1.
[15+ Age Rating Notice]
*This work contains content inappropriate for youth under 15 years of age.
Please enjoy this work under parental guidance.
Three months after taking off his school uniform, he found himself wearing a school uniform again.
To be precise, it was a school uniform costume.
* * *
The busy sound of footsteps hitting the floor crossed back and forth with a tap-tap rhythm. The people waiting continuously looked in mirrors and fixed their hair. Even though it was a place filled only with men, unfamiliar powder scents and thick cologne smells spread through the air.
A few good-natured guys struck up conversations with the people next to them. Though it was meaningless small talk, it was light conversation sufficient to ease their nerves.
Juha was sandwiched between them, licking his dry lips while soothing his stiff body.
When he raised his head, the high ceiling with its blazing lights felt unusually cold.
The headache medicine he’d taken earlier must have already worn off, as his head began throbbing again.
[Survival Audition: My Job is Idol]
It’s a Gnet idol audition program with a title containing the double meaning of “my job” (내 일) and “tomorrow” (내일). Though it was a common word combination, a single space made it quite a decent title.
As his turn approached, Juha kept clenching and unclenching his fists. He gripped his hands so tightly that nail marks appeared on his palms, but he couldn’t even feel the pain.
It still didn’t feel real that the end of his six-year trainee period wasn’t a debut stage, but a survival audition. This space, this moment—everything felt surreal to Juha.
“Number 48, Lee Juha, please prepare.”
When his name was called, his heart, which had briefly calmed down, began pounding again.
Following the staff member’s words, Juha stood up from his seat. Small beads of sweat formed on his hands. As he walked down the corridor, his heartbeat grew faster and faster. Even swallowing dry saliva didn’t make his nervousness disappear.
Though he’d been a trainee for six years, last year Juha was eliminated just before debut. The reason was that his character overlapped with another member. If they had the same character, Juha could have debuted instead.
What that meant was that Juha’s impact was lacking compared to the other member.
‘This is the last time.’
When he opened the thick door and entered, countless cameras greeted Juha.
Juha squinted at the bright lights, then forced his eyes wide open.
“Hello. I’m number 48, Lee Juha.”
In front of him sat four judges called “Masters.” Each one was famous enough that just looking at their faces would make their careers roll off the tongue.
Their arrogance, visible beyond their expectations for the trainee on stage, naturally made Juha shrink back.
“You’re from Serona Entertainment as a trainee?”
Lee Cheong, a master who was a former famous female idol, flipped through Juha’s resume.
“…Yes. I’m currently unaffiliated.”
“You were a trainee for six years?”
“Yes.”
“Well, these days some do it for ten years.”
At Juha’s words, Lee Cheong raised an eyebrow once.
Six years was too long to dismiss as nothing special. But having spent that time without debuting, Juha was just a silent loser in front of them.
“The song you’ve prepared is…”
“It’s UND sunbaenim’s ‘Love Each Other.'”
Juha answered calmly.
“Let’s hear the song first.”
While Lee Cheong spoke, the other masters observed Juha intently.
Those piercing gazes weren’t frightening. Having endured monthly evaluations for six years, this pressure was familiar to Juha.
‘I can do this well.’
During his trainee days, Juha had risen to the debut group with this song.
He’d practiced both the dance and singing to the point where he could do them perfectly even in his sleep. And for this audition, he’d practiced it ruthlessly once again.
Soon the accompaniment began playing. At the same time, Juha’s expression brightened dramatically. It was the result of six years of practicing while looking at cameras.
“Oh!”
“Good expression.”
Exclamations burst from each of the masters.
His singing was steady, matching his precise movements. It couldn’t be called dramatically good, but it was skill with no particular flaws to pick at.
[Love each other, comfort each other. I, I, I you, you, you, you me!]
Juha even handled the dance break alone, showing the leisure to wink at the camera. While focusing on the stage and glancing at the masters from the corner of his eye, their reaction wasn’t bad.
The short song of about two minutes ended.
“Hah, hah, hup.”
Juha clamped his mouth shut and forcibly held his breath. If his breathing was excessive, it would seem like his professional awareness was lacking. He didn’t want to be criticized for even one thing.
When the song ended, the masters’ lips moved strangely.
“Why haven’t you been able to debut until now?”
“Because my skills are still lacking.”
Juha answered Lee Cheong’s question. His labored breathing gradually calmed down.
“Well, it doesn’t seem like lacking skills. Your looks are good too.”
Blue Eo, another master who was a composer, looked Juha over.
Lee Juha certainly didn’t have bad looks. To be precise, he had quite good looks. At 178cm, a height that wasn’t small, with a lean build and sharply prominent jawline. Eyes that seemed somewhat languid yet sharp at a glance, and thin, long lips. He was the archetype of an idol that teenage girls these days would like.
“I did my best, but I think the other friends did their best more than me.”
Character is important. You must be humble. You shouldn’t be hated when you haven’t even debuted yet. Juha finished his answer while making his familiar resolution.
Every moment the cameras were rolling was like a test for Juha.
“But are you usually this quiet? Or is it because you’re nervous?”
“I’m usually not very good with words…”
“I think he’s cute? It’s not like he can’t perform on stage either.”
Looking at Juha who was trailing off his words, Hisan, a rapper master, spoke. Then the judges each nodded as if agreeing.
“There’s no reason you’d be eliminated in the first round. You pass.”
“Me too.”
“You pass. Thank you for your hard work, Lee Juha.”
“Thank you.”
Juha bowed 90 degrees at the waist and left the stage.
‘Thank goodness.’
Hearing the word “pass,” relief burst forth from deep within. Though he’d thought he was confident thanks to his six years as a trainee, anxiety about “what if” had also existed.
After his turn ended, Juha sat in the designated seat where the stage was visible. Earlier he couldn’t watch how others performed because of nervousness, but now he could watch comfortably.
“You did well.”
The man in the seat next to Juha spoke with sparkling eyes.
The name on his name tag was Yoo Youngin. His height was just over 170cm, but his looks were so cute and pretty that he could be called a so-called “fan-gathering” award winner.
“Thank you.”
Juha bowed in greeting and turned his head. It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but Juha had nothing to talk about with him. Like that, the two only exchanged awkward smiles and turned their heads toward the stage.
“Number 49, Choi Taeri.”
When the next person’s name was called, the trainees sitting in the successful candidates’ seats began murmuring.
Choi Taeri. His current status was a Fandom Entertainment trainee, and a YouTube star with 500,000 subscribers.
He was already more than capable of debuting, but it was unexpected that he participated in a survival program as a trainee. Juha pondered the reason carefully.
Fandom Enter was the top agency in Korea. Those belonging to Fandom had tremendous pride even if they were just trainees.
So the Fandom trainees who believed they would shine the brightest when they debuted wouldn’t want to form a team with Choi Taeri. If they became a team with Choi Taeri, they would obviously become shadows standing aside from the spotlight. Moreover, strictly speaking, Choi Taeri had been a trainee for less than a year, so his debut was considered too early in various ways.
“I’m number 49, Choi Taeri.”
Seeing him in person, he was a cold handsome man style without any trace of laughter. His height was quite tall. His body was muscular with well-developed shoulders.
He didn’t have the somewhat raw impression occasionally seen in other trainees. Whether it was because of his careful gaze and the unique confidence that emanated just from standing there, he drew attention powerfully even without showing anything.
“Oh, this kid…”
“It’s Taeri.”
When dance master Niki tilted his head, Lee Cheong, from the same agency, acted like she knew him.
“Who? Who is it?”
“You don’t know him?”
“Taeri? Choi Taeri? Teri Us?”
Teri Us was the name of Choi Taeri’s YouTube channel.
The judges deliberately made an excessive fuss. The cameras didn’t miss capturing their reactions.
“Taeri has more YouTube subscribers than me.”
“It just happened to turn out that way.”
When master Hisan spoke playfully, Choi Taeri smiled faintly and answered.
“Wow… he’s really handsome.”
Yoo Youngin next to Juha exclaimed in admiration. Though they had the same trainee status, Youngin’s reaction was as if he’d become a fan.
A cold handsome man’s smile.
Honestly, though he was the same gender, his looks were undeniable. Juha gulped down his saliva.
“What song did you prepare?”
Even Lee Cheong’s tone was friendly. It was so different from her sharp attitude toward other contestants that petty contestants might even feel jealous.
“It’s Lee Cheong sunbaenim’s solo song ‘Moon.'”
“Oho, that song is difficult.”
‘As if you didn’t already know.’
Juha muttered to himself. Though it was all written in the introduction anyway, they had to draw out that level of reaction for broadcast content.
“Alright, let’s take a look.”
“Just a moment.”
Before the accompaniment came on, Taeri took off his shoes.
“He’s going to do it barefoot.”
“Wow, as expected of Teri Us.”
“…”
How overdramatic. Juha thought to himself.
Choi Taeri’s YouTube had no communication whatsoever. Only dance and singing videos. Achieving 500,000 subscribers with just that meant his skills were no ordinary level. Of course, looks were the biggest factor.
The accompaniment flowed and intense movements began.
“Wow…”
This audition venue, which had become boring after continuing for over five hours, awakened with Choi Taeri’s single stage. Even the participants who had been slouching like sloths straightened their backs and watched him.
“Incredible.”
“This is insane…”
Exclamations burst out among the trainees.
The energy bursting from his dance wasn’t simply at the level of “cool.” It was movement dripping with sexuality and sensuality that seduced and drew people in.
“Look at those toes.”
“He did ballet?”
“He did ballet and modern dance too. I heard he was the top admission student at Yeseon Arts High School for modern dance.”
“His dance lines aren’t boring at all.”
Just as the accompaniment started, the masters were already talking a lot. It was because they knew Choi Taeri’s broadcast screen time.
Choi Taeri’s fame was definitely not gained for nothing. The dance lines unique to dance majors could be boring at times, but he was different. As if he’d divided beats into each joint, he was free yet smooth as if melody flowed along his muscles. It was as if he was singing with his whole body.
And his singing was…
“Wow…”
“What’s with him?”
“He hasn’t debuted yet?”
The masters’ reactions were definitely excessive.
Though he didn’t boast of flowing technique, Choi Taeri’s voice had a depth rarely seen in K-pop groups. It wasn’t great skill but the power that his voice itself possessed.
Choi Taeri’s strong impression, a voice that matched well with dance.
Though it was just an audition, his stage had a coercive power that strangled people and made them silent.
The cameras busily swept over the contestants’ reactions.
Choi Taeri’s talent was so wondrous that it couldn’t even evoke jealousy from other competitors.
‘I’m glad I went before Choi Taeri.’
In the midst of that, Juha let out a sigh of relief.
Choi Taeri’s result was obviously going to be a pass.
* * *
Though 20 years old wasn’t a particularly old age, Lee Juha considered ‘My Job is Idol’ his last challenge in life.
If he was eliminated this time, Juha resolved to live an ordinary life where he would absolutely never attempt challenges again. He’d lived too exhausting a life from when he started trainee life as a middle schooler until now. All just to achieve his dream.
Though still young, Juha had seen with his own eyes how the trainee hyungs and noonas who had been so obsessed with dreams aged.
People who gulped down several debut failures and eventually reached their mid-twenties, having nothing to show for it but grooming themselves and dancing and singing in front of others, gradually stepping into the entertainment industry and falling.
Pretty flowers were truly easy to pluck.
Even if they didn’t want to go in a bad direction, there weren’t many options. They had poured all their effort into dance and singing during their most vigorous years, so they had no particular talent in areas other than that field.
At least to prevent such torture of hope, Juha considered this program his last bastion for achieving his dream.
The last rope, the last opportunity. That’s why he had to do his absolute best.
At the gathering for the ranking announcement, Juha had these idle thoughts. Being able to zone out while cameras were rolling was Juha’s only special skill.
“As mentioned earlier, you’ll be divided into dormitories according to the rankings selected today. First, let’s look at the dormitory that the first place winner will use.”
Following MC Park Jusung’s words, the screen turned on.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
