By the time the contestants returned to the villa, the sky had already turned a deep shade of evening blue.
Dinner was ready.
The long table was filled again, just like the day before, but the atmosphere had changed. The first matched dates had happened, and now everyone was quietly observing what those dates had done to the dynamics.
As people took their seats, conversations slowly began.
Yerin sat beside Jiyeon.
It happened naturally, but the two seemed more comfortable around each other now. Jiyeon leaned slightly toward her while talking, occasionally teasing her, and Yerin responded more easily than before.
Across the table, Kim Sohee noticed immediately.
Her smile stayed on her face, but her eyes kept drifting toward them.
The closeness between Jiyeon and Yerin was obvious.
It bothered her more than she expected.
Not because she had lost interest in Dahye.
But because, deep down, the person she was still most interested in was Yerin.
Across from her, Bae Dahye quietly noticed something else.
Sohee's attention.
More specifically—where it kept going.
Again and again, Sohee glanced toward Yerin.
Dahye followed those glances and saw the same thing each time.
Yerin and Jiyeon talking comfortably.
Her expression didn't change much, but the thought settled quietly in her mind.
She's still paying attention to Yerin.
Meanwhile, Yerin continued talking with Jiyeon, occasionally smiling at her jokes.
She found Jiyeon interesting.
Confident.
Fun to talk to.
After their date earlier, she had become more curious about her.
But even as she listened to Jiyeon speak, another thought still lingered quietly in her mind.
Dahye.
Her first interest hadn't changed.
She was still curious about her.
Still paying attention to her without making it obvious.
But nothing about Dahye suggested the same feeling.
Later that evening, the familiar chime echoed through the villa again.
Everyone immediately knew what it meant.
The night game.
The contestants gathered in the living room where a new setup had been prepared.
The recorded voice spoke again through the speakers.
"Contestants, the night game will now begin."
"Tonight's game is The Balance Relay."
Twelve narrow platforms were placed across the room like stepping stones. On the other side of the platforms sat a small table filled with puzzle pieces.
"The goal is simple," the voice continued.
"Contestants must cross the balance platforms without stepping off. At the end, they will collect puzzle pieces and return. The first contestant to complete their puzzle correctly will be the winner."
The girls looked at each other with excitement and nervous laughter.
"This looks harder than yesterday," Jiyeon muttered.
One by one, the contestants took turns.
Some moved carefully.
Some rushed and lost their balance immediately.
A few burst into laughter after nearly falling.
The competition slowly narrowed down.
Eventually only two contestants remained neck and neck.
Yerin and Jiyeon.
The room grew louder as the other contestants cheered.
Jiyeon moved quickly across the platforms.
Yerin followed calmly, keeping her balance with steady steps.
Both reached the puzzle table at nearly the same time.
But while Jiyeon rushed, Yerin remained calm.
Piece by piece, she assembled the puzzle quietly.
And then—
Click.
The final piece slid perfectly into place.
The screen lit up.
Winner: Ahn Yerin
Applause filled the room.
Jiyeon laughed as she stepped down.
"So close."
Yerin gave a small smile.
"Good game."
But the real prize was waiting.
A staff member guided Yerin down the familiar hallway.
At the end was the door she had seen Dahye enter the previous night.
Secret Box Room
Inside, the dimly lit room felt even quieter than before.
Twelve boxes lined the wall.
Each one labeled with a contestant's name.
Yerin walked slowly along the row.
Her steps stopped in front of one box.
Bae Dahye
For a moment, she hesitated.
Then she opened it.
Inside was a sheet of paper.
Dahye's ranking list.
Yerin's eyes moved down the page.
Her expression slowly froze.
Number 1.
Number 2.
Number 3.
Her name wasn't there.
She kept reading.
Until finally—
Number 12 — Ahn Yerin
The last place.
Yerin stared at the name for a long moment.
A strange heaviness settled in her chest.
She had expected that Dahye probably didn't notice her much.
But last place?
Her mind filled with mixed thoughts.
I really don't stand a chance.
She probably never even considered me.
She would never like me.
Yerin closed the box slowly.
Her earlier curiosity about Dahye suddenly felt pointless.
As she walked back toward the villa, her thoughts continued spinning.
Maybe she should stop thinking about someone who had already placed her at the very bottom.
Maybe she should focus on someone else.
Someone who actually showed interest.
Someone who might make her heart flutter.
Maybe…
Jiyeon.
Or someone she hadn't noticed yet.
But one thing was certain in that moment.
Yerin quietly decided she should give up on Dahye.