The Probability of Meeting Your Ex on a Straight Dating Show Chapter 9

It was clearly an act of ignoring Jua’s words, but she left without a single sign of displeasure. Once Song Jua, too, disappeared, only silence occupied the space between the two. Seojeong swallowed dryly.

Did he hear everything? Did he find out that he still had feelings for him? Seojeong’s mind spun busily.

The one who moved first was Cha Yoon. He put the dishes he had brought down into the sink. The dishes clashed together, pouring out a noise so loud it hurt the ears. For a moment, attention turned toward the sink. Cha Yoon did the dishes, unbothered. His gestures were violent, as if he were going to shatter the dishes.

So he not only heard everything but figured it all out, too. Seojeong realized that the answer to all his questions was yes. There was no way he wouldn’t know, since he was making his bad mood so obvious with his whole body.

Seojeong’s lips twitched, but he picked up a carrot instead. What had already happened, had happened. Nothing would change by regretting it, and there was nothing he could do.

Let’s just work. Having composed himself, Seojeong began cutting. How much time passed like that? From the sink came the sound of dishes being outright slammed down. The words ‘that’s enough’ rose to the tip of his throat, but Seojeong held back.

Ignore. Ignoring him is the answer.

∞ ∞ ∞

The cast members, having finished dinner preparations, gathered in front of the dining table. Putting down the salad, Seojeong scanned the seats. He saw Cha Yoon sitting at the far right end. Without hesitation, he turned his body to the left. Watching Seojeong’s back, Cha Yoon’s eyebrow twitched.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Enjoy your meal!”

With simple greetings, dinner began. The curry is really delicious. The meat melts softly in your mouth, too. The salad decoration is insane. You could sell this as is, you know? Between the sounds of spoons and chopsticks striking bowls, compliments were mixed in. The cast members’ shoulders shrugged in turn.

“I think the dressing choice was really spot on.”

“Seems like it suits your taste. Have a lot.”

He saw Minha reaching toward the salad bowl, which was far away. Seojeong pulled the salad bowl over and moved it in front of Minha.

“Oh, thank you.”

Minha smiled shyly and used her fork. Song Jua took careful note of the sight of the two.

“Mr. Seojeong, you seem really kind and considerate.”

“Ah, I second that. Earlier I was surprised to see him even help Mr. Suho move his luggage. I thought Mr. Seojeong was an angel.”

“Really, I bet you were super popular back in school.”

He’s totally the ideal boyfriend type that girls like. With that one word from Song Jua, Minwook and Minha, who were nearby, shook their heads vigorously in agreement.

There was nothing wrong in what they said. Ki Seojeong easily earned favor from anyone, regardless of age or gender. It was thanks to the ingrained kindness that didn’t match his overly handsome face.

Looking out for those around him and taking care of them between other moments. That was one of the long-held habits Seojeong had developed, having lived in an orphanage since birth. As he grew up, Seojeong had to do his share at the orphanage one way or another, and he had to prove his usefulness.

The things he had done to survive remained like traces, forming Seojeong, becoming Seojeong himself.

Perhaps that was why. Even at the compliments about himself, Seojeong wasn’t particularly happy. He simply thought, I should try a little harder to meet these people’s standards from now on, so I shouldn’t disappoint them—just thoughts of that degree.

It was when Seojeong, without any particular words and just smiling, was gulping down water. Cha Yoon cut off the compliment relay that had been like a Möbius strip.

“But who cut the carrots?”

“Wasn’t Mr. Seojeong in charge of the vegetables? You really worked hard…”

“So it’s Mr. Ki Seojeong’s work. The shape was so artistic, I wondered if you’d cut them with your feet, so I asked.”

Cutting off Minha’s answer, Cha Yoon picked up a carrot and showed it. The shape of the carrot, smeared with yellow curry, was indeed a bit puzzling, as Cha Yoon said. But whose fault was that. It was because of Cha Yoon, who had been staging what was essentially a protest beside him. Yet Cha Yoon himself was only blaming him, so he was dumbfounded.

“These days, isn’t a guy who can’t cook unpopular with women?”

Despite living in the past of 7 years ago, Cha Yoon ran his mouth off about ‘these days.’ With that one sentence, the pleasant meal atmosphere froze in an instant.

“Isn’t that right, Ms. Min… ah?”

Cha Yoon even went so far as to recall Seo Minha’s name, which he barely remembered, and deliberately singled her out with the question. In the end, he cut off two whole strokes from her name, but no one noticed. Even Minha herself was no exception.

The surroundings became quiet as a mouse. The cast members who weren’t directly involved were once again busy just rolling their eyes around. Minha, who would normally have been with them, ended up in the line of the directly involved for the sole reason that she had caught Cha Yoon’s eye.

Minha, with a flustered expression, only made sounds like ‘Yes? Ah, uh, well….’. Seojeong, sitting right beside her, watched the color drain from Minha’s face by the second. Seeing Minha, who had become a scapegoat and was turning pale white, Seojeong decided this wouldn’t do and opened his mouth.

“Cha…”

What stopped Seojeong, who had nearly sent the atmosphere completely into the gutter with the words ‘Mr. Cha Yoon, please stop it,’ was the sound of the doorbell. Minha shot up from her seat right then and there. Her face read, ‘Wow, I’ve been saved.’

“I’ll! I’ll go out and check!”

Before anyone could stop her, Minha darted away from the dining table. Watching her hastily leave, Seojeong’s heart became doubly uncomfortable. Seojeong shifted his gaze. He saw Cha Yoon putting the carrot back down as if he’d lost steam. At the contrasting sight of the two, he couldn’t open his eyes kindly.

He was glaring at that round head when Cha Yoon, who had been rolling the carrot with his chopsticks, suddenly raised his head.

Their gazes collided in mid-air. Among the people who had turned their whole bodies to look toward the entrance, only Cha Yoon and Ki Seojeong looked at each other. In the slightly noisy atmosphere, it felt as if only the two of them had been cleanly cut away.

The eye contact grew longer, but neither one turned their head away first. Seojeong swallowed dryly. It was Cha Yoon who ended the time that felt both like an instant and an eternity. He propped his chin on his hand, then slowly moved his mouth.

‘What are you looking at.’

Of course he would say that. Seojeong, who had been focusing on reading his lips, felt the strength drain completely from his body. Just what had he been expecting. Seojeong turned his gaze toward the entrance.

As Seojeong’s gaze left, Cha Yoon suddenly felt as though he had been left alone. What a disgusting feeling, this is. Scowling, Cha Yoon put down his chopsticks as if throwing them.

In the meantime, Minha’s voice echoed down the entrance corridor.

“Everyone, come out here for a moment!”

“Looks like something came?”

At Minha’s call, the cast members stood up one by one and headed to the entrance. What greeted them in front of the door were boxes large and small. Minha said, fluttering her hands.

“A package delivery came.”

X packages had been delivered to the lodging.

❗ An X package has arrived.

Inside the package box are an item your ex-lover sent to you and an X manual written directly by your ex-lover. Gather with the residents and open the box.

After clearing the dinner table, the cast members set up drinks in the living room. Each person had placed a package box with their name written on it beside them. None of the cast members stepped up first, and they just sipped their drinks. It seemed as if none of them had the courage to face what was inside the boxes.

In contrast, Seojeong was unbothered. Because he already knew what was inside. From the X manual on the larger side to the trivial daily text messages they had to send every night—everything had been orchestrated according to Dabin’s direction, so it was only natural.

Even if that weren’t the case, Seojeong would have had no hesitation in opening the box. Since Seojeong had no romantic feelings whatsoever for Dabin. Probably, Dabin, who had come on together with him, would be the same. So this was simply a matter of the heart.

Ki Seojeong scanned the faces of the cast members seated in a circle, one by one. Someone was colored with tension, another with sadness, and yet another with excitement. His eyes, which had been moving readily, stopped on Cha Yoon, who was sitting there looking indifferent.

With a very small box placed before him, Cha Yoon emptied his beer. What kind of feelings do you have? Are you nervous, are you sad, or if not that, are you feeling excitement?