The Probability of Meeting Your Ex on a Straight Dating Show Chapter 26

Seojeong swallowed a sigh as he looked at the shaking phone screen. He hadn’t misheard. Cha Yoon was opening the door to yet another argument. He had barely managed to finish things from the chat room, and now Cha Yoon was clinging to the message issue.

Already exhausted from the continuous quarrels, Seojeong rubbed his face with his hands. Having no way to gauge Seojeong’s state of mind, Cha Yoon only strove to get the answer he wanted to hear.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“…”

“Surely you’re not going to send it to Song Jua?”

And Cha Yoon inevitably brought up Song Jua’s name as the topic once more. At the same time, the conversations he had shared with Cha Yoon throughout the evening came flooding back. Seojeong clenched his fist. Even at this moment, when he had lost his memories, Cha Yoon easily drove Seojeong to the edge with a single word. In the end, the flimsy mask cracked.

“Yes.”

Ki Seojeong nodded and spoke in a voice completely different from before. Cha Yoon raised one eyebrow.

“What does that mean?”

“Exactly what you heard. I’m going to send today’s message to Ms. Jua.”

Seojeong spoke clearly with precise pronunciation. The exact opposite answer to what Cha Yoon wanted. He no longer wanted to say what Cha Yoon wanted to hear. He was sick of having his insides eaten away.

At the unexpected answer, Cha Yoon let out a hollow laugh. He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek.

“What’s wrong with your head?”

“Not at all.”

Cha Yoon pointed at his own head with his index finger. Seojeong shrugged and lightly deflected. At his reaction, which was almost natural, Cha Yoon, who had been controlling the atmosphere all along, lost the upper hand in an instant.

“Fuck, cut the crap.”

“Crap? Does this look like crap to you?”

That’s amazing. It’s not at all, why would you think that? Seojeong mumbled and raised the phone he was holding. Soon, Seojeong’s fingers moved across the screen. Reading the meaning of that action, Cha Yoon spoke urgently.

“What are you doing right now!”

“Because you seemed to think my words were a joke.”

Having finished typing the message, Seojeong held up his phone just as Cha Yoon had done earlier. Unlike Cha Yoon’s, the message content on the screen was clearly visible.

Recipient │ Song Jua

Let’s have a fun date, you and me.

On the screen where typing had just finished, the cursor was blinking. Following that movement, Cha Yoon’s face, which had been blinking his eyes, gradually crumpled into a menacing scowl.

“So you’re really going to send it to Song Jua after all?”

“Yes.”

“Have you really lost your mind?”

“If I had, I wouldn’t have acted like this.”

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have ended things at this level. So Cha Yoon should be grateful that he was still holding onto his last thread of reason. Of course, Cha Yoon, unaware of this, only spat out curses at the situation that wasn’t going his way.

After gazing at Cha Yoon silently for a moment, Seojeong opened his mouth.

“Are you not confident because you might lose to me?”

“…”

“Then instead of doing this to me here, go to Ms. Song Jua.”

With those words, Seojeong pressed the ‘send’ button. Soon, a phrase appeared on the screen indicating that the message had been sent successfully. Having done everything he needed to do, Seojeong lifted his head. A smile drawn at the corner of his mouth appeared.

“You seem to be running a high fever, so I’ll get out of your way—cool down a bit and come in.”

Having said his piece, Seojeong turned his back on Cha Yoon. Walking toward the X House, Seojeong’s expression was hardened, as if the earlier smile had never been there.

Left alone, Cha Yoon, with his ears reddening, watched Seojeong’s receding back. Nothing was going as he wanted. He hadn’t come here for this, yet it was always he who was being swayed. He couldn’t even grasp where things had gone wrong.

The message had already been sent to Song Jua’s mailbox, and nothing would change, but he couldn’t end the conversation like this. As that thought crossed his mind, his body moved simultaneously.

Catching up to Seojeong in a few large strides, Cha Yoon reached out his hand. His hand was about to grab Seojeong. At that moment, Cha Yoon’s eyes caught Seojeong’s red, swollen wrist.

Cha Yoon stopped all movement instantly. Because the image of Seojeong rubbing his wrist flashed before his eyes.

Thanks to that, Seojeong safely crossed the garden and arrived at the front door. Not long after, the sound of the X House’s front door opening and closing was heard.

Cha Yoon stood there for a long time, his fists clenched.

∞ ∞ ∞

Changing his shoes at the entrance, Seojeong relaxed his stiffened lips. There were already two cast members who knew he had been talking with Cha Yoon. If he failed to control his expression, he might invite unnecessary misunderstandings.

Having completed his preparations, Seojeong entered the living room. Contrary to his expectations, the house was quiet. It seemed everyone had gone to their rooms. Counting it a blessing in disguise, he relaxed the corners of his mouth he had forced to stay up.

Out of habit, Seojeong pressed on his aching eyes. The later it got, the worse his condition became. He wanted to go to his room right away, but he didn’t have the confidence to face Cha Yoon, who would be coming in soon.

After standing still for a moment as if pondering, Seojeong passed the first-floor living room and headed to the terrace. The sound of the terrace door opening and closing was heard. He took a seat on the chair placed there.

Seojeong picked up the phone he had been holding all along. When the screen lit up, the aftermath of what he had just done remained as evidence.

Recipient │ Song Jua

Let’s have a fun date, you and me.

After reading the message he had sent with his own eyes, Seojeong bit his lower lip.

“…I’m going crazy.”

Once the excitement subsided, reality came into view. It was a huge disaster. He had resolved not to do this, and yet he had acted on impulse again. If only he had held out a little longer…. The fact that he couldn’t and had done the exact same thing as a twenty-two-year-old filled him with self-loathing.

Putting down the phone, Seojeong rubbed his face. He was continuing to berate himself when, amidst the quiet terrace where only the sound of chirping insects could be heard, a creaking sound—alien to the silence—was heard. Seojeong quickly lowered his hands and looked toward the door. The worry that it might be Cha Yoon had taken precedence.

“Oh! Mr. Seojeong, you were here.”

“…Ah, Ms. Jiyoon.”

Contrary to his concern, it was Yeo Jiyoon who opened the door and came in. Seojeong released the tension from his shoulders, which had stiffened with anxiety. Spotting Seojeong, Yeo Jiyoon approached and asked.

“Why are you outside?”

“I just came out to get some fresh air.”

“Ah, I see.”

Because I still haven’t been able to send this. Jiyoon smiled with a phone in one hand. Although she spoke in a playful tone, she couldn’t hide her complicated expression. It seemed best to give her some space to sort out her thoughts.

As Seojeong stood up, Jiyoon, who had been rubbing her exposed arm, lifted her head.

“Are you going inside now?”

“I think I need to get some sleep if I’m going to work tomorrow.”

Seojeong replied with a smile and looked around. He was looking for something to give Jiyoon, who seemed to be feeling the cold. But even after looking around, there was nothing to drape over Jiyoon’s shoulders. What to do. After a moment’s thought, Seojeong took off the cardigan he was wearing.

“Put this on.”

“You don’t have to…”

Looking at the cardigan handed to her, Jiyoon awkwardly scratched her cheek.

“It’s chilly at night, so you’ll catch a cold if you stay like that.”

“Thank you. I’ll wash it and return it to you.”

“It’s fine if it gets dirty, so wear it comfortably.”

Jiyoon draped Seojeong’s cardigan over her shoulders and offered her thanks once more.

“I’ll wear it well.”

“Yes, then rest a bit and go in.”

“Eh?”

Just as Seojeong was about to slowly turn around, Jiyoon’s eyes widened as if she had found something. At that sound, Seojeong also stopped.

“Mr. Seojeong, why is this here?”

Jiyoon pointed at Seojeong’s wrist. Looking down, the area that had only been red was starting to bruise. This was a predicament. It had been sore, but he never imagined it would bruise like this….

Looking at the bruised wrist, Seojeong’s mind raced quickly. There were already two cast members who knew he had been talking with Cha Yoon. It would be problematic if unnecessary rumors spread. Seojeong came up with a plausible excuse.

“Ah, I bumped into the front door a bit hard earlier—I guess that’s when I hurt it.”