________

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The scene shifts to the luxurious villa in Paradise, the golden glow of the sunset filtering through the windows, casting a warm light over the living room. Yoo-ri and Jin-young sat comfortably on the plush couch, facing each other with soft smiles playing on their lips. The energy between them was lighter now, a sense of relief washing over them after the intense competition earlier in the day.

Jin-young was the first to break the silence, squeezing her hand gently. "I told you I'd keep my promise," he said, a satisfied grin on his face.

Yoo-ri tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You did," she admitted, interlocking their fingers.

She absentmindedly began to play with his hand, tracing the lines of his palm and comparing the size of their hands. His dwarfed hers easily, his fingers long and strong in contrast to her smaller ones. She let out a small laugh, holding their hands up side by side.

"Your hands are so much bigger than mine," she mused. "Makes me feel tiny."

Jin-young chuckled. "I like that."

Yoo-ri looked up at him curiously. "Why?"

He shrugged slightly, a teasing smile on his lips. "Because it makes me want to protect you."

She felt warmth rise to her cheeks but quickly masked it with another question. "Do you think we would have met outside of Inferno?"

Jin-young paused, his expression growing thoughtful. He let their joined hands rest on his knee, his thumb absentmindedly brushing against the back of her hand. "It's hard to say," he admitted. "We live different lives, and Korea is big... but I'd like to believe that somehow, we would have crossed paths."

Yoo-ri smiled, liking his answer. "I think so too."

He turned to look at her, his gaze intense yet gentle. "For me, it kind of feels like we were destined to meet."

Her heart skipped a beat. There was a sincerity in his voice that made her breath catch, and for a moment, she could only stare at him, taking in the way his dark eyes held nothing but truth.

"What about you?" he asked, his voice quieter now. "What kind of relationship do you see us having?"

Yoo-ri hesitated for only a second before whispering, "A trusting and loving one."

Jin-young's lips parted slightly, as if surprised by the depth of her answer. She continued, her voice steady but filled with emotion.

"I believe that outside of this place, we could work to support each other in our endeavors," she said softly. "That's the kind of relationship I hope to have. And... I want to have that with you."

Jin-young exhaled slowly, his grip on her hand tightening. He looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. "Then we'll work together to have that kind of relationship," he promised.

A slow, radiant smile spread across Yoo-ri's lips, and Jin-young reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered for a second longer than necessary, his thumb brushing against her cheek before retreating.

"Don't stop smiling," he murmured. "I love seeing it."

Yoo-ri felt her heart flutter, but before she could respond, he suddenly got up and disappeared into one of the rooms. She blinked, confused, but he returned just as quickly, holding something in his hand.

"What's that?" she asked.

Jin-young held up a small disposable camera. "I brought this to the island, but I forgot to use it," he admitted. "So I figured we should take some pictures together."

Yoo-ri's face lit up. "That's such a good idea!"

He chuckled. "Alright, sit still."

She straightened up, placing her hands on her lap and flashing a playful smile. Jin-young brought the camera up to his eye, adjusting the angle before clicking the shutter. The soft whirr of the camera echoed in the quiet room.

"Perfect," he said with satisfaction.

Before he could pull the camera away, Yoo-ri reached for it. "My turn," she declared.

Jin-young leaned back, resting an arm on the back of the couch as he smirked at her. She lifted the camera and snapped a photo of him just as he ran a hand through his hair, his sharp jawline highlighted perfectly by the dim lighting.

"Okay, now we need to take a selfie," he said, shifting closer to her.

He extended the camera with one hand, his other arm naturally wrapping around her waist to pull her closer. Yoo-ri didn't protest, simply leaning into his side.

"Say cheese," he murmured.

Instead of responding, Yoo-ri turned slightly and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek just as he took the picture. The shutter clicked, and Jin-young's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

He turned to her, amusement and something deeper flashing in his expression. "You're bold," he murmured.

Yoo-ri grinned, tilting her head. "You like it."

Jin-young chuckled, shaking his head. "I do."

She took the camera back, flipping through the few remaining shots. "Before the night ends, we have to take one of you shirtless," she said casually.

Jin-young choked on his own laughter, looking at her incredulously. "You're way too blunt."

Yoo-ri shrugged. "I just want to document the hard work you put in at the gym."

He raised a brow, clearly amused. "Right, for documentation purposes."

She nodded seriously. "Exactly."

He huffed but eventually agreed. "Alright. Deal."

Jin-young reached for her hand again, linking their fingers together as he looked at her with a small, affectionate smile. "This night is already perfect," he said softly.

Yoo-ri squeezed his hand. "It is."

And as they continued to talk, laughter filling the room, the camera beside them captured moments they both knew they'd cherish forever.

________

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The scene shifts to the warm glow of the pool area, the soft lights reflecting off the water as Yoo-ri and Jin-young swam together, enjoying the serenity of Paradise. The air was filled with the occasional splash and their laughter echoing under the night sky.

Yoo-ri swam closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a loose hug. Jin-young smirked, already knowing what was coming next.

"Spin me around," she demanded, her voice laced with excitement.

Jin-young chuckled but complied, tightening his grip around her waist before spinning them both in the water. Yoo-ri let out a delighted squeal, gripping onto him tighter as he twirled her effortlessly. The world blurred around her, and she threw her head back, laughing at the dizzy sensation.

When he finally slowed down, she clung to him, catching her breath before mischievously pushing herself up onto his back. "Now, carry me to the other side!" she giggled.

Jin-young let out an exaggerated sigh but smiled. "Whatever the princess wants," he teased before pushing off and swimming smoothly across the pool with her on his back.

Yoo-ri laughed, enjoying the ride as he moved effortlessly through the water. "Faster, my royal steed!" she commanded playfully.

Jin-young rolled his eyes but picked up the pace, doing another lap just to hear her laugh again. After two full laps, he finally reached the edge and let her slide off his back.

As she steadied herself, her eyes flickered to his back, noticing faint red scratches from the earlier competition. She frowned, stepping closer and trailing her fingers lightly over the marks. "Do these hurt?" she asked softly.

Jin-young barely glanced over his shoulder, shrugging. "Nah, they're fine."

Without warning, Yoo-ri pressed her fingers slightly against one of the scratches, making him inhale sharply.

She narrowed her eyes. "You're lying."

Jin-young turned to face her, lips curling into a sheepish smile. "It's not that bad."

Yoo-ri crossed her arms. "Get out of the pool. I'm putting ointment on it."

Jin-young let out a dramatic groan. "I'm really fine."

"I don't care," Yoo-ri shot back, tilting her chin up stubbornly. "I just want to put the ointment to be sure."

Jin-young studied her for a second before sighing, realizing there was no winning this argument. He nodded. "Fine."

Yoo-ri smiled victoriously, reaching for his hand as they stepped out of the pool together. The cool night air hit them, making her shiver slightly.

When they returned to their room, Yoo-ri pointed to the bathroom. "Shower first."

Jin-young quirked a brow. "Are you ordering me around now?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're dripping water everywhere."

He smirked but obeyed, walking into the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the room, and Yoo-ri took the opportunity to dig through her bag, pulling out a small tube of ointment. She sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to finish.

A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened, and Jin-young stepped out, only wearing a pair of loose sleeping shorts. His damp hair clung slightly to his forehead, water droplets running down his toned chest. Yoo-ri glanced at him before quickly looking away, focusing on squeezing the ointment onto her fingertips.

Jin-young walked over, turning his back to her as he sat on the bed. "Alright, doctor, do your thing."

She pressed her lips together, dipping her fingers into the cool ointment before gently applying it to the scratches on his back. Jin-young shivered slightly at the touch, but he remained still.

As she carefully spread the ointment, he suddenly let out a teasing hum. "You just wanted an excuse to touch my back, didn't you?"

Yoo-ri stilled for half a second before regaining her composure. "Mm-hmm," she hummed nonchalantly.

Jin-young's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait, really?"

She smirked. "I mean, you do work hard at the gym... it'd be a waste not to appreciate the results."

Jin-young turned his head to look at her, eyes twinkling with amusement. "You're unbelievable."

Yoo-ri simply shrugged, finishing up and patting his shoulder lightly. "All done. Now go to bed."

Jin-young chuckled, shifting so he was lying back against the pillows. "Your turn."

She grabbed her nightwear and a towel before heading into the bathroom. The warm water soothed her muscles, and she took her time before stepping out, her hair damp and sticking to her shoulders.

______

______

When she returned to the room, Jin-young was already lying down, one arm resting behind his head, he glanced up as she entered, a small, lazy smile tugging at his lips.

"Feeling fresh?" he asked.

She nodded, towel-drying her hair as she moved toward the bed. "Much better."

Jin-young watched her for a moment before reaching out and tugging her down beside him.

She let out a surprised squeak. "Hey-"

"You should dry your hair properly," he murmured, taking the towel from her hands and gently patting her hair dry.

Yoo-ri blinked up at him, feeling her heart squeeze at the small, caring gesture.

"You're sweet," she murmured.

Jin-young smirked. "I know."

She rolled her eyes but didn't move away, letting him continue until her hair was only slightly damp.

"We didn't order much food earlier, so I went ahead and got us something for a midnight snack," he said casually.

Yoo-ri's lips curled into a smile as she climbed onto the bed beside him, snuggling under the blankets. "You really know the way to my heart."

Jin-young smirked. "I have to keep my promise of taking care of you, don't I?"

They lay there, talking about everything and nothing, laughter filling the space between them. The air was light and easy, the kind of comfort that made Yoo-ri feel like they had known each other forever.

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Jin-young sat up. "That must be our food. Wait here."

Yoo-ri propped herself up on her elbow, watching as he left to retrieve it. She smiled to herself, feeling a warmth in her chest at how thoughtful he was. Moments later, Jin-young returned, balancing a tray of food in his hands.

She immediately moved to sit on the couch, waiting for him to join her. "Let's see what you got," she said curiously.

Jin-young placed the food down, uncovering the dishes. "Just a little something to keep us full before bed," he said, handing her a plate.

She grinned as she took a bite. "This might be my favorite part of Paradise-midnight snacks with you."

He laughed, picking up his chopsticks. "This is how our life will be outside the show. Midnight snacks every day."

Yoo-ri chuckled. "That doesn't sound too bad."

Jin-young leaned back, watching her with a playful look. "By the way, I've heard you telling people you can bake, but I've never seen you actually do it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? I can bake."

He smirked. "I don't know... sounds like a myth to me."

Yoo-ri scoffed. "And what about you? I've heard you say you can cook, but I've never seen you pick up a pan."

Jin-young laughed. "That's not my fault! Inferno has no pans."

She rolled her eyes, amused. "So, you're telling me that once we're outside, you'll be cooking for me?"

He nodded confidently. "Anything you want."

Yoo-ri hummed, pretending to think. "Then I want you to make me steak."

Jin-young smirked. "Easy."

"In that case," she added, "I'll bake you a cake."

His face lit up. "A whole cake?"

She nodded. "Mhm. I'll even let you pick the flavor."

He grinned. "Then I'll take chocolate."

"Good choice," she said approvingly.

They continued eating, the conversation flowing effortlessly between teasing remarks and sweet promises. When they finally finished, they returned to the bed, lying side by side, their shoulders touching.

Yoo-ri turned her head slightly to look at him. "Tell me something about your life outside the show."

Jin-young thought for a moment before saying, "I own a motorbike."

Yoo-ri's eyes widened. "No way. You?"

He chuckled. "What? Do I not seem like the type?"

She shook her head in disbelief. "I just didn't expect it. You have to take me for a ride one day."

Jin-young smirked. "It's a must."

She grinned. "I'm holding you to that."

His expression softened as he turned fully to face her. "You know... the first thing we're going to do after the show ends is go on one of our dates."

Yoo-ri's heart fluttered at his words. "You already have it planned?"

Jin-young nodded. "Of course. And as soon as you graduate, we're taking that trip we talked about."

She smiled at the reminder of their previous conversation about traveling together. "I'm not sure about Japan anymore, though," she admitted.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then where do you want to go?"

She thought for a moment. "China."

Jin-young tilted his head. "China, huh?"

She nodded. "I think it'd be fun."

He smiled. "Then China it is."

Yoo-ri felt warmth spread through her chest as she looked at him. It wasn't just the words he said, but the way he said them like he genuinely wanted to share all these experiences with her.

She reached out, lacing her fingers with his. "I like making plans with you."

Jin-young squeezed her hand gently. "Me too."

They lay there in comfortable silence, the sound of their steady breathing filling the space between them.

"I think we were meant to meet," Jin-young murmured.

Yoo-ri smiled, her fingers tightening around his. "Me too."

And just like that, under the soft glow of the Paradise lights, they drifted off to sleep, wrapped in the warmth of unspoken promises.

As she settled into the blankets, Jin-young pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist. She instinctively snuggled into his warmth, sighing contentedly.