Wishlist [txtzy#1]

Wishlist-36(partners)

The sun rose over Bali, painting the villa in warm hues of orange and gold. Despite the picturesque start to the day, an air of tension lingered within the group. It was the first day of shooting for the variety show, but the unease between Chaeryeong and Taehyun was impossible to ignore.

Chaeryeong stood in front of the mirror in her room, brushing out her hair in slow, deliberate strokes. Her thoughts were still tangled with the events of the previous night. She had barely slept, her mind replaying Taehyun's words and Jisung's protective anger over and over again.

Downstairs, Taehyun sat in the lounge, scrolling through his phone. The cheerful chatter of the other cast members filtered through the air, but he couldn't bring himself to join in. His mind was clouded, his heart heavy. The pain in Chaeryeong's eyes from last night haunted him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he had crossed an invisible line.

"Everyone, gather around!" the director's voice rang out, snapping both Chaeryeong and Taehyun out of their respective thoughts.

The cast assembled in the main hall, where the production team had set up a box decorated with colorful ribbons. The director grinned as he addressed them.

"All right, everyone! Today marks the first challenge of the show—a scavenger hunt! To make it more interesting, you'll be partnered up for this task. Your partner's name is in this box, and you'll pick randomly to see who you'll team up with!"

The cast cheered, though Chaeryeong's stomach churned with nervousness. She stood at the edge of the group, avoiding Taehyun's gaze.

"Chaeryeong, you're up first!" the director announced, holding the box out toward her.

Her breath hitched. Why me first? she thought, but she had no choice. Forcing a smile, she stepped forward, reached into the box, and pulled out a small chit. She unfolded the paper, her heart sinking when she read the name.

Taehyun.

The director's voice boomed with excitement. "Looks like Chaeryeong and Taehyun are our first team!"

Chaeryeong's hands trembled as she clutched the chit. She didn't dare look at him, though she could feel his eyes on her. She could almost hear the collective intake of breath from the other cast members, who weren't blind to the awkward tension between them.

Taehyun stepped forward, taking his place beside her. His expression was neutral, though his jaw was tight. He gave her a quick glance, his voice quiet when he said, "Let's do our best."

She nodded stiffly, barely managing a response.

The other cast members began drawing their partners, and soon the teams were set. The director handed out maps and explained the rules. Each team would navigate the nearby beach and surrounding areas, completing tasks and collecting items from a list. The first team to return with all the items would win a special reward.

"Are you ready?" the director asked, looking around at the teams.

Chaeryeong's pulse quickened. Ready? No. Not at all.

"Let's begin!"

The teams dispersed, heading off in different directions. Taehyun and Chaeryeong walked in silence at first, the sound of waves crashing in the distance filling the space between them.

"Should we check the map?" Taehyun asked after a while, breaking the silence.

Chaeryeong nodded, handing it to him without a word. He unfolded it, his brow furrowing as he studied the marked locations.

"The first spot is by the rock formation near the beach," he said, his voice measured.

"Okay," she replied, keeping her gaze fixed ahead.

They walked side by side, the unspoken tension between them palpable. Every now and then, Taehyun stole a glance at her, but she refused to meet his eyes.

When they reached the first location, they found a small wooden box buried halfway in the sand. Taehyun knelt down to dig it out, his hands brushing against hers as they both reached for it. She pulled back as if burned, stepping away quickly.

"Sorry," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

"It's fine," she replied, crossing her arms and looking away.

The awkwardness between them only grew as they continued the hunt. Tasks that should have been simple—like finding shells or solving clues—became painstakingly slow as they avoided any unnecessary interaction.

At one point, Chaeryeong tripped over a hidden rock, and Taehyun instinctively reached out to steady her. She flinched at his touch, and he immediately let go.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched into his voice.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, brushing sand off her knee.

But she wasn't fine—not with the weight of their shared past pressing down on her like a heavy storm cloud.

As they neared the final location, Taehyun finally broke the silence. "Chaeryeong... Can we talk?"

Her steps faltered, but she didn't stop. "We're here to shoot, not talk."

"Please," he said, his voice low but firm. "I can't keep pretending like this doesn't hurt."

She stopped walking then, turning to face him. The pain in his eyes mirrored her own, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away.

"Taehyun, I—"

Before she could finish, the sound of another team approaching snapped them back to reality. She turned away, the moment lost.

"We should finish this," she said, her voice cold as she walked ahead.

Taehyun sighed, following her. They may have been partners for this scavenger hunt, but the distance between them felt insurmountable.