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Naturally, Donghyuck has a plan. “It’s just, everyone knows how these things work, right?”
“Uhh,” says the guy across from him. Mike, or something. “Right?”
There’d been a lot of names during the first introductions this morning. It’s only the first day and there were already ten guys in the villa, lots of fresh haircuts and tiny swimsuits and slightly-too-pale concealer. Donghyuck had been expecting to be surrounded by the refreshingly salty ocean breeze wafting over from the beach just outside the villa, but it mostly smelt like Old Spice and blue raspberry vape juice.
“They don’t actually want the conventionally attractive, muscly eight-pack, dimpled playboys to win,” Donghyuck continues. He pointedly does not look over at where Jaehyun is lounging in one of the pool chairs. “The audience wants to root for the underdogs.”
“Um,” Max says, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “I guess that makes sense, yeah.”
“That’s where you come in! You know, the cutely awkward, weird face but just manages to pull it off, unexplainably charming type.”
“Uh, thanks?”
“You’re welcome,” Dongyuck replies. “All that plus me—you know, the handsome comic relief—will basically guarantee a win. We’re the boys next door. Social media’s gonna love us.”
“I’m not sure that’s how it works, dude,” Miles responds, but he’s kind of laughing, which Donghyuck takes as a good sign.
“So, we got a deal, uh, Maaason..?”
“Mark,” the guy whines. “Dude, it’s Mark!”
☀︎
Mark Lee, 23, Toronto
“To be honest, I was kind of going for Johnny at first, but then Donghyuck comes to me and is all, I think this could work. I don’t know, I’m just going with the flow, you know?”
Donghyuck Lee, 23, Seoul
“He’s kind of cute. I mean, he’s not my usual type, but he’s got that like, angelic-face, puppy-eyes, laughs-at-all-my-jokes thing going on. Definitely not the hottest guy here or anything. But he does have those cheekbones—”
“Wait, so you are or aren’t into him?”
“I, uh, well.”
☀︎
“I’m bringing shame to my family,” Doyoung says.
Taeyong’s not sure why. He literally met this guy this morning. But he’s been told he has one of those faces that make people want to confide in him. He’s not exactly sure what that means, but it’s been helpful enough as he gets situated in the villa.
He’s over at the bar counter with Doyoung, making a mental catalogue of who’s who, what’s what. Two of the younger guys, Mark and Donghyuck, already seemed to have coupled off and are whispering furiously to each other over by the fire pit. Most of the others are making a fool of themselves loudly talking over each other by the pool, where Jaehyun just so happens to be lying back in a pool chair. Taeyong can’t really tell from here, but he has a sneaking suspicion Jaehyun is half asleep.
“Really,” Doyoung continues, “What am I doing here? There’s like, no way in hell I’m actually gonna find the one amongst…”
They look over in time to see Jungwoo topple over the pool stairs and land in the pool after trying to “casually” flex his abs.
Doyoung shudders. “…These idiots.”
Taeyong just laughs. If he’s being honest, he finds them all weirdly endearing. He can’t put his finger on it exactly, but there’s something in him that wants the best for all of them, wants to believe that as silly as this all may be, maybe they can find love this summer. Or at the very least, have a good time.
“Hey,” he says to Doyoung, picking up one of the bottles of complimentary champagne that’s been chilling in an ice bucket on the counter. “Wanna have a drink with me?”
☀︎
Sicheng Dong, 25, Wenzhou
“It’s kind of nice, with Yuta. I mean, we’re the only non-Korean guys here so far, so I guess we had that in common.”
Yuta Nakamoto, 27, Osaka
“He’s just easy to talk to. Like, he’s not into all that physical flirting type of stuff, which makes you want to do it more.”
Jaehyun Jeong, 26, Seoul
“The hot tub’s great, it’s got those little footwell jets and all these massage options. Plus, it’s my first time in Spain and I didn’t realize the weather would be so nice, it’s hot, but not too humid or dry—”
“Uh, Jaehyun, if you don’t mind, can you make some comments on your impressions of the other islanders?”
“The other islanders? Oh, yeah, they all seem nice.”
☀︎
For the viewers at home, don’t forget to cast a vote for your winning couple. Our very first LOVE ISLAND 2023 couples are Doyoung & Taeyong, Sicheng & Yuta, Taeil & Jungwoo, Johnny & Jaehyun, and Donghyuck & Mark.
Voting is free, and you can access it via the app. Download for free on IOS or Android. You can only vote once.
☀︎
A few days later, the intercom informs Jungwoo that “Five New Hotties Have Arrived In The Villa."
The original islanders head out to meet them all. It’s kind of weird to see new people, Jungwoo thinks. It’s been nice getting to know the first batch of guys, and while Jungwoo isn’t exactly his type, he can’t pretend that the guy’s not perfectly cute and nice. And the only other guy he was really interested in was Jaehyun, which didn’t count, because so was everybody else.
Anyway, they’ve been trapped on the island with zero outside contact, no phones, and little entertainment outside of themselves. These latest guys are fresh-faced, uncoupled, and cute. Jungwoo’s grateful for the new energy.
They introduce themselves in the center of the villa, waving shyly.
Welcome Renjun, Jeno, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung.
☀︎
That afternoon, Donghyuck tells Mark that, “We should break up.”
Mark gives him an unimpressed look. Donghyuck has said this about once an hour since the first day when he had suggested they couple up together. After about the fifth hour of this, Mark had learned to not take it seriously. Except,
“I’m being serious this time.”
“Wait,” Mark says. “Dude, for real? I thought—we had a deal—”
And, he thinks quietly, a relationship. It wasn’t true love or anything, but as the days went by he’d realized that Donghyuck and him actually had a lot in common. He was easy to talk to. Made Mark laugh like it was nobody’s business. In fact, everybody in the villa seemed to like Donghyuck. Mark figured it made sense that he would want to go take advantage of that.
“Look, it’s no hard feelings, okay?” Donghyuck says sweetly. “You’re cute and all, but did you see Jaemin?”
“Yes,” Mark says drily. “I saw him.”
“Cool, so you get it!”
Mark sighs. “Yeah. I get it.”
☀︎
Donghyuck Lee, 23, Seoul
“Put it this way, I’m actually doing this because I care about Mark. With all these new guys, I figure I should give him a chance at actual love. I mean, I saw that once over Jeno gave him. And Jungwoo’s totally into him.”
“I mean, it’s not like we were actually gonna end up together or anything.”
Mark Lee, 23, Toronto
“It’s not a big deal, I guess. I mean like, the point is to date around and all, right? If you get stuck with one person then you’re basically cheating yourself out of other opportunities, and I’m sure Jaemin and Donghyuck would make a great couple, I mean, who wouldn’t like Donghyuck, he’s amazing. And it’s technically not even a break up, it’s only been like a week, so there’s no reason to even be upset over it, really—”
“Uh, Mark, would you like a tissue?”
“What? No, haha, I’m fine.”
“Seriously, I’m fine.”
☀︎
“There is not one dateable person in this whole villa,” Renjun says. Okay, fine, there was one. But Doyoung has been coupled with Taeyong since Renjun arrived and neither of them were even bothering to flirt with the other guys.
“For real,” Jeno agrees. He looks longingly towards the fire pit, where Jaemin is already snuggled up with one of the original islanders, Donghyuck. “All the good ones are already cuffed up.”
“Or extremely unattainable,” Chenle groans. He comes up beside them and collapses onto one of the bean bags with a sigh older than his years. “What’s the point of putting yourself on the line—on international television, too—if you’re just gonna get rejected, anyway?"
“What?” Jisung demands, going red all over. “When did you have time to get a rejection already?”
Right at that moment, two of the older guys, Taeyong and Doyoung, walk by. They’re holding hands, but quickly seperate when they turn the corner and see the boys on the bean bags.
“Someone say rejection?” Taeyong asks sympathetically. Renjun hates to admit it, but he’s kind of like a dad. And not even in a hot way, but a comforting, cloyingly sweet way. “Don’t take it personal, Jaehyun’s not into anyone.”
Chenle buries himself further into the cushion with a screech. “I never said it was Jaehyun?!”
Doyoung laughs, in a way that would seem cruel, except it was mostly concerned and sweet in a mom-like way. Though Renjun would never admit that. “You didn’t have to.”
☀︎
Johnny Suh, 28, Chicago
“I kind of feel like everybody in the villa secretly hates me now, but I’m not sure why.”
“Is it possible that they’re harboring feelings of resentment after you coupling up with Jaehyun this week?”
“Oh, that. We really only coupled up out of convenience, I mean we were the only two single islanders left. Don’t get me wrong or anything, everyone here’s attractive and nice. I feel like I just haven’t felt a spark with anyone yet. I thought I might have better luck connecting with one of the new kids, but that’s the thing, they’re basically kids. But I’m not giving up or anything yet. I just hope we don’t get voted off before I have a chance to find someone I really like.”
☀︎
Lunch and dinner are provided each day by a catering company, but in the mornings they got a stocked fridge, empty kitchen, and were left to their own devices. After a couple days ago, when Mark almost burnt down the kitchen and was pulled aside by the producers for a stern talking to, Taeil has taken to waking up early and cooking for the rest of them.
He’s frying up some eggs when the guys come wandering towards the stove like actual zombies, plates in hand. The feed-me-now part is pretty typical behavior, but Taeil can detect a slightly more somber note in the air this morning.
It’s Friday. As in, the day two of the original ten islanders will be leaving the villa and not coming back.
For Taeil’s part, he’s not that worried. It’s him and Jungwoo leaving, it’s gotta be. The only other less-convincing couple was Jaehyun and Johnny, and there was no way Jaehyun was getting voted off this early. He doesn’t regret his time here, he just wishes he could’ve found someone he cared about past friendship. Ah, well.
☀︎
“The votes are in. The couple who will be sent home tonight is…”
☀︎
Renjun Huang, 23, Jilin City
“I’m sorry to see them go, too, but we barely know these people? We’ve literally only been here for one week. I just don’t understand why people were crying…? Like they know we can all just hang out after the show’s over, right?”
“Seriously, Taeyong was sobbing.”
Sicheng Dong, 25, Wenzhou
“I’ll miss the other guys, but if I have to leave with anyone, I’m glad it’s Yuta.”
Yuta Nakamoto, 27, Osaka
“Honestly, it’s kind of a mad house in there, so I don’t mind going home. Plus, everyone was crying when they hugged Sicheng for some reason. Like, everyone. It’s probably for the best that I’ll get to have him to myself now.”
☀︎
“It’s kinda scary, isn’t it?” Jaemin comments. “People actually getting voted off.”
“I guess,” Donghyuck pulls a face. “Except they only got voted off because they fell in love so fast and were stuck together like glue. Bo-ring. I’m telling you, the audience wants to see unexpected couples. Will they won’t theys, enemies to lovers, blah blah. Love at first sight—there’s no story there.”
☀︎
Mark Lee, 23, Toronto
“I get the feeling Donghyuck watches a lot of reality tv.”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping on their conversation, or anything—the hot tub is a public space!”
Jaehyun Jeong, 26, Seoul
“Wait, we’re playing for money?”
☀︎
The next week, the intercom announces once again that “Five New Hotties Have Arrived In The Villa.”
Their names are Kun, Ten, Dejun, Hendery, and Yangyang.
☀︎
Even though they technically aren’t allowed phones in the villa, if Donghyuck smiles cutely enough when leaving the confessional booth, one of the producers will let him scroll on Twitter for like, 15 minutes before shooing him away.
The day the newest guys arrive in the villa, #LoveIslandTenLee trends for so many hours that the app crashes.
☀︎
“So, you’re like, a professional dancer?” Jeno asks.
Ten smiles. “Yup.”
“You sure you don’t model or anything?” Mark wonders.
“Nah,” Ten answers. “Too short.”
“Be honest,” Chenle says. “Is that your actual face or do you have work done? I mean, it’s totally cool if you do.”
Ten just smiles again. Johnny can tell right away that he’s the type that likes attention, thrives beneath it even. Danger, those types. Johnny knows it from experience.
☀︎
Jungwoo Kim, 25, Gunpo-si
“Oh my god. I think Ten’s finally gonna dethrone Jaehyun in the idgaf war.”
Doyoung Kim, 27, Guri-si
“I’m bringing shame to my family. I wish me and bu—uh, I mean, Taeyong got voted off so I could leave whatever ring of purgatory this is.”
“Doyoung, please remember to avoid making disparaging comments about the villa.”
“Sorry, you can cut that, I’ll go again.”
“Ready when you are.”
“I’m bringing shame to my family.”
☀︎
“Wait. Renjun?”
“Yangyang?”
“No way! It’s good to see you.”
And Renjun wants to reply that, yeah, same, except it’s kind of not, because there’s no way that’s Liu Yangyang, the same kid who he had gone to school with for like all of grade school, the same kid who he had taught all the Korean swears and dirty jokes to as a kid, the same Yangyang who moved away to Germany one day during middle school and never came back.
“It’s,” Renjun begins, then purses his lips and backpedals towards the fire pit. “See you.”
☀︎
Yangyang Liu, 22, Düsseldorf
“So, funny story, Renjun was actually my first kiss.”
“It’s not that funny actually. It really is good to see him.”
Jeno Lee, 22, Incheon
“No offense to Mark or anything? He’s cute, actually. But I was pretty surprised he asked me to couple up. I mean, not that I had anyone else in mind. Jaemin’s with Donghyuck, anyway.”
“We’re you planning on asking Jaem—”
“What? No! I meant, like, for Mark, because he’s obviously in love with Donghyuck. Duh. Obviously. Not that I wouldn’t be interested in Jaemin, if, you know, the opportunity arose. Hahaha. Not that it’s going to. Unless it does, which it won’t, and, um, are you guys still recording—?”
Jisung Park, 21, Seoul
“I know it’s pretty sunny on the island, but Chenle wears sunglasses like, all the time. Even inside. Even in bed. Not that we’ve been in bed together… That much.”
☀︎
For the viewers at home, don’t forget to cast a vote for your winning couple. Staying true since last week, we have Doyoung & Taeyong. Our latest batch of LOVE ISLAND 2023 couples are Donghyuck & Jaemin, Jeno & Mark, Chenle & Jisung, Kun & Dejun, Yangyang & Hendery, Renjun & Jungwoo, Jaehyun & Taeil, and Ten and Johnny.
Voting is free, and you can access it via the app. Download for free on IOS or Android. As always, you can only vote once.
☀︎
Johnny knows he doesn’t really have a chance with Ten, so he doesn’t bother trying. It’s like that first week, with Jaehyun: everyone’s vying for Ten’s attention, even some of the guys who had been coupled up for days already.
He keeps his distance, bides his time, hangs out with Mark a bit, who is actually kind of cool in a little brother sort of way if you put his weird Marvel obsession and Donghyuck obsession and watermelon obsession aside. But even Mark is coupled with Jeno. Johnny figures he’ll just find another single person to pair up with like last week, and cross his fingers that he doesn’t get voted off.
So he’s shocked, one night, when Ten comes to him and asks if he wants to couple up.
Johnny’s sitting at the pool edge with his feet in the water when Ten cannonballs in beside him. Even that, literally the most ungraceful movement ever, is elegant and sophisticated with Ten’s lithe dancer’s limbs. He takes a lap around the pool and lets Johnny just watch—the strong movements of his arms and shoulders, the delicate lines he cuts through the pool with. The droplets of water that linger on his face like crystals when he swims up beside Johnny’s legs, hair smoothed back away from his chiseled features with the water.
“Hey,” he says lazily, and Johnny’s heart kind of stops in his throat. Danger.
“Hi.”
☀︎
Ten Lee, 27, Bangkok
“Johnny was the only one to give me space. I don’t know. I like that. He’s genuine, you can just feel it.”
“I don’t think it’s going anywhere, I mean, I’m not usually one for committed relationships, I guess that’s why I’m here. But it’s nice. He’s a good kisser.”
☀︎
“The votes are in. The couple who will be sent home tonight is…”
☀︎
Chenle Zhong, Shanghai, 21
“Dongyhuck says that they always vote the coolest people off early to get social media buzz, and he knows Love Island. If it’s my time, it’s my time.”
Jisung Park, 21, Seoul
(Shrugging) “It’s not so bad. Chenle’s family has a villa on an island like an hour away from here that’s apparently way nicer than this one. We’re just gonna hang out there.”
☀︎
Just to be clear, it’s not that Jaemin doesn’t like kissing Donghyuck. It’s just that sometimes, when they’re kissing, he starts thinking of Jeno, with his wide nose and wide shoulders and… infectious smile.
So he tells Donghyuck as much. It’s maybe not great timing, as Donghyuck is currently sucking a brilliant bruise onto his collarbones with one hand inching down Jaemin’s swim shorts.
Donghyuck pulls away in a huff, sighing but not looking particularly upset. “This is about Jeno, isn’t it?”
Jaemin shrugs. “It’s not…not about him.”
“Fine, whatever, go get your man.”
“You really don’t mind?”
“Nah. I’m a romantic. I support true love.”
“Shut up,” Jaemin says, but doesn’t deny it.
“Besides, watching him and Mark fumble around with each other has been downright painful,” Donghyuck adds casually. “You’re not just doing Jeno a service, you’ll also be shielding viewers across the world from secondhand embarrassment.”
Jaemin narrows his eyes at that. “Hyuck, I think you should go get your man.”
☀︎
Johnny Suh, 28, Chicago
“I know it’s early, but I just, really like Ten. I’m not afraid to admit it. He makes me feel brave. He makes me want to yell that shit from the roof of the villa. I like him. A lot."
☀︎
“Hey, Taeil, right?”
“Yeah, hey. You’re up early.”
Kun blushes, unsure if he should reveal his weird domestic tendencies to a near stranger. But he’s here to be brave, isn’t he? “Yeah, force of habit. I usually make breakfast for my roommates back at home. They’re kind of hopeless at cooking.”
“So are most of the guys here. The other day I watched Mark try to fry an egg directly on the stove. Like, without a pan.” When Taeil laughs, his eyes twinkle.
Kun kind of wants to see it again and again. “Would you…like some help?”
“Yeah.” Taeil’s eyes glitter when he’s smiling, too. “I’d love that.”
☀︎
Donghyuck can’t find Mark anywhere. Seriously. He’s checked every crevice of every corner in the entire villa. Which doesn’t sound so bad, except he had to bear witness to several things he would prefer not to have seen before his evening cocktail: Taeyong and Doyoung making out (gross, it was like walking in on his parents.) Then Dejun and Hendery making out (one, when did that happen? And two, gross, it was like walking in on your siblings.) Then Johnny and Ten (okay, that one was kind of hot, he may or may not have shamelessly watched until he was shooed away.)
Still, no Mark.
Which is weird, since the other guys had become sort of accidentally cliquey and tended to hang out in groups sorted by age, or native language, or sometimes even just the groups they first arrived in. Mark had proven himself to be one of those guys who just sort of fits in everywhere and with everyone. You could spot him from a mile away. Always in the middle of a shiny smile or self-conscious laugh.
Not that Donghyuck was paying close attention.
He finally gives up on looking for Mark after walking in on Jaemin and Jeno making out (this one’s part gratifying, part, jeez, it’s been five minutes.)
There’s a weird sinking feeling in his chest that he doesn’t quite understand, so he decides to head to their communal bedroom (read: hell itself) for a quick nap before their evening activities (read: getting drunk of their asses for the 17th consecutive night in a row and playing the mafia game until they pass out).
But then he enters the room and sees…Mark. Sleeping in his bed, head on a pillow, covers tucked up around him nearly to his ears, shoulders moving up and down just slightly.
He’s about to call his name and wake him up, until Mark shifts in his sleep and Donghyuck sees that he’s in fact, not lying on a pillow. He’s lying on Jungwoo, who is snoring quietly into Mark’s side, arms wrapped tight around him.
Donghyuck leaves the room as fast as he can.
☀︎
Taeyong Lee, 27, Seoul
“Doyoung keeps reminding me that they’re all adults. That they can handle themselves, you know. And I get that. But I just worry. I don’t wanna watch any of them actually get hurt.”
☀︎
For the viewers at home, don’t forget to cast a vote for your winning couple. Staying true since last week, we have Doyoung & Taeyong and Johnny & Ten. Our latest batch of LOVE ISLAND 2023 couples are Jaemin & Jeno, Taeil & Kun, Dejun & Hendery, Mark & Jungwoo, Jaehyun & Yangyang, and Donghyuck & Renjun.
Voting is free, and you can access it via the app. Download for free on IOS or Android. As always, you can only vote once.
☀︎
“If you touch me,” Renjun says, “I will scalp you.”
Donghyuck nods his head vigorously. “Fair.”
☀︎
Jaehyun Jeong, 26, Seoul
“Seriously, Taeil was a good cook to begin with, but him and Kun together? They need a Michelin star or something. It’s better than the catering, I swear.”
“Jaehyun, once again, can you make some comments about your coupling progress with the other islanders? Why did you decide to pair up with Yangyang this week? ”
“Yang—Oh, yeah, that’s his name!”
☀︎
“The votes are in. The couple who will be sent home tonight is…”
☀︎
“Jeez,” Dejun says that night by the pool. “It’s like coupling up with someone you’re actually interested in is the wrong thing to do around here.” He shoots a nervous look towards Hendery then away after saying it.
“Yeah, every couple who seems like they actually have a chance at working out gets voted off,” Jaemin agrees from where he’s tucked into Jeno’s arms on a lounge chair. Though he doesn’t sound particularly bothered.
“Not everyone,” Doyoung mutters under his breath. He’s playing tic tac toe with Taeyong for the forty-seventh time tonight.
“Seriously,” says Yangyang nervously, “You could go at any minute. Before you get a chance to…say everything you need to.”
“I like it,” Ten pipes up. He wiggles his fingers. “It’s mysterious, it keeps us on our toes.”
“It’s not just mysterious,” Jungwoo says. “There’s no rhyme or rhythm to it. You’d have to be a genius to figure out how this show works.”
Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “Amateurs.”
☀︎
Mark Lee, 23, Toronto
“Kun and Taeil. Man, this sucks. What are we gonna eat in the morning?”
“Any comments on your coupling this week?”
“What, me and Jungwoo? We’re just friends.”
“Why? Is someone, haha, asking?”
☀︎
“At least you're actually interested in someone,” Jungwoo whines. “The most romance I’ve had was when Jaehyun helped me out of the pool when I almost drowned on the first day.”
Johnny frowns. He’s not sure he could call what him and Ten have romance. Sure, he wants it to be, but it feels like just when he musters enough courage to take a step forward, Ten pulls back. Out of reach. Just hooking up is obviously fun, but he’s not here to just hook up. Johnny sighs. He’s got his own problems. “Don’t worry, you’ll find someone. There’s so many guys here that there must be someone for everyone.”
“I guess,” Jungwoo replies, but he sounds unconvinced.
“No really, I can’t even keep track of all of them. Like, remember Shotaro and Sungchan?”
“Who?” Jungwoo asks.
“Exactly.”
☀︎
Yangyang walks by Hendery and Dejun cuddling in front of the fire pit and talking lowly. He feels bad for interrupting them, but, “Hey, have either of y’all seen Renjun?”
They both shrug at him.
He wanders around for a little while longer until an old memory comes to him. Then he heads towards the bathroom with his fingers crossed. There’s steam billowing out and filling the room with the scent of artificial strawberries. And, Renjun’s voice, singing softly from just behind the shower curtain.
Yangyang stops for one greedy second and just listens as the soft timbre of Renjun’s voice surrounds him like a hug.
Then, “Hey, Renjun?”
The response is an impressively high-pitched scream. “What the fuck?”
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you! It’s, uh, me. Yangyang?”
“I know who it is,” Renjun replies drily. “What do you want?”
“To say hi?”
“Are you asking or telling?”
“Telling?” Yangyang replies, then winces. He clears his throat and adds, “You kinda keep running away, everytime I try to talk to you.”
“So you thought to corner me in the shower?”
“No!” Yangyang says quickly. “I just…I remembered when we were in boarding school. You’d always go take those long ass showers when you were stressed about homework or whatever.”
There’s a pause during which Yangyang wonders whether that was a creepy thing to say and debates whether or not the toilet is large enough to flush himself down.
“You…. remembered that?”
“Yeah?”
The shower gets turned off.
“Turn around,” Renjun orders. Yangyang does as he’s told and hears the curtains get pulled back, the quiet rustling of sound as Renjun wraps a towel around his waist. “Okay, I’m decent.”
“So was I right?” Yangyang says. “You were stressed about something.”
“Only everything. We’re trapped in a prison—”
“—It’s a pretty nice prison—”
“—no phones, no outside communication, drinking all day because there’s nothing better to do, our every thought and expression broadcasted for people to pick part on the internet. And all we ever talk about is coupling up or dating or sex. We’re definitely not passing the gay man version of the Bechdel test. I’m kind of going insane.”
“Me too,” Yangyang admits. “It’s weird. Nobody ever talks about how weird it is. And you’ve been here way longer than me. I can’t imagine what it’s like for you.”
“It’s like, horrible.” Renjun snorts.
“I bet.” There’s no way the producers are airing this conversation, it's way too disparaging of the show. And Yangyang takes comfort in that, it’s like a break away from all the things they'd just been complaining about. Just a little moment between him and Renjun.
“You know,” Renjun says after a minute. His face is flushed from the warm shower. “You’re the last person I would’ve expected to see here.”
“I could say the same about you,” Yangyang laughs. His face feels flushed, too. “But I guess it’s been a while since we really knew each other, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Renjun agrees. “It has.”
“But I’m here now,” Yangyang adds, and the little hopeful note at the end of his sentence is too obvious to ignore.
“Yeah,” Renjun agrees. “You are.”
☀︎
For the viewers at home, don’t forget to cast a vote for your winning couple. Staying true since last week, we have Doyoung & Taeyong, Johnny & Ten, Jaemin & Jeno, Dejun & Hendery, and Mark & Jungwoo.
Our latest batch of LOVE ISLAND 2023 couples are Renjun & Yangyang, and Donghyuck & Jaehyun.
Voting is free, and you can access it via the app. Download for free on IOS or Android. As always, you can only vote once.
☀︎
Donghyuck Lee, 23, Seoul
“So he’s definitely not into me like that, but still. Me and Jaehyun Jeong. Social media’s going crazy. Not that I, uh, have access to social media.”
☀︎
“I win.” Taeyong draws a line through his row of circles.
All the guys are in various positions of reclining across the several tables, bean bags, and chairs on the outdoor patio. Some of the night shift cameramen are a little ways off, hoping to catch something interesting to add to today’s episode.
“Awesome,” Doyoung says drily. He takes a sip from his wine glass. “What’s that? Number fifty?”
Behind them, Jeno yawns and asks, “Mafia game?”
The rest of the group nods, sighing. “Mafia game,” they chorus back.
☀︎
A while after the game, (where Jaehyun was the mafia and forgot they were playing so just admitted it an hour in, effectively ruining their night,) Mark finds Renjun in the kitchen, humming to himself while pouring a glass of water.
“What’s up your ass?” Renjun snaps when he’s caught, the private smile slipping off his face immediately.
“Nothing,” Mark says, pouting. Is he the only one in this goddamn villa still having such a difficult time of things? He used to at least be able to count on Renjun, the resident cynic, being miserable. If you can’t trust him, who can you trust?
“Is Nothing,” Renjun asks innocently, “Donghyuck’s new nickname or something?”
“What? Why would you say that? No.”
Renjun doesn’t press but he also doesn’t immediately exit the kitchen to leave Mark wallowing, which Mark figures is his way of showing extreme compassion.
“Okay, fine. I don’t know, I just thought…we had something. But then he seemed so happy with Jaemin, and he’s clearly overjoyed to be coupled with Jaehyun. He even seemed content with…you.”
“We do not mention that.” Renjun shudders visibly. “Has it ever occurred to you that Donghyuck’s just…putting on a show? You know, to stay popular with the voters? Win the money?”
“I mean, yeah,” Mark replies. “That was the very first thing he said to me when I got here. But even if he’s not in to me, I thought we could at least be friends. Now he barely even talks to me.”
“Don’t take it too personally,” Renjun says. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s kind of crazy in here.”
“No shit,” Mark says.
“Seriously. I was just talking about this with, uh, I was just talking about this with someone. We’re all basically serial dating each other, new guys coming in at random times, cameras constantly recording our every move. We’re like, rotating between infatuated, jealous, horny, annoyed, heartbroken, in-love, repeat. Of course people are gonna act a little weird. And I mean, Donghyuck was pretty weird to begin with.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Duh,” Renjun says. He gulps down his water, puts the glass in the sink, and heads back to the bedrooms. He looks so small under the dim light, drowning in a (oh, Yangyang’s) hoodie, like a wise little old man or something. Mark feels overwhelmed with fondness for him suddenly. He has to bite back the urge to call him cute.
“Maybe,” Mark says thoughtfully, “The real prize is the friends we made along the way.”
Renjun looks at him with an expression that can only be called disgust. “The real prize is the fifty thousand dollars.”
☀︎
“The votes are in. The couple who will be sent home tonight is…”
☀︎
Hendery Wong, 23, Macao
“I’m not surprised. No one’s safe here anymore.”
Dejun Xiao, 23, Dongguan
“God forbid, no more having to share a bathroom with a dozen other guys. Yeah, I’m gonna miss it here so much.”
☀
For the viewers at home, don’t forget to cast a vote for your winning couple. For the first time this season, all of our LOVE ISLAND 2023 couples will remain the same as last week. We have Doyoung & Taeyong, Johnny & Ten, Jaemin & Jeno, Mark & Jungwoo, Renjun & Yangyang, and Donghyuck & Jaehyun.
Separately, we’d like to give a special shoutout to Doyoung and Taeyong for being the first ever LOVE ISLAND couple to make it this far into the season without uncoupling once.
As always, voting is free, and you can access it via the app. Download for free on IOS or Android. You can only vote once.
☀︎
Doyoung Kim, 27, Guri-si
“Oh my god, what if we actually win this?”
Taeyong Lee, 27, Seoul
“Oh my god. I think we might actually have a shot at winning this!”
☀︎
Ten Lee, 27, Bangkok
“So how are things going with you and Johnny?”
“He… told me he liked me today. Like, liked me liked me.”
“And how do you feel about that?”
“It’s just like, a lot of commitment. Maybe too much commitment. Too fast. Too too.”
“You told us last week that you were enjoying spending time with him.”
“Yeah, and I am. But I don’t do well under pressure. I freak out. I hurt people. I run away. I know I came here to try to stop doing that, but I’m starting to think…Maybe that person is just who I am.”
☀︎
“The votes are in. The couple who will be sent home tonight is…”
☀︎
Yangyang Liu, 22, Düsseldorf
“Renjun would punch me if I said this, but I think it’s kind of romantic that we get to go home together all these years later.”
Donghyuck Lee, 23, Seoul
“Seriously, childhood friends to lovers? Boooring. I could’ve told you they were going home.”
Renjun Huang, 23, Jilin City
“If Donghyuck Lee wins that money, so help me God, I will [THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN REDACTED IN ADHERENCE WITH TELEVISION BROADCAST GUIDELINES].”
☀︎
For the viewers at home, don’t forget to cast a vote for your winning couple. Once again, all of our LOVE ISLAND 2023 couples will remain the same as last week. We have Doyoung & Taeyong, Johnny & Ten, Jaemin & Jeno, Mark & Jungwoo, and Donghyuck & Jaehyun.
As always, voting is free, and you can access it via the app. Download for free on IOS or Android. You can only vote once.
☀︎
“Mafia game?” Jaemin suggests.
“Mafia game,” the guys chorus back.
☀︎
Jungwoo Kim, 25, Gunpo-si
“Mark and I are definitely next to leave. I feel bad, because he’s obviously in love with Donghyuck, but I’m ready to go. I just have to accept that there’s no one here for me.”
Mark Lee, 23, Toronto
“Aw, man, it looks like we’re leaving this week.”
“Any regrets?”
“It’s probably for the best. I don’t think I’m cut out for this kind of thing, anyway.”
☀︎
“The votes are in. The couple who will be sent home tonight is…”
☀︎
Johnny Suh, 28, Chicago
“I’m still in shock. Really, no one saw this coming.”
Jeno Lee, 22, Incheon
“Why do I sort of feel like I’m gonna cry?”
Jaemin Na, 22, Jeonju-si
“They were no Taeil and Kun, but seriously, now who’s gonna make breakfast? We’re gonna starve.”
Donghyuck Lee, 23, Seoul
“I called it! They were jinxed from the moment they got that special shout out. Those things are like reality-tv suicide.”
Taeyong Lee, 27, Seoul
“I really hope things work out between the rest of the guys. I’ll be rooting for all of them at home, of course. Honestly, even though I thought we had a good shot at winning, this is probably for the best. Doyoung was getting sort of antsy. He’d never say it because he’s too polite, but I got the feeling he was ready to go home.”
Doyoung Kim, 27, Guri-si
“Technically, since I’m kicked off, I don’t have to do these anymore, right?”
“Well, technically—”
“Thank god! This is the happiest day of [THE RESULTING SOUND HAS CUT OUT DUE TO DOYOUNG’S MIC BEING PREMATURELY DISCONNECTED.]”
☀︎
“Nana,” Jeno calls the next afternoon. “Guess what?”
“What?” Jaemin asks from where he’s drifting in the pool on an inflatable heart. “Are we playing mafia already?”
“No,” Jeno waves him over, “This is serious, come here!”
When Jaemin manages to wrangle the heart over to the pool edge, Jeno leans close and begins to whisper. “You’ll never believe who I just saw hooking up in the showers.”
Jaemin’s eyes widen. “No way, who?”
“Listen, you can’t tell anybody, okay?”
☀︎
“Look, this is top secret,” Jaemin says to Mark after breakfast the next day. (They’d all had cereal.) “But guess what Jeno told me?”
☀︎
“Why are you chewing like you have a secret?” Donghyuck asks cheerfully.
“Dude!” Mark whines, startling out of the lounge chair. The piece of watermelon he was nibbling at falls on the ground. “How do you even—”
“It’s my G-dar.”
“Gaydar?”
“Kind of like that, but for gossip,” Donghyuck explains, as if this clears anything up. “So what do you got for me?”
“Oh,” Mark grumbles. Ants have already begun to surround his fallen piece of fruit. “So, you’re talking to me now?”
“Come on, don’t be like that,” Donghyuck pleads. “I’m so bored, just tell me, I won’t tell anybody!”
“Swear?” Mark asks reluctantly, because Donghyuck’s turned his puppy eyes on, and Mark’s a weak man.
“On Renjun’s life.”
☀︎
Donghyuck Lee, 23, Seoul
“So Mark told me that Jaemin told him that Jeno saw Ten hooking up with Jaehyun in the shower! Jeno says they were just handys, but still. First of all, I’m offended. Am I the only one not getting any right now?”
Jungwoo Kim, 25, Gunpo-si
“Oh, god. This is bad. It’s really bad.”
☀︎
“I—” Ten says, bewildered. “Who, who told you that?”
“Does it matter?” Johnny snaps. “Is it true or not?”
They’re standing on the steps just outside the villa entrance. A few feet away, Jeno and Jaemin have taken up Doyoung and Taeyong’s old spot and are pretending to play tic tac toe. Mark is whispering furiously to Donghyuck, looking betrayed about something or the other, but that’s just his usual expression when talking to Donghyuck. Jungwoo’s beside them and so is Jaehyun, who is hanging his head and not meeting anyone’s eyes. Serves him right, Johnny thinks.
The production crew has brought out extra boom mics and the led lights they use for filming at night. Every camera is trained on them, and Johnny should feel self-conscious, but all he can focus on is Ten.
“It’s not like we’re together,” Ten says finally.
“That’s your big apology?” Johnny’s hands are shaking.
“It’s true,” Ten says. Even at his much shorter height, he gets right up in Johnny’s face, unflinching. “It’s just a stupid fucking reality show and this is all bullshit, and you know it!”
“Forget about the show!” Johnny pleads. “What about us?”
“Us?” Ten repeats the word in the same way he did like when Yangyang used to teach him phrases in Mandarin. Like it’s in a different language. “Johnny, don’t you get it? There’s no us. It’s just me, and my fucked up self and fucked up head. I’m a horrible person and you don’t deserve that. I’ve been trying to tell you that since the beginning!”
“And I’ve been trying to tell you that I don’t care what you’ve done in the past or that you think there’s something wrong with you,” Johnny whispers back. He can’t help it. It’s like the louder Ten gets, the more he wants to curl himself into a ball smaller than his tall frame can manage and disappear. “I’ve been trying to tell you that I want you anyway.”
“Johnny,” Ten says, and how is it possible for him to still say his name like that, with so much impossible tenderness? “I’m not that guy. I’m sorry. But I just don’t know how to be.”
The entire villa has gone silent; Johnny can’t even hear the perpetual gurgling of the hot tub in the background, or the waves crashing into the shore just beyond the house. The glaring led lights are unforgiving as they light up Ten’s face from every possible angle. There’s a tiny drop of sweat beading at his collar. His mouth is pursed, lips trembling slightly. His eyes are wet.
“Ten,” Johnny says, reaching out.
But Ten doesn’t reach back. He turns around, and runs back into the house.
☀︎
Jeong Jaehyun, 26, Seoul
“It was just a bit of fun. I swear I didn’t know how serious they were until Mark told me… ”
A long pause ensues. “You can go, Jaehyun, if you’re done.”
“I…I just wish I’d been paying more attention. To everything.”
Ten Lee, 27, Bangkok
“He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s better off without me. Really. People usually are.”
“Um, can we turn it off now, please? I need to talk to a producer.”
☀︎
Viewers at home, join us as we say a premature goodbye to Ten, in this season’s first mid-series departure. As Ten has requested to leave due to personal reasons, we ask that LOVE ISLAND 2023 fans respect the islander’s privacy at this time.
In accordance with the official LOVE ISLAND 2023 rules, which state that both halves of a coupled pair must remain at the villa or both leave, as a result, we will also say goodbye to Johnny.
And with that, we’re down to our final three couples. Don’t forget to cast a vote for your winning pair. Staying true since last week, we have Jaemin & Jeno, Mark & Jungwoo, and Donghyuck & Jaehyun.
Join us next week for our season finale to find out who will take home fifty thousand dollars and be crowned the winning couple of LOVE ISLAND 2023.
As always, voting is free, and you can access it via the app. Download for free on IOS or Android. You can only vote once.
☀︎
“Well, this sucks,” Donghyuck says, coming up to sit beside Mark by the fire pit.
“What do you care? Shouldn’t you be happy? That’s just a bit less competition for you to worry about,” Mark practically spits.
“Seriously?” Donghyuck says, because, not fair. “Why would I be happy my friends are hurting?”
“Friends? Or competitors?”
“Is this about Johnny and Ten or—?”
“It’s about you!” Mark snaps. “All you’ve wanted this whole time was to win; don’t start pretending to care, now.”
“I’m—I’m not pretending!” Donghyuck splutters. “And that’s rich, coming from you, you’ve spent every waking moment hanging out with Jungwoo, whispering to Jungwoo, cuddling with Jungwoo— ”
Mark looks at him, bewildered. “How is that relevant to anything?”
“It’s relevant,” Donghyuck mutters, cheeks burning.
Mark sighs. “I know you think it's stupid, but I came here to find love. Real love.”
Real love. Donghyuck feels his hands shake, and he shoves them under his lap, annoyed. He gets that tingle in the back of his neck, that familiar feeling that overwhelms him when he comes to a crossroads. He’s been here before, and there’s two options. One, say something characteristically funny or sarcastic and take the easy way out.
Or, say something honest, speak from the heart, and hope it goes well, knowing there’s no guarantee that it will.
He’s been here before. He’s made the same decision a hundred times to protect himself. What’s a hundred and one?
“I’m not against love; I’ve watched The Notebook,” Dongyuck says. “But you know what’s nice? Love and fifty thousand dollars. They’re not mutually exclusive.”
Mark snorts and it’s a sad sound, if that’s even possible. He shakes his head and gets up from his cushion. “Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”
☀︎
“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot—”
“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot—”
“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot—”
“Damn it,” Jeno says after they both play the same move for the third time, frowning.
“Maybe we’re just supposed to go hungry,” Jaemin says, looking pitifully at their empty breakfast plates. “It’s better than whatever the hell else everyone seems to be going through.”
☀︎
“I think I really fucked up,” Jaehyun says when Jungwoo emerges from below the pool water.
“Are you… talking to me?” Jungwoo asks. He almost loses his stroke and starts to drown, but that would make for two near-death incidents in front of Jaehyun, and how embarrassing is that?
“Of course,” Jaehyun says. He shrugs out of his shirt and slides into the pool beside him.
“Uh, about what?”
“I feel like I haven't been taking any of this seriously. The show. This whole summer.”
“I mean, it is kind of silly,” Jugwoo admits, wiping water from his eyes.
“Just because it’s silly doesn't make your feelings about it any less valid,” Jaehyun says sagely. “I mean, people can still get hurt. People can still form real relationships. I guess I didn't realize that until now.”
“Huh,” Jungwoo says. “Go figure you’d say that now, the day before the finale.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just, you could’ve had your pick of literally any of the guys who were here.”
“You think so?”
Jungwoo snorts. “You’re literally the only guy here that everybody wants, but you never want anyone back.”
“What? Me?”
“Yes, you. See, you’re doing it right now.”
“Doing what?”
“That whole, I-don’t-know-how-hot-I-am-thing.”
“Wait, so, you think I’m hot?”
“I mean,” Jungwoo says. “I have eyes, so.”
Then Jaehyun’s swimming over and kissing him, the same way that he talks, deeply and slowly and kind of like he has better things to do. And Jungwoo, sue him, likes it.
☀︎
Jungwoo Kim, 25, Gunpo-si
“I know that was literally on camera, but I feel like no one’s gonna believe me.”
☀︎
“Donghyuck,” Jaehyun says urgently.
“Are you… talking to me?” Donghyuck says, stirring from his nap.
“Why do people keep saying that to me?” Jaehyun wonders impatiently. “Look, we need to uncouple.”
“What?” Donghyuck sits up finally, whipping of his blanket. “No, absolutely not.”
“This is important.”
“There’s twenty-five thousand dollars with your name on it that says differently!” Donghyuck says. “Everyone on social media ships us. The popular comedic relief and the sexy aloof guy? We’re a shoo-in! I need that money. Do you know how many outfits I have in my online shopping cart right now?”
“Wait, you have access to internet?”
“Oh, forget that.” Donghyuck groans. “We’re like, hours away from winning! The finale is tonight.”
“Exactly. I wanna couple up with Jungwoo before voting closes, and I need you to—”
“What?” Donghyuck exclaims again. “But, Jungwoo’s coupled up with Mark!”
Jaehyun wonders if anybody has ever told him he’s got a tendency to overreact a bit. “Yeah, so we’ll just switch.”
“You—we—switch—Mark—no!”
☀︎
“I’m sorry,” Mark says, “But I can’t do it.”
“But Mark,” Jungwoo pouts. “Come on, you know I’ve been dreaming about Jaehyun all summer. What are the chances?”
“It’s not me,” Mark says, and Jungwoo would maybe be more annoyed if he didn’t sound genuinely regretful. “Donghyuck won’t do it. He hates me. He can barely even look at me. There’s no way we can switch.”
“He definitely doesn’t hate you,” Jungwoo starts.
But Mark cuts him off. “I wish I could help dude, but I’m sorry. Hey, I know we probably won’t, but if we win, you can keep my half of the cash. I wouldn’t feel right taking it, anyway.”
Jungwoo sighs. “It’s not about the money, Mark.”
“Yeah,” Mark agrees. “That’s what I’ve been trying to say.”
☀︎
“For our viewers at home, voting has officially closed! Welcome to our season finale of LOVE ISLAND 2023! Join us live from the villa to find out who will be crowned the winning couple and take home fifty thousand dollars!”
They have been plucked and primed, sanded down and shaved, made up and styled. They’ve all been briefed with specific instructions for tonight’s show, but as he stands beneath the bright lights in an itchy suit, Donghyuck feels like he’s kind of forgotten them all.
Breathe, he reminds himself. Smile for the camera. Clap for the other couples. Say something nice about Jaehyun. Wait for the results. Breathe.
“Will it be Jeno and Jaemin?”
Camera 1 pans to them.
“Uh, I hope so,” Jeno says after the cue, which was definitely not his line.
Jaemin smiles charmingly and says the line they’d actually rehearsed. “As long as I get to go home with this one, I’ll be fine no matter what happens.”
Clap for the other couples, Donghyuck reminds himself.
Smile for the camera.
Breathe.
“Will it be Jaehyun and Donghyuck?”
Smile for the camera.
“I think everyone who’s been watching knows that Donghyuck’s a catch,” Jaehyun recites to Camera 2, before it pans to Donghyuck.
Oh, no. That familiar tingle at the base of his neck. Donghyuck’s been here before. There’s two options.
Next to him, Jaehyun clears his throat. Squeezes Donghyuck’s hand.
He’s been here before. He looks at Mark across the stage, standing so pitifully with his hand in Jungwoo’s.
Breathe.
“Say something!” A producer whispers from somewhere on his left.
So, Donghyuck says something. He looks into the camera, takes a deep breath, and says, “I uncouple!”
☀︎
Fifteen Miles South, Somewhere in Spain, at Villa Zhong:
“What the actual fuck?” Yuta cries.
Next to him, Jisung is throwing popcorn at the movie-theatre-sized flatscreen.
“Boo!” Kun calls.
“There’s no way,” Taeyong whines, “They kicked us off for this shit.”
Renjun cracks his knuckles. “I’m gonna scalp him.”
☀︎
There’s a flurry of motion behind the cameras.
“Can he do that?”
“Is this in the rulebook?”
“I don’t know, it’s never happened before.”
“Can someone call for a goddamn commercial break?”
“Shit, yeah—”
☀︎
“For our viewers at home, we’ll return shortly after a word from our sponsors.”
☀︎
“It’s too late for this, Donghyuck.” A stern-looking woman in a skirt suit and red pumps comes up to him clutching a clipboard. “The votes are already in. Uncoupling now would disqualify you.”
Donghyuck squares his chest. “Then disqualify me! I don’t care.”
“Hold up,” Jaehyun says. “Wouldn’t that disqualify me, too?”
“Mark!” Donghyuck calls, ignoring them all. “I should’ve told you this at the beginning of the summer. Watching you with Jeno and Jungwoo made me sick to my stomach—”
“—I never did anything with him!” Jeno calls.
“—And all I could think about, every single day of this stupid summer, was you. I don’t just think we’re a good match because of stupid network ratings or trending on Twitter. We’re a good match because I like you. Because every single morning, I prayed I wouldn’t get kicked off of here, if only it meant I could wake up and see you for one more day.”
Jaehyun coughs.
“Seriously,” Jaemin cries, “the one time the cameras aren’t rolling?”
“But,” Mark says weakly. “The money?”
“I don’t care about the money,” Dongyuck replies, and he can hardly believe it himself, but he kind of means it. “We’re here to find love, right? Real love, like you said?”
“I, uh, I guess,” Mark says, and he’s blushing all over, so painfully awkward, so fucking cute, and Donghyuck knows he’s making the right choice.
“So then I still won. Because I found it.”
“You mean it?”
“I…yeah. I really mean it.”
“Don’t you dare kiss right now!”
”Everybody get back in your places!”
“Commercial break is over in 5, 4, 3, 2…”
And then the cameras are rolling again.
☀︎
“We’re back, live at the season finale of LOVE ISLAND 2023. Just before the short break we were ready to announce the winning couple of this year’s summer in paradise— ”
Mark sighs. Then he takes a deep breath, looks at Camera 1, and says, “I uncouple!”
Because, you know, the things you do for love.
“Jesus Christ,” Jungwoo mutters, putting his head in his hands.
“Holy shit,” Jaemin says.
Jeno looks at him in disbelief. “Did we just…win Love Island?”
☀︎
Half a year later, Ten’s in the back of an Uber on his way from a photoshoot when he gets a call from his manager.
He’s pretty happy with his life, lately. From what he could tell from social media, most of them were. They all had more Instagram followers than, like, the king of England now. As it turns out, last summer’s season turned out to be the most watched one in Love Island history. The moment it ended, the guys were immediately swarmed with sponsorships, brand deals, entertainment offers and exclusive interviews. He made sure to keep up with all of them. Almost all of them.
Ten accepted every single offer, denied every single interview, and hasn’t looked back since.
What exactly made their season so popular? Ten saw a clip of Donghyuck on NBC last week saying something about “their distractingly good looks and shining personalities,” but in truth, it was because there had really never been another season like it before.
Because, technically, no one had won.
The rules state that the winning couple must run against at least one other couple and cannot win by default. Donghyuck and Mark both uncoupling effectively disqualified them all from the prize.
Chenle had kindly volunteered his family lawyer to argue on Jeno and Jaemin’s behalf, but it was a moot point. The rules were communicated clearly in the fine print of the contract they all signed (and definitely read) before joining the show. The money gets donated to a nice charity for sick children.
Ten puts his airpods in and responds to his manager. “You can decline the invite. I’m not going.”
But his manager forwards him another email with the contract (that he definitely read before signing) stating that all islanders were required to return to the villa for the reunion episode within a year of the season ending or face legal consequences. No option for running away.
So he packs a weekend bag and books a flight to Spain.
☀︎
Even though he’s mostly kept in touch with everyone, Ten’s gotta admit, it’s kind of nice to see all of the guys in one place together again. By some strange stroke of luck, they’re all still dating the people they left with—well, except Renjun and Yangyang, who are “off again,” but Ten’s already caught them kissing twice since arriving this morning.
But everyone looks happy and well rested; half of them are sporting completely different hair colors.
Taeyong and Doyoung are also sporting matching rings, but no, Ten’s not even going to ask. It’s been six months, for Christ’s sake.
After some quick reunions, where at least a dozen of them suggest playing the mafia game while they wait for filming to begin as a joke, half of them are shepherded off for hair and makeup. The rest get briefed on the order for which they’ll film the private confessionals reflecting on their lives since the season ended.
Ten heads towards the booth for his own, still avoiding the one pair of eyes he hasn’t had the courage to say hello to, yet.
☀︎
Ten Lee, 27, Bangkok
[Laughs] “I broke his heart, I know. But I guess what I didn’t really understand then was how I broke my own heart, too.”
“The minute I got home, all I could think about was how much I missed him. God, I felt fucking terrible. I was like, replaying every minute of every interaction we had in my head like a broken tape. I just wanted to go back, restart, say sorry.”
“I mean, I know why I did it. It was on purpose. I wanted to ruin things before they could ruin themselves. I don’t know why I’m like that, always expecting the worst. But, and don’t tell them I said this, when I was rewatching the season before coming here this weekend, all I could think was how proud I was of all the other guys. How brave they were. How serious they were about choosing to care about another person. I guess I had to watch other people do it before I realized it was something anybody could do. Even me.”
“It’s not easy, I know that now. Putting your heart into someone else’s hands and just trusting that they’ll keep it safe.”
“But…If there’s anyone on this planet I trust enough to do that for me, well, I’m just glad I got a chance to have him for as long as I did.”
☀︎
When Ten leaves the booth with orders to send in Sicheng next, he’s almost surprised to crash directly into the tall figure waiting behind the door. Almost.
“Were you—?” Ten asks, but then stops.
“Eavesdropping?” Johnny asks. “Yeah.”
“You know those are supposed to be private, right?”
They fall into step together, walking down the path leading back up to the main house.
“Yeah, just you, three cameras, five producers, and every Netflix owner across the world.” Johnny laughs.
Ten laughs, too. Then stops. “I guess I should say—”
“You don’t have to,” Johnny interrupts him.
“No, you deserve—”
“I know what I deserve,” Johnny says gently. “Do you?”
Ten swallows. They keep walking. The familiar sounds of the villa start to become audible. There’s laughter, shouting. Someone’s arguing passionately, voice going a mile a minute. He shakes his head in disbelief. They’re actually playing the mafia game.
“What if,” Ten asks slowly, “We started over?”
He can tell it’s the right thing to say when Johnny’s face breaks out into a brilliant smile, eyes twinkling. He holds his hand out.
“Hey,” Johnny says lazily, and Ten’s heart kind of stops in his throat. Danger.
But he’s not scared anymore. So he takes Johnny's hand and says, “Hi.”
☀︎