Chapter 80

The heat of Sun’s hand felt hotter than the blazing sunlight overhead.

People said that sometimes the smallest actions carried more meaning than entire conversations.

And Gyeol couldn’t bring himself to shake off the hand that seemed to burn with all those tangled emotions.

When Gyeol simply remained standing there with their hands joined, Sun belatedly shifted his eyes awkwardly. The towel resting on his head slipped down and revealed his face.

Tiny glimmers of light flickered in the eyes set upon that calm, upright face.

And beneath them lingered yearning he couldn’t fully hide.

Sun pressed his lips together before speaking slowly.

“If you don’t mind... I’d like you to stay beside me for a little while.”

“...Okay. I don’t mind.”

Gyeol nodded lightly and crouched down beside him.

Even then, Sun still hadn’t let go of his hand.

“...Um. Sun?”

“Yes.”

“This hand...”

“Huh? Ah— I’m sorry. That was rude of me....”

“No, no. That’s not what I meant.”

Only after seeing Sun immediately panic and flush red did Gyeol finally feel strangely relieved.

He sat down on the sand beside him, hugging his knees as the two of them quietly stared out at the sea together.

The sea was nice.

Whenever the white foam came crashing ashore in roaring waves, shattering apart as though trying to scrape every living thing off the land, it felt like his own heart was being washed away along with it.

Then suddenly, amid that emptied-out feeling, realization quietly settled in.

It had already been a week since they entered the island.

Back during his first brunch date with Sun, Gyeol had constantly searched for things to say because everything felt awkward.

But now...

Even sitting together in silence like this didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

That was how familiar and comfortable Sun had become to him.

Like water slowly soaking in.

This feels strange.

Resting his cheek against the arm wrapped around his knees, Gyeol quietly looked up at Sun.

Sun sat beneath the sunlight staring toward the distant sea.

Those thick brows stretching cleanly across his face.

The sharp, heavy lines of his features.

That firm jaw.

Nothing about him looked fragile.

And yet somehow, he still appeared oddly hollow in Gyeol’s eyes.

“Sun.”

Gyeol called him softly.

Sun, who’d been narrowing his eyes against the direct sunlight, lowered his gaze toward him.

“Yes, Gyeol.”

“Can I ask what you’re thinking about?”

“.......”

Gyeol watched the tension gradually leave Sun’s brows.

In the next moment, his eyes softened again into that familiar puppy-like gentleness as he slowly blinked.

“Why do you ask?”

“...Mm. It’s kind of a delicate thing to say, but... you seemed a little down.”

“Do I really look that way to you?”

A soft smile spread across Sun’s face.

He really is the kind of person who changes the atmosphere completely with the tiniest expression.

He looked so warm that even the air around them seemed to soften.

Gyeol curved his eyes slightly and answered lightly.

“Yeah. Though it’s not like you’re normally super high-energy like Tommy or anything.”

Sun laughed quietly.

It was a low sound that rumbled deep in his chest like a ship’s horn.

“I can get energetic too. Like when I had a blood sugar spike after eating French toast.”

“Energy and blood sugar spikes aren’t the same thing.”

Gyeol deliberately scolded him with a faint pout.

That only made Sun’s expression relax even further.

Tilting his head slightly as he held Gyeol’s gaze, Sun said,

“I don’t know. Being around you makes me feel like I’m having a blood sugar spike. That’s how much my mood lifts.”

“.......”

“See? Even now.”

Warmth.

Vitality.

Sincerity.

Those were the things that made up the man Gyeol saw before him.

Sun smiled at him gently, as though the shadows lingering around him moments ago had never existed at all.

As though Gyeol himself had done something meaningful.

As though Gyeol was capable of making someone feel that way.

A painful ache spread through Gyeol’s chest.

Behind the guilt, something that almost resembled hope slowly raised its head.

“Sun... I think you really see me in a good light.”

The thought crept into him quietly.

That maybe, to someone, he really could be a good person.

“Aren’t you one, Gyeol?”

Just as his brother had used him.

Just as dreams had abandoned him.

Just as the world had tangled itself up and shoved him into the mud—

maybe he wasn’t some worthless, pitiful person who deserved all of it.

Maybe somewhere, to someone, he was genuinely necessary.

It was such a strange thought.

Like standing directly before the reflection he’d never wanted to face in a mirror.

He’d never believed he had low self-esteem.

There were times his confidence had shaken, sure, but he’d always thought that came from failure and bad luck. He’d believed he’d always protected himself just fine.

And yet—

for the first time, he wondered if he’d been wrong all along.

Only now, when someone accepted him completely.

“...It feels like saying thank you isn’t enough. I don’t even know what else I should say.”

“That feeling alone is more than enough for me.”

Sun said it simply, but Gyeol still couldn’t shake the feeling that something remained unfinished.

After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke again.

“There’s one thing... I can say for certain.”

“What is it?”

Avoiding Sun’s questioning gaze, Gyeol stared out at the sea and murmured quietly,

“I never expected to meet someone like you here.”

“.......”

“You’re someone who has a positive influence on me.”

“...That’s wonderful to hear.”

The moment he heard Sun’s warm voice, Gyeol suddenly remembered Yo Han bringing up Yuli.

And because of that—

he became curious.

Even though he had no right to be.

If Sun ever found out he had a child...

“Looks like you’re feeling a little better now. Or is that just my imagination?”

“No. You’re right. I feel better because of you.”

If Sun discovered that Gyeol had hidden the fact that he was a father and still appeared on R-Connect—

“That’s wonderful to hear.”

“...A-are you copying me right now?”

What kind of reaction would he have?

“Does it look that way?”

“Please... don’t.”

“Your face is red, Sun.”

“Gyeol...!”

Guilt tightened violently around Gyeol’s heart.

He realized he’d been far too complacent.

What he was doing now was something shameful enough that even asking forgiveness for it would feel shameless.

“Let’s do our best in the team match later too, Sun.”

“...You’re enjoying this now, aren’t you?”

The man before him was so straightforwardly good that the clean brightness he carried nearly tore apart Gyeol’s guilt-ridden chest.

***

The final winner is Yo Han Sung.

Yo Han Sung, winner of the Alpha individual match, will receive the Golden Date Card.

Tommy had entered the final round against Yo Han fully determined to win.

But the result ultimately didn’t defy expectations.

Taking a full week off from exercising, then suddenly overdoing squats, plus burning through too much energy during the first round—

that had been the problem.

By the second time he fell into the sea during the match, Tommy had already resolved internally to give up.

If he exhausted himself any further here, he wouldn’t just fail to win the team match later—he’d probably end up wobbling around like a newborn baby deer incapable of standing properly on his own two legs.

“Thank you.”

Watching Yo Han receive the Golden Date Card made Tommy painfully jealous.

But one thought refused to leave his head.

What if.

Maybe.

Possibly.

Tommy might be innocent, but after becoming a famous YouTuber, he definitely wasn’t stupid.

Anyone who carved out a place for themselves in one field needed the ability to survive there.

Tommy never neglected analyzing trends, public tastes, and flow—and he’d applied those same instincts to R-Connect too.

Sure, he wasn’t naturally meticulous enough to build some grand master plan.

But he had watched previous seasons of R-Connect and studied the formats and games ahead of time.

Team matches involving Alphas and Omegas were usually pair-based, and they often required the Alpha to use physical strength.

For example, carrying an Omega princess-style while doing squats.

So basically... this is all strategy.

Because what if.

Maybe.

Possibly.

He ended up on the same team as Gyeol?

If that happened and he failed to look cool after finally becoming teammates—

that would be the absolute worst.

Imagine all the other Alphas charging ahead while he collapsed first, panting like an idiot.

How horrifying would that be?

If he got teamed with Gyeol and showed that kind of pathetic side?

He might honestly want to announce his withdrawal from R-Connect and throw himself into the sea.

Maybe swim all the way back to Seoul as punishment.

We will now begin the team draw.

The draw will be conducted using ladder selection. The Alpha and Omega paired together through the ladder will participate as teammates.

The Alphas will draw numbers first. In numerical order, each Alpha may choose a ladder position.

All Alphas, please come forward.

Forcing himself to rationalize his sadness, Tommy hurried over for the team draw.

Please.

Me and Gyeol.

Please let it be me and Gyeol.

He prayed desperately while lining up—

only for Woo Seok to casually cut in front of him at the last second.

Unbelievable.

Tommy was genuinely shocked by how shamelessly Woo Seok shoved ahead of him, but he forced himself to endure it.

It’s not like going first actually gives an advantage in ladder selection anyway.

The number written on Tommy’s ball was 1.

The moment he saw it, excitement surged through him.

At the very least, he’d get first choice.

“Ah, I got 5. Don’t like that.”

Then Woo Seok muttered to himself before suddenly approaching Tommy and spouting complete nonsense.

“Hey, Tommy. Wanna switch with me? In ladder games, the last person always gets the best option. Stressful positions like number 1 should be handled by an older guy like me instead—”

Woo Seok reached for Tommy’s numbered ball.

But this time, Tommy didn’t back down.

“No.”

He lifted his hand high out of reach and cut him off coldly.

“What? What’s that supposed to mean? You joking?”

Woo Seok, far shorter than Tommy, reflexively flailed at the air, but there was no way he could snatch the ball away.

“I’m keeping number 1.”

Confusion spread across Woo Seok’s face.

Seeing it made Tommy feel a tiny pang of guilt.

But not this time.

This time, he didn’t want to give in.

Now he wanted to fight for what he wanted himself, just like the other Alpha guys did.

He didn’t want to keep getting pushed around by Woo Seok anymore.

“It’s the number I drew.”