Peninsula: A Max-Level Forward's Leisurely Life

As soon as the car stopped, Lee Ji-eun got out first, followed by Choi Sulli. She walked briskly for a while, but slowed down when she entered the house, still clutching her phone. The newly saved number on the screen lit up several times along the way.

Lee Ji-eun glanced back at her, and as soon as the door closed, she laughed and teased her.

"Alright, stop pretending, you're totally obsessed with the bar."

Sulli originally planned to take a shower first, then pretend nothing had happened and go back to her room to sleep. But she was struck by those words and ran to Lee Ji-eun without even changing her shoes properly, looking at her expectantly.

"I know I'm grateful."

"Stop." Lee Ji-eun raised her hand and pinched her cheek. It felt incredibly soft. "The way you look right now, you're obviously up to no good. No, you're just hiding something."

Choi Sulli slapped her hand away, but wasn't angry. Instead, she took her arm and swayed it.

"Tell me quickly, what exactly did you two talk about?"

"Let me catch my breath first."

"No, I want to know now."

Lee Ji-eun was pulled to sit on the sofa by her. She leaned back lazily and deliberately delayed for two seconds before slowly speaking.

"Let me tell you something you'll like to hear first: he's never been in a relationship."

Upon hearing this, Choi Sulli's eyes lit up immediately.

"real?"

"real."

Not even once?

Strictly speaking, I've never been in a relationship.

Sulli couldn't help herself and clenched her fist, waving it twice on the spot. She couldn't suppress her smile, and her whole body was practically bursting with joy. The reluctance she felt in the car just now turned into bright happiness.

"Wow, amazing!"

"Don't get too worked up."

Lee Ji-eun silenced her with a single sentence, her tone leisurely and her face carrying amusement: "Just because he hasn't dated anyone before doesn't mean he necessarily likes you now."

Sulli's smile froze halfway.

Lee Ji-eun picked up her water glass, took a sip, and then added insult to injury.

"Also, don't just be happy. When I was talking to him, I glanced at him and realized that his family is not ordinary. The way he speaks, the things he carries, and even the way he looks at people are not like those of an ordinary family."

Choi Sulli paused, her eyes flickering.

"How did you figure that out?"

"I'm not stupid."

Lee Ji-eun looked up at her and said, "An ordinary man wouldn't be so meticulous about boundaries and manners, nor would he open a private bar in a place that doesn't look cheap, and he certainly wouldn't be completely unfazed by your situation."

Choi Sulli gradually calmed down.

The initial surge of joy was doused with a spoonful of cold water; it didn't chill him to the bone, but it also made him unable to laugh foolishly anymore.

She sat down to one side, hugging a cushion, her hands fidgeting with the edges, her lips pursed.

"Too."

"What is it too?"

"I don't even know if he likes me or not."

As she said this, her shoulders slumped. "Besides, I don't even know anything about his family situation. What if his parents don't like people in the entertainment industry to begin with? What if they dislike a female celebrity like me with a messy reputation even more?"

Choi Sulli lowered her eyes, and her face, which had been bright just moments before, suddenly turned bitter.

She had thought about these things before, but she was so caught up in the ambiguity and closeness that she was overwhelmed. Now that Lee Ji-eun had brought it up, reality hit her hard, making her feel suffocated.

She sat on the sofa, her long hair hanging down, looking completely dejected.

They look really pitiful.

Lee Ji-eun only meant to tease her and tap her head, which was about to fly away, but who knew that the peach would really wilt, like a flower that had just been watered and then dried in the sun.

She almost couldn't hold back her laughter. "Oh."

"what?"

"If you keep acting like this, people will think I just told you you broke up with your boyfriend."

Choi Sulli looked up at her, her eyes filled with a melancholy.

"I haven't even fallen in love yet."

Lee Ji-eun finally couldn't help but burst out laughing and lightly flicked her forehead.

"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, half of what I said just now was meant to scare you."

Choi Sulli blinked and slowly sat up straight again.

Seeing her reaction, Lee Ji-eun wanted to laugh more and more, but she could only suppress her laughter and continue talking.

"I can tell he likes you. That kind of person doesn't say it out loud, but your eyes and your attitude don't lie."

"real?"

"real."

"Don't lie to me."

Why would I lie to you?

Lee Ji-eun reached out and snatched the cushion from her arms, hugging it to her lap. Her tone became more serious as she said, "He's not the kind of person who's friendly to everyone. Instead, he's like someone who's usually hard to approach, but he's left the door open for you."

The tightness in Choi Sulli's chest dissipated considerably, and even her eyelashes fluttered.

Lee Ji-eun added.

"I just deliberately brought up whether he treats everyone like this, and he didn't directly avoid the question, but the meaning was clear: you are special."

"And the fact that he didn't rush to define your relationship is actually a good thing."

Why?

"Because this proves that he wasn't just playing around."

After saying that, Choi Sulli fell silent.

She bit her lip, her face flushed, but her heart was beating faster and faster, so fast that even her ears felt hot. Only one sentence kept repeating in her mind: You are special.

Seeing her like this, Lee Ji-eun knew that the time was almost right, so she leaned forward and lowered her voice.

"So the question now isn't whether he's interested in you or not."

"What is that?"

"Are you planning to keep waiting, or will you take the initiative and make the move?"

Choi Sulli's eyes widened suddenly. "Me, take the initiative?"

"Otherwise what?"

Lee Ji-eun said matter-of-factly, "You expect that kind of man who looks calm and collected to suddenly rush up to you one day and say, 'Choi Sulli, I like you, let's date!'"

Choi Sulli put herself in that situation for a moment and then shivered.

"How strange."

"Right, so you have to give him a push."

"But how can I push it?"

"Create opportunities and take the initiative."

When Lee Ji-eun said this, her eyes were very bright, and she had clearly entered strategist mode. "Don't always wait for him to take care of you, to coax you, and to back you up. You also need to make it clear to him that you are getting close to him."

Sulli's ears burned even hotter.

"This is way too obvious."

"When it comes to love, if it's not obvious, do you need to write a report?"

"Oh, Lee Ji-eun."

"Don't be shy, let me finish."

Lee Ji-eun counted on her fingers, listing them one by one for her.

"First, contact him more often, but don't just say you're bored and want to go out with me. You need to involve him in your life after you go back."

"Second, occasionally show weakness, but not by feigning helplessness; give him the opportunity to continue standing on your side."

"Third, and most importantly, don't keep lingering on the edge of ambiguity. Respond when you need to, be jealous when you need to, and be a little clingy when you need to."

Choi Sulli's face grew increasingly red as she listened, and she hugged her knees and shrank further into the sofa.

"You're not giving me advice, you're telling me to just charge into battle."

"Love always requires someone to step in."

Lee Ji-eun raised her chin, "Besides, if you don't act now, someone else will stand by his side later, and you'll have nowhere to cry."

This is more effective than anything before.

Choi Sulli was initially incredibly embarrassed, but then a picture popped into her mind: Lee Ji-hoon was still standing in that warm-lit bar, head down, mixing drinks for others, walking with them, wiping their sweat, and looking at other women with the same look he had when he looked at her.

Just thinking about it made her feel uncomfortable.

My chest feels tight and uncomfortable.

She didn't want to, she absolutely didn't want to.

Seeing her expression change little by little, Lee Ji-eun realized that this peach had finally been provoked, so she added the final push.

"You know yourself, he's very talented."

"Her face, figure, personality, upbringing, and sense of propriety—any one of these qualities is enough to attract people."

"If you don't make a move on this kind of man, there are plenty of others lining up to do so."

Choi Sulli pursed her lips and remained silent.

Lee Ji-eun didn't urge her, but just hugged the pillow and looked at her.

The room was quiet for a while, with only the gentle sound of the air conditioner blowing.

After a long while, Choi Sulli finally spoke in a low voice.

"But I've never actively pursued anyone before."

"Then let's learn now."

"What if I mess it up?"

"We'll deal with it if we mess it up."

"What if he thinks I'm too forward? That would be strange."

"If you keep dawdling like this, he'll really get kidnapped by someone else."

As soon as she finished speaking, Choi Sulli looked up.

Lee Ji-eun suppressed a laugh and continued to maintain a serious demeanor.

"I can tell you in advance that someone with his qualifications has no shortage of people around him."

"You just left today, and tomorrow a new, pretty woman might come into the bar, sit in your usual spot, drink his cocktails, and listen to him talk."

"Let's have another one the day after tomorrow."

"One more the day after tomorrow."

"Do you think he might also go out with someone to relax?"

"Hey, stop talking."

Choi Sulli sat up straight, her brows furrowed, and the cushion in her hand was squeezed out of shape. The embarrassment on her face was still there, but her eyes had already shown her resentment.

"I don't want to."

"Don't want what?"

"Don't let anyone stand next to him."

She paused for a moment after saying that.

Lee Ji-eun raised an eyebrow and then smiled.

"Okay, the answer is out."

This time, Sulli didn't refute it.

Her ears were burning hot, but she felt calm.

Yes.

She's already come this far.

These past few days, whether she was making a fuss, laughing, being disliked by him, or being protected by him, she knew every single second that she didn't want to back down anymore.

He was so good to her that she couldn't bear to let go.

And Lee Ji-eun is right, with someone like that right there, why should she just stand there and watch?

Fighting won't hurt you.

Thinking of this, Choi Sulli slowly took a breath, the blush on her face hadn't faded, but her gaze gradually calmed down.

She placed the cushion aside, raised her hand, and patted her face, as if to encourage herself.

"it is good."

Lee Ji-eun smiled and looked at her, "Have you figured it out?"

"Um."

"Are you really going to do it?"

Choi Sulli bit her lip, her eyes showing both shyness and a willingness to go all out.

"I'll give it a try."

"That's more like it."

"Anyway, I don't want to stand by and watch him be nice to other people in the future."

As she spoke, her voice grew more and more resolute. Although her cheeks were still flushed, the hesitation had dissipated. "If I do nothing, that's when I'll truly regret it."

Lee Ji-eun nodded in satisfaction and held up her fist. "Come on."

Choi Sulli looked at it, then stretched out her fist and gently touched it.

"Wait for my good news."

"That's well said."

"But don't laugh at me. If anything happens later, you'll have to continue helping me."

"Nonsense, who else would I help if not you?"

Sulli finally smiled; it was a smile that came from a sense of relief, a smile that made her feel lighter.

Lee Ji-eun looked at her and smiled too.

It was already very late at night, but the lights of Seoul were still on outside the window, and cars were rushing by on the road like an endless tide.

The room was quite warm, though.

The two girls nestled on the sofa, one looking like she'd just been injected with adrenaline, the other like a strategist who'd successfully led someone into battle. They laughed and then huddled together to fill in the details, even discussing whether they should send a message first tomorrow, what tone to use, and how to naturally arrange the next meeting.

Finally, Lee Ji-eun yawned from exhaustion and waved her hand.

"Alright, that's enough for today."

"If we keep talking, it'll be dawn soon."

Choi Sulli stood up, clutching a pillow, and turned back as she reached the doorway.

"I know I'm grateful."

"Um?"

"Thanks."

Lee Ji-eun clicked her tongue. "Stop being so mushy, go to sleep. You have a tough battle ahead of you tomorrow."

This time, Choi Sulli didn't argue back. She just smiled with her eyes crinkled and turned to go back to her room.

After the door closed, she leaned against it for a while, looking down at her phone. Her hand gently traced the name, and her heart skipped a beat.

Lee Chi-hoon.

She read it aloud to herself, and her eyes slowly brightened.

Starting tomorrow, she needs to be more serious.