NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 882: Just Not
Chapter 882: Just Not
The garden turned silent after Ramil PD and the crew left.
"Are we being pranked?" Haruki asked.
"Can they really leave us here all alone?" Mimi also added.
- What is this? Why are they leaving the babies alone?
- This is so fun, though! It really feels like a challenge.
- I love stuff like this!
- Clearly, a lot of people do. We currently have a 30% real-time rating!
Truth be told, Ramil PD's challenge had spread through social media, and many households, specifically families, were tuning in to the show while having their dinner.
- My mom is loving this. She just asked me to watch it with her every day.
- My dad, who doesn't think watching the TV is productive, is also very intrigued. He really likes the concept.
- It's a surprise that my brother also joined us for our watching night. He thinks June is the most handsome!
"So, what now?" Jisung asked, scratching the back of his neck.
The reality sunk in.
They were outside with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the belongings in their backpacks.
Casper sighed before marching up to the front door. He twisted the doorknob with force, clicking his tongue when it didn't budge.
"It's still locked," he announced.
"I highly doubt it would open when we already tried to open it a while ago," Uno said.
Casper twisted the knob again, this time using his shoulder to push against the door, but it remained firmly shut.
Jisung, on the other hand, headed around the back, hoping to find another way in. A few moments later, he returned with the same news. "The back door's locked, too."
- They got the cast members stressed on their first day.
- If they can't open the house, they could stay with us. Porid village is just a two hour walk away! Sighs of frustration were heard among the group as they exchanged glances. The house was right there, but it might as well have been miles away for all the good it did them.
The others began to wander around the perimeter of the garden, searching for anything that might give them access.
"I'll search for it in front of the house," Joonie said, narrowing his eyes in concentration.
"I'll be at the back," Jisung said, also looking for it. The others were nearby, each having their designated areas.
June looked through the cacti before shaking his head.
As the minutes ticked by, their search proved fruitless.
"It's no use," Joonie finally said, stepping back from the bushes he had been inspecting. His voice sounded hopeless, and it made the others stop their efforts. "We need to look for clues."
- Did they search hard enough?
-Where do you guys think it's hidden?
-The surrounding land is so vast. It would take forever to look for it.
June, who focused his gaze on the door, spoke up. "Does anyone have their wallets?"
The group turned to him, confused. One by one, they shook their heads, unsure of where he was going with this.
"They took that from us, too," Uno said.
"Oh, right," June muttered. "No one has a card? Or a pin?"
Again, the group responded with a collective shake of heads.
"Oh, were you going to pick the lock?" Casper nonchalantly asked.
June nodded, his expression thoughtful as he continued to inspect the door's lock.
"Pick a lock? You can pick a lock?" Uno asked in disbelief.
Before anyone could question him further, Jisung cut in, redirecting the conversation. "Why do you think Ramil PD making us do this?"
- Alright, why did Casper think that picking a lock was something a normal person could do?
- For the new fans out there, June is a handyman. He can do anything except have good luck.
June leaned against the door, arms crossed as he thought it over. "It coincides with the theme of the show," he said slowly. "We start from nothing. We earn things here."
Mei sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I just can't believe we even have to earn a house," she muttered, glancing up at the locked door with dismay.
Pablo raised his hand, offering a solution. "There are only two options here," he said, counting them off on his fingers. "We can either make our own makeshift house for the night or find a way to open this one."
"Who can make a makeshift house?" Haruki asked, exasperation heard in his voice. He looked at the others, who seemed equally dubious about their ability to construct shelter from scratch.
"You want us to hack on wood and make a temporary home?" Haruki continued. "What do we have to do next? Drink our own pee?"
They all grimaced as they imagined it. Meanwhile, the comments found the situation really amusing.
- Since when was Casper this funny?
- He looks gruff, but he hates things like this. When he went camping with his members, he nearly suffocated from frustration.
"We're not exactly in the wild here," Mimi pointed out, gesturing to the manicured garden surrounding them. "But still... we need to figure something out."
"Let's just find the clues," Casper suggested. "They're probably out here somewhere."
The group nodded in agreement, and they spread out once more, scouring the garden for anything that might serve as a hint. Time passed, and the sun became hotter and hotter by the
minute.
It was Hana who finally stumbled upon something. "Hey, over here!" she called out, her voice breaking the silence. The others quickly gathered around her, eager to see what she had
found.
In her hand, she held a small, crumpled piece of paper. The group leaned in, their eyes narrowing as they tried to catch a glimpse of the paper.
"What the heck is this?" Mei asked, frowning as she stared at the word.
Pablo took the paper from Hana, turning it over in his hands as if expecting more clues to reveal themselves. "It's just... not," he said, his voice reflecting the confusion on everyone's
faces.
"Not what?" Casper muttered.
"Just...not," Pablo repeated, turning over the paper and even going to the camera to show it to
the audience.
Truly, the three letters stared back at them through the screen.
"Not."