"Someone as pretty as you has really never dated anyone?"

"Really. I always say I look straight, and besides, I don't go around introducing myself like, 'Hi, I'm Gyu-Ri, and I'm a lesbian too!'" Gyu-Ri replied with a soft laugh. The ocean breeze ruffled her dark hair as she sat on the interview bench, sunlight catching on the nervous smile playing across her lips. "I've never even had the chance to confess. Every time I liked someone, before I could say anything, they'd reject me indirectly... That's why I'm here."

From the moment Gyu-Ri stepped into the villa, the salty sea air clinging to her skin and the sound of waves crashing in the distance, she was drawn to Chae-Young—she was exactly her type. The production staff directed them to a room where contestants' photos were displayed and instructed them to choose the person who had left the best first impression.

Without hesitation, Gyu-Ri picked Chae-Young's photo, her fingers brushing the edge of the print as she held it up with a smile that felt like the first genuine one she'd worn in months. "To be honest, she's completely my type," she confessed during the follow-up interview, heat rising to her cheeks. "I'd really like to get to know her more."

That morning on day two, they played a game of chance to decide which couples would go on dates. The tension in the air was thick with nervous anticipation as Gyu-Ri found herself paired with Chae-Young.

"Can I tell you something?" Gyu-Ri asked as Chae-Young drove to their date spot, the car windows down and wind whipping through their hair. "I voted for you in the first impressions vote."

"I voted for you too," Chae-Young admitted with a smile that made Gyu-Ri's heart flip in her chest.

"What!? Really!?" Gyu-Ri exclaimed, surprised. A genuine smile spread across her face, warm and bright as the morning sun reflecting off the ocean. "I'm so happy..."

By day five, Gyu-Ri began noticing changes in Chae-Young's behavior. The easy laughter and lingering glances had faded, replaced by distracted silences and evasive movements that left Gyu-Ri feeling adrift. Their conversations now had awkward pauses that stretched like the endless horizon before them.

They met in Chae-Young's cabin to talk, the sound of waves providing a constant backdrop to their strained conversation. "Are you upset with me?" Gyu-Ri asked nervously, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands. "I feel like you've been avoiding me lately."

"That's not it," Chae-Young replied, her gaze drifting toward the window instead of meeting Gyu-Ri's eyes. "You're the one who attracts me the most romantically..."

"But?" Gyu-Ri interrupted, hearing the hesitation in Chae-Young's voice like a crack in their connection.

"When we talk... it feels like we're not in sync," she explained. "That's what I feel."

Gyu-Ri nodded slowly, confusion clouding her thoughts like the morning fog rolling in from the sea. They had seemed so perfectly aligned just days before. And then it clicked, sharp and painful as a sudden wave breaking against the shore.

"Is Soo-Jin the one you're drawn to?" she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

After a silence that felt like an eternity, Chae-Young admitted, "Yes... I feel comfortable with her, and there are things I like. But you're the one I like the most."

The words hit Gyu-Ri like a cold splash of seawater. She tried to process what she was hearing, but the truth settled over her like a heavy blanket. When Chae-Young leaned in to hug her gently, pressing a kiss to her hair and whispering, "I won't confuse you anymore, okay? Don't be sad," Gyu-Ri could only nod against her shoulder.

Later, as Gyu-Ri left the cabin, she almost ran into Soo-Jin outside. For a moment, she hesitated, wanting to believe it was just a coincidence, until she heard Chae-Young's voice inviting Soo-Jin in. The sound of the door closing behind them echoed like a final verdict.

With tears streaming down her face, hot and unchecked, she walked to the beach, the sand cool and damp between her toes. Crouching in front of the sea, the rhythmic crash of waves matching the breaking of her heart, she began sobbing softly into her knees.

She thought she was alone until footsteps approached over the sand. Turning around, her vision blurred by tears, she saw another contestant approaching. Quickly, she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, turning away to hide her face in embarrassment.

"I thought no one was around here," Gyu-Ri said quickly, heat rising to her cheeks beneath the tears. The salt from her tears and the sea air stung her skin as she spoke. "How embarrassing... there aren't any cameras here, right?..."