Hard Mode Idol

Get S+ rating for debut song vocals (0/1)

Get A+ rating for debut song dance (0/1)

O Succeed to acquire 800 points 

O Fail to decrease vocal and dance ratings by 1 level 

O Remaining Time: Until the debut showcase

The points seem stingy.

That was my first impression of the newly received main mission. And the penalty is dreadful – decreasing a level in rating. How can I let this discard the experience points I’ve accumulated?

Still, this is far better than the fondness mission. This is something I can somehow accomplish through hard work. While the required rating levels are daunting, I will achieve them.

It’s the debut song, after all. I can only call it my song if I receive the highest rating. Rather, the system seems well-balanced. I have no intention of settling for A+ in dancing either.

Completing the main mission made me greedy. Changing plans so haphazardly today, but what can I do?

Raising it to my previous life’s level is the bare minimum. Since I have stats in this life, I will obviously raise them even higher than before. It would be foolish not to utilize a system that allows this. Clenching my fists tightly, I resolved myself.

Why do year-end vacations exist?

The vocal coach left. With a hearty goodbye to wrap up the year and meet again in January, he clocked out on Wednesday. It meant an entire 6 days of singing without the vocal coach until next Monday. Letting out a deep sigh, I returned to the practice room.

It was already close to midnight, and only two members were still fervently practicing dance – Yoochan and Kanghyun. We walked side-by-side back to the dorms. Seoho hadn’t returned yet, and Ilhan was rarely seen even at the dorms.

The ever-elusive Ilhan was known as a diligent hardworker within the team, but I heard he spends most afternoons in his personal studio after a few hours of dance practice. That’s why I rarely saw him, as it clashed with my vocal practice time.

Composing is great and all, but doesn’t he want to work harder on his weaknesses? Being called a hardworker implies he’s lacking somewhere……

I don’t know. When the debut song choreography comes out, Kanghyun will teach it even if I don’t. He seems to have such a passion for dancing that he’ll probably become a ferocious coach if the person he’s teaching is subpar.

Speaking of composing, it reminded me.

“By the way, Yoochan hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t you compose?”

“Me?”

Huh? What’s with this reaction? Didn’t it say you have talent? Was this a talent you weren’t even aware of yourself?

“You’re not interested?”

While I spoke, Yoochan had been gathering the laundry and extended his hand to me, signaling for me to hand over mine too. I don’t know why he keeps doing these little chores for me, but since it’s convenient, I handed it over.

“Um, no. How did you know I’m interested? I’ve been self-studying, but I’m still at an embarrassing level of skill.”

“If you tell the director, maybe she can assign you a teacher?”

“What’s the point when I have no notable achievements yet? For now, I need to focus on successfully debuting.”

Geez. He doesn’t even recognize his own talent and is only concerned about others’ perceptions. You’re almost 23 and haven’t even properly attended a composing workshop until now? Don’t companies normally assign various instructors? Even if this is a mid-sized company, it seems like they grant trainees’ requests here.

“Hyung, haven’t you been a trainee for a long time?”

The way you dance gives off a century-old mountain spirit vibe. Your dancing is very stable, executing the moves precisely as taught. It feels like you’re replicating the choreography through sheer effort, like a copy-paste job.

“Yeah. My debut fell through twice before I transferred here. This year marks my 4th year at this company……”

It was a wistful smile. I don’t know which company he was at before, but it seems they were quite strict.

“I was originally at a major agency. Once when I was 17, and again at 19. At 17, the entire debut was canceled. At 19, I got cut right before the debut.”

A major agency means it was a large company where he received systematic training. Yet they didn’t even teach him composing. That’s too much.

“So I became quite desperate, and as dejected as I was……”

His vacant gaze made me think of someone he was recalling. The one who pulled Yoochan’s sunken mentality out of the gutter was probably Joon Jaehyuk. To drive the Cult Leader out of his mind, I spoke in a light tone.

“For not recognizing your talent and letting you go, the people at your former company will be kicking themselves when you debut, hyung.”

“You think so?”

“Of course. Because we’re going to succeed.”

I stated it with conviction. If asked why I think so, I have no real answer. I’m just choosing to think positively. No one takes on a challenge while dwelling on failure, right? No matter how dire the situation, a person can move forward by maintaining at least one positive mindset.

Yoochan gave a soft smile reminiscent of his gentle appearance.

“You’re right. I feel like we’ll succeed. If we do well after our success, I was thinking of learning composition then.”

“Why wait until then? What’s wrong with an idol composing? It’s great, isn’t it? A composing idol who directly produces too. Ilhan hyung does it too. Just make it part of your activities as an idol. If you have any songs you’ve made, be sure to let me listen. Sometimes an outside opinion can be helpful, you know.”

“Ahahah. Well, thanks for the encouragement at least.”

“I’m being 200% sincere.”

It said his talent was at the maestro level for composition. Of course I should eagerly await any crumb from someone destined to become an exceptional composer in the future.

Ah, come to think of it, it might be good to check each member’s talents one by one. I’ve already seen two, so there are two left, right? I had thought this skill was useless, but it does have its uses.

Since we’ll be group members together anyway, it’s good to know each other’s strengths. If someone is unaware of their talent like Yoochan, I can subtly let them know. For my group activities to run smoothly, you all need to be happy.

“Hey! I’m leaving!”

“Yeah.”

Is going home really that great? Seoho left with a thoroughly invigorated face from the morning, his steps remarkably light. What a truly blessed life in many ways.

Click, the sound of a door opening. Kanghyun, who had gone to wash up, emerged with a refreshed face. Perhaps he sleeps in a lot, as just moments ago he had a vacant look, but now his eyes were considerably sharper.

“Seoho left?”

“Yes. He was so excited about going home.”

“What about you?”

Ding, the microwave sounded. Peeking through the torn hot dog package, hot steam billowed out.

“I’m not going. What about you, hyung?”

Carefully taking out the hot dog, I bit into it. It was so hot it felt like it might burn my mouth, but I didn’t stop chewing.

“I’m not going either.”

I see. After eating hot dogs a few times, I’ve gotten used to them. I recalled Kanghyun’s talent that I had checked this morning.

[Baek Kanghyun]
Talent: An undisputed, innate Dancing Machine! Blooming Condition: Trust and Will – pursue mental stability!

Even though he’s already an excellent dancer, I learned he’s still an evolutionary form. But his blooming condition was puzzling. Trust and will? Whose trust and will towards whom? The pursuit of mental stability was confusing too. So I couldn’t even confirm if he’s currently in an unstable mental state.

The unusually unhelpful explanation made me recall the fondness level Kanghyun had during the main mission. Despite claiming indifference, he diligently taught me dancing and seemed aware of the other members too. He even invested time on the weekend to help me. Yet his fondness remained at ‘Dislikes’.

Ah, no. Let’s disregard the weekend incident since I don’t know when it changed to Neutral. 

Regardless, the important thing is that he didn’t display any attitude one would expect towards someone disliked. That’s why I had even suspected it was a bug.

“You’re not going to ask?”

“Ask what?”

“Why I’m not going. Everyone else asks.”

“Feel free to share if you want to.”

I gave a perfunctory reply not because I was particularly curious, but because he might want to talk about it himself. Right now, I was more preoccupied with the thought of whether to eat another hot dog since one didn’t quite feel enough.

“No, not really.”

“Do you want a hot dog too, hyung? I’m heating up another one.”

Kanghyun gave me a strange look. Not understanding its meaning, we stared at each other through a brief silence before he spoke up.

“……No. I’ll get ready and head to the practice room. Come if you want to learn more dancing.”

My eyes lit up. I quickly put another hot dog in the microwave as I replied. Since he’s offering to teach me again today, I need to eat and recover my stamina quickly.

“Huh? Really? You’ll teach me?”

“If you want.”

“I’m totally grateful! Oh, but is it okay if I also sing along? I want to practice dancing while singing. I need to practice so my stamina doesn’t drain and cause mistakes on stage.”

“It’s fine.”

“Then I’ll go in the afternoon. I’ll focus on singing in the morning.”

Just as the microwave heated up the second hot dog, Yoochan entered the kitchen while yawning lazily.

“Haon-ah, are you eating hot dogs for breakfast?”

Yoochan, who had emerged leisurely while stretching his yawns, asked as he eyed the stick in my hand.

“We ran out of cereal.”

Yoochan immediately took out his phone. As he sat down and opened the grocery app, I plopped right beside him. The company-issued card is only registered on his phone. All shared household items needed for the dorms are purchased with that card. Food expenses are included, of course! It’s too good.