Chapter 23 – The Dare Gauntlet Begins
LIVE BROADCAST – "Behind the Gold: AUREUS Unfiltered" – Episode 2 Continues
Current Viewership: 36.1 million
[DARE 1 – SEDUCTIVE POSE WITH A BANANA]
The studio lights flare gold as Jeon Mira holds up a banana like it's the sword in the stone.
Jeon Mira (dramatic):
"Jaeheon. Your first dare: pose like a seductive model while holding this banana."
Gasps. Laughter. Chaos.
Rihan:
"This is a trap."
Minjae:
"He's gonna make this look like a Vogue spread. Just watch."
[STAGE – JAEHEON MOVES]
He stands, silent.
Takes the banana.
Walks to center stage under a warm spotlight that wasn't programmed but somehow obeys his presence.
He adjusts his collar. Holds the banana up like a champagne glass.
A small head tilt.
A perfectly timed blink.
And then—
He looks directly at the camera with zero emotion, like he's modeling for a perfume ad called "Despair."
LIVE CHAT – FERAL
@glitterjae: I screamed and dropped my phone
@bananaprince: i'll never eat fruit again
@poselikeher: he's thinking of her. i know it.
He tosses the banana aside and sits back down like nothing happened.
Minjae (wheezing):
"This man weaponized a banana."
Jeon Mira:
"…Moving on. Dare 2. Let's go."
[DARE 2 – SPEAK IN AEGYO FOR 60 SECONDS]
Jeon Mira flips the next card.
Jeon Mira:
"You must speak in aegyo for the next 60 seconds."
Silence.
Jaeheon stares.
Jaeheon:
"No."
Jeon Mira:
"…Excuse me?"
Jaeheon:
"I refuse."
Hyunjae:
"I KNEW he was gonna say that."
Minjae:
"No, wait, you can't—"
Jeon Mira (laughing):
"You have to. Or you get the punishment dare—recreate a viral TikTok dance in a bunny headband."
Jaeheon (colder):
"I still refuse."
A long pause. The members hold their breath.
Jeon Mira (grinning like a villain):
"Alright then. By refusing… you've unlocked the penalty path."
[CAMERA – ZOOMS IN ON HIS FACE]
Jeon Mira (smirking):
"For refusing aegyo, you now owe us 10 more dares. Congratulations, Jaeheon. Your total is now—13 dares."
AUDIENCE SCREAMS
Minjae (doubled over):
"THIRTEEN?! HE'S GONNA DIE HERE!"
Rihan (grinning):
"He'd rather suffer than be cute. Respect."
Jaeheon (unbothered):
"Accepted."
Hyunjae:
"No. Stop. You don't get to be cool about this."
Jeon Mira (laughing, pointing at the camera):
"Everyone watching, you heard it live—Jaeheon Kang has officially entered the DARE GAUNTLET. No skips. No breaks."
LIVE CHAT – MELTDOWN
@kingofcold: JAEHEON V THE WORLD
@13thdare: this is cinema
@refusedaegyo: that's my man. zero mercy. zero baby talk.
[ON SCREEN – RED TEXT FLASHES]
🔥 "DARE COUNT: 13" 🔥
"DARE 1 – COMPLETE" ✅
"DARE 2 – REJECTED" ❌
"PENALTY ADDED: +10 DARES"
The screen goes gold. Dramatic music swells.
—