-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Know Yourself for Victory in Every Battle
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After finishing our reunion at the dorm entrance, I checked out the room I'd used before first.
Park Soo-rim opened the door to the small room and said,
"This is the room you used to share. It's me, Teddy, and you now."
I was momentarily thrown by the bunk bed and the thick single mattress on the floor but quickly composed myself.
Seven guys living in a 24-pyeong place. It made sense, really.
The master bedroom must be for the other four.
After inspecting the room, I joined the guys who were eating and had breakfast together.
The menu looked like side dishes from a nearby banchan shop and beef seaweed soup.
I took a bite without much expectation...
"...!"
Whoa. Way tastier than I thought.
The broth was especially rich. As good as my mom's seaweed soup—surprising.
[Consumed very delicious food. Stamina and passion recovery speed +10% for 1 hour.]
See? Even the system approves.
I was eating heartily when Park Soo-rim, sitting with me, asked casually,
"Does it suit your taste?"
"Yeah."
"...Really?"
Park Soo-rim gave me a strange look at my answer.
Like he never expected me to say that.
What? Is it so hard to admit good food is good?
I scooped a big spoonful of rice into the seaweed soup, topped it with well-fermented kimchi, and nodded.
"It's good. Where'd you get it?"
"I made it all myself."
"Really? You're a great cook, ...hyung."
Looks like my mind hadn't fully adjusted from being twenty-five.
Calling a twenty-one-year-old "hyung" felt awkward.
I'd get used to it in time.
Just then, Lee Jae-oh, tidying his empty bowl nearby, tilted his head.
"Jae, didn't you barely eat before?"
"Yeah. He always just picked at his food. Weird, huh, Jae-hyung."
"...Me?"
"Yeah, you. You know how frustrating it was for everyone watching?"
No, seriously, why didn't Hi-Jae eat this delicious stuff? Afraid of gaining weight? Just eat and work out.
To me, good food was one of life's greatest joys. I couldn't comprehend it.
With food like this, you'd bow in thanks before digging in.
"I really did that?"
"Yeah. Some days you didn't even touch it and just starved yourself."
"I... did, huh. Why, though? It's so good."
I scraped every last grain and shrugged.
Hoping to brush it off.
"We felt bad seeing you not eat. Hope you keep eating like this from now on. Just exercise more."
Park Soo-rim grinned and patted my shoulder.
Just for eating well, I got praised. Felt kinda embarrassing.
Hadn't had praise like this since I was five...
Anyway, not a bad feeling.
* * *
After breakfast, I left the dorm with the others.
First stop: the phone shop.
Needed a phone to pick songs and practice.
I thought I saw a carrier store on the main road when walking back with the manager earlier.
Retracing the route in my head, Ko Eun-young asked me,
"Where you headed, Jae-hyung?"
"Phone shop. Forgot my pattern lock."
"Oh, got it. When you going to the practice room?"
"Right after unlocking it, I guess... Where's the practice room, anyway?"
"Uh... Hold on. Soo-rim-hyung, does Jae-hyung use the same one as us?"
Park Soo-rim tilted his head, unsure, at her question.
"Hang on. Let me call the manager."
Park Soo-rim pulled out his phone and dialed.
Guess phones aren't banned here.
Back at TL, phones were so strictly forbidden you couldn't even mention the word.
Got kicked out trainees for sneaking them.
That's why I always called Mom from payphones.
Park Soo-rim finished his call and smiled awkwardly.
"They said you go to the trainees' one separately."
"Where's that?"
"Company basement. Debut team gets their own."
"Oh... I see."
They're really trying to freeze me out.
How the hell did Hi-Jae debut originally?
"Alright, catch you later."
"Yeah. See you at dinner."
Bittersweet aftertaste, but I said goodbye and headed to the main road.
On the way back toward the company, I spotted a shop.
Inside, the staff said they could unlock the pattern, but it'd wipe all data.
Kinda wasteful to lose it...
"Could I just get a new phone activated right now?"
"Sure thing. What model you thinking?"
"Just needs calls and texts."
"Oh? How about this one? It's..."
The staff switched to super-friendly mode, pitching phones. I picked a budget model at a decent price.
When they slyly pushed a four-year contract, I turned it down. Not a sucker.
Since I wouldn't use it much, I went for the cheapest plan. Soon, I left with my new phone.
"Too bad. Could've checked KakaoTalk history to figure out what kind of guy he was."
No choice now. Time to learn on the fly.
Pocketed the locked brick phone and fiddled with the new one. Suddenly, I dialed a familiar number.
[010-682X-291X]
Mom's number.
I hesitated, then hit call.
Riiing. Riiing.
The tone rang forever.
Then, soon enough,
-Hello?
"...!"
Hearing Mom's voice through the phone, I hung up in a panic.
Should've at least said wrong number.
But anyway, knowing Mom was alive under the same sky eased my mind.
Wait...
[010-782X-291X]
I dialed another number.
No answer this time—just voicemail.
Doesn't pick up my number, but it's not invalid. Wonder what...
...Screw it. Off to practice.
I shoved the phone in my pocket and headed to the company.
More pressing fires to put out first.
* * *
The basement practice rooms were bigger than expected.
Group rooms for choreography, individual soundproof vocal booths.
Not like TL's whole three floors, but they had everything.
I picked an empty vocal booth.
For evaluation: one vocal song, one dance track.
Before choosing, test Hi-Jae's skills.
Vocal or dance, know this body's limits first.
Know thyself, hundred battles, hundred victories.
No enemies here, so just know thyself.
Closed the door tight to block sound and started vocalizing.
"Ahh. Ah. Aaaaah—"
Yep. Just like when I first heard it—real falsetto.
A pleasant one, rare timbre.
Perfect for intros or hooks to grab ears instantly.
Then, a new alert.
[Performed excellent vocalization practice. Vocal skill proficiency +10%]
Vocal skill leveled up.
Skills level via related actions: sing for vocal, dance for dance, etc.
Nice. Let's try.
Sang a favorite: Lee Jae-shin's [A Gentleman's Farewell].
Weird with my original voice—mine was lower, more powerful.
But blending my techniques worked well.
'Not bad?'
Below my peak, but solid.
After one song, alert.
[Passive skill 'Vocal' leveled up to Beginner 2. Adds resonance to your singing.]
One song for a level up?
Growth speed +50%, but this fast?
Anyway, effect real—post-level, richer emotion.
Deeper feel.
Sang and recorded Park Jin-ah's famous breakup soul ballad. Nodded, satisfied.
'Vocal pick sorted.'
Older, but audition staple.
Good for showing skills.
To max this voice 200%, need finer control.
Skill boost + effort = potential hit. Felt it.
Done with vocals, headed to Group Practice Room C.
Least crowded mirror room for choreo.
Some trainees already blasting music, grinding.
All desperate for debut spots.
Mostly young faces—minors or fresh adults.
But when I entered, atmosphere froze icy.
'What the...'
I get it.
Hi-Jae was ex-debut team.
Top rival, natural wariness.
I understand. Totally.
But stopping dance to glare? Overkill?
Awkward much.
Drew on my old teppanyaki joint experience—thick-skinned face on, picked a spot.
Their loss, not mine.
Mental win secured, started warming up.
Basics: arm stretches, waves, bounces...
'Flexible as hell.'
Trainees always said I was stiff. Hi-Jae's body? Supple, agile.
[Performed basic moves. Dance skill proficiency +5%]
Dance proficiency up too.
Went for a memorized choreo from monthly evals.
Way different from my old style.
'Dance line this pretty?'
Body's flexibility made lines fluid, same moves smoother.
I'd kill myself practicing and never get this.
Bittersweet past me. Talent, huh.
But this body's mine for now.
Temporary, but Hi-Jae's talent is mine. Right, system?
[...Peak shamelessness! Intelligence +1]
What. Stats from that?
Talked to system, got INT up.
Gotta chat more.
Maybe waiting for it.
Stat up sparked curiosity.
'Can't see others' status windows?'
Member stats/skills would help.
System shut it down.
[Cannot view other characters' status windows currently.]
Fine.
Got my level pegged.
Stick to basics, flashy track... Ah, that one.
Picked a monthly eval song from trainee days.
Two years old—perfect.
'Hm?'
Mirror caught a guy approaching.
The one glaring hottest.
Why that face?
Pure malice.
Stopped practice, turned to him.
What now.
He closed in, scanning me top to bottom.
Thuggish eyes on neat face.
I broke the ice.
"Got something to say?"
He scoffed, incredulous.
Tapped his temple with index finger, mocking.
"Heard your head got reset?"
"..."
"Acting all aloof and superior before. Serves you right, huh?"
Sigh...
At this point, curious.
Hi-Jae, what life did you live to piss everyone off like this?