“Ah…?”
Sol stared intently at the unusually bright system window. As Sol, who had been quietly listening, suddenly stared at it and let out a gasp, the team leader asked, "Do you have something to say?"
Sol shook his head at the team leader’s question, his face half-dazed. But even so, he continued to stare straight ahead, his large eyes opened even wider. As Sol shook his head, the team leader clicked her tongue and returned to editing the profile.
Every word pouring onto the screen was unfamiliar. "Comprehension" and "Level 1"—it felt like he had become a character in a video game. The team leader’s soft-spoken voice flowed into Sol’s ears, only to drift away like smoke.
Wondering if he had really understood and read it correctly, Sol repeatedly reread the phrases displayed on the system window. After checking multiple times and feeling overwhelmed by the situation, Sol shook his head vigorously. As he swung his head side to side, the system window that had filled his vision disappeared.
"Do you not like it?"
"Pardon? No… I like it."
When Sol shook his head emphatically, the team leader, having misunderstood, tapped the desk with her pen and asked. Though her tone was gentle, her expression was anything but. Without even knowing what the team leader had said, Sol hurriedly waved his hand and said he liked it, no matter what.
Unaware of Sol's thoughts or any changes in him, the team leader made a few more edits to the profile and, as usual, began to deliver her strict remarks. She talked about how Sol needed to be more confident, how he needed to actively promote his appeal, and how, with such a passive attitude, debuting would be difficult.
These were words Sol had heard over and over again during evaluations. Each time he heard them, he would press his lips together and lower his head, feeling as if his half-hearted feelings were being exposed. Unlike Tae-oh or Ji-ho, Sol had never once given answers like, "I’ll try harder" or "I’ll be more mindful." But today was different.
It wasn’t just a change in his mindset—Sol had been so distracted by the system window that had appeared and vanished that he barely listened to what the team leader was saying. He simply nodded and responded to whatever the team leader said.
"Yes. I’ll focus and practice harder."
It was the kind of generic, empty answer that countless trainees gave, but hearing it, the team leader smiled in satisfaction. Though Sol’s mind was elsewhere, the team leader, unaware of that fact, wrapped up the consultation with a sense of fulfillment. It was the first time since she had known Sol that Sol had given any response to the feedback.
Even if it was a typical, predictable response, it was far better than simply bowing his head in silence. Perhaps that’s why, even though Sol hadn’t been paying attention to her words, the team leader, unusually, ended the session with a few encouraging remarks.
Sol leaned against the wall as soon as he exited the conference room. He felt the cold seeping through the concrete wall. He wanted to check the message from the system window that had disappeared.
Standing in place, Sol mentally recited words like "notification" or "message," but the notification window that had vanished did not reappear. After several attempts, Sol mentally called out "status window."
Name: Seong Sol
Age: 20
Stamina: C
Charm: S+
Singing: A
Dancing: A(S)
Acting: D
Luck: D
Traits: Eraser in the mind, Four-wheel Skeptic, Unlucky Genius Dancer, All-around Performing Arts Prodigy
Nothing had changed since this morning. Shaking his head, Sol tried to dismiss the status window that filled his vision, but his gaze was caught by the word "dancing."
Only then did a very small change caught his eye. There had been a slight shift in "dancing," which had been reduced due to the trait "Unlucky Genius Dancer." Until this morning, there had been a minus sign after the A, but now it was gone.
He had changed. Sol only now clearly recognized that change. Suddenly, a word that made him feel like a game character flashed in his mind—"character." Sol had already seen that word once before on a glowing mint-colored window. The moment he thought of it, the status window disappeared, and a new window appeared.
<Character Info for ‘Sung Sol’>
[You lost both your parents and your dream of becoming a dancer in a three-vehicle collision at the Eunyang Tunnel. After meeting Director Choi Sung-hyo and Representative Baek Yoo-chan of YC Entertainment at the rehabilitation hospital, you became a trainee at YC Entertainment! After grueling efforts, you became a member of the debut group TEAM ONE and are now gaining recognition from those around you. Everyone is curious about your growth and your journey ahead as you rediscover what you love and come to terms with your scars.
You have been accepted to the Department of Western Painting at Deokwon University. Whether to pursue this is up to the player.]
*Character information is updated in real-time.
*Character Understanding Level 1 (Penalty effects are reduced by 50%).
Sol straightened his back, which had been leaning against the wall. Although he couldn't remember the details of what he had seen before, it was clear that the content had changed. Stunned by the changes within himself, Sol stood in place for a long time.
The team leader and Chae Min-ju, who had just finished cleaning up the conference room, asked why he was still standing there and hadn’t left yet. It was only then that Sol snapped out of it and, still feeling bewildered, walked the same path Deuk-yong had taken, heading back to where he needed to be. That place was next to the members of TEAM ONE, who were huddled together in the practice room waiting for Sol.
Feeling as if he were floating, Sol finished the day’s practice. The choreography trainer who led the afternoon session patted Sol on the shoulder. Looking back and forth between Tae-oh and Sol, the trainer remarked, “There’s nothing more to correct now. You’ve reached the top. No, it's time to debut!”
Sol noticed that his fatigue was accumulating much more slowly, and unlike before, he no longer felt out of breath to the point of struggling to breathe, nor did his feet feel as heavy. The penalty wasn’t completely gone, but it was enough to make Sol feel as if he were soaring.
After the consultation, acting lessons were added to Sol’s individual training. This was intended to help him conceal the awkwardness that showed when he was exposed to unfamiliar situations and people. Additionally, despite having only a brief appearance, his role in Eun-gyeom’s music video had created quite a buzz.
The company was eager to fully capitalize on Sol’s appearance. While the acting lessons were suggested based on feedback from the staff who had been present at the video shoot, there weren’t many notable results. Although Sol had improved, his focus remained primarily on dancing. The silver lining was that the acting lessons were conducted one-on-one, and the instructor quickly identified Sol’s weaknesses.
The instructor, a comedian, focused less on grandiose acting and more on helping Sol laugh, move, and act naturally, like a skilled idol. Although the lessons only took place once a week, they were incredibly beneficial to Sol. The lessons didn’t just teach him how to package and present himself in a convincing way, but also how to express himself.
In this way, Sol was slowly but steadily progressing. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.
***
Today, as usual, Yeong-ho sent the remaining members who had stayed behind to practice back to the dormitory. Then, just in case, he did a patrol around the dormitory area. Still feeling uneasy, he checked the front door, the shared entrance, and made sure the building’s CCTV cameras were working properly before finally heading home for his late-night break.
Just as he drove out of the alley, Yeong-ho received a call. Even though it was well past working time, it was a call he couldn't ignore. After finishing the call, Yeong-ho let out a deep sigh and turned the car back toward the office.
Thanks to Eun-gyeom’s successful solo activities, many employees were still at the office. They had to row while the tide was in, as there wouldn't be much work for the staff if the results were dismal. Passing by the brightly lit office, Yeong-ho headed toward the director's office. The person who had summoned him at this late hour was Director Choi.
Just as he was about to knock on the firmly closed door, it swung open, and Representative Baek Yoo-chan came out, waving his hand dismissively.
"Hello, sir."
"Yes, good work."
Representative Baek’s face, showing signs of irritation, suggested that the conversation with Director Choi hadn't been a pleasant one. Tired, he acknowledged Yeong-ho’s greeting before walking away, along with others, like the outgoing tide. After straightening his back, Yeong-ho knocked on the now wide-open director’s office door.
"Come in."
Director Choi's voice, coming from inside, sounded clearly fatigued. Yeong-ho wasn’t pleased with the situation. Something about it made him feel uneasy. When he peeked in, Director Choi forced a smile and gestured for him to take a seat.
"Yeong-ho, you’ve heard that Saebit, TMT, Hwarien, and KM are collaborating with On Music Net, right?"
"Huh? No, I haven’t."
Wide-eyed, Yeong-ho responded, genuinely surprised. The first four were small agencies, and On Music Net was a domestic music-focused channel.
"What? What were you doing while on the road that you didn’t even know about this?"
"...What kind of collaboration is this?"
Although feeling unfairly criticized, Yeong-ho didn’t argue back. Though he now managed trainees like Tae-oh, he used to frequently visit broadcasting stations as a low-level road manager, often hanging out with the managers of the companies Director Choi had mentioned. However, those connections could only be maintained by continuing to visit the stations.
Since he had been caring for the trainees, and the company had effectively neglected them—including Tae-oh—it had naturally become difficult for Yeong-ho to maintain those relationships. In this industry, people only share if there’s something to gain, and to find even crumbs, you have to be on the scene.
A foreboding feeling crept over him as to why Director Choi was bringing up those companies and chastising him for being out of the loop. He had a bad hunch that the director was nitpicking to broach an unpleasant topic.
"Yeong-ho, let’s have your trainees participate in a survival show."
"Whaaat?"
NOOOOOOOOOO
ReplyDelete