* * *
“Now, let’s begin the main game. We have ten questions prepared. The team with the highest score will receive a premium Hanwoo beef set. Let’s start with Team 1, Special D Team!”
The MC skillfully proceeded with the game. At first, Jiwon and Yoon were calm, but as the first question came out, they began to glare at each other and shout.
“What’s your favorite season?”
“Fall!”
“Winter!”
“If you had to order only one drink at a café?”
“Iced Americano!”
“Choco Latte!”
“It’s rare to see people disagree this much. The youngest member is even covering his face! Haha! Here’s the last question. ‘Who is the person you think of the most right now?’”
Before the MC finished counting to three, both shouted a name simultaneously.
“Lee Jaehee!”
“Lee Jaehee!”
“Correct! Finally, we have our first correct answer! Team 1 finishes with a score of 1. Let’s give them a round of applause!”
The MC encouraged the applause with smooth remarks, then suddenly asked with a curious expression.
“May I ask who Lee Jaehee is?”
The microphone in the MC’s hand was pointed at Jiwon. Jiwon hesitated for a moment, startled.
‘Why are they giving me the mic?’
Though it was just a nearby question, Jiwon felt hostility and kept his mouth shut.
Only after feeling Hyunsoo’s piercing gaze did he finally speak.
“…He’s the youngest member of our team.”
“Oh, you came out for the game for your youngest member, so naturally, you thought of him? Special D Team’s love for their youngest is a hundred points, but unfortunately, you take home just 1 point from the game! But don’t be disheartened. If all the other teams get everything wrong, you could still win! Now, let’s welcome the next team to the stage.”
The recreation continued smoothly. Hyunsoo stood at the edge of the platform, glaring at the two punching each other in the sides.
‘You guys, stop fighting!’
Noticing Hyunsoo’s fierce gaze, the two stopped punching and looked away with displeased expressions.
‘How can they be twenty-seven and twenty-five?’
He wondered when they would ever grow up.
“Are you disappointed?”
Minchan poured a drink into Hyunsoo’s empty glass and asked. Hyunsoo slowly nodded.
“If you want to eat beef, just say so. I’ll order different cuts right after we finish today.”
“It’s not because I can’t eat beef.”
“Then?”
There were too many listening ears around to openly say it was disappointing not to win the prize prepared with the center’s money.
“Just… because we might not win.”
Hyunsoo mumbled. Sensing the truth, Minchan nodded and watched the other teams answer the questions.
“Do you think Jiwon and Yoon will come last?”
“Yeah.”
“They’ll fight again.”
“They’ve already fought. Oh, right. I’ve kept track of how many times they’ve hit each other. Jiwon hit seven times, Yoon eight times. Maybe we’ll get a wish ticket today.”
“Should I stir things up to make them fight more later?”
Minchan asked casually, propping his chin on his hand, and Hyunsoo laughed incredulously.
“Is that something a team leader should say? No fighting within the team, remember?”
“Right, I shouldn’t.”
Minchan scratched his neck awkwardly. While Minchan and Hyunsoo were talking, Jiwon, who was standing at the edge of the platform, glared.
“What are Minchan and Jaehee talking about?”
“They’re probably plotting to kick you out.”
“Are they crazy? Even if they are, they’d kick you out, not me.”
“Oh, hilarious. I don’t deal with people who pour sauce on sweet and sour pork.”
“You said you dip it in soy sauce yourself!”
The two bickered quietly enough not to draw attention until the last team’s game ended.
Finally, finishing in last place, they stepped down from the platform with their heads hung low.
Hyunsoo was stopping Yoon from buying beef when the highlight of the recreation event approached.
“Now, for the final game we have prepared! It’s the ‘Read the Director’s Mind’ segment! The rules are simple. Play rock-paper-scissors with the director. If you tie, you stay in the game. The last person standing wins a 7-day paid vacation and vacation money!”
Despite the ridiculous segment name, the prize was appealing. The hall buzzed with excitement at the mention of a 7-day paid vacation.
A purely luck-based competition. Whether you had powers or not, you just had to match what the director played.
Everyone raised their hands with determined expressions and started rock-paper-scissors as instructed by the MC.
“Rock-paper-scissors!”
“Ah.”
Minchan was the first to lose. He lowered his hand without regret, smiling at Hyunsoo, who was eliminated in the next round.
“At least now your arm won’t hurt.”
“I was willing to endure some arm pain to win.”
“Hmm.”
Minchan laughed awkwardly. If he had known Hyunsoo wanted to win so badly, he would have prepared a trick.
While he regretted not doing so, Jiwon and Yoon, who were eliminated next, clenched their fists in disappointment.
“My life, seriously.”
Yoon grumbled, leaning back in his chair.
Though half-reclined, Hyunsoo didn’t scold him.
He was too busy feeling the disappointment of being eliminated early.
After his spectacular elimination, he wanted to leave the New Year’s party and go back to the dorm.
“Oh! We have a winner! Let’s invite the lucky winner who will receive a 7-day paid vacation and vacation money to the stage!”
Amid envious and jealous glances, D Team quietly clapped.
The only thing left was the lucky draw, but honestly, there was no expectation.
They just wanted this dreadful New Year’s party to end quickly.
Watching the winner take a commemorative photo with the central director reignited Hyunsoo’s desire to escape.
In the lucky draw held afterward, Shin Jowon from the sub-part won a high-end blender. Apart from him, D Team was wiped out.
‘This isn’t my failure; it’s a failure of strategy.’
Missing out on chances to save a bit of stamina. Next time, he planned to participate in all games to increase his chances. The hall, bustling with people leaving after the closing ceremony, was crowded.
Hyunsoo’s group exchanged goodbyes with the sub-part members, promising to go together next time as Hyunsoo was too tired.
‘Ah, it’s so crowded. Seriously…’
Though the hall was large, the number of participants was equally large.
The thought of pushing through the crowd made him tired already.
Hyunsoo glanced at Yoon without realizing it. When their eyes met, Yoon blinked a few times and then grinned.
“Geez. You only look at me like that at times like this.”
“I was just looking.”
“Sure. Just looking. Hold on. Let’s head straight to the parking lot.”
Satisfied with the desired response, Hyunsoo inwardly rejoiced and grabbed the hem of Yoon’s jacket.
Yoon, in turn, grabbed the cuffs of Minchan and Jiwon, who were standing nearby, with his thumb and index finger.
Though treating them like germs or trash, they weren’t offended since they usually treated Yoon the same way.
In the blink of an eye, the group arrived at the underground parking lot and moved to Minchan’s parked vehicle.
As Minchan took the driver’s seat, Hyunsoo naturally climbed into the passenger seat.
“Yoon, since we’re at it, why didn’t you move the car too?”
Minchan spoke with a hint of sincerity in his joke, causing Yoon, who was sitting in the back seat with Jiwon, to scoff.
“Did you leave it to me… Never mind, just start driving, Mr. Driver.”
“Ah, yes. Where would you like to go?”
Minchan, who was driving like a taxi driver, glanced at Hyunsoo in the passenger seat. Although his eyes were half-closed, he was desperately fighting off drowsiness.
“If you’re tired, you should get some sleep.”
“If I sleep while you’re driving, what will happen to me?”
“It’ll be just 30 minutes. You can close your eyes for a bit. It’s fine.”
As Minchan insisted, Hyunsoo hesitated for a moment.
He didn’t want to sleep in the passenger seat without manners, unable to endure even 30 minutes.
“No, I’m not going to sleep.”
“Alright, then.”
Minchan didn’t press further. He had only suggested it because Hyunsoo looked genuinely tired, and he decided to let him do as he pleased.
After all, wasn’t there a fight before because of unnecessary consideration?
“But how come Jiwon and I just don’t get along? It’s ridiculous the more I think about it. What’s with being last? It’s really embarrassing.”
“Who is that guy making such a fuss?”
Back at the lodging, the ones who were expected to get a lot of stickers on the punishment board were busy bickering without predicting their future.
Hyunsoo kept a close eye on whether the two were getting into more arguments.
Remembering their exchanges until they arrived at the lodging, he whispered secretly to Minchan.
“Sticker count update. Jiwon 9, Yoon 10.”
“Today’s the day Kim Yoon hands out wish cards, huh?”
When the punishment stickers on the board reached 10, the rest of the people would each get one wish card.
Kim Yoon had collected 10 stickers today alone. Hyunsoo thought he’d need to stick the two together more often before the topic of the punishment board changed, and entered the lodging.
“Jiwon’s stickers 9, Yoon’s stickers 10.”
As Minchan put stickers on the punishment board in the living room, the two, taken aback, tried to protest, but Hyunsoo smirked, saying he had been watching with his fingers bent.
Jiwon and Yoon shut their mouths. Minchan took out the wish cards from the drawer, wrote Kim Yoon’s name on the top, and distributed them to Jiwon and Hyunsoo.
“Damn. I need to be more careful from now on.”
Jiwon mumbled as he was just one sticker away from having to issue a wish card.
Then, recalling tired Hyunsoo, they stopped grumbling, exchanged goodnight wishes, and quietly dispersed to their rooms.
‘What should I make Kim Yoon use his wish card for?’
While pondering what could be requested from Kim Yoon as he changed clothes in his room, his phone, which had been placed on the bed, rang.
Hyunsoo blinked in surprise upon seeing the caller’s name.
[Lee Jaeyoon]
It was Lee Jaeyoon, who had been out of touch for a while.
* * *
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