NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20
As the awkward incident between me and Yoo Seol settled down, Han Si-woo grabbed the mic again to continue the broadcast.
“This concludes my Idol Academia ranking evaluation. Thank you, trainees!”
“…….”
Even with Han Si-woo’s encouraging words, there was no loud response from the participants.
Everyone was exhausted from the long shoot, and more importantly, most of the participants were greatly disappointed with their low ranks.
Reading the room, Han Si-woo smiled and continued.
“My Idol Academia will be conducted under a strict meritocracy system. Those with low ranks will be treated worse than those with high ranks.”
“…….”
At those words, many participants’ faces darkened. Most were D, E, or F ranks.
As they remembered their ranks, some bit their lips or clenched their fists.
As the negativity filled the air among the low-ranked participants, Han Si-woo spoke again.
“But, everyone. The ranks you received are not final yet.”
“……!”
Han Si-woo introduced upcoming plans.
“In one week’s time, during the theme song shoot, you will be practicing dance and singing through customized classes. A ranked participants will be in A class, B ranked participants in B class, and so forth.”
“…What?”
I couldn’t help but flinch at Han Si-woo’s words. There were only two A-ranked participants: me and Yoo Seol? Does that mean A class is just the two of us…?
‘That’s a bit overwhelming….’
Yet, this worry was resolved in his next statement.
“And for the next week, there will be ongoing class changes. If you show good performance, you may get promoted; if not, demotion awaits.”
…It’s true that they rated us pretty harshly.
No matter how strict the evaluation was, having only 2 A ranks out of 100 felt too extreme.
Na Ah Ah’s production team must have instructed the judges to be tough for dramatic effect from the get-go.
“Depending on how you perform moving forward, a trainee ranked F can dream of becoming an A rank!”
Han Si-woo’s words were like pouring gasoline on a spark.
He ignited the competitive spirit of the low-ranked participants.
“Now, the true competition begins. If you want to debut through my Idol Academia, if you want your name to be known, prove it with your dreams and passion!”
“……”
No one responded or nodded, but all 100 participants’ eyes sparkled with life.
Was this what soldiers looked like before heading to battle?
In that moment, I realized once more: no one was here by chance. Everyone was risking a lot to be here.
‘Even that one….’
My glance reflexively went to Yoo Seol, who wore a bright smile as if looking forward to the future. But she must have a lot at stake too.
And that meant…
I would have to work harder than ever to beat Yoo Seol.
Of course, I couldn’t only focus on her above me.
Shiver.
At that moment, my eyes met Seo Yoo-jin from SAV, who was glaring at me.
She didn’t receive an A rank, but her stage presence was definitely impressive.
Other B-ranked participants also showed off decent skills.
Could I really suppress them with mere skill?
…No.
It wouldn’t be strange if the relationship between the B ranks and me flipped at any moment.
Pressure from above, pushing up from below… thinking about it made it hard to breathe.
Despite that….
Thump.
My heart was pounding with excitement.
Everyone here was likely feeling the same way.
Though they might look like sweet girls on the outside, inside they were filled with ambition and passion.
And in the next moment, I was certain of that.
“Okay, then let’s all shout the slogan together! One, two…”
“Show me your dream!!!!!”
Along with Han Si-woo’s signal, we all shouted the slogan, which was filled with an overwhelming amount of malice and venom.
This place was a battlefield.
Full of dreams and passion,
And…
A battlefield filled with darkness, brutality, and cunning.
“Cut! Great job, everyone! Today’s shoot is over! Now, let’s move to the dormitory~”
Having completed today’s shoot with the collective shout of Na Ah Ah’s slogan, we wrapped things up.
“Now, trainees, please line up according to your ranks~”
Han Si-woo’s words about different treatment based on ranks didn’t seem to be empty.
As soon as the shoot ended and the applause for our hard work started, our unequal treatment commenced.
“Umm, so where does the F rank go…?”
“Yes~ F ranks, please come this way!”
“E ranks, over here please~”
Participants all fumbled, trying to find their designated ranks.
I also had to part ways with Park Yoo-jung, with whom I had grown close during the ranking evaluations.
“Sis-!! Let’s definitely meet again next time!! I’m going to be in A class in no time-!”
“Y-Yeah.”
We said we’d meet again, but Park Yoo-jung was an E rank.
There was a chance we might never meet again.
Feeling a little bittersweet, I walked to the A rank area.
“…Ah.”
Yoo Seol had already arrived at the A rank spot before me.
‘……This is awkward.’
We were still a bit uncomfortable being together like this… How could I have declared a rival against her earlier?
‘…Next time, I’ll show an even better side of myself.’
As I recalled my words to her while holding her back, my face started to warm in embarrassment.
…I couldn’t breathe. What should I say when it’s just the two of us?
‘M, MBTI…! Can I just talk about MBTI? Kids like that these days…! But what was my MBTI…?’
I think I might have taken a test once, but I couldn’t recall it well.
As I contemplated whether to ask about blood types, I approached Yoo Seol.
But then….
“Um….”
Swish-.
“……?”
Just as I was about to muster the courage to speak, Yoo Seol raised her hand to block me.
“Next time.”
“…Huh?”
“Let’s talk later; we’re tired today.”
“…….”
Her face had a weary smile, unlike the bright one she wore in front of the camera.
“…O-Okay.”
It felt difficult to say anything more in response.
“Now that everyone’s lined up according to their ranks, we will move to the dormitory.”
Thus, just the two of us in A rank moved to the dormitory with an awkward silence.
The dormitory, about a 15-minute walk from the set, turned out to be surprisingly large.
According to the explanation, it used to be a rundown resort that the broadcasting station acquired and remodeled for Na Ah Ah’s lodging.
‘It’s surprisingly massive.’
Though it was once a failing resort, the exterior looked quite splendid.
Was it because our program was called Idol Academia?
The dorm was decorated in white and pink paint, giving it a fairy tale campus feel.
As I marveled at the appearance of the dormitory and entered, suddenly…
“Woaaaah-!!”
“It’s so pretty-!!”
“What’s the room like?!”
An exaggerated reaction erupted from the leading group.
In that moment, I instinctively sensed that the cameras were rolling again, and indeed they were.
As we entered the dorm, dozens of cameras awaited us, just like on set.
‘What could be so interesting about the dorm…?’
And soon enough, I figured out the reason.
“From now on, we will separate you by rank! F, E, D ranks will be on the first floor, B and C ranks on the second floor, and finally, A ranks will be on the third floor.”
“Ah…”
The disparity of room quality based on rank was meant to capture the reactions of the trainees.
The quality of the F rank rooms I passed was indeed jaw-dropping.
“What, what’s this…?”
When the F ranks saw their rooms, they completely forgot about the filming and expressed genuine reactions of disbelief.
Sighs and irritation.
Some even frowned in disgust.
And it’s no wonder because…
‘Military training center…?’
The F rank room resembled a military training center.
Of course, I had never been to the military since I was an orphan in my past life. But I had seen enough military variety shows to have a good idea.
Bunks, lockers, and even the blankets and sleeping bags underneath…
Even though they painted the walls a bright color to give it a somewhat feminine touch, there was no denying it was just a military training center.
“…How many people will fit in this room?”
In response to a careful question from an F rank participant, the production team replied with a bright smile.
“Yup~ A total of 20 people will fit in this room.”
“…W-WHAT?! Twenty people…?!”
“If there’s no rank change, F rank trainees will spend a week here.”
“…….”
That statement made the F rank trainees turn into sad clowns. Simultaneously, they gritted their teeth as if reaffirming their determination.
The same went for the other ranks.
E and D ranks may have been better, but they couldn’t exactly say they were in good rooms either.
“Now, here’s the C rank room!”
At least the C rank rooms were better.
“C rank trainees will share a room with 4 people.”
A reasonably sized room with decent décor and rather plush-looking bunk beds.
C rank trainees seemed mostly satisfied, provoking pleasant reactions in front of the cameras.
And I was shocked starting with the B rank.
“The B rank rooms are for 2 people.”
“…Wow.”
The spaciousness of the B rank room was visibly different from the C rank room.
A tidy bed with a carpeted floor and a small desk beside it.
There was even a small living room with a sofa; this was practically a little house.
‘…This is way better than my last home!’
I had thought being a B rank wouldn’t be that impressive, but it was much better than expected.
At this rate, the B rank trainees would all be greatly satisfied…
“…I can’t share a room with anyone.”
“…….”
When I turned back after hearing a statement like something out of a rich girl’s comic, there was SAV’s Seo Yoo-jin.
Seo Yoo-jin, who gazed at the B rank room with a sorrowful expression, went…
Jitter.
…And the moment our eyes met, she glared at me.
…The thoughts of what was going through her mind were painfully clear.
Though, by now, I was becoming somewhat accustomed to it.
I casually ignored her glare and turned my head elsewhere.
As expected, other B rank participants were cheering about their rooms.
“Alright, now we’re moving on to the A rank rooms.”
By now, I couldn’t help but be excited about the A rank rooms.
The production crew seemed confident, glancing at me and Yoo Seol, smirking.
Ascending the stairs to the floor with the A rank rooms…
“Now, the A rank rooms, of course, have single occupancy. First, here’s Ha Ye-rin’s room. If you’re ready, let’s go in.”
Doo~ doo~ da~ da~
The most excited member of the production team opened the door with a flourish.
“…Wow.”
Entering the room with growing anticipation, I was utterly taken aback.
It was a slightly bigger room than the B rank, and I got to use it alone. In the center was a spacious sofa and a TV, and in one corner was a hammock and an old-fashioned desk.
Most importantly, unlike the other rooms, it had a terrace.
When the production team smiled and opened the sliding glass terrace door, a refreshing breeze poured in.
I quickly moved to the bed and pressed down on the mattress.
Push, push.
“It’s soft, right?”
“Ah…y-yeah… it’s super soft.”
The plush and bouncy feel clearly indicated a high-quality mattress. As I marveled at the mattress’s quality, the production team pointed a camera at me and asked.
“So, Ha Ye-rin, after seeing the F rank to A rank rooms, how does it feel to be the owner of this room?”
“Umm… well…”
What would I say if they asked how I felt? Of course, it was good. Other responses didn’t come to mind, so I just shared my thoughts directly.
“…It’s really great.”
“……And?”
“And…? Oh, um, the bed is soft, so that’s nice…?”
“…….”
The moment I said that, the producer’s face soured.
…Was that not the right response?
In my panic, I turned my head to see my reflection in the mirror and figured out why they looked displeased.
My expression was so cold that it was hard to tell whether I was pleased or displeased.
‘…Sorry for the boring reaction.’
Apologizing silently to the disappointed production team, they awkwardly left the room.
“Then, we’ll guide you to Yoo Seol’s room now! From now until 7 AM tomorrow is free time, so please take a rest and have a wonderful night!”
Bang.
“…Free time, huh.”
Though the production crew said it was free time, there was something off about that statement.
Whirring-.
The multiple cameras still turned on in the corners indicated otherwise.
“I mustn’t make the mistake of walking around in just my underwear….”
I sighed once and unpacked my belongings that the production team had set up for me beforehand.
After a quick shower, I threw on the white tee and dolphin shorts I’d brought and lay down on the bed.
While it was a bit uncomfortable not being able to sleep in just my underwear like at home…
Soft.
The bed felt so good that I could feel my fatigue slowly melting away.
“Now that I think about it, how long has it been since I had a room to myself…?”
In my past life, being an orphan, I had always been alone since becoming an adult.
In this life, I had never had the experience of having a room to myself.
We had three rooms at home: one was the master bedroom, one was dad’s computer room, and the last one was mom’s clothing room.
“It’s almost been 19 years since I had a room to myself…”
The feeling of sleeping alone after such a long time wasn’t bad.
I lay there, closing my eyes and reflecting on the day.
I woke up early this morning, came to the Na Ah Ah set, went through the ranking evaluations, and met several people.
I considered how I would be graded for my day, just like the judges graded me.
…It wasn’t so bad.
The ranking evaluation was better than I’d expected, and I found someone I wanted to catch up with…
‘Yoo Seol.’
As I thought about her, I recalled how she had put up a wall between us earlier.
‘She said she was tired today and to talk next time… I wonder if I’ll have a chance to talk to her tomorrow…’
I shook my head while thinking of her.
“…I shouldn’t overthink; I should just sleep early.”
I needed to rest to recover my stamina and be ready for tomorrow’s challenges.
I simply hoped that tomorrow would be like today as I closed my eyes.
And then….
“Yea-rin, are you going to wake up or what?!”
The next day, my wish was promptly shattered.