Chapter 4: Debut Team Practice (1)

It's Monday.

I was so busy gathering information about this place while browsing the internet that I barely got some sleep in the early hours.

Now that it's Monday, I have to go to work.

The life of a trainee is extremely demanding.

Having just graduated from high school and turning 20, my only schedule is to go to the company and repeat lessons and practices all day long.

Should I get a part-time job?

The 20 million won that Pony gave me.

If I don't get a part-time job, this money will definitely dwindle quickly.

But I'll be joining the debut team soon, right?

Even if I were to find a part-time job, I thought I wouldn't have time once debut preparations started.

"Guess I'll just have to survive by spending my own money until I debut?"

But when will I debut?

I'm pretty sure the debut team hasn't been finalized yet.

How long does it take to debut as an idol?

It won't take more than a year, right?

Today, I walked through the countless gazes of women pouring down on the street and arrived at the company.

Yesterday, I was so flustered that I took a taxi, but I decided to walk from now on.

Novels are novels, but I can't ignore the most realistic issue—money.

The company is about a 30-minute walk away.

It's good exercise, too.

Though, I feel like my face might be pierced by the stares!

Honey Enter. The building entrance is no joke.

I was amazed by the luxurious scene that unfolded before me.

A high-end café, large posters featuring various stars, and items like albums and merchandise were displayed.

Since it was still early, there weren't many people sitting in the café.

The Honey Enter building has 6 floors, and I need to go to the 2nd floor.

That's where the trainee classes are held.

Today, the debut team has a dance class.

I've never danced before.

Can I do well?

"Hello."

I arrived on the second floor, swiped my trainee card, and entered.

Following the note on my phone, I entered the practice room and saw an empty space.

There was, however, a staff member, so I gave a slight bow.

"Welcome."

The way they spoke to me casually made me think they knew me.

Should I just enter the practice room?

"Where are you going? You need to check in."

"Oh, I forgot."

I was about to walk straight into the practice room, but the staff pointed at the attendance sheet with their finger.

I filled it out and marked the current time.

"Do you know today's debut team class?"

"Uh… yes."

I thought I had already been in the debut team, but today seems to be my first day.

If the staff hadn't told me, I would've acted too familiar with someone I just met.

"I'm here for the dance class this morning."

"Oh, right. Since you're not going to school, you said you could attend morning classes."

Did I say that?

"Yes."

My schedule has one morning class and one afternoon class.

From 9 AM to 12 PM, then another from 4 PM to 8 PM.

The rest of the time is for personal study.

But who gets "free study time" in a school environment?

Other trainees have to compete to be in the debut team.

They make sure to note the time you enter and leave, which means they're evaluating your attitude.

No matter how much of a gender-reversed world it is, if you want to be in the top ranks, you need desperate effort.

And I've gotten ahead with body lobbying.

I felt a sudden urgency.

If I debut with this level of skill, won't I just get roasted with criticism?

They say idols get depression or anxiety from all the hate comments. If that's the case, it might be better to focus on improving through sex instead.

The more I thought about it, the more reasons I found to focus on sex in this world.

I applaud Pony for putting me in this situation.

Screech-!

••••••

I entered the practice room where the class would soon begin.

"Huh?"

Surprisingly, there's someone here! A man, presumed to be a trainee, was stretching and warming up.

"Hello."

Let's start with a greeting.

"Hello. I haven't seen you before. Are you a trainee?"

"Yes, I just joined the debut team."

"Even if you're from a different class, you should know each other's faces. When did you join?"

"Not long ago. I'm Jin Hae-sol, 20 years old. Nice to meet you."

"…Kang Gyeong-tae. I'm 21 years old."

Although we're meeting for the first time, I can tell one thing. This guy is wary of me.

"Did you join the debut team right away without taking classes in another class?"

Hey, we just met, and you're already speaking informally. This isn't school.

"No, I took classes in C class for about a month."

That's what the documents say.

"C class? C class is where people on the verge of being kicked out are."

He's looking at me like, 'Why is someone from that class suddenly in the debut team?'

"I don't know. I just did as I was told. If you're curious, ask the staff here."

I can't say I accidentally used my body to get here, so I just said I didn't know and got out of it. Why would I explain everything to someone who speaks informally to me right after meeting?

"You were stretching earlier, right? Let's do it together."

Joining the debut team means you've made a bone-grinding effort, so just by following along, I thought I could learn something.

"...."

The guy had a face like he had eaten something disgusting.

"Hey, life's not meant to be that tough. Let's help each other out, okay?

So, while I'm being nice, could you show me how to stretch?"

"Ugh~ Oh, my back."

Maybe because he was younger, his flexibility was better than mine.

But that doesn't mean he was flexible enough to do ballet.

He was more flexible than the body of the man I used to be, a guy in his 30s with a beer belly.

"...Why is my body so stiff?"

"Isn't this normal?"

If your waist bends easily, you're flexible. What more could you want?

By the way, do I have to do the morning class with just this guy?

Bang!

"Hello!! Good morning~"

Oh, is this a new guy?

This guy is short and has round eyes, a total puppy image.

"Whoaa!! Who is this hyung? I haven't seen you before."

"I'm a new member in the debut group, my name is Jin Haesol."

"Oh, you can just speak casually! I'm 17 years old, Gi Woo-yeon!"

"Ah~ You're a student? But why are you here at this time? What about school?"

"I don't go to school. Hehe!"

"Ah~ I see?"

"I've dedicated my life here. Hehe! Please take care of me, Haesol hyung!"

I really like this guy's polite and kind personality.

I think I'll stick with Woo-yeon from now on to get some information.

"So for the morning class, are we three—Woo-yeon, Gyongtae, and I—doing it together?"

"Eh? ?! I thought you guys had already greeted each other?"

"We just exchanged greetings."

"Let's be friends! Life's tough, but we should support each other!"

Even though Woo-yeon was the youngest, he spoke very maturely.

He had such a puppy-like image, so I thought he was just cute and lively, but surprisingly, he was quite mature.

"You get told you're old for your age, don't you?"

"Wow! The hyung I just met 10 minutes ago guessed my nickname! Are you my No. 1 fan?"

"No, it's just that you act like a kid but speak like an adult."

"I came here when I was 12, so I've been through a lot."

Apparently, there's a similar four-character idiom in this world.

And it's not "San-jeon-ju-seon" (산전주선) but "San-jeon-su-jeon" (산전수전), meaning "experiencing many hardships."

"San-jeon-su-jeon."

"Ah! I thought it was San-jeon-ju-seon! I've memorized so many four-character idioms that I got confused. Hehe."

"Do you memorize those idioms?"

"We learn them in etiquette class. We learn all sorts of things, even table manners. But where are you from that you don't know this stuff?"

"I've been here for a month. I've been in C-class until now, but they told me to move up to the debut group, so I'm here today."

Woo-yeon's eyes widened at my words.

"Wow~ So today is the first time I'm meeting you, hyung? Got it. Then what's your position?"

If I hadn't studied about idols yesterday, I wouldn't have understood what "position" meant and would've been left confused.

But after doing some research on idols, I now know what it means.

The problem is, I don't even know what my own position is.

"Uh… I'm not sure."

"You haven't decided your position yet? Then what did you come in as? Vocal? Dance? Rap? There must be something you're good at, right?"

"...I'm not really proud of my skills. Honestly, I've never had the chance to learn properly."

"Wow, then it's clear! It seems like you were cast for your looks. Honestly, with a face like yours, even Honey Entertainment would pick you. I'm jealous!"

Even though I confessed that my skills were lacking, Woo-yeon seemed to think it wasn't a problem.

"I said I don't have any skills, but are you sure it's okay?"

"Hehe, looks are only fixable with surgery, but skills can be developed with time and effort. Your face is the kind that would make it impossible for casting directors not to pick you."

I wonder if Woo-yeon is reacting this way because I mentioned the "idol" standard to Pony.

At this point, Gyeong-tae, who had been silently listening, cleared his throat to make his presence known.

"Ahem!!"

"Hyung, is something wrong?"

"Shouldn't you be stretching? The instructor hates it when we do the class without warming up."

"Ah! You're right. I need to warm up. My body is precious, hehe~"

Woo-yeon, with his playful attitude, started stretching enthusiastically.

I figured it would be better to follow along than just stand there, so I joined in.

"Wow~ You're really flexible."

"Aww! Stop it, I'm just a little flexible. Hehe!"

Woo-yeon's body stretched like a ballerina, not at all inferior.

"I think I know what your position is."

"Huh? My position?"

"Yeah. You're into dance, right?"

Was it called the main dancer?

I was happy that I could immediately apply what I had studied.

"Looks like studying late last night paid off."

Sure enough, Woo-yeon was surprised by my sudden comment.

"Ah! You figured it out so quickly. Are you investigating me right now?"

"I think we should get closer from now on. You don't mind, do you?"

Even if he didn't like it, he had to put up with it.

The thought of having to endure and adapt to this new environment made everything seem overwhelming.

Fortunately, Woo-yeon responded cheerfully.

"Oh, it's fine. Feel free to investigate me anytime. I'll always embrace you with my big heart."

"To embrace you with your heart?"

Suddenly?

"Hehe, I just meant that as a fan, I have a warm and open heart that can accept anyone. Hyung!!"

I couldn't handle Woo-yeon's teasing.

I burst out laughing.

This was probably the kind of trainee fans would call "someone who's definitely going to be in the debut group."

With so much talent and a good personality, he must be loved by so many people.

"The problem is, if I want to be an idol, I'll have to be like him. Can I do that?"

Male idols.

Just yesterday, I thought being an idol in a reversed gender world would be easy, but I think I misunderstood.

Even in a reversed gender world, being an idol seems like a tough job.