Competing Hearts || A Yun Sung-bin fanfiction

|| CHAPTER EIGHT ||

VOTING
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THE FINAL 50 contestants were ushered into a swanky room, their well-deserved reward for making it this far in the competition. In the centre, a vibrant living area flaunted a menagerie of life-infusing plants, lending an air of freshness to the surroundings. At the room's rear, a gym awaited, and I'm talking a full-blown, no-holds-barred gym. We're not just talking about a couple of treadmills and a few dumbbells; this place boasted an extensive selection of workout gear, tailor-made for contestants' training whims. But most importantly to the side, there stood a massive emporium, practically a supplement wonderland, stocked to the brim with all things protein. Haneul looked around amazed, her arms linked with Eddeume as they whispered to each other about how cool this was.

Haneul's wide-eyed wonder was palpable as she looked around, her arm linked with Euddeume's, the pair engaged in hushed commentary, gleefully sharing their awe.

Haneul was genuinely relieved she'd decided to stick it out for the duration of the competition. After all, the Physical: 100 aimed to showcase both mental and physical prowess, and she wasn't about to throw in the towel now. Haneul relaxed into one of the cushy sofas, her body sprawling out as she watched her fellow contestants frolic around like children in a candy shop. Her laughter mingled with the jubilant cheers of some of the brawny contestants as they bounced around with unbridled excitement. Soon enough, the cross-fitters sauntered in, flaunting their prowess with a mesmerizing array of gravity-defying handstands.

Haneul couldn't help but maintain her infectious smile as she watched them, her gaze following their every move, until, of course, they locked onto Sung-Bin. His unwavering gaze was fixed firmly on her, undeterred even as a parade of contestants paraded by. She squirmed in her seat, a lingering sense of discomfort and embarrassment from earlier still gnawing at her. Nevertheless, she felt considerably lighter after her heart-to-heart with the counsellor. She had long been aware of her inner turmoil but had always been in denial as if acknowledging it would somehow jeopardize her competitive edge. Yet, as she began contemplating retirement, her internal struggles seemed to surge to the forefront of her thoughts.

Standing up to go speak to her, Sung-Bin's muscles widened as he made his way over, but he was stopped by another contestant, a friend of his coming to speak to him. Haneul was thankful not ready to deal with another round of being rejected, especially when this one will be more direct."Hey, want a snack?" Euddeume plopped back down beside her, thrusting a bag of popcorn in her direction. "No thanks, not hungry."

"Are you sure you're okay? You've been kind of absent today," Euddeume probed, her eyes wide with concern and her brow furrowing.

"Yeah, it's just... a lot surfaced today, and my brain's still figuring out how to process it all," Haneul admitted, her gaze lingering on the bag of popcorn.

"Well, you know, food does help fuel the brain," Euddeume teased, pushing the snack even closer. It was hard to argue; her brain was clearly famished, and she needed some sustenance to help sort out the whirlwind of thoughts, so she gratefully took a handful of popcorn, one by one popping the sweet treat into her mouth. 

"I can't help but be on edge. I won't relax until I know what the next quest is," Choo Sung-hoon chimed in, joining them and nibbling on a bag of mixed nuts. "Any guesses on what it might be?" Hanuel inquired, looking over at her idol.

"It's probably going to involve teamwork," Sung-hoon mused, "so far, it's all been about individual performance. They'll want to see how we function as a team."

"You really think so?!" Euddeume perked up, sitting up straight in a panic, apparently oblivious to her reliance on others in the competition.

"It makes sense," Sung-hoon reassured her, his statement laced with a healthy dose of reason.

"This is an announcement. Contestants, please head immediately to the gallery." The voice of the eye echoed through the room, bringing conversations to a sudden standstill as everyone listened intently and obediently followed the instructions.

They found themselves back in the room adorned with those eerie busts. However, this time, the lucky few who had successfully navigated Quest One were greeted by their still-intact busts, forming a silent ring around the room's perimeter. Haneul couldn't help but quip, "The room looks way bigger now," before pointing proudly to her own unscathed statue, standing tall on its plinth.

"Physical: 100, I'd like to welcome you, the 50% who survived. Now, I will reveal the second quest." The eye materialized on the massive screen above her statue, its mesmerizing colors and patterns capturing everyone's attention. "So quick, we hardly had time to rest..." Euddeume grumbled under her breath, a hint of disappointment on her lips. Haneul chuckled at her friend's expression and gave her a comforting tap on the back.

"The second quest is... a team match." Haneul's eyes darted to Sung-hoon, who wore a smug expression, clearly relishing the fact that his earlier prediction had been spot on. Meanwhile, Sung-bin observed the interaction from a distance, his arms tightly crossed over his chest. He regretted not speaking to her in his apartment, and he regretted not approaching her after overhearing her confession in the break room. Yet, he fought to conceal his feelings, not wanting to let them show.

"You will be competing in teams of five, and the losing team will be eliminated," the eye declared. With some quick calculations, Haneul deduced that another 25 contestants would be saying goodbye; the competition was halving once more. As contestants began to discuss how teams would be formed, their questions were swiftly addressed. "For the second quest, you will elect ten team leaders to head the teams. Stamp the names of three people you want to team up with." Booklets containing the remaining contestants' names and a stamp were distributed. Haneul took her time considering her choices before ultimately deciding on her idol, Eun Sil, and, despite their past, Sung-Bin. After all, he had proven himself as a capable leader, and she wasn't going to hold their previous interaction against him. Closing her booklet, she leaned against the wall, her eyes scanning the room as everyone carefully cast their votes. It was then that she felt someone take a seat on the floor beside her.

"Who did you vote for?" Sung-Bin inquired, attempting to sneak a peek at her booklet. Haneul retaliated, "Who did you vote for?" She avoided meeting his gaze, not quite ready for that level of eye contact. "One of my votes went to you," he confessed, opening his booklet to display a picture with a stamped name to validate his choice. "Why did you waste a vote on me, silly?" She smiled, playfully pushing his shoulder with hers.

"Because I'd follow your lead," he admitted with a grin.

"Only a fool would do that... but I voted for you too."

"Look I wanted to discuss my actions earlier. I didn't walk out because of the reasons you think I did"

"What other reasons are there apart from not feeling the same way I do?"He smiled, his head tilting to the side as he had flashbacks as to why he left the way he did and how his hand felt around him as he tried to fix his problem that occurred ever since you walked out in his top and nothing else.

"Maybe it's not for your innocent mind just yet" He smiled his muscular hand resting on her bare thigh as if he were protective over her and she did not dare move it, to consumed by the blush on her cheeks as she realised what he had meant earlier.