Chapter 179: TO THE BEACH
AFTER lunch, all the contestants gathered once more in the performance hall. This time, one of the assistant PDs stood waiting on the stage instead of the PD. Haneul and the rest of his teammates from the vocal mission immediately recognized the young woman. It was Song Soojin.
"The PD already told you there would be an activity today," Soojin began. "You don’t need to feel nervous or worried because this will be a fun activity."
A low murmur spread through the hall as contestants began whispering to each other.
"What kind of activity do you think it is?"
"Maybe another team mission?"
"I hope it won’t be too hard and we could still have fun."
"She said it would be a fun activity, so maybe it is?"
The murmuring grew slightly louder until Soojin raised her hand.
"Everyone, please settle down," she said, her voice calm but firm enough to carry across the hall. The whispers quickly faded as all attention returned to the stage. "You will be going to Woljeong Beach today. This is not a team mission or anything similar. Like I said, this is meant to be a fun activity. Think of it as a rest day. Enjoy the beach, go swimming, spend time with your friends. We will provide snacks and drinks for everyone. If you don’t have swimwear, the staff will provide some for you."
She watched as her words slowly sank in among the contestants. A moment of stunned silence hung in the air before it shattered into excited whispers and disbelieving smiles. A few contestants exchanged happy glances, some even letting out quiet cheers or clapping their hands softly. The previously serious atmosphere melted away, replaced by a growing buzz of anticipation.
Truthfully, this beach trip wasn’t originally part of the schedule. But her uncle decided the contestants had earned it through their hard work. It would also serve as a small farewell for those who would be eliminated on Wednesday. Another PD might have squeezed every last bit of value the contestants had before any of them were eliminated, but her uncle didn’t plan to do that. It might not have even crossed his mind.
This was the difference between her uncle and the rest of the greedy PDs who only wanted ratings and drama.
If her uncle were like them, the aired episodes would be full of dramatic edits and manufactured controversies. The situation with Lee Minjae would have been perfect for that. But her uncle refused to include it. Some assistant PDs even asked him why, since they all believed it would boost viewership. Her uncle simply said that destroying someone’s future for the sake of ratings and online buzz was not worth it.
If Soojin ever became a PD in the future, she hoped to be exactly like her uncle.
"Alright, grab whatever you need. If you have swimwear, you can change into it now. If you don’t, please ask a staff member for help. Everyone should assemble on the deck in ten minutes," she said in closing.
The moment she finished, the contestants sprang to their feet and nearly raced each other toward the exits, their excited chatter and laughter filling the hall. The sudden burst of youthful energy made Soojin smile softly to herself.
It was easy to forget sometimes, watching them practice and perform with such intensity, that most of them were still just teenagers. Eager, impulsive, and capable of pure, unfiltered joy at the prospect of a day at the beach.
***
Haneul gazed out the bus window. After gathering on the deck, staff had guided them off the ship and onto two buses waiting near where The Argo was docked. The contestants were divided into two groups. One bus held thirty contestants, the other twenty-nine. They had been split according to their initial rankings, so Haneul found himself on the same bus as the other top thirty ranked contestants.
They were told they could choose their own seats, so Haneul sat with Haru. While Robin and Seongwoo took the seats directly in front of them.
"I can’t wait to actually swim in the ocean here," Haneul heard Haru say excitedly.
He turned to the other and nearly chuckled at seeing him practically bouncing in his seat. "I don’t think it’s any different from other oceans in the world."
Haru acted completely scandalized by the comment. "Hyung, how can you say that? This is Jeju! The number one beach destination in the whole country. Can you even call yourself Korean if you compare these beaches to any other beaches in the world?"
Haneul just laughed softly and shook his head. As he did, his eyes landed on Taeyang sitting a few seats away on the opposite side of the bus. He couldn’t help but recall what happened earlier when they first boarded. Taeyang had literally pulled Joonhyuk down into the seat beside him.
The look of pure confusion on Joonhyuk’s face had been almost comical to watch. Haneul had nearly laughed out loud at the scene. But then he noticed Park Mirae standing nearby, and the flash of irritation in his eyes when he saw the seat next to Taeyang was already taken. In that moment, Haneul completely understood why Taeyang suddenly pulled Joonhyuk to sit beside him.
It reminded him of how Taeyang had acted during lunch. The moment Park Mirae sat down with him, Taeyang finished his meal in just five minutes before standing up and leaving Park Mirae sitting there alone.
Yes, he had been paying rather close attention to them. That probably wasn’t the healthiest thing to do, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. His brain told him to look away, but his body seemed to have a mind of its own, keeping his eyes fixed on them against his better judgment.
No, not really ’them’. Just him. Jung Taeyang.
Haneul made himself look away and turned his attention back to the window.
The urban port scenery faded as coastal roads took over. Palm trees lined the streets as the deep blue ocean grew more visible between buildings. The iconic white sand of Woljeong Beach soon appeared, its gentle curve following the coastline.
They finally arrived at their destination.