Chapter 19 – Finishing Up [1]

Another day passed in a blink of an eye. Tom managed to save his voice thanks to his skill while Sam sounded like a dying fish.

"H-How could you have a voice left after yesterday? Cough! We went over the same thing for hours and you didn't even lose your voice! Why is it different from me?!"

Sam looked at him, his eyes filled with jealousy. Tom chuckled and patted his friend's shoulder.

"I am just that amazing, man." He said.

"Fuck you! You're hiding something, aren't you?"

Sam coughed up a storm. He looked at him and shook his head.

"No, I'm not hiding anything. Just a little bit of DNA factor and talent. That's all."

"Hmph. I can't believe you. I'm going to show you my hidden strength next time."

He huffed and turned around.

Both of them joked around as they walked down the hallway.

"Haaa... Haa..."

They went to a small cafeteria nearby, and Sam ordered some coffee. He was still coughing.

"You should have asked for a cup of ginger tea instead, my friend."

"I want to be awake when I die from exhaustion."

"Are you going to die from a mere coughing fit?"

"Yeah. My body is weak. I need Amanda to soothe me with her voice."

Tom laughed and patted his friend's back.

"You're already moving on from Karina?"

"Huh? You haven't heard of it?" Sam looked at him in surprise. "There is a new rumor in the campus."

"What is it?"

"There is a rumor that Karina was seen gangbanged by those guys in rugby club. They said she has been sucking dicks lately."

"Is that so? I never heard of this rumor."

Tom knew that Karina was having a relationship with many men. She was even pregnant, according to his <Appraisal >. He was glad that his friend gave up on that slut.

"You don't care about it?"

Sam asked.

"Of course. I told you that I have no interest in her."

"I see."

Sam nodded and sighed.

"I should have listened to you from the beginning. Man, Amanda is way better than Karina!"

"My~ Thank you for the compliment."

A voice suddenly resounded.

Tom looked up and saw Amanda smiling at them. He smiled back at her and said.

"Hello, Amanda."

"Hello to you too."

She greeted him and sat beside Sam, kissing him on the cheek.

"That's my way to thank you for complimenting me. Fufufu~ I was always compared to Karina, but this is the first time someone said that I'm better than her. It makes me happy."

Amanda giggled. This caused a critical hit to weak Sam, he looked like he was about to faint. He looked at Tom with a look of pity.

"Brother, this is what I call luck."

He whispered. Tom couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you two talking about?" Amanda asked.

"Nothing." They said in unison.

"We're just talking about the idol audition in 3 days. I am so nervous. I joined and will record my video tomorrow." Sam said.

"Oh, really?" A surprised look appeared on her face. "I didn't know you joined. I heard about that idol audition from Amy and Mary. Apparently, their man also joined. They bragged it to me, saying that he would definitely pass."

Hearing that, Tom felt like a knife was stabbed in his chest. He told the twins that he would participate, as James, of course. But he never expected them to brag to their friend.

'The pressure!'

"Hmpf! So what if their boyfriend joins? We have been trained by a former failure idol and reached a satisfactory result. If it's just a qualifier, we will definitely be able to pass it." Sam said.

"Oh really? That's amazing. I am looking forward to the news of you two passing the qualifier then. Good luck."

Amanda smiled sweetly and walked away. Sam's gaze stayed on her until she disappeared in the corner of the cafeteria.

"I felt like I could do anything now."

Sam said. His face was filled with happiness.

Tom sighed.

***

It was finally the recording day. Tom was walking in a park as James, finding a good spot to record his video. He wanted a calm and peaceful place where there was no one around.

In the end, he found a secluded part of the park near the forest. It was surrounded by trees and bushes, giving him a sense of privacy. There were a few benches and tables nearby.

Perfect for him to place his phone and record his video.

"Okay, let's start."

He took out his phone and set it up.

The camera focused on his face and body.

Based on the qualification's rules he read, he was supposed to send a dance video and the singing video separately. It would be great if he could record the two at the same time, but it wasn't possible for him. He would record the dancing first and then the singing.

"Let's do this."

He was ready. <Body Modification> had already done its job to make his body look perfect. He also made his face slimmer and more handsome. His hair was styled based on the popular hairstyle in the magazine he read.

Tom did everything to make his life better. And doing this quest was one of them.

<Voice Manipulation> was activated too, making his voice sound better. It wouldn't sound like someone different, but the way he spoke sounded more pleasant.

Not only that, his fashion was neat but attractive.

Tom began to record his dance video. He chose to do a simple k-pop dance he found online. The movement was easy enough for him to remember and mimic.

As for the music, he used an English song.

He spent a long time practicing.

"Alright. I got this."

He breathed in and out.

Then, he pressed the record button.

"Hello. My name is Tom Alford."

He introduced himself.

"I am joining this audition to improve my singing and dancing skills. This is the result of my hard work for the past week."

Tom smiled and waved at the camera. He began to dance.

At first, he was a little bit clumsy, but as he danced, his movements became smoother. It wasn't as smooth as a professional dancer, but it was enough for him to pass the qualifier. He hoped.

"Woo!"

He finished his performance.

Tom wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the screen.

"That was a lot of work. I think I need a rest before recording the singing video."

He was tired, so he decided to sit on a bench and drink some water. After taking a few sips, he stood up and walked over to the camera.

He placed his phone on top of the table and checked the recording.

"Damn, it looks good."

Tom was surprised by how good it turned out. Better than he had expected before.

"I hope it will be enough."