Debut Team Practice (3)
After morning classes, it was noon when the manager director showed up. He gathered us all and led us to the cafeteria.
"You know the next class starts at 4, right? Eat up."
"Yes."
"Yep!"
"Sure."
"Take good care of the new guy Haesol here. Make it easy for him to adjust."
"Aigoo, Manager! With me around, no need to worry about that~"
"Yeah, Uyeon, you're great at this stuff. I trust you."
With all the competition between trainees, emotions could flare up sometimes, and from the agency's perspective, that was the last thing they wanted. In a situation where the debut lineup wasn't finalized yet, fights breaking out among potential members? Who'd welcome that kind of friction from the start? Sure, some rivalry was inevitable once the debut team was set, but they had to prevent things from getting too ugly.
In that sense, Ki Uyeon's cheeky, good-natured personality was one of the qualities that appealed to the company.
"Man, the sky's yellow and now I gotta eat lunch? Why's the day dragging like this?"
"Hehe. Hang in there, hyungnim! You'll get used to it—it's not so bad. Oh! But afternoon classes are way tougher."
Two classes a day. Without the stamina to back it up, just enduring could be tough.
"What do we do after lunch till 4?"
"Personal practice, obviously."
"Even with class at 4?"
"In the debut team, you gotta shine in classes too. They evaluate your everyday stuff. It's about how much you've improved since last class. Our instructors love seeing progress."
Having been a trainee for five years, the kid's advice was packed with solid info.
A nice scent?
Suddenly, a pleasant fragrance tickled my nose, drawing my gaze automatically.
Whoa.
I nearly let out a gasp. An incredibly beautiful woman was the source—stunning even without makeup, her sharp features unforgettable. But her expression was so downcast, it made me want to ask what was wrong.
"Huh? Jua noona?"
Ki Uyeon waved enthusiastically at her.
"Noona! Over here!"
She spotted him, looked surprised, hesitated with a glance around, then sat across from him.
"Hi."
"Hehe~ Long time no see, noona. Join us if you're alone."
"What about the director?"
"Guess he's busy. Popped in, said a few words, and vanished."
"So no updates?"
"Updates? Rumors are always welcome. Something new brewing?"
"Nothing big. I'm ending my trainee contract at the month's end."
"Pardon?"
Ki Uyeon's eyes went wide. I froze mid-chop, stunned too. A beauty like that getting cut before debuting?
"N-Noona, you serious?"
"Yeah. Dead serious."
"That's such a waste! You sing so well! Can't you hold out a bit longer?"
"I've thought about it a ton. But I don't see a future here. You know they're launching another boy idol group—this is the second one. Girl idols lack competitiveness in this cutthroat market, so the company has no intention of debuting any."
"Nah, no way! We've got tons of girl trainees."
Ki Uyeon tried to dissuade her, but she seemed resolute.
"Even if they make a girl group later, I doubt it'd be my chance."
Age was her issue too. With the new boy group launch, the company would pour everything into it. Years would fly by—4 or 5 easy—before girl group talks resurfaced.
"I'd be 26 by then. Debuting mid-20s as an idol? With 17- and 18-year-olds? Time to call it quits."
"Your skills are too good to waste, noona."
"The director even tried to talk me out of it. He doesn't bother with hopeless cases, so that patched up my regrets a bit."
"What're you planning next?"
"Gonna try acting."
"Whoa! Acting?!"
"I've got the looks, right? Actresses peak in their 30s. Not too late to start now. I've already got feelers out with an agency. Keep it hush, okay?"
"Of course!! You know how tight-lipped I am. Hehet!"
She wasn't quitting the industry entirely. I was thinking the same—such a face shouldn't go to waste. Good for her.
Acting suits that face way better.
Our eyes met suddenly. You know how it's hard to hold a gaze with someone that pretty? I looked down instinctively. But she eyed me curiously.
"Who's this? New face."
"Oh right! Got so caught up chatting, forgot to introduce hyungnim. He's the new debut team addition. This is Jin Jua noona. Say hi!"
"Jin Haesol."
"Joining debut team at this stage... Lucky. You're debuting for sure."
"Not just me thinking that, huh? You see it too?"
"Obvious visual pick. Your team's faces were kinda weak. Jealous. Makes me mad I'm a girl sometimes."
"If you were a guy, you'd have debuted ages ago. Sing an OST after your acting debut—fans'll freak."
Relieved she wasn't ditching entertainment, Ki Uyeon perked up.
"Thanks. I'll cheer for your debut too. Hope you make it big first."
"Yup! I'll roll out the red carpet ahead. Walk it in style, noona!"
"You've got some nerve for a guy. Hehe!"
"That's my charm~"
My mind was a mess, though. A sudden urge had spiked.
If I'm gonna score, it'd be with a woman like her.
Not fully adjusted to this world yet, I hesitated on making a move. On Earth, approaching her looks would've been off-limits. But this was gender-reversed world, and my face was idol-tier now.
Should I?
I kept the chat casual, biding my time. Words barely registered.
Go for it? Nah? Fuck it, dive in?
To land a beauty, you need courage!
We finished eating and stood to return trays. As I psyched myself to ask for her number—
"Um..."
"Yeah?"
Jua spoke first. Ki Uyeon was busy with his tray; just us two.
"I-If it's not too much, could I get your number?"
"...Huh?"
"I know debut team's busy, but you're totally my type."
I was gonna ask her, but she beat me to it.
"010-XXXX-XXXX."
"Whoa! Didn't expect you'd give it up so easy. Thanks! I promise I won't be a bother!"
She smiled shyly. A comic-book beauty clinging, vowing not to annoy me? Unreal.
Poni was right.
Impregnation missions sounded absurd, but this world was man-scarce, on the brink.
Even stunners like her had to approach first for romance. Brutal for women.
Heading to afternoon class, debut trainees trickled in from school. After lunch, I'd gotten dance tips from Ki Uyeon and was resting while they arrived one by one—per his advice to recharge before class.
Kang Kyungtae's here.
Maybe embarrassed from squeezing out that storm of juice in morning class, he'd skipped lunch claiming prior commitments. Now he sauntered in fine.
Meanwhile, Ki Uyeon was busy introducing me.
"Hyungnim's face is glowing! Unreal this visual was still available."
"Who scouted him?"
"Whoever it was, they're getting a fat bonus."
"Seriously handsome."
"What've you been up to? Must've dodged tons of castings."
I'd figured afternoon debut kids would side-eye me like Kyungtae did this morning. Surprisingly, no open hostility. Plenty seemed eager to buddy up.
Odd at first, then it clicked.
This is normal. Overt antagonism like Kyungtae's is amateur hour. Scheme behind smiles, keep up appearances for rep.
Rivals or not, making enemies rashly is risky. In the real world, you bow to faces you'd love to smash. Kyungtae was the naive one, really. Watch for backstabbers who grin upfront.