{RO Match Survival in Island Portal}
Jeong Daesu doing an interview this long for once.
⤷holy shit, that counts as "long"?
⤷It's because he lived overseas for a long time.
⤷Wait lmao isn't Jeong Daesu from Busan?
⤷Nope, he's from the US and learned Korean in Busan dialect because of a movie lol. But he's always like that in interviews... He's not the type who speaks neatly, so his agency doesn't let him talk too much. Our guy isn't a bad person, okay...
⤷Bullshit. It's fucking wild he never gets dragged for his attitude. Speaking casually is insane. How are people so lenient just because he's an Alpha, fuck. Like he hasn't been in Korea for ages—still using the "foreign water so he's rude" excuse lmao, ridiculous.
⤷PD must be having a hard time interviewing him.
⤷Professional offended person, gtfo. Jeong Daesu has the most age and experience out of the cast, so he can talk casually, can't he? It's a cohabitation concept—do they have to keep using honorifics the whole time? Is this some Seodang village cohabitation?
⤷It's not the cast—he talks casually to the PD, that's the problem. The blind shielding is even more disgusting lol.
⤷(Lee Yiyeon shocked by Joo Dansol's cuteness.jpg)
⤷Lee Yiyeon saying "Dooly" is fucking hilariousㅋㅋㅋㅋ so cute. But what is Joo Dansol? Where did they even find someone like that...? A rare talent that comes once in a thousand years.... Why didn't I recognize it, me, a bitch.....
⤷For real, thousand-year idolㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ everyone just stunned??????????????????? hilarious.
⤷(Jeong Daesu turning red after seeing Joo Dansol.jpg)
⤷Lee Yiyeon = mom at her kid's recital
⤷Aren't they meeting for the first timeㅋㅋㅋㅋ why is he looking so proud?
⤷Jegal Minhyeok always talking about "musicality" while trashing idols, but he looks like he just got hit with a stan accident?
⤷His mouth might be crooked but let's speak straight: he didn't trash idols, he trashed idol agencies. He said stop messing around with album sales.
⤷I looked up the original song after hearing Joo Dansol sing it and it's so bad. It's way better a cappella.
⤷Oh same same, that EDM MR is so damn tacky. The song's good but the producing reeks of small-company vibes.
⤷Joo Dansol is the kind of character that's either love or hate. He feels like he's kinda doing too much, so I don't like him.
⤷Here comes the professional offended person. Joo Dansol is my "don't like" star.
⤷But who was that last Omegaㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
⤷Probably just bait.
⤷Sounded 100% serious though?
⤷Isn't it Han Jisu? He had that rumor, you know, that he's that wayㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Didn't he even film a movie about Omegas dating?
⤷What bullshit, you think everyone who films that kind of movie is that way?
⤷But isn't that outfit Yoon Yeomin's horcrux? Looks like his favorite item he always wears when he's in casual clothes.
⤷They all wore it because it's sponsored, what are you on about. Yoon Yeomin's horcrux is way redderㅋㅋㅋㅋ
—Hello, RO Match Survival participants. Welcome to Chunmongdo, and to our Chunmonggak.
As the cast entered the house, a prepared 안내 announcement played. To maximize immersion, RO Match Survival filmed without a host, using only guidance broadcasts played through speakers.
Aside from the living room where staff were present, every room had observation cameras set up in every corner, but each round, they revealed separate blind spots meant for couples' secret meetings.
Back then, I didn't even know cameras were everywhere, and when I was tired, it showed all over my face. A lamb who didn't know how scary those broadcasting bastards were. That was me.
That was how Dansol's dry eyes got twisted into "rudeness," like he was boldly scanning his seniors up and down. That was why Dansol deliberately took out his contact lenses before coming. He also didn't forget to blink often. He couldn't see anything clearly, but it was fine—there was nothing here he wanted to look at with clear eyes anyway.
—The Alpha rooms are on the second floor, left side. Please go up and choose the room you want.
When the announcement played, the Alphas started moving at a leisurely pace. Lee Yiyeon approached Dansol. Before the regression, Dansol had eaten with Yiyeon for the first time. Even then, right before going upstairs, he'd quietly asked Dansol the same thing.
"Dansol, what do you like? I want to eat with you."
At the same unchanged cheesy move, Dansol almost laughed. The face that leaned in was still handsome. A high nose bridge and bright eyes. Soft brown hair falling neatly, the musk scent drifting from between a white shirt, plus that playful, proactive personality.
'Fucking exactly my type, you bastard.'
Iyeon was like someone who'd been drawn over Dansol's ideal type. But if you got fooled by that exterior, it was obvious you'd just end up covered in wounds.
Lee Yiyeon had been in the terrace room where brunch was set. A meal in a picture-perfect room was more than enough for Dansol to fall for him.
'I'm not falling for it again.'
With that firm resolve in his head, Dansol spoke.
"I... like spicy catfish stew, sunbae."
"Uh... your taste is pretty classic...?"
While a flustered Yiyeon stammered, another announcement played.
—Alpha cast members, please hurry and enter your rooms. Omegas may enter rooms multiple times, but Alpha cast members may only enter one room per person. Please hurry.
"See you later."
After grabbing Dansol's shoulder, Yiyeon hurried upstairs.
See you later, my ass.
Dansol scoffed. Upstairs, there were meals prepared by chefs—brunch, Korean set meals, Japanese cuisine, Chinese cuisine.
There was no spicy catfish stew. Yiyeon, who had picky tastes and always talked about controlling his weight, showed off that pickiness on every date.
'Even so, you'll just chew on greens again.'
—Alphas, have you all chosen your rooms? There's an order even to a cup of water, as the old saying goes. Now, could Han Jisu, Yoon Yeomin, Yoo Dohyeon, and Joo Dansol go up in that order?
Dansol thought that no matter where he went, as long as he avoided Lee Yiyeon , it would be fine. The other Alphas besides Yiyeon wouldn't be interested in Dansol anyway.
But that was entirely Dansol's mistake.
"You're not closing the door? One Alpha per room."
"Sunbae, why don't you yield? I like Korean food."
In the room with a neat Korean set meal already laid out, Jeong Daesu was seated. Lee Yiyeon opened the door and pushed in shamelessly. He was convinced that Dansol—who was asking for spicy catfish stew in a place like this—was obviously a Korean-food person.
"I like it too. Korean food."
"You grew up overseas, didn't you? It won't suit your palate, so yield a bit."
"Not happening. And aren't you the one who eats salad 365 days a year? Don't act out of character."
"Who did you think was going to come in for you to be this stubborn?"
"I told you. I like Korean food."
While the two of them were locked in a power struggle, another announcement played. Jeong Daesu didn't care at all and drank from the water glass in front of him. Right then, someone lifted Lee Yiyeon 's arm, which had been propped against the doorway.
"Hi, everyone. You waited for me?"
Han Jisu strolled in naturally and sat across from Jeong Daesu. At that, Jeong Daesu's face twisted into something as ugly as it could get.
"Why are you coming in here?"
Jeong Daesu and Han Jisu.
The two of them were close friends who had even acted together in an indie film early in their careers. They didn't need to share a table here—they could meet anytime. Back then, there had even been dating rumors a few times, but the two of them denied it fast and shut it down. They were the kind of neighborhood friends like that.
"Ah... you two are already like that? I thought—"
Iyeon made an expression like he half-knew, half-didn't.
"Yeah. I like Korean food. I'm fine—want to sit? I'll eat with two Alphas, sure. I like this kind of thing. Two people fighting because they want me and all that."
At Jisu's words, Yiyeon answered first.
"No, I'm waiting for someone."
He had no choice but to step back so he wouldn't get caught. Even if Dansol didn't come in, there was time. It was better than getting hooked by Han Jisu and losing the chance. A skilled older guy like Jisu wasn't Yiyeon's type at all.
As soon as the door closed, Jisu's bright smile vanished.
"I got rid of one bastard, but how do I get rid of this lump?"
Jisu said it while looking at Daesu. They were about the same height, but compared to Han Jisu's lean frame, Jeong Daesu was a man the phrase "massive-boned" fit perfectly.
"You don't even like Korean food. You said it makes you gain weight."
Daesu asked through clenched teeth.
"No? I like Korean food. I love it. A lump like you wouldn't get it, but I'm the type who doesn't gain weight even if I eat, so I actually need some nourishment. Especially something like spicy catfish stew."
Jisu teased Daesu, dragging out each syllable as if in response. The moment Jisu saw Dansol dancing, he thought he'd inevitably end up stuck with Jeong Daesu. The reason the two of them could never see each other as dating partners was right here. Their tastes were exactly the same.
'A small, cute, fairy-like Omega.'
Dansol had no idea where the tiny spark called "spicy catfish stew" was going to fly. Even after Yoo Dohyeon went upstairs, Dansol kept agonizing.
The mood couldn't be warm and friendly, and the conversation couldn't flow too well. One reason Dansol got dragged even harder was that in the early episodes, he created a sweet, cutesy 분위기 with Lee Yiyeon and pulled a lot of screen time. This time, he had to have no presence at all.
Jeong Daesu, who didn't talk much, seemed the most suitable, but he was the kind of Alpha who stood out just by existing. Since multiple Omegas would be drawn to him, he might be someone Dansol needed to avoid even more than Lee Yiyeon .
Mateo was… talkative and noisy. Even though he was an idol too, he had a lot of broadcast experience, so his reactions were good and the production team liked him. And with a huge fandom behind him, from the station's perspective, he was someone they couldn't easily cut out completely no matter how unfunny he was.
That left one person: Jegal Minhyeok.
No matter how Dansol searched his memory, Jegal Minhyeok was the Alpha with the least presence on RO Match Survival. His musicality was recognized globally, but maybe because he lacked variety sense, his screen time wasn't big.
'Which room was Jegal Minhyeok in again....'
As he went up to the second floor, Dansol searched his memory. Then, like before the regression, he opened the door to the room Jegal Minhyeok had been in.
Chapter - 5
"Ah... hello, sunbae."
Dansol opened the door thinking Jegal Minhyeok would be inside, but Jeong Daesu and Han Jisu were sitting in the room. Dansol didn't know that Daesu choosing Korean food had created a variable different from before the regression.
'Shit, I picked wrong.'
Of all people, he ended up picking Jeong Daesu—the one he wanted to avoid the most. And with Han Jisu, who was far senior to Dansol, there too, Dansol wanted to bolt out the door, to hell with the broadcast.
"You're here? Sit down."
Han Jisu was the one who welcomed him first, looking genuinely pleased.
When Dansol hesitantly sat beside Jisu, Jeong Daesu frowned again. Sitting there in front of the folding screen like that, he looked exactly like a handsome gangster. His already-awkward body felt even stiffer.
"I'm your senior, so can I speak casually?"
"Ah! Yes...! Please speak comfortably."
Han Jisu turned fully toward Dansol, propping his chin on the table.
In truth, Han Jisu had been the first to leave Chunmongdo, using drama filming as an excuse. It was laughable that Dansol had regressed—he had almost no useful information about Jisu.
On top of that, Jisu was sitting on Dansol's left, where his hearing was bad, which made him tense without realizing it.
"If it's uncomfortable, switch seats."
Jeong Daesu said it after watching Dansol for a while.
"What are you talking about. Dansol, is hyung making you uncomfortable?"
"No⁈ I'm really comfortable."
Dansol answered mechanically, then added with a cautious look.
"No... I mean! It's not... comfortable...."
A brief silence followed, then Han Jisu burst out laughing.
"Ah! So cute! Hey, Jeong Daesu, I think the one making our Dansol uncomfortable isn't me—it's you. Sol, no need to watch your step. I can beat him."
"Huh?"
"Hah."
At Jisu's childish comment, Daesu didn't even respond—he just snorted. Even so, his hands never stopped as he pushed the good side dishes toward Dansol.
"Uh... um... it's too much.... Why aren't you eating?"
When only a cup of water and a bowl of rice were left in front of Jisu, Dansol tried to stop Daesu and asked.
"Han Jisu doesn't eat this stuff because he's dieting anyway."
Daesu piled braised short ribs into a tower on Dansol's small plate.
"Hyung's fine, Dansol. Our Sol can eat a lot, and hyung can just lick the bones Sol leaves behind."
"Are you insane?"
"Sunbae! Why would you lick them! Eat this!"
At Jisu's words, a crease formed between Daesu's brows. If this were any other time, Dansol might've admired it like a Tom Ford spread, but right now, it didn't feel like a good sign.
Dansol hurriedly dismantled the tower Daesu had built and moved ribs onto Jisu's plate.
He thought regressing would make everything his world and he could do whatever he wanted, but reality wasn't that easy. If he had to describe himself right now in one phrase, it was like…
'I look like a model student stuck between two delinquent hyungs....'
"Our Sol, have you decided which room you'll use?"
"Uh... that's...."
The Omega lodging was two single rooms and one double room. Before the regression, there was nothing to discuss—his seniors took the single rooms, and he shared a room with Yoo Dohyeon.
Because of that, once filming passed the midpoint and his relationship with Yoo Dohyeon completely broke, Dansol became the contestant who left the room first and returned last.
"I'll probably use the double room...."
"Perfect, I wanted the double room too. Then I'll use it with you!"
"What? That can't happen."
"Why not? We're both Omegas."
At Jisu's words, Daesu rubbed his forehead like he had a headache. Dansol tried hard to read the strange vibe between them, but he overlooked something.
Dansol was originally the type who had no sense for this.
And after becoming the nation's punching bag before the regression, his self-esteem had hit rock bottom—so he couldn't even see himself objectively.
'Looks like Jeong Daesu sunbae likes Han Jisu sunbae...!'
Even as Dansol focused on escaping this unexpected obstacle, Jisu kept firing questions like bombs.
"Our Sol, do you like alcohol? What kind do you like?"
"Uh...."
"Isn't that rude to ask on a first meeting?"
"Are you definitely Korean-food only? Dessert?"
"Um...."
"He's an idol, so he'll manage."
"I saw earlier—you sing really well. Can you sing again?"
"Th—!"
"You don't have to."
"What's your MBTI?"
"I...."
"That's all pseudoscience. Not worth believing."
"I asked Dansol."
"Oh, I didn't know. I thought you'd be interested in me since it's RO Match Survival."
As Daesu subtly scraped at him, Jisu deliberately answered with a bright, spinning smile.
"Yeah, I went too far, right? Let's talk more in our room."
At that, Daesu clenched his fist. Dansol rubbed his eyes, feeling like the chopsticks Daesu was holding had bent slightly.
"If you're done eating, let's go."
"Yeah, Dansol. Don't hang out with a dirty genetic supremacist like that—let's go."
Daesu stood up, practically throwing down the bent chopsticks. Jisu, who had barely eaten, let out a loud "Hmph!" and left first. Daesu's expression wasn't good as he gathered his outerwear.
As the atmosphere turned vicious in an instant, Dansol felt like he had to do something. What he wanted was to get cut out completely—not to become a troublemaker wrecking the mood from episode one.
'Daesu sunbae is crazy jealous.... Shit! Trying to avoid a fox and now I'm about to get my back crushed in a whale fight.'
Dansol stood by the door, and when Daesu approached, he lightly caught Daesu's sleeve. Luckily, it was a blind spot the cameras couldn't catch.
His touch was so cautious that Daesu almost didn't notice and nearly walked out.
Dansol was scared of the face looking down at him, full of questions, and spoke in a voice that shrank in on itself.
"Sunbae! But I don't like Omegas.... You don't have to worry...."
At Dansol's words, Daesu's ears turned red. But Dansol couldn't even look at Daesu's face—he fled outside in a rush.
Daesu froze, flustered, and after Dansol disappeared downstairs, he paced back and forth in the second-floor hallway. Like he was hot, he flicked his shirt, then covered his mouth, then swept his hair back.
The words meant to clear up a misunderstanding were creating a massive misunderstanding instead.
{Teaser}
"Sunbae... are you crying?"
"Ah... I have this comfort doll I usually hug to sleep, but I left it behind."
"A comfort doll...?"
"My insomnia is bad, so I can't sleep without it."
"Ah... I see."
"So, could you sleep with me in my bed instead, as a substitute for the doll?"
"What⁈"
.
.
.
"How about you, our Sol? Are you the type who's bound by secondary gender?"
"Ah... no. Never...."
"I knew it... Our Sol is too small and precious to play with those filthy Alphas. Hyung will protect you, so Sol just trust this hyung, okay?"
"Yes.... But hyung... could you loosen your arm? I feel really suffocated...."
{RO Match Survival in Island Portal}
What was that when Jeong Daesu came out of the room? Feels like something got cut in the middle—why is he wandering around looking like an embarrassed puppy?
⤷He's probably in a good mood because he ate.
⤷Ah fuckㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ this is stupidly funny.
⤷No, didn't he talk with Dansol and come out? We didn't see, fuck. Production team, what are you doing!! You're not catching THIS?
⤷Look at their size difference, they fit so well. Root tree × cicada, I ship it.
⤷Isn't it more like uncle and nephew? Dansol looked good with Lee Yiyeon though.
⤷There aren't even any scenes of him with Lee Yiyeon , what bullshit lol.
⤷Lee Yiyeon , you can't do this here.
Holy shit, the Omega who was interested in Joo Dansol was Han Jisuㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is that teaser insane?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Are they lying together? And hugging??ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ There's Han Jisu above the running Alphas...
⤷Sol, run!!!
⤷But if it's Han Jisu, even if he's an Omega, I get it...
⤷Yeah, he looks skinny but he's about the same height as Jeong Daesu. Fine, stop getting pushed around by Alphas—just date each other....
⤷I'm not a secondary-gender supremacist either, but if an Omega prefers Omegas, why did he come on R-Match?
⤷Because his agency told him to.
⤷Does Han Jisu look like someone who does what his agency tells him?
⤷That's fair. But Jisu×Dansol is delicious so I don't care.
⤷You have to hear Dansol's side too..... He can't even say anything because it's a senior. Even to me, he was pushing way too hard. If the teaser is real, isn't that kind of insane? Dansol's a rookie so he probably can't even say he hates it.
But seriously, isn't Joo Dansol's star power insane? All these big names are here but you can't even see Yoo Dohyeon or Yoon Yeomin. He even wrapped up the Omegas—Dansol- RO Match Survival in Island.
⤷Dansol-Match, agreed. It's fun so I'll keep watching, but if the editing keeps going like this I'll be pissed.
⤷It's only episode 2, calm down;;
⤷Joo Dansol is kind of fox-like. His expressions feel like he's too aware of the camera.... Looks like he's trying to climb status by latching onto the highest-ranked ones?
⤷Climb what? Didn't you see his surprised face the moment he opened the door?
⤷Status climbingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Are Jeong Daesu and Han Jisu even nobles....
⤷(Dansol blinking.jpg)
⤷Saying that to such an innocent kid is too much;;;;
⤷It's not like Joo Dansol has x-ray vision and knew Jeong Daesu and Han Jisu were in there ㅋㅋㅋ And if it were me, once I knew it was two seniors more than ten years older ping-ponging like that, I'd never go in.
⤷Yeah, and Jeong Daesu and Han Jisu? Both have crazy presence... Their back-and-forth was sparking, but Dansol was tearing into ribs like a champ.
⤷I was worried because the kid's so skinny, but maybe it's just his constitution. Jeong Daesu and Han Jisu keep pushing side dishes at him and he eats whatever they give him, so cute.
⤷(Dansol eating social-pressure food between two strong hyungs but he never said he wouldn't eat.jpg)
Continue reading up to chapter 40+ at Novelshub.org