Peninsula: A Max-Level Forward's Leisurely Life

The dial tone of the phone being hung up completely disappeared.

Choi Sulli casually tossed her phone onto the large sofa, and instantly came back to life like a sponge that had been rehydrated.

The oppressive atmosphere that had been threatening depression dissipated completely in this bar where there were no outsiders to disturb us.

She regained the unique vibrancy that belongs to a twenty-year-old girl.

Lee Chi-hoon leaned against the bar, still fiddling with the empty classic glass.

It's still so early today, we can't just sit here in the bar staring at each other aimlessly, can we? (Hmm, Sulli's big eyes are way better than Lee Ji-hoon's.)

He watched as the girl opposite him, who had been quiet, began to fidget on the sofa, her beautiful peach blossom eyes darting around restlessly.

As a cunning old fox who had spent his previous life navigating the world of fame and fortune, he was all too familiar with that look.

This is clearly a sign that a bellyful of bad intentions is brewing.

"Get rid of all those messy thoughts in your head."

Li Chixun spoke without any politeness, directly interrupting her spellcasting animation.

"Whatever you want to do now, it's best to nip that idea in the bud."

Choi Sulli's nascent plan was ruthlessly interrupted, and she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

She pouted defiantly, cupped her cheeks in her hands, and clasped her wrists together, striking a perfect flower pose.

"What? Oppa, how could you say that to me?"

She deliberately dragged out her tone, her voice so sweet it was almost cloying.

"I was being very well-behaved, I didn't have any bad ideas~ (o^^o)"

This gesture is known as the classic "flower-holding" aegyo (cute/coquettish gesture) in the Korean entertainment industry.

Normally, this is a standard action for girl group members when they are in front of the camera.

But at this moment, Choi Sulli's performance was not at all pretentious; on the contrary, it was a natural charm and innocence.

Lee Chi-hoon paused slightly in the cup he was holding.

In that instant, he clearly felt something throbbing uncontrollably within his young and vigorous body.

It's like taking a sudden sip of strong single malt whiskey, and a surge of heat immediately rises in your chest.

His composure, honed by countless women in his past life, almost crumbled before this move.

He cursed himself inwardly.

The soul, having lived two lives, was ultimately affected by this twenty-year-old body overflowing with hormones, and almost couldn't withstand even this meager cultivation.

If this got back to Wall Street, this top trader who always maintains his rationality would probably be laughed at.

He forcefully suppressed that slight flutter of his heart, his expression unchanged, his eyes even becoming more discerning.

"Your flower looks like it's about to mold in Seoul's torrential rains."

Lee Chi-hoon launched into a tirade without holding back.

"And the way you did this with panda eyes from crying yesterday really makes you look like some kind of endangered aquatic animal trying to deceive its prey with its appearance."

Choi Sulli clearly didn't want to hear his unpleasant and harsh comments.

She jumped off the sofa, without even putting on slippers, and ran barefoot to the bar.

She leaned forward, gripping the edge of the wooden bar with both hands, and pouted her lips.

"Please, Oppa~"

Her voice was incredibly soft and sweet, like a piece of cotton candy that was about to melt.

"We've got so much time to spare all day, we can't just sit in the bar staring at these empty bottles."

Faced with this close-range combined physical and magical attack, Li Jixun's originally unbreakable mental defenses collapsed without any restraint.

He sighed helplessly and nodded.

"This is a one-time exception; there will be no next time."

Sulli immediately cheered, jumped up and down happily, and raised her hands above her head to make a huge victory sign.

"So, where exactly do you want to go, you popular idol who's constantly being torn apart by haters?"

Lee Chi-hoon took a clean glass-wiping cloth from the wine rack and slowly wiped the water stains off his hands.

"I want to eat instant noodles by the Han River!"

Choi Sulli's eyes sparkled as she excitedly counted on her fingers.

"I still want to play video games, and I also want to eat stir-fried rice cakes from a roadside stall."

She became more and more excited as she spoke, like a canary that had been caged for too long seeing a glimmer of freedom.

"Since my debut, I have never eaten at a roadside stall. The company is very strict, and my manager is always with me."

Lee Chi-hoon stopped what he was doing and touched his smooth chin.

Going to play video games and eat instant noodles is an ordinary thing for most girls.

But for Choi Sulli right now, this is a high-risk gamble.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with this kind of trip.

With him by her side, and the chaebol's security team on standby at all times, protecting a female star would be a piece of cake.

The problem lies in the pervasive influence of online public opinion.

"The idea is good, but it's a little naive." Li Chixun's tone carried a hint of seriousness.

"The controversy surrounding you online hasn't died down yet; those haters and paparazzi are still looking for trouble for you everywhere."

He looked into the girl's eyes and asked the question very seriously.

"If they catch you out strolling around during a time of intense public scrutiny, you know what you'll face, right?"

Sulli's face, which had been beaming with excitement, froze instantly.

A deep sense of fear and loss flashed in his eyes.

That was a post-traumatic stress disorder left by long-term cyberbullying and public opinion oppression.

But she quickly masked these negative emotions.

Choi Sulli forced a slight smirk and waved her hand dismissively.

"It's okay, I'll just wear a mask and hat and cover myself up completely."

Her voice grew softer and softer, eventually even sounding hesitant.

"If all else fails... then we'll just stay at the bar."

She looked down at her toes again. "Actually, it's quite comfortable here. It's okay if I don't go out."

Lee Chi-hoon looked at her quietly.

His extensive experience in judging people from his past life allowed him to easily see through the girl's hypocritical pretense.

The little guy clearly cares about it a lot.

The longing for the freedom of the outside world was practically overflowing from his listless eyes; it was as if he had "I want to go out and play" written all over his forehead.

This kind of cautious compromise is infuriating for no apparent reason.

"Alright."

Lee Chi-hoon pursed his lips and casually tossed the cup-wiping cloth in his hand onto the bar counter.

He turned and walked toward the stairs leading to the second floor, his tone returning to its nonchalant manner.

"For the sake of that alien breakfast you had this morning, I'll risk my life to keep you company today."

He stopped when he reached the top of the stairs.

He glanced back at the girl who was still standing there, deliberately lowered his voice, and gave her a sly, mischievous smile.

"But we have to agree on this first: if the paparazzi really spot us, I'll have to run first."

"I hate trouble the most, and I don't want to be on tomorrow's entertainment headlines with you."

Hearing this obvious joke, Choi Sulli's previously dim eyes lit up again.

She couldn't help but burst out laughing; the gloom she had felt earlier was swept away by those words.

"Oppa, you're so disloyal!"

She waved her fist at Li Chixun's retreating figure, her tone full of charming complaint.

"You actually thought of abandoning me and running away? Are you even a man?!"

"Whether someone is a man or not is not something that can be easily proven."

Without turning his head, Li Chixun uttered a shameless remark and slowly went upstairs.

"You have ten minutes to disguise yourself as a human. I'll be waiting for you on the first floor."

Ten minutes later.

Lee Ji-hoon changed into a black hooded sweatshirt without any logos, and wore loose dark gray sweatpants.

His hat was pulled up, hiding most of his face in shadow, obscuring his highly recognizable mixed-race features.

He stood at the doorway, watching Choi Sulli walk down the stairs.

This girl has taken disguise to the extreme.

He was wearing a black baseball cap with the brim pulled very low.

His face was covered by a large black medical mask, which almost completely obscured his facial features.

She wore a long, dark trench coat that completely obscured her figure, making her look like a female foreign thief preparing to rob a bank.

"Are you sure you won't get arrested by the Seoul police for being a terrorist if you walk down the street dressed like that?"

Li Chixun looked at her exaggerated outfit and shook his head speechlessly.

"Hey, just to be safe, let's not dawdle!"

Sulli made a muffled sound from inside her mask and quickly walked to the door.

She couldn't wait any longer and reached out to press the door lock switch.

The oak door slowly opened outwards.

The cool breeze of early autumn, carrying with it the vibrant atmosphere of Seoul in the evening, instantly filled this quiet bar.

Lee Chi-hoon, with his hands in his hoodie pockets, followed her out the door.