As Xander stood in front of the small round glass table, the room was filled with excitement and tension. Everyone was eagerly waiting for him to reveal the male contestants' choices, which would determine the fate of the female contestants. Each box, representing a female contestant, was neatly placed on the table, waiting to be opened and reveal the pairings for the first challenge.
"This is the moment we have been waiting for," Xander announced, his voice brimming with excitement. "I will open each box and reveal the choices of the male contestants."
Derek leaned back with a smirk. "Oh yeah, I'm ready," he declared.
Leo, with a hint of pride, added, "I know my choice was the right one."
Ethan chimed in, his voice firm. "Me too. I chose the most suitable person. No doubt there."
Emily, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, couldn't hide her curiosity. "Oh, I'm also eager to see who will be my partner for the first challenge," she said, her voice tinged with excitement.
Xander reached for the first box, labeled with Rachel's name. "Okay, let's see whose name is in Rachel's box..."
The entire room fell silent as he slowly opened the box, but to everyone's surprise, it was completely empty. "Looks like these guys haven't fallen for your charm, Rachel," Xander comforted her. "But don't worry, we have plenty of time left."
Rachel, maintaining her composure, nodded and offered a gracious smile, her disappointment masked by her poise.
Claire, sitting beside her, reached over to take Rachel's hand, offering a reassuring smile and a gesture of solidarity.
The tension rose as Xander moved to the next box. "Next, we'll find out who has chosen Celine..."
Celine, with a stoic expression, seemed to brace herself, her eyes betraying a hint of vulnerability. She appeared resigned, perhaps not expecting much from the first challenge.
Unfortunately, as Xander opened Celine's box, it was empty, too. "It seems they also haven't been able to see how special Celine's voice is," he said, echoing his earlier reassurance.
The room remained silent for a moment, the weight of the unchosen contestants hanging in the air.
Heejin couldn't help but comment. "Celine's voice is so angelic, it's truly mesmerizing. I can't believe no one chose her."
David chimed in. "It's surprising to see Rachel not getting any votes either."
Sofia added. "I have a feeling the next boxes will be even more interesting."
Oscar, who was also intrigued, couldn't contain his curiosity. "I can't wait to see what's in store for us. This is such an exciting moment."
The tension in the room heightened as Xander moved to the next box, this one under Emily's name.
With a gentle shake of his head, Xander interrupted the tense moment. "I'm sorry, Emily," he spoke, "it seems these men's minds are unpredictable. Your voice is truly beautiful, but unfortunately, no one has chosen you."
With a wide smile and a shrug of her shoulders, Emily displayed remarkable grace. "I'm fine… This is only the first challenge, right?"
The room's attention then turned, hearts pounding, to the two remaining female contestants. The anticipation was palpable.
"Claire… let's see what's in your box," Xander announced, his voice laced with excitement.
After pondering the likely outcome, Emily thought, "I'm sure all the men chose her."
Celine, echoing a similar sentiment, thought, "Claire is definitely the choice of all the men."
Rachel, who was always confident, whispered to herself, "No problem, I have plenty of time to get any guy I want."
But what followed was a twist no one expected. Xander opened Claire's box to reveal it was empty, too.
"I can't believe it myself. It seems that all the male contestants chose the same woman," he announced, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Claire, surprised yet wearing a broad smile, found humor in the situation. "This is so interesting," she said, her cheerfulness undimmed.
The room fell into a stunned silence, and all eyes instinctively turned towards Maya. Her earlier interaction with Talon had been intriguing, and now the focus was squarely on her.
"Come, Maya. Let's open your box together," Xander invited.
Maya, with a cheerful and sweet smile, stepped forward. The room held its breath as Xander opened Maya's box. To everyone's amazement, it contained all five name cards of the male contestants.
The revelation sent a wave of surprise through the room. "Okay, this is certainly going to be interesting," Xander remarked, his voice filled with anticipation. "Let's see who Maya will choose from these five male contestants."
Derek smiled to himself, considering his options. "I could have chosen Claire, but partnering with Maya for this first challenge would be a missed opportunity. She's not only adorable but also attractive."
Leo chimed in, his thoughts racing. "It would be quite intriguing to compete for someone like Maya. Although choosing Claire could lead to victory, Maya seems like a more appealing partner."
Ethan added, voicing his surprise. "I was sure they would go for Claire, but their minds seem unpredictable."
Marcus grumbled in frustration. "Their decisions seem completely random. Why did they all end up choosing Maya?"
The judges' room buzzed with a mixture of shock and amusement following the revelation of Maya's overwhelming popularity among the male contestants.
Oscar, unable to contain his glee, clapped his hands with satisfaction. "Ha ha ha, I can't believe it! Maya really turned the tables and made the show extremely interesting. Who would have thought that all the male contestants would choose her?"
Heejin, equally astonished, shook her head in disbelief. "This is truly unexpected, even for me. Not one chose Claire or Emily. It's a twist nobody saw coming," she remarked.
David shared his thoughts. "I think because this is just the first challenge, they're anticipating many changes as the show progresses. They likely chose someone they feel comfortable starting the show with, someone they believe they can connect with."
Sofia, focusing on Maya's sudden prominence, commented on her appeal. "Maya has certainly captivated all the male contestants. It's not just her singing talent or her boldness in action, but she's also demonstrated an undeniable charm that's hard to ignore."
"Now, I'm really curious about who she will choose from the five male contestants. This is going to be an interesting twist in the dynamics of the show," Oscar said, his voice tinged with excitement.
Maya stood confidently next to Xander, her charming smile lighting up the room. All eyes were on her as she prepared to announce her decision. The male contestants, lined up at the front, eagerly awaited her choice with a mix of excitement and wonder.
Xander encouraged Maya to take her time. "Now, Maya, this is your turn. You need to decide from these five men in front of you. Who will you choose to be your partner for the first challenge? You may ask them a question, challenge them, or do anything that will help you make your decision," he explained.
Maya's face was a blend of excitement and contemplation as she nodded and turned to the five of them. With a steady and confident voice, she addressed them, "I have a question for each of you. Your answers will greatly aid me in making my decision."
She began with Derek, walking up to him with a poised grace. She lifted her head slightly to meet his gaze and prepared to ask him some questions. The rest of the contestants watched intently, curious about the nature of her queries and how their responses might influence her decision.