Even with four clues in their hands, the group was no closer to unlocking the door to their temporary home.

It was clear that everybody felt frustrated, tired, and somehow hopeless. Along with that was the thickening darkness that slowly swallowed the sky.

It seemed like they had combed through every inch of the garden, turned over every stone, and checked behind every bush, yet the mystery remained unsolved.

Online, the comments was filled with speculation.

- Where might it be? They've searched everywhere.

-I don't even know. Maybe they missed a spot?

- Have they checked under the pots? That's where I usually hide my keys.

- I swear, they've tried everything. Maybe this is just a prank.

- The skies are already dark. I'm worried for them.

The concern wasn't misplaced. As the night crept in, the temperature dropped, prompting everyone to pull out their jackets and bundle up. The cold air nipped at their skin; fortunately, June kept the fire burning, so it provided them with some warmth.

They huddled around the fire, the flames casting shadows on their tired faces.

"Well, I didn't think we would die here," Pablo quipped, breaking the silence with his dry humor.

Jisung's eyes widened. "Are we really going to die here?" he asked.

Hana, sitting beside him, shook her head and offered him a reassuring smile. She patted his back gently. "We're not," she assured him, acting like she was speaking to a younger sibling. "I'm sure they won't let that happen."

"Yeah," Haruki chimed. "Or they'd be dealing with a lawsuit from all our companies."

June, who had been quietly watching the flames, glanced over at Mei. "Are you alright?" he asked, knowing she got cold easily.

Mei nodded. "I'm okay," she replied.

- I swear, these two are suspicious.

-You guys are so crazy, overanalyzing everything.

- I guess boys and girls can't be friends now.

- They can't without any romantic feelings.

Casper, staring into the fire, voiced what they were all thinking. "I hope they would give us another clue or something," he said. "That would help."

Just as the words left his mouth, the camera hanging around June's neck lit up, startling everyone. The sudden brightness in the dim light of the fire caught their attention, and they all leaned in.

Pablo squinted at the camera. "It's a smart camera," he muttered. "Are they really going to give us a clue like you've said?"

They all appeared excited.

However, their excitement was short-lived. The camera displayed a message, the letters glowing in the dark.

"It's getting boring," the message read.

"Did they just diss us?" Mimi asked.

The group groaned, disappointment seen in their eyes. They had been starving, running on nothing but the packs of ramyun they had cooked earlier in the afternoon. Their patience was wearing thin, and the last thing they wanted was to be toyed with.

"Please tell us campfire stories! About your home or anything," the camera prompted.

"We're starving, and they want us to tell stories?" Pablo muttered under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest.

But despite the grumbling, Jisung, ever the optimist, was the first to speak up.

"I have a fun story!" he exclaimed.

The others turned to him, accepting their fate. They might as well tell those stories if they were going to stay outside for a long time.

"Go ahead," Haruki said.

Jisung smiled at all of them before casually saying, "I'm adopted!"

The comments section was in chaos.

- What the heck?

- Is this really happening?

- I did not expect this at all.

- I'm not crying, you're crying!

The members of EVE turned to each other with wide eyes, pointing at each other.

"Did you guys know?" Akira exclaimed.

Jaeyong shook his head. "No," he said. "What the heck?"

"My child," Ren muttered, placing his hand over his heart.

"Do you guys think this is real?" Sehun asked, wanting to deny the situation.

"Would Jisung really joke about something like this?" Akira asked.

"He said it so casually, though!" Sehun defended. "In front of near strangers and the public,

too."

Indeed, the live audience had been caught off guard by Jisung's revelation, and his name quickly rose up to the trends list.

Around the campfire, Haruki cleared his throat, aiming to break the awkward silence.

"Hey, can you really say that?" he asked, looking around the cameras.

Meanwhile, Ramil PD, in the comfort of the staff house, felt sad about Jisung's confession, watching the live scene intently. However, amidst his sadness, he couldn't help but smile at

the revelation.

"We've hit the jackpot," he whispered.

Jisung nodded to Haruki's question, a small chuckle escaping his lips. "I've never revealed it before," he admitted, "but it's not something I'm ashamed of."

June continued to stare at Jisung, his eyes wide with surprise. He couldn't believe what Jisung

had just shared.

"Don't look at me like that, bro," Jisung said, offering a reassuring smile.

"Is it really alright?" he asked, his voice softer than usual.

Jisung nodded again, his expression remaining cheerful. "It's nothing special," he began. "I got to know about it when I turned 18. At first, I asked myself if it was my fault, you know? Like, did I do something wrong? But then, I realized there was no point in dwelling on it. This is my life now. It may not be with my original parents, but they gave me a home like no other. And for that, I'm happy. It all happened for a reason."

"Again, it's not anything special. I didn't grow up lacking in anything, so you guys don't have to look at me like that. I'm happy with what happened. I'm happy it turned out this way- because I found the home I could never ask for."

The others didn't know what to say. Jisung just shared some vulnerable information. In the end, they could only offer him supportive looks, their eyes conveying the encouragement that

words couldn't.

But it seemed Jisung's honesty had opened the floodgates. The campfire's warm glow

reflected on Casper's face as he suddenly spoke up.

"Luther is my younger brother," Casper started off.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Report chapter

Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter