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

Chapter 74 is also my first kiss (Alliance Leader plus 310)

The next day.

The ratings for the sixth episode of "The Heirs" are out.

The production team held meetings as usual.

The projector was on, and the ratings curve for the sixth episode was clearly projected onto the screen.

Average viewership: 13.2% (↓1.1%)

Peak ratings: 16.8% (Kim Tan and Choi Young-do confront each other at a convenience store)

Lowest rating: 11.5% (Cha Eun-sang's campus humiliation segment)

Director Fu Shengzhe spoke first:
"What did I say? As soon as Chanyoung and Bona's roles were reduced, the audience immediately lost interest."

Director Jiang Xinxiao sneered:
"The sixth episode's script itself isn't tight enough. What does that have to do with the characters?"

"Then why did the ratings increase in the fifth episode?"

Fu Shengzhe asked in return:
"It's because Chan-young and Bo-na's interactions are sweet enough that the audience loves to watch it."

On both sides of the conference table, people from the publicity and editing teams lowered their heads and pretended to look through documents. No one dared to interrupt.

Jin Enshu finally turned her attention to two directors:

"According to our previous agreement, if the ratings for episode six hold up, the kissing scene will be between Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang. If they drop—"

She paused and glanced at everyone present.

“—Just give it to Chanyoung and Bona.”

Jiang Xinxiao frowned:
"But the main storyline is between Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang after all. No matter how popular the supporting characters' love story is, it can't overshadow the main plot."

"The audience is the 'master'."

Fu Shengzhe refused to give in:
"Currently, Chanyoung and Bona account for 62% of online discussions, while the male and female protagonists only account for 28%."

The publicity and promotion team immediately checked the real-time SNS topic list——

#When will Chanyoung Bona kiss# (hot)

#The Heirs ratings plummet# (new)

#Kim Tan Cha Eun Sang is so boring# (new)

The comment section exploded:

[I fast-forwarded to the episode without Chanyoung and Bona]

[The plot of Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang is so clichéd...]

[The chemistry between Chan-young and Bo-na is amazing, please write more about it! ]

【…】

Jiang Xinxiao's face looked extremely ugly:
"Do we have to mess up the script just to please the audience?"

“Aren’t commercial dramas just about pleasing the audience?”

Fu Shengzhe scoffed, "Who else would we film this for? The Berlin Film Festival judges?"

Kim Eun-sook raised her hand to stop the quarrel that was about to escalate.

"No one said that there's only one couple kissing in eight episodes, right?"

"what do you mean?"

"The first half of the episode is dedicated to Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang's kissing scene, and the ending - the rooftop, the starry sky, and Chanyoung and Bona's first kiss."

Fu Shengzhe's eyes lit up: "Keep the audience in suspense until the end?"

"Don't the audience just love to watch Bo Na and Chan Young?"

Kim Eun-sook chuckled:
"Then let them wait until the last minute."

After saying that, she turned to look at Director Jiang Xinxiao: "What do you think?"

His tense expression finally relaxed: "It's acceptable."

The head of the publicity team suddenly raised his hand:
"Writer-nim, how do you edit the trailer? Do you want to include a kissing scene?"

Jin Enshu raised the corner of her mouth:
"Only Kim Tan Eun Sang's scenes will be shown. As for Bo Na Chan Young's kissing scenes——"

"—as a surprise Easter egg."

Fu Shengzhe took over and the two smiled at each other.

The production meeting is over.

A young intern from the publicity team secretly sent a message in the Kakao group:
[Breaking news! Chanyoung and Bona's rooftop kissing scene is confirmed!]

More than a dozen replies instantly popped up in the group:
【real or fake? ! 】

[Rooftop! Is this the rooftop where you can watch the stars?]

【Ahhh, I want to be an extra! 】

……

In the green room.

Krystal Jung sat in front of the makeup mirror, staring at her phone screen in a daze - the message she sent to Kang Jae-hoon was still unread.

(This Prabhu...)
She poked the screen hard, as if she could poke someone in the head through the phone.

"Wow~ This resentment is almost materializing."

Jin Zhiyuan suddenly appeared from behind and snatched her phone away:
"Let me see who made our Bo Na angry—oh? Teacher Jiang?"

"Give it back!"

Krystal jumped up to grab it, but Kim Ji-won dodged nimbly, her fingers quickly scrolling through the chat history.

"I sent 'good night' last night but got no reply. I sent 'have you arrived at the set yet' this morning but got no reply either..."

She raised her eyebrows and looked at Zheng Xiujing:
"Didn't you two kiss last night? How come you're strangers after waking up?"

"Who, who kissed!"

Zheng Xiujing's ears instantly turned red: "That was an accident!"

"Okay, okay, it was an accident. Did he say anything afterwards?"

"Weren't you there the whole time?"

"what……"

Kim Ji-won thought thoughtfully: "So you are angry that he didn't express his opinion?" "No, I didn't!"

Krystal immediately retorted, but her voice became smaller and smaller:
"...I just feel like I should at least say something."

Jin Zhiyuan stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly moved closer:

"Actually, I think he's interested in you, too."

"?"

"Look—"

Kim Ji-won counts on her fingers:
"First, he kept glancing at you last night. Second, when we were playing the King's Game and Truth or Dare, he refused firmly and we couldn't force him. Third..."

She lowered her voice mysteriously:

"Lee Sung-kyung didn't kiss him."

Zheng Xiujing was stunned: "...What kind of reason is this?"

"intuition!"

Kim Ji-won swore confidently: "If it were me, I would just go for it. What's the big deal about flicking the forehead? Playing hard to get? It's obviously trying to avoid suspicion!"

"……etc."

Krystal blinked and said, "It's your turn... to go straight in?"

"Ah? No, listen to the key point!!!"

Jin Zhiyuan held her forehead and sighed.

Krystal was skeptical: "...Really?"

"Of course!"

Jin Zhiyuan patted her shoulder: "And I heard--"

She looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then whispered:

"Today we're going to film a kissing scene between you and Teacher Jiang."

"?!"

Krystal choked on her own saliva. "W-What? Isn't it next week?"

"The script has just been revised. Rooftop, starry sky, first kiss...so romantic~"

Kim Ji-won smirked:
"How's it going? Are you feeling better now?"

"Who, who cares!"

Krystal grabbed the script to cover her face, her voice muffled: "...It's just work anyway."

"nervous?"

"No!"

"Then why are you shaking?"

Jin Zhiyuan poked her trembling calf and laughed like a devil:
"Are you... imagining kissing Kang Jae-hoon? Didn't you kiss well last night?"

"Kim Ji-won!"

Krystal rushed over and strangled her, and the two of them started a fight.

The door of the locker room was suddenly pushed open——

"that……"

Jiang Zaixun stood at the door, holding two glasses of iced American coffee in his hands, looking blankly at the two people rolling on the sofa:

"Am I...interrupting?"

Krystal jumped away instantly and frantically fixed her hair:

"No, no!"

Jin Zhiyuan slowly sat up and took the coffee:
"Thank you~"

She winked at Krystal and mouthed silently:

"——The opportunity has come."

Then he waved his hand casually: "I'm leaving, you guys chat slowly~"

After the door closed, the locker room was eerily quiet.

Jiang Zaixun scratched his head:
"That...last night..."

"Nothing happened last night!"

Krystal answered quickly, her voice an octave higher than usual.

"what?"

Jiang Zaixun was stunned: "I meant that my phone ran out of battery last night and I didn't see your message..."

"..."

Krystal froze.

(…So this is what you mean?)

(What am I thinking!)
She couldn't wait to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

Jiang Zaixun carefully handed over the coffee:
"for you."

Krystal took it and drank her coffee silently.

A moment of silence.

Jiang Zaixun suddenly spoke:
"correct……"

"Ok?"

Krystal looked up.

He showed a silly smile:

"That last night...was also my first kiss."

After saying that, he immediately turned around and walked out of the lounge, leaving Krystal standing there frozen.

(…This Pabu!)

(Who asked you?)
(End of this chapter)