Translator: Dreamscribe
“Hello, I’m Kim Nara, a trainee from Muse Entertainment.”
“I’m Kim Soo-yeon, an independent trainee. And this is Si-on unnie, who is also an independent trainee!”
Soo-yeon introduced me in my place.
She was so excited, as if she were my manager or something, eagerly introducing me to the people we were sharing a room with.
“How old is everyone?”
“I’m 17 years old. Si-on unnie is 19.”
“I’m 17 too!”
“Then should we talk casually with each other?”
“Yeah! I’m so glad there’s a friend the same age.”
“I know, seriously, I also....”
Oh dear.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned while living as a woman, it’s that women are absolutely capable of talking for a good 30 minutes based on age alone, just like now.
Of course, if it were a topic I was interested in, like games or dramas, or something like Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I could also easily chat for 30 minutes.
But carrying on casual small talk so naturally with just any topic like now was a bit too much for me.
“Your entrance stage earlier was really impressive, unnie.”
“...Thanks.”
Nara, the Muse trainee who was the same age as Soo-yeon, brought back a painful memory of mine.
As I was seriously contemplating running away again, recalling the disaster that was the entrance performance which Nara had just brought up,
-Participants, please change into the daily uniform provided in your dorm and gather in the auditorium immediately.
An announcement was broadcast, calling everyone to assemble.
“Wow, look at this. I guess this is our group uniform!”
As soon as the announcement ended, Soo-yeon, who had been excited simply because we were assigned to the same dorm, quickly grabbed clothes that looked like a tracksuit and waved them around.
Seeing that, I checked the bed with my name on it and found the same kind of outfit placed on top.
‘This reminds me of when I first entered the military academy.’
I don’t know what it’s like now, but back then, the dorms at the academy were four-person rooms.
Even back then, just like now, there were tracksuits labeled as daily uniforms placed on top of the beds.
I didn’t expect that we would be expected to wear those same uniforms without receiving new ones for four years.
‘By senior year, they were practically rags.’
Of course, those daily uniforms were a dull gray, while the ones we received now were neatly designed with a black and white color combination.
As I changed into the tracksuit, I kept repeating in my head.
Two weeks.
Let's just survive for two weeks no matter what.
***
“Participants, are you happy with your dorms?”
“Yes!”
“That’s a relief. Now, I’ll explain the reason why you’ve all gathered in the auditorium!”
The MC spoke with such a cheerful voice and expression, as if filming had just begun, and it made me realize that professionals really are different.
‘We just spent hours on the entrance ceremony, and he’s still energetic. Impressive.’
Looking around, the participants were clearly showing signs of fatigue.
“As previously announced, in two weeks, you will be appearing on MPlay’s music broadcast Music Count.”
When Jang Joon-seok gestured, a video of a music broadcast quickly began playing on the screen installed at the front of the auditorium.
‘I’m going to appear on that?’
I usually didn’t get nervous over just anything.
But imagining myself singing and dancing in front of hundreds of people like in the video made my heart pound for some reason.
“Of course, for you to go on the Music Count stage, you’ll need your own song, right?”
“Yes!”
Even before our answer was finished, several people began to appear on the stage set up in the auditorium.
“Oh! It’s Judge Lee Jung-yoon!”
Among those who came up, the person standing in the very center was choreographer Lee Jung-yoon, who had just been evaluating the participants earlier.
Snap!
When she snapped her fingers, the lights instantly turned off.
Only one light remained, shining down on the people on stage.
And at that exact moment, the music started to play.
I've been waiting for this moment (Oh yeah)
The light I’ve been hiding
Now it’s time to show it
You can't avoid my eyes
To the beat of the music, around ten people began to dance in sync.
“This song is really exciting?”
“It’s because they mixed EDM and dance pop styles.”
“Mixing those makes it exciting?”
“Um... usually, yeah. Can you hear it? The tempo of this song is really fast, right? When the tempo is fast, the listener’s heartbeat speeds up and gets excited too. Plus, it’s using a four-beat rhythm, so it’s easy for people to move their bodies along.”
Thanks to Soo-yeon, who explained that the synthesizer and bassline were making the listener’s ears tingle, I felt like I understood a little more about the song I was hearing.
Maybe it feels like a dream
But I’ve made it real
Now it’s my turn
Make everyone remember me
As I watched the performance along with Soo-yeon’s commentary, even I could sense the song gradually heading toward its climax.
The electronic sounds Soo-yeon had described were building up the tension, and the choreography intensified in sync with it.
Pick me now, pick me wow
The name that will make your heart flutter
Among countless stars
Choose me- now!
Shine me now, light me up
Keep believing in me till the end
There’s only one chance
“It’s me now, this is the moment!”
The performance’s climax finally exploded.
“Wow....”
The performers who had been dancing to the song raised their index fingers high toward the sky right at the climax and began stomping their feet in unison. Then, without a moment’s deviation, they all jumped together at once.
It’s not like I had never seen idol performances before.
Idol performances constantly appear on TV, so even if I didn’t want to watch them, I couldn’t help but see them.
But.
‘It’s totally different from watching it on TV.’
Back then, my only thoughts were something like, “They’re pretty", or “He’s handsome”. But the emotion I felt now was closer to awe.
It was only about ten people dancing in sync, and yet- how did it feel like hundreds of people were on stage?
I only realized just now that my heart was pounding.
“Let’s give a round of applause to choreographer Lee Jung-yoon and her team for their amazing performance!”
Clap clap clap!
Even without the MC’s prompt, I was already clapping with all my strength.
As the sound of applause gradually quieted, Jang Joon-seok picked up the microphone again and resumed hosting.
“The song you just heard is the official theme song for this season of Idol Ground 100, titled ‘Spotlight’! Choreographer Lee Jung-yoon created the choreography, and the producer who also served as a judge, Ahn Sung-ho, composed the song.”
When Jang Joon-seok mentioned that choreographer Lee Jung-yoon and producer Ahn Sung-ho created the song, Soo-yeon started to fuss in excitement.
“This is seriously amazing, unnie! I heard that idol groups are lining up to work with Lee Jung-yoon teacher right now. And producer Ahn Sung-ho is the hottest composer these days!”
Hoooh.
Honestly, aside from Hye-ryeong, I didn’t know either of the judges, but based on what Soo-yeon said, they must be pretty impressive people.
“From now on, you must do your best to master this song within two weeks. Of course, it might be difficult to do it with just your own effort, right?”
At Jang Joon-seok’s question, the participants all nodded in agreement.
Seeing that reaction, Jang Joon-seok continued as if he had been waiting for it.
“For all of you, Idol Ground 100 has assigned Hye-ryeong as the vocal trainer, and standing in front of you, Lee Jung-yoon as the dance trainer to guide your training from now on!”
“Wow!!!!”
Was I the only one who felt like assigning those two famous people as our trainers was basically a way of saying they were going to work us into the ground?
The other participants were cheering like they were thrilled about it.
“Finally, the grades that all of you have received, A, B, C, D, and F…”
Jang Joon-seok paused for a moment and looked around at all of us gathered in the auditorium, then continued.
“Your current grades are not fixed. At the mid-evaluation a week from now, your grades will be reassessed. And the Music Count stage will be performed according to those updated grades!”
With the news that grades could change, the excited atmosphere among the participants quickly cooled.
Even Soo-yeon, who had been smiling the whole time in the auditorium, now looked tense.
‘F is just way too humiliating. I absolutely have to make it to D, no, at least C grade.’
My determination was burning.
No matter how uninterested I was in idols or how much I wasn’t a trainee, the F grade label plastered boldly on the front of my daily uniform was utterly humiliating.
Even in the college entrance exam, I got an average Grade 5, so how could I end up with an F grade here?
This was more shameful than when I got expelled early from the Education Center for Gifted after just one year.
“Before the training process begins tomorrow, tonight will be the last time you can sleep comfortably. I hope you all survive until the day you become the viewers’ girl group.”
With Jang Joon-seok’s final remark, the long day finally came to an end.
***
Bbam bba bbabbabam~ bbambbara bbamba bbabbabam♬
“Huk!”
I couldn’t help but shoot up from bed at the sound of that trumpet melody, so familiar it was practically chilling.
This sound that pierced through my ears and rattled my heart.
“Which crazy bastard...”
I never imagined I’d hear this cursed melody again here, the kind that wakes you with just one note and instantly tenses up your body.
“Ugh... unnie, you’re awake?”
“...Yeah.”
Starting with me, thanks to the wake-up music, the other participants in my room began to rise one by one.
Soo-yeon, and also Nara and Ji-hye, whom I had met yesterday.
They all stretched with refreshed expressions, as if they had slept well, and didn’t seem affected by the music at all, just treating it as a noisy sound.
‘Is this another one of aunt’s schemes?’
I doubted anyone else here would know this cursed song, was it a trick my aunt had prepared specifically for me?
But I didn’t have time to worry about that either.
“Let’s go eat!”
It was already time to eat.
– From now on, participants must follow the schedule posted in each room. If you’re even slightly late, it will affect everyone, so please be punctual.
I recalled what the staff said last night when they visited our room and posted the schedule.
‘Why does it feel like I’m back in the military?’
The schedule they gave us was crammed full from wake-up time to lights out, and the tight itinerary left little room for any kind of leisure.
Even now, before we could go eat, we needed to wash up first, everyone grabbed their toiletries and headed to the washroom.
Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I arrived at the washroom with the others.
There, participants who arrived before us were already lined up at the sinks washing their faces, and watching that scene, I couldn’t help but think of a military boot camp, no matter how hard I tried to shake the image.
“Let’s go. I’m starving.”
After finishing up in the washroom, still debating whether this place was a training camp or just a dorm, my stomach started growling.
I normally skipped breakfast, but maybe because I was in a military-style dorm, my stomach was rumbling from the morning.
“Wait a second! We need to put something on our faces before we go.”
“You just put on toner and lotion, didn’t you?”
“Well, I don’t have skin like unnie. I need at least basic makeup. There are definitely cameras in the dining hall.”
Soo-yeon started busily applying products to her face, saying I might not understand because I have good skin, but someone like her would look strange on camera without basic makeup.
I had never worn makeup in either my past life or this one, so I couldn’t understand her behavior.
Anyway, Soo-yeon, along with Nara and Ji-hye, all desperately did their makeup in that short time, and I had no choice but to watch.
No actually, it would be more accurate to say I was frozen in place, overwhelmed by the sight of them preparing like warriors checking their gear before heading into battle.
After finally finishing their rushed makeup routines, we were able to make our way to the dorm’s dining hall.
‘This is... actually food?’
I was shocked.
To be honest, I had long since given up any expectations about the food, considering this was a military-style dormitory.
But when I arrived at the dining hall and checked the menu, those low expectations were gloriously betrayed.
Spicy pork stir-fry and seaweed soup.
There were side dishes like kimchi and salad too, but the important part was that there was meat and seaweed soup.
And the food tasted amazing.
To be fair, Mrs. Sukja’s cooking skills were catastrophically bad, so the food at home was more about survival than enjoyment but now, this was the taste of proper homemade spicy pork stir-fry, something I hadn’t had in a long time.
“Unnie... aren’t you eating a bit too much?”
“Huh? It’s delicious. Why? Aren’t you eating more?”
As I was thoroughly enjoying the spicy pork stir-fry and seaweed soup, Nari, sitting across from me, asked with a worried tone if I wasn’t eating too much.
“It is good... but I have to manage my weight. Don’t you gain weight if you eat like that, unnie?”
“Well... I think I normally eat about this much?”
Hearing my response, the girls from my room looked at me with shocked expressions.
Even after regressing and becoming a woman, my appetite hadn't changed much from when I was a man, but I had never gained weight.
‘Come to think of it, the kids at school were surprised when they saw how much I ate too.’
For a moment, I wondered if I might have some kind of illness, but it’s already been 18 years of eating like this.
If there were a problem, it would’ve shown up long ago, I figured, and finished the rest of my meal.