14: Falling

Exchange: Reedition [SLOW UPDATE]
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Following last night's confrontation between Jihyo and Eun Hye, the atmosphere in the girls' house is heavy the following day. They are now evidently divided into three groups. The show's editing branded Jihyo, Hyojin, and Yejin as Team A; Eunhye, Minhee, Joy, and Victoria as members of Team B while the girls who go with the flow and bond with anyone are quoted to be Team C namely Jessi, El, Jisoo and Hyuna. 

Attempting to fix their bond, Jessi and El gathered the girls in the living room once Minhee came back from her solo date with Raewon. 

"As expected, Eun Hye doesn't want to join. What's this for?" Joy flatly asked.   

"Welcome, ladies! Let's all sit on the floor. Well, things aren't going well between us so, how 'bout a little game?" Jessi tried her best to lift everyone's mood.

"Is this necessary?" Victoria followed up.

"Okay! Let's give each other a chance to get to know each other." Jessi ignored the ladies' despondent reactions and placed an empty bottle of soju in the middle of the circle they formed while sitting. 

"Whoever the bottle's mouth pointed at after spinning it will be asked by the one pointed at by its base," Hyuna explained.

"Only one? That would be boring then. If we're joining this, might as well make it wilder." Joy challenged them.

"How 'bout two follow-up questions are allowed, to be asked by anyone?" Jessi suggested.

"Fine. Let's just do this so we could all rest." Hyojin finally initiated to start the game. 

"I'm tired. Can I pass?" It was Minhee with her bored and tired expression. 

"Why? Did the date with Raewon go wrong?" Hyojin didn't let the chance slip in irritating Minhee. 

Jessi groaned since everyone became on edge again especially the ongoing bad blood between Team A and Team B, despite her efforts to bond them. 

Minhee smirked at Hyojin. "You can't ask me yet. The game is just about to start." Triggered by Hyojin, Minhee angrily took the bottle and spun it. 

"Our Jisoo-ah~" Yejin excitedly elbowed Jisoo who was sitting beside her. 

The bottle's base pointed at Jessi. "Since it's Jisoo, I won't ask a hard one. Is it going well with Hae In oppa, Yes or No?" 

"Yes."

"Ohhhhh" The girls swooned at Jisoo's response. She answered it without any hesitations. 

"Do you like him?" the teasing stopped with Hyuna's question.

Jisoo looked at Hyuna who was sitting 3 people away from her. "I'm not yet that sure but I won't deny that I find him the most attractive among them." She carefully answered. 

"Do you think he's serious about you?" 

Jisoo eyed Hyuna, wondering why she was asking her this. Since her solo date with Hae In, she noticed how Hyuna is keeping her distance from her. "I'm not the one who can answer that." She answered almost in a whisper. 

"Cut! Let's spin it again." Hyojin quickly ends it after the two follow-up questions. "It's.....Victoria! Go ask her El." 

Jisoo smiled at Hyojin while Yejin her back, comforting her from the recent questions.

"Who among the male artists do you feel the highest level of ?" 

"Ya!" Jihyo scolded El, finding the question inappropriate, especially since it can be broadcasted. 

The others laughed at the question, especially Jessi. "That's good eonnie! We're adults, there's nothing wrong with the question." 

"Victoria, are you fine with that?" Jihyo asked for Victoria's confirmation. 

"Ye-yes. It's fine." She forcefully laughed. The girls' attention is now fully on Victoria, curious about her answer. "It's...it's  Hyunbin oppa." She quickly answered and drank from her tumbler to hide her embarrassment. 

"Whoa. She answered it." Jessi commented. "Why him?" 

"Well...I think it's normal to have that kind of feeling if you like someone, right?" 

"So you do like him, huh?" Yejin asked yet somehow like a statement, as if it was already confirmed from how Victoria is reacting. 

"Hmm. Since Nickhun was eliminated, he's the only one who showed his interest in me."

"Awww." Jessi was unstoppable with her reactions since Victoria was the most silent among them. So hearing her share about herself with a genuine and pure expression is making them swoon, especially Yejin.

Yejin smiled at Victoria's answer before looking down. She felt ashamed suddenly. 

"Are you alright?" Jihyo whispered to her. She just noticed how she was tightly grasping her sleeve. Yejin can only afford to nod at Jihyo before watching the spinning bottle once again She's thankful that Jihyo didn't insist on a more definite confirmation. 

"It's my turn to ask!" Joy enthusiastically declared. Suddenly, El felt nervous about the fact of Joy asking her the question. 

"Go on..." El gave her the green light.

"Eonnie, what's the sweetest thing Insung oppa did to you?" 

Minhee widely smiled when suddenly the silence became uncomfortable. With Joy's question, even El secretly gazes at Jihyo. 

El sighed heavily before giving her answer. "When he said that he's hoping time can be longer so he can spend more time with me." 

It took all of Jihyo's strength to force her expression to be neutral as possible. Yejin's comforting hands and Hyojin's deadly stare at Joy somehow helped in keeping her act. She has an inkling of what Joy is trying to attain so she won't give her that satisfaction.

"Is it true eonnie that Insung oppa told you before that he'll try to make you interested in him?" 

Shifting uncomfortably on her sit, El hesitated to answer. "Well, yeah. He told me that during our first date. But...that was the first date, things change so he might not be interested in me anymore."

"Whe -"

"I don't think so. I also told this to Eun Hye eonnie last night." Joy immediately cut Hyojin's attempt to stop her. "Some of us got mad at Jihyo eonnie because we felt like she stole all the time with Insung oppa. That's what we are only able to see. But aside from Jihyo eonnie, he also spends more time with El eonnie and I witnessed how many times Insung oppa is also interested in her. What Jihyo eonnie said last night is right if Insung oppa doesn't spend time with us, it means he's not interested. So I already accepted the fact that he will never look at me." 

"It's been a long night, I think we all need to rest." Hyojin attempted once again. 

Hyojin rolled her eyes when Joy talked again. "We still need to give one more follow-up question, right? I'm also getting tired so I'll be the one to ask it again so it will be quick. El eonnie, do you think...Insung oppa is interested in you as well?" 

With this question, Jihyo failed to ignore it. She also looked at El, obviously waiting for her response. "To be honest...ye-yes." 

"See? So let's not get upset with Jihyo eonnie just because of last night. Because obviously, if it isn't Jihyo eonnie, it can be anyone that he's interested as well. What we saw last night is actually....nothing special. Sorry Jihyo eonni for getting mad at you last night. Don't worry, I'll talk it out with Eun Hye unnie."

She smiled back at Joy and thanked her for her concern but she was not dumb to see what Joy is doing. She's obviously trying to get on her nerves. Yet she won't also deny that what El admitted bothered her feelings again or to be more precise, she's questioning Insung's actions towards her. 

The 4th week's elimination round is today. Wearing their own cocktail attires, the artists are enjoying the bar's loud music. Hours from now, their number will be reduced again. 

In one of the private rooms in the second floor, Insung is with Jessi. They are both sitting so closely. Despite Insung's attempts to create some spac

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Ace_jihyo
Hope you guys are all fine. Just got a new job this early January but I'm really trying to gather my thoughts so I can continue this story. I'm really sorry for the long wait😓

Comments

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t4bina #1
Chapter 16: Plz update soon authornim. This way to good 👍
dainty_nct #2
Chapter 16: Take your time authornim!!!!
Jeoktoma #3
Why do I feel like the next chapters will be painful to read😫
dainty_nct #4
Chapter 15: Omo!!!!!!!! I’m now nervous for the following chapters damnnn. 🤧🤧

Thanks for the update authornim!!!! Looking forward for the next, even though I’m vv nervous about it
kimscheon
#5
Chapter 15: i literally imagined them as newlyweds while they were watching the dishes… 🥹 (it’s me and my delusions against the world)

i’m also glad yejin was there for jihyo when hodong announced *you-know-who*’s name kskdj thank you for the update, authornim!! 🫶🏻 fighting!
syauqinq17 #6
Chapter 14: They are so sweet together and I'm smiling while reading this 😆😚
sooyeon7777 #7
Chapter 14: Hi authornim, i hope you're well 🙂 patiently waiting for your updates
sooyeon7777 #8
Chapter 14: OH GOSH, THEY FINALLY KISSED 😍this slowburn is worth it
sooyeon7777 #9
Chapter 13: I kind of want jihyo and jaeseok to have a moment too, a changce for her to explain why she left rm and why she joined this show
kimscheon
#10
Chapter 14: SCREAMING CRYING KICKING CARTWHEELING THROWING UP I KNEW I COULD COUNT ON YOU INSUNG 🫡