episode_0013

As I stepped onto the stage, over a hundred pairs of eyes were fixed on me.

Shivers ran down my spine.

Even though I had experienced this once before, my hands trembled with nervousness. And… I couldn’t help but admire Seo Yujin, who had just taken the stage before me.

‘How can she look so confident here?’

The characteristic of Seo Yujin’s nonchalant gaze… I had thought she was just trash, but maybe there was something to it.

At least it helped ease the heavy tension a bit.

Thump-thump.

That’s how much I was trembling under pressure. I managed to calm my racing heart down and the judges seemed to be waiting for me to start answering their questions.

“Yes, contestant Ha Yerin. Please introduce yourself.”

“…I’m 19-year-old Ha Yerin from Hyungje Planning.”

“Is that all?”

“You’re quite chic~”

Oh no… I was going to add some witty remarks to my self-introduction, but I was so nervous that I skipped it.

Still, my concise answer didn’t seem to offend the judges.

Instead, they seemed satisfied with my character and chuckled.

“You’re quite tall, aren’t you? How many centimeters are you?”

“Ah… 172cm.”

“Huh? Wow… I thought you were at least 177cm…”

“My face is small, that’s why. It’s almost the size of my fist.”

As I said that, one of the judges, a woman, raised her fist.

…Even though my head is small, it’s not as small as a woman’s fist. It was a teasing remark.

“That’s… well, I don’t think so, but thank you.”

“Oh, even your embarrassed expression is cute.”

“Contestant Ha Yerin seems to enjoy teasing more than we thought?”

“Hahaha~”

When one of the judges laughed, the others followed suit, and the tense atmosphere loosened up.

One thing I feel is different from my past life since being reborn as Ha Yerin.

People are kinder to me.

‘My appearance must have a big influence.’

Whether it’s the same sex or the opposite sex, a beautiful appearance makes the other person feel good.

Thanks to that, I was able to create a favorable atmosphere with the judges compared to the other contestants.

It may feel unfair to some people… but I can’t help how I was born.

I decided to make the most of being born pretty.

‘If I can maintain this gentle atmosphere until the end…’

But then, it happened.

“Ha Yerin, trainee.”

Suddenly, in the midst of the pleasant atmosphere, a cold voice cut in like ice.

Of course, the protagonist was Han Siwoo.

He seemed disinterested in my appearance, bowing his head and flipping through some papers before asking in an indifferent yet chilling tone.

“I checked just now… your idol trainee experience seems to be very short?”

“……”

“Exactly how long have you been a trainee?”

At Han Siwoo’s words, the other judges also raised their heads, flipping through papers with surprise.

‘…Damn.’

It was something I had to face anyway. I sighed inwardly and replied calmly.

“It’s been exactly one month.”

“……!!”

One of the judges, with a look of disbelief, adjusted her glasses and asked again.

“One month… so you mean you’ve only been training for a month before appearing here?”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“……”

With my answer, the harmonious atmosphere quickly turned cold.

And the main culprit for creating this atmosphere continued… with more deadly questions.

“Among the trainees behind me right now, there isn’t a single person who hasn’t trained for at least a year. Some have been training for over 10 years.”

“…Yes.”

“But you… only trained for a month and decided to appear… were you that confident in your skills, or…”

Tap.

“Did you underestimate being an idol that much?”

…This bastard.

He’s not even from a big company, why is he conducting a pressure interview like this.

From a third-party perspective, I didn’t realize it, but Han Siwoo’s sharp questions were so suffocating that I was on the verge of swearing.

But there was no time to dwell on it.

Woo-.

The camera was still rolling.

Wait, what?

“Zoom in on their expressions, quickly.”

They were frantically creating new content, digging into my personal life.

In that moment, I locked eyes with Han Siwoo.

The animosity in his cold gaze was… even more intense than when Seo Yujin looked at me.

Why…?

I couldn’t understand, but I needed to quickly regain my composure.

If I faltered here… I would be done for.

“Do you think you have enough skill to debut in just one month of training?”

No.

Even with the status window, I didn’t have confidence in myself.

“I’ve experienced firsthand how difficult it is to be an idol in the past month. Of course… I’m not confident in my abilities right now. I need to work harder and grow.”

Did being an idol seem easy to you?

No.

Not at all.

“I struggled even after just one month of practice. Everyone else here has endured this grueling training for at least a few years. I will never underestimate the idol industry where such people gather.”

After I finished my answer, Han Siwoo still looked at me with a cold gaze.

“If you’re not confident in your skills… and you didn’t underestimate being an idol, then why did you come to Nara?”

This wolf-like guy.

Once he caught me, he didn’t intend to let me go with his formidable grip.

Why did I come to Nara? If he asked that, then my answer was obvious…

“…I came to Nara to become an idol.”

“Then why do you want to become an idol?”

Ouch.

My head was starting to hurt from the wolf’s relentless questioning.

Normally, I would have come up with a decent answer even if it was fabricated… but with the added tension and pressure, I could only answer as the thoughts popped into my head.

The reason I wanted to become an idol…

“Mom, when I get old, I want to live in a beautiful mansion.”

“Haha, honey. That would be a burden on Yerin. I’m satisfied with a luxury apartment in Gangnam.”

“Yerin, even after you get married, you will continue to live with Mom and Dad, right?”

“Yerin, Dad’s favorite folktale is Shim Cheongjeon. How touching is Shim Cheong, who throws herself into the sea for her father’s sake…”

…Parents.

Yes, my damn parents…

The mosquitoes that would suck my spine dry until I died of exhaustion.

To escape their clutches… I needed money. I needed power.

And the only way I could get it right now was by becoming an idol.

Yes… I…

“…because of my parents.”

“…What?”

“Because of my parents… I have to become an idol…. I must….”

…!

That was when I sincerely conveyed my feelings.

Boom-!

A status window that had never appeared before suddenly lit up and started shining on its own…

[You have met the conditions for the trait-!]

[Acquired trait ‘Sincerity.’]

[Trait: Sincerity – “Ah, it’s real-!!” If you speak from the heart, your sincerity will be conveyed to the other person.]

…Something vague had appeared.

I had thought the status window would remain empty at some point. But what is this…?

‘What does it mean to speak from the heart…’

And does something really change when it is conveyed to the other person?

“You have to become an idol because of your parents?”

“Yes? Oh, yes….”

“…What kind of backstory is so poignant that you… oh, never mind.”

…?

The dance trainer, who seemed to have a question for me, was taken aback in the middle and finally asked the question.

At that moment, I could sense a shift in the atmosphere from the judges towards me.

The people who used to look at me coldly… now seemed to have a slightly pitiful look? There was also a feeling of support towards me…

“Is my ability being applied?”

…Even though my ability may have been applied, it didn’t seem like my sincerity was being accurately applied.

When I said I had to become an idol because of my parents, it was meant to escape from our parents.

But now, their reaction was like the sailors looking at Simcheong jumping into the river.

…There was definitely a misunderstanding.

“……”

Nevertheless, I didn’t feel the need to correct their misunderstanding.

Thank you for misunderstanding. The cold atmosphere has thawed, so I am rather thankful.

And if I happen to receive the virtuous daughter concept, I can gain a positive image.

“Better than I thought?”

In reality, even Hansiwoo, who seemed like a wolf turtle, didn’t become as fierce as I thought.

“…Even if there is a reason, as Hayerin trainee just mentioned, this industry is not easy. A month of practice may not be enough to prepare for the evaluation stage….”

“That… I will prove it on stage.”

“…Yes, understood.”

With that question, he put down the microphone. It meant that he would no longer ask questions and would watch the stage.

Accordingly, the other judges also put down their microphones.

“Well then… I will show you the stage now.”

I also returned the interview microphone to the staff and went up on stage, assuming my position.

Even though the atmosphere had improved a bit, over a hundred pairs of eyes were still pressuring me.

Among them, Hansiwoo was still outstanding.

Perhaps he was acting like a professional. Before watching the stage, his eyes returned to a rational state.

I almost felt discouraged by his appearance, but… as the stage approached, I somehow felt more relaxed.

Above all, didn’t I set up the ‘Opponent Hansiwoo Strategy’?

“I will definitely melt that cold face.”

With a slightly cute thought of capturing Hansiwoo’s heart, I sent a cue sign to the staff.

Woong-.

Dozens of cameras outside the stage were capturing me.

This was… my first stage as an idol trainee to be shown to the public.

**

“Ta-da! Good job, Suhyun.”

“Yes, you too, Jiwon.”

At that time, when the first filming was in full swing. Outside, two people who were temporary trainers for Hayerin were unwrapping the packaging cart at a food truck.

“By now, Hayerin must be doing the evaluation, right?”

“She probably is.”

“Ah… I hope she did well without any mistakes….”

“…I hope so too.”

What the two were saying at the moment was not empty words, but sincere.

They had built quite a bond with Hayerin over the past month.

“I heard Nnet put a lot of effort into the filming of Nana. Did she also appear on JJ?”

The question Jiwoo asked didn’t have any special meaning.

She was just wondering if Suhyun, who was originally from JJ, had any information.

But….

“……”

“……?”

In response to Jiwoo’s question, Suhyun silently took a sip of soju. Then, with a embarrassed expression, she replied.

“…One of my former students is leaving.”

“…Ah.”

In the entertainment industry, there are always heartbreaking stories.

And this time, the JJ contestant who appeared on Nana was the most painful thorn in Suhyun’s side.

“…She was the most talented among the kids I’ve seen… but due to various circumstances….”

“……”

Suhyun’s expression as she spoke was so gloomy that Jiwoo couldn’t ask any more questions.

Instead, she just tilted her glass and offered a small comfort.

“…It will probably work out.”

“…Yes. I hope Yerin and that child… will be alright.”

Cheers.

The two of them raised their glasses once again in the heavy atmosphere and drank their soju.

In an awkward atmosphere, Lee Jiwoo brought up a different topic to change the subject.

“…But, Suhyun. Why did Yerin choose that song for the evaluation?”

“Well… I don’t know either.”

The song that Hayerin prepared for this evaluation was not only unfamiliar but also not originally an idol song.

Both Kang Suhyun and Lee Jiwoo expressed their concerns, but…

“She’s a smart kid, so she must have a reason for choosing it.”

“Do you think so?”

…Because Hayerin insisted so strongly on performing that song for her A grade, there was no choice.

Above all, the two trusted Hayerin. They believed that there was a good reason behind her strong insistence.

“Should we raise our glasses once more for Yerin’s A grade?”

“…Jiwoo, you hold your liquor well. We’ve been drinking non-stop for three rounds now…”

“Huh?”

“…Never mind.”

Kang Suhyun chuckled awkwardly and raised her glass again. Jiwoo followed suit with a cheerful laugh, raising her glass high.

They were in different fields, had different personalities, and different hobbies.

Cheers.

At this moment, they came together as one to toast for their student.