Have I finally lost it?
Right. I've definitely gone insane.
Or maybe it's so hot I've completely cracked. Otherwise, there was no reason for Ga Gijo to show up in this vast stretch of Jeju, in this hotel.
But no matter how he looked again.
No matter how he blinked.
The person sitting on the expert sofa was Ga Gijo to anyone's eyes. He seemed to have dressed somewhat neatly for filming, yet even so, that distinctive swagger couldn't be hidden.
How many people in the world even had this kind of aura?
Why.
Why on earth.
Is Ga Gijo.
Here?
Don't tell me he came on to appear in this?
No. Is that even possible?
"Um, excuse me."
The woman beside him tapped Raon's arm with her index finger.
"Do you, by chance, know that person?"
"…"
"It's just, he called you 'baby' earlier…"
"No. I don't know him."
"Huh? But-."
"It's my first time seeing him. Someone like that."
The woman wore a momentarily dumbfounded expression.
Having flatly denied the man's very existence, Raon clenched his fist tight.
Should I run for it, even now?
Raon seriously considered it.
But the sixty-million-won fee.
It was more money than running away was worth.
[Hello, singles.]
"Kyaa!"
"Oh, you startled me."
The commotion stirred by Ga Gijo's entrance lasted only a moment. No sooner had he taken his seat than narration spilled from a nearby speaker.
[From the meeting of our different selves to falling in love. Welcome to
<Forever Alone Dating>.][For the next ten days, the forever-aloners will live together here in Jeju, setting off on a journey to learn and to find love.]
Listening to the narration, Raon swallowed dryly.
Ten days.
If he just held out through that time, he could get the settlement money, and the memories of his parents too.
[From here, we'll explain how
<Forever Alone Dating>works.][
<Forever Alone Dating>is a coaching-and-cohabitation program where eight people total, romance experts and lifelong singles, learn and seek out love together.][Upon entry, every single will be assigned a 'romance level.' Measured based on data gathered in advance, the levels range from 1 to 10, and the romance experts start at level 10.]
[Lifelong singles all start at level '1.']
"Whoa, that's insane."
Someone seated on the singles' sofa muttered.
Level 0 would've meant zero dating experience whatsoever.
It would've meant being branded a lifelong single for the record.
[But don't worry. The levels aren't fixed.]
[Levels update daily, based on comprehensive data from dates, missions, courage, growth, and more.]
[The romance experts are no exception either. Excessive flirting, crossing the line even after the other party's refusal, and such acts will cause an immediate level drop.]
"Wow, you'd have to be careful with this."
"One wrong move and you're just done for."
The soft chatter from the next sofa drifted over.
Swallowing dryly, Raon side-eyed the menace lounging with his legs crossed.
[
<Forever Alone Dating>has one special system.][It's the
<Partner Match>.]
Partner Match?
Raon felt a momentary question rise.
[The
<Partner Match>is, just as the name says, a one-on-one coaching system for the singles who are clumsy at love.][This partner match.]
[Is made up of one romance expert and one lifelong single.]
"!"
A-an expert and I get matched?
Then that means I could end up paired with Ga Gijo?
[After the partner matching, the romance expert takes on the role of 'Manito,' offering advice and counsel for their lifelong single's worries.]
[A partner match can be opposite-sex or same-sex.]
[Each time the expert performs their partner role well and the lifelong single's level rises by one step…]
[Ten million won is accumulated.]
"Holy sh-t, ten million won?"
"That's a sweet deal, for real."
[If a lifelong single reaches level 10, a total prize of one hundred million won is awarded, regardless of whether a couple forms.]
[Meanwhile, for the lifelong singles, on the final day, if they form a final couple, each is given a prize of one hundred million won.]
A hundred million.
At a figure he'd never heard in his life, Raon's heart pounded. With that kind of money, he could pull off his exhibition prep just fine. He could take one step forward toward the future.
[During the cohabitation period, the singles must address one another only by the 'nicknames' decided in advance, not by their real names.]
[Phone use is permitted, and private messaging between participants is also allowed. However,
<Forever Alone Dating>takes no responsibility for any verbal abuse, sexual harassment, or other disgraceful incidents that arise in the meantime.]
So…
Do whatever you want, but you bear the responsibility yourself.
[And the single most important thing.]
At those words, every contestant pricked up their ears.
[During the cohabitation period, sexual relations are prohibited.]
"…Cough!"
The man seated beside Raon hurriedly clapped a hand over his mouth. Elsewhere, gasps burst out here and there.
Listening to the narration, Ga Gijo huffed a laugh.
"I already want sex, though."
[Then, from now, we'll begin the
<Forever Alone Dating>cohabitation.]
Singles,
[Please stand and introduce yourselves in the order you arrived.]
"…This is insane."
The woman sitting on the expert sofa marveled in pure earnest. The same went for Raon. Up until coming here, he'd only heard a brief outline. It was more full-on than he'd expected.
"It was in order of arrival, right?"
Just as everyone chewed over the narration they'd heard.
The pink-bobbed woman rose to her feet. She was the one who'd first spoken to Raon earlier.
With everyone's gaze on her, the woman let out a soft laugh.
"Came early and diligent, and here I am kicking off the start again. Hello, singles. Well, there's no limit on the intro, so I'll just talk. I'm twenty-eight, and I work as a tattoo artist in Apgujeong right now. My nickname is Yuna. I named it after my cat, Yuna. Looking forward to the next ten days!"
Having delivered even the closing greeting, Yuna grinned wide.
At the same time, applause broke out here and there.
When she sat down, the man beside her stood up.
Nickname: Jerry.
Twenty-nine, currently enrolled in law school.
Planning to prep for the bar exam going forward.
He set the nickname Jerry because he liked Tom and Jerry, and with that the turn changed hands.
…Damn it.
I should've come last like Ga Gijo if I'd known.
Maybe because he was the first to stand on the forever-alone side, the gazes touching his skin felt especially scorching.
Rising awkwardly, Raon stood there fidgeting.
"H-hello."
"Pft!"
Unlike the experts before him who'd spoken so smoothly, it was obvious at a glance he was nervous. At the trembling voice, a few on the expert side stifled their laughter.
His two small ears, suddenly mortified, flushed red.
But maybe because he was too nervous.
He wanted to speak as composedly as the two before him…
"I'm, twenty-seven."
H-how do you even do that?
Biting down hard on the inside of his cheek without realizing it, Raon clenched and unclenched his fist. His heart thumped unsteadily.
"It hasn't been long since I came back from studying abroad… Right now I'm preparing an exhibition based on my major."
"What's your major?"
Someone asked.
"W-Western painting."
"Holy. So you studied abroad in Europe?"
"Yes. I went to France."
"Insane. You're a freaking talent."
Jerry tossed in a comment.
At that, the people around chimed in to praise him along. With cold sweat streaming at the sudden attention, Raon hurriedly shook his head.
"N-no. My major's just from there. My nickname is Cherry. I like cherries… N-nice to meet you all."
Having barely gotten his nickname out, Raon bowed his head here and there and sat down on the sofa.
Having just managed to soothe his pounding chest, he glanced at whose turn was next.
After that, several introductions went by.
And around the time the last turn approached, Jerry, who'd finished his own intro at ease, nodded toward the man.
"It's you now, you."
"Quick, real quick."
Uncrossing his legs, Gijo rose to his feet.
Everyone here knew him. Just by standing still, people's eyes and ears snapped to one place at once. Dipping his head toward the contestants, he spoke.
"Name's Pop. Age, twenty-nine."
Having stated his particulars simply, Gijo swallowed with a hngh.
"Occupation, chaebol."
Things I like,
"Sex."
Things I'm good at,
"Spending money and f-cking."
"Y-you crazy bastard!"
Jerry urgently grabbed at him.
Looking down at the guy, Gijo huffed a laugh.
"What's the harm?"
After all,
"They said don't have sex."
They didn't say don't use the word sex, did they?
Turning to face the other contestants with a brazen air, Gijo went on.
"I hate platonic, though."
So I'm quite the romantic, see,
"I won't do it in front of other people, so don't worry."
In that moment, Raon's body gave a small shudder.
Locking eyes with the guy, Gijo pulled up one corner of his mouth.
"The pretty sights are for me alone."
