Debut Team Practice (4)
I'd thought the debut team would be packed with kids, but there were fewer than expected.
Counting heads, it came to sixteen including me. But on second thought, sixteen was still a lot. Not everyone would debut—probably no more than nine spots—which meant over half would get cut.
It's cutthroat enough already, and then boom, I get thrown in out of nowhere. Gotta feel like a thunderbolt to them.
For the older ones who didn't make the cut this time—like Kang Kyungtae—getting passed over meant leaving Honey Enter altogether. That explained why he'd been so prickly and guarded when we first met.
Still weird, though. These guys become idols once they debut, right?
I'd figured trainee idols had something special about them. But nope—they acted just like any immature teens. Giggling over nothing, cursing freely. Who'd ever mistake them for stars? They looked like regular teenagers to me.
Not many standouts, but the training shows—they're all solidly average.
That said, average like Ki Uyeon and Kang Kyungtae from earlier that morning, who were on the handsome side. And there was one more who made me go, Whoa! in my head. Only downside: he was kinda short.
My new body clocked in at a satisfying 183cm, and eyeballing him against me, he seemed early 170s.
Surprisingly, I even knew the guy's name.
"Kang Jun hyung! Let's say hi~"
"...Kang Jun."
"Kang Jun?"
Ki Uyeon caught my recognition and piped up in surprise.
"Eh? You know our Jun hyung?"
"Yeah. Heard he's super famous in the debut team."
"Right~!! He's the only one with his own fanclub~"
I knew he was already popular among fans, but a fanclub? News to me.
While Ki Uyeon eagerly introduced me, Kang Jun kept it minimal. After an awkward hello, he barely met my eyes.
Ki Uyeon gave me an apologetic shrug, like bear with him.
"Jun hyung's shy with strangers. But once you get to know him, he's the real deal. You two would get along great."
"Gotta?"
"We're gonna be together more than a day or two—better to start off friendly, right?"
Ki Uyeon was pushing hard for us to bond. I got why.
Always adding that 'get close' bit? He's already got a sense of who's debuting and who's not. Dropping hints for me to play nice.
If we ended up in the group together, starting with some rapport would smooth things out. Did his scheming bug me? Hell no. Having a sharp guy like him on the team beat some clueless deadweight any day.
Kang Jun stayed standoffish, Ki Uyeon kept beaming, the other trainees snuck glances my way, and Kang Kyungtae with his crew acted like I didn't exist. Tension simmered.
Then the instructor walked in, and class started.
"Why's he so bad?"
Not long after we began, the whispers started. They'd tensed up over the hot new guy, but my dancing screamed total beginner.
"How'd he even get in here?"
"Kukukuku! Look at him wobble."
"What? We were all stressed for nothing?"
To join the debut team, you climbed through A-Class, B-Class, C-Class. But I'd skipped straight from C to debut, bypassing A and B.
The trainees figured I had solid dance and vocal skills to pull that off, so yeah, they'd been on edge. Imagine their shock when they saw my crap moves.
I ignored the piercing stares. No plans to stay this shitty forever, so I could stand tall.
Go ahead, laugh it up. Won't be for long.
To crush their smugness? Only one answer.
Sweat!
♣ ♣ ♣
Jin Jua—the girl who'd snagged my number—had cut off all interest in guys during trainee life. Female idols had it rougher than males just to avoid getting booted. A scandal with a guy as a trainee? Instant elimination.
But I'm no trainee anymore.
Her contract ended this month. No one left to judge her for dating.
With her looks, she ranked top-tier for landing a guy.
Haa, hope I don't come off too virgin-y. What should I even send?
She'd never approached a guy first, so nerves hit hard. But damn, she'd been stunned from the jump. Hottest guy ever. She'd seen plenty of good-looking dudes at Honey Enter since childhood, but Jin Haesol blew them all away. Best she'd ever laid eyes on—probably the best forever.
Desperation fueled her. Trainee days ending? Go all-in.
"Gonna regret it forever if I let him slip!"
Shockingly, she'd scored his number. First joy, then fretting over the message, then self-loathing over her inexperience.
"Haa~ Way too bland."
How to hook him for sure? He was debut-track busy—time would be tight. She wasn't dreaming long-term anyway. Just...
Gulp.
My f-first time... with a guy like that.
Before her acting debut, time to unleash years of pent-up desire. But she had her fantasies—no random hookup for her first.
"He's guaranteed to blow up once he debuts."
Brag to friends later: That guy's my first. They'd laugh, call bullshit on her league. Whatever.
Gotta snap proof pics. Hehe!
All fantasy, of course. Reality? Virgin loner Jua, too scared to hit send.
♪♬♪♪~
"Kyaa?!"
Her phone rang out of nowhere. Hand on chest, she checked it.
"Oh no!! What do I do!!"
The caller? The guy she'd just agonized over messaging. She yelped like a banshee.
"H-H-Hello?"
Fuck why am I stuttering not a nerd come on get it together.
-Hello. Jin Haesol here. Remember me? From lunch today. With Uyeon.
Voice is insanely hot what do I say idiot brain think!
"Y-Yeah. I was just about to message you."
-Oh! Really?
"......"
-......
Silence stretched. Her mind raced.
Girls gotta take charge here!
Couldn't blow it. Teeth gritted, breath ragged, she blurted:
"Wh-What're you doing this weekend! Let me buy you dinner!"
BOOM!!!!!
-...Ah, got it. No need to yell—I heard fine. But really buying dinner? No reason?
"What reason? You're giving me your precious time—least I can do. Might be leaving the company without debuting, but I can afford dinner for you."
She'd scraped part-time cash during brutal trainee days. Most went to beauty, rest saved. No dating meant easy saving. Glad now.
Grit!
Big one's coming!!
-Okay. But does it have to be weekend?
Yes!!!
"Wh-Weekend no good? Name a time!! Anything!!"
Not like next year, right? Heart pounded.
♣ ♣ ♣
Meanwhile, I'd called the girl who'd nabbed my number for shady reasons—and scored a date for that very night.
Not 2D babe, real-life stunner. Insane.
Her face stuck with me post-practice, even sprawled exhausted on bed. After agonizing, I dialed. Shockingly, she beat me to the date pitch again.
Gender reversal's no joke.
Starting to feel the heaven-for-men vibe. Girls snatching numbers, asking out first? Earth had it sometimes, but key? I was hot enough now.
Just commuting drew endless attention. Without Jua, I'd have given my digits to some street girl.
Can't stray when she's begging to devour me.
Weekend prep needed. 20 million won in the bank? Perfect date fund.
First: clothes. Wardrobe full of my old 30s stuff. They'd replicated my Earth home thoughtfully, but missed details.
Nothing fit this body. Shopping priority.
"Good—men's fashion ain't worlds apart from Earth."
Not nausea-inducing. Face like fashion's pinnacle made picking easy-mode, but trends felt off. Self-aware here. Idols were celebs—fashion mattered.
Memo it. Level basics first, then this. Don't forget fashion sense—coin it up.
Date tomorrow, so shop post-lunch. No practice? No issue. Just know it'd bite at eval. But I was debut-locked, and shopping earned coins better than drilling.
One-nighter? Bring it!
Why not wait for weekend? That.