"Hyung, do you actually have multiple bodies or something?"
"…Did you just come back from watching a movie?"
"No, I'm not joking. How many part-time jobs did you even work? I heard you even got lessons at KRM during the day. Is your body okay?"
Does this punk have connections at KRM too? Why does he know every detail of someone else's schedule?
I ignored Cheon Serim's shameless rambling and silently continued getting my makeup done. Then Aiden Lee, who was getting his hair done next to me, suddenly turned his head, frowned slightly, and asked:
"Yuha, but seriously—are you okay? You don't have good stamina."
"I paced myself enough not to die. Don't look over here, look in the mirror. Your hair's getting messed up."
"You didn't push yourself too hard, right? Yuha."
"…I'm really fine. Don't worry too much. If I'd seriously overdone it, I wouldn't have been able to show up today."
But when even Joo Danwoo ended up carefully asking as well, I let out a sigh and answered. As I quietly closed my eyes, something soft brushed across my face a few times.
"All done now, you can open your eyes."
"Thank you for your work."
I gave an appropriate response, and at the makeup artist's OK sign I opened my eyes—only to find the three of them looking at me with doubtful expressions.
It was obvious they didn't really believe what I'd said. But since I did look perfectly fine physically, they couldn't keep prying.
"Well… I'm sure hyung took care of himself. Just don't overdo it~."
He seemed to think saying anything more would be awkward, so Cheon Serim wrapped up the topic half-heartedly. Though of course, he didn't forget to add one last comment.
After roughly finishing his sentence and fixing his outfit, Cheon Serim suddenly seemed to remember something. With a mischievous grin, he changed the subject.
"But hyung, I think we can expect a good ranking today, you know? Your name value shot up like crazy."
"Oh, true. I read a few more articles with Yuha in them."
Seeing even Aiden agree, I barely managed to swallow the sigh rising in my throat.
'Ha....'
Because this time, I couldn't exactly deny it.
'…I didn't think the part-time job sightings would spread like that.'
I tried to keep my distance from online communities, but that didn't mean I was completely unaware of what people around me were saying.
—Yuha, did you work a part-time job?
Not long ago, I had been called into the manager's office to hear about it. Because so-called "Won Yuha Part-Time Job Sightings" had spread online.
—It's spreading in a way that helps your recognition, but you should still be careful. Some people are uncomfortable, saying it's poor agency care.
—…Yes, I'm sorry.
Trainees don't receive living expenses. Usually, trainees with no local ties like me are rare, and a trainee is just a "trainee," not an "agency artist."
That's why I hadn't even considered asking the agency for help. But once things turned out like this, KRM urgently demanded that I leave my apartment and return to the trainee dorm. Otherwise, they'd consider setting up a living-expense system and deducting it after debut.
'I refused. I don't want to make any debts.'
In any case, after things blew up like this, it looked like I wouldn't be able to work part-time anymore.
Fortunately, thanks to working hard throughout April, I had saved enough money to last through
'Still… I didn't expect the vote count to jump that much....'
At first, I thought it would be nothing. But the keyword "part-time-job max-level idol trainee" seemed to really capture the public's interest. My character edit by the PD unexpectedly received even more praise too.
After all the
'It was straight-up a PD pick.'
It was obvious at a glance that I was lumped in with the "PD picks," right after Kang Hyunjin and Do Ji-hyuk in episode 1.
Apparently the PD wanted to build relationships between the characters they planned to push—creating a neatly packaged storyline. The so-called "roommates."
'Aiden Lee is the genius with a powerful background. Cheon Serim is the all-rounder social butterfly. Joo Danwoo is the leader type with a growth arc similar to mine.'
And on top of that, I was the former major-agency trainee who appeared to have leapt from grade D straight to A. It would've been strange not to make use of that combination.
Plus, even the first mission—something I'd been worried about—had been edited into a "group assignment success story," so all the trainees in the team got a decent amount of recognition.
And because we got good early screen time and narrative, that directly translated into popularity.
「
5th — Won Yuha10th — Aiden Lee15th — Cheon Serim19th — Joo Danwoo
Thanks to that, the three of them—plus me—had safely gotten the public's attention and landed in what you'd call the "stable vote range."
'If our future screen time gets cut, who knows what'll happen to our popularity. But at least we'll all pass the first elimination.'
Maybe that's why Aiden and Serim didn't look especially nervous even with the first ranking announcement ahead. Danwoo still looked anxious, though.
"Trainees, please move now!"
"Yes!"
The trainees, scattered while rushing through makeup and hair, soon gathered and moved toward the set.
Walking with the three who had somehow become a full-on squad with me, I wished for just one thing.
If a ranking drop was inevitable—
'…Please just stop at 5th place.'
Just maintain the status quo.
At first, there had been 100 seats on the set. Now only 60 remained.
Below the round stage, the hundred or so trainees sitting on folding chairs exchanged nervous looks in suffocating silence.
All their gazes were fixed on a single spot—the highest point on the set, the blue chair for 1st place.
"Ah, please..."
I heard whispered sighs and anxious prayers from the trainees.
While everyone stared tensely at the set, the MC walked out with a bright smile completely at odds with the atmosphere.
"Hello,
What followed could only be described as nerve-wracking torture.
"Rank 51… from DD Entertainment, trainee Kim Sunghyuk."
"Gasp…!"
"Hyung, hyung! Congrats!"
"Ah...."
Trainees from the same agency exchanged bittersweet congratulations and quietly sorrowful looks.
"Rank 34… a trainee who left a strong impression through their charming dance lines during the last mission with OutCircle's song. From VOT Entertainment, trainee Yoo Minseong!"
"Whoa!"
"Congrats!"
"Wow, unexpected..."
"I thought his mission reactions weren't good."
"He's got visuals, though."
Voices thick with jealousy and envy followed.
Reactions of all kinds came and went, numbers fell quickly, and by the time they reached the top 10—
"13th place goes to a trainee who won over many Idol Makers with the gentle warmth hidden beneath his flashy performance, and with his confident rap in the last mission. From SEEDS Label—trainee Joo Danwoo!"
"...!"
"Hyung!"
"Congrats!"
I saw Joo Danwoo's eyes widen in surprise. With a dazed expression, he stood up and walked to his new seat amid the cheers of the remaining former Class D trainees.
'Good for him.'
Rising six ranks from last week was probably thanks to the stage he performed in episode 4. As long as he kept that confidence, his performances would continue to draw attention.
Right afterward, I had to clap again. A trainee sitting next to me rose right after Danwoo.
"10th place is a trainee who demonstrated what true talent looks like through his 'all-rounder' performance in the last mission. From Garam Entertainment—trainee Cheon Serim!"
"...!"
Even Cheon Serim—rarely ever looking surprised—jumped to his feet and quickly headed to the MC. From 10th place onward, trainees were allowed to give short speeches, so Serim carefully took the mic and began.
"First of all… thank you to the Idol Makers who believed in me and used your precious votes. I'll become a versatile trainee worthy of the nickname 'all-rounder.' Thank you, and I love you!"
"Yes, trainee Cheon Serim. Please take your seat."
Serim flashed his signature confident smile—showing off for just a moment—then lightly walked up to his chair.
After that, the results continued pretty much as expected. The upper ranks were already filled with trainees who had built up solid recognition, so it wasn't easy for lower-ranked trainees to break in.
But the upper ranks had their own battles—fierce ones. And among the top 10, one trainee jumped five places upward.
"5th place goes to… Aiden Lee from NineHit!"
It was Aiden Lee.
'…He deserved the jump.'
He had the most standout edits in episode 4, after all.
"Thank you to the Idol Makers who voted! I'm so happy to receive such a high rank… and I also want to thank all the trainees who worked with me as a team. And thank you for believing in me! I'll keep working to repay that trust."
With that, Aiden gave his speech and went up. Starting from the so-called "debut zone" of 10th place, the chairs were completely different—they were plush blue leather sofas. Every gaze was loaded with envy as he sat down.
I clapped suitably. After the last broadcast, Aiden had become known as a passionate genius—someone who knew how to separate personal from professional matters, someone who acknowledged his own mistakes. Viewers scolded and praised him in equal measure.
We did butt heads, but because I accepted it and we eventually joined forces to create something good, the conflict had been framed as healthy rivalry and growth. So his rise wasn't surprising.
'Yeah. The surprising one comes now....'
My own ranking.
'…Why am I not being called?'
By the time 4th place was announced and my name still hadn't appeared, I had no choice but to panic.
I expected to rise—Aiden and I both got strong narrative pushes—but I hadn't expected to rise more than that.
And when 3rd place was announced, I was even more stunned.
"3rd place is a trainee who drew huge cheers from Idol Makers through his seasoned performance and stage manners. From BeBest Entertainment—Do Ji-hyuk!"
"...!"
Do Ji-hyuk—who had never dropped below 2nd place, always right behind the immovable Rank 1 Kang Hyunjin—had fallen by one rank.
"Thank you. I'll keep improving without becoming complacent."
Watching Do Ji-hyuk give a tidy bow and sit down, I felt cold sweat trickle.
Because—
'…That means… I'm either 1st or 2nd, right now?'
Logically, those were the only spots left for me.
I hadn't caused any scandals, and even if I had, my accumulated votes meant there was no way I'd suddenly be called at 60th place. Dropping out was even more impossible.
"Trainee Kang Hyunjin from DreamActors and trainee Won Yuha from KRM Entertainment—please come forward."
…So it really was down to the two of us.
I stood up awkwardly, trying to keep a neutral expression, and walked forward. Kang Hyunjin, sitting on the side, also rose and approached the stage much like I did.
"...."
"...."
We exchanged an awkward glance before standing side by side. The MC stepped next to us and addressed me first.
"You look surprised. Do you think you'll get 1st place today, Yuha?"
"Ah..."
I raised the mic—handed to me by a staff member on the way up—and looked into the camera pointed right at us.
After a brief silence, I chose the safest answer.
"…Just standing here already feels like more than I deserve. I'd be incredibly happy if I became 1st, but I'm already grateful as it is."
"Thank you for the humble answer. Hyunjin, what do you think?"
"Thanks to the Idol Makers' support, I've been fortunate to receive good ranks so far. I want to repay that love."
"Does that mean you're not willing to give up 1st place?"
Hyunjin's smile stiffened a little. Then he replied:
"…I don't think I want to lose."
"Thank you for the answers. Then—let's reveal the 1st place trainee of the first ranking announcement."
As the MC spoke, blue lights lit up beneath our feet. I briefly closed my eyes. After calming my breathing, my mind settled.
When I really thought about it, there was nothing to be nervous about.
Because—
"1st place goes to… trainee Kang Hyunjin!"
Hyunjin had also been the unshakable Rank 1 who made his debut in
There was never a world where that seat suddenly became mine.
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