Episode 9
The next day, Gyeoul and I searched online for a cheap practice room.
It was all because of Gyeoul’s strong desire to practice properly for five days.
First, I checked Gyeoul’s status window, and knowing her potential ability, I thought it wasn’t necessary to go that far.
After all, whether she practiced intensively for five days or not, there would be no difference in showcasing her talent.
I wasn’t going to sell jewels; I was going to sell raw stones.
And if a producer like Cheon Jong-hoon was around, I figured he’d recognize just how high-quality Gyeoul’s raw stone was.
But since it was good that she was taking the initiative, I decided to help her out a bit.
We found a cheap rental practice room near the nearest station and set out to visit.
“By the way, what about school? Aren’t you a freshman?”
“Oh, I’m a bit of a recluse? It’s similar, so it’s fine since I don’t go to school anyway!”
Not fine at all, but it wasn’t really my place to interfere.
“Yeah, I’ve heard if you only attend the first semester of high school and think you can’t get into college with your grades, you can drop out and take the GED to enter college early. If you have a plan, it’s not a bad option.”
“Hehe, I don’t have a plan like that. It’s just hard for me to mingle with people.”
Gyeoul, how did your grandpa trust and support someone like you?
If it were me, I would’ve shouted for her to come home the moment I heard she lost her wallet.
Did she even know I thought that? Gyeoul stole glances at me and smiled brightly whenever our eyes met.
So what if she didn’t go to school for a bit? I graduated high school and turned out fine.
Just make sure to impress Cheon Jong-hoon.
After a short walk, we arrived at the location marked as the practice room.
“Looks like this is it!”
The place Gyeoul pointed to was an old building that made us doubt if it was even operating normally.
It had a look that made it seem like it was filled with dust and wasn’t inviting, but the map app insisted this was the place, so we followed the signs down to the basement.
The rental practice room on the first basement floor was pretty cramped, and being underground, it didn’t have proper ventilation.
However, with a decent full-length mirror and a well-finished floor, it seemed fine for solo use.
There seemed to be no problem.
Above all, the price was quite reasonable.
Just like the impression I received, Gyeoul also seemed quite satisfied with the practice room she would be using for 5 days.
“It feels narrow and dark, just like my room, so I feel relieved.”
It didn’t seem like she had the same impression.
“…Well, anyway, I’m glad to hear you’re satisfied.”
I used the money I received from Gyeoul’s grandfather to reserve the studio for about 4 hours with the staff. Then, I handed Gyeoul a bit of money and said,
“I’ve booked for 4 hours, so if that’s not enough, use that money to book more. Let’s eat something delicious at a nearby restaurant. Call me if anything happens.”
As I finished what I needed to say and got ready to leave, Gyeoul looked dejected like a puppy whose walk got canceled.
“Are you leaving?”
It seemed Gyeoul wanted to see me dance and sing.
For someone who dabbles in being a nerd and a recluse, she sure wants an audience for dancing and singing.
It was strangely commendable.
To become an entertainer, you need at least that level of attention-seeking quality.
In fact, aside from Gyeoul’s talent, I also thought her timid attitude might lead her to lose interest in the idol business and give up easily.
But it seems that was a misplaced concern.
Yeah, with that level of talent, she should be confident in her primary career.
I sat down, feeling like I was about to check the performance of an S-rank character I drew from a gacha.
“Well, should I stick around and see how it goes for a bit?”
Gyeoul beamed and said,
“Wow! Then I’ll show you the song we practiced!”
As Gyeoul fumbled with the laptop she brought, music started to flow through the speakers.
The song Gyeoul chose was ‘Uh Pu’ by Seven Star.
Oh, that’s quite an aggressive choice!
‘Uh Pu’ by Seven Star is a dance song targeting Yeoreum, featuring strong brass, an intense track, addictive hooks, and impressive vocals.
Thanks to its catchy hook, it feels like a light and fun song, but it also includes difficult performances with aggressive waacking and soaring high notes, causing many trainees to face difficulties.
If you follow along ineptly, the song could seem rather cheap.
Feeling nostalgic for my time at Flower Entertainment, I was excited.
In response to that excitement, Gyeoul’s eyes sparkled brightly.
And then the song began.
[Oh no! I've fallen into the sea of love!]
[I keep getting pulled in, I keep flowing in.]
[All I can think about is that guy.]
“…”
2 minutes and 54 seconds flew by quickly.
The song ended.
Gyeoul, despite performing every challenging aspect of “Oh no” and singing the parts meant for four people live, was gasping for air by the end.
It looked like she had a rough time catching her breath, but considering the vocal distribution, she had enough stamina to pass.
I always thought she was just holed up in her room, but it seemed she was diligently working on her stamina.
However, my expression while watching that stage was crumpled like I’d bitten into a whole lemon.
Gyeoul, noticing my reaction, spoke through her labored breaths.
“…Hah, hah, how was it?”
“How was it?”
I barely held back a curse that almost slipped out.
Gyeoul’s dancing was a sight to behold.
No, not just the dancing; the singing was also a spectacle.
Due to the mental shock, my head felt like it was throbbing, but I tried to remain as rational as possible for a general assessment.
“You’re underestimating idols.”
That was an objective and rational evaluation.
“Who taught you to do that crap?”
Gyeoul’s dance and singing weren’t just bad; they were maliciously bad.
Imagine a friend who awkwardly sings karaoke. You’d think they probably haven’t sung before or just don’t have the talent, and you’d let it go.
There’s no room for feelings there.
But Gyeoul’s dance and singing were different.
She included all the so-called likable and unlikable elements, exaggeratedly expressing them.
She mimicked all the ridiculous ad-libs, nasal tones, and poses, like a malicious impersonation that triggers laughter.
Undoubtedly, anyone serious about singing would want to smack her one.
It was like bad habits gathered into one big choreographed mess.
At this point, it stepped into the realm of art.
It was all about how many absurdities could be packed into one single move.
“What, are you trying to provoke me? Testing how long you can last with that dance and singing? Do you want to fight? I give up. Please, just do it right!”
“I’m just doing my best…”
Gyeoul, after giving that excuse, started tearing up.
And so, I started to tear up.
It seemed that it wasn’t just a prank, but she actually practiced sincerely.
It only looked like it was infused with human malice….
I felt bad for having harsh words for that flounder-like loser.
“I was harsh with my words. I’m sorry.”
Gyeoul glanced at me and asked.
“Yeji said it might be good if we did it this way… Is that weird?”
“No, that crazy girl Yeji again.”
I imagined Yeji laughing like the Joker after teaching Gyeoul the wrong way to dance and sing.
Bullying Gyeoul with her friends was just a bonus.
If she had any gain from this, I might understand it.
But there was no gain at all.
Is it possible for someone to have such pure malice in this world?
The devil was at a training center in Jeonnam.
“…What should I do?”
Tears were glistening in Gyeoul’s eyes, ready to spill at any moment.
With just a poke, she seemed ready to burst into tears again.
I didn’t know how she would withstand the trainee life with such a fragile mentality.
But passing this first round was the real problem.
This wasn’t just Gyeoul’s crisis.
It was my crisis too.
Being clumsy at dancing and singing didn’t matter.
Talent couldn’t be hidden just by being inexperienced.
A producer like Cheon Jong-hoon would naturally strip away the veil of inexperience and see Gyeoul’s talent.
However, those nasty habits were not something that could be easily removed.
They were like stapler staples stuck all over the paper.
Talent or not, if you don’t pull it out, it won’t be visible.
Naturally, Cheon Jong-hoon wouldn’t see Gyeoul’s talent either.
If he didn’t grab my collar, I’d consider myself lucky.
Originally, I planned to just hang around and run errands during Gyeoul’s five days of practice.
Having seed money for stocks wouldn’t hurt.
I scrapped that plan.
This wasn’t the time to think about a little money.
“You… really, you better consider yourself lucky. I’ll make you a person in five days.”
Only five days remained until my meeting with Cheon Jong-hoon.
It was a tight timeline for a monkey to become a human.
I had to root out those bad habits in that time.
*
And then five days passed, and it was finally the day of the interview with Cheon Jong-hoon.
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