HAODR CH 02

Chapter 2

“Mr. Sian, are you okay?”

Sian blinked blankly for a moment before seeing the unfamiliar face calling his name.

“Ah……”

When he tried to sit up, the other person quickly stopped him.

“Ah, please lie down a little longer! You were unconscious until just a moment ago. Do you remember falling into the sea?”

……The sea.

The events before he passed out slowly came back to him.

The terrible seasickness and the seawater that had felt like it was squeezing his lungs.

And the warm body temperature he had felt in the cold water, along with the scent that had brushed against the tip of his nose.

“Where am I? I was on my way to the filming location for Hidden Match. I can’t be late.”

“Don’t worry. I’m an assistant director for Hidden Match, remember? Don’t you recognize me?”

When Sian tried to get up, the assistant director hurriedly grabbed his shoulder.

Sian stared blankly for a moment before slowly looking around.

He realized that he was at the pier.

There were several people nearby who appeared to be staff members.

It seemed that they had arrived at the island while he was unconscious.

One of the staff members handed Sian a blanket and a bottle of water.

“But how did you end up falling into the sea? You must have been really scared.”

“I don’t really know either. It just suddenly happened…… Ah! But where is the person who saved me? I need to thank him.”

At Sian’s words, the assistant director lightly shrugged.

“I’m not sure. When I arrived, I didn’t see anyone else around.”

Sian looked around again, but just as the assistant director had said, there was no one around except the staff.

The man who had saved him.

The cool scent and warmth that had come from him were still vivid in Sian’s memory.

“Haa, Mr. Sian. Please be careful from now on, seriously. What were we supposed to do if you had an accident before filming even started? We’re going to call an ambulance for now, okay? Go to the hospital and get yourself checked. If they say you’re fine, we’ll take you straight to the filming location. Whew, looks like filming will be a little late on the first day.”

At the assistant director’s sigh, Sian flinched.

Seeing the assistant director frown made Sian feel as though he had committed some huge mistake.

The assistant director gave Sian a quick bow before turning toward the other staff members standing a little farther away.

“Seriously, why is this season such a mess from the very beginning? First, the higher-ups suddenly start interfering with things they never used to interfere with, and now a contestant falls into the water. We’re the ones who have to suffer for it.”

“Exactly. But why are the higher-ups doing this? Everything was already planned out, so why are they adding a new wildcard contestant? Producer Kang isn’t the kind of person who normally allows things like that. Just who is this person that Producer Kang can’t even say no to?”

“They haven’t even told us anything as of today…… Where on earth did this person come from? Are we getting some huge celebrity or something? Our Producer Kang has really mellowed out.”

“Well, apparently the higher-ups…… Ah, hey! Shh!”

As their voices grew louder, the conversation abruptly stopped in case Sian heard them.

Sian pretended not to notice and quietly sipped his warm water.

A wildcard contestant.

That was what they called a contestant who joined a dating reality show partway through the program.

But apparently, this was someone important enough for the higher-ups to contact them personally.

Sian frowned, but soon shook his head.

He had a more important problem to worry about right now.

Sian wrapped the blanket more tightly around himself and slowly stood up.

“Excuse me, but I don’t think I need to go to the hospital. I was just startled. I’m completely fine now.”

“Oh, really? Are you sure you’re okay?”

The assistant director’s previously worried expression instantly changed.

“That’s great! Then if we hurry, you won’t be too late. Mr. Sian, change your clothes first. I’ll contact Producer Kang right away!”

The staff member looked genuinely relieved and even clapped his hands.

There wasn’t even a polite suggestion that Sian should at least go to the hospital.

“All right, Mr. Sian. Please put this on first.”

Click.

The assistant director fastened a small bracelet-shaped device around Sian’s wrist.

“Is this a pheromone suppressant?”

“Yes, that’s right. You have to wear it continuously while you’re on the island, and only staff members with the key can remove it. If you damage it, you’ll be disqualified and charged compensation, so please be careful.”

“…If I wear this, I won’t go into a heat cycle, right?”

“Of course. Medical staff are also standing by just in case, so don’t worry.”

Sian ran his fingers over the wrist wearing the suppressant.

He couldn’t feel any immediate change, but perhaps because of his imagination, it felt as though an invisible collar had been fastened around his neck, making it difficult to breathe.

After changing out of his wet clothes according to the staff’s instructions, Sian came outside and saw a van prepared by the production team.

He climbed into the vehicle and leaned back against the seat.

Outside the window, emerald-colored seawater, white sand, and colorful flowers passed by.

The scenery was unbelievably beautiful.

Just two days ago, Sian had been sitting in a gloomy semi-basement studio apartment, holding debt collection notices in his hands.

And now he was in a place that looked like a luxurious paradise.

The contrast made him feel as though he had been separated from the rest of the world and left floating somewhere on his own.

……Get a grip. I can’t forget why I came here.

Sian clenched his fists.

If he wanted to reclaim the name that had been unfairly stolen from him and make a comeback, he had to survive this hellish dating show somehow.

For that purpose, he could pretend to date those Alphas as much as necessary.

Sian carefully opened the front gate of the resort.

Cool, comfortable air from the air conditioner brushed against his cheeks.

A luxurious marble hallway stretched endlessly before him.

When he entered the lounge, he saw cameras placed throughout the room.

The contestants who had arrived before him were sitting on the sofas.

Sian stood near the entrance for a moment and looked them over.

……They’re all practically celebrities.

Every single one of them was handsome.

As Sian observed them, he quickly began thinking about who would be the best person to team up with.

“…Hello. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Seo Sian.”

Sian smiled awkwardly and bowed his head.

“Oh? That voice sounds familiar. Are you perhaps Sian from ‘Delicious Sian’?”

Sian was caught off guard.

He did run a cooking YouTube channel called Delicious Sian, but it wasn’t an enormous channel with millions of subscribers.

Besides, he had never revealed his face. Only his hands and voice appeared in his videos.

He had never imagined that someone would recognize him.

“Wow!”

One of the men sitting on the sofa suddenly stood up.

He had a gentle-looking face, broad shoulders, and the physique of an athlete.

He introduced himself as Ryu Hwa-jin, then grabbed Sian’s hand enthusiastically, his eyes shining.

“I’m a huge fan! Wow, I can’t believe you’re this beautiful. I’m honestly surprised.”

“Ah, no…….”

Sian fanned his heated cheeks with his hand and smiled awkwardly.

Judging from his build, he seemed like an Alpha, and he also appeared to have a good personality.

It didn’t seem like a bad idea to consider Ryu Hwa-jin as a potential partner.

“You must be tired from traveling here. Would you like some water?”

“Oh, yes. Thank you.”

As Sian accepted the glass of water, he swallowed a sigh inwardly.

According to the rules of Hidden Match, the contestants weren’t allowed to share any information other than their names.

In Sian’s case, Ryu Hwa-jin had already revealed some information about him, but the others wouldn’t be able to reveal anything about themselves directly.

Once the brief introductions were over, the conversation quickly died down.

During that time, Sian took the pink card he had received during his pre-show interview out of his pocket and checked it again.

The words ‘Hidden Match Rules’ stood out.

Hidden Match Rules

1. All contestants are prohibited from revealing any personal information or secondary gender other than their names until the designated reveal mission.

For this purpose, the pheromone suppressants provided to contestants cannot be removed voluntarily. Any damage or tampering will result in immediate disqualification.

2. Contestants may not possess personal smartphones or any other devices and may not contact anyone outside the island.

3. The final successful couple will receive a prize of 300 million won.

Rule violations, failure to participate in missions, unauthorized contact, and other offenses may result in prize deductions or penalties at the production team’s discretion.

However, if sexual intercourse occurs, the contestant will be immediately disqualified, and additional penalties may be imposed on the prize money for that round.

4. Participation in all missions is mandatory, and contestants may not refuse a date nomination earned through a mission.

5. All areas except the bathrooms are filmed continuously.

Physical contact without consent and dangerous behavior are prohibited. The production team may intervene when necessary.

♥ Find true love beyond pheromones on ‘Hidden Match’ and take home 300 million won! ♥

After carefully thinking over the rules, Sian folded the card and put it back into his pocket.

Then he quietly looked at the other contestants.

Across from him sat a man with grayish hair wearing ripped jeans.

He had sharp, cat-like features and an oddly decadent atmosphere.

When his eyes met Sian’s, the man narrowed his slightly raised eyes and smiled.

He had introduced himself as Ha Hyun-soo.

Sian’s instincts told him that he might be an Omega.

The other two were Kim Kang-hyun and Jung Tae-oh.

Both men were quiet and maintained expressionless faces, giving off an atmosphere that made them seem difficult to approach.

……Let’s go with Ryu Hwa-jin for now.

Sian reached that conclusion internally.

Although Hidden Match changed slightly every season, there were usually at least six contestants.

So it was safe to assume that there was still one more contestant left to arrive.

Even so, among everyone he had met so far, Sian thought Ryu Hwa-jin had given him the best first impression, so he decided to choose him as his potential partner.

Of course, it was too early to make a final judgment.

For the sake of his own goal, Sian wanted to avoid using someone if he could.

What he needed to find was someone who had come on the dating show for fame rather than romance.

Sian planned to propose a fake relationship to that person and win the 300 million won.

“The contestants are all……”

Just as Sian began to speak, the sound of a door opening echoed through the room.

Creaaak.

Everyone’s attention immediately turned toward the hallway.

A strange tension filled the lounge.

The people gathered here were not only potential romantic partners but also competitors.

“I suppose I’m the last one. Hello. My name is Kang Joo-ho. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

The man approached and gave a polite bow.