Peninsula: Starting with Hijacking Yoona

11, Hyeri

After looking through all the photos circulating online, Bae Joo-hyun quietly put her phone away, having roughly understood the situation.

It seems that some fans posted photos of themselves with Lee Kyung-sung online, which unexpectedly went viral.

But she wasn't surprised at all. Even after seeing him up close, she had to admit that Lee Kyung-sung, even without makeup, had features and charisma that could easily surpass many male celebrities in the industry, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he deserved to be number one on Korea's most handsome list. His skin was clean and smooth, a completely untouched natural bone structure, without a trace of artificial enhancement.

Debut...?

These two words were like a fine needle, gently pricking Bae Joo-hyun's heart, making her breath catch in her throat. Her heart sank suddenly, and an indescribable bitterness mixed with anxiety, like cotton wool soaked in cold water, silently crept up, entwining and wrapping around her, almost making it hard for her to breathe.

She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, concealing the unease surging within. Yoona, only a year older than her, already stood at the pinnacle of girl groups, the spotlight following her, the cheers of fans echoing around her—a national idol admired by all. And what about herself? Just one of the many trainees at SM Entertainment, repeating the same monotonous singing and dancing training day after day, giving it her all, yet unable to even receive a clear signal of her debut.

Perhaps the company really is planning the next girl group? She occasionally overheard snippets of conversation among her fellow trainees, but what did it matter? The candidate list kept changing, and the auditions became increasingly rigorous. She didn't know if she would be selected, or even if there was a place for her in that plan.

Unconsciously, she clenched the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning slightly white. When Girls' Generation debuted, Kim Tae-yeon was only eighteen, and Im Yoon-a was only seventeen; even f(x), the oldest member at their debut was only sixteen, all of them vibrant and dazzling at that age. But she was already twenty-one this year, which was definitely considered old in the trainee circle.

She understood the rules of girl groups: youth was the most precious asset, its bloom as fleeting as a bubble. Trainees around her came and went; some couldn't endure it and gave up, some were eliminated by the company, and some were lucky enough to debut at a young age. Only she remained in this endless wait, slowly wasting her youth and confidence.

Sometimes she would doubt herself, wondering if she wasn't good enough, if she was too old, or if... she would never have the chance to stand on that dream stage in her life?

Anxiety grew wildly in her heart like vines, making her chest feel suffocated. She was terrified that even if she gave it her all, she would only be able to watch others debut, watching her own dreams be slowly worn down by the long wait.

Li Jingcheng, supporting her, quickly noticed something was wrong with the person in his arms. Her body stiffened slightly, her breathing became erratic, and her cheeks, which had been slightly flushed, gradually sank. She leaned against him listlessly, exuding an indescribable sense of dejection.

His heart tightened at first, and he secretly wondered if his words had been too ambiguous. But then he thought again and dismissed the idea. If he really resisted, he would have gently broken free long ago, instead of quietly relying on him like this.

After a moment's thought, he roughly understood that it was probably because the topic of trainees and debut had touched on her sensitive feelings.

A little regretful that he shouldn't have mentioned it, he should have praised something else instead. He could only subtly steady his arm so that she could lean against him more comfortably, and said in a soft and gentle voice, "Don't think too much about it."

Bae Joo-hyun paused slightly, then gently raised her eyes to look at him.

Looking at the lingering unease in her eyes, Li Jingcheng spoke sincerely and calmly, his mind racing to make an appointment, "Although this is the first time we've met, you're currently experiencing low blood sugar, yet you're still thinking about your monthly check-up and controlling your weight. With this kind of tenacity and self-discipline, your debut is only a matter of time."

He paused, his gaze softening as he looked at her, his tone carrying a hint of confident admiration. "Although I've only just returned to the country and don't know much about girl group standards, I can at least tell that you've already met the requirements for debut. All you need is a formal plan from the company. When you finally stand on the stage, you'll definitely shine like Yoona did when she debuted, becoming the focus of everyone's attention."

This statement was made with great confidence. Big Head (Bae Joo-hyun) will normally debut eventually. Even if the world changes, Lee Kyung-sung, with his system, can easily sign Bae Joo-hyun and mentor her. That's the basis of his confidence.

Bae Joo-hyun stared at him, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. If these words had come from anyone else, she might have taken them as mere polite comfort, but coming from this man who was clearly a stranger yet had taken care of her all along, they inexplicably carried a certain power that made them believable.

Her taut heartstrings seemed to be gently plucked, and the anxiety and unease that had accumulated in her heart quietly dissipated somewhat in his gentle tone. A slight tingling sensation rose in her nose, but she forced it back down, simply lowering her head slightly, her voice soft yet earnest, "Thank you."

It seems the favorability rating has stabilized.

Li Jingcheng nodded in satisfaction, but when he looked back, he found that the female shop assistant had picked up her phone and started filming a video at some point. Why didn't she react to his malicious intent?

"Daebak Oppa!"

The shop assistant held the phone, very excited but also a little cautious. "I used to be a trainee too, and my training results were always good. I know very well how difficult it is to debut."

Bae Joo-hyun nodded slightly in empathy. After all, it wasn't uncommon for at least 7 out of 10 people on the peninsula to have training experience.

The shop assistant's tone was tinged with a hint of regret, yet her eyes were full of sincerity as she looked at them.

"So, I was thinking of posting the video of Oppa encouraging her, to cheer on the trainees who are still persevering, is that okay?"

At the end, the shop assistant even took a step back, put away his phone, and bowed deeply, showing how much he valued the conversation.

Lee Kyung-sung, however, didn't seem to care much. He simply recalled what he had said to Bae Joo-hyun before—that if it were exposed…

The benefits are obvious: it gives you some exposure and definitely increases your popularity among trainees.

But what are the downsides?

Seeing that he encouraged a trainee after being seen by Im Yoona, will it affect his plans to snatch the trainee away? However, it seems he mentioned praising Im Yoona when they first met.

Ultimately, Lee Kyung-sung felt the advantages outweighed the disadvantages, so he simply looked down at Bae Joo-hyun and reminded her, "I don't really have any problems. This is because I just returned to Korea after graduation and met this stubborn girl with low blood sugar. I thought she was very hardworking, so I just gave her some simple verbal support. The one who truly agrees is you."

"Um..."

Bae Joo-hyun slightly shifted her gaze, not daring to look him directly in the eye. Her long eyelashes drooped in a fluster, her eyes falling on the tips of her shoes. She knew the benefits of this, but could only mutter, "I can't make that decision; I have to ask the company. Trainees can't just appear on camera whenever they want."

"Sorry, I was in such a rush that I forgot." The shop assistant seemed to realize her mistake as well. Although her expression couldn't be seen through her mask, her eyes were gentle, her gaze warm, revealing a hint of embarrassment and fatigue.

"It's okay, but please send her a copy anyway."

Seeing the anxious shop assistant, he felt that the shop assistant was a bit strange, but he didn't pay much attention to it. Li Jingcheng waved his hand and smiled, "You can release it after you debut. And when the subsequent debut plan comes out, you can watch this video with your company's person in charge. This may help you to fight for a debut spot later."

"No problem." The shop assistant, who was somewhat disappointed, thought about sending the video to the company to see if it could be promoted and get more exposure. She then looked at Bae Joo-hyun and smiled, "Then let's add a KakaoTalk account. I'll send you the video."

"OK."

Having regained some strength, Bae Joo-hyun also felt that Lee Kyung-sung's words made sense. She took out her phone and leaned closer, but didn't leave his support. When she looked at the shop assistant, she suddenly felt that he looked familiar and asked curiously,

"Which company did you train with before?"

"Uh..." The shop assistant blinked, seemingly unable to think of anything for a moment.

Li Jingcheng observed this and found the guy increasingly strange, but he didn't press the matter.

Bae Joo-hyun, however, seemed increasingly familiar with him, and couldn't help but tentatively ask,

"Hyeri?"