Here's the revised narrative with proper counts:
The villa lights dimmed, leaving a soft glow over the lounge. Each contestant approached her ranking box, a personal station where they were to secretly assign numbers 1–12 to every girl.
A neutral, unplaceable voice filled the room:
"Rank all twelve contestants from one to twelve. Rankings are private. Your results will affect future opportunities. Do not reveal your selections."
No one questioned it. The girls exchanged glances, some tense, some curious.
Yerin's Rankings
Yerin's hand trembled slightly as she placed each card in the box. She wasn't romantically attracted—yet—but certain personalities drew her attention:
Bae Dahye – calm, composed, mysterious.
Kim Sohee – confident, elegant.
Lim Jiyeon – bold, edgy.
Han Jiwon – lively, cheerful.
Shin Areum – chaotic, funny.
Park Sora – gentle, polite.
Yoo Chaewon – soft, shy.
Lee Haerin – quiet, observing.
Kang Minji – athletic, teasing.
Seo Yejin – sweet, polite.
Jung Haeun – playful, smirky.
Ahn Yerin (herself) – embarrassed, she ranked herself last.
She glanced at Dahye once, realizing her "friendship attraction" was genuine.
Dahye's Rankings
Dahye's hands were steady, her decisions precise:
Kim Sohee – graceful, confident.
Bae Dahye (self) – unranked, naturally.
Han Jiwon – energetic, fun.
Shin Areum – chaotic but entertaining.
Park Sora – calm, soft-spoken.
Yoo Chaewon – gentle, polite.
Seo Yejin – sweet, cautious.
Lee Haerin – quiet, observing.
Kang Minji – playful, athletic.
Lim Jiyeon – bold, intense.
Jung Haeun – smirky, teasing.
Ahn Yerin – anxious, flustered.
Dahye noticed Yerin's nervous glance, but she remained detached.
Sohee's Rankings
Sohee ranked based on her first impressions:
Ahn Yerin – honest, genuine.
Bae Dahye – calm, intriguing.
Han Jiwon – cheerful, bubbly.
Shin Areum – loud, chaotic.
Lim Jiyeon – bold, edgy.
Park Sora – gentle, polite.
Yoo Chaewon – shy, soft.
Lee Haerin – observing, analytical.
Kang Minji – playful, teasing.
Seo Yejin – polite, soft.
Jung Haeun – playful, smirky.
Kim Sohee (self) – unranked.
Secret Message Results
After all rankings were submitted, each contestant received a message on their phone:
"You have been selected as #1 by X participants. Keep this private."
The results were:
Bae Dahye: 2 people (#1 = Yerin + 1 other)
Ahn Yerin: 4 people (#1 = Sohee, Jiyeon, Areum, 1 other)
Kim Sohee: 1 person (#1 = Dahye)
Han Jiwon: 1 person
Shin Areum: 1 person
Park Sora: 1 person
Yoo Chaewon: 1 person
Lee Haerin: 0
Kang Minji: 0
Seo Yejin: 0
Lim Jiyeon: 1 person
Jung Haeun: 0
No one spoke of the numbers. The ethereal message made the tension subtle but real—everyone knew they were being evaluated.
Yerin stared at Dahye, quietly thinking: It's not love… just respect, maybe friendship. But I want to watch her, understand her…
Dahye glanced at her phone, noticed Yerin's look, and arched a single eyebrow, expression unreadable.
The first night of rankings ended, quietly, leaving anticipation, curiosity, and silent strategy for the days ahead.