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

Chapter 27 Cheongdam-dong Beauty Diary
Two days later.

The sound of a calico cat scratching at the door echoed in the corridor, and Kim Dae-won's phone call woke Kang Jae-hoon up.

"The role of Yin Canrong has been chosen for you."

Jiang Zaixun moved the phone half an inch away from his ear and squinted to check the time: 07:47.

After a long while, Jiang Zaixun suddenly woke up from his sleepiness and sat up with a jump.

"real?!"

"The script and contract will be sent to the company this afternoon," Kim Dae-won said, munching on his seaweed rice roll. "We'll have a script reading next week."

"Wow~~~"

"By the way, I have an appointment at the beauty salon at ten o'clock." Jin Dayuan added, "And dye it chestnut color."

".Beauty salon? Mr. Hwang Jung-min said..."

"He said the actor has to serve the role!"

The crunch of pickled radish and cucumber mixed with Jin Dayuan's vague threats:

"If you keep talking back, I'll get you a Black Toothpaste commercial."

“Is there any endorsement fee?”

"..."

The busy tone signaling the end of the call mixed with the sound of running water in the bathroom.

Jiang Zaixun opened Kakao and found himself pulled into a group chat without knowing when.

【Audition Survivor Alliance (3)】

Park Hyung-sik 07:12
【screenshot】

[Although Choi Young-do was not chosen, Jo Myung-soo was chosen! ]

Kang Ha Neul 07:30
【Congratulations, I got Lee Hyo Shin. 】

Park Hyung-sik 07:31
【@Jiang Jae-hoon, what about you? 】

Jiang Zaixun grinned and typed back:

【Yin Canrong.】

As soon as he sent the message, Kakao notification sounds started to ring.

Park Hyung-sik 07:50
[Great! Want to have dinner tonight?]

Kang Ha Neul 07:50
【I'm OK. 】

Park Hyung-sik 07:50
【@Jiang Jae-hoon? 】

Kang Jae-hoon 07:51
I have to go to the beauty salon soon. I don’t know how long it will take.

Park Hyung-sik 07:52
【position】

【Nine o'clock in the evening, then.】

Kang Ha Neul 07:54
【Roadmap】

……

When Kang Jae-hoon pushed open the bedroom door, Lee Sung-kyung was standing on tiptoe to reach the oatmeal in the top cupboard.

The white instep of her feet arched into the curve of a ballet dancer, and her toes made a slight squeaking sound as they rolled on the floor.

"Bible, you look really good today."

Li Jingcheng's wrist suddenly slipped, and half of the oatmeal bag fell out with a "clatter".

Light brown particles rolled down the counter, and three of them bounced onto the edge of Jiang Zaixun's slippers.

"What's wrong with you so early in the morning?"

She squatted down to pick up oatmeal grains, and the strands of hair on the back of her neck brushed across her collarbone as she moved.

When Jiang Jae-hoon squatted down, his knees hit the cabinet door with a dull sound.

"I mean"

Jiang Zaixun picked up the oatmeal on the counter and put it back in the bowl. "Your new yoga pants make your legs look longer."

"Did you pass the audition?"

"how do you know?"

Jiang Jae-hoon asked in surprise.

"Your eye boogers are smiling."

"what?"

Jiang Zaixun wiped his eyes reflexively.

"The right side wasn't wiped clean."

Jiang Zaixun moved closer to the stainless steel basin, and in the distorted reflection, there were indeed spots of secretions stuck to the corner of his right eye.

He turned on the tap and wiped his face.

The moment he lowered his head, the reflection from the edge of the stainless steel basin revealed the slightly raised corners of Lee Sung-kyung's mouth.

Ten o'clock in the morning.

Kang Jae-hoon arrived at the beauty salon on the B1 floor of Cheongdam-dong on time.

This beauty salon is known as the "Back Garden of the Ladies of Cheongdam-dong."

As one of the most worthy projects in Korea to apply for World Heritage status, medical aesthetics has more than 2,000 registered institutions in Seoul.

Among them, Jiangnan District accounts for nearly 60% of the total number of institutions.

When Jiang Jae-hoon pushed open the glass door, the coolness of the marble floor ran up his spine along the soles of his shoes.

The receptionist caught a glimpse of Kim Mi-hye's black card in his hand and instantly bowed ninety degrees:

"Your exclusive consultant is waiting in the VIP room."

The vice president pinched his jaw and turned it left and right. The LED magnifying glass cast an orange spot of light on the sunburned area.
"The stratum corneum is damaged to the fourth degree, and the dermis is covered with melanin. I recommend three sessions of photorejuvenation before cold light treatment."

Jiang Zaixun stared at the price list, which read "120 million won per treatment session." His Adam's apple rolled three times before he managed to utter:
"It's up to you."

"..."

The diffuser emits the scent of lemongrass.

The cold light instrument stopped beeping, and the sunburn marks on Jiang Jae-hoon's face had faded.

Six hours later.

Jiang Zaixun looked carefully at the unfamiliar yet delicate face in the mirror.

His short, choppy chestnut hair was trimmed into a side-parted style, a trendy look from 2013. A faint pink tint remained on his jawline, removed by laser light. Foundation had concealed sun spots as faint moles. Kang Jae-hoon clicked on the front-facing camera, his finger hovering over the shutter button for three seconds before finally snapping a picture with his left cheek at a 45-degree angle, creating what he considered the most "Yun Chan-young" expression.

The moment the photo was automatically saved in the album, Lee Sung-kyung's Kakao dialog box suddenly popped up at the top.

As his fingertips slid across the screen, the preview image he had just taken accidentally touched the [Send] icon.

The transfer progress bar moved faster than a calico cat running down the stairs.

Kang Jae-hoon pressed the Home button in vain - Kakao didn't have an undo function in 2013.

"Ashi."

He turned around twice while holding his hot phone. The aroma of the beauty salon mixed with the cold sweat oozing from his back, forming a strange smell of anxiety in his nostrils.

The nurse reflected in the mirror was packing up the laser equipment.

Jiang Jae-hoon stared at the read words in the dialog box and put his cell phone into his trouser pocket as if he was hiding a tool for committing a crime.

Jin Dayuan pushed the door open, swung his car keys, and asked, "Why is your face even redder than before the phototherapy?"

"It's too hot."

Jin Dayuan looked at the 20 degrees displayed on the air conditioner and was puzzled.

……

The neon lights of the barbecue restaurant lit up in the twilight.

Kang Jae-hoon stuffed the script of "The Heirs" into a canvas bag and got out of the car.

Park Hyung-sik waved through the glass window, his facial features squeezed into an exaggerated expression of surprise.

Jiang Hena put down the lemonade and lingered on the ends of his chestnut hair for three seconds:
"Are you going to the beauty salon or the hair transplant department?"

"This trip cost me two months' salary."

Jiang Jae-hoon grinned, and the skin behind his ear still had the stinging sensation of laser redness fading.

“It’s really worth the money.”

Park Hyung-sik looked at the ends of his chestnut hair and said, "Just now I almost asked, 'Did you go to the wrong table, sir?'"

The waiter handed over the menu and stood aside waiting for the order.

"Want to drink?"

Park Yong-sik turned to the drinks page.

"Are you over 20?"

Kang Jae-hoon handed the menu back to the waiter.

"I?"

Park Yongzhi suddenly put his hands on his face and said, "I understand you are complimenting me on my youthful appearance?"

".How old are you?"

"91 years."

"In 91—"

Kang Ha-neul took out a wet towel and wiped his chopsticks: "According to Korean age, Hyung-sik should use honorifics with us, right?"

Park Yong-sik froze: "You guys..."

"February 1990."

"February 1990."

Jiang Zaixun added: "Call me brother twice and let me hear it."

After a moment of silence, Park Hyung-sik suddenly straightened his back:

"How about counting by debut year? 10 years ago, I was already..."

"I debuted in 06 through a stage play."

After saying that, they both looked at Jiang Jae-hoon.

Jiang Zaixun: “.”

"Use plain language. We've all seen each other roll their eyes during auditions."

"also."

A moment later, a wide variety of dishes were served on the table.

When Kang Ha-neul stuffed the second piece of pork belly into the lettuce wrap, he suddenly turned to look at Kang Jae-hoon:

"I heard that Yoon Chan-young's CP partner is Krystal Jung."

"how do you know?"

Jiang Zaixun's tongs almost pierced the rice cake.

"Park Shin Hye and I are in the same class."

Jiang Hena stuffed the lettuce wrapped in meat into his mouth and said while chewing, "She told me this on Kakao today."

"Oh"

Jiang Zaixun took out his mobile phone from his pocket, and the search bar got stuck as soon as he entered "Zheng Xiu".

The loading icon on the screen spun five times, and a screenshot of the performance stage popped up.

The girl wore a red belly-baring top with high-waisted jeans, and her mermaid line created a marble-like texture under the stage spotlights.

Suddenly, a fragment of the conversation about the "Fangbeidong down payment" came from the next table.

Jiang Zaixun's ears twitched, and his body turned to the right before his brain did.

"That new building's actual plot ratio is 0.2% higher than the brochure, and all the south-facing units are in the sun during the winter..."

A middle-aged couple who were discussing buying a house were stunned, holding their soju.

Park Hyung-sik's barbecue plopped into the sauce dish.

Jiang Hena silently pushed the ice water over:
"It's time to get off work now."

"Ah, sorry."

Jiang Zaixun scratched his newly dyed chestnut hair. "Muscle memory."

……

The kimchi on the baking tray smelled burnt, and Kang Jae-hoon was staring blankly at Krystal Jung on the search page.

Her year of birth was written under the photo of her wearing a baseball cap and without makeup: 1994.

His partner, who was four years younger than him, was winking at him through the screen of his mobile phone amid the argument between the couple at the next table about the "full tax room".

(End of this chapter)