Peninsula: Starting with Hijacking Yoona

85, Dating

The text message also seems to have turned gray.

Having received no reply for a long time, and guessing that Bae Joo-hyun was probably still asleep, Lee Kyung-sung didn't bother to ask Wang Zi-lu to take him home. After putting on his mask, he hailed a taxi himself.

I got home quickly, opened the door,

The room was quiet. He tiptoed to the bedroom door, gently pushed it open, and saw a slightly raised figure on the bed. Bae Joo-hyun was lying on her side, fast asleep.

She lay on her side, her face turned toward the door, most of her face buried in the fluffy pillow, her long hair spread out like seaweed beside the pillow, a few strands brushing against her fair cheeks.

Li Jingcheng quietly watched her peaceful sleeping face, finding it endlessly captivating. He smiled inwardly, turned, and returned to the living room, sinking into the soft sofa.

He casually scrolled through the media and saw that there was a lot of talk about him recently, especially the popularity brought by the recent broadcast of his appearance in "The Moon Embracing the Sun".

He clicked on the comments under several forums and news articles, his eyes quickly scanning them.

"His growth from boy to king is very complete, and his acting skills are solid to the naked eye. His scenes with Han Ga-in are full of sparks, and I cried my eyes out during the crying scene."

"After this drama, Li Jingcheng is a trustworthy actor in my heart. His eye for choosing scripts and his acting skills are both excellent, and he has a bright future."

"He captured the king's aura perfectly, and didn't just try to look cool; this kind of mentality is rare."

"His acting is good, but the ratings success is thanks to the whole crew, right? Some fans are exaggerating as if he was the only one who carried the show, which is a bit much."

The comments were mixed, but he felt his fans were starting to show their fighting spirit and were beginning to defend him.

Just then, a soft, indistinct voice, characteristic of someone just waking up, came from the direction of the bedroom.

"Kyungsung... Oppa?"

It's Bae Joo-hyun; she's awake.

Lee Kyung-sung immediately put down his phone and strode towards the bedroom. He gently pushed open the door and saw Bae Joo-hyun sitting on the bed, wrapped in a blanket. Her long hair was slightly disheveled and draped over her shoulders. She still had a lingering sleepiness on her face and was staring at the door with hazy eyes, like a cat searching for its owner.

"Awake?" Li Jingcheng walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, his voice unconsciously softening. "Did you sleep well?"

Bae Joo-hyun nodded and naturally extended her arm towards him.

Li Jingcheng understood immediately, bent down, and picked her up.

"What time is it?" she asked vaguely, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"It's still early, but we have to get up." Li Jingchen patted her hair, his tone carrying a hint of mysterious pleasure. "Didn't we agree to make it up to you with a full date? I think the weather's nice today, so let's do it today."

Bae Joo-hyun's eyes lit up instantly, her lingering sleepiness vanishing in an instant. "Really? Today?"

"Yes, really. So, Bae Joo-hyun, it's time to get up and wash up." He smiled and pinched her cheek.

What follows is a somewhat mundane yet heartwarming morning.

Lee Kyung-sung leaned against the bathroom door, watching Bae Joo-hyun brush her teeth earnestly in front of the mirror. Her mouth full of white foam looked both cute and a little funny.

He gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her face as she washed it. The sound of running water, the soft clinking of objects, and the occasional smiles they exchanged in the mirror filled the small space with a peaceful, warm atmosphere.

After a quick and simple breakfast prepared by Chef Bae Joo-hyun,

The two began preparing for their outing. Li Jingcheng was currently incredibly popular, so their outfits were very important.

Hats and masks were standard attire. Bae Joo-hyun even specifically chose two similar baseball caps, one black and one white. She wore the white one, her brow furrowed.

Li Jingcheng naturally understood what she meant. He bent down and let her place the black cloth on his head.

Bae Joo-hyun examined it for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction. "Hmm, this looks more like... a normal couple's outfit."

The two carefully adjusted their masks in front of the mirror in the entryway. The hats needed to be pulled down to the right angle to cover their eyebrows and eyes, and the masks had to cover their mouths and noses completely, with the edges fitting snugly to their faces to prevent them from slipping off.

Lee Kyung-sung even pulled out a pair of non-prescription black-rimmed glasses that he occasionally wore, and looked at Bae Joo-hyun's reflection in the mirror through the lenses.

She was also doing a final check, pulling out a few strands of long hair from her cheeks and letting them hang naturally over the edge of her mask.

"How is it?" she asked him, turning her head. Her voice was muffled through her mask, but her eyes were curved in a smile.

Li Jingcheng looked him up and down. White baseball cap, long black hair, black face mask, simple beige knit sweater and jeans, carrying a small canvas bag.

He himself was wearing a black hat, a black mask, a dark gray hoodie, and casual pants.

Standing together, the two did indeed resemble any other young couple, dressed conservatively.

"Perfect." He took her hand. "Let's go, Ms. Bae Joo-hyun, let's officially begin our date."

"Hahaha~"

Bae Joo-hyun's hearty laughter wasn't suppressed at all, and they walked happily out of the room together.

After choosing a destination, we found ourselves in the Seongsu-dong area, a converted factory and warehouse district filled with a unique industrial and artistic atmosphere. The area is crisscrossed by narrow alleyways, lined with stylish cafes, boutiques, and small galleries. It's less crowded than Itaewon and Myeongdong.

The car stopped, and the two of them quickly blended into the sparse crowd on the street.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly, illuminating the red brick walls and metal structure of the building.

They walked slowly along the not-so-wide street, their fingers intertwined, their eyes peeking curiously from under their hats at the unique shop windows on both sides.

"That shop looks very special." Bae Joo-hyun pointed to a small cafe with a handwritten sign. Warm light and the shadows of green plants shone through the glass windows.

"Let's go take a look." Li Jingcheng squeezed her hand, understanding exactly what she meant.

Pushing open the door, the bell on the door rang crisply.

The café is small, with only four or five tables, and is filled with the rich aroma of coffee beans and soft jazz music.

The owner was intently fiddling with the coffee machine behind the counter, only glancing up and nodding amicably when they entered.

They chose a corner seat that was furthest inside, partially hidden by a wall of books.

Bae Joo-hyun ordered a hot grapefruit tea and a carrot cake, and Lee Kyung-sung ordered the same thing.

While waiting, they stood close together, shoulder to shoulder, communicating through their eyes peeking out from above their masks.

"Turns out coffee shops also serve hot grapefruit tea."

"You really are!"

Occasionally, he would whisper a few words, commenting on the strange paintings on the wall or the titles of the books on the bookshelf, as if playing a secret game.

When the coffee and cake arrived, they pulled down one side of their masks, quickly tasted them, and then quickly pulled them back up.

The sweetness of the cake, combined with the slightly stimulating act of secretly sharing it, makes even simple food exceptionally interesting.

Leaving the café, they continued their walk through the alleyways of Seongsudong.

Soon, the woman's desire to shop became apparent.

I slipped into a small jewelry shop.

Bae Joo-hyun picked up a pair of uniquely shaped earrings and held them up to her ears, then turned to Lee Kyung-sung with a look that asked for his opinion.

However, he wasn't particularly interested in earrings.

Finally, Bae Joo-hyun stopped in front of the graffiti-covered wall, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and gently tugged at Lee Kyung-sung's sleeve.

"Okay."

Li Jingcheng took out his phone to take pictures, but her approval was not apparent regarding his filming skills.

Tired from walking, they found a small park converted from an old railway and rested on some of the rusty rail sleepers.

There was almost no one here; the only sound was the wind blowing through the wild grass beside the house.

They can finally take off their masks and breathe some fresh air.

Bae Joo-hyun tilted her head slightly, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on her face.

Li Jingcheng turned his head to look at her, and couldn't help but reach out and gently rub her cheeks, which were slightly red from being pressed down by her hat, with the back of his fingers.

"Next time, let's go somewhere farther away and more open," Li Jingcheng said, sounding somewhat excited. "Like the beach, or the mountains."

"Mmm!" Bae Joo-hyun nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling, then she wrinkled her nose mischievously. "But, sneaking around like this today is quite fun too."

Li Jingcheng smiled, helped her put her mask back on, and then put on his own.

"It's settled then. We'll sneak out like this often from now on." He took her hand, brought their masked faces close together, and gently touched the brim of her hat with his forehead, completing this discreet and intimate gesture.

As the setting sun began to gild the outlines of the buildings in Seongsudong, they decided to end their date for the day.

On the way back, Bae Joo-hyun seemed a little tired, and her steps became smaller and smaller.

How could Li Jingcheng not see through her little scheme? He always accepted her coquettishness without question.

He leaned down slightly, and a triumphant smile flashed in Bae Joo-hyun's eyes. She almost took advantage of the moment to leap and land steadily on his back.

Her cheek rested against his shoulder, her breathing soft and gentle, as if even the evening breeze had softened.