Joshua

Saerom walks up onto the stage and sits across from me. I flash her a charming smile, something I didn't offer to the other two contestants who made their way up here.

“Hello, Saerom.”

“Was I really a random choice?” Saerom asks. “Everyone down there seems to be convinced you’re rigging this .”

“Well, what do you think?”

“I think you’re up to something.””

“You’re right, I am up to something. And you weren’t a random choice. I’m just fascinated by you.”

Saerom maintains a straight face, not at all flattered by what I’m saying. She actually looks highly suspicious, eying me with intensity that isn’t conducive to the flirty environment I want to build between us.

Whatever, even if we don’t have any chemistry in real life, I’m going to get the editors to add music and effects and fake cuts that make it look like there is, so when Seungkwan watches it in the future, his blood will boil.

She sits in the chair in front of me, close enough for me to take her hands in mine, so I do.

She looks even confused as she stares at our linked hands, but she doesn’t move away.

See how it feels, Seungkwan? See how it feels when some other guy holds his girl’s hand? See how it feels, Chaeyoung, when the person you’re en route to marry touches another person like this?

I hold her gaze, try to make it more romantic, and I watch as the look of confusion on Saerom’s face transforms. With a hint of a smile on her lips, she stands, not letting go of my hand. She ten straddles my lap and puts her arms around my shoulder.

Now I’m the confused one.

I stiffen. I wasn’t planning to go this far. I just wanted to irk them a little… make them jealous, teach them a lesson, but this… this is too much. I am tempted to push her away, but if I do, the whole act will be ruined.

And plus, part of the reason I got Saerom up here was to divert suspicion that I was rigging this game and that Chaeyoung is the one I’m after. Saerom doesn’t have any connection to Chaeyoung. She has a connection to Seungkwan, but not everyone would know that.

If I push her away, won’t people be suspicious again?

If I play along, then maybe it would be good for me and for Chaeyoung too.

So I sit still, looking up at her. I’m waiting for her next move because I’m too stiff and afraid to make a move myself.

She leans in closer, whispering in my ear so that no camera or recording device can catch what she says. “I see what’s going on here. If you want to make them jealous, then let’s make them ing jealous.”

With that, she pulls back just enough to catch my startled eyes, then kisses me brusquely straight on the lips.

A/N: Apologies for the short chapters lately. I'll be getting another one out within the next couple of days!!