Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 116: THE CLARK KENT EFFECT

WHEN Haneul returned to his cabin, he noticed a paper bag hanging on the inside of the door. His mind immediately went to the announcement—this must be the uniform they mentioned. Picking it up, he carried it to the bed and sat down.

Inside was a short-sleeved, white sailor-style shirt made of lightweight cotton. It had a wide, square white collar with two navy-blue stripe trims. The front had a V-neck opening, fastened with a dark navy ribbon. The uniform also included tailored navy-blue shorts and a pair of white loafers.

Haneul tilted his head, studying the uniform—undeniably a sailor uniform in every way. This wasn’t what the contestants of Boys Odyssey had worn in his previous world. So, another difference. He looked at it again and winced, unsure if this style would even suit him.

Still, there was no point in hesitating. Whether he liked it or not, this was the uniform he had to wear. Contestants didn’t get a say in their outfits, and refusing wasn’t an option. He exhaled, running a hand through his hair before picking up the shirt again. With no other choice, he changed into the uniform, fastening the ribbon and smoothing out the fabric.

Haneul stepped in front of the full-length mirror in his cabin, half-expecting to cringe at his reflection. Instead, he found himself staring, surprised. The uniform fit him well—better than he had anticipated.

The crisp white shirt sat neatly on his frame, the collar resting evenly on his shoulders. The ribbon at the front, which he thought would look awkward, actually suited the overall look. His gaze dropped to the navy-blue shorts, which ended just above his knees, giving the outfit a balanced appearance. He shifted slightly, still unsure how he felt about it, but he couldn’t deny that it worked on him more than he had expected.

He slipped on the white loafers and was about to leave the cabin when he paused, remembering his glasses. He took them off, knowing he would have to remove them for makeup, anyway. Better to set them aside now than risk losing them later. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the staff handling their makeup, but with all the flurry of activities, there was always a chance they could get misplaced.

Haneul decided to keep his interactions minimal, especially with the Alphas and Betas, to avoid any unnecessary complications. With Yeomra’s gift making him more attractive and charming than normal, there was always the risk that others might misinterpret his words or actions. If he talked to them too much, they might take it as a sign of special interest. It felt a bit egotistical to assume, but he had already realized that being cautious was better than being careless and ending up in a situation he’d regret.

With that, he stepped out of his cabin. Other contestants were doing the same, their doors opening one after another as they joined the growing group in the hallway. While the uniforms followed the same sailor theme, not all were identical. Some wore long pants instead of shorts, and the collars varied in shape—some rounded, others sharper. This was good. At least it would give them a degree of individuality.

Haneul blended in, walking with the others toward the upper deck. The sound of footsteps and quiet chatter filled the space as they moved. Just before he reached the stairs, he spotted a familiar figure ahead—Robin. Even from behind, he was easy to recognize because of his pink hair.

"Robin hyung!" he called out, hurrying forward until he reached his side. Once there, he fell into step beside him.

Robin glanced at him, and his eyes widened slightly. "You’re looking good, Haneul."

Haneul took a moment to observe Robin. His uniform was slightly different—his collar had a different shape, and instead of a ribbon, he wore a tie. He also had pants instead of shorts. That made Haneul wonder how the staff decided who got which version of the uniform. He had a vague idea, but acknowledging it would probably make him cringe.

So, instead, he just said, "The uniform also looks good on you, hyung."

"We’ll look even better once they style us properly and put on makeup," Robin said with a teasing grin. "Especially you."

Although he sounded like he’s being playful, he was actually quite serious. Because Haneul had been wearing glasses these past few days, he had almost forgotten how attractive the other was without them.

It was the classic Clark Kent effect. With glasses on, Haneul was just Clark Kent. But without them, he transformed into Superman. Before witnessing it himself, he had always thought it was just a flimsy excuse the creator of Superman used to make the hero’s disguise believable. After all, how could a simple pair of glasses make someone look completely different? But now, seeing the effect on Haneul, he had to admit—it actually worked.

Not that he was saying Haneul was easy to overlook with glasses—far from it. But with them on, whatever almost ’demonic’ charisma he had was significantly toned down. Without them, though, it came through in full force.

Haneul chuckled at Robin’s remark and shook his head. "You’re giving me too much credit, hyung."

As they arrived at the upper deck, they made their way to the private lounge, following the other contestants. Inside, the space had been transformed into a professional styling area. Ten chairs were lined up in front of large mirrors framed with bright lights, each station stocked with makeup products, brushes, and hairstyling tools. Behind them, sixty more chairs were arranged neatly in six rows and ten columns, matching the number of contestants, likely for those waiting their turn. The program staff moved around the room. The setup was efficient, ensuring everything was ready for the styling process to begin.

"Okay, everyone, take a seat in the waiting area according to your rank," a staff member instructed, gesturing toward the 60 chairs arranged in rows.

Since Haneul and Robin had noticeably different ranks, Robin took a seat in the first row while Haneul sat in the third.