Chapter 4
It was the same method as the previous seasons.
The contestants could freely choose a location, and the contestants who arrived at the same place became each other’s first date partners.
Looking at the previous seasons, this first meeting date played a big role.
Maybe because they met before anyone else, but many contestants ended up putting a lot of feelings into their first partner.
The cruel part was that there was no guarantee that only one man and one woman would be placed together.
Sometimes many people gathered at one place, and sometimes only one person ended up there alone. They had to accept that as fate too.
Where should I go?
Ye-in carefully looked over the map that came with the card.
There were two female dorm tents and two male dorm tents facing them.
Besides those, there were bathrooms, a restaurant, a vegetable garden, a well, a café, a secret garden, and other places drawn all over the map.
Among them, Ye-in carefully checked the locations of the three places mentioned on the card.
Was there a sea nearby?
She lifted her head and sniffed the air.
Behind the smell of grass, she felt like there was a salty and humid scent.
The sea would be nice. It would definitely be beautiful.
But Ye-in headed toward number 2, the Guardian Tree, without hesitation.
The reason was simple.
It was the closest place.
She would eventually go to the beach anyway, so there was no reason to go far away from the beginning.
After walking for a few minutes, a large tree appeared along with a sign that said Guardian Tree.
True to its nickname, it was a willow tree with countless branches hanging down.
Whenever the wind blew, the leaves made a rushing sound.
It was a good season and a good environment to meet a new person outdoors.
Under the tree, pink flowers were in full bloom.
Ye-in looked around the swaying flower field and walked toward the prepared table.
No one was here?
If everyone prioritized looking good on broadcast, there was a high chance they would choose the beach because the sunlight and background were prettier.
I might end up being the contestant standing here alone.
Just as Ye-in thought that—
“Hello!”
A large shadow suddenly jumped out from behind the Guardian Tree.
Ye-in flinched and stepped backward.
“Did I scare you? I did it because I wanted to surprise you.”
A man with red hair laughed loudly.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Joo Si-hoon.”
Si-hoon held out his hand.
Ye-in carefully shook his hand.
“Sun Ye-in.”
“Did I surprise you too much? You’re being very cautious.”
Ye-in smiled awkwardly.
His laugh and personality were both cheerful.
Si-hoon and Ye-in sat down.
“Who else do you think will come? I hope no one comes. If they do, we’ll have to choose.”
Si-hoon winked.
As he said, if multiple people gathered at one location, they had to choose their first date partner together.
If another man came, Ye-in would choose.
If another woman came, Si-hoon would choose.
“Oh, would you like to read that?”
He pointed at the paper placed on the small wooden table.
Couple Village Rules
Article 1. Contestants must not reveal personal information such as age or occupation.
Article 2. Violent or sexual acts are prohibited.
Article 3. All food ingredients and daily necessities must be provided by self-sufficiency.
Article 4. Confessions are prohibited until the final choice.
Article 5. Relationships between contestants as friends must not be revealed.
After reading the rules, Ye-in finally felt that she had really entered a dating program.
Come to think of it, there were a lot of cameras.
Between the tree branches, on top of stone walls.
Some were openly placed on tripods.
Some were hidden, and some were not.
Is Joo-mi doing well?
With Joo-mi’s usual taste, she probably went to the beach.
It would be best if Joo-mi was chosen or had a chance to choose someone.
“That looks like someone is coming.”
At that moment, Si-hoon put a finger to his lips and gestured for silence.
“Should we hide?”
“What? No—”
“It’ll be fun. Come on!”
Si-hoon pulled Ye-in up.
Before she could react, Ye-in was dragged behind the tree.
Heavy footsteps could be heard approaching from far away.
Si-hoon’s eyes sparkled.
Ye-in awkwardly stared only at his back.
The heavy footsteps grew closer.
Si-hoon counted with his fingers.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then he suddenly jumped out from behind the tree.
“Hello!”
The same cheerful greeting he had given Ye-in earlier was heard.
Ye-in awkwardly followed behind Si-hoon.
“Hello.”
Ye-in slightly bowed her head and greeted him quietly.
Then her foot caught on a tree root, and she stumbled slightly.
Instinctively, she grabbed Si-hoon’s shoulder in front of her.
Si-hoon noticed quickly and grabbed Ye-in’s arm, helping her avoid falling.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Ye-in brushed back her hair that had fallen over her face.
The new contestant looked at the two people who had appeared from behind the tree.
Ye-in narrowed her eyes.
Because he was standing with the sunlight behind him, she couldn’t see his face clearly.
She raised her hand to block the sunlight.
As her eyes adjusted, she first saw white sneakers and beige pants.
Then she saw his hand casually placed inside his pocket.
A strange feeling of uneasiness crawled down her back.
Ye-in had good instincts.
Especially when it came to bad things.
Her eyes followed the tall man upward, carrying that uneasy feeling.
Wait.
No way.
The smile she had put on out of politeness disappeared.
She even forgot about the cameras and the broadcast.
Her mouth opened stupidly.
The man pushed his sunglasses up onto his head.
Sharp monolid eyes stared directly at Ye-in.
His gaze moved briefly toward Si-hoon, then returned to Ye-in.
Ye-in inhaled.
And froze completely.
The emotionless thin lips.
The perfectly sculpted nose.
The sharp eyes.
The arrogant gaze.
The face was exactly the same as she remembered.
Ye-in swallowed the breath she was about to release.
Why is he here?
The man slowly opened his mouth, confirming Ye-in’s confusion.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Baek Mu-young.”
The voice she had tried so hard to forget overlapped in her ears.
Baek Mu-young.
The father of Ye-bom.
After six years, he appeared in front of her again.
Mu-young’s lips slowly curved upward.
It was a smile that looked like he was declaring victory.
How does this make sense?
Why, and how, was Baek Mu-young here?
He had definitely gone to America and said he would never come back.
I even heard that he got married.
Was that just a rumor?
Or did he get divorced and return to Korea?
Fine, let’s say that was possible.
But this wasn’t some random street.
Meeting Baek Mu-young again on a dating program was impossible.
The probability was absurdly low.
Ye-in’s heart pounded violently.
Everything felt like a dream.
This place filled with cameras.
The flower field swaying in the wind.
And Baek Mu-young standing in front of her.
After exchanging greetings, Mu-young sat down quite far away from Ye-in.
The distance was large, but he was sitting directly across from her.
“The weather is really nice today, isn’t it? I was worried because they said it might rain yesterday—”
“Name.”
Mu-young cut off Si-hoon’s words.
He was speaking to Ye-in.
She swallowed dryly.
“Didn’t you tell us your name?”
“Ah, right. Ye-in hasn’t introduced herself yet.”
Si-hoon smiled and agreed.
The gazes of both men naturally turned toward Ye-in.
“……Sun Ye-in.”
“Sun Ye-in. Sun, Ye-in.”
Mu-young repeated her name a few times.
She never thought she would hear her name from that voice again.
Mu-young let out a small laugh.
A strange feeling stirred in her chest.
This makes no sense.
Her mind still refused to accept the scene in front of her.
Compared to six years ago, when she last saw him, his atmosphere had changed slightly.
Back then, there had been an unrefined sharpness.
But now, he felt like a blade that had been sharpened perfectly—filled with precision and strength.
And then she saw Ye-bom in his face.
Maybe others wouldn’t notice.
But to Ye-in, it was obvious.
The moment her thoughts reached the child, a much bigger and more specific fear rushed over her.
Ye-in had secretly given birth to Mu-young’s child and raised her.
What if Mu-young found out about Ye-bom?
Ye-in’s gaze fell to the dirt ground.
Mu-young’s obvious gaze frightened her.
It felt like he could read everything about Ye-bom’s existence.
No.
Could it be…
Did he already know and come here on purpose?
Her heart pounded with anxiety.
