The next morning, Ahn Yerin sat on her bed, hugging a pillow like it had personally offended her.
"I don't understand," she groaned for the fifth time in ten minutes. "What kind of person brings their entire bloodline to a first date? Am I applying for marriage or a job interview?!"
Across the room, her best friend, Go Eunseo, calmly sipped her drink like she had heard this speech a thousand times before.
Because she had.
"You said that yesterday," Eunseo replied lazily.
"And I'll say it again!" Yerin snapped, throwing herself backward onto the bed. "And that dog guy?! 'Haru is my daughter'—what does that even mean?! Am I supposed to compete with a dog for affection?!"
Eunseo bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"And don't even get me started on the cheating one!" Yerin sat up suddenly, her hair still slightly uneven from the previous disaster. "I almost lost my scalp, Eunseo. My scalp!"
"I saw the video," Eunseo said.
Yerin froze.
"…What video?"
Eunseo slowly turned her phone around.
There it was.
A crystal-clear clip of Yerin being dragged across the restaurant floor like a dramatic actress in a low-budget drama.
The caption read:
"Side chick gets exposed on first date 😱🔥"
Yerin stared at it.
Then slowly lay back down.
"…I'm never going outside again."
Eunseo burst out laughing.
After a while, the room grew quiet.
Yerin stared at the ceiling again, her voice softer this time.
"…Do you think something is wrong with me?"
Eunseo's laughter faded.
She looked at her friend carefully.
"No," she said simply. "I think something is wrong with your luck."
Yerin sighed.
"…Same thing."
Eunseo suddenly stood up.
"Get dressed."
Yerin turned her head.
"…Why?"
"I'm taking you somewhere."
"I'm not going on another date."
"It's not a date."
"Then I don't trust it."
"Just come," Eunseo insisted, already pulling her up. "You need help, and clearly, normal solutions aren't working."
Thirty minutes later, Yerin stood in front of a small, quiet building.
She blinked.
Then slowly turned to Eunseo.
"…No."
Eunseo smiled.
"Yes."
Yerin pointed at the sign.
"A shaman place? Are you serious right now?"
"You've tried everything else," Eunseo shrugged. "At this point, why not?"
"I'd rather stay single forever."
"Too late," Eunseo grabbed her wrist and dragged her inside.
The room smelled like incense.
It was dimly lit, with strange decorations that made Yerin suddenly very aware of her life choices.
"I don't like this," she whispered.
"Too late," Eunseo whispered back.
A woman sat in the center, calm and unreadable.
The shaman slowly looked up as they entered.
"…Sit."
Yerin immediately shook her head.
"No, I'm fine standing—"
"Sit."
Yerin sat.
The shaman took Yerin's hand, examining it carefully.
Silence filled the room.
Eunseo leaned forward nervously.
"So… what do you see?"
The shaman spoke slowly.
"…You have very bad luck in love."
Yerin nodded instantly.
"See? I told you."
Eunseo smacked her arm.
"Let her finish!"
The shaman continued, her expression unreadable.
"…Every relationship you start will collapse before it even begins."
Yerin raised a hand.
"That's already happening, so what else is new?"
Eunseo glared at her again.
"Is there a solution?" she asked quickly.
The shaman paused.
Then shook her head slightly.
"…I don't think there is—"
She suddenly stopped.
Her eyes widened.
"Wait."
Yerin froze.
Eunseo froze.
The room felt colder.
"…Why did you say wait like that?" Yerin whispered. "Don't say wait like that."
The shaman closed her eyes briefly.
Then opened them.
"I see something."
Eunseo leaned forward.
"What is it?"
The shaman looked directly at Yerin.
"…You have to go on a variety show."
Silence.
"…What?" Yerin blinked.
"A dating show."
Yerin stared at her.
Then slowly nodded.
"…Okay."
Eunseo turned to her, shocked.
"That's it?!"
"What do you want me to say?" Yerin shrugged. "At least she didn't say I need to climb a mountain or fight a ghost."
On their way home, Yerin stretched lazily.
"That woman is a scam."
Eunseo stopped walking.
"She's not a scam!"
"She told me to go on a dating show like it's some kind of magic cure."
"What if it is?"
Yerin laughed.
"Yeah, sure. Maybe I'll find my soulmate on national television while embarrassing myself in HD."
Eunseo crossed her arms.
"…You should try it."
Yerin stopped.
"…You're serious?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"…You're annoying."
"And you're unlucky. Let's fix it."
Later that evening, they sat together with a laptop open.
"Look," Eunseo said, scrolling. "There are so many shows."
Yerin leaned closer, uninterested.
"Mm."
Then—
"Oh!" Eunseo pointed. "This one looks new."
Yerin read the title slowly.
"HEART SYNC: LOVE IN THREE WORLDS"
"…That sounds dramatic," Yerin muttered.
Eunseo clicked it.
The description popped up:
A unique dating show where love is explored in three different categories.
Yerin squinted.
"Three?"
Eunseo read aloud:
"Category 1: Straight relationships – 12 contestants.
Category 2: Boys Love – 12 contestants.
Category 3: Girls Love – 12 contestants."
Yerin blinked.
"…Why are there so many options?"
"Because people are different," Eunseo said.
"Hmm."
"Just apply."
"I'm not getting picked anyway."
"Exactly, so there's no risk."
Yerin thought for a moment.
Then sighed.
"…Fine."
She grabbed the laptop.
Filled in her details lazily.
Didn't read properly.
Didn't think twice.
Clicked.
Done.
She closed the laptop immediately.
"I've done what you want."
Eunseo smiled.
"Good."
Yerin stretched and stood up.
"And I'm 100% sure I won't be picked…"
She paused.
Then added with complete confidence—
"…and I don't want to be picked."