Chapter 180: A BEACH EPISODE (I)
WOLJEONG BEACH was a long stretch of white sand beside clear blue water. The shoreline curved at a steady angle, with dark volcanic rocks marking the far ends of the beach. Palm trees lined the road that ran along the edge, their leaves shifting slightly whenever the breeze picked up. The sea was calm that day, with small waves rolling in and breaking evenly against the sand.
The production team had blocked off a section of the beach for the group so that it felt private. There wasn’t anyone else nearby, which made the setup look organized and prepared just for them. A large canopy tent had been set up further back on the sand, big enough to provide plenty of shade.
Inside the tent, there was a barbecue station where food would be grilled later, and several coolers filled with drinks were lined up next to it. One side of the canopy was cleared to serve as a spot where the contestants could leave their bags and personal belongings. Plastic tables and folding chairs were stacked nearby, ready to be pulled out whenever one needed to.
A wave of excitement swept through the group as most contestants immediately broke into a run toward the water. Many of the Alphas and Betas pulled their shirts off without hesitation, tossing them toward the designated bag area of the canopy before rushing into the waves. Some of the Omegas lingered behind, cheeks flushing pink at the sudden display of bare skin. A few exchanged shy glances or hid smiles behind their hands, though some of them still stared at the Alphas and Betas running toward the ocean.
Haneul, however, didn’t join the rush and instead took a moment to look around. He noticed several cameramen moving through the area, filming everything. So even though they were told that they could freely have fun today, it was still being recorded. He supposed he should have expected that. Whatever they filmed here would likely appear in the next episode. This meant that while they could enjoy themselves, they still needed to be mindful of their actions.
"Haneul, let’s put our bags over there," Robin called out, interrupting his thoughts. "I really want to go swim."
Haneul looked over and saw that both Robin and Seongwoo were already walking toward the area of the canopy tent where they could leave their bags. He quickly moved to follow them.
"What about Haru?" he suddenly thought to ask.
"He already ran to the ocean with the others," Seongwoo replied.
Robin chuckled. "The little puppy seemed too shy to join us for swimming, so he went ahead first."
Haneul wondered why Haru would feel shy to swim with them. Then he remembered that Haru was an Alpha, while the three of them were Omegas. Maybe that was reason enough for him to be shy.
Though he didn’t quite understand why that would matter, he decided to stop thinking about it and kept walking. They reached the large canopy and moved toward the section reserved for the bags. Once there, they placed their bags side by side in a neat row.
Haneul took off his glasses and tucked them into his bag’s side pocket. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and was just about to pull it over his head when Robin caught his wrist and tugged him toward the water.
"Robin hyung, wait! I haven’t even—"
His words were cut short as Robin pulled him and Seongwoo forward with surprising speed. Before Haneul could even finish his sentence, his feet hit the cool water, and then a small wave splashed against his legs. Robin’s laughter echoed beside him as they stood knee-deep in the ocean.
Haneul shook his head and chuckled along with Robin. Seongwoo watched them with a small smile playing on his lips.
"Let’s go swim," Robin said, reaching out to pull both Haneul and Seongwoo further into the water with him.
Seongwoo allowed himself to be pulled along. Haneul considered going back to remove his shirt first, but seeing both Robin and Seongwoo still wearing theirs without concern, he decided to follow their lead. The three of them waded deeper into the ocean together.
Seongwoo floated on his back while Robin kept diving under the water. Haneul swam around near both of them. Even though they were each doing their own thing, they stayed close together in the same area of the water, still swimming as a group.
After a while, Haneul decided to dive deeper. The water was so clear and blue that he kept swimming further out without realizing it. He only noticed how far he was from shore when he surfaced for air and accidentally bumped into another contestant who seemed to have also drifted far like him.
"Sorry—"
His voice trailed off as he recognized the contestant he had bumped into. His wet black hair was swept back from his forehead with his fingers, revealing a striking face. Water streamed down his broad shoulders and well-defined chest, and through the crystal-clear water, Haneul could clearly see the sculpted lines of his abdomen. His eyes quickly snapped upward, meeting Taeyang’s stormy gray eyes.
Heat rushed to Haneul’s face, spreading across his cheeks and ears despite the cool ocean water surrounding them. He suddenly became acutely aware that he had just been openly staring at Taeyang’s body, and this realization made him even more flustered. His embarrassment deepened when he noticed Taeyang was also staring back at him. He couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but it seemed like the stormy gray of Taeyang’s eyes had darkened noticeably.
The two of them remained frozen in the water, locked in a silent stare that seemed to stretch between them. Haneul watched as Taeyang’s gaze drifted downward, lingering on his lips for a heartbeat too long. Haneul’s own heart stuttered in response, and his throat suddenly felt uncomfortably dry despite being surrounded by water.
But before he could process these strange reactions, a familiar and unwelcome voice called Taeyang’s name not that far from them. The sound shattered the moment completely, breaking whatever unspoken connection had briefly held them there.