NLFSD Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 

To earn points during a surprise call, both people had to appear in the same frame while answering. Lee Jiwoon was immensely relieved that the production team hadn’t yet entered the café and tried to take the call quickly.

But Seo Taecheon leisurely sipped his Americano and shook his head.

“Let’s not answer it.”

“What? What do you mean, don’t answer it? We need to answer to get points.”

“We’re filming right now, aren’t we? Let’s not answer.”

“If we don’t, we lose 10 points. Our score this month is already on the edge.”

“We can make up for it later. For now, let’s focus on our date.”

Jiwoon was speechless. Losing 10 points out of 100 was no small matter. If they weren’t careful, they could be marked as “insufficient deliberation” and have their marriage period extended by another month.

“No, if we don’t take it, we lose po—”

But the call ended while they were talking. Jiwoon was about to ask Taecheon what he was thinking, but just then, the production crew entered the café. Now he couldn’t mention divorce or marriage.

After that, they had an ordinary conversation. What do you do on weekends, what dramas have you watched recently, what food have you enjoyed lately, and so on.

Exchanging questions whose answers they already knew, repeating responses like “Oh, really?” and “I see,” an hour quickly passed.

“Now we’ll move to the resort. We’ll film a little more there and wrap up the private date.”

“Okay.”

Jiwoon and Taecheon left the café and walked along the coastline again. The noonday sun was blindingly bright, and Jiwoon frowned.

“Omega No. 1, let’s switch sides.”

“Sorry? Why?”

“I want to walk by the sea.”

Despite his words, Seo Taecheon subtly positioned himself to provide shade for Jiwoon. Jiwoon, feeling oddly flustered and tickled inside, turned his gaze away.

After walking for about ten minutes, they returned to the resort. Jiwoon asked the production team,

“Where’s the next scene being shot?”

“Over there.”

“What?!”

The place they pointed to was an alpine coaster, basically a gravity-defying roller coaster. Using the rider’s body weight for acceleration, it offered an extreme-speed experience over several kilometers—a famous attraction of the Jeju resort.

Is this where my life ends…?

The rails were set so high, and the speed rivaled that of a car. Jiwoon was immediately terrified.

“W-We’re riding that?! Isn’t it too dangerous?”

“Oh, we’ve planned everything. Research shows that when people experience something scary or risky together, their chances of falling in love increase significantly. The shared fear builds a sense of connection, and survival instincts sometimes trigger mating instincts.”

The production team tried to reassure a horrified Jiwoon.

Wait, is that even scientifically valid? I just feel like I’ll scream and die on that thing…!

Jiwoon wanted to argue, but the true purpose of the show—alongside fostering romance—was “enhancing corporate image through promotion of Jeju resort facilities.”

Being part of the marketing team himself, he couldn’t very well say, “I can’t ride that coaster,” or “What if I die on that thing?” So he just stood there, face pale, unable to speak.

Watching this, Seo Taecheon quietly stepped beside Jiwoon and whispered,

“If you’re scared, just stick close to me.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll handle everything. Just close your eyes and stay still.”

Seo Taecheon said this while looking down into Jiwoon’s eyes. Jiwoon momentarily spaced out.

What was that? That felt… reassuring just now.

“Get ready to board! Alpha No. 1, Omega No. 1, please hurry over!”

At the crew’s call, Jiwoon headed toward the boarding area a step behind. There was only one bare two-seater sled on the platform.

“Whoever rides in back, Alpha No. 1 should take the lead to ensure stability.”

“Got it.”

Seo Taecheon got on the sled first and reached out his hand. Jiwoon shut his eyes tightly and grabbed it to climb on.

“Alright, here we go! Launch!”

With a whoosh, the sled shot forward. Jiwoon grabbed tightly onto Alpha No. 1’s forearm, which was wrapped around him from behind.

“Haa… haa…”

Arriving at the finish point, Jiwoon dismounted the sled, drenched in cold sweat. His legs shook like those of a newborn deer, and Seo Taecheon helped him stand.

“See? It was okay, just like I said.”

“…Yeah.”

Jiwoon responded and looked up. Their eyes met at a very close distance. A loud drumbeat thudded in his chest.

“Huh…?”

“What’s wrong?”

“My chest…”

“What about it?”

Thump thump. His heart pounded like crazy. At the same time, his face flushed red. His head spun like he had heatstroke.

“N-No, it’s nothing. I guess I just got too worked up.”

This heartbeat must be from the speed earlier. It’s just my body reacting to the shock.

Thinking that, Jiwoon turned away abruptly and walked into the shade.

“Director, can we talk for a moment?”

“Oh, yes.”

The PD walked over—not to Alpha No. 1, but to Director Seo Taecheon.

“It’s about our filming cooperation protocols.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

While Seo Taecheon conversed seriously with the PD, Jiwoon watched from a distance and pressed a hand to his chest. His heart was still racing like before.

What is this? It should’ve calmed down by now.

Am I… developing heart problems at this age?

Jiwoon opened his phone and went to the search engine. Typing in [heart palpitations], [flushed face], and [dizziness] all at once brought up the keyword falling in love.

“When you fall in love, your metabolism speeds up, and your nervous system becomes sensitive… Oh, come on, that’s ridiculous.”

Jiwoon dismissed the results and kept scrolling. Then the word arrhythmia caught his eye.

“What?! A cardiovascular disease? Is that what this is?”

They say there’s nothing more foolish than looking up symptoms on the internet, but at that moment, Lee Jiwoon was desperate to find the cause of his racing heart—anything but Seo Taecheon, he told himself.

That evening, all the participants gathered in the backyard of the resort.

“Our final segment for today is something everyone can enjoy together. We’ve hidden picture cards all around the resort. There are 10 pairs in total, with each image appearing twice. The person holding the same picture card as you will be your dinner partner for tonight.”

The assistant director gave the participants hints about where the cards were hidden. They were placed in spots the resort was proud of—like the fountain, the statue at the restaurant entrance, and the lavish lobby.

“Then, let’s begin!”

At the signal to start, the participants rushed forward. Jiwoon also ran quickly into the resort. As he searched around the spacious lobby, he was reminded of childhood treasure hunts during school field trips.

I want to find it quickly. Where could it be?

Jiwoon searched various spots—the concierge desk, the front desk, the art display area. Then he spotted a card placed on a lobby sofa.

“Found it!”

The card he found had a large star drawn on it. This meant that the person with the matching star card would be his partner for the evening.

“Who’s going to be my partner… Don’t tell me…”

The first person that popped into his head was Alpha No. 1. The odds were slim, but he let his imagination run wild, thinking maybe, just maybe, that kind of coincidence could happen.

Dinner dates are all about food. Grilled meat, pasta, maybe five kinds of fried dishes. Oh, should I suggest we drink that wine from last night again?

With no evidence whatsoever, Jiwoon vaguely assumed that the owner of the other star card would be Seo Taecheon, and his lips curled into a smile.

—Omega No. 1, you’ve found your card, right? Please return to the gathering spot.

A voice came through the earpiece he was wearing.

“Yes! I’m coming now.”

Jiwoon clutched the card tightly and quickly ran back to the backyard. The other participants had also returned, each holding a card and waiting for the match results with flushed faces. Jiwoon showed his card to the staff and had it checked.

Soon the assistant director stepped forward with a mic and began announcing the results.

“Okay, let’s start with the first couple. The person who drew the star card is, first of all, Omega No. 1! And their partner is…”

The assistant director dragged it out like a contestant announcement on a reality show. Jiwoon’s heart pounded as tension built up.

“Alpha No. 2!”

Oh. Not Seo Taecheon. It’s Assistant Manager Ki Hyunjin.

Jiwoon’s face stiffened. Hyunjin raised both arms and cheered openly.

“Wow! Omega No. 1, this must be fate!”

“Ah… yes. Alpha No. 2.”

With the cameras rolling and his partner clearly thrilled, Jiwoon couldn’t very well scowl. He forced a smile and stood next to Hyunjin.

Then who’s Seo Taecheon paired with? He’s going to be with someone else—not me.

Jiwoon’s attention shifted to the announcement of Taecheon’s result. After a few more pairings were called, the assistant director, looking entertained, pointed at Taecheon.

“Alpha No. 1! He found a heart card. So the person who also found a heart card is…”

Again, the assistant director paused for dramatic effect.