At that mont, whether the staff were pleased or not, Roy felt only anxiety.
‘Did hyung understand what I said correctly?’
The ti had been far too short. It was ridiculous to hear laughter and chatter now, when the situation was so dire. If they’d heard the call, they couldn’t possibly be laughing. Worse, people started coming over to comnt—about his diction, asking if he’d been a trainee. Roy was barely keeping his expression in check when Junseo stepped in to quiet the excitent.
“Okay, everyone, let’s wrap up and get ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ ready for the pair mission.”
Pair mission? Ah, that must be tomorrow’s second evaluation. In the flurry of calming the room, Junseo didn’t notice Roy’s slip of the tongue. Roy pretended not to mind either. Once the staff had left, Junseo asked carefully, his expression serious.
“Is sothing wrong?”
Everything was wrong. The agency president’s other son was falling into a cult and ruining his life. But Roy couldn’t say that. He pressed his lips together, and Junseo asked again.
“Is it really serious?”
As head of the show, Junseo’s concern felt different from the others’. Roy’s nose tingled with gratitude. He nodded reluctantly, and Junseo led him to a corner of the studio.
“Call him again. This ti, talk properly, slowly.”
“Is that allowed?”
“I’m not that inflexible. We’ve already got enough footage, and I’m not going to police your personal life.”
“...?”
But you did, jus— Roy glared silently and Junseo laughed awkwardly.
“I admit it was a bit much before the first broadcast. But from the next retreat, we planned to relax the rules.”
That was a relief. Thanks to Junseo’s understanding, Roy got his phone back and mulled over who to call. Earlier, he’d phoned Hojin in his panic, but now he knew exactly who he needed: Galbi. He needed soone to look after Hojin while he was stuck here. Roy dialed Galbi at once.
[“Hey, you—!”]
As expected, the mont the call connected, a torrent of insults poured through the line. Even Junseo, right beside him, flinched.
[“Why the hell haven’t you picked up!”]
“Sorry. I told you I’d be unreachable during filming. But is it true?”
[“If it were, would I have sent you over 300 ssages? Am I soone with nothing better to do?!”]
Galbi raged. Roy, who didn’t know what happened during that aborted juice deal, couldn’t fathom why Galbi was so worked up.
“Sorry, sorry. Thanks for looking out for him. I’ll make it up to you once I’m out.”
[“Why do you say that? I didn’t do it for your thanks! I’m just close with Hojin!”]
This kid could be such a drama queen.
“Okay, but I have to hand my phone back soon, so I can’t talk long. Just tell what I need to know.”
[“No, I don’t want to hear it. I told you, now you handle this however you want.”]
“Co on. That’s not fair. Just until I can get out—”
[“No! Do you know what I’m risking for you right now?!”]
After all, what else could he do but follow that weird church? But with Galbi, Roy felt confident: any cultist would flee at Galbi’s fiery temper. There was no one better to entrust Hojin’s care to while Roy was stuck here.
“In three days, I’ll be free. Just watch out for him until then. Okay?”
Roy hung up quickly before Galbi could keep stonewalling him. He even turned his phone off, worried Galbi might call back.
“Director, I’m done. Thanks.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yes.”
There had to be so way this would be fine. Three more days at most. It wasn’t a bloodsucking cult—Galbi would handle it. The goal was in sight. He’d endured hell for a week; once he got through this, he could see Hanguyeol. All that mattered was the second evaluation. Roy clenched his fist and steeled himself.
✧
anwhile, Bi, furious after the call, scread.
“You cut off?!”
He tried calling again but only heard the polite automated ssage that the phone was off.
‘I’m going crazy!’
He pressed his forehead against the desk in frustration. He still had to draw Hojin’s blood in two days, and Roy would leave the set on Monday. No matter how he twisted his mind, he had to give the blood himself.
‘I’m screwed.’
Why did I send three hundred ssages? It was begging for help! But no matter how unfair it felt, Roi wouldn’t care. So what should he do now? Go dark? He and Hojin weren’t that close anyway. Their only tie was that he’d connected the abandoned cat to his cousin’s café.
‘Yeah. I’ll just say I’m sick. What can he do if I’m sick?’
Roy said Roy would be back Monday, so he’d just hang on until then. It was cowardly, but it felt like the best option.
‘I’ll go dark.’
So he decided. Yet—
Tomato!
That cursed app chid again, promising to drag his life into ruin.
‘What now?’
He stared at his lit-up phone. He hadn’t typed anything—why was it ringing?
Tomato! Tomato! Tomato! Tomato!
“Argh! Damn it!”
Did the Tomato demon possess my phone? Galbi’s phone started going haywire too. Bi hit his phone with his diary, then fled to the living room. When it cald down, he peeked back in. Holding his mother’s prayer beads in one hand, he rolled each bead as he approached the Tomato-possessed phone.
‘The hand is quicker than the eye.’
Tap! He touched the black screen and took three steps back. A cascade of notifications unfurled.
[Tomato5552 has posted a new ssage.]
Tomato5552—so Hojin had posted again, six notifications in total. Bi must have added him as a friend while poking around.
‘Phew. False alarm.’
He tapped one notification, and a popup said the post was deleted. Hojin had been repeatedly posting and deleting. He hit the latest alert and saw:
[Title: Looking for grade-B or above items]
I’ll pay your price.
‘Wow. He’s loaded.’
Hadn’t Hojin said he was an art major? He must have money at ho. Posting like this would inevitably attract vultures.
100% chance of re-trading. As a seasoned user with a 99° etiquette score, KetchupMaster knew this market’s ways. By now, Hojin’s inbox must be exploding.
“Sigh.”
You foolish mortal. In the end, Bi couldn’t ignore Hojin and called him.
“Hyung, take the post down. I’ll give you a grade-B item myself.”
He happened to have an unused item at ho—worth keeping but useless to sell. It felt like divine luck. Bi decided to deploy the classic “I forgot the ABC juice because I was gathering items!” tactic. Roi would owe him his life for this.
✧
At the sa ti, back in his room, Roy found Yeonwoo and Taeeon standing in the doorway.
“Little pup. You’re looking better—prancing around like that.”
“Back from filming?”
“Yeah. I was just dropping by hyungs’ rooms on my way here.”
Roy led them to the stairs to talk. Caras were everywhere in the dorms, but this path to the rooftop was free of them. Pressed close to the wall, passing contestants wouldn’t notice, making it perfect for secret talk. Roy shared the hot news he’d just learned in a whisper.
“Tomorrow’s evaluation is team-based. Since it’s called a ‘pair,’ I guess teams of two.”
“How’d you find out?”
“Did you hear sothing?”
“Shh!”
Roy pressed his finger to his lips, warning them not to blab. He didn’t want rumors of favoritism or cheating.
“I just happened to overhear PD during the intro shoot.”
And why he was sharing it:
“You two have to pick as your partner. Got it?”
He needed to secure his bus-seat request first. He was barely keeping himself afloat; worrying about anyone else was one challenge enough. He trusted Yeonwoo and Taeeon would understand. Luckily, they readily agreed.
“Of course! But do we get to choose? If PD asks, I’ll say I’m teaming with you.”
“Right? If I could choose, I’d pick either you or Yeonwoo, of course.”
What a heartwarming scene. Rookies who got A and B grades competing to work with him. Though he’d tried to dodge this by refusing the Wilderness Trials, it was good to stand together now. Roy shook hands with pride and reiterated:
“I’m counting on you.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll pick you.”
“What are you saying? That pup’s mine—just trust !”
So Roy felt secure—until the next day.
“Lee Roi, please step forward, cough cough! Ahem!”
The next morning, Gwakhyeol called his na.
“Haha! You don’t have to be so thankful. Once a leader, always a leader, cough cough, right? Loyalty!”
That bastard...
Roy would never forget repaying kindness with cruelty.
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