuanhe on the other end of the phone seemed to have anticipated her call again, and explained calmly, "I was in the studio just now, surrounded by people, so it wasn't convenient to say much."

"Is it inconvenient?" Liu Zhimin's voice rose a little, then fell back down.

"Is it convenient now? Can you explain it properly now?"

She could imagine Quan Xuanhe sitting in the back seat of the van right now, pinching his brow, perhaps even wearing that helpless expression she hated most, like watching a child throw a tantrum.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk's voice came through the receiver, sounding more patient than before.

"Zhimin."

He drew out the last syllable of her name, with a hint of reassurance.

"It was just a regular set visit. It was their team's comeback, and I was there to cheer them on, that's all. You know what the backstage environment is like, with people coming and going, staff and other artists' teams all crammed together. What could I do? What could possibly happen?"

There are things you absolutely must not say in such a situation.

That means 'you're too sensitive'

This is undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire.

His tone was one of self-assurance and candor, as if he were stating an unquestionable fact.

"Aside from capturing my back as I got out of the car and entered the building, are there any actual photos or leaks online showing any interaction between us? The so-called 'leaving side by side' and 'intimate atmosphere' are just paparazzi and fans making things up based on the pictures. The backstage passage is only so wide; it's perfectly normal to bump into each other and exchange a few words. You believe all those written descriptions without even a single candid photo to prove it?"

Liu Zhimin bit her lower lip, listening to the voice coming from the microphone.

She didn't see any concrete photos, but the feeling of being excluded made her uncomfortable.

"But...you didn't even have time to come see me, you went to bring her warmth..."

Her voice trailed off, replaced by resentment. This statement revealed her true inner turmoil.

It's not that she blindly believes in rumors, but rather that she feels her efforts and waiting haven't been valued equally, especially since her "opponent" is someone as important as Kim Ji-soo.

"Are you in the same situation as them?" Kwon Hyun-hyuk's voice softened further.

"I've already been there, and besides, it wouldn't be good for you if we got into a scandal."

Blackpink's fans are undeniably powerful, but Yoo Jimin has only been in the industry for two years. Although her fans are equally powerful, they are still in their rising phase and their fanbase is not yet fully established.

His words were like a basin of warm water, carrying an undeniable truth that poured onto the burning jealousy in her heart.

That's a barely valid point, isn't it?

The suffocating feeling in Liu Zhimin's chest had mostly dissipated, but that bittersweet emotion still lingered.

"So... you guarantee it's just a regular friend's support? Nothing more?"

Her voice carried a hint of coquetry and uncertainty that she herself was unaware of.

She still needs a sense of security, even though she hasn't completely taken over yet.

"I promise." Quan Xuanhe's answer was without the slightest hesitation, concise and powerful.

As Liu Zhimin listened to the steady voice on the other end of the phone, she imagined his calm yet focused expression.

That was soothed by the logic in his words and his forceful reassurance of "it's for your own good".

They're still young, easy to coax, their emotions come and go quickly, so it's not a big problem.

“…I understand.” Liu Zhimin responded in a muffled voice, her tone still carrying a soft, nasal quality after being comforted, but the stubborn questioning spirit had dissipated.

"It won't happen again."

She added quietly, almost habitually, as if trying to save face.

"Well, good."

The call was disconnected, and the busy tone sounded again.

Liu Zhimin stared at the phone screen for two seconds after the call ended, her nostrils twitched, and finally she stuffed the phone into her pants pocket.

She turned and walked towards the lounge with slightly forceful steps.

She sat down in front of the makeup mirror, picked up the powder compact, and pressed it onto her cheeks and the sides of her nose again in front of the mirror.

Her movements still carried a hint of lingering emotion, but her gaze had calmed. She pursed her lips, making sure her lip makeup was intact, then picked up her eyeliner and carefully filled in the outer corner of her eye.

After touching up her makeup, she looked at herself in the mirror and professionally curved the corners of her mouth, trying to find the perfect curve. She took a deep breath, completely suppressing the last vestiges of her turbulent emotions.

After pretending to touch it up a couple of times, Liu Zhimin looked at herself in the mirror, pursed her lips, and wondered what she was thinking.

If she weren't currently tied up, she would have already made a surprise visit to see Quan Xuanhe, instead of arguing on the phone.

Seriously, this is so annoying!

Thinking this, Liu Zhimin took a long breath, trying to expel the pent-up frustration from her chest.

Then she stood up and walked out with a thud.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk's van drove into the set of "Dark Glory". Having just finished a magazine shoot and dealing with phone calls, he still had a hint of weariness on his face, but as he stepped into the set, his eyes quickly calmed down, and he switched back into acting mode.

When he entered the film set, Han Hyo-joo saw him.

"Waiting for you, busy man." Han Hyo-joo gestured with her chin toward the filming area, where director Ahn Gil-ho was confirming details with the lighting crew.

"I came back just in time, the timing was pretty perfect, the director is checking it over there."

Just then, Lim Ji-yeon finished a scene with intense emotions and came off the set. When she saw Kwon Hyun-hyuk, her face still carried the lingering ferocity of the character, but her tone had already switched back to friendly.

"Xuanhe is back? Perfect, we have a scene together later."

Quan Xuanhe nodded and quickly headed to the dressing room to change into his costume.

When he reappeared, he had completely shed his external glamour and was dressed in Zhou Ruzheng's signature gentle and refined attire.

Director Ahn Gil-ho, seeing that he was ready, picked up the walkie-talkie: "Okay, Hyunhyuk, Hyojoo, get ready! Action!"

The lights came on, and the camera focused. Kwon Hyun-hyuk instantly got into character, his eyes meeting Han Hyo-joo's, and the air was filled with a unique, subtly turbulent tension between the two.

With only the sounds of dialogue and cameras on set, Kwon Heon-hyuk continued filming "Dark Glory".

With this little incident over, Dark Glory is not far from wrapping up; it will be finished in less than a month.

Kwon Heon-hyuk will then be involved in filming "The Lost Tomb" and the second season of "DP," maintaining a very busy filming schedule.

Meanwhile, "20th Century Girl," starring Kwon Heon-hyuk, is also about to be released.

I just finished shooting for the magazine and it will be released online in October.

There will be a publicity campaign later, but it shouldn't be a big problem. He'll be able to manage it, which means he and Kim Yoo-jung were just talking about being able to meet again.

(End of this chapter)