‘Just like you do with me, when you’re angry, get angry, and if you don’t like something, say you don’t like it. Don’t just endure everything like a pushover.’
So, Ki Seojeong didn’t have to be a completely good person only to Cha Yoon. He couldn’t be a completely good person. Because Cha Yoon kept drawing out the original Ki Seojeong. Because he loved the unkind Ki Seojeong more than anyone else.
What cut off the continuing thoughts was Cha Yoon’s voice.
“So, I’m pathetic?”
“When did I say Mr. Cha Yoon was pathetic. I’ve never done that. Just as Mr. Cha Yoon didn’t say I was shabby, right.”
It was a war of nerves without an inch of concession. The air was turning frosty. It was Ki Seojeong who felt the surrounding temperature first. Hoo. Letting out a short sigh, Seojeong composed his expression and smiled.
“I was just stating my thoughts. Don’t misunderstand.”
Watching the eyes that were kindly folded in half, Cha Yoon let out a scoff. Wow, pretending to be nice again. That thought occurred to him, but somehow he didn’t feel as disgusted as before. In any case, it was better than being utterly disregarded.
“Talking about things like this with the people I’ve newly met is interesting and nice.”
“Exactly!”
“I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve had such a heated discussion.”
As Song Jua threw out a remark to settle the situation, the other participants chimed in.
Anyone want more beer? Yeo Jiyoon asked, shaking an empty can. Taking advantage of the slightly unsettled atmosphere, Seojeong, leaning deep into the sofa, looked down at his buzzing phone.
“Huh….”
Jeong Suho covered his mouth. The notification didn’t come only to Seojeong. The phones of those sitting in a circle vibrated simultaneously. Ki Seojeong unlocked his phone, suppressing a sigh.
Upon pressing the glittering Na-X-Boo application, a pink notification window appeared on the screen along with a vibration.
❗ From now on, the locked message function and mailbox function will be activated.
“What are the message function and mailbox function?”
As Saeyeong tilted his head, a new notification window appeared as if to provide the answer.
Residents of X House are granted one message transmission right per day. Messages can be sent through the ‘Na-X-Boo application’, and sent messages are delivered anonymously to the recipient’s mailbox.
▶ Message transmission time: Every day 22:00 ~ 22:59
▶ Mailbox viewing time: Every day 23:00 ~ 23:59
※ Messages can be sent freely at any time during the permitted transmission period. However, if the transmission time is missed, the message transmission right expires without any carryover.
※ Mailbox viewing is also freely accessible at any time during the permitted period. However, if the viewing time is missed, any unconfirmed messages will automatically expire and disappear.
According to the rules, express your interest to the person you desire through messages.
“Has everyone read the rules?”
“Yes. It looks like the times for sending and checking messages are fixed too.”
“Here, a message icon and a mailbox icon have appeared inside the app!”
Jeong Suho shook his phone with an excited expression. It was just as he said. The participants, having confirmed that the two icons previously locked with question marks were now active, responded, ‘Oh, it’s true!’ With the new rules different from the previous season, the residents wore thoroughly excited expressions.
“Huh? But it says the message transmission deadline is until 10:59 PM, what time is it now?”
“It’s 10:42, so… we have 17 minutes left until the deadline.”
As Seojeong read the time displayed at the top of his phone, Suho opened his mouth like a surprised person.
“Huh, really?”
I need to send it quickly so the message transmission right doesn’t expire! Starting with Suho’s fuss, the other participants also began focusing on their phone screens.
Ki Seojeong pressed his finger firmly against his own eye corner. Unlike the other excited participants, Seojeong just found all these situations tiring and overwhelming. Though he already had a script written for him, the very situation of being thrown into this wilderness was still difficult.
Let’s just follow the plan. Shaking his head to collect himself, Ki Seojeong pressed the message icon.
Recipient │ Shin Dabin
I miss you already.
Ki Seojeong sent the message straight away without much deliberation. However, not long after, a notification window appeared on the screen.
❗ Currently, it is impossible to send to someone who is not residing in X House.
As expected, it doesn’t work. Then what should I do. Lost in thought for a moment, Ki Seojeong moved his fingers again.
Recipient │ Song Jua
Thanks to you, I had a delicious dinner.
Since Song Jua and Gong Minwook took on the role of main chefs, it was only right to express thanks. He couldn’t send a message to another man, so there was only one person left. Thus, a message resembling a delivery app review was sent off.
Ki Seojeong sat blankly without any expectations. A little later, at 11 PM, the participants began to glance at their phones one by one as they chatted. Some residents were even openly looking at their phones in surprise.
Ki Seojeong also joined the ranks and checked his phone screen. Though there was a difference in that he harbored a sense of duty rather than anticipation or excitement unlike other participants, he did so all the same.
Two messages had arrived in the mailbox. Having checked the first message, Ki Seojeong curled up the corners of his mouth.
When I first came in, I was glad that Mr. Seojeong was there!
It was clearly a message sent by Seo Minha. The content, bearing Minha’s characteristic freshness, lifted his mood.
Still, this should save Shin Dabin’s face. Since it’s not zero votes. Thinking it was a relief, Seojeong moistened his lips and checked the second message.
Thanks to you, I feel really good
Your X did not choose you.
Hmm… who is this. Ki Seojeong blinked and scratched the back of his head.
And just like that, everyone’s feelings were delivered.
∞ ∞ ∞
“Is this thing… something where a man could choose a man?”
Maknae writer Hyeyun stared at her phone, mouth agape as if flustered. What was written in the message was definitely Ki Seojeong’s name. While Hyeyun was stammering, Kim Seohyo’s eyes sparkled as she watched the monitor.
The principled answer to Hyeyun’s question was ‘It is impossible for a man to choose a man.’ In the first place, ‘Please Take Care of My X’ was a heterosexual dating program featuring broken-up male-female couples.
So this was, in a sense, a bug. A situation that should absolutely never occur according to the original program concept.
But the instincts of a born broadcaster, PD Kim Seohyo, were telling her. That this must be kept and pursued as is. That the key to the success of ‘Please Take Care of My X Returns’ lies right here.
As if reading Kim Seohyo’s mind, main writer Seo Yumin spoke up in her stead.
“Why wouldn’t there be? As long as the broadcast comes out entertaining, anything goes.”
Isn’t that right, PD? At Yumin’s words, Kim Seohyo pulled up the corners of her mouth.
“But ‘Thanks to you, I feel really fucki, ng good?’ What is this. Is it a typo?”
“You think it’s a typo? Looking at how they acted all day, it’s a hundred percent picking a fight.”
But still, since it’s a broadcast, it looks like they held back from sending ‘feels fuckin’ shitty’ and wrote ‘feels fuc, ng good’ instead? A third-year writer with considerable experience said something quite plausible.
“Like the conversation the two of them had in the room today, did something really happen…?”
“Then it’s thank you for us. Wow, I can hear the sound of Jibbing subscribers increasing from here.”
Main writer Seo Yumin naturally joined the conversation the junior writers were having among themselves. She tapped the shoulder of the seated youngest writer.
“Hyeyun-ah, let’s rewrite today’s interview questions. I think we’ll have to scrap them completely.”
“Yes!”
The quick-moving Hyeyun brushed herself off and stood up. Ah, right. She caught Yumin, who was heading to watch the monitor.
“Writer, what should we do about this message? It’s too much of a vulgar slang to send as is.”
“Change the jieut to hieut and send it. Don’t touch anything else, just that.”
“Uh, but if we do that, won’t the meaning change too much?”
Hyeyun voiced her concern. Seo Yumin raised one corner of her mouth and said.
“That’s what makes the picture more interesting.”
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