Chapter Nineteen: The Fast Track

Jiwon stepped through the gleaming doors of StarOne Entertainment with a mixture of pride and anxiety. His acceptance into the company had been a dream come true, but it came with an overwhelming pressure. Not only had he been accepted, but the system had also placed him on the fast track to debut—a privilege few trainees ever experienced.

StarOne's trainee program was infamous for its intensity. Trainees spent years training, hoping for a chance to debut in one of the company's elite groups. But Jiwon, thanks to the system's relentless push, was already being groomed for an upcoming debut group, a goal most of his peers hadn't even touched after months or years in the program.

[Task Update: Maintain Fast Track Status. Primary Goal: Debut in Atelier, the upcoming boy group.]

The name Atelier echoed in his mind. It was the next big project for StarOne, rumored to be the most anticipated boy group launch of the year. Jiwon felt his chest tighten as he entered the practice room, knowing that all eyes would be on him. He had heard the whispers from the other trainees—the ones who had been there for months or years, still waiting for their shot.

As soon as he stepped in, the room went silent. Conversations ceased, and the once buzzing energy dropped into a tense, uncomfortable hush. Jiwon could feel the weight of their stares as he made his way to an open spot in the room. It didn't take long for the whispers to start up again, quieter this time, but unmistakably directed at him.

"That's him, right? The one who got in on his first try?"

"Yeah, and he's already on the fast track for debut. Can you believe it?"

"It's so unfair. We've been here for years, and this guy just waltzes in like he owns the place."

Jiwon pretended not to hear, but every word cut deep. He knew this wouldn't be easy, but he hadn't expected the animosity to be this palpable. He was the outsider, the one who hadn't paid his dues in the eyes of the other trainees. And no matter how much weight he had lost, or how hard he had worked, to them, he was still the newbie who had been handed an opportunity most of them could only dream of.

The training sessions were brutal. The vocal coach pushed Jiwon and the other trainees to their limits, but every time Jiwon hit a note, he could feel the glares burning into his back. His voice had improved significantly since the system had raised his vocal skills to Level E, but that didn't mean the tension in the room had lessened. If anything, it had only gotten worse.

During one of the breaks, a group of older trainees gathered near him, their voices low but full of venom.

"You really think you can just come in here and debut ahead of us? You've been here, what? A week?" one of them, a tall trainee with a cold smirk, spat.

Jiwon didn't respond, trying to focus on stretching, but the words gnawed at him.

"You might have the looks, but there's more to being an idol than that. Some of us have been training for years. You don't deserve to debut before us," another one added, his tone dripping with disdain.

The room fell silent again as the trainers returned, but Jiwon could feel the hostility growing. The system had pushed him to heights he never thought he could reach, but now he was faced with a new challenge—one that couldn't be solved with exercise routines or vocal lessons.

After the session, Jiwon sat alone in the corner of the practice room, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His body was exhausted, and his mind was racing. The system had given him everything he needed to succeed, but it hadn't prepared him for the isolation. The other trainees wanted him to fail, to prove that his success had been nothing more than luck or favoritism. And that pressure weighed heavily on him.

[Task Reminder: Debut in Atelier. Fast Track Status Maintained. Keep focus.]

The system's voice echoed in his mind, cool and indifferent to the emotions swirling inside him. It didn't care about the jealousy or the hostility. It only cared about results.

Jiwon sighed, closing his eyes. He knew he couldn't let the others get to him. If he was going to debut, he had to push past the resentment and focus on the goal. Atelier was within reach, but it would come at a cost. And part of that cost was being alienated by the very people who could have been his friends.

The next day, during dance practice, the tension escalated. The instructor was going over a difficult choreography, one that required precision and stamina. Jiwon, still adjusting to the intensity of the training, was struggling to keep up with some of the more experienced trainees.

As they moved through the routine, Jiwon stumbled slightly, losing his balance for a moment. It was minor, something that could happen to anyone, but the reaction from the others was immediate.

"See? He's not even that good," one trainee muttered, loud enough for Jiwon to hear.

"He's just a pretty face," another added, chuckling under his breath.

Jiwon gritted his teeth, feeling his frustration rise. He couldn't afford to lose focus, not now. But no matter how hard he pushed himself, it felt like the others were waiting for him to slip up—to prove that he didn't deserve to be there.

[System Alert: Dance Skill Updated. Progressing to Level E.]

The system's notification flickered in his mind, but it wasn't enough to drown out the whispers and glares.

As the week went on, the jealousy only grew. The other trainees would "accidentally" bump into him during practice, or make snide comments when the instructors weren't looking. It was relentless, and Jiwon found himself growing more isolated by the day.

But amidst the cold shoulders and cutting remarks, he knew one thing for sure—he wasn't going to give up. The system had brought him this far, and no amount of jealousy or hatred was going to stop

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