After my performance the judges decided that my self evaluation of 4 shiny stickers was correct. They told me my singing was solid and my facial expressions were good but I still needed to improve on my dancing a little more.
So with that evaluation, I ended up in 19th place meaning I had to walk all the way to the 4th level, the lilac colored chairs. Seriously, shouldn't higher ranked people be rewarded instead of punished? Honestly, once my excitement had cooled after the performance, all I felt was the soreness of my legs and my itchy throat begging for more air. And while climbing up what felt like a million stairs to get to my seat, I felt more tired, both mentally and physically. I thought idols were supposed to have good endurance no?
Arriving at my seat, I saw no one sitting on either side of me. In fact, the whole row was empty. All the other rows were filled with trainees but the Lilac row was just empty. Even the top ten turquoise seats already had 3 people.
After my performance, the stage was empty again as we waited for the next trainee to appear. Since nothing was going on, I decided now was the perfect time to message 553.
Host 934: [Hey 553 I have another question]
553: [What is it Host? Ask away!(◞≧∇≦)◞]
Wow, it felt like every time I talked to 553 it was just to ask a question. I kind of felt bad for the penguin since it couldn't roam around freely and only had me to talk to.
Host 934: [Is there a way that I or more specifically Ahn Hwan-Byeol can debut?]
553: [Well Host, the plot that we give you is very general. In fact as long as the main plot points are met, the host does his tasks, and you don't break character, everything else doesn't really matter. ┓(〃◜∀◝ )┏ Since this is your tutorial world as well, you don't have a character setting. I guess if you really wanted to debut then it all depends on the fans of this world.]
Host 934: [So it's fine if I debut?]
553: [Haha! (❁˃́∀˂̀) Host you make it sound like debuting is easy and that you can do it as long as you're allowed to.]
Host 934: [Well all dreams are not easy to achieve, but being allowed to debut means that I can at least try my best to work towards it.]
553: [Okay host, try your best to debut! (๑>ᴗ•๑)]
Host 934: [Thanks!]
Host 934: [Also you've been going on about these tasks for a while now but you still haven't really explained what they are or given me any.]
553: [Oh yeah (≧∇≦)! Tasks are like specific actions you need to do in order to fulfill your role in a world. Each world had it's own tasks and they appear along the path of the storyline. The reason I haven't given you one yet is that they haven't been triggered yet. ┓(〃◜∀◝ )┏]
Host 934: [Okay I see now.]
Closing the chat window, the next contestant had appeared on stage and was currently talking with the judges.
At first, it was fun watching other people perform, whether their performances were captivatingly good, or so horrible it was funny. But slowly, things were getting repetitive. A contestant gets on stage, talks with the judges, performs, then we wait for the next one. Eventually I was so bored I just continued talking to 553 the whole time instead.
Occasionally looking around, I could see that many other contestants also shared my boredom. Below, I could see drooping heads or people nodding off. A few just turned towards the higher seats, maybe fantasizing about being number one. Occasionally I would meet eyes with some of them. Sometimes they would look at me with jealousy or hatred. Other times they would flash me a smile and refocus their gaze at seat number one. I couldn't help but also look at the number one spot.
It was on the same layer as the other top ten spots but it looked more luxurious. It was cushier, and had arm rests unlike the other chairs. But what good did it do to look at an unattainable spot? I turned back and once again looked towards the stage. Getting first place was impossible. No matter how hard I worked I wouldn't make it because the owner was already set.
Another contestant walked out. They were extremely tall, about 195cm(almost 6'5") and had a full five stars. Were they just very confident or like me couldn't resist the shininess of the stickers? A bright smile was on their face and suddenly it felt like the room got brighter. Could it be that they were...?
"Hello, my name is Moon Chan-Yeol!" he greeted everyone.
I guess I knew why the room lit up. Our 'bright and fiery' protagonist had arrived.
As per procedure, the judges looked through the pages of trainee info.
"You've been training for 8 years and haven't debuted yet?" A judge asked, laughing.
"Yes, the company that I was from was quite small so they didn't have enough trainees prepared to debut," Moon Chan-Yeol replied, still smiling. I couldn't tell if it was because he didn't take it to heart or was just really good at hiding his displeasure.
Another judge cut in, "Well, since you gave yourself 5 stars and seem confident, why don't you start your performance and show us what you got?"
Moon Chan-Yeol approached the middle of the stage and got into position.
Once again the female AI voice started counting down, "3...2...1...Go!"
The performance started with a super fast rap. I didn't know what song it was, but the performance was absolutely mind blowing! His dance moves were sharp as a blade and when he sang, it was powerful and attention grabbing. He was only one person, but it felt like he completely filled the stage. Was this the difference of the protagonist halo?
During the performance, for a brief moment, his eyes seemed to meet with mine. His face was full of confidence and his singing was the only thing reaching my ears. While rapping he seemed cool but distant, like an actual star in the sky. But as he sang, it felt like he sang for me as his eyes seemed to only focus on me. I don't know how long he sang but before I knew it he was back to rapping, his gaze elsewhere. Is this how a fan felt when they met eyes with their idol?
Calm down! Even if he's a cool protagonist, he's still just another trainee. I tried to snap myself out of it and I felt my expression change. I couldn't see my face but guessed that I had calmed down.
Near the stage, the judges were still blowing rainbow farts. Obviously impressed with his performance too.
"Wow, at first when you came on stage, I thought that you were just overconfident, I didn't expect a performance like that!" the blonde-haired female judge exclaimed.
"Truly amazing! You definitely deserve 5 stars!" the red haired male judge started applauding.
I could even hear the trainees around me excitedly whispering.
"Wow, with a performance like that I definitely think he's going to rank very high!"
"I think he might even rank first!"
"Wow, I might be able to debut with someone as cool as him?"
He was truly the protagonist, making waves wherever he went. I couldn't help being a bit envious.
Suddenly, the crew members gave a signal to be quiet. I guess they wanted complete silence for the announcement of Moon Chan-Yeol's rank. They wouldn't just directly give him first place from the get go... right?
"Contestant Moon Chan-Yeol, your rank is..." The black haired female judge started, however she didn't finish for a long time. Other contestants were on the edge of their seats waiting for the verdict, and even Moon Chan-Yeol himself seemed nervous. However, fifteen seconds had passed, and she still didn't continue. What's taking them so long? "1st place! Congratulations!" Thunderous applause exploded as she finally finished the sentence. Of course, I clapped too out of courtesy.
I guess this protagonist halo of his was really strong, but then again, no one else showed a performance as amazing as his. Plus with how long he's been training, of course the time and dedication would pay off.
With the applause coming to an end, he started climbing the stairs to his seat. Many trainees looked at him on the way, gazes of envy, admiration, and even displeasure. Of course I too was looking, after all he was the protagonist and I might be able to debut with him. As his eyes skimmed over the group of trainees, his gaze collided with mine for a second before moving on to the next person.
Right now, my role was a nobody. Someone that fans didn't know and the protagonist didn't care about. But I will change that. Even if I still only get one line in the book, I will make sure that it's about my debut with the protagonist at the end of the book!