Chapter Text
The opening scene dazzles the viewer with sweeping footage of a beautiful Mediterranean location. Lush greenery, vibrant blue waters running through a series of harbors, and a variety of stone structures and buildings standing proudly amidst it all. While the advertising will focus heavily on the luxury of this location, the contestants will not be leaving the villa long enough to experience any of it during filming.
In a voiceover, the host introduces the premise of our game.
"Eight couples have been brought together to put their relationships to the test. They will be under close scrutiny of their peers, competing in different challenges to prove just how well they know each other. The twist?"
The scene switches over to Bobby, a short and kind looking man with a huge smile on his face. There's a naivety in his excitement that suggests he truly isn't ready for what the show will bring.
"Some of them are lying," he says, leaning in towards the camera as if sharing a secret. "Do you think you'll be able to tell who's faking their love? They'll need to know and understand their partner on an intimate level if they want to make it to the end. Slip up or hesitate, and they may find themselves going home early."
We now see the couples entering the villa, excitedly taking in their surroundings. Some are clearly hanging back and eyeing the other couples rather than focusing on their new shared home.
"Welcome to Lovers or Liars?!"
---
In all honesty, Rumi isn't sure how she found herself in this situation. That's not entirely true; she isn't sure how Jinu got them into this situation.
Every time her mind starts to wander and spiral at the absurdity of it all, she goes over the steps she took to get here. Jinu is her best friend. As much as they love to annoy and tease and act like their friendship is nothing more than a hassle, they would do anything for each other. So, when Jinu asked for her help, she agreed.
How could she have anticipated that the help would be to fake being his long time girlfriend on television with a cash prize at stake? She still agreed after he explained everything, but even as she's stepping into the villa with the other contestants, the reality is difficult to get a grasp on.
It seems unlikely that they would be the only fake couple, but if it is the case, she's sure they'll be found out immediately.
Rumi is fairly confident in her acting skills--that's not the issue. As long as she has her mind in the right space, she can lock in and do whatever needs to be done. What she's worried about is there being no off button. Cameras are everywhere and even the audience isn't supposed to know they're putting on a ruse. Surely they can edit around any small private slip ups, but none of them will know what that looks like until it airs.
She's shaken out of her spiraling when Jinu slides a hand into her own, leaning in against her shoulder. "Going in weightless, yeah?"
Rumi nods, letting out a breath as she finally remembers to smile and relax her shoulders. "Yeah."
Weightless, their shorthand for calming down. Dropping all the baggage weighing on you, even just for a moment. It's admittedly very cheesy, but it also works. She can stand the embarrassment of having that aired to the public if it means she stays sane in this house.
"Do you see this thing, babe?!" another contestant calls out, and Jinu steers them in the direction it came from.
They quickly find themselves by the pool, two other couples milling about the area. The source of the yelling appears to be an incredibly fit man with bright pink hair gesturing at various things in the area. He's trailed by a man with longer hair, but a similar, if lighter, pink hue. There's a fond expression on his face as he nods along to his partner's excitement.
The other couple is huddled together, already having what looks to be a heated discussion. It's difficult to tell much about their features from this distance and angle.
---
[Abby + Romance Confessional 1a]
"What's up everyone? I'm Abby," the shorter haired man says, leaning back against the couch. His arms are thrown across the back of it as well, effectively taking up as much space as possible. One arm is also, of course, behind his partner, in a position to easily slide around his shoulders if desired.
"And you can call me," the second man starts, pausing for dramatic effect. He's sitting with impeccable posture, one hand neatly sat on his knees, the other held against his chest over the heart. To drive his intent home, he tilts his head and shoots a charming smile towards the camera. "Romance."
Abby snorts. "You can also call him Rome. See, he seems all cool and suave, but he's a big goof underneath all that."
"I'm not hearing romantic in that list," he replies calmly, a slight smile tugging at his lips.
"Oh, sure! I'm not great at all that, but Rome definitely knows how to sweep a guy off his feet. Or, anyone, really."
(Cut)
Abby sits up in his seat with a smile, arms coming down to rest comfortably at his sides. "How we met? I'm a personal trainer and he slid into my DMs."
"Tale as old as time." Romance shrugs.
"It worked! I mean, look at this face!" Abby holds a hand out underneath Rome's chin, the latter smiling into the camera once again. Abby then pulls his own floral print shirt up to showcase his stomach. "And these abs? Match made in heaven."
(Cut)
"Our strategy is to just act like we normally do. We're the real deal, and we're prepared to back it up," Romance says. "I'm ready to sniff out who's faking it."
Abby lets out a couple of deep barking noises, closely resembling a, "Row row!"
His partner looks at him questioningly.
"Like a dog. Sniff 'em out."
Realization covers Rome's face and he nods along. "Oh. Yeah, bark bark."
---
The boys seem nice, if a little intense.
Jinu immediately hits it off with them, to no one's surprise. There's a brief moment where Rumi considers "bro-ing out" with them as a part of her cover, but quickly remembers why that would be a bad idea. She's not supposed to be playing a character; she's playing herself. A version of herself that's also in love with Jinu, but for the most part it's purely Rumi. The first rule is to not over complicate their stories.
She doesn't need to be a bro to support the bros. To be a bro ally.
Maybe she should jump in the pool to clear her head.
"What about your boo?" Abby asks, gesturing towards Rumi. Despite addressing it to Jinu, he does look to her for the answer. "Morning workout type of gal?"
She smiles politely, shaking her head. She hasn't spotted the exercise room yet, but she's willing to bet it's another large and open area that offers very little privacy. "Not around other people. I get too self-conscious."
"Oh, yeah I get that." Abby nods. "I mean, not personally. I love to show off. But some of my clients are like that. Whatever works for you works, you know?"
Jinu leans into her shoulder again. "Let me know if you want to hit the treadmill. I'll come up with a distraction to keep everyone on the other side of the house."
Rumi knows he said it to back up their act as a couple--he might even say something similar in a normal setting, just with a more playful energy--but she might have to take him up on the offer anyway. "I'll hold you to that."
"We'll help, too," Romance adds. "Abs gets passionate about helping people exercise comfortably."
"Hell yeah!" Abby claps his hands together. "Anything for a girl to get her gains up."
"Thank you. That's… really sweet of you to offer," Rumi says.
"Competition or not, I'm gonna try my damndest to befriend everyone here. Up top!" He holds a hand up towards Rumi.
She's momentarily baffled that she's the one who's been chosen for the honor of the high five, but quickly responds with a firm slap against Abby's outheld hand. She can't help but smile along with him, either; the energy is a little infectious.
They move on--opting out of bothering the other couple by the pool--to explore another area of the house, keeping an eye out for more people to introduce themselves to. Luckily, they all appear to be congregating in the living room area.
The next few minutes have her on autopilot, repeating the same introductions to each new face that pops up. Half of them are already scanning her and Jinu, blatantly sizing them up and looking for cracks. The others are friendlier, overwhelmed but excited for what's in store for everyone.
One couple in particular represents both sides to their extremes.
The shorter girl with her hair in two low buns, practically jumping forward to meet them. She's beaming so fully that Rumi finds herself in a similar position to earlier, wanting to smile as well just to match her energy. "Hi! It's so great to meet you guys. I can't believe we're really here. Isn't this place incredible? Have you seen how many rooms there are? And there's a little aquarium! It's so cute I might cry."
Then, a taller woman--another vibrant magenta adding to the colored hair in the house--steps up behind her. Her blank expression is almost comical paired alongside the peppier one below. "Names, Zo."
"Whoops! I keep doing that." Zo smiles sheepishly with a shrug. "Zoey and Mira. Easy. Yours?"
Jinu only takes a moment to blink before he relaxes and repeats their own names.
Mira's eyebrows have furrowed, her narrowed gaze locking in on Jinu. Rumi's almost afraid of having it turned onto her next; there's an intensity behind it that feels like it could pierce your soul. And, call her old fashioned, but she's a little picky about who she lets see her like that. On the other hand, there's a part of her that's waiting for it. Wants to be chosen over Jinu for something as silly as this. Proof that she's worth scrutinizing, maybe? That she's in this game just as much as her friend is?
Which hardly makes sense; this is all a favor for Jinu, anyway. Why should she care if he takes the spotlight more often than not?
---
[Mira + Zoey Confessional 1a]
"So we just start talking? About us?" Zoey asks. There's an inaudible response from behind the camera. "Oh, [censored]. Uh, hey. Hi. I'm Zoey!"
Mira nods almost imperceptibly. "Mira."
"We were roommates in college and instantly clicked," Zoey says. "It took us forever to figure things out between us, though, so we've only technically been together for… what, a year and a half?"
"Yep."
"But! That's why we're gonna dominate this. We're so locked in to each other's minds, I think it's gonna scare off all the other couples." She pauses for a beat. "Hopefully not in a, they'll immediately vote us out type way, though… Do we need to rethink our approach?"
Mira shakes her head more noticeably this time. "Our approach is to be us. We're not making ourselves more palatable for anyone."
"Yeah, you're right, but…"
The taller girl turns to face her partner. Her voice is low when she speaks, as if to create a sense of privacy. "Don't change for any of them. Not even me."
Zoey stares back, stunned. Then she nods. "Yeah. Okay."
(Cut)
"I'm pretty good at reading people, so I think it'll be easy for me," Mira says nonchalantly. "Picking out who's lying. She won't want to vote anyone out."
Zoey shrugs. "I can't help it! I like to believe in people."
"I don't."
"It's going to be hard on both of us, but I believe in us. We've been through hard things before. We can do it again."
Mira gives a final nod. "Fully agree."
---
Abby and Romance, Mira and Zoey, the arguing couple outside, Gwi-ma and Demi, Baby and Lisa, Maggie and Mystery… Sussie and Derpy…?
"I don't usually like making fun of people's names," Mira mutters. "But what the hell? I'm not calling that grown ass man Baby."
Thankfully, it seems like the statement doesn't make it further than their little quartet.
It's an interesting crowd that they have; Rumi doesn't know where to start on questioning their legitimacy as couples. Thankfully the host directs them all to try a sort of icebreaker game in the living room. There's a wheel now set on the table in the middle of the room, something for them to spin and then do whatever prompt is written on the corresponding wedge.
Abby jumps up first, glancing around the room for approval. When no one reacts he flicks the arrow on the wheel. Everyone leans forward to see what it lands on.
Never Have I Ever.
"Oh, shit." He chuckles. "So, this is something neither of us has done? Huh."
Rome tilts his head to the side, considering. "Never have we ever…"
Abby scratches the back of his neck. "Uh… Oh, I've got something. Never have we ever gotten freaky in public."
There's a chorus of responses ranging from, "Really?" to "You've gotta be more specific." If he means front of other people, or in a public building? To what extent does freaky entail?
"Okay, okay. Public property, in front of other non participants, either works," Abby amends. "And freaky as in… I dunno. An orgasm happens."
Mira scoffs. "There's no way the two of you haven't gone at it all over a gym."
"Well, yeah. But it's our gym. Private." He punctuates the statement with a wink. "And more sanitary. Anyway, you have to raise your hand if you have done it."
Mira rolls her eyes but raises her hand, Zoey nodding as she raises her own. The only other couple to raise their hands are Baby and Lisa.
Rumi is sure she's a bit red, just from the implications. Thank god Jinu didn't signal for her to go along with this one.
"Business office counts," Romance adds. "Even if the door is closed."
It's clearly directed at the businessman amongst them. Gwi-ma raises an eyebrow at the comment and then nods at his partner to signal both of them to raise their hands as well.
"Okay, so we know where they were." Abby turns to the first two couples. "Care to share with the class? Where was it?"
"Music festival," Lisa admits with a grimace. "It was kind of gross."
Baby sits up in offense. "Gross? Wow. Thanks."
"It was. We were camping overnight without showers so we were gross."
"You didn't have to do it."
"I'm not saying I regret it, I'm just saying in hindsight--"
"Okay!" Abby claps his hands together. "And you lovely ladies?"
It takes a moment for everyone to move on with him. The tension hangs in the air as they eye both Baby and Lisa, anticipating them to continue their spat. They sure argue like a couple, but that could easily be their strategy. If you put all your focus into uncomfortable disagreements, who's going to notice when your details don't match up?
The two settle back into their seats, arms crossed and avoiding eye contact. Only then does everyone look at the two girls who have yet to answer.
Zoey's face immediately goes red. "Uh…"
"Aquarium," Mira says easily. "Bathroom."
There's a beat of silence.
"You had sex in an aquarium bathroom?" Maggie asks, hesitantly.
"She likes marine biology."
Zoey sits up so fast it's a wonder she doesn't pull a muscle. "Not like that! Fish don't, like, turn me on. It was- I mean- Hold on a second!"
The group graciously waits for her to catch her breath and get her thoughts together. Mira watches her partner with a faint smile, clearly enjoying the moment of chaos she's caused.
"Okay! It was a date. She put it all together, planned out a whole day, and when I realized she actually listened to all the dumb rambling I do, I just…"
"Jumped her?" Jinu offers.
Zoey nods. "Yeah… And that's all you're getting. Whose turn is it next?"
There's something about the story that Rumi can't pull her thoughts away from. Nothing specific, she doesn't think. Her mind just won't drop it. It has to be that she's just not used to such open discussion like this. That, or she's subconsciously catching something suspicious that needs more dissection. It feels strange to already be questioning people that she can see becoming her friends.
But that's the name of the game. It's why they're all here.
Every now and then she forgets that she's one of the people lying.
---
On their turn, Rumi and Jinu land on Reveal A Secret. They look at each other briefly and then turn to their crowd.
"A secret about each other?" Rumi asks. "Or both of us?"
Someone tells them to just take their pick. Rumi is at a loss for what could possibly be a good joint secret for them to have. Other than the obvious one, which would defeat the purpose of the game to reveal. She knows Jinu better than anyone, though, so a secret about him could work. Something that he wouldn't feel too betrayed for her revealing.
"I'm sorry in advance," she says to her friend, then looks back at the others.
He gasps. "Don't you dare."
But, alas. She dares.
"Jinu likes to make tiny clothes for pets and dolls," she says. "And he's really really good at it. I don't know why he doesn't talk about it more."
Jinu sighs, walking over to the nearest wall to duck his head and brood. He's definitely playing it up. "Ruining my tough guy image… My own girlfriend… the betrayal…"
"Wait, that's so cute." Zoey reaches out to grab Mira's arm and shake her gently. "When we get out of here remind me to commission him to make something for my plushes."
"No more than five," Mira says, to which Zoey just pouts.
"Money isn't gonna matter if we win."
She shakes her head. "We don't have the space, Zo."
"Then we buy a new place and get a whole new room just for my little guys and an entire closet for their outfits. Easy peasy." Zoey smiles, leaning against her partner and looking up with pleading eyes.
Mira holds out for a long beat… and then sighs. "Sure, we'll talk about it again if we win."
"Yes!"
"Do tiny clothes take up a lot of room?" Romance asks.
Jinu peaks back at the group to see the question is directed at him. "Only when I get sad and make too many. You ever get into the zone and make a fuckton of something without realizing it?"
Mystery nods sagely. It's a movement Rumi almost misses; attention is hardly ever on the man since he doesn't speak much. And this time he only says one word. "Cookies."
"Sometimes I come home to every surface of our kitchen covered in baked goods," Maggie adds.
"Endless cookies…" Derpy--a tall man prone to spacing out with a goofy looking grin on his face--mutters to himself, eyes wide. His short hair is a bright blue, with patches of black that almost have a striped pattern. An effect that may work better on longer hairstyles. The tattoos winding down his arms are far more effective in achieving the look.
They did learn that Derpy was a childhood nickname that he eventually grew fond of, and that he rarely ever uses his birth name anymore. They haven't gotten any explanation for Mystery or Baby, but the former at least makes sense from an outside perspective. Maybe the latter likes to own having a baby face? Rumi would ask if she thought she'd get a straight answer, but everything about the guy's vibe is unsettling.
"So what's her secret?"
Jinu looks at her thoughtfully. "A Rumi secret…"
She certainly has enough to choose from. But there's a reason they're secrets. The secret she chose for him wasn't anything he was ashamed of; just a hobby that he's careful with sharing. Rumi doesn't have something like that. A safe choice that these strangers would believe.
"How about one to match mine?" he says. "Speaking of plushes, Rumi can't sleep without her childhood teddy bear."
Oh, that one hadn't even crossed her mind.
"She brought it with her, so you'll be seeing it tonight. And when I say with the bear, I mean it. Even when she graces me with cuddles, that bear is squished right between us."
"Every night?" Baby asks. "No way, man. I'd lose it."
"No, it's sweet!" Zoey calls out. "If you think one bear is bad, you don't want to see my bedroom."
Mira nods. "Or all the ones she's moved into mine."
"Jinu…" Rumi groans, dropping her head into her hands. She soon feels his presence getting closer, his arm wrapping around her shoulders comfortingly.
"Hey, look on the bright side," he says. "We've found another weirdo for you to bond with."
That's true. Zoey's insistence to normalize it did soften any blow the confession might have dealt her.
"Watch it, Pretty Boy."
Rumi lifts her head to see the death glare Mira's shooting in their direction. Thankfully, Zoey herself doesn't appear bothered by the comment. It's doubtful she even heard it, given she's now having her own conversation with the couple seated next to them. The little she tunes into makes it sound like Zoey is listing off every plushie she owns by both name and animal species.
"Oh, she thinks I'm pretty," Jinu stage whispers. "I didn't mean anything by it. I love weirdos."
Mira's expression hardly eases.
"I'm sorry about him," Rumi says. "Sometimes he doesn't know when to put being an asshole on pause."
Mira furrows her eyebrows, sharp stare now turned on Rumi. She almost flinches at the intensity. "Don't apologize for him."
"Sorry." She blinks, realizing what was just said and how reflexively she responded. "I mean-- I… What?"
"It's not an apology if you do it for him," Mira says.
Without looking, or breaking away from her own conversation, Zoey slides her hand over to grab onto one of Mira's.
Mira looks down at their intertwined hands and her expression softens slightly. With a sigh, she lifts her head back up to look in their general direction but avoiding eye contact. "I didn't mean to sound so aggressive. Sorry for that."
"That's… okay…?" Rumi may say that, but her brain hasn't quite caught up with her yet to know if she means it.
"I apologize for myself as well," Jinu adds. His tone is serious, but with a hint of levity that is clearly meant to keep the mood up. "Next time I will refrain from calling your girlfriend any names, however endearingly they're meant."
Mira nods, looking away again. "Yeah, thanks."
Rumi tries to gauge how Jinu's feeling about the interaction, but as they return to their seats for the next couple to spin, he doesn't seem the least bit bothered. Great. They haven't even been here for a full day and she's already overthinking everything.
---
[Jinu + Rumi Confessional 1a]
"I'm Rumi."
"And I'm Jinu." He puts an arm around his partner's shoulders. She tenses at the contact for just a second, quick enough that it's hardly noticeable to the average viewer.
Rumi relaxes and smiles easily at the camera. "We've been inseparable since we were kids. Two awkward outcasts who managed to find each other."
"Hey, I'm not that awkward anymore."
"You think so?" She gives him a scrutinizing look. The moment is edited to extend the amount of perceived time passed. "Sure, honey."
Jinu splutters. "W- Th- You can't--"
"Regardless, I don't think I'd be here today if I didn't have him in my life."
"Oh." Jinu drops his exaggerated offense. "Same goes for me, honestly. She's my best friend and I love her more than anything. You can't fake something like that."
(Cut)
"The only thing I'm worried about is my nerves getting the better of me," Rumi says, absentmindedly tugging her sleeves up to cover her hands. "If I panic I might dig us into a hole without meaning to. And that's when I really get awkward."
"If I try to be twice as awkward to move attention off of you, that doesn't really help us, does it?"
Rumi smiles but shakes her head. "No, but I appreciate the thought."
"It might be impossible to double that, anyway," he says, hand rubbing his chin in thought. "So we'll have to find someone else to throw under the bus."
Her smile doesn't quite disappear, but the expression does shift into something more exasperated. "Oh my god, Jinu."
"We'll play by your rules and be nice and friendly to everyone," he amends. "But some of them are going to be playing dirty. I say, if they deal it out, we throw it right back at them."
"We won't know anything for sure until we're in there."
"Hear that?" Jinu asks the audience. "You might get to see Rumi's claws come out!" He punctuates the sentence with a cat-like rawr.
---
Nothing too crazy comes from the other couples spinning the ominous wheel. Sharing your partner's talent, two truths and a lie, a couple of repeats of ones they've already spun. There's some assorted bickering and teasing, a heartfelt moment tossed in, but for the most part it's all fun and games.
The last two to go are Mira and Zoey. The wedge they land on is… vague.
Show your partner you love them.
"That's not much of a game, is it?" Mira mutters.
Zoey hasn't lost any of her enthusiasm for the challenge. She's actually started stretching her arms and legs, as if preparing for a run. "I've got this. Are you ready, babe?"
"For what?"
"Koala time!"
Mira raises her eyebrows. "That's how you're gonna sh-- oof."
In the time it takes for her to get out half of a sentence, Zoey is already launching off of the ground to jump into Mira's arms. More accurately, she's wrapped her legs around Mira's waist and arms around her neck, leaving Mira to hold her up around the lower back. Rumi would have expected them to topple right over onto the ground from the momentum, but there's only a half step backwards before Mira has them stable.
"Is that it?" Baby asks apathetically.
Lisa smacks him lightly on the arm. "Give them a second."
"Mira," Zoey says, leaning back to look her in the eye. She slides her hands up to cup her face. "I don't know if I'm allowed to say I love you because it said show you, but I will anyway. Because I do."
Mira smiles; still guarded, but more genuine than Rumi has seen all day.
"But if that doesn't count," Zoey continues. "I don't have a whole lot of options for what I can do right now and… in front of everyone. So, I'll just…"
Zoey closes the rest of the distance between them, pulling her partner into a surprisingly gentle kiss. It's so simple, so soft, that the quiet intensity of it has Rumi looking away. Despite everything signaling otherwise, it feels more intimate than they should be privy to.
She turns to see Jinu's reaction and finds that he's also opted to politely avert his gaze.
Abby lets out a low whistle. "Damn, I'm gonna get a cavity around the two of you."
The two break apart and Mira carefully lowers Zoey back down to the ground. Mira quickly schools her expression to feign indifference, but she can't force away the red in her cheeks. At her side, Zoey is also flustered, attempting to clear her throat and project… nonchalance? Rumi can't tell. At the very least, it seems like she didn't misread the moment. She knows she's a little sheltered and possibly a bit uptight, but she also likes to think she's grown a lot upon entering adulthood.
"So, everyone's had a turn," Romance says. "Does that mean we--"
"Contestants! Everyone please come out to the lawn!"
---
[Baby + Lisa Confessional 1a]
This footage has been removed from the final cut. A coherent narrative could not be constructed due to the high amount of censored language.
---
"Have you guys had fun tonight?" Their host--Bobby--asks, as though he's genuinely curious. After the various nods he gets in answer, he claps his hands together excitedly. "That's great! I hope you also got to know each other better, because it's time for your first elimination!"
The sudden round up had them somewhat prepared for something to happen, but an elimination so soon? Nearly every couple is nervously mumbling to each other. Rumi certainly hadn't expected they'd be cutting someone loose on night one.
"I'll give you a moment to discuss with your partners, and then everyone will place a vote for who they believe is lying about their love. The couple with the majority vote will leave us, but not before revealing their truths. You have five minutes to decide."
Everyone spreads out in the yard, still visible to each other and technically within earshot. They've all lowered their voices to keep their plans somewhat private. The spontaneity of this truth ceremony has them focused on themselves.
Rumi ducks her head slightly when she turns to Jinu. "Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Sort of," he mutters, glancing at the other couples briefly. "We need to think about this strategically."
Strategic? The concept seems pretty straightforward to her. "What?"
"Getting out whoever will make it harder for us to win." He raises his eyebrows at her. Waiting for her to inevitably agree with him, no doubt.
"On the first vote?" Rumi asks, exasperated. "How does that help if we don't have the majority with us?"
Jinu opens his mouth to respond, then pauses. He attempts to keep his expression neutral, but Rumi can still see the realization run through him. "It would plant the idea in their heads. But, fine. We can go with the crowd this time."
How gracious of him to concede so easily.
"Who are they going to dogpile on?" Jinu is looking down, eyes unfocused. "Baby and Lisa are annoying, but they're not fake. I don't buy Gwi-ma's act for a second."
Rumi tries to pick out the couples as he lists them, though she isn't sure what she's looking for. Sudden proof of their real relationship, or lack thereof? "What about that couple who never introduced themselves to us? I don't think they interacted much with anyone."
He nods slowly. "They would be a safe bet, too."
"What if they start voting for our friends?"
"We don't have friends in here, Rumi." His expression is one of bafflement, rather than something chastising, which she appreciates. The last thing they need is for the show to edit Jinu as a condescending asshole when he should be shown as the endearing asshole that he really is.
Still, she has to hold back an eyeroll. He clearly hasn't had making connections in mind since they got here, despite how well some of their conversations have gone. "We need people to rely on. We can't win entirely on our own."
"If we're l-" He stops himself. "Can we really be friends with these people if half of us are lying to each other?"
If we're lying to them.
It's a fair point, as much as Rumi hates to admit it. She also hates the idea of getting close to anyone here while leading with such a big lie. But they all knew what they were signing up for. It's a part of the game.
"I think we have to," she finally says. "Rome and Abby feel trustworthy to me. And I really like Mira and Zoey. So, I'm not voting for them tonight. Even if it's the majority. Okay?"
"Mira?" His eyes widen slightly. "You mean the girl who looks at me like she wants to tear my head off?"
As surprising as that one moment was, Rumi doesn't feel like it was malicious in any way. It almost seemed like Mira was upset on Rumi's behalf. And, well, sue her for enjoying it when a pretty stranger shows her positive attention over her best friend.
Jinu takes in her determined stare and sighs. "I should have expected your heart to get us into a position like this."
"We aren't in a position yet, Jinu," she says. "And you're not allowed to say I told you so until it actually backfires."
He holds his hands up in surrender. "Yeah, yeah. We'll vote for…" He gestures vaguely. "Whatever their names are. Don't need to bother learning them if they're about to leave."
"Thank you."
---
Abby and Romance vote for the squabbling couple; the two who are effectively nameless, considering they failed to share as much with the group. Abby points at them to indicate who he means, and Bobby nods along without stating their names either.
It has to be a bit of some kind. There's no way they've gone this entire day without learning what to call these two, and now their host won't even acknowledge it.
Baby and Lisa vote for Gwi-ma and Demi.
"Just don't like their vibes, you know?" Baby gives as the reasoning. "They don't look in love, and- Uh, yeah, that's all."
Rumi looks to Jinu, once again checking to see if she's the only one confused by the explanation. He narrows his eyes a bit at them, but otherwise doesn't react.
Derpy and Sussie vote for the unnamed duo. Their reasons are similar to the others; they hardly spoke, and didn't seem to want to participate with the group game earlier. The nameless couple, on the other hand, vote against… Mira and Zoey.
"What?" Mira asks, seemingly too confused to be angry about the vote.
"Us?" Zoey questions, just as shocked. "Why?"
Abby scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, dude. Are you sure that's who you meant to say?"
One half of the strange couple forges ahead. "We think they were trying too hard to sell it. It didn't feel genuine."
"You think we tried too hard?" Mira scoffs. Zoey's eyes widen and she immediately grabs her arm, presumably to stop her from making this fight physical. "The two of you didn't try at all, you fucking-"
"Okay!" Bobby quickly cuts in. "The vote is 2-1-1. Demi and Gwi-ma, your vote, please?"
"We think…" Gwi-ma says, looking directly at Mira and Zoey. Mira stares back, unflinching and clearly still trying to calm down. Then, Gwi-ma turns away and gestures at the unnamed pair. "Those two idiots are lying about their love."
Bobby waits a moment for an explanation, but nothing else is added. He nods and moves on to the next couple. Rumi and Jinu.
"We're also voting for them," Jinu says. "They never spoke to us, so we have no way of judging their relationship. Just from looking at them, I'd guess they've never even met before today."
Rumi nods in agreement.
One of the pair shakes his head, laughing humorlessly. "You people…"
Bobby nods sagely. "Four votes makes a majority at this point, so we know who will be leaving us tonight. However, we will still need to hear the votes from the last two couples."
Maggie and Mystery hesitate but ultimately admit that they would have voted against Baby and Lisa.
"I just don't think people who are really in love would talk to each other like they do," Maggie admits. "I'm sorry."
Baby rolls his eyes, but Lisa just shrugs. She runs a hand against his back, softly murmuring, "It's okay, it doesn't matter."
To no one's surprise, Mira and Zoey vote with the majority against their adversaries.
"It's the same reasons everyone else has given," Zoey says. "They didn't come in here like they wanted to play the game. You know? If they don't want to be here, then… they should go."
"If they're real, I'll eat my hat," Mira adds under her breath. What kind of hat is the glaring question, seeing as she isn't currently wearing one.
Bobby nods, eyebrows slightly furrowed in concern. "That sounds difficult to accomplish, but noted! Now, it's time for the moment of truth. If the couple would step forward and reveal for us what your relationship is…"
The two step forward, standing before everyone with solemn expressions. In unison, they say, "We are…"
Rumi can imagine how much they'll extend this for suspense in the final cut of the episode. Shots of every single couple, maybe one or two of Bobby, the tense music stretched over the footage so it doesn't sound like they're playing every camera angle from one five second moment.
Disappointed, but mostly apathetic, they look at each other and finish with, "Liars."
The group reaction isn't very animated.
To Zoey's point about the two not wanting to play the game, their lack of enthusiasm is exactly what's given back to them. Even the people who didn't vote for them aren't surprised by the admission. Not exactly good for TV, but that's not for them to worry about.
As the eliminated couple is guided away, Rumi finally lets out a breath and relaxes her shoulders.
---
It isn't long after the Truth Ceremony that everyone begins getting ready for bed. They've come to a silent agreement to put the game on pause for the remainder of the night, rest greatly needed before they can get back to using their brains.
As Rumi leaves the bathroom, teeth brushed and changed into her sleepwear, something jumps out at her from around the corner. If the intent was to terrify her, it certainly works. She flinches, reflexively shifting into a defensive stance, her hands held up in fists. The only thing that stops her from flipping the person onto the ground is the bathroom bag in her hand and how quickly she registers the bright turtle themed pajamas before her.
Zoey immediately takes a step back, hands up placatingly. A small plush is held in one of them, though Rumi isn't present enough to tell what kind. "Whoa, sorry! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
It takes a few deep breaths before Rumi can relax, all the while Zoey stands in front of her looking like she accidentally stepped on a beloved pet's tail.
"Um…" Zoey continues. "You were totally ready to kick my ass, too, so thanks for… not doing that."
Rumi shakes her head with a reassuring smile. "No, I'm sorry, that was… I'm not used to living with so many other people. Guess I'm a little on edge."
"Totally understandable!" Zoey says. "I'm definitely overexcited, and that doesn't always mix well with caution. I didn't even think about how we'd all have to live together peacefully."
"I don’t think peace is at the top of their list." Rumi lowers her voice a bit as she says it, but it's nowhere near enough to circumvent their mics.
Zoey tilts her head to the side for a moment, then quickly nods as understanding washes over her. "Oh, right! Good point."
With a potential disaster averted and a somewhat normal follow-up interaction had, Rumi finds herself hovering awkwardly in the hallway. She should weave around Zoey and get back to the bedroom, but the other girl isn't moving either. Has Rumi missed some vital hint about what she should be doing right now? What she should be saying?
"I was looking for you, actually," Zoey suddenly says. "Not to scare you. I wanted to show you this."
She holds out the plush with both hands now, and with a closer--calmer--look, Rumi can easily tell that it's… more of a blob with a face than a recognizable animal. Rumi opens her mouth to respond but finds that she doesn't actually know what to say.
"Plushie buddies!" Zoey pulls the blob back, shifting to hug the thing against herself. "I had so much choice paralysis trying to pick one to bring with me that I totally forgot to pack any. Mira didn't tell me she snagged this guy until a few minutes ago. So, you know. You're not the only one cuddling with a stuffed animal tonight."
Oh.
Someone lightheartedly defending her in the moment is one thing, but being actively sought out hours later? By a near stranger that she's only shared a handful of words with? Rumi doesn't know how to process that, either.
Zoey frowns, looks down at her plush and then back to Rumi. "Sorry, is that…? Weird?"
"What? No!" She shakes her head. Maybe a little too quickly, but that kicked puppy look needs to be remedied as soon as possible. "No, it's… I really appreciate it. Honestly."
"Oh, good." Zoey smiles again, her entire body relaxing as she exhales a nervous breath. "Great. Awesome."
With someone whose emotions seem so easy to read, she should also be able to detect a lie, right? Because as it stands, Rumi hasn't noticed anything that would hint towards…
What is she doing? This isn't a game moment; they aren't talking about their partners or anything that could possibly be fabricated. Jinu must be rubbing off on her if she's already overanalyzing intentions.
"Okay, uh! Goodnight!" It's not quite a yell, but Zoey definitely seems to be tossing the words at her frantically before she spins around and takes off for the bedroom again.
Rumi adds stop spacing out in the middle of conversations to the top of her reality show to-do list.