SWAP 101

“…….”

At those words, Seo Saheon, who had been glaring chillingly at his phone, slowly turned his gaze with a creeeak. He was already irritated to the limit because of some nosy bastard, and now what kind of new bullshit was this…?

It had only been ten-plus minutes. Saheon was already primary-level appalled after seeing some bum hitting on Lee Seoul the moment he stepped away. Pottery, my ass—who touches a student’s hand in such a greasy way? Being stuck so close together was infuriating enough, but seeing Lee Seoul smiling brightly like a child, completely oblivious, made his blood boil. If he could, he wanted to tie that sexual-harassment instructor to a waterwheel—not a potter’s wheel—and spin him around.

Unfortunately, however, this was a workshop, not a mill.

Before he could even get rid of Heo Do-ae, who had narrowly escaped water torture, now it was Jeon Jaeyeon.

Swapping pairs without permission was ridiculous enough, but the nonsense about changing roommates on top of that sent his already frayed patience hitting rock bottom in real-time. Someone other than himself—specifically, Ye Juyeol and Lee Seoul—sharing a room. In that cramped corner of a room, just the two of them, all through the dawn, who knows what they’d do… such irresponsible…

Saheon, failing to realize that he was the one talking the most nonsense here, let his lips curl into a short, hollow “ha.” The reason he had brought the reluctant Lee Seoul onto a variety show swarming with people was to officially stake his claim, not to watch him sleep with some other bastard.

Should I just take the kid and quit the show…

As his thoughts flowed toward the extreme, Saheon slowly opened his mouth.

He intended to ask why the PD was acting so reckless all of a sudden; surely after watching him for 24 hours, she would have caught on that he wasn’t exactly sane. Having had no interest in previous seasons or even the variety show format, this whole situation felt like excessive “force-hate.” Of course, the person actually being force-hated was someone else, but he didn’t care.

Gulp.

It was the moment when PD Jeon Jaeyeon and the rest of the staff froze in tension. Just as they were worrying whether he’d start swearing first, a soft voice broke the silence before Saheon could.

“Then, should I move my luggage in the evening?”

It was Seoul.

Because he asked so casually, as if his previous confusion had never happened, Saheon—whose gaze had been fixed on Jeon Jaeyeon and the production crew—whipped his head around. The fiercely hardened face melted away the moment his eyes met Seoul’s. It was unconscious, so he wasn’t particularly aware of it. Saheon called his name like a sigh, as if asking why even he was talking nonsense.

“Lee Seoul.”

“What. It’s the rule, so there’s no choice.”

“So you’re really going to exchange?”

“Yeah.”

“Make some sense…”

Suppressing a tone that was inevitably laced with irritation, Saheon swept his hair back. It was clear Seoul was taking the side of the one in a difficult position, as he always did. Just as Saheon was thinking to himself that Lee Seoul’s unnecessary kindness was a problem and that he should care a bit less about what others think—

Contrary to Saheon’s expectations, Seoul spoke with a calm expression.

“If a person can become a puppy, why doesn’t this make sense? I’m the one who said I’d swap with a coin, so don’t take your grumbling out on the PD and just sit down.”

“…….”

“And this is an event that’s been in other seasons, too. I didn’t know it would be today, though…”

Trailing off, Seoul lowered his gaze, avoiding eye contact with Saheon. In truth, Seoul was just as surprised by the sudden pair exchange. He was someone who was excessively shy by nature. While it was true he had grown close to Ye Juyeol rapidly over the week, sharing a room was a different matter.

It was the moment when a surge of worry made him reflexively turn his head toward Saheon.

Seeing the back of Saheon standing there still, Seoul couldn’t help but flinch.

What was he going to say? Saheon was the one who had been avoiding him all day anyway. The memory of Saheon flinching away as if he hated even being touched—distancing himself to an embarrassing degree—made Seoul’s heart drop again. Only then did Seoul realize. He had tried his best to be understanding, but in truth, every single action had been a wound. No matter how many times he told himself it was fine, the feeling of being openly rejected felt deeply shameful.

And yet, here he was, thinking of holding onto Saheon again.

Seeing how he couldn’t get a grip even after experiencing that, he was surely beyond help. Perhaps those words were right. His mother’s voice, sharply criticizing him and asking how his actions were any different from hers, rang in his head. Looking at him when he’s anxious, you felt relieved one day. You chant about ending it and staying apart with your mouth, but inside you’re trembling, just watching his every move because you’re scared you’ll actually be abandoned. Tell me, you actually have no intention of leaving, do you? Right…

At the words that seemed to point out his contradictory behavior in detail, the ground beneath his feet turned dark in an instant. Feeling a wave of nausea, Seoul bit his lip inconspicuously.

Yes, maybe this was for the best.

Since the fact that he was looking at Saheon in that way had already been exposed, sharing a room was impossible to begin with. Once he concluded that it would be better to share a room with someone else, the stomach that had been churning with guilt calmed down slightly. They needed to be apart for a bit, for each other’s sake. This program was for independence in the first place; he scolded himself internally for having become slack.

“…….”

However, there was no way Seo Saheon could know Seoul’s resolve.

With a face that had transformed into one of great shock, as if he had never been the one glaring as if ready to kill someone, Saheon asked in disbelief.

“Are you really going to exchange me?”

“…It’s not ‘going to,’ I already did.”

“…….”

At the firm answer, Saheon’s mouth shut tight. The rabid dog instantly turned into an abandoned puppy. The way he stared piercingly at the side of Seoul’s face—who wouldn’t even look at him as if the world had collapsed—was quite pathetic. He was someone who could act out toward anyone in the world, but his best friend—no, his now ex-best friend—was the sole exception.

Once he was certain Seoul had no intention of raising any objection, Saheon’s mind quickly turned elsewhere. He knew that expression. Judging that ordinary tricks wouldn’t work, Saheon whipped around toward PD Jeon Jaeyeon. Thanks to that, only the main PD, who had been watching the situation with bated breath, jumped in surprise.

“…If we exchange today, the pairs will change randomly again, right?”

“Pardon? Oh, yes, of course!”

“Ah…!”

At those words, Yun Hyeok, who had regained his senses late, held up his phone. He had been so shocked he’d forgotten, but there was that method. Quickly clicking the ‘Today’s Bestie’ menu, he found the event window that had arrived a moment ago. Coins or whatever, it didn’t matter what he was swapping with. Praying that he just wouldn’t get Seo Saheon, Yun Hyeok tapped the screen repeatedly with all his heart.

The slots spun noisily, and eventually, the text that popped up read…

⚠ Caution: Your Bestie might become [Seo Saheon]…

“Uwaaaah…!”

Why of all people is it Seo Saheon again…! Ye Juyeol, who had been inwardly anxious while patting the back of the despairing Yun Hyeok as he collapsed onto the floor, felt relieved. While it was sad to see his friend pushed into the lion’s den, he didn’t find this situation bad at all. To think he could be in the same room… and for a whole week with his favorite. If he had been just a little less self-aware, his heart was so full he might have been jumping up and down on the spot.

He had already passed the mission in the morning, and Seoul and Yun Hyeok had both completed their exchanges. Now, there was only one person left. Seo Saheon, who scowled as he moved his fingertips upon receiving the notification that Yun Hyeok had become his pair again, looked at his phone.

Saheon was someone who hadn’t exchanged his bestie even once over the past week.

In a way, it was a historic moment, but that wasn’t what was important right now.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward Saheon’s phone screen.

The rapidly rotating slot slowed down, and when the sentence appeared a few seconds later, the workshop was covered in various screams.

⚠ Caution: Your Bestie might become [Ye Juyeol]…

Ha, fuck…

“…Is that all clothes?”

When Seoul asked in surprise while looking at the clothes spread across the bed as well as the suitcase, Yun Hyeok muttered with a sheepish face.

“I actually brought less than usual…”

“Idols really are different. Ah, the closet is empty, so you can use it.”

“Eh? What about you, hyung?”

“I’m fine.”

At Seoul’s strangely firm attitude, Yun Hyeok nodded blankly and began to sort out the clothes made of materials that might wrinkle. The time was already 11:40 PM. Thinking it had been a day where too many things happened, he kept his nose in his suitcase for a long time before finally opening his mouth. He wanted to keep pretending not to notice, but he couldn’t anymore.

“Hyung, but…”

“Yeah?”

“Um… when exactly is that person going to leave…?”

At the end of Yun Hyeok’s question, asked in a breathy voice that was barely audible, was Saheon, who was occupying a corner of the room like a land-bound spirit that had failed to pass on to the afterlife.