Chapter 3: The Allure of the Unknown

Lee Dohwa had not left his home once since completing his deadline.

In the current world, most tasks could be accomplished with just a phone.

Although his environment remained unchanged, there was a plethora of activities he could pursue from home. His hobbies often shifted with his fleeting interests, leading him to accumulate a diverse range of pastimes.

In recent weeks, however, he had binge-watched all his backlog of anime, webtoons, and movies. Now, it was time to seek out new interests.

“How irritating.”

If only it weren’t for his heat cycle.

His body, drained of energy by the surging heat, yearned for an Alpha. His nerves frayed, causing his mood to fluctuate wildly.

‘It would have been so much easier to be born a Beta.’

The cycle, arriving with unerring precision, rendered Lee Dohwa powerless each time it returned. All he could do was passively endure the changes within his own body.

Nevertheless, as the medication spread through his system and began to take effect, his condition gradually stabilized. Normally, he would have occupied himself with something else at this point.

‘They’re planning a dating show, and the casting call is for dominant Alphas and dominant Omegas.’

Suddenly, a conversation he’d had with his editor during a recent meeting came to mind.

Two things had particularly caught his attention at the time.

One was the mention of other dominant Alphas and dominant Omegas, and the other was the dating show itself.

“I even received a business card.”

He had completely forgotten about it, despite receiving it just days prior.

Rummaging through his communication history with his editor, he found a photo of a business card.

[010-xxxx-xxxx]

He quickly scanned the card for the phone number and added it to his contacts.

He also added the profile that appeared on his messenger app.

Back then, he had accepted the card without much thought, but now, he was completely captivated. He found it intriguing, and there were even some rational reasons for his interest.

Since his environment rarely changed, opportunities to meet people of the same secondary gender were exceedingly rare. This show presented such a chance.

Moreover, Lee Dohwa had never been in a relationship.

Although his understanding was gleaned solely from media, he often wondered why so many people in the world seemed to date so foolishly.

Compared to them, he felt he wouldn’t be an awkward novice. After all, romantic elements were almost always present in countless stories.

“Perhaps… I should incorporate romance into my next work.”

It was an impulsive thought, yet it held a certain allure.

His deadline had just passed, and not a single speck of romance had ever graced his previous works. For his next project, he wished to capture the diverse themes and emotions that love offered.

While any publishing house executive would surely be horrified, Lee Dohwa had always been the type to pursue what he desired, rather than what he was simply good at.

What was love? What did it mean to like someone? What was that fluttering sensation? Since he couldn’t simply copy others’ works, he needed to understand these feelings firsthand to write about them.

“Perhaps I can discover those answers by going there.”

Firstly, they would all share the same secondary gender, allowing for common ground. Secondly, since dating was the explicit purpose, everything he experienced there would undoubtedly provide him with a wealth of new insights and emotions.

‘Unrequited love? A love triangle? Cheating?’

Nothing specific came to mind yet, but the mere theme promised intrigue.

With that, Lee Dohwa picked up his phone, composed a brief self-introduction and an explanation for his contact via the newly added number, and sent it.

He then took his tablet PC and began watching other dating shows at his leisure.

[Koo Ye-jin:]

The reply, which arrived as if it had been waiting, remained unread until he had finished watching the entire first episode.

‘Dating shows these days are incredibly thorough.’

‘To think I need to prepare everything from a dominant Omega secondary gender certificate to my school records.’

Upon hearing that the meeting process would be filmed, Lee Dohwa stopped by a salon beforehand for a haircut and light makeup.

Typically, for important occasions, he would only ask for his hair to be neatly styled. However, the stylist, upon learning that the conversation might also be filmed, promptly escorted Lee Dohwa to the makeup artist.

He also heard about how unforgiving broadcast cameras could be. Yet, even after arriving at the building, he felt no particular sense of tension or excitement.

“Hello, Lee Dohwa. I’m Assistant Director Koo Ye-jin, the one you’ve been in contact with. Did you happen to drive here?”

“No, I took a taxi.”

A woman standing by a pillar in the lobby spotted Lee Dohwa, approached to greet him, and then naturally led the way to the elevator.

After a brief, light conversation as they walked, she opened a door that resembled a conference room, and the gazes of the four people inside immediately converged on him.

Lee Dohwa flinched for a moment, but he deliberately composed himself, steadying his breathing.

“Hello, I’m PD Jang Jae-wook. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“I’m Writer Choi Young-eun, hello.”

“…I’m Lee Dohwa. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”

After bowing and shaking hands, he took his seat, and an orange juice was placed before him.

‘It’s my first time seeing a camera like this in person. It’s quite fascinating.’

The room, structured like a conference room, was spacious, and a stand camera was positioned directly in front of him.

Only then, feeling the tension of the unfamiliar environment, did he realize his shoulders had stiffened. PD Jang Jae-wook smiled, observing him.

“Ah, we’re not filming right now. We’ll only be shooting some brief behind-the-scenes footage later, and this current conversation won’t be included.”

Hearing his words, Lee Dohwa quietly nodded.

Although there were five people directly in front of him, the camera was what truly made him uneasy. Looking around, he noticed several other smaller cameras as well.

“Could you please show us the documents you brought?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Thank you.”

He handed the brown envelope from his bag to Writer Choi Young-eun, who quickly reviewed the papers before nodding.

“Do you happen to know anything specific about our program?”

“No, I don’t… Ah, I do know the program’s name is ‘Timing of Love.’”

He had seen a few articles pop up when he searched for it on a portal. They contained little of substance, so he had closed them after about a minute.

“Then allow me to explain. Our program is supported by Utopia Korea and will be broadcast on the JSJ channel. All participants in the program are Alphas and Omegas.”

PD Jang Jae-wook slid a paper across the desk. Turning past the first page, which bore the logo, revealed the very explanations he had just given.

“The filming period will be one month in total. For three weeks, participants will stay together for two nights and three days, from Friday to Sunday. The final week will begin on Wednesday, with the final selection taking place on Sunday.”

As he listened to the explanation, Lee Dohwa rapidly scanned the details written on the paper.

“And as you know, we are extremely sensitive about spoilers. Each week’s footage will be broadcast immediately during the next residency period.”

Reading it was faster than simply listening.

He emphasized the parts highlighted in red on the paper, his eyes wide with earnestness.

“While we cannot disclose the full details of the residency in advance, please understand that you cannot directly reveal your dominant status. Furthermore, any discussion related to the program on other social media platforms is strictly prohibited.”

Finding nothing problematic in the details, Lee Dohwa nodded, and PD Jang Jae-wook relaxed his expression, speaking more gently.

“On the final day, you simply choose the participant you feel a connection with. We will not interfere with any subsequent relationships. Also, to alleviate pressure on participants, you are not obligated to choose anyone.”

When asked if he had any further questions, he shook his head. The PD then pulled out another set of papers from under the desk.

This time, the papers were explicitly labeled as a contract.

He then received a detailed explanation regarding confidentiality and appearance fees.

‘They said the appearance fee would be generous.’

While not a surprising amount, it was quite substantial. It meant that filming this one show would yield roughly the same profit as one of his works.

“Please send the electronic contract via email, and I will review and sign it.”

“Ah, yes. If there’s anything you’d like to adjust, please do let us know! And deciding quickly would greatly assist in finalizing the cast.”

He felt as though something was slightly shrunken or deflated, but he dismissed it as his imagination.

When asked if he was ready to begin filming, he nodded, and one of the individuals standing behind them moved toward the camera, adjusting it.

“This is purely for archival purposes, so there’s no need to worry.”

‘I need to be careful with my words.’

The presence of the dark camera lens felt more significant, but he deliberately avoided looking at it, focusing instead on the writer seated opposite him.

“We’ll begin the pre-interview now. Please feel free to answer comfortably, and you don’t have to respond to anything that makes you uncomfortable. First, how many relationships have you been in?”

“…Zero.”

He nearly stumbled over such a sharp question right from the start.

‘This might be a little awkward?’

‘What could he do? He’d never fallen in love in his life.’

Despite his confident inner thoughts, Lee Dohwa’s gaze wavered.

“Could you tell us what motivated you to appear on our program?”

“I first received the offer during a meeting with my publisher’s editor. And… I’m curious about what love is.”

In truth, he was participating to gain inspiration for the theme of love in his work, but he couldn’t openly state that.

‘Isn’t that a fairly standard answer?’

Lee Dohwa, rather pleased with his own response, briefly glanced at the camera.

“What is your ideal type, generally?”

“Someone who… likes me a lot, an awful lot? I don’t really have an ideal physical type. But they absolutely must adhere to proper spelling and spacing.”

Having no particular ideal type, he pondered for a moment before one unacceptable trait came to mind.

He had recently watched a dating show where two participants exchanged letters, and he had been so put off by it. He doubted he could ever see someone who wrote such a letter as a romantic partner.

After answering a few more questions, the writer informed him that the prepared interview questions were complete.

“Here is my business card. If you have any questions or anything you’d like to discuss regarding the program, please contact me directly here!”

As he left, he exchanged greetings with PD Jang Jae-wook, whose eyes seemed to sparkle, and received his business card. He then retrieved his own card, which he always kept in his wallet, and handed it over.

Stepping out of the warmly concluded meeting and into a taxi, he felt utterly drained of energy.

“…I’m hungry.”

While there had been many novelties in this unfamiliar place, his current state was due to his chaotic routine; he had gotten up and moved around without eating anything.

He rode in the taxi, intently searching for a menu to eat as soon as he got home.

[Jang Jae-wook:]

[Koo Ye-jin:]

“I need to find a menu…”

‘He couldn’t be bothered to reply.’