Peninsula: Starting with the nation's first love, the white moonlight

The lights in the karaoke room were dim.

Lee Ji-eun stood in front of the sofa, with two close friends standing beside her for support, looking down at Lee Lu-ran.

What does it mean to have the aura of a queen? This is exactly what Ji-eun is showing right now!

Any man would probably be overwhelmed by such a situation.

Bae Suzy crossed her arms, squinted slightly, and quietly observed from the side.

This is exactly the effect she wanted.

Lee Ji-eun lost her temper due to jealousy and rushed to the front like a shrew to question him.

Then, she steps in to help him out at the crucial moment, naturally gaining him some goodwill. This tactic of using someone else to do the dirty work while simultaneously playing the hero to save the damsel in distress is simply perfect!

"Unnie, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and ask her questions!" Suzy urged silently in her heart, already impatient to see the show.

However, after a brief moment of surprise, Li Luran quickly calmed down.

He quickly reviewed the entire evening in his mind. He was just there to make up the numbers. He hadn't taken the initiative to chat with anyone or left his contact information. He was completely open and honest. What was there to hide?

Once he understood this, his confidence instantly returned.

He looked up at the sulking Lee Ji-eun, and instead of backing down, he pressed forward:

"Explanation? What do I need to explain?"

Li Luran spread his hands, looking completely at ease. "Didn't I make that very clear to you before?"

I was dragged along by a friend to make up the numbers, and I've been sitting in the corner eating the whole time, barely saying a word to anyone. What did I do wrong?

Ji-eun was stunned by his question.

Just now at the izakaya, seeing Li Luran so close to that pretty female college student, she was so angry that she put herself in the shoes of the wife who was catching her husband cheating.

But the truth is, she and Li Luran haven't even started a romantic relationship yet!

It's perfectly reasonable for single male college students to attend school social events, and they even reported it in advance.

On what grounds is she now interrogating me?

"Um...this..."

The nation's little sister, who had just been so assertive, was now so embarrassed that her toes were curled up. In the end, it was Park Jiyeon who came to her rescue.

"Um... Ji-eun, and Soo-ji too."

Jiyeon pointed to Li Luran on the sofa, "Can I ask what's going on here? Who is this handsome guy?"

Ji-eun, as if grasping at a straw, hurriedly introduced him to Park Ji-yeon: "His name is Lee Lu-ran. He's a planner at our company, and also... my good friend."

Then, she turned to Li Luran and introduced him: "Luran, this is...."

"Ji-eun, don't say anything."

Park Jiyeon suddenly raised her hand to interrupt her.

She took a step forward, getting closer to Li Luran, "Li Luran-xi, you don't... really not recognize me, do you?"

The moment Park Jiyeon stepped forward, a faint scent of perfume wafted over.

It must be admitted that she is indeed very beautiful. Her face is cool and aloof, her eyebrows and eyes are exquisite, and her large eyes are particularly distinctive.

Moreover, those who can hang out with Lee Ji-eun and Bae Suzy must also be female celebrities.

But he really couldn't recognize her face!

Lee Luran smiled awkwardly, "Um... I'm really sorry. I'm not really familiar with the entertainment industry on the peninsula. Among the female celebrities here, I only know IU and Suzy."

"What?"

Park Jiyeon took two steps back, hardly believing her ears.

A young male college student who doesn't follow girl groups at all? Doesn't even recognize the visual member of T-ara?

This person is practically a rare national treasure!

Bae Suzy chuckled softly and tugged at Park Jiyeon's sleeve.

"Ji-yeon, don't be too upset. He's an international student from China, and he hasn't been in the peninsula for long. It's perfectly normal that he doesn't know you yet."

However, Jiyeon's inexplicable competitive spirit was aroused by her words.

"Since he's just arrived in the peninsula, he doesn't even know me."

Jiyeon turned her head, her gaze shifting back and forth between Lee Luran and Bae Suzy. "Then why does he only recognize you? Suzy, have you two met before?"

"No!" Li Luran and Bae Suzy denied it almost in unison.

As soon as they finished speaking, the two glanced at each other in perfect unison before quickly looking away.

Seeing the two reacting so excitedly, Lee Ji-eun's previously suppressed suspicions resurfaced.

"My intuition was right!" she gritted her teeth to herself. "There's definitely something fishy going on between those two!"

"Well, I met Suzy-ssi just a couple of days ago at the hospital, that's how we got to know each other."

Li Luran hurriedly added, "Ji-eun was there too, right?" Li Luran glanced at Li Zhi-eun, but Zhi-eun turned her head away haughtily, showing no intention of testifying for him.

"Hospital?"

Her gossip-loving nature ignited instantly. "How come you two met at the hospital? Could it be?"

"Alright, alright!"

Seeing that Jiyeon's questions were getting deeper and deeper, Bae Suzy quickly interrupted her.

"Why is our beautiful Park Jiyeon asking so many questions today?"

Suzy put her arm around Jiyeon's shoulder and said sourly, "This Lee Luran is the staff member who helped IU unnie fend off sasaeng fans at the fan signing event a few days ago. And he's also the male lead in unnie's new song MV!"

Although the words were tinged with bitterness, they did help explain why Li Luran was in the hospital.

"Ah! So it was you!!"

Park Jiyeon suddenly realized, "No wonder you looked familiar! I've seen that photo of you in the news several times; it's so beautifully taken!"

Watching Suzy and Jiyeon chattering away, constantly circling around Lee Luran, Ji-eun felt completely numb.

She was now filled with deep regret. Tonight, she went to great lengths to stage this "catching someone in the act" drama, intending to extinguish the hopes of those female college students outside and, incidentally, warn Li Luran.

Now it seems like she's recommending this man to her best friends! It's like letting a wolf into the house!

"Ugh, this is so annoying!"

Lee Ji-eun became increasingly frustrated and decided to ignore the three people chatting animatedly.

She walked to the karaoke machine, grabbed the microphone, and played the accompaniment.

"Hey you two, why aren't you singing in this karaoke room? What are you doing, just circling around this guy? Start singing!"

Lee Ji-eun requested and sang Baek Ji-young's "Like Being Shot".

This is a very classic sad love song. Under the unique voice of Ji-eun, the song has a touch of girlish melancholy.

Especially when she was singing, her eyes would frequently glance at Li Luran, creating an incredibly infectious atmosphere.

After she finished singing, her eyes were slightly red.

Li Luran walked to her side and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

Lee Ji-eun rubbed her eyes. "It's nothing, it's just that I haven't sung so freely in a long time."

But after Park Jiyeon took the microphone, her demeanor changed drastically.

She sang T-ara's hit song "Roly-Poly," which swept across the entire peninsula this year.

As soon as the accompaniment started, Park Jiyeon immediately switched to idol mode, singing and dancing, effortlessly turning the karaoke room into a live stage.

Li Luran sighed silently, never expecting that this aloof girl could unleash such high energy.

Finally, it was Bae Suzy's turn.

When the song title appeared on the screen, everyone present was stunned for a moment.

She actually requested the song "Nagging"!

Lee Ji-eun looked at Soo-ji with a strange expression, feeling that something was not quite right.

Suzy held the microphone, her voice sweet and clear. Unlike the girl's playfulness in the original version, she rendered the song in a more soothing way.

The song carried a hint of ambiguity, mixed with a touch of coquetry.

Time seemed to have returned to that summer half a year ago, when the two of them would tell each other about the trivialities and nagging in their lives on time, until they said goodnight to each other late at night, day after day.

That innocent first love once captivated him, leaving him unable to extricate himself.

As the song ended, tears welled up in Suzy's eyes. She slowly walked to the sofa, and their eyes met in a tacit understanding.

She looked into his eyes and smiled sweetly.

"It's your turn, Li Luran."