R-Connect Season 10 released one preview episode, then dropped two episodes per week.
Which meant Kisoo could immediately watch Episode 3.
But the aftermath of Jun Shin’s behavior was so overwhelming that he couldn’t bring himself to press play right away.
Out of habit, he opened the discussion thread for Episode 3—
And still needed time to prepare himself.
He opened the office window to air the room out, smoked a cigarette, then grabbed his third can of beer from the fridge.
Memories from the past began to ripple through his mind.
***
It was a night of late practice, leading up to their comeback stage.
After delivering chicken breast salads and boiled sweet potatoes for dinner, Kisoo headed straight to the CEO’s office at LM Entertainment.
The CEO unleashed a long tirade, tearing into him.
Kisoo had nothing to say in his defense.
SAVE ME had included minors. As their manager, he was practically their guardian.
He should have kept closer watch under the name of “management,” but right from the start, one member had been arrested for drugs.
It wasn’t entirely Kisoo’s fault—
But as the manager, he was still the one held accountable.
He left the office with his mood in tatters, after hearing what was practically a warning: the comeback had to succeed.
This one has to work. It has to...
If it failed again, his own head would roll.
If success were that easy in this industry, no one would struggle.
With a heavy sigh, Kisoo headed to the practice room where the SAVE ME members were gathered.
Recently, they had been cutting back on sleep just to practice more.
Especially Jun—
Watching him was almost painful.
If he had debuted under a different agency... or even just a different group, he would have soared immediately.
Jun Shin and Gyeol Go—
They had looks, talent, persistence, discipline.
They were Kisoo’s sore spot.
The real victims.
...They’re working this hard. I need to get it together too.
Steeling himself, Kisoo stopped in front of the practice room door.
And saw it.
Jun Shin and Gyeol—
Kissing.
“...!”
He froze in shock.
Behind him, the other members’ voices chattered as they approached. One of them spotted him and brightened.
“Oh, hey! Are we heading back to the dorm?”
“Y-Yeah! Yoonsoo!”
Instinctively, Kisoo raised his voice, blocking the small window in the door with his body.
“Hey! Why aren’t you practicing? Where have you been?!”
“Whoa, why are you yelling? My ears—”
“Gyeol had us running drills until our knees gave out. He just finally said okay, so we went out for some air.”
“You went to smoke, didn’t you? I told you to quit before the comeback!”
“Come on, are you trying to announce it to the world? What if someone hears? I’ll quit, okay?”
Kisoo deliberately kept his voice loud, scolding them.
Soon, the door opened behind him.
Gyeol poked his head out.
“Are we going back? I was going to run it one more time.”
“Hey! We’re going to die!”
“Yoonsoo, quiet. You messed up the choreography earlier.”
The members bickered about whether to keep practicing.
Still shaken, Kisoo stepped back—
And met Jun Shin’s eyes behind Gyeol.
Jun flinched and looked away.
For the first time, Jun—always calm and composed—looked flushed.
Kisoo’s insides burned.
Of all people—
Jun Shin and Gyeol Go?
The two he trusted the most?
“Go back in and practice. Jun, you come with me.”
“Why only him?!”
“The CEO asked me to pass something on. Move.”
He pushed the others inside and led Jun to a distant, unused practice room.
He shut the soundproof door tightly.
Locked it.
“...You two.”
Before he could continue—
Jun spoke first, head lowered.
“Yes. Gyeol and I are dating.”
He was quick.
Too quick.
Kisoo was left speechless, letting out a hollow laugh.
“You know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then I can trust you? This is the most important time. Your last chance. You and Gyeol know that better than anyone.”
“...We can’t break up.”
Kisoo hadn’t expected it to be easy.
First love at that age was always like this.
Still—
He tried to reason with him.
“Jun. What you’re feeling right now—it’s impulsive. Temporary. But the group is different. SAVE ME will follow you forever, whether it succeeds or not.”
“......”
“You have to think about Gyeol too. He’s been a trainee since he was a kid. If you tell him, he’ll listen. So you need to convince him—”
“We’re not breaking up.”
“Jun Shin.”
Jun looked up.
His eyes were red, filled with tears.
For someone usually so mature—
This was the first time Kisoo had seen him like this.
But he had to persuade him.
He had just been chewed out by the CEO.
SAVE ME had to succeed.
If their relationship got exposed—
The consequences were obvious.
There were already countless cases of Alpha-Omega relationships in idol groups being discovered and destroyed by public backlash.
Some fans might support it.
Most wouldn’t.
They’d call it unprofessional. Say it would ruin the group. Ask what happens after they break up.
And worse—
There had been a case before.
An Alpha who got caught dating within the group, went public, then left after breaking up.
He fled to China.
The group collapsed.
He thrived.
That was why fandoms were so sensitive.
“I won’t break up. I can’t.”
“Jun...”
“I really can’t.”
“......”
“I love him.”
No matter how much Kisoo persuaded him—
Jun didn’t budge.
Tears streamed down his face.
“I love him more than I love myself.”
In the end—
Kisoo couldn’t break him.
He could only extract a promise:
Be careful.
Hide it.
And so Kisoo covered for them—
Walking on thin ice.
Looking back, Jun could have lied.
Said he’d break up and continued in secret.
But he didn’t.
That was the kind of person he was.
And yet—
“I’m sorry.”
Six months later—
Jun Shin announced he was leaving SAVE ME.
Yoonsoo’s pregnancy had already made things bad.
But their second album had done well.
There had still been hope.
And now—
This?
It was the worst possible outcome.
“Jun, think again. At least for Gyeol—”
Even when Kisoo brought up Gyeol—
Jun didn’t waver.
“I’m sorry.”
And that was how SAVE ME ended.
***
Back in the present—
Contrary to his fears, Gyeol handled things well in Episode 3.
He set a boundary with Jun Shin, using careful words, slipping out of his arms.
Clean.
Controlled.
Kisoo let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
Even after multiple beers, he wasn’t drunk at all.
Of course—
The community reaction went the opposite way.
Old photos of Jun and Gyeol flooded in.
Stories from the past resurfaced endlessly.
Even when other cast members appeared, attention stayed fixed on them.
“...Of course it’s provocative.”
He had heard Producer Yoo was no ordinary person.
But how much did she know?
There was no way she knew in advance that Jun Shin and Gyeol had actually dated.
Aside from the two of them—
Only Kisoo knew.
Still—
In a situation like this, even he would investigate.
Rumors were already circulating online.
At the very least, she’d have someone check.
As Kisoo wiped his face in frustration—
Day 2 favorability results appeared.
Three votes from Alphas.
Not bad.
With the late-entry twist teaser, Gyeol stayed in the spotlight.
If not for Jun—
He’d be celebrating.
Then—
The late-entry twist was revealed.
“Yo Han Sung?”
He wasn’t the only one who shot to his feet.
??????
Y-Y-YO HAN SUNG????
SAINT YO HAN ON R-CONNECT????
WHAT IS THIS???
world-class actor on a dating show????
this is insane
The shock was natural.
The co-producer/panelist role—
Had been a smokescreen.
None of that footage had aired.
From the viewers’ perspective—
Yo Han Sung had appeared out of nowhere.
The reveal played alongside cast reactions and interviews.
I KNEW IT he had to be on the island!!!
the cast had NO idea look at their faces
who would ever expect Yo Han Sung on a dating show
but why was he a producer???
⤷ why anything??? it’s Yo Han Sung
WAIT that means he’s been choosing Gyeol this whole time???
“...Oh. Right. Damn.”
Kisoo felt his brain freeze.
“Gyeol... what the hell did you do?”
They said Producer Yoo went all in this season.
They weren’t wrong.
But that wasn’t the end.
[The Alpha Death Save Match begins.]
Not long after Yo Han joined—
Gyeol’s float flipped.
wait
is this real???
they’re airing this???
The comments exploded—
Then suddenly—
Yo Han overtook Sun.
?????
THIS isn’t staged???
he beat an Olympic swimmer????
Without hesitation, Yo Han dove underwater—
And rose again—
With Gyeol in his arms.
It looked like a scene from a movie.
this has to be staged
no way... Gyeol actually passed out
where’s the rescue team
?????
???
WAIT
CPR
CPR?
Sweat forming in his palms, Kisoo’s eyes snapped back to the screen.
In the close-up—
Yo Han Sung, having brought Gyeol safely ashore—
Pressed his lips to Gyeol’s.