she was just an ordinary girl—until one magical summer, she was swept off her feet. on a secluded island resort, where passion meets destiny, a brand-new love story unfolds…
… as she meets a lineup of elite, irresistible bachelors, all searching for true love.
welcome to… waves of love! now airing!
PAIRING. yuri isami x reader. slight!jiro kirisaki x reader
CONTAINS. fem!reader. spoilers up to episode seventeen. viewer!yuri. reader is mc/pc. yuri has feelings for reader. yuri is bad at feelings. maybe some weird possessiveness from yuri. some scenes/dialogue may differ from the original content/be added extra for character interactions. mtba
A/N. okay so the way im going about this is that the episodes are aired right after theyre filmed so theres only a day’s worth of delay. yes, this doesn’t usually work for reality tv shows but its for plot convenience lol!!!!!! just think of this as a fast-turnaround show pls!!!! “some scenes/dialogue may differ from the original content” due to author’s forgetfulness and also plot convenience (again)!!!!!
i have a lot to say abt this fic so if anyone is interested, i will be rambling abt this on my main c:
buried so deep into yet another research project, yuri nearly misses the obnoxious sound of his alarm. paired with the buzzing of his phone inside his pant pocket, his focus breaks. tch, and just as he was finalizing his assessment of his newest cure.
tearing off his medical gloves, he reaches for his phone to put a stop to the blaring din, wondering who on earth had the gall to disturb the greatest dr. yuri isami during his innovative research. was it jiro? is he in need of his care yet again? or another general student? really, he has no time for this nonsense. his rambling vents are cut short, thrown off by the words displayed on his screen: “waves of love. 8 pm.”
heat creeps up his neck. wh-what in the world is this supposed to mean?! is jiro playing another prank on him?! where even is his vice-captain?!
yuri regains his composure. waves of love. his face cools, and the red on his cheeks fades. the reality tv show jiro was set to star in, along with you and several other ger—ahem, fellow ghouls.
honestly! did darkwick really need jiro for this mission? and without yuri? well, not like he would ever join in on a dating show or anything, of course! how preposterous! and with you as the female lead? that would be incredibly unprofessional! right? wh-whatever! the nerve this school has! they ought to know the severity of jiro’s condition if not constantly monitored by yuri himself. they’re lucky his genius was able to deliver a suitable medicine for this sudden mission.
having collected himself, the mortkranken captain strides over to the tall cabinets, fetching a laptop off one of the shelves. proud footsteps echo through the nearly empty exam room. as jiro’s attending physician, he supposes this is a necessary step, observing how jiro is faring without him, as well as evaluating the effects of the adjusted medication. the results of the trial run lasted five days, but prolonged observation couldn’t hurt, even though nothing should go wrong, given that yuri had worked on it himself.
then there’s the case of you. a most vital specimen for the doctor. another stepping stone in exhibiting his achievements. and the key to obtaining the laurel crown. yes, he will thoroughly watch this silly reality dating show through.
taking a seat at his desk, he pulls up the correct streaming service. the sound of keys tapping fills the otherwise silent space. deft fingers gliding over his keyboard come to a halt as he finds what he’s looking for. satisfied, he sits back, crossing one leg over the other and lowering his arms onto the armrest.
on a luxurious boat, standing next to you, an unfamiliar face greets him. “—bout to have the experience of a lifetime. how are you feeling?” it seems he’s missed a part of your introduction, though that can only be a trivial detail.
your hair and clothes ruffle in the wind as you answer the question. “i’m pretty nervous, to be honest…” a small smile spreads over your lips despite your nerves seemingly getting the best of you. “i’m not sure what to expect from the contestants.” tch, what is there to be nervous of? handling a couple of ghouls is no remarkable feat. yet yuri lets his mind wander off to speculate the identity of the other ghouls.
the host continues his interview. well, no use in guessing. it’ll be revealed soon enough. “of course, of course. so, what is your type?” h-huh?! unconsciously, yuri’s fingers tightly grip the armrest of his chair before he quickly clears his throat and straightens his posture again. th-this is a dating show, after all.
“hmm.” you take a second to think over this question. “i guess i like cheerful people. they make me feel good.” hmpf, what is cheerful going to do for you? he sneers at your answer, even as the apples of his cheeks are still dusted a light pink.
the insignificant back-and-forth between you and the host continues until you reach the dock. at least you seem to be in good enough shape, even with the changing of the seasons—overlooking the different climates you have to endure back at the academy.
when your introduction ends, the scenery cuts to the beach; a complete view of the breathtaking resort is revealed as the camera pans out.
dusk has already fallen in the following clip, showing you dressed up in a new attire. while your back is facing the camera, the focus is on the host. the host takes up the stage in the center of the red carpet, presenting the essence of the show once more while you wait for him to receive you. “what kind of fairy tale ending awaits? it’s time to meet our first pearl, the luckiest lonely heart in japan.”
on cue, the camera lens fixes on you. the shot zooms in on your figure, waiting at the front of the red carpet. now dressed in a long, sleeveless gown. hair and makeup done to the nines, matching the mood of the nighttime ambiance.
the change in your appearance doesn’t go unnoticed by yuri. the color of your dress is in line with your undertone. the style of your hair is so simple, yet he can’t deny it’s fitting for your look. lastly, your makeup is done rather nicely, just heavier to compensate for the lighting used during filming. th-this is all from a doctor’s perspective, of course! and just because he spots these differences, that doesn’t mean anything! you’re still just you. a lab rat for him to experiment with. in your usual school uniform, you blend in with the rest of the germs. your hairdo is never anything special. and no matter the amount of foundation or concealer used, he knows of your eyebags hiding underneath. the same ones he always scolds you for when you visit mortkranken for whatever reason.
a familiar voice breaks him out of his thoughts. “hi!” you smile for the camera, adding in a little wave. the corners of your lips turn upwards, beaming brighter than before—brighter than the ones you’ve offered yuri until now, he notes. whether this one is genuine or not, he doesn’t dwell on it. “i’m waves of love’s first pearl.”
“welcome to the island, pearl. if you could join me over here.” the host raises his arm, inviting you to take your place beside him.
“o-okay!” lifting the skirt of your gown, you walk down the red carpet.
candles are lit along the path, and lovely flowers fill up the empty nooks and crannies of the venue, complementing the stark white of the furnishings. a few steps lead up to something akin to an altar.
your heartbeat beats in your ears. the clicking of your heels is barely audible on the soft fabric, though fortunately, it is enough to keep you grounded.
“your journey is about to begin. how are you feeling?” the host turns to you, eyes flicking over to yours once you’ve joined him.
“i have no idea how this is going to go, so i’m a little scared.” you fiddle a bit with your hands, trying to calm yourself. another bad habit yuri has berated you for. being so fidgety while he works it almost makes him nervous.
the host nods along to you. “that’s understandable. i’m looking forward to seeing how your feelings change throughout this adventure.” he diverts his attention back to the camera. “now it’s time to meet the six men who will be competing for your heart. to commemorate waves of love’s very first season, our bachelors are the crème de la crème. six irresistible men are on their way here as we speak. and one of them could be the one.”
the topic of love is a little… outside yuri’s expertise. he knows the heart and the blood that pumps through it, but he’s unfamiliar with the blood that spreads to his cheeks or the increase of one’s heart rate outside medical issues. it leaves him sputtering and flustered. all the same, the choice of words used for the script certainly does amuse him.
“are you ready to find love, pearl?” a question directed to you. yet you seem lost in thought.
yuri doesn’t know what you’re thinking. he never does. the first time he lectured you on anomalous diseases, you appeared to be listening intently, nodding along every now and then. but as soon as he finishes talking, your lips are pursed together, expression unreadable. there’s a distant look in your eyes. are you taking in what he said, or are you so ignorant that all you care about is that silly curse of yours? silly because isn’t it obvious he’ll have you cured in no time? and right now, are you seriously considering the host’s words? is love on your mind—next to the original purpose of the mission? are you hoping a certain ghoul is among the lineup? did the doctor’s name ever cross your mind? or is he overthinking this, and you only care about the mission? yeah, that’s probably right. he’s rambling again. that is the most plausible answer. what was he getting so worked up over?
“…pearl? are you ready?” the voice of the host brings both you and yuri back to reality.
startled and a little apologetic, you scramble to get your words out. “oh, um, yes!”
“then let’s meet our first eligible bachelor,” he replies, unfazed, and carries on professionally.
from afar, a low humming could be heard, much like a car engine, heading closer every second. not too long after, the rumbling slowly comes to a stop as a sleek, white limousine pulls up on the side of the road.
a porter appears and walks up to the door of the limousine. it suddenly dawns on you you’re really on a dating show, even though majority of it is pretend. the producer had told you beforehand that you would have the final say over your one true love. you didn’t think much of it then, too occupied with the unclear details of the mission. only now do you realize the implications of his words. still shrouded in the dark regarding the identities of the ghouls, you can only imagine how this could go.
the click of the car door opening is enough to have your heart rate pick up again.