A Predictable Melody (4)

"We're going to do a quick survey today."

It was the day we were filming the daily life segments for Labyrinth Exploration NaN. Summoned by the writer, I blinked.

"A survey?"

"Yes."

The writer handed me a sheet of paper. Her tone and gestures, however, were exceptionally curt.

It was probably because of Kim Du-gyeom.

Kim Du-gyeom was smart. Shrewd and cunning, he knew exactly how to isolate someone. He had been subtly hinting to the writers and PDs, not just the other contestants, that he was the victim of my bullying.

From a distance, out of sight, he was chipping away at my reputation.

I had expected as much.

"Please fill it out quickly."

"Sure."

I scanned the questionnaire.

The first question. The person I paid the most attention to... Honestly, there were many. Kang Hyun, Lee Jun-ho, Kate, Kim Du-gyeom, Seo Ji-woo, and so on.

"We don't have much time. Please hurry up."

The writer's tone was quite grating. What was her name again? Lee Yu-gyeong, I think. She was a writer who was particularly close with Kim Du-gyeom.

I rested my chin on my hand.

The person I pay the most attention to.

If there was anyone who occupied my mind in any capacity, it was only her. A thorn in my side simply because she was Seo Ji-hyuk's younger sister.

I wrote Seo Ji... before scribbling it out.

There was no need to be unnecessarily honest.

I wrote down a different name.

Kang Hyun.

2. Who is the person on Labyrinth Exploration NaN you would most like to go on vacation with?

The second question. The person I wanted to go on vacation with... was no one. If I were given a vacation, I would want to rest entirely alone. I wanted to sleep for a very long time.

"Can I leave it blank if there's no one?"

"Please write someone down if possible."

"...Fine."

Still, if I had to choose, it would be Kang Hyun.

The reason: because he was the most suspicious.

I was curious about Kang Hyun's daily life. I wanted to quietly observe his unvarnished, everyday self.

To tear him apart, I needed to find evidence first.

3. Who is the person on Labyrinth Exploration NaN you want to become closer with?

I didn't particularly want to get close to anyone, but if I had to write something, this was also Kang Hyun.

Reason: same as above.

4. Who is the person on Labyrinth Exploration NaN you are most wary of?

Kang Hyun.

5. Who is your favorite mentor on Labyrinth Exploration NaN?

The fifth question. Finally, I wrote a different name.

"...You chose Mentor Yu Yul?"

The writer asked, sounding surprised. I paused, my pen hovering over the paper.

"How did you know?"

The writer was sitting opposite me, but she was quite far away. This meant she couldn't possibly see what I was writing.

Without a word, the writer pointed upward.

"...Ah."

There was a camera. A camera pointing directly down at the questionnaire from above.

I asked her.

"By ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠any chance, am I the only one who wrote down Mentor Yu Yul?"

"Yes, of course."

It made sense. Yu Yul wasn't famous, nor was she particularly charming. On the contrary, she was blunt and curt. Some of the explorers even gossiped behind her back, calling her rude and obnoxious.

They had all been deceived by her exterior.

"I am grateful to Mentor Yu Yul."

But not me.

I was grateful to Yu Yul.

I had learned Mana Breathing and Refinement from her, and I would continue to learn more in the future.

"This feeling is sincere."

However, Yu Yul herself harbored no feelings toward me. She regarded me as nothing more than an ant on the road or a pebble on the ground.

I could feel her absolute apathy.

"She is a gracious person who illuminated my path as a spellcaster."

Nevertheless, I had to cling to her as tightly as possible.

No matter what sweet words I had to say, even if I had to sell my soul, I had to extract as much knowledge from her as possible.

"Illuminated your path?"

"Yes. I didn't even know what Mana Breathing or Refinement was. I didn't even know how to properly construct a spell formula. Without Mentor Yu Yul's advice and guidance, I would have probably been eliminated by now."

"Hmm~"

The writer's eyebrows twitched in annoyance.

"Let's say, hypothetically, the Cayden School saw you on the show and contacted you. But at the same time, Mentor Yu Yul is founding a small-to-medium school. Which one would you go to?"

For context, the Cayden School was one of the top magic schools in the world. There was absolutely no reason they would ever contact me.

"I would go with Mentor Yu Yul."

Acting to this extent was easy. But I must not let her realize it was an act.

"Oh, come on~ What if you actually get an offer?"

"I am entirely serious."

To deceive a mage, I had to deceive myself first. I had to pack my heart with infinite respect, gratitude, and even genuine affection for Yu Yul.

"Mentor Yu Yul is..."

From this day forward, I would become someone who loved her.

In that way, I would thoroughly brainwash the surface of my own consciousness.

"She is a connection I want to maintain for as long as my strength allows."

"...Honestly, the person I pay the most attention to is Du-gyeom hyung."

Im Hae-jun spoke before he even wrote it down.

"Huh? Why?"

The writer tilted her head.

"Just because."

The implication of "paying attention to" or "caring about" someone varied depending on how one interpreted it.

Kim Du-gyeom was a good person. Most of the contestants, as well as the writers and PDs, acknowledged this.

Yet, strangely, Im Hae-jun didn't want to get close to him. It wasn't quite wariness, just... a nagging feeling.

"And the person I want to get closer to is Ha-woon hyung."

Im Hae-jun wanted to get closer to Seol Ha-woon.

In fact, the biggest reason Im Hae-jun doubted Kim Du-gyeom was because of Seol Ha-woon.

Recently, nasty rumors had been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠circulating in the dorms. Rumors that Seol Ha-woon was bullying Kim Du-gyeom in malicious ways, and because of that, the writers, PDs, and several contestants who were close to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Kim Du-gyeom looked down on Seol Ha-woon.

"Aren't you guys already close? You're the one who talks to Seol Ha-woon the most, Hae-jun."

"Ah, really?"

"Yeah."

"Well, but..."

Im Hae-jun shook his head.

"I don't think so."

He could talk to Seol Ha-woon face-to-face. He could follow behind him.

But nothing more.

Seol Ha-woon merely 'allowed' him to approach; he didn't actually let him in. An invisible line... no.

"It's more like... there's a wall."

An immense barrier enveloped the man named Seol Ha-woon. Thus, Hae-jun could not grasp his hand. He couldn't even bring himself to reach out.

"Even when we're together, there's always this sense of distance."

"Hmm~ I see. But..."

The writer started to say something, then swallowed her words.

Seol Ha-woon was walking on thin ice. The footage of him unilaterally bullying Kim Du-gyeom would undoubtedly be broadcast. If public opinion turned too vicious, Im Hae-jun, who was always by his side, might suffer collateral damage.

"Well, I'll be going now."

Perhaps sensing what the writer was about to say, Im Hae-jun, who had finished his questionnaire, stood up.

"The person I pay the most attention to..."

Lee Jun-ho pouted, twirling his pen.

"..."

The writer checked the time on her smartphone. Lee Jun-ho had been stuck on the very first question for thirty minutes.

"Just write whatever comes to mind~"

The writer said, forcing a smile. Lee Jun-ho scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah. I'll write."

He replied and pressed his pen to the paper. The writer let out a sigh of relief.

Scribble.

Just a single line.

A single line was all he drew.

A line that didn't even form a single letter.

The writer massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"..."

Lee Jun-ho stared at the line, deep in thought.

Should I write Seo Ji-woo?

But if I interpret 'paying the most attention to' in various ways, in the end, it's Seol Ha-woon.

No, wait. Isn't Seol Ha-woon the person I'm most wary of? I need to distinguish between being wary and paying attention...

"...Ugh."

He clutched his hair, agonizing over it alone.

The writer swallowed a sigh.

At this rate, it's going to take him three hours to finish one page.

1. Who is the person you pay the most attention to?

The moment he saw the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠questionnaire, he scribbled down a name without hesitation.

Seol Ha-woon.

2. Who is the person you would most like to go on vacation with?

Seol Ha-woon.

3. Who is the person you want to become closer with?

Seol Ha-woon.

4. Who is the person you are most wary of?

Ditto.

"...They're all Seol Ha-woon?"

At the writer's remark, Kang Hyun looked up. His eyes blinked wide as he asked back.

"Is that not allowed?"

"No, it's just surprising. There's Jun-ho, Kate, Ji-woo, Jo Woon... there are so many others."

Kang Hyun listened quietly, then twitched his eyebrows.

"Just because."

He continued softly.

"Ha-woon hyung was the most impressive. In the Situation Labyrinth, the Survival Labyrinth, and the Cargo Labyrinth, he always found the answer."

Seol Ha-woon found a solution in any situation.

A man who would do whatever it took, by any means necessary, to achieve his goal. A man who ultimately got things done.

Kang Hyun was curious about him.

Poke, poke, poke, poke. Seo Ji-woo repeatedly stabbed the questionnaire with the tip of her pen for no reason.

Press. Press. Press. She left a series of dots on the paper and then began connecting them with lines.

"...Do I really have to fill this out?"

1. Who is the person you pay the most attention to?

Seo Ji-woo was stuck on the very first question.

"What, is there no one you find yourself paying attention to?"

At the PD's question, Seo Ji-woo looked up.

"Yeah..."

"What about Seol Ha-woon?"

PD Kim A-rang. She smiled as she looked at Seo Ji-woo. Seo Ji-woo narrowed her eyes.

"What? Why on earth would I pay attention to him..."

"If it's not like that, then just write it down."

Tap. Tap. Tap. Seo Ji-woo tapped the questionnaire and muttered.

"...Actually, Hwa-rim is the one I'm most worried about. She's been getting so many malicious comments lately..."

Apparently, she couldn't even use social media anymore. Not that they were allowed to post anything anyway due to their contracts, but the comments being left were terrifying even to Seo Ji-woo.

"Really? Oh, right. Did you know?"

Kim A-rang brought it up with a slightly mischievous look.

"Seol Ha-woon wrote something down and then erased it."

Seo Ji-woo tilted her head, looking innocent.

"Wrote what?"

"Your name, Ji-woo..."

Lately, parodies of Labyrinth Exploration NaN were everywhere—not just on online communities and social media, but also on public broadcast and cable variety shows.

Even on SNL (Sunday Night Live), there was a corner parodying me, and YouTube videos were popping up like mushrooms after rain.

Regardless of whether they were main or minor characters, the cast and terminology of Labyrinth Exploration NaN were being used as comedic material.

Even my line, "Initiating a more active escort," was being turned into a meme, with "escort" replaced by all sorts of bizarre words.

It had even made the news. Some politician was apparently "initiating a more active escape."

"...It really is strange."

I let out a dry chuckle. Seeing the character of 'Seol Ha-woon' consumed as content was quite fascinating. It was even somewhat amusing.

But I couldn't afford to get lost in it. Public recognition was merely a means to survive. What truly mattered was my growth and my lifespan.

Labyrinth Exploration NaN was nothing more than a stepping stone.

A slightly larger stepping stone.

"Time to head out."

I put on my uniform. Today was a rather important day, even within Labyrinth Exploration NaN.

The Tier Re-evaluation.