CMYEHDS Episode 3

 

What is this? 

 

He struggled to understand the situation unfolding before him but failed. This was beyond Ki Seo-jeong’s comprehension.

 

Reality denial began immediately. Is this a dream? Seo-jeong clenched his fist. As his nails dug into his palm, pain surged.

 

It’s not a dream. Then is it a hallucination? That was also a possibility. Thinking about Cha Yoon was part of Ki Seo-jeong’s daily life.

 

He wished fervently for Cha Yoon to disappear like magic and opened his tightly shut eyes. However, regrettably, Cha Yoon was still there. Naturally, there was no magic in the world Seo-jeong lived in.

 

Further denial was pointless. Seo-jeong decided to accept reality. The person standing over there was indeed the ‘real’ Cha Yoon.

 

Why is Cha Yoon over there? Seo-jeong hadn’t encountered Cha Yoon even once in the past six months. It was expected, and he thought it would continue to be that way.

 

Yet, breaking his expectations, he met Cha Yoon.

 

And it was in a dating program, as fellow participants.

 

His train of thought came to an abrupt halt. Fellow participants. That ultimately meant that Cha Yoon was also appearing on this show with his ex-girlfriend.

 

As he realized this fact, Song Joo-ah’s face flashed through his mind. The two had been childhood friends for a long time. Before dating him, Cha Yoon had never even met another man. A picture was completed as if fitting together a puzzle. So, they ended up becoming a couple.

 

Seo-jeong, with his head bowed, took a hurried breath. In contrast to the greatly agitated Ki Seo-jeong, Cha Yoon appeared unfazed.

 

He found an empty seat and sat down. It was directly across from where Ki Seo-jeong would see him as soon as he looked up.

 

“Now that the last resident has arrived, shall we take a moment to introduce ourselves again?”

 

“Sounds good. Then let’s start with the last resident… What’s your name?”

 

“Cha Yoon.”

 

“That’s a single character name, right? It’s a very pretty name.”

 

“Your name and face match perfectly!”

 

Cha Yoon merely smiled slightly and didn’t respond further.

 

“I’m Gong Min-wook.”

 

“I’m Yeo Ji-yoon. Nice to meet you.”

 

Different voices followed one after another. Nevertheless, Cha Yoon’s eyes remained fixed solely on Seo-jeong. Before long, it was Ki Seo-jeong’s turn.

 

“Seo-jeong?”

 

Min Ha’s hand tapped Seo-jeong’s shoulder. Seo-jeong barely regained his senses. At that moment, Cha Yoon’s expression as he looked at the two of them changed strangely.

 

“…l’m Ki Seo-jeong.”

 

He had repeated this six times, yet his body felt stiffer than ever. The perceptive Min Ha picked up on Seo-jeong’s tension.

 

“Seo-jeong, why are you so nervous all of a sudden?”

 

“Oh, right. Seo-jeong was speaking so well just a moment ago.”

 

“Could it be that your ex is here, and you can’t manage your expression?”

 

All eyes suddenly focused on Seo-jeong. The last question poked at Ki Seo-jeong. However, pretending to be okay, acting nonchalant was something he had already mastered. Seo-jeong cleared his throat.

 

“I think I got nervous because Cha Yoon seems so much like a celebrity.”

 

“Wow, even good-looking people get surprised when they see other good-looking people. That’s interesting.”

 

He gave a suitable answer while keeping his gaze fixed on Min Ha. Just as he was looking for a moment to change the subject back to himself.

 

“Ki Seo-jeong.”

 

A pleasant voice flowed out. It was Cha Yoon who interrupted the conversation. Without a moment to think, Seo-jeong turned his head.

 

Inevitably, their gazes met. His eyes were cold, devoid of warmth.

 

“……”

 

Seo-jeong’s fist tightened. His effort to avoid looking at Cha Yoon crumbled in an instant. Just from Cha Yoon calling his name.

 

He could feel the attention of the other participants shifting toward him. Yet, he couldn’t manage his expression. Even the things he was used to became nothing in front of Cha Yoon.

 

Despite the piercing gazes, Cha Yoon remained unfazed. He repeated Seo-jeong’s name several times, as if savoring it in his mouth.

 

“I think I need to remember it.”

 

Cha Yoon pulled the corners of his mouth up. At first glance, it seemed like he was smiling, but in reality, he wasn’t. His eyes still held a chill.

 

“And if you’re going to talk about me, you should do it while looking at me.”

 

“……”

 

“This way it won’t feel like you’re ignoring me, Ki Seo-jeong.”

 

That’s disappointing. His tone sounded like he was pouting. With that one remark, the tension in the air dissipated. Cha Yoon played with the atmosphere with just his tone of voice.

 

Only then did those who had been observing cautiously begin to speak. Yes, if possible, please compliment him directly. It seems Cha Yoon is at an age where he wants attention. Words in favor of Cha Yoon followed.

 

There was something oddly familiar about it. Seo-jeong felt a strange sense of déjà vu watching Cha Yoon’s behavior. He couldn’t understand why he was acting that way, but one thing was certain: he couldn’t let this situation drag on any longer. He didn’t want to make the others uncomfortable

because of him.

 

“I’m sorry for causing any misunderstandings. I’ll make sure you won’t feel disappointed in the future.”

 

“Yes, please do.”

 

Ki Seo-jeong offered the best response to resolve the situation. Cha Yoon seemed pleased with the answer, nodding his head. Yet, he didn’t forget to add one more thing. It sounded sarcastic, but Seo-jeong didn’t pick up on it.

 

“Did you see the house rules on the table? You have to scan it with the My X app to view it.”

 

“That’s right! I found it!”

 

As Seo-jeong naturally pointed to the pink paper, when Min Ha’s voice joined in, the participants who had been alternating their gazes between Cha Yoon and Ki Seo-jeong shifted their attention as if nothing had happened. Except for one person.

 

While others read the house rules on their phone screens, Cha Yoon alone continued to stare at Seo-jeong. More precisely, at the area around his neck revealed between his dress shirt.

 

“What on earth is he trying to do?”

 

I don’t understand. The softly muttered words followed one after another. It seemed directed at him, but Ki Seo-jeong stubbornly kept his eyes on the screen.

 

“Shall we decide on the rooms first?”

 

“Sounds good. I wanted to wear comfortable clothes anyway.”

 

Gong Min-wook clapped his hands loudly to draw attention, and Song Joo-ah chimed in with his words.

 

“Then let’s unpack and meet back here.”

 

“Great. Let’s hurry and eat.”

 

“The girls’ room is on the first floor. Let’s go check it out, everyone.”

 

With laughter, the female participants disappeared to explore their rooms. After briefly watching their retreating figures, Gong Min-wook shook off the dust and stood up.

 

“Shall we go up too?”

 

On the second floor, there were two double rooms, excluding the locked door. The condition of the rooms exceeded expectations. Each room had two beds placed side by side, a dressing room, and even a private bathroom.

 

Among the favorite participants, only Ki Seo-jeong and Cha Yoon remained quiet. Cha Yoon seemed uninterested, while Seo-jeong was troubled by complicated feelings.

 

They would have to use the room for a month. Just running into each other would be a hassle, and he didn’t want to share a room with Cha Yoon.

 

However, he couldn’t just say he didn’t want to share a room with Cha Yoon in front of the cameras. What could he do? After a long moment of contemplation, Seo-jeong finally spoke, his back turned to Cha Yoon.

 

“Is there anyone here who is a light sleeper?”

 

“Why? Does Seo-jeong snore?”

 

“I heard he doesn’t have any sleeping habits.”

 

Oh, what? Ex-official? Seo-jeong brushed off the playful question with a vague smile.

 

“My wake-up time is irregular due to the nature of my job. I think it would be less awkward for me if someone could sleep soundly while I get ready for work.”

 

After much thought, he came up with his flexible wake-up time. Because of his job, Ki Seo-jeong worked in three shifts.

 

Cha Yoon, being sensitive, easily woke up at the slightest sound. So if he heard this, it would be natural for Cha Yoon to want to use a different room from him…

 

“Share a room with me.”

 

“Would you like that? Then I’ll share with you…”

 

Ki Seo-jeong, who had been answering reflexively, stopped speaking. The voice came from behind him. He turned around in surprise to see Cha Yoon tilting his head.

 

“Why are you so surprised?”

 

“Aren’t you a light sleeper?”

 

“Have you ever slept with me? You speak as if you know me well.”

 

It was a pointed remark. While Seo-jeong’s lips merely twitched. Cha Yoon spoke again.

 

“I’m not working these days, so it doesn’t matter to me.”

 

In the end, it was a statement that he would sacrifice himself. Just as he was about to politely decline, Cha Yoon briefly glanced at the camera installed on the ceiling.

 

“So if you don’t dislike sharing a room with me, just go ahead and do it.”

 

He blocked all possible refusals from Ki Seo-jeong with a very simple method. Now, Seo-jeong couldn’t even afford to hesitate. Even a brief pause would make it seem like he disliked Cha Yoon.

 

“..Alright, then.”

 

Seo-jeong reluctantly replied. Only then did Cha Yoon smile with satisfaction.