Men and Mentors

Fu is the spawn of satan. That's confirmed.

How was June supposed to accomplish the side quest when the auditions were finally starting?

Just then, extravagant music started playing. A state-of-the-art sound system enveloped the hall, ensuring crystal-clear audio that resonated deep within the four walls. Lights focused on the middle of the stage, commanding the attention of the trainees.

Kim Minho walked out of the double doors. His aura was unbeatable by anyone in the room. He practically shone on stage, and his experience was evident in how he walked.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first episode of Rising Stars. Today, we have 100 talented young men ready to showcase their abilities and compete for the chance to become the next idol sensation! Who's your lucky boy?" Minho stated, and the trainees erupted into applause and cheers.

"Before we get to the auditions, let me introduce you to our mentors for the season."

Everyone waited in anticipation. The first two mentors slowly opened the door, revealing themselves to the trainees.

"Our vocal mentors: Kim Ji-hyun and Lee Woo-jin!"

A tall woman with voluptuous curves entered the hall. Kim Ji-hyun was a multi-talented singer and actress known for her versatility and captivating performances. She started her career as a child actress but got recognition for her musical performances later in her career.

On the other hand, Lee Woo-jin was a talented singer-songwriter known for his soulful voice and emotional lyrics. He began his musical journey as a street performer and gradually gained attention for his unique style and live performances.

The two of them looked quite intimidating, and the trainees who didn't focus much on their vocals became nervous.

"Good day, trainees," Ji-hyun said. "Today marks the start of your journey as idol trainees. I am quite pleased to see such handsome trainees."

She scanned the room and smiled at the young men. However, she stopped when a pink creature came into her view.

"Is that a trainee?" she whispered to her co-mentor, Woo-jin. Woo-jin narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"I think so? Is that a concept?" he asked.

"I don't even know," she said. "Kids are getting weirder these days."

The two of them went to their seats and waited for the other mentors to be announced.

"Our dance mentors: Hyerin and Gun!"

The trainees cheered at the mention of the famous mentors. Hyerin was a renowned K-pop idol. She was a part of the idol group LUNA, one of the most famous groups in South Korea. She debuted at a young age and quickly rose to fame with her exceptional dance skills and charismatic stage presence.

Gun was one of the most famous K-pop choreographers of the current generation. He has choreographed dances for multiple idol groups, and most of his dances were iconic in the industry.

Jisung's eyes practically sparkled as he looked at the two dancers. He held onto June's arm and squeezed it tight.

"I can't believe this," he whispered. "Can you pinch me?"

Without any hesitation, June pinched his tricep. Jisung covered his mouth to muffle his scream.

"Bro, you're really strong," he said, still in pain. "Even though your body looks quite delicate."

June clicked his tongue. This kid should have seen him when he was still a thug!

"Our rap mentor: Bone!"

A charismatic man with long hair, bearded chin, and tattoos appeared. Out of the mentors, he was the only person that June didn't know. Well, he was never a fan of Korean rap, and Mei Ling never talked about it, either. The other trainees seemed to love him, though.

"And lastly, let me introduce myself. I am Kang Minho, your main MC for Rising Stars season four!"

"In this audition, you will be ranked with stars. There will be five tiers: five stars, four stars, three stars, two stars, and zero stars. The current stars on your shirt only correspond to what you think you deserve. However, today, we're going to rate you based on your actual skills," Minho said.

June looked down at his nametag and saw that he didn't have any stars. Not even a single one. He then looked at Jisung and saw he had two stars on his nametag. He looked around the room and saw trainees with even more than five stars on theirs!

"Where's your stars, bro?" Jisung asked.

"Nobody told me where the stars are," June said. It was true! The past seasons had letter systems. It started from A to F. This was the very first time they applied this rule.

Jisung chuckled. "You're quite cute. They were just before the entrance."

June glared at him through the mask, so Jisung raised his hands in surrender, feeling a bit fearful. 

June's eyes looked quite sharp when he was glaring.

Kang Minho sat down, and the other mentors followed.

Jisung was still giddy next to June, looking at the judge's heads with a delightful smile. The two of them were quite close to the judges since they sat at the 91st and 92nd seats.

"Are you performing alone, June?" Jisung asked.

June nodded his head. "How about ya?"

"I'm performing alone, too," he said. "I'm quite nervous about it. I wish I don't perform first."

Yena, the show's main director, went to the front and brought out her cue cards.

"Trainees, the order has been determined," she said.

The trainees' hearts started beating in their chests, hoping not to be the sacrificial lamb. They still didn't know the judges' standards, so being the first one meant you were going in blind.

There were only some trainees who didn't mind going first. One was the talented and popular trainees from the big companies, and the other was June. The editors will edit as they see fit anyway. It doesn't matter what the order would be.

"The first trainee will be Song Jisung!"

The other trainees glanced at him with pity. Jisung wanted to cry. That was his biggest nightmare. He didn't want to go first!

"The auditions will start in thirty minutes. Trainee Jisung, please prepare and go backstage."

Jisung turned to June, his hands shaking as he took his hands.

"Bro," he said. "I'm nervous."

Just then, a light bulb switched inside June's mind.

Maybe he could complete his side quest after all.