Chapter 127

Ordinary office worker Heeju Jung—who secretly bore an assortment of titles including R-Connect fan, R-Connect junkie, Screencap Legend, and more—had nearly arrived spectacularly late for work.

The live broadcast of Season 10 the night before had marinated her frontal lobe in dopamine, leaving her unable to tear her eyes away from her phone all night.

It had been an absolutely insane episode.

From the movie theater to the hotel VIP room, she could confidently call it the greatest Golden Date in the history of every season.

Unable to contain the high swelling inside her, Heeju spent the entire night making screencaps and refreshing the online forums.

Thankfully, she was far from the only deranged, hopelessly overinvested viewer.

The forums, social media, and even every major portal site were flooded with discussions of R-Connect Season 10.

As proof that it had been a truly historic episode, most thumbnails had Yo Han Sung and Gyeol Go plastered side by side.

They looked so absurdly good together that she had screamed silently to herself again and again in the middle of the night.

After accumulating that much bad karma, Heeju barely dragged herself into work on Saturday with hollow eyes.

Of all nights, they had aired an episode that legendary the evening before her once-a-month Saturday shift for the month-end close.

She was burning with determination to finish the remaining work as quickly as possible, return home early, and await that evening’s broadcast with a reverent heart when she heard someone whisper Yo Han’s name from the other side of the partition.

She discreetly pricked up her ears.

As expected, they were talking about R-Connect.

R-Connect Season 10 was shattering every previous ratings record, writing a new chapter in history not merely for dating shows but for streaming variety programs as a whole.

According to one article, its popularity was reminiscent of the dramas that had drawn ratings of over fifty percent back in the days when terrestrial television was all people had.

Everywhere anyone went, all anyone talked about was R-Connect.

It had reached the point where people practically needed to watch R-Connect Season 10 just to participate in ordinary workplace small talk.

“I thought I was watching a drama.”

“Seriously, are we sure it isn’t scripted? Yo Han sounded like he was delivering lines. How does a person even talk like that?”

“They said R-Connect has no script and is one hundred percent reality. Honestly, you couldn’t get that kind of tension if it were acting. Everyone’s always going on about how good Yo Han is, but I personally thought his romantic acting was a little flat. But yesterday, I started crying while I watched. It genuinely felt sincere.”

“I know exactly what you mean. When someone’s real emotions hit you all at once and you start crying with them.”

Ordinarily, Heeju would have remained silently at her desk, thinking, You came in on a Saturday just to sit around doing this? Please, for the love of God, do some work.

But her ears kept perking up.

“Is Yo Han planning to retire? It was already ridiculous that he appeared on a dating show, but now he’s throwing his entire image away.”

“How is he ruining his image? Everyone’s losing their minds over how incredible he was.”

“Come on. He’s a hugely successful actor without even trying, and now he’s going out of his way to court some former failed idol on a dating show...”

By that point, Heeju could no longer endure it.

She rose from her desk, picked up her coffee, and naturally inserted herself into the group.

“What are you all talking about?”

“Heeju, Heeju. You said you watch R-Connect, right? Did you see yesterday’s episode?”

“Yes. I hate getting spoiled, so I watched it live.”

“Wasn’t Yo Han incredible? I had to clutch my chest through the entire thing.”

“Me too. Then Gyeol started crying, and my own eyes welled up.”

“Exactly! Right? See, boss? Even someone like Heeju feels the same way I do.”

Now that he was outnumbered, the team leader pursed his lips and could not think of anything more to say.

Heeju had joined the company with impressive credentials and was considered one of its star employees.

Hearing that even she agreed seemed to make him wonder whether his comment had made him sound like an out-of-touch boomer.

Assistant Manager Im, who was unmistakably a Yo Han-Gyeol shipper, turned shining eyes on Heeju and began chattering.

“What do you think is going on between Yo Han and Gyeol? I have no idea what happened during CAMERA OFF — FREE TIME. Forget the tension—what was that apology about? They seemed to be getting along after the free-time date, so why would he suddenly say he was sorry?”

“Good grief, Assistant Manager Im. You’ve fallen in deep.”

“Don’t even start, Manager Kim. I’m genuinely losing my mind.”

Right. This must be how ordinary viewers react.

After a brief moment of consideration, Heeju cleared her throat and gave them a condensed version of the theory she had organized and posted to the forum the night before—a post that had even risen to the top of the rankings.

“I saw something about it in a YouTube Short...”

She supplied a plausible excuse because she could hardly reveal her secret hobby.

By now, countless YouTube videos were probably already springing up, stealing the theory from her post, splicing together R-Connect footage, and plastering explanatory captions over it.

“Apparently, they acted in the same drama a long time ago. Gyeol only had a minor role, but people said they got along well at the script reading. Some viewers think something might have started between them back then. Their emotions both seemed a little too... deep, I guess, and too serious for it to have been an apology about something that happened during those two hours of free time and Gyeol’s reaction to it.”

“Oh my God, you’re right. That must be it. It has to be.”

Assistant Manager Im nodded enthusiastically.

The scene of Gyeol crying after hearing Yo Han’s confession had not been shown for long.

The broadcast had immediately cut to the mailbox scene.

But considering they had also omitted the crucial moment when Gyeol chose which of the three wishes to grant, there was a strong possibility that nothing had been decided in that room.

“How am I supposed to wait until tonight? I’m going insane.”

Assistant Manager Im’s feelings were Heeju’s exactly.

She was smiling calmly on the outside, but inwardly, Heeju was clawing her heart to ribbons as she waited desperately for that evening’s broadcast.

“If Yo Han apologized and begged me like that, I’d just agree to date him on the spot.... Haah.”

“It wouldn’t make any sense for Gyeol to suddenly say yes and start dating him right there. Are they trying to turn it into the final episode?”

“Don’t mention the final episode. I’m already depressed thinking about what I’ll live for afterward......”

“All right, that’s enough chatting. Everyone get back to your desks, work hard, and let’s go home. Nobody leaves until the close is finished.”

“Yes......”

At the team leader’s instruction, everyone returned to their places.

Heeju checked how much work remained and steadied her breathing.

Yesterday’s final scene ended with Gyeol opening his own mailbox.

Finish the work quickly, order fried chicken and beer, and receive tonight’s episode with the reverence it deserves.

Heeju sucked in a bracing breath and focused on her work.

***

There were four cards in Gyeol’s mailbox.

One was the blank card he had placed there himself.

I hope you’ll be happy.

The space you leave behind feels larger and larger, Gyeol. I miss you.

Gyeol’s expression darkened slightly as he checked the first two cards in succession.

I regret everything, but I don’t regret what happened yesterday.

I’ll wait.

After checking the final card, Gyeol gathered them together without any reaction and walked away from the mailbox.

***

Gyeol Go’s interview regarding the Golden Date on Day 10.

How was the date?

“Mm... I think it was overwhelming. A lot of things happened.”

Why did Yo Han Sung apologize?

“As you know, I never had a chance to speak privately with Yo Han about that. So I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to say anything from my side yet. I hope you understand.”

How did you feel when Yo Han Sung confessed?

“......I was very surprised. I never expected him to say something like that.”

You certainly looked surprised. Which wish are you planning to grant?

“I’m still thinking about it. You’ll have to see for yourselves later. ...Aren’t you being a little cruel?”

Thanks to Gyeol’s playful response, laughter broke out among the production staff, including the writer asking the questions.

Why did you cry after hearing his confession?

“...First, I think there’s something I should correct. Rather than crying because I heard a confession, it felt as though everything Yo Han said had shaken my heart.”

Then what did the tears mean? Were they positive or negative?

“Neither. I don’t think I can explain it that clearly. Sometimes emotion suddenly surges up, and a person simply breaks down. I think that moment happened to be mine. I was confused too... No, the truth is, I’m still a little confused. It’s complicated.”

The atmosphere settled slightly at the answer that came with his bitter smile.

How are you going to answer his confession?

“That is... a secret. Please keep watching until the final selection.”

***

Yo Han Sung’s interview regarding the Golden Date on Day 10.

Unlike Gyeol’s, it appeared to have been filmed immediately after they returned from the date that night, as the surroundings were still dark.

Things seemed rather dangerous in the movie theater.

“I am fully aware of broadcast standards and abide by them.”

Several members of the production staff suppressed laughter at the smiling response.

Your manner of speaking seems slightly different. Only when you’re with Gyeol Go.

“You noticed correctly.”

Why?

“Because he’s special.”

What is?

“Gyeol is. To me.”

One of the wishes was a business gay performance.

“Yes.”

Yo Han’s attitude was utterly shameless.

Isn’t a business gay performance normally something people arrange secretly behind the scenes?

“It was my way of saying I wanted to make him mine badly enough to twist logic itself.”

What if Gyeol Go chooses the business gay performance?

“Then I’ll go down in history as the first contestant to openly do a business gay performance on a dating show.”

Was this always your image......? Are you not worried about managing it?

“Please love this side of me too.”

The production staff persistently questioned him about why he had promised to grant the wish, why he had apologized, and everything else they wanted to know.

But each time, Yo Han deflected them with a smile and gave them nothing.

Lastly, we would like to ask what your confession meant.

“It means I’ll wait.”

After a brief silence, Yo Han added,

“No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait until Gyeol comes to me.”

***

Strangely, the faces Gyeol encountered in the lounge felt as though he had not seen them in a very long time.

He greeted them one by one, meeting each person’s eyes.

Because Gyeol had arrived first, his gaze also met Hanseul Ga’s directly.

Before Hanseul could look away, Gyeol smiled and gave him a slight nod.

Hanseul reluctantly inclined his head in return.

Yo Han and Gyeol sat with some distance between them.

It would almost have been easier to sit close, where their gazes would not keep colliding.

With Yo Han farther away, Gyeol found himself even more conscious of his presence.

“How was the Golden Date? Just getting off the island must’ve felt like heaven.”

Starting with Tommy’s lament, the conversation moved to the Golden Date.

Yo Han and Gyeol took turns giving measured answers to the other contestants’ questions.

Before long, however, the subject shifted to the truth game the remaining contestants had played among themselves the day before.

Apparently, they had managed to enjoy themselves.

Gyeol laughed and responded along with the conversation, blending naturally into the atmosphere.

Then Hwang Gyujin, who had been quietly observing the situation, tossed out a remark.

“Sun Choi waited for you all day, Gyeol.”