I Became the One Who Takes. 235

## Chapter 235 - (9)

Knowing Ella liked assertive men, I didn't beat around the bush.

"Why, why are you jealous of me?"
"Why? Can't I be jealous?"
"No... it's not that. ...Ah, you're trying to get a vote, aren't you? I won't give you one even if you try!"

Ella said as if she'd realized something.

I nodded.

"I'll give you one. A vote."
"Seriously, why are you being like this..."

Ella started fanning herself with her hand as if she was hot.

"Whatever... Ah, do as you please..."

Then she turned around and walked away.

Her ears were incredibly red.

I wondered if my assertive side had worked.

"Ahem..."

I checked Ella's favorability rating.

[Favorability: +26]

'It worked incredibly well?'

She really seemed to like assertive people.

As expected, the stereotype doesn't lie.

"What was that? Was that Ella? You two seem to be getting along well."

I turned towards the voice and saw Jinju walking towards me.

Getting along well with Ella, huh.

Well, her favorability wasn't negative anymore, that's for sure.

"We just started getting along."
"Huh?"

Jinju looked at me with a confused expression, then suddenly bowed her head to me.

She really just bowed her head as if she was greeting me.

"I'm sorry... Actually, I... didn't vote yesterday."
"Ah..."

I already knew that.

I didn't expect her to apologize, though.

"Sunghan, you voted for me, right...?"
"Yes."

I voted coolly.

Because there was no one else to vote for.

Back then.

"I know it's shameless, but I'll really vote today, so won't you exchange votes with me?"
"...I'm sorry. I have other plans."
"Ah... I see..."

I shook my head.

I said I'd give my vote to Ella, so I intended to keep my word.

That's how Ella would know my assertive feelings.

"Okay... See you in the room later...."

Defeated, Jinju left to find someone else.

I didn't feel sorry for her.

I'd already done enough for her. I gave her a vote, after all.

And seeing it today, not having a vote wasn't that big of a disadvantage.

Just having to do more annoying tasks and enjoying less delicious meals?

Honestly, I thought ramen looked as appetizing as the chef's meals.

"But where did everyone go?"

There were too few people.

I closed my eyes and focused, sensing that people were gathered on the third floor.

The third floor, a floor I hadn't explored yet.

The higher I walked, the louder the commotion became.

People seemed to have found something and were gathered together, including the teams that didn't receive votes.

"Did they go in?"
"Yeah. It's been about five minutes, I think?"
"Ah... I'm curious, I want to go in too."

People were gathered in front of one room.

Ella and Jinju were there too.

The strange thing was that it wasn't a room we were allowed to enter.

The rooms we were allowed to enter were room number 1 on each floor.

That was room number 2, room 302.

I watched the scene from afar and approached Taesung when I saw him.

"Oh, hyung-nim!"
"What's going on?"
"Look at this."

Taesung tapped a piece of paper attached to the door.

[Only participants who have received 2 or more votes may enter]

As soon as I read those words, I smiled wryly.

What is this, a dating show?

I quietly sensed the presence inside and felt that there were two people in the room.

Of course, the two people who could enter this room were decided.

Kangryul and Jessica.

They were the participants who received 3 votes.

"Oh, I hear footsteps. I think they're coming out."

A woman who had her ear pressed against the door said, and everyone looked at the door, and the door really opened.

Creakㅡ.

Kangryul looked at us, who were protesting in front of the door, with a slightly strange expression.

"...Ah, everyone's here."

He had a slightly awkward expression.

It was obvious. He had a 'I'm hiding something' expression.

He's an actor, though.

Was it a problem with his acting skills, or was he so shocked that even an actor couldn't hide his expression?

Kangryul awkwardly smiled, squeezed through us, and passed by.

"Wait, where are you going, Kangryul!"
"Let's follow him!"
"The room is normal though..."

Some chased after Kangryul, and some stayed behind to peek into the room.

Ella and Jinju were also the type to stay behind and peek into the room.

I also glanced into the room.

The room itself looked normal.

The only special thing was.

Jessica was sitting on a chair, smiling brightly.

"Cute..."

Looking at Jessica like that, the word 'cute' popped out from the side.

Jessica's gaze turned this way.

It might have been my imagination, but I felt like our eyes met.

Kangryul's expression and Jessica's expression seemed to be the complete opposite.

Just as the curiosity of the participants, including myself, was rising, Jessica slowly came out of the room.

"What were you doing inside...?"

Ella cautiously asked, and Jessica answered nonchalantly.

"We played a game."
"A game?"

There was nothing on the table that suggested they played a game.

I would understand if there was a chessboard or a Go board, or even a cell phone.

Of course, I wasn't curious about what game they played right now.

I had a different question.

I asked Jessica.

"...Why did you play a game?"

Why did you play a game.

When I asked that, Jessica looked up at me with a mischievous smile.

"Are you curious?"
"..."
"Give me a vote if you're curious."
"...Never mind."

I have to give my vote to Ella.

I'm curious, but I don't necessarily need to know.

Then Jessica muttered in a small voice.

"...It's not easy after all. I'll definitely get you out of that cold place someday."

Where on earth am I in Jessica's head?

Looking at her favorability, she must be thinking of me as that Grand Duke of the North or something.

'Before she gets me out, she needs to get out of her delusions first.'

There seemed to be a lot of unusual people in the entertainment industry.

Whether it's in terms of looks or kinks.

Kangryul and Jessica.

As long as the people involved kept their mouths shut, no one could know what happened in that room.

However, there was one fact that all the participants realized.

'I have to get votes.'

That's how life at this resort becomes comfortable.

***

Situation room.

Here, the panelists and MCs were reacting while watching the cameras installed throughout the resort.

'I'm glad I did it.'

When I first received the offer to be on the show, I was honestly hesitant.

Even though he was a famous PD who had a series of hits with dating shows in Korea, I thought he was planning a really absurd show this time.

Not only was he filming on location overseas, but he was also renting a super-luxury resort.

He was going to put the most popular idols and models in Korea as panelists, and gather people who are currently called promising stars in the entertainment industry and famous influencers as participants.

In many ways, I thought he was having a dreamlike fantasy.

Nevertheless, I accepted the offer.

'It'll be naturally canceled if it doesn't work out...'

It wouldn't be good to be disliked by the PD, and I was free anyway.

And if it worked out, it would be a great opportunity.

A reaction-only comedienne with mediocre looks and a mediocre sense of humor.

That was the public's assessment of me.

It was difficult to survive in the entertainment industry if you turned down such opportunities.

Looking back now, it was the best choice.

I didn't think the PD would really do what he said.

"Wow, that's amazing."
"We were screaming while watching outside too."

During a short break, the stylists fixed my makeup.

Everyone in the situation room, including myself and the stylists, who were watching the resort, couldn't get over what had just happened.

The summary video of the second day was delivered to the situation room.

In that video, a man named Sunghan began to aggressively court Ella.

The Ella who had been very active in a dance competition program just a few months ago.

"I usually exaggerate my reactions on TV, but I don't even need to do that this time."

The variety show itself created a situation that made people get too immersed.

The famous PD was different.

I thought he was crazy to suddenly put in a regular person, but.

Unexpectedly, that regular person was at the center of the show.

At least for now.

'Until now, everyone except Jessica and Sunghan has been moving timidly.'

The situation will change a bit if other people become more active later.

Unfortunately, it will be difficult for Sunghan to be active at that time.

Probably.

"I'm on Ella and Kangryul's side."
"I'm on Sunghan and Ella's side. Isn't it exciting when a rough man doesn't beat around the bush and throws a straight ball?"
"Huh? Jessica and Sunghan go well together!"
"I want to broadcast it quickly and see the viewers' reactions."

Eventually, factions were divided even among the stylists.

Just then, Hanna came to get her makeup fixed.

Hanna also had good reactions, so which relationship would Hanna be rooting for?

"Hanna, who do you want Sunghan to end up with?"
"Ah, I... Ella."

I just asked that light question.

The atmosphere around the stylists became chilly.

One person covered her mouth, and another looked at Hanna carefully.

"Gasp..."
"How... Poor thing..."

As a comedienne, I was good at reading this kind of atmosphere.

It was clear that I had made a mistake.

However.

'What did I do wrong?'

I couldn't even figure out the reason.

"Uh, Hanna, can you come here for a moment before you fix your makeup?"
"Yes~"

Hanna got up from her seat at the sound of the PD desperately calling for her.

"I'm crazy, I'm crazy!"
"Ouch!"

A stylist hit me on the back.

It reminded me of the moment when I was hit on the back by my mom when I was a student.

I looked at the stylist with an unfair expression.

"No, why...?"
"Look at this."

The stylist handed me a cell phone.

There was a picture of Hanna, smiling brightly, and the Sunghan I saw earlier, standing side by side.

My mind went blank for a moment.

Why does this kind of picture exist?

"He's Hanna's ex-boyfriend!"
"Huh?! Really?"

So, are we filming a dating show with her ex-boyfriend?

But the reactions weren't fake?

"...Isn't it strange?"
"What?"

Then another stylist thought for a moment and said.

"If he's her ex-boyfriend... why doesn't she delete that post?"
"...Huh? That's right?"

My blank gaze turned to the post.