Chapter 130

“Really? You know—the kid Director Lee Sanghwi singled out during the script reading and subjected to all that crazy shit. You even filmed a physical-contact scene with him.”

Kim Woori was unexpectedly persistent.

With the details laid out that specifically, Yo Han could no longer keep pretending ignorance.

“Ah, yes. I think I vaguely remember him.”

“Apparently he’s going on R-Connect. I wondered why I hadn’t seen him since then. He must have really steeled himself. Good lord.”

“R-Connect?”

“You know, that dating show. The one everyone says is practically adult broadcasting. The world’s going to hell. Going on something like that just for a little fame? How is it any different from becoming a porn actor?”

A disapproving click of the tongue followed.

Yo Han had not been pretending not to know about the show. He genuinely knew very little about R-Connect, so for the moment, he merely smiled and let the subject pass.

Later, when he looked up R-Connect, the shock felt as though a blood vessel in his brain had twisted and constricted.

He’s going on a dating show like this?

A man with a spouse and a child?

He could not simply stand by and watch. Turning a blind eye to another person’s secret had limits.

Even if he went so far as to concede that it was Gyeol’s choice to toy with Yo Han and carry on with other Alphas behind his spouse’s back, a father with a partner at home concealing that fact and gaining popularity by appearing on a dating show that bordered on X-rated was an act of deception against the production staff, the other contestants, and the viewers alike.

That was how Yo Han decided to join R-Connect Season 10.

The program had no reason to turn down someone as prominent as Yo Han Sung. They rushed the contract through with the clear determination to create a place for him even if none existed.

As far as Yo Han knew, only one Alpha late-entry twist had originally been scheduled to enter the island.

That twist had probably been Hwang Gyujin, who was now sitting across from him.

“Did you have something to say?”

Lounging deep in his chair with casual insolence, Hwang Gyujin noticed Yo Han staring and tilted his head.

“No. I was looking at the sea.”

Since Gyujin was sitting with his back to the sea, Yo Han redirected the conversation without difficulty.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Excuse me?”

“With the sun blazing like that, why would I go outside? I’m going to stay glued to the lounge until you leave, then talk to whoever’s still here.”

An Alpha he had no interest in whatsoever suddenly began rambling, leaving Yo Han briefly wondering what any of it was supposed to mean.

Then he noticed the subtle changes in the expressions of Hanseul Ga and Jaekyung Park, who were seated on either side of Gyujin, and roughly understood the situation.

“Hmm. I don’t intend to leave the lounge either.”

Yo Han answered lightly. He was half joking and half serious.

With Gyeol gone, who would I possibly go anywhere with?

He could sense Hanseul, sitting there with his mouth clamped shut, wavering as he compared Yo Han and Gyujin.

Yo Han could not have cared less. He had neither interest in nor concern for whatever Hanseul might be thinking.

“Yo Han.”

Even if Hanseul asked to spend some time alone with him, Yo Han intended to refuse.

“Come talk with me.”

After confessing to Gyeol in front of the cameras last night, I’m supposed to spend time with another Omega?

It would be pointless, offer him nothing, and only damage his image.

Of course, he could use the opportunity to make his position clear to Hanseul and tell him to look elsewhere.

But there was no telling when Gyeol would return.

Yo Han intended to take Gyeol away the instant he came back. Every minute and every second mattered.

“Thank you for the offer, but I want to stay here.”

He had been separated from Gyeol all night. Yo Han was burning with impatience.

His original plan had been to ask Gyeol to talk as soon as things settled down. Knowing that every bastard here was after Gyeol, he had intended to claim him first and spend time alone with him.

Instead, Hwang Gyujin had meddled where he was not wanted, in a manner hardly befitting a three-legged Alpha bastard, and ruined everything.

“Why don’t you talk to someone else?”

Yo Han was smiling, and his tone was gentle, but the refusal was unmistakable.

It was the first time he had rejected Hanseul outright.

Hanseul froze in shock.

Jaekyung knew Hanseul’s pride would prevent him from immediately asking Gyujin to talk, so he seized the opportunity.

“Come talk with me, Gyujin.”

Gyujin, who had been watching Yo Han and Hanseul with interest, grumbled.

“Ah, but it’s hot. I don’t want to go outside...”

He rose from his seat despite the complaint, and Jaekyung’s face immediately brightened.

“Looks like the lounge is all yours in the end. Enjoy your lounge, boss.”

Calling Yo Han whatever he pleased, Gyujin pressed his index and middle fingers together, touched them to the end of his eyebrow, and flicked them away in a salute before leaving the lounge.

Only Yo Han and Hanseul remained.

“...”

“...”

Hanseul broke the brief silence, his voice unsteady.

“Yo Han. Why are you suddenly acting like this? Is it because of Hwang Gyujin?”

Yo Han tilted his chin and repeated the name as a question.

“Hwang Gyujin?”

“Isn’t this because of him? Because I talked to him and acted like I was interested?”

Hanseul could not have been more wrong.

Whether Hanseul was interested in Gyujin had absolutely nothing to do with Yo Han. If anything, Hanseul no longer hovering around him and making a nuisance of himself was an advantage.

“Ah.”

Giving a lengthy response seemed bothersome, so Yo Han merely made a short, noncommittal sound.

Hanseul took it as agreement. His face flushed as he rushed breathlessly through his explanation.

“I’m not interested in Hwang Gyujin. I only did it to make you jealous. I thought you were getting complacent because I kept looking only at you, so I deliberately pretended to be interested in him.”

I don’t know about that. It looked like genuine interest to me.

Should I bother answering him or not? Is it even worth it?

Yo Han knew Hanseul had been sowing discord among the Omegas and making trouble for Gyeol.

His words and behavior were so clumsy that it would have been harder not to notice.

He had cut in the moment Gyeol tried to speak to Hee Jun and dragged Hee Jun away. During the game, he had subtly tried to pull Isu onto his side. Beyond that, anyone could tell from the unbearably arrogant attitude he had shown Gyeol from the beginning and the way his eyes constantly shifted and calculated.

The only people unlikely to have noticed were probably someone as good-natured as Tommy or Sun.

Yo Han had not intervened because he assumed Gyeol could handle it himself.

Gyeol Go stood his ground even against Yo Han. Even when Yo Han held his secret over him, Gyeol refused to be intimidated, looked him straight in the eye, and fired right back.

There was no way someone like Gyeol couldn’t handle the likes of Hanseul Ga.

“And Jaekyung knew everything, but he still went on that Ivory Mansion date with you. Then he acted as if it had been nothing, so I...”

“Hanseul. The cameras are rolling.”

Yo Han cut him off.

It was the final shred of loyalty he could offer Hanseul as a colleague who had appeared in the same drama.

Hanseul snapped his mouth shut, clenched both fists, and trembled.

Judging by his behavior, this was probably not the only time he had let something careless slip.

Whether Hanseul destroyed his image or ended his career as a celebrity was none of Yo Han’s concern. But since Hanseul had followed him onto the program, Yo Han had no desire to deal with needless repercussions.

The world was full of people who refused to take full responsibility for their own choices.

So Yo Han decided to extend Hanseul one more act of generosity.

“Since the opportunity has come up, I should make myself clear to you.”

“...”

The corner of Hanseul’s eye twitched.

“I meant it when I told you to talk to someone else. You described it as me getting ‘complacent,’ but you know the truth better than anyone.”

“When I said complacent, I meant that I...”

Yo Han had not finished speaking, but Hanseul could not restrain himself and interrupted.

Yo Han ignored him and continued.

“I have feelings for someone else.”

“...”

“More than simple interest.”

Hanseul stared blankly at him.

“So I hope you and I can remain good colleagues.”

“Why...”

Hanseul barely forced out the first word. He fumbled for the rest, then abruptly blurted it out.

“Why would you say that in front of the cameras?”

His pupils were dilated. His face twisted, unable to conceal his anger.

He seemed deeply shocked that Yo Han had rejected him on camera.

From everything Yo Han had observed, Hanseul was probably the type who had always gotten whatever he wanted with ease. That was likely why he had become so desperate over Yo Han, the one person who refused to bend to his will.

Even the director of their drama doted on Hanseul and treated him like something precious.

Had he ever been rejected so openly before?

“You’re only being deliberately harsh to make me give up, aren’t you?”

Hanseul breathed heavily and forced a smile.

“You can’t really mean it. Other than me, there’s only one person you could possibly be interested in.”

Unfortunately, this was as far as the consideration Yo Han could extend in the name of being colleagues would go.

“I really don’t understand.”

“Hanseul.”

“Why would someone at your level choose someone like...”

“Hanseul!”

Only when Yo Han called his name sharply did Hanseul stop.

Yo Han stared at him with an icy expression.

What an utterly stupid face.

Hanseul would have to remain grateful for a very long time that they were currently in front of the cameras.

“Don’t speak carelessly. Listen closely.”

Because if Hanseul had insulted Gyeol somewhere without cameras, he would have ended up like Lee Sanghwi.

“I like Gyeol Go.”