Chapter 34: Three Sheets and a Public Humiliation

Once the performance of the team you’re supporting ends during the contest, not a few spectators leave midway, so the later your turn, the fewer total votes you can receive.

Also, the contest is divided into two episodes for broadcast, and since online voting closes the very next day after the second episode, episode 4, airs, teams that appear in episode 3 definitely have the advantage.

Therefore, they absolutely had to be within the first five, Lee Woo-rim said, his eyes sparkling as he even clenched both fists.

His enthusiasm was so great that Jae-seo unconsciously flinched back.

“Hyung, we absolutely have to get 4th or 5th place!

At the very least, within the top 5!”

Lee Woo-rim, not content with just Jae-seo, grabbed hold of Yoon Ji-heon and Lee Chan-seo standing in front and behind, making a fuss about how they absolutely had to get 4th or 5th.

Surprisingly, both of them nodded with serious expressions.

Leaving others aside, seeing even Lee Chan-seo agree with Yoon Ji-heon, the performance order really did seem important.

“The contest order will be decided through a game.”

At the word ‘game‘, some participants were already bouncing with competitive spirit, while others looked around warily as if keeping tabs on other teams.

Still others talked among themselves with worried expressions or looked up at Son Chae-i with earnest faces.

“The game you’ll be playing is….”

As she trailed off, Son Chae-i’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

Somehow, that was unsettling.

“‘Passing paper using only your mouth’.”

As the identity of the game was revealed, screams of shock burst out everywhere.

As if expecting this reaction, Son Chae-i continued in a calm voice.

“Now, please choose three representatives from each team to participate in the game.”

To choose three team members to participate in the paper-passing game, the team members gathered in a circle and were silent for a while.

Gone was the determination to get 4th or 5th place—now they were all just watching each other’s reactions as if passing a hot potato.

It was only after a long while that Ha Jin-woo finally broke the silence.

“Wouldn’t it be you guys, if we’re talking about three members from our team?”

As he said this, his eyes met Jae-seo’s.

Why are you looking at me?

“Exactly!

When people talk about three members from Please Take Care of My Idol, it’s Jun-jae, Jae-seo, Hyun-tae!”

“Right!

People say you guys are connected by fate!”

At his name suddenly popping up, Jae-seo looked around blankly and everyone nodded with satisfied expressions.

Even Seo Jun-jae and Yeo Hyun-tae, who were mentioned along with him, were looking at him without any sign of reluctance.

Flustered by the atmosphere that seemed to have already decided things, he was just opening and closing his mouth when someone next to him raised their arm.

“I do!

I want to do it!”

Turning his head, he saw Chae Han-ul with his hand up.

Seo Jun-jae and Yeo Hyun-tae didn’t seem opposed to participating either, so….

“Then Han-ul, will you do it instead of me?”

Figuring the three of them who wanted to could just do it, he looked at Chae Han-ul.

Chae Han-ul’s eyes darted left and right in a fluster.

Only then did Jae-seo realize that Chae Han-ul had expressed his intention to participate because of him, but it was already too late.

Chae Han-ul had said he’d do it, and Jae-seo had told him to do it instead.

“Then shall we have Han-ul do it with Jun-jae and Hyun-tae?”

“How about the youngest ones doing it together instead?”

Just as Ha Jin-woo was about to finalize the team as Seo Jun-jae, Yeo Hyun-tae, and Chae Han-ul, Seo Jun-jae suddenly cut in.

His point was that having members who were already associated with each other go out might be more interesting for broadcast.

“Or how about the hyungs doing it….”

At the mention of ‘hyungs doing it’, Ha Jin-woo quickly said that having the youngest ones do it would be cute and good, pushing Lee Chan-seo, Lee Woo-rim, and Chae Han-ul forward.

Pushed out unawares, Lee Woo-rim looked back with a flustered face.

Ha Jin-woo raised both fists.

“For a game like this, it’s perfect for the main vocal with good lung capacity.

Woo-rim, fighting!”

“You youngsters have better stamina anyway!”

Jang Young-bin even joined Ha Jin-woo in desperately grasping at reasons.

Jae-seo thought the age difference wasn’t that significant, but since he also wanted to avoid this game, he deliberately ignored Lee Woo-rim’s pleading gaze and kept his mouth shut.

***

“We’re sorry, hyungs.”

The youngest ones, who had moved six sheets of paper and ended up in a three-way tie for 6th place, returned with pitiful faces, drooping and trudging back.

Seeing Lee Woo-rim’s genuinely guilt-ridden expression, even though they’d been pushed out, they must have thought they absolutely had to place within the top 5.

“If it were us, we would have come in last.

It’s because of you guys that we got 6th place, right?”

“Right, right.

You guys did great!”

Ha Jin-woo and Jang Young-bin, who had played the biggest roles in pushing the three to participate, stepped forward to console them.

Lee Woo-rim glanced at them, checking their reactions.

“Well, it’s not that we’re sorry about getting 6th place….”

“Because we tied, they said we have to do the game again.”

Lee Chan-seo continued in place of the hesitant Lee Woo-rim.

Ha Jin-woo looked puzzled, asking why doing the game again would be something to apologize to them for.

Lee Woo-rim, almost in tears, hesitated to answer, then seemed to make up his mind and opened his mouth.

“…Well, they said we have to change the team members and go out.”

With members who didn’t participate.

Pretending not to hear Lee Woo-rim’s added words, Ha Jin-woo and Jang Young-bin, as if they’d rehearsed it, simultaneously turned their heads and looked at Jae-seo.

No, to be precise, at Jae-seo, Seo Jun-jae, and Yeo Hyun-tae.

***

“Sim Jae-seo, fighting!”

Following the sound, he turned his head to the left.

Quite far away, at the spot where he’d been standing just moments ago, Ha Jin-woo and Jang Young-bin were enthusiastically waving their arms.

Turning his stiff neck forward and back, the back of Seo Jun-jae’s head, radiating his characteristic composure, and Yeo Hyun-tae’s seemingly unconcerned face came into view.

…What am I doing here?

As he stood there blankly, his mind elsewhere, a sharp whistle blew.

At the sound, Seo Jun-jae, who had bent down, sucked in a paper, fixed it with his mouth, and turned around—that scene entered his vision.

Instinctively, he flinched and tried to step back.

Or so he thought.

“Good job, Sim Jae-seo!”

Contrary to his still-sluggish mind, his body moved fiercely.

Grabbing Seo Jun-jae’s shoulder to push him down, he twisted his head and pressed in close.

His body moving on its own regardless of his will—that familiar sensation made a curse automatically spring from within.

…Damn it, this f*cking crazy perverted psycho game.

***

He stared blankly at his expressionless face in the mirror, then slowly curled up the corners of his mouth.

It strangely resembled a character from a famous horror movie, the one who suggests starting the game.

Next, he tried half-closing his eyes.

This time, they just looked sleepy.

“Practicing facial expressions?”

Ha Jin-woo, entering the practice room, immediately approached and asked.

Being caught making various faces at the mirror by himself was fairly embarrassing, but this was something he had to endure today, or for the next two days.

Because he needed to fix the expression problem pointed out during the mid-point check.

Of course, he didn’t think it would be possible by the contest, but he still wanted to do his best until the end.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever really seen you smile, Jae-seo.”

Saying this, Ha Jin-woo plopped down beside him and looked at his face through the mirror.

Thinking about it, he hadn’t really smiled since coming here, but on the other hand, wasn’t that true for everyone?

How many things were there in life to smile about anyway?

Especially while participating in a survival program like this….

“When was the last time you smiled?”

Who remembers something like that?

Jae-seo unconsciously made a dumbfounded face.

Ha Jin-woo changed his question, asking what kind of things made him smile instead.

At this point, Jae-seo was starting to feel a bit annoyed, but telling himself Ha Jin-woo was probably doing this to help him, he corrected his negative mindset and tried to consider the question as seriously as possible.

But no matter how much he thought about it, an answer didn’t easily come to mind.

Ha Jin-woo waited for a while as Jae-seo remained silent, then started fidgeting his knees impatiently and eventually spoke first.

“Well, like when you eat something delicious?”

…Actually, I don’t really like eating that much.

It’s just that I often don’t get to eat properly normally, so I’ve been eating a bit more here….

Of course, if he said this, Ha Jin-woo would be dumbfounded and absolutely never agree.

When Jae-seo said no, Ha Jin-woo made a groaning sound and looked even more thoughtful than Jae-seo.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he snapped his head up and asked, “When you got into university?”

Jae-seo met his eyes, full of anticipation asking if he’d guessed right, for a moment, then shook his head.

Only the memory of tears, not smiles, remained from that day seven years ago, which now felt like ancient history.

Of course, he didn’t say that out loud.

After that, the questions continued, all of which left Jae-seo with no choice but to shake his head.

Frustrated, Ha Jin-woo kept pounding his own chest, then, as if he couldn’t take it anymore, screamed “Aack!” and flopped backward onto the floor.

Muttering about how someone could be so emotionally barren, he flailed his limbs wildly, then suddenly stopped moving and sat bolt upright.

The way he curled up only one corner of his mouth was quite unsettling.

“Or maybe it’s that after all?

Two men and your lips—”

“Aack!”

Sure enough, at the sly remark, Jae-seo was horrified and quickly covered Ha Jin-woo’s mouth.

Seeing his eyes twinkling with mischief, Jae-seo’s forehead automatically furrowed.

I should have known he wouldn’t just let it slide without teasing….

So, well, it was just that a few hours ago, during the game to decide the contest order, the game’s usual mischief had occurred for a very brief moment.

“Which one was better?”