Chapter Text
Episode 1 - A stranger that I know very well
Four pairs of ex-couples must live under one roof and decide whether to reunite with their ex or find new love. Exes living under one roof brings plenty of tension and emotional moments. Will they be able to overcome the past struggles and reunite, or will they move on and find new love?
Rule 1: Any action of revealing your ex is strictly prohibited.
Rule 2: Do not share any social media or contact information with any members in the show.
Rule 3: Do not share any personal information (other than your name) with other members in the show until you are instructed to do so.
Rule 4: Chores (including cleaning and cooking) should always be conducted in twos.
Rule 5: All members must be present for dinner each day.
Rule 6: Until the final decisions are made, any dating relationship is strictly prohibited in the show.
Walking up the hill while carrying two massive suitcases is not an easy task. Keria stopped mid-way with heavy breaths, lowkey cursing but swallowing all of the words before the curses made it in the air. 'Ha... controlling my mouth would be a big problem in this show.' he thought. But he has no time to worry about his innocent image, because he needs to carry all of these luggages up this massive slope, trying not to ruin the hair and makeup that took 4 hours to do in the salon.
The journey was worth it though. After 30 minutes of heavy weight-lifting, he made it to the top and this massive mansion sits right on top of the hill. The first thought that he had was...'How much do I need to earn per year in order to buy a mansion like this? I bet I will have to work 24 hours non-stop for a 100 years to afford such a massive mansion in the middle of Gangnam.' Keria pushed the large black wooden door in front of him, and it opened up to a massive entrance. And to Keria's despair.... more stairs....
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"Wow"
Keria's word echoed through the living room and he knew that this is the house that he has been dreaming of. But time is ticking and he had more to worry about. Keria sat on the sofa and started using the selfie camera to check his hair... his make up... his outfit that took him 2 hours to choose... It is always nerve-wrecking for Keria to meet new people. He has always found these situations intimidating, but he really needed the motivation to start a new relationship. To get out of his social circle, to make new friends and meet a new lover who is loving and caring. Keria is in denial, but there was a small lingering thought hiding in a corner of his mind - Gumayusi.
'Minhyung's entrance is going to steal the center of the show. With his large physique and bold personality, this confident social butterfly is going to love it here. I will smile and pretend that this is the first time meeting him. I will stay as far as I can, and act like a stranger. Nothing too complicated.'
Keria was drowning in his own thoughts when the footsteps became louder and louder, pulling Keria into reality. Someone is walking up the stairs, and the person got taller and taller and taller...
"Hi! Nice to meet you, I am Jeong Jihoon, you can call me Chovy."
Keria shot right up from the sofa, with a tint of pink in his face. "Hi! Nice to meet you too! I am Ryu Minseok, feel free to call me Keria."
Chovy sat down on the sofa opposite Keria and made a gentle smile. "So you are the first one to arrive? How long have you been waiting for?"
"Not long! I arrived just 5 minutes ago. It took me a while to carry all the luggages up the hill and then the stairs."
"Haha it must have been a bit of work for you because you are quite tiny."
?????????? Excuse me ??????????? -1000000000/100
If Keria is an anime character (and he does look like one not gonna lie), his eyes would be flaming with fire, laser beams shooting out to make sure Chovy will not be alive to say anything more.
"Oops! Sorry I did not mean it that way. You look really cute! uh.... The house is pretty huh?"
...
...
"I haven't had the chance to tour around the house yet. Looks like there are three floors plus a terrace outside." Keria replied in a commercial tone, it's the first day of course. A good first impression is a must.
Chovy stopped making eye contact and started reading the letter in front of him. Keria noticed the slightly more serious (and perhaps softer) tone in his voice.
"There are six rules that we have to follow. Well these seem kinda difficult to follow! I mean, no dating at all until the last day. This isn't something that we can control. Human feelings are the most unpredictable things in this world..."
Before Chovy was able to finish his sentence, they heard two loud bangs on the front door. "Who designed these stairs? Honestly..."
A boy with the looks of a Kpop idol showed up at the top of the stairs, holding a small bag on his right hand.
"Oh there are two of you here already? Hello! I am Han Wangho, Peanut."
Now Keria knows how Chovy felt when he said someone is cute. Honestly, Keria would have said the same thing to Peanut. But Peanut feels different to Keria. Peanut is cute, but full of confidence. The second he entered the room, Keria knew that he became the one in charge. Chovy and Keria spent 15 minutes in the living room, but Peanut already proposed to grab some drinks for everyone within 10 seconds of arriving here.
"Honestly, who would want to walk up three flights of stairs to get to their bedroom? And the slope right in front of this house, this is going to be an interesting work out every day. Are you guys thirsty? I really need some water right now."
The kitchen wasn't so hard to find. In fact it is just at the opposite end of the corridor. Peanut and Chovy took the initiative to explore the fridge and the cupboards. Chovy looked at the cabinets and shouted, "Two bags of instant ramen and a bunch of cooking utensils that I don't know the use for. Do you guys know how to cook?"
"Not me!", Peanut shouted while scanning the contents of the fridge. "I think I would burn the whole house down if I try to", Keria said.
"A few bottles of water. A bunch of sodas and some tea. What would you prefer?"
"What kind of soda?" Keria asked, but before he heard a reply from Peanut...
"Do you guys mind if I join in?" A deep, calm voice that is too familiar to Keria's ears.
Keria heard Peanut said, "Hi! Nice to see you! You are?"
"I am Lee Minhyung, or Gumayusi if you prefer"
"Hi I am Peanut" "And I am Chovy"
Keria is too used to this. The voice, the scent of the laundry powder that Minhyung always uses mixed with the chemical smell of his hair gel, and the slight shadow around Keria because Minhyung is so tall that he blocks the light behind him. If Keria bothered turning around, then he would have noticed that Minhyung has his right arm flexed against the wall, and his left arm rested on the counter top, forming this barrier... embracing Keria.
'Oh shit... I knew this guy's acting skill wouldn't be enough. Now I just have to hope that Chovy and Peanut won't notice anything wrong.' Keria thought.
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'You should worry about yourself first. Cause you are completely frozen right now. Relax'
Gumayusi said nothing. But Keria knew he would have replied like this if he heard him.
And he wondered if Minhyung heard his heartbeat racing, and the way he is holding his breath right now.
TBC