Main Character of a Dating Reality Show C3

Chapter 3

Right on cue, the narrator’s voice announced the start of the game.
The contestants, though reluctant, dispersed to take their positions—giving Go Gyeol a chance to quietly turn his back and slip away from sight.

His heart pounded violently in his chest.
He clasped his trembling hands together, rubbing them tightly as he stared out at the endless blue sea.

Noticing the tension in him, Yoon I-soo spoke softly.

“Gyeol, are you okay? You look pale—are you not feeling well?”
“Ah, no, I’m fine. I just… got nervous thinking about the game starting soon.”

Gyeol shook out his hands and forced a faint smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
I-soo nodded sympathetically, bouncing in place a few times.

“Ugh, I’m not even hoping for first place. I’ll be happy as long as I don’t come in last. I’m terrible at physical stuff.”
“Really? You don’t look it.”
“Completely hopeless. My agency told me to just make sure I don’t become a meme.”

I-soo cupped his hands over his mouth like a secret and giggled. The more Gyeol saw of him, the more he seemed like an easygoing, pleasant person.

“Let’s stand over here together, Gyeol.”

Feeling some of his anxiety fade, Gyeol straightened his posture beside him.
Still, no matter how he tried, he couldn’t ignore Sung Yohan, standing behind the cameras.

The Alpha team battle began.

Each Alpha limbered up, pumping their muscles with push-ups before stepping to the starting line. Every one of them possessed an enviable physique, but just as their faces differed, so did their builds—each distinct, each striking in its own way.

“Choi Sun, your body’s insane in person.”

The former national swimmer, Choi Sun, had broad, rectangular shoulders and a sharply tapered waist—a perfect inverted triangle.

“Tommy, you’re better built than I expected, too.”

The mukbang YouTuber’s body was that of a bear—massive, solid, and thick with muscle, entirely opposite his gentle face.

“And Joon-oh…”

Gyeol nearly lost composure at Yoon I-soo’s whispered comment.

Shin Joon-oh’s upper body—something Gyeol had once seen countless times—was now twice as sculpted.
Years of brutal dieting and training had chiseled his form: his abs stood out sharply, every line defined.

Gyeol couldn’t help recalling that viral YouTube Short—the “#1 Idol Six-Pack” clip of Joon-oh at a concert, lifting his shirt to his face mid-dance, exposing tight abs and defined pelvic lines.

And now he was seeing it live.
Something he could’ve gone the rest of his life without witnessing again.

“Woo-seok’s a bit lacking, huh?”
“Yeah. He’s got a nice body, but the others are just on another level.”

Compared to the rest, Jung Woo-seok, the model, appeared a bit lean—graceful, yes, but almost fragile in a competition of raw strength.

– Beep!
– Start!

The first game was an obstacle race.

From the very beginning, the Alphas exploded with power.
Shin Joon-oh and Choi Sun immediately took the lead.

Joon-oh had agility; Sun had endurance.
The two battled fiercely for first place, alternating in the lead with every obstacle.

“Whoa, this is insane…”

The turning point came at the sixth obstacle.
Joon-oh, running out of breath, began to falter, while the tireless Choi Sun powered through to the end.

Even as Joon-oh chased him doggedly through the final sprint across the beach, he couldn’t close the gap.

– Winner of the Alpha Team Battle: Choi Sun.

“Good job.”
“That was amazing.”

Joon-oh, finishing second, exchanged a high-five with Sun, both smiling in good sportsmanship.

– The winner, Choi Sun, will receive a ‘Brunch Date Ticket.’ He may choose one Omega to have brunch with tomorrow morning.

Pouring a bottle of water over his head, Joon-oh looked genuinely frustrated at the loss.

To Gyeol, that was a relief.
The further that man stayed from him, the better.

– Next is the Omega Team Battle.

Finally, it was the Omegas’ turn.
He needed to start strong.

He could do this.
He’d trained hard for this—running, grip strength, balance, obstacle drills.

And standing at 180 cm, Gyeol was tall for an Omega.
The other contestants were all smaller—at least five centimeters shorter on average.
In a physical challenge, height could be an advantage.

– Take your positions. You’ll start after three signals.

– Beep.

He clenched his fists tight.

– Beep.

The first course was semi-climbing—a slanted wall about 2.5 meters high.
The center would crowd instantly.
He’d go for the edge instead.

– Beep! Start!

At the signal, the Omegas sprinted.
Gyeol reached the slope first—his plan worked.
While the others tangled in the middle, he scaled the side swiftly and cleanly.

“Wow! Gyeol’s so fast!”

Even the Alphas watching couldn’t hide their amazement.

Without hesitation, he crossed the floating sponge platforms over the pool and cleared the next section effortlessly.

By the fourth obstacle, Gyeol was well ahead of everyone.
He rolled, jumped, climbed, and broke through each hurdle with perfect precision.

Hitting the sandy stretch, he sprinted full speed toward the finish line.

“He’s really fast!”
“Gyeol’s definitely taking first!”

Victory was within reach—when suddenly, a scream pierced the air behind him.

He instinctively looked back.
Far behind, the other Omegas were still running, except for Yoon I-soo, who had fallen, clutching his ankle.

A sprain, probably.

What should I do?

The finish line was right there.
For a split second—just a heartbeat—he hesitated, torn between choice and instinct.
Two other Omegas were quickly gaining on him.
No time to think.

“Ugh, I’m not aiming for first. I just don’t want to come last.”

I-soo’s earlier words echoed in his mind.

Damn it.

He turned on his heel and ran back.

“Huh? Wait—what?!”

The Alphas gasped, and even the Omegas passing him gave him stunned looks.

Don’t be ridiculous.
He wasn’t doing this to play the hero.

This was a strategic move—everything in this industry was about image.
Helping I-soo would make him look kind, genuine, admirable.
That was all.

Or so he told himself as he reached the fallen Omega.

“I-soo, are you okay?”
“Gyeol… you came back because of me?”
“Can you stand?”
“You shouldn’t have. You were in first place.”
“It’s fine. Come on, get up.”

He pulled I-soo’s arm over his shoulder and helped him to his feet, supporting him as they walked slowly toward the finish line.

When they finally crossed it together—

– Winner of the Omega Team Battle: Kang Hee-jun.

While Kang Hee-jun jumped in celebration, I-soo looked crushed with guilt.
But Gyeol simply shook his head and patted his shoulder.

“It’s okay. I wanted to.”
“Gyeol…”
“Really. I only did it to build a good image, you know?”

At that, I-soo smiled through teary eyes.

Losing so close to victory stung bitterly, but Gyeol didn’t regret it.
He might’ve justified it as strategy, but deep down, he knew—
even if he could go back, he’d make the same choice again.

After showering and freshening up, the contestants gathered in the outdoor lounge for dinner.

“Choi Sun, have you decided who to use your brunch date ticket on?”
“Not yet. I’m still thinking.”
“Ah, careful and thoughtful type, huh?”
“It’s an important choice.”

Listening idly as he cooked, Gyeol busied himself chopping vegetables.
Having Shin Joon-oh in the same space was mildly irritating, but at least Sung Yohan was nowhere to be seen—no shadow of him behind the cameras. That alone made it easier to breathe.

“Gyeol, your knife skills are amazing.”
“Huh? Oh—no, not really.”

He paused mid-chop, embarrassed.
All those years of working kitchen part-time jobs while raising a child had left him with this unintended skill.

Maybe he’d gone overboard.
But since he’d started, he might as well show competence.

Soon enough, the aroma filled the air.

“Wow, this is delicious!”

He’d whipped up rolled omelets and stir-fried pork with cabbage in no time.
The result was a hearty meal that satisfied even the Alphas who’d volunteered to cook next time.

Not bad.

Smiling faintly, he took a bite of the omelet, savoring the simple flavor.

Later that night, when Gyeol opened his mailbox to check the first impression votes, he froze.

With four Alphas, two votes would’ve been ideal—a good start to build momentum.

But—

“…”

The mailbox was overflowing with cards.

He blinked, thinking it must be a mistake, then leaned forward, bumping his forehead lightly against it for the cameras.

“Phew…”

Steadying himself, he began pulling them out, one by one.
One, two—

All four Alphas had chosen him.

But—

“Wait…”

There was one more.

Not four, but five cards in total.

“Why… are there five?”