Chapter 195: There’s No One You Can Trust in This World

A place where one must choose between trust or betrayal.

Kang Siwoo sat in a small meeting room located at the end of the second-floor hallway.

A private space where words wouldn’t leak to the other members.

His eyes gleamed as he faced the decision.

“Kang Siwoo-ssi, just choose freely.”

In front of him were two cards — trust and betrayal.

Even if he changed his mind later, the decision couldn’t be altered.

“This is tricky…”

Kang Siwoo murmured quietly as he stroked his chin.

If many chose trust, then obviously that side had the advantage.

If the trust team managed to collect just five tickets in total, they could escape.

However—

“Our kids are really good at betrayal.”

“Pfft.”

Kang Siwoo knew his teammates all too well.

Trying to hold back laughter, the staff member cautiously asked,

“Who do you think will betray?”

The production team had basically set things up so that at least one person had to betray.

Given that, a few candidates came to mind…

After a brief pause, one name came out of Kang Siwoo’s mouth.

“First of all, Cha Seongbin.”

Our oldest hyung.

“He seems like the type to betray first.”

So reliable, as always.

The staff burst into laughter at Kang Siwoo’s calm voice.

“Oh, is Seongbin-ssi known for betraying?”

“He’s just not that trustworthy.”

Next, who else could be a candidate?

Kang Siwoo tapped the desk with his fingers as he spoke.

“Haim too… I feel like she’d get excited and choose betrayal just because it seems fun.”

The always-cheerful Choco Haim who enjoyed games.

He was certain she’d stab the others in the back and enjoy every second of it.

“Jin Sehyun. He’s also a promising betrayal candidate. The more I think about it, the less trustworthy everyone seems.”

If he had to name someone who was at least somewhat reliable…

Maybe Ha Junseo and Seo Ian?

And—

“Seohan is kind, after all.”

Kang Siwoo nodded slightly as he murmured.

He was a leader who still held unwavering trust in the youngest.

The staff smiled and asked,

“What will your choice be, Siwoo-ssi?”

His hand wavered over the two cards.

He thought about it for quite a while, but truthfully, his heart had already decided before he even entered the room.

“I’ll choose this one.”

As expected from a responsible leader, he chose <Trust>.

.

.

.

At the same time, someone else was making a similar guess.

Cha Seongbin glanced at the camera and mumbled,

“Seohan will definitely betray.”

“Why?”

“He just has the look of a traitor.”

Cha Seongbin shook his head and added,

“Look at those serious eyes, eyeing those sunflower seeds. Our Seohan may be sweet, but when it comes to food, he’ll betray his hyungs without hesitation.”

“Then will Cha Seongbin-ssi choose trust?”

“Ah.”

Cha Seongbin stroked his chin and smiled slyly.

“But I could be wrong~.”

“Sorry?”

“I mean, all our sweet members might actually choose trust. But if we all end up eating salad together… that’s no good either.”

His words started to drag on suspiciously.

“Ah. Honestly, I do want to pick trust… but I also need to get some screentime.”

After tossing out a bunch of excuses, Cha Seongbin grinned and said,

“I’ll betray~.”

And then—

“I’ll betray too!”

Just as Kang Siwoo had predicted, even Seo Haim, a key figure, chose betrayal.

“Because it looks fun!”

She even nailed the exact reasoning he’d guessed — a true leader indeed.

The staff was genuinely impressed by Kang Siwoo’s foresight.

“Hehe, backstabbing sounds fun. It already feels thrilling!”

Seo Haim cheerfully picked up the betrayal card.

Stardust, overflowing with nothing but betrayal and more betrayal.

One by one, the rest of the members made their choices.

And finally, the person Kang Siwoo had placed the most trust in — Seohan — entered the meeting room.

“What’s this?”

Seohan’s eyes widened as soon as he saw the cards on the table.

He glanced around cautiously and sat down.

“Oh, so we’re choosing a card.”

“Please choose between trust and betrayal. You can’t change your decision afterward.”

‘Seohan is kind.’

The staff recalled how Kang Siwoo had emphasized that phrase at least half a dozen times as they waited for Seohan’s choice.

Seohan’s eyes carefully examined the two options.

“Hmm…”

“Which one will you choose?”

Surprisingly, he didn’t hesitate for long.

“I’ll betray. I think everyone else probably chose this.”

“Oh, the other members?”

“Yes. I’m sure of it.”

Can’t resist a trend.

The quick-witted youngest, Seohan, grabbed the <Betrayal> card without a moment’s hesitation.

‘Seohan is kind.’

‘Seohan is kind.’

‘Seohan is…’

It was almost as if the staff could hear Kang Siwoo’s wistful voice ringing in their ears.

“Only four people can escape?”

The news from the production team, delivered about ten minutes after the mission started, was shocking.

Seohan’s eyes widened as he asked again,

“The first four to escape get through, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct!”

“Wow…”

Trust and betrayal — no one knew what the others had chosen, but things were about to get complicated.

“So this is what betrayal really means.”

If the trust team succeeded in their mission, n people could escape.

If three escaped, that meant one slot would be left. Which would put those who chose betrayal at a disadvantage.

In other words, they now had to make sure the others failed their mission — no matter what.

The pressure mounted.

“Where’s the mission box?”

Seohan hurried through the office to search for the mission box. Before long, he ran into Ha Junseo.

Seohan had been rummaging near the lockers when a voice came from behind, making him turn around.

“Seohan-ah, what are you looking for?”

“Jeez, you scared me.”

He hadn’t found anything yet.

Acting nonchalant, Seohan pointed down the hallway and asked,

“Hyung, did you already search this side?”

“Uh, I haven’t found anything yet.”

“Then maybe it’s not this way….”

Glance—

At that moment, Ha Junseo, who had been closely observing Seohan’s movements, cautiously asked.

“Seohan-ah, you’re on the trust team, right?”

“I chose trust.”

“Really?”

Ha Junseo hesitated for a moment, then stroked his chin and spoke.

Unlike Kang Siwoo, this one had a better sense of objectivity.

“Sounds suspicious.”

“I’m really on the trust team. Think about it carefully.”

“Think about what?”

“My goodness…?”

“…Hmm, I don’t know.”

Avoiding Ha Junseo’s gaze, Seohan replied naturally.

‘That hyung probably picked trust.’

He decided to feign ignorance for now.

Still, Ha Junseo’s subtle suspicion only faded when noise erupted from the next meeting room.

“Hey! You’re not supposed to go in there!”

“PD-nim! Seo Haim is going through someone else’s desk!”

It was Cha Seongbin and Seo Haim’s voices.

What are they doing over there?

“Ahahaha! I shouldn’t open the desks, huh?”

“Isn’t the mission box in here?”

“Would it be?!”

“Whoa, that’s our manager’s desk…”

“Gasp. Manager-nim! Your pencil case is so cute!”

Seriously.

Are they doing a “What’s in My Bag” right now?

Watching the two who looked like they’d break property any moment, Ha Junseo quickly moved along.

“See you later, Seohan.”

“I’ll search over that way.”

A few minutes passed as he searched.

“Oh!”

Not far away, next to a hallway plant, Seohan found the mission box.

A small red box, about the size of a phone.

The mission instructions were probably inside.

Carefully glancing around, Seohan cautiously pulled out the mission note.

“Cooperation mission?”

[Cooperation Mission]: Complete a dance challenge with a trust team member

‘The self-content team isn’t holding back…’

It was such a blatantly cooperative mission that he had no choice but to rope someone in.

Ssskkk.

Ha Junseo was still nearby, but given how suspicious he was, he probably wouldn’t agree to a dance challenge.

In this situation, the only person he could ask was…

“Ah!”

Right then, he spotted Seo Ian in the distance, who had just found his own mission box.

Seohan’s eyes sparkled.

‘Seohan-ah, you really chose trust, right…?’

‘Of course. Without a doubt.’

‘I’m on the trust team too! Should we help each other with our missions?’

The same routine he’d used on Ha Junseo.

Thankfully, one advantage was that this hyung was less wary than Ha Junseo.

I smoothly recited the mission content.

‘It’s a dance challenge. Since it’s a cooperation mission, I have to do it with someone. But I have a feeling the other hyungs probably picked betrayal.’

‘Dance challenge?’

‘Yup. With a trust team member…’

Just in case he didn’t believe me, I showed him the mission note outright.

Fortunately, Seo Ian took the bait easily.

‘Hyung, want to do it with me?’

‘Sure. Mine is buying one item at the 1st-floor café together.’

‘Let’s go quickly then.’

If it weren’t a cooperation mission, he wouldn’t have helped the trust team’s mission, but he figured it was better to finish his own mission inside that anyway.

‘Thanks for helping with my mission!’

‘I’m the one who should be thankful, hyung.’

‘Trust team… fighting!’

‘Fighting!’

Thanks to that, I got a refreshing orange ade at the 1st-floor café and even recorded the dance challenge.

“Nice.”

As expected, he’s soft as sundubu…

Hyung, are you an angel?

I almost got emotional at how he helped me without the slightest doubt.

Shouldn’t he have suspected me at least once?

“Thank you, Ian-hyung.”

I turned to the hallway camera and murmured quietly.

“Thanks to you, I’m off to exchange my ticket now.”

Then I hurried up to the third floor.

This was where we’d chosen the trust or betrayal cards at the start of filming — the ticket exchange area, where the self-content team staff was waiting.

Creeeak.

“I’ve completed one mission.”

As I opened the door, the staff member looked up in surprise.

“Oh, already? That was fast.”

“I had a reliable helper.”

Our trust team’s angel, Sundubu-hyung.

How will he survive in this harsh world, being that pure?

“A helper?”

“Yup. Kind Sundubu-hyung!”

If I’d asked him to help with another mission, I bet he would’ve said yes.

That’s how much I trusted him.

“Here’s the dance challenge video.”

A flawless success.

With a satisfied smile, I showed the staff the recorded video.

But then.

Something about the staff’s expression seemed odd.

“Uh, Seohan-ssi’s mission is…”

Mission?

[Cooperation Mission]: Complete a dance challenge with a trust team member

“This is right, isn’t it?”

“Mission failed!”

“What?”

Wait, what went wrong?

With wide eyes, I asked again.

“Why… why did I fail?”

“One of the mission conditions wasn’t fulfilled!”

Huh?

The dance challenge was a perfect success.

There was one condition, though…

‘With a trust team member.’

I blinked and fell into thought.

“No way.”

My mind finally kicked into high gear.

There was only one possible explanation.

I was speechless.

“No way… that hyung picked betrayal?”

“Failed!”

“Wait… wait a second!”

“Failed!!”

Wow, Seo Ian.

“You tricked me without even blinking!”

This betrayal is unreal.

I was so dumbfounded my words came out wrong.

“That hyung could be an actor. I seriously never saw that coming, wow…”

Without a doubt, the biggest shock since debut.

How did pure Sundubu-hyung become like this…

“This is the biggest betrayal in my nineteen years of life.”

Right then, with perfect timing, the meeting room door opened.

“I finished my mission and came to excha—”

A shy face entered to exchange his ticket.

As soon as Seo Ian saw me, he took a step back.

“Hyung, come here.”

“……!”

“Where do you think you’re going!”

There really is no one you can trust in this world.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep