"Keeping your hands on your partner's shoulders, slowly step back and bend at the waist to stretch—."
As Anna and Jane counted off, Daesu spoke. It was less a conversation than a clipped instruction.
"Head."
"Yes?"
"Don't lower it. You'll hurt your neck."
"Okay...."
The muscle under Dansol's fingertips felt unfamiliar. These weren't muscles built to be shown off. Solid flesh, linked together in dense segments, shifted beneath his hand.
Meanwhile, Daesu—warming up with his hand on Dansol's shoulder—felt the same sense of strangeness.
How is a person this small....
Dansol's shoulder felt like a raw egg, something that might shatter if he squeezed even a little.
"Alright, now rotate your ankles, rotate your wrists, and loosen your hips once—. One person lies down like a frog, and the other gently presses from above—."
"Lie down first."
"Yes...."
So this was why they made two people do stretches that could easily be done alone. Daesu scoffed inwardly at the production team's obvious intent to capture something provocative.
When Dansol knelt and folded his upper body forward, the inside of his white sleep T-shirt was plainly visible. When his thighs and stomach pressed to the mat, pale skin showed between his short shorts.
Were they hoping for something to rise on camera, or expecting Daesu to do something to Dansol? Either way, Daesu had no intention of playing along.
"Get up for a second."
Tensing as if he'd done something wrong, Dansol stood.
"This."
Without another word, Daesu handed over the thin windbreaker he was wearing.
"Put it on."
"I'm not cold...."
"Put it on anyway."
When Dansol hesitated, not understanding his intent, Daesu took the jacket himself, slid Dansol's arms into the sleeves one by one, and zipped it all the way up to his chin. On Dansol, it looked almost like a one-piece dress. Daesu didn't care—he neatly folded the sleeves down to cover Dansol's hands completely.
When they resumed stretching, a few cameramen who'd been blatantly zooming in on Dansol's body swallowed in disappointment. Instead, they switched their focus to Daesu's exposed upper arms beneath his sleeveless shirt.
"Sunbae... do you believe in fate? I seriously think... we might be destined. I was thinking of you exactly when I drew, and it was red—!"
"Ha... Taeoh."
"Yes! Sunbae?"
Jisu—whose fists usually spoke faster than words with alphas who approached him—was exercising every ounce of restraint. Unfortunately, Taeoh seemed to misunderstand his patience completely.
Ha...! Then things are moving way too fast. But doing that on set...! Is that okay...? There are no cameras, so it should be fine, right? As expected of Jisu sunbae! Is this what adult dating is like...?
"Today's mission pose is the T-shape aerial pose. The two couples who hold it the longest will get comfortable rest. The two couples who fail will be on dinner duty as a penalty. Everyone, please focus!"
Jane emphasized "focus" as if aiming it straight at the dazed Taeoh. Then Anna explained the pose.
"Think of it as lifting your partner like an airplane. One person lies on the mat and raises their arms and legs toward the sky. The other stands in front, places the flyer's feet against their abdomen, and prepares for takeoff. Hold each other's arms firmly, and relying on mutual trust, let's try lifting."
Jisu wondered whether Taeoh could actually lift him. Publicly he was an omega, but Jisu was nearly as tall as Daesu. Back in his modeling days he'd been thin from constant fasting, but since becoming an actor he'd built muscle and weighed quite a bit.
"Alright! Sunbae! Please get up!"
Zeus was known among idols for emphasizing masculinity, but to Jisu, Taeoh looked like nothing more than a newly hatched chick.
"I don't want to cook. You get up."
"Ah! What are you saying, sunbae! Trust me! I'll make sure you don't have to cook!"
But Taeoh was stubborn. Having already misunderstood Jisu earlier, he was now drunk on his own alpha-ness. Jisu stood in front of him with a half-resigned mindset.
Right in front of their mat were Dansol and Daesu.
"Now—start!"
Daesu was like a boulder. So stable that Dansol felt like he could stay there all day. Daesu thought the same. He was clearly supporting Dansol, yet the area of his feet was wider than Dansol's waist.
About ten minutes passed. Everyone on staff assumed Daesu and Dansol would win easily—
"Ah—!"
—when Taeoh's legs finally gave out and Jisu fell into the water. The impact flipped Dansol's mat as well, sending both Dansol and Daesu into the pool.
Caught off guard, Jane and Anna quickly saw PD Choi signaling them to move things along and shouted—
"Black team! White team! You win! See you next time!"
Judging by the looks on Jisu's and Daesu's faces, it seemed wisest to disappear before sparks could fly.
Alpha×Omega Inner Thoughts Interview
Q: Jisu-ssi... you're soaked.
Han Jisu: Haha... haha.... Yeah. Yoga right after waking up... damn it.... Then swimming. Thank you.
Q: How was your chemistry with Taeoh-ssi...?
Han Jisu: Chemistry? Hahahaha.... Haha.... Do we need to keep doing this interview?
Q: Taeoh-ssi, you're still all dry.
Taeoh: Ah, my leg cramped at that exact moment.
Q: How was your coordination with Jisu-ssi?
Taeoh: Ah... it was good. I'm sure of it. Hyung knows how I feel, and I know how he feels. It was a time to confirm each other's hearts. Really... is this what destiny is?
Q: You're sure you connected...?
Taeoh: Of course! There's a limit to what shows on screen, but this is real. This is destiny.
Q: Daesu-ssi, it was an unfortunate loss.
Jeong Daesu: We picked the wrong neighbors.
Q: Did you get the partner you hoped for?
Jeong Daesu: Yes.
Q: How was your teamwork? Was anything difficult?
Jeong Daesu: There was no reason for it to be hard. He's too light... Though do idols these days not eat at all?!
Q: P-please don't get angry... (trembling)
Jeong Daesu: I'm not angry!
Q: Dansol-ssi, you lost the game. Aren't you disappointed?
Joo Dansol: It's okay! I like cooking.
Q: Are you good at it?
Joo Dansol: Ah... when I'm with my members, I'm in charge of meals. They're still young... so I don't let them use fire or knives, and I end up doing it.
Q: You're the youngest here—unexpected!
Joo Dansol: Even so, I'm the oldest in my team!
"Sol, you'll catch a cold. Go wash up first."
Jisu clicked his tongue at Dansol's bluish lips.
Those broadcast assholes... Would it kill them to let people shower before inner-thought interviews?
"I'm fine, hyung! You wash first!"
Since there was only one bathroom in the room, Dansol wrapped himself in a large towel, apparently planning to wait while Jisu showered first.
Dansol was shivering. The weather had turned sharply cold after getting into the water. Deciding that arguing would be a waste of time, Jisu said—
"Want to... shower together?"
"Ah! That works!"
Dansol smiled and dropped the towel, then peeled off his soaked clothes—slap, slap—one after another.
As the layers covering Dansol disappeared and his pale, naked body was revealed, it was Jisu—who had suggested showering together—who went dizzy.
Where he'd expected soft belly fat, there were defined abs carved by dance practice. Above them, his gaze filled with the pinkish chest that felt oddly lewd.
Even living as an omega, having seen just about everything one could see, Dansol—with his innocent, clear face—was far too obscene.
"Ah, right... this jacket! It's Daesu's favorite!"
"H-huh! Really? What do we do... I soaked it because of me...."
Jisu picked up Daesu's windbreaker from the floor and held it up.
"I'll go return it. You wash first."
"But... it got ruined because of me. Shouldn't I bring it myself?"
"No. I have something to take care of with Daesu anyway. I'll be back. Hurry up and wash, Sol."
Dansol tried to follow with a worried look, but Jisu firmly stopped him. Then he crossed the living room and headed to the alpha dorm on the second floor opposite.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Who is—."
"It's me. Let me use your bathroom."
Daesu—wearing only a white towel around his waist, as if he'd just showered—tried to shut the door immediately at Jisu's sudden visit. Jisu slipped his foot into the closing door and continued—
"If you don't, I'm going straight into the bathroom where Dansol is showering and washing with him."
"Use it."
Before Jisu even finished speaking, Daesu flung the door wide open. Jisu strode in and tossed the soaked windbreaker at him.
"Here."
"What the hell—why are you returning this?"
"So you don't use it as an excuse to hit on Dansol."
"...."
"Caught you?"
"Want to leave?"
"Sorry."
A few minutes later, Jisu came out of the bathroom wrapped in a single white towel at the waist, steam rising from him. Seeing that, Daesu frowned like he'd witnessed something he shouldn't have.
"What the fuck."
"Oh, great actor Jeong Daesu. Do you happen to have any spare clothes? Unfortunately, I rushed out and didn't bring anything to change into."
"Sorry. I don't have clothes to lend you. Get the hell out."
"Ha—do you really want to see me walking naked through the living room on broadcast? Or... do I need to go back like this and tell everyone I showered in your room, huh—?"
As Jisu kept talking, Daesu shot upright from the bed, grabbed whatever clothes were in the closet, and threw them at him.
"Wear them and throw them out."
"You're always in the same damn sweatpants but you act all precious about them."
"Want to take them off?"
"Why do you always go to extremes—."
Instead of leaving right away after changing, Jisu sprawled on the sofa in Daesu's room. He ignored Daesu's look demanding he get out.
"Hey, Actor Jeong. Who are you voting for at elimination?"
"You."
Daesu answered without a second's hesitation.
"Come on. How about we form an alliance?"
"No."
"Listen carefully. Even if you vote for me, I won't get eliminated. There's no one else who'd vote for me."
"Hah. How can you be so sure? Isn't that narcissistic?"
"You've seen zombie movies, right? Do you know who dies first? The one who stands out."
At that, Jisu sprang up.
"Right now, besides me, who stands out the most next to Dansol?"
"...Jegal Minhyeok?"
"Then who would Jegal Minhyeok find most annoying? He thinks I'm an omega."
"...Me."
"This week is just reconnaissance anyway. With just two votes, the elimination risk spikes. In the end, it's either you or Jegal Minhyeok at risk. If I'm gone, where do you think our quiet bear will get votes?"
"Ha... fuck."
Daesu found Jisu annoying—but couldn't deny there was some logic to it.
Those were basically Jisu, Jegal Minhyeok, and Yoo Dohyeon.
"If you don't like it, forget it."
"Wait. Hah... fine. I'll vote for Jegal Minhyeok."
"Good choice."
Jisu grinned and left the room.
It was pure coincidence that Taeoh saw Jisu's back as he exited the room, the door clicking shut behind him as he walked down the hallway.
Taeoh couldn't cook, but since he'd been assigned dinner duty, he wanted to show Jisu his best side. He'd gone to the kitchen early to prep ingredients.
What Taeoh saw—wearing Daesu's oversized sweatpants and smiling as he came out of Daesu's room—made him drop the couple apron with cute rabbits printed on it.
Thud.
Continue reading up to chapter 40+ at Novelshub.org