novellhall 91. An Interrupted Confession
91. An Interrupted Confession
The trip has finally come to an end.
Moreover, apart from the recent filming of "GG," all the promotional materials have been for "The Moon Embracing the Sun."
This show is really popular.
Li Jingcheng sat in the back seat of the van, feeling sticky all over.
He had been running around all day for announcements, and although he hadn't sweated much, the non-stop work made him feel uncomfortable all over.
Li Jingcheng tugged at his collar and said to Wang Zilu in the front row, "Brother Zilu, just take me home."
"OK."
The first thing I do when I get home isn't turn on the lights, but take off my clothes.
He tossed his coat onto the sofa, unbuttoned his shirt as he walked, and went straight to the bathroom in the bedroom. Only when the hot water started flowing did he finally relax completely.
After taking a shower, Li Jingcheng stood in front of the sink wrapped in a bath towel and glanced at himself in the mirror.
clavicle.
Shoulder line.
Waist and abdomen.
The system's Marrow Cleansing Pills are alright; without any training or body management, I'm still at the same top level as before.
However, the scratches on her body are quite glaring, making it uncertain whether Bae Joo-hyun's actions were intentional revenge.
Thankfully she didn't come back today, otherwise I would have taken a shower and gone out; otherwise, I really wouldn't have been able to explain myself.
He dried himself off and took out a black hoodie and a pair of black casual pants from the dressing room.
The sweatshirt is a very basic style, plain black with no print. The pants are the same, simple and understated.
Li Jingcheng looked at himself in the mirror, put on a black baseball cap, and stuffed his mask into his pocket, intending to put it on again when he went out.
He opened the car door, got in, started the engine, and entered the address that Kim Ji-soo had sent him.
The navigation shows 20 minutes.
He drove out of the garage and merged into the traffic.
The phone lit up briefly.
Jisoo: [Oppa, have you set off yet?]
Li Jingcheng: [I'm on my way, I'll be there in twenty minutes.]
Jisoo: [Okay, I've arrived.]
Li Jingcheng: [Is it downstairs from my house?]
Jisoo: [Yeah, oppa, hurry up! I'm so cold~]
Li Jingcheng stared at the screen for two seconds and smiled.
They're quite bold.
He typed a few words: 【Coming soon.】
Twenty minutes later, the car turned into a quiet residential street.
He saw her from afar.
Kim Jisoo stood at the entrance of an apartment building, the light from the streetlamp falling directly on her, illuminating her entire body.
Today she wore a cream-colored knitted cardigan over a light pink crew-neck T-shirt, the neckline slightly open, revealing a sliver of her collarbone. She paired it with a dark blue high-waisted pleated skirt, the hem ending just two fingers above her knees, and white canvas shoes with neatly tied laces.
Her hair was half-tied up, with a few wisps of hair hanging down beside her ears, making her face look even smaller.
She looked clean and tidy, like a new bud just sprouting in spring.
Li Jingcheng stopped the car in front of her and rolled down the window.
Kim Jisoo knew that was Oppa's car. She bent down and peeked into the car, and her eyes lit up immediately.
"Oppa!"
Li Jingcheng looked at her and shook his head slightly. "Get in the car. And why aren't you wearing more clothes? It's so cold. I have a jacket in the car. You can wear it for now."
"Oppa is so long-winded."
Kim Jisoo opened the passenger door, got in, and placed a small white bag on her lap. Even so, her face was full of smiles.
The car drove out of the alley.
Jisoo sat in the passenger seat, tilting her head to look at him. He was wearing a black hoodie and a black baseball cap, the brim pulled low, obscuring half his face. But the exposed jawline was still clearly defined, and the line of his Adam's apple was also very prominent.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Have you seen enough?" Li Jingcheng suddenly spoke with a smile, his eyes still fixed on the road.
Kim Jisoo was stunned, and her ears turned red instantly.
"Oppa!" She turned her head away, looking out the window, and stubbornly said, "I'm looking at the scenery."
"The scenery is on the other side."
"..."
Kim Jisoo bit her lip and muttered softly, "Oppa, if you're going to make a suggestive statement, then don't say anything."
Li Jingcheng smiled.
After a while, he spoke.
"You're quite bold."
Jisoo turned her head. "Oppa, what?"
"Let me pick you up right at your door," Li Jingcheng said. "Aren't you worried about your parents seeing you?"
Kim Jisoo blinked, then smiled.
"I'm not afraid at all."
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Don't worry," Jisoo said, raising her chin slightly. "Besides, didn't you come over too, Oppa?"
While waiting at a traffic light, Li Jingcheng pinched her smiling face with one hand. It was rosy, but a little cold from the wind. "So you were sure I'd come."
"It's not about being sure," Kim Jisoo tilted her head, a few strands of hair slipping down from behind her ear, "it's about believing."
Li Jingcheng gently squeezed it, withdrew his hand, looked in the rearview mirror, and prepared to change lanes without saying anything more.
But Kim Jisoo noticed that the corners of his mouth were turned up.
After driving for more than twenty minutes, the car turned into a narrower alley.
Kim Jisoo pointed the way, "Turn left ahead, yes, it's the door without a sign."
Lee Kyung-sung parked the car and looked around. It was a very quiet alley, lined with old-fashioned Korean houses with vines climbing the walls. If someone hadn't led the way, no one would have noticed that there was a restaurant here.
"How did you find this place?" Li Jingcheng asked, somewhat curious.
Kim Jisoo unbuckled her seatbelt, her eyes crinkling with laughter, "I searched for a long time and asked many of my trainee friends. This place is in a secluded location, so I won't get photographed."
She paused, then added, "I can't cause you trouble when I come out to eat with you."
Li Jingcheng turned to look at her, and his heart skipped a beat.
"What's wrong?" Kim Jisoo asked cautiously, noticing his strange expression. "Did I say something wrong?"
"How could that be?" Li Jingcheng opened the car door, rubbing her head. "Let's go."
The restaurant looks bigger inside than it does from the outside.
The decor is in the traditional Korean house style, with warm yellow lighting, wooden tables and chairs, and screens separating each table, providing excellent privacy.
The staff led them to a seat at the very back, which Kim Jisoo had reserved in advance.
The two sat down and took off their masks.
Jisoo wore a mask in the car, but now she's taken it off, revealing a very light layer of makeup—the kind that looks like she's not wearing any but actually shows effort. Her base makeup is very thin, revealing her natural skin texture, and she has a light layer of lip gloss on her lips, making them look moisturized.
Li Jingcheng's gaze lingered on her face.
Kim Jisoo felt secretly pleased. As expected, Oppa liked the pure and innocent type. She reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Oppa, what are you looking at?"
"Of course it's to see Jisoo, who dressed up especially for me," Lee Kyung-sung said, handing her the menu while his gaze remained fixed on her face. "Jisoo, order whatever you like. Oppa's treating today."
Kim Jisoo proudly accepted the menu.
Kim Ji-soo ordered all the dishes. Although Lee Kyung-sung had been in Korea for a while, he wasn't particularly fond of Korean food.
While waiting for the food, she rested her chin on her hands, staring at him intently.
"Oppa".
"Um?"
"I've finished watching 'The Moon Embracing the Sun'," Kim Jisoo said, her eyes sparkling. "Oppa, you acted so well."
"That role... if it were Kim Soo-hyun, it would definitely be a disaster."
She paused, then added, "A 50% rating. That's the highest rating for a show on Peninsula TV so far, right?"
Lee Kyung-sung directly reaped most of the benefits from this drama, but he didn't care too much. "It's just good luck. And Ji-soo has to be careful when she's out there. She absolutely can't talk badly about her seniors, even if it's the truth."
"Don't worry, Oppa, I'll definitely be a careful Kim Jisoo when we're out together~"
"Completely unconvincing."
"..." Kim Jisoo was taken aback by his words, "Oppa!!!!!"
"Ha ha ha ha."
Lee Kyung-sung smiled, looking at her with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth: "Once Ji-soo debuts, breaking 50% in viewership ratings will be a piece of cake."
Kim Jisoo paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Oppa, you're just teasing me," she pouted. "A 50% viewership rating isn't that easy to achieve."
Kim Jisoo thought for a moment, then rested her chin on her hand and continued, "I just want to debut normally. If I could act with Oppa... that would be even better. I haven't thought about anything else."
When she spoke, there was a light in her eyes, but not of ambition, but of longing.
Lee Kyung-sung confidently assured everyone, "Don't worry about debuting. With Oppa here, I'll open my own studio later. If you suffer any injustices at YG, just come to me. And if there are any suitable roles for you in the future, Oppa will invite you to play them."
Jisoo's eyes lit up instantly.
"Really, Oppa?"
She stood up from her seat, walked around the table to sit next to him, and hugged his arm tightly.
Her body pressed against mine, soft and carrying the delicate fragrance unique to young girls.
Li Jingcheng glanced down at her.
Kim Jisoo's eyes shone like two stars, her eyelashes fluttered, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
Actually, she didn't care about the role he was playing.
She just wanted to get closer to him.
That's just an excuse.
Li Jingcheng felt the girl's body temperature—the touch on her chest wasn't very large, but it was incredibly soft, and even through the fabric of her clothes, it couldn't hide her natural, unadorned gentleness.
He lowered his eyes, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.
Then, using the chopsticks he had used, he picked up a piece of Korean-style braised fish.
Open your mouth.
Kim Jisoo paused for a moment, then obediently opened her mouth.
He put the fish into her mouth.
Kim Jisoo took a bite, and her eyes curved into crescent shapes.
"Is it good?" Li Jingcheng asked with a smile.
"It's delicious," Kim Jisoo said, her voice muffled with something in her mouth, but her eyes were sweet.
She was overjoyed.
It wasn't because the fish was delicious, but because he used his own chopsticks to feed her.
What is this?
Indirect kissing?
No, no, no, it's even more intimate than an indirect kiss.
Her heart was pounding, and one thought kept running through her mind—
Should I confess my feelings?
Should she take the initiative to confess to her oppa, or should she hint that she should confess to him?
It felt like two little people were fighting in her head, one telling her to be more proactive, and the other telling her to be reserved.
Just as she was struggling with this decision—
The phone rang.
Kim Jisoo's face visibly darkened instantly.
She took out her phone and glanced at the screen.
Kim, the head of trainees in YG's acting department.
She just pressed the button.
Three seconds later, the phone rang again.
She turned it off again.
It rang again.
Press again.
When the phone rang for the fourth time, Lee Kyung-sung couldn't hold back any longer. He gently grasped her wrist, his voice soft and tender. "Jisoo, answer it. After making so many calls, it might really be urgent."
Kim Jisoo looked at Oppa's hand, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and a smile finally appeared on her face.
She gently placed the screen under her arm, then simply switched to speakerphone.
"Feed?"
"Jisoo-ssi, why haven't you answered your phone?"
"I'm outside." Kim Jisoo's tone was somewhat stiff, still carrying a hint of emotion.
"CJ has received an offer from a male celebrity to be the female lead."
Kim Jisoo paused for a moment, then turned to look at Lee Kyung-sung.
I think it was yesterday when Yonghao invited us, right?
Lee Kyung-sung nodded slightly to Kim Ji-soo.
Jisoo's heart skipped a beat.
Oppa recommended me.
She couldn't help but smile, and her tone became more relaxed.
"and then?"
"The male lead in 'GG' is Lee Kyung-sung, played by Ji-soo. Do you know him?"
Kim Jisoo glanced at Lee Kyung-sung.
He was leaning back in his chair, gently playing with her hand.
"I know him," Kim Jisoo replied without hesitation. "Kyung Sung oppa is my... oppa."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
Then Minister Kim chuckled, his voice unchanged, and the laughter ended.
"Okay, I understand. Let's discuss the specifics in person at the company tomorrow."
The phone hangs up.
Kim Jisoo held her phone, looking like she hadn't calmed down yet.
She suddenly felt a little panicked.
That line, "Kyung Sung oppa, he's my oppa," was so blatant and direct.
But why isn't Kyung Sung oppa reacting?
She turned to look at Li Jingcheng, feigning nervousness, but her eyes were bright.
"Oppa, did he notice?"
Li Jingcheng simply looked at her with a smile in his eyes, without saying a word.
Seeing that he didn't react, Kim Jisoo simply leaned closer, half-hugging his arm and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Oppa, are you alright?"
Her body pressed against his, and she smelled the scent of his shower gel.
It's clean, light, and smells very nice.
"It's nothing. I was planning to give you a surprise," Lee Kyung-sung said softly. "I think my female lead in 'GG' is perfect for you, so of course I have to keep my Ji-soo!"
Moreover, the GG brand has high brand recognition in the local market, so the subsequent expansion and promotion will generate significant exposure.
"It will only benefit you, not harm you."
Kim Jisoo wasn't actually listening at all.
She was secretly smelling his scent.
Near his collarbone, at the edge of his hoodie collar, the scent of shower gel lingered, mixed with the faint warmth of his body, and perhaps even his natural body fragrance.
She took a deep breath.
Li Jingcheng felt the suction force.
He glanced down at her and coughed deliberately.
"Jisoo, are you listening?"
Kim Jisoo was stunned, and her ears turned bright red instantly.
"Oppa!" She shook his arm playfully, her voice so soft it could melt your heart, "I know, okay?"
Li Jingcheng was almost knocked off balance by her shaking, and he smiled helplessly.
"Alright, alright."
Kim Jisoo leaned back, resting her head on his shoulder again, her lips curled into a wide smile.
"Oppa".
"Um?"
"I've remembered everything you said."
Which sentence?
"I remember every single one of them," Kim Jisoo said. "I also remember the part where you said you would take care of me."
Li Jingcheng didn't speak, but he lowered his hand and gently hugged her.
He remembered saying he'd open a studio, but oh well, he'd just have to support it.
Who can blame her for being Kim Jisoo?
Jisoo went limp and murmured softly, "Oppa."