"Okay, I'll be explaining the rules so listen carefully!" Bo-mi said loudly as everyone stood in a state of confusion.

Half the contestants, like Jungsu, had a black blindfold in their hands, while the others had zip ties.

"Those of you who were given blindfolds will have to wear them while cooking. Your partner will have their hands tied behind them, but they will be providing you instructions. The challenge is that your partner will have to tell you where to move without actually moving you or the ingredients."

Jungsu nodded his head in understanding, knowing he would have to adapt to the presumed difficulty level.

"Yoo-jin and Min-ji, you two are a pair."

Yoo-jin huffed out a breath and Min-ji narrowed her eyes in response.

As they moved together, Bo-mi called out, "Jungsu and Dong-ha, you two will be together."

As they both made eye contact, Jungsu sensed a hint of hostility in Dong-ha's eyes.

Moving towards him as Bo-mi announced the rest of the partners, Jungsu bowed at Dong-ha before straightening and looking at him once more. They were almost the same height as they stood shoulder to shoulder. The camera captured the two standing together in an almost blinding sight as the light seemed to follow their faces.

Dong-ha glanced over at Jungsu, feeling irritated by the amount of attention he was receiving despite not even being a celebrity. Most of all, Dong-ha was irritated by how much the staff and contestants were treating him as if he was some kind of god. He wasn't even that handsome. Dong-ha was certainly more attractive, and definitely an all rounder. He was the nation's golden man, representing everything a parent wanted in their child, a girlfriend wanted in her man. He was the man everyone wanted to be, and the man everyone wanted to know. The fact that Jungsu was on this show by simply having two minutes of fame made Dong-ha feel as if he had signed up for some cheap rundown show instead of a show hosted by Kangsoo entertainment.

"So, what you will be making is a basic egg, avocado toast! Every pair will be given six minutes inside the kitchen. Will the first pair gather inside the kitchen?" Bo-mi announced.

Everyone watched as Yoo-jin and Min-ji walked into the kitchen, a lack of coordination already showing in the way they steered away from each other, despite their similar backgrounds as idols.

A staff member moved forward to ziptie and blindfold them. Min-ji appeared irritated as her hands were tied behind her, while Yoo-jin appeared disoriented as she glanced around with the blindfold covering her eyes.

"Alright, now Yoo-jin, spin around twenty times before we start this so that you don't remember where the items are placed."

Yoo-jin nodded and spun around twenty times, before stopping and stumbling in her step.

"3, 2, 1, Go!" Bo-mi shouted!

"Okay, to your left Yoo-jin, there's the bread. Yes! Now put it in the toaster to the right. Reach a little forward. Thats it! Now get the avocado, its on the counter to your left. No! That's an orange! Why is that even here?" Min-ji said.

Yoo-jin bropped the orange and finally grabbed the avocado.

"Yes! Now grab the knife, it's on the side there, no beside you to the left."

The knife was rather small and not sharp enough to seriously injured anyone. As Jungsu watched Yoo-jin struggle in agitation, he realized that he himself would have to act like that.

Once Yoo-jin and Min-ji finished cooking and plating their dish, they stepped back, appearing mentally drained. Their dish didn't exactly look appetizing, but they were told to take their food and enjoy. They both made a face as they wondered if that's all they would have to eat before the staff placed a container of stir fried rice into their hands and ushered them away.

It was now Jungsu and Dong-ha's turn. Stepping inside, Jungsu stood in place as the blindfold was wrapped around his eyes. He spun around twenty times, stopping in place as his vision was blocked, but his other senses were heightened. He had especially been trained for moments such as these if one of his senses were ever to be blocked while he was captured, or hiding. Jungsu, already having an idea of where everything was placed as he conjured up his surroundings in his mind, looked at Dong-ha once Bo-mi shouted, "Go!"

"Move to your left Jungsu and reach out for the bread."

Jungsu patted the counter, far away from the bread, then slowly made his way towards it. Grabbing onto it, he heard Dong-ha say yes, before he reached forward again a little to the right.

"Yes, that's it. Move a little forward, that's the toaster."

Jungsu moved forward and placed the bread into the toaster, pulling down the knob to heat up the bread.

"Okay, now to your right, there's the avocado. No, move more to the right. No! Move left, you're too much to the right." Dong-ha shouted in irritation.

Jungsu grabbed onto the avocado, wondering why Dong-ha was so angry.

As Jungsu sliced the avocado with the dull knife, he couldn't help but wonder if he should take the knife with him. As he spread the avocado onto the two breads, he was quickly urged by Dong-ha to crack the eggs over the pan. Jungsu placed his arms over the stove, asking Dong-ha if he should crack the egg.

"Yes! Crack it now, you're wasting time!"

Jungsu felt Dong-ha had moved closer than last time, his voice laced with irritation.

After Jungsu had cracked the eggs onto the stove and quickly scooped them onto the breads, Bo-mi yelled, "Okay. You two are done now! Good job!"

Jungsu took off his blindfold and opened his eyes to the brightness of the room.

Taking their food and being swept away into the room where Yoo-jin and Min-ji were eating, Jungsu sat down in front of Yoo-jin.

"Jungsu! How did your cooking go?" Min-ji asked as she moved one seat over to sit next to Jungsu.

"Yes, it was alright. Though I missed the salt and pepper." Jungsu said.

Min-ji laughed and smacked his arm, causing Jungsu to look down at her in alarm. She ignored his look and smiled up at him.

"Look, I also forgot to tell Yoo-jin about the salt!" Min-ji said, lying to Jungsu's face as she had not forgotten the salt, rather she had not wanted the extra sodium in her food.

"So-" Yoo-jin cut in.

"How does yours taste Jungsu?" She asked.

"It's alright. I've had worse. And you, nuna?"

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"The same. But where have you had worse Jungsu? It's hard to mess up avocado toast."

"I burnt the bread and eggs. There were also eggshells in mine. I've learned from my mistakes." Jungsu nodded bravely.

Min-ji and Yoo-jin laughed at his level-headed statement. That was when they finally noticed Dong-ha sitting at the table with them as he said loudly,

"Will you please stop talking? It's rude to talk while eating." He said while smiling.

Dong-ha felt the desire to slap any one of the two girls. Though he held back from doing so as he knew he would probably be on camera even now. But those girls didn't seem to have any manners. Even Min-ji who he had once admired for her elegant and beautiful visuals was sucking up to that nameless bastard.

"Sorry, Mr. Dong-ha." Jungsu bowed slightly, calming Dong-ha's rising anger.

Dong-ha liked seeing Jungsu bowing his head down to him. He would have to find a way for Jungsu to bow his head in front of the whole crew, better yet on TV. That would be great. Dong-ha smirked as he imagined it. Just as quickly as Jungsu had risen to fame, he would then fall. Dong-ha would have to find a way to get Jungsu in trouble.

As Dong-ha thought about it, Jungsu thought about 'Jennie' and the information that she had kept hidden from him. What he'd found was something he hadn't expected from her. It made him sick just imagining it. Jennie would smuggle girls for Kang Haeun.

Brought put from his thoughts, Jungsu thanked Yoo-jin, grabbing onto the coffee that she had offered him after making herself one. As more contestants entered inside, the room grew livelier as the chatter grew louder and louder.

"Hey Jungsu, do you live with your mom?" Yeong-cheol asked, grinning at him as he hooked his arm around Jungsu's shoulders.

Shaking his head, he said, "No, why?"

"It's cause you sit as if there's a rod up your-"

"Ya! No swearing on TV!" Na-yeon berated, looking at Yeong-cheol as if he were a child.

"Sorry ma'am." Yeong-cheol bowed in an exaggerated manner.

Chuckling he turned towards Jungsu and said, "I only say that because my mother was a ballet teacher, and whenever she caught me slouching... let's just say it wasn't good for me." Yeong-cheol trailed off while staring into the empty space, causing Jungsu to wonder what kind of torture his mother must have put him through.

"But you, Jungsu, you sit perfectly." Yeong-cheol said, giving him two thumbs up.

"My mother would be proud. Tell me, did you do ballet?"

Yeong-cheol glanced down at him with inquisitive eyes.

"No, hyung. I don't dance." Jungsu said. That wasn't a lie, he didn't dance, though he did know how to, but only the kind that required a partner. So he was practically unable to dance on his own.

"Wow. I could've sworn with the way you move that you must do dance."

"What about you hyung?" Jungsu asked, diverting attention from himself.

Leaning in to whisper, he said, "Don't tell anyone, but I used to do ballet."

Jungsu could tell that Yeong-cheol had some dance experience but was surprised with how well he had concealed the graceful movements required in ballet.

Jungsu whistled low as he looked beside him, causing the curious eyes of a couple contestants to follow them as Yeong-cheol dragged him to the sofa.

As they sat on the sofa, Jungsu saw Yuri enter inside with her food, his eyes following her as she sat down beside Hye-sung.

"Ah." Yeong-cheol said, raising his brows at Jungsu.

Jungsu looked back at him in question.

"You dating her or something?" Yeong-cheol said quietly.

Jungsu's brows pulled down low over his eyes.

"No." Jungsu denied.

"Ahh! Is this a case of unrequited love? Oh no, my poor Jungsu!" He cried into Jungsu's shoulder while Jungsu stared down at him with narrowed eyes.

It was ridiculous that Yeong-cheol mentioned love. Love was a thing even some children didn't feel towards their parents, nor some parents for their children. Jungsu wasn't even sure he knew what it looked like, let alone felt like. He barely even knew what friendship was. He'd never really had them in training camp, nor when he'd lived in England. Rather, he knew of cruelty. He knew of hate, and anger, and shame, and fear, and... nothing.

Jungsu felt nothing.

"What are you guys talking about?" Tae-joon asked, smiling up at them as he sat down.

"Oh we were just talking about how Jungsu-"

Covering Yeong-cheol's mouth, Jungsu said, "We were talking about the outside world. But we're not supposed to talk about that in here right?"

"Oh, that's right." Tae-joon said, nodding his head in understanding.

"But you know, I was really hesitant to come here at first." Tae-joon said, looking around the room as he spoke quietly.

"Why, why?" Yeong-cheol asked in confusion at his peculiar tone.

"Don't you guys know?" Tae-joon asked, looking at the two of them.

Shaking their heads, Jungsu and Yeong-cheol looked to Tae-joon for a response.

"It's because I heard this Villa was a murder scene."

"Ha! You almost got me Tae-joon!" Yeong-cheol laughed.

Tae-joon's face turned serious as he looked at Yeong-cheol.

"No, I'm serious. There was a murder nearby. I'm not sure if it was in the villa, or if it was in the forest, but a woman's body was found here along with her child."

Yeong-cheol gulped hard, his face turning ashen as he felt a shiver run up his spine.

"H-how did they die?" He asked.

"Let's just say that her throat was not a pretty sight. And the child," Tae-joon shook his head. "The child's face was completely disfigured."

Jungsu huffed out a breath quietly, already knowing that there was no such police report in his research. But he kept quiet as he silently enjoyed the terrified expression on Yeong-cheol's face.

"It's said that their cries are still heard in the forests at night. And if you're unlucky enough, you'll catch their eye."

"Wh-wh-what happens then?" Yeong-cheol asked hesitantly.

"They-"

"Eat you!" Jae-ho screamed from behind Yeong-cheol and Jungsu.

Yeong-cheol shouted, getting up from his seat in a panic.

Jungsu remained in his place, looking at Jae-ho with a calm look on his face.

Jae-ho cleared his throat and stood up from his crouch, scratching the back of his head as he laughed.

Meanwhile, the camera zoomed into Jungsu's face as he shook his head.