Chapter 21

Debut Group Announcement

Upon hearing that the debut group would be announced, all the male trainees gathered in the seminar room. The seminar room, which was primarily used for watching video materials, resembled a tiered lecture hall.

I waited for the announcement, thinking it could be a day that would change my fate. My heart began to beat faster and faster.

Looking around, I saw that everyone else was also tense. Their faces were pale from the nervousness. Even Oran, who usually seemed confident and not prone to nervousness, was clenching his teeth, clearly very tense today.

After all, Oran had said he would quit being a trainee if he didn't make it this time. It was normal for him to be more nervous than me.

On the stage, the CEO, the head of the new talent development team, and a man I had seen a few times before stood, ready to announce the debut group. The CEO, who was holding the microphone, was the one leading the announcement.

"You have all worked hard for the debut evaluation. After a two-week review, we have strictly evaluated the trainees' skills, character, and diligence to select the members of the debut group. I would like to congratulate those who have been chosen for the debut group and express my sincere regret to those who have not. There are no scheduled activities for today, so after the announcement, only the debut group members should stay, and the rest can go home."

Thump, thump, thump?

It felt like the drumbeat before an award ceremony was ringing in my ears.

"Then, I will announce the names. The trainees who have been selected for the new male idol group of Hanul Entertainment are... Park Hahoon, Hong Oran, Seo Hoon, Nam Chorok, Kim Ji-on, and Ham I-won. That's all."

I suspected my ears were playing tricks on me. Did they really call my name? My name is Ham I-won, right?

"Wow! Wow! Yaaah!"

Next to me, Park Ha couldn't contain her emotions and stood up, waving her arms wildly. Chorok-ssi covered his face with his hands and his shoulders were shaking.

Oran stood up but then collapsed, his legs giving out. Ji-on was repeatedly asking if it was really him. Seo Hoon-ssi, frozen in place, was crying uncontrollably.

My nose tingled. It felt like my efforts were finally paying off. These were people who had worked much harder than me. I was still in disbelief that I had been chosen for the debut group, but I was incredibly happy to be able to work with them.

Honestly, it felt like a dream. After gaining Hyun-oh's voice, I started dreaming of becoming an idol. I became a trainee at a talent agency and was selected for the debut group not long after.

Things had gone so smoothly that I couldn't believe it.

Do I even deserve this happiness?

I turned my head to the side. Someone was glaring at me so intensely that my cheeks felt hot.

Was it Goo Daemyeong? I had no idea why he was glaring at me. I had hardly ever met this trainee.

The trainee, who glared at me as if he wanted to eat me alive, suddenly turned and left the seminar room.

The other trainees who were not selected for the debut group left the seminar room one by one, unable to hide their disappointment. The CEO seemed lost in thought, staring at the door of the seminar room.

"Please gather here. I have an announcement to make."

The head of the new talent development team called us over.

Chorok-ssi, who had regained his composure, led the members forward. Seo Hoon-ssi, who had been crying, wiped his eyes with his sleeve and followed. Park Ha, excited, walked out, and Ji-on followed along.

I helped Oran up by holding his arm. Oran, who would usually push my hand away, was dazed and followed me.

"First, congratulations. You have all worked hard. However, this is just the beginning. The debut preparations will move quickly. It will be hectic, but I hope you can keep up."

We are finally at the starting line. I felt a thrill of excitement and anticipation, knowing I was one step closer to my dream.

"I have a few things to remind you. First, if you are still in school, please adjust your schedule. It will be almost impossible to attend school regularly while preparing for the debut. Second, from now on, you will live in a dorm. This will make schedule management easier and allow for smoother movement. Please inform your parents and pack your things, then move to the address we provide as soon as possible."

I had heard that debut preparations could take anywhere from six months to several years. It seemed that Hanul Entertainment intended to compress all the procedures. We would have to work hard to keep up.

"Third, our company values the opinions of our artists. We hope you will actively participate in the debut process. You can think about the group name and concept, and if you need anything, please let us know. We are colleagues with the same goal. Fourth, please avoid any problematic behavior. We recommend deleting your social media accounts, and spoilers are strictly prohibited. Fifth..."

We listened carefully to the head of the new talent development team's instructions. It was more intense than I had expected.

"This is Choi Hyunjun, the manager who will assist you during your time as the debut group. If you have any questions or concerns, please communicate them through the manager."

"Hello, I am Choi Hyunjun from Management Team 3. Let's work well together."

We all bowed to greet the manager. He had a strong, distinct appearance and a large build. He looked like he could be a bodyguard or a soldier if you saw him on the street.

"CEO, do you have anything else to say?"

"Hmm. There were many challenges in selecting the debut group. I expect you to do well from here on out. You are the company's assets. Take care of your health. Enjoy your happiness today."

The CEO finished speaking and left the seminar room. The head of the new talent development team paused while opening the door, looking back as if he had something more to say.

"By the way, contact your families first."

Ah! We quickly took out our phones.

* * *

My parents were overjoyed to hear that I had been selected for the debut group and were planning a party. I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid a noisy party when I got home.

I ended the call quickly. I wasn't used to talking on the phone, and I didn't know what else to say besides the main point. How do people talk for tens of minutes on the phone?

Unlike me, who only talked about the main point, Park Ha hesitated for a while before starting the call.

"Mom... I finally made it to the debut group. I can really debut now. Yes. Mom, you've worked hard too..."

For Park Ha, who had been a trainee for a long time, this must have been an even more emotional day.

I moved aside to give her space to talk. Seo Hoon-ssi and Oran went outside to make their calls.

Chorok-ssi, who seemed to be on the verge of crying again, was sitting on the emergency exit stairs with his head down.

Was he debating whether to call or not? He was just fidgeting with his phone. I sat down next to him.

"Are you not going to call?"

"...Even if I do, they won't like it. My parents are against me being an idol."

"...But shouldn't you at least let them know? They would be shocked to find out from TV later."

"Really? Then I won't call. I want them to be surprised."

Chorok-ssi put his phone down, apparently deciding not to call. I wondered if he would be okay...

"When are you going to move your things? I'm thinking of moving today."

"Today?"

"Since I live alone near the school, I don't have much stuff, and I want to move in quickly to be with you guys."

He seemed to be lonely. I thought Chorok-ssi was a strong person, but he had a weak side.

"Chorok, I want to move in today, but I have a lot of stuff."

Ji-on, who had just come in from the emergency exit, sat down next to Chorok-ssi.

"How much do you have? Can I help? But Ji-on, our dorm isn't that big. You should only bring a few things."

"I was thinking of canceling my lease. Is that okay?"

His choice of words wasn't great, but I understood what he meant.

"If you cancel your lease, you need to store your other stuff. Do you have a place to store it?"

"I don't know."

He needed a place to store his things, but he had no plan. Chorok-ssi sighed, as if his chest was tight.

"Ji-on, do you want to store your things at my place? I have an empty room, so it should work."

When I suggested a solution, Chorok-ssi was more excited than Ji-on. After that, my schedule for the day was set.

First, we would go to Chorok-ssi's place to pack his things, then to Ji-on's place to sort out what to bring to the dorm. Next, we would pack the things that needed to be stored and spend the night at my place.

Seo Hoon-ssi, who lived with a friend because his home was far away, joined us. Park Ha and Oran decided to go home to share their joy with their families.

With four strong helpers, we should be able to move the stuff without any problems. I thought everything would go smoothly.

At Chorok-ssi's place, there wasn't much to pack.

Chorok-ssi was a minimalist. There wasn't much personal stuff besides the furniture from his original home. We packed his things into the boxes we had prepared, put on a simple backpack, and headed to the next destination. Moving could be this easy.

"This is my place."

When we arrived at Ji-on's place, I was still confident about the move. But as soon as we opened the front door, we were shocked. He lived here?

Ji-on was the complete opposite of Chorok-ssi, a maximalist. The small house was a jungle of clothes and stuff.

Ji-on walked in as if it was normal, pushing through the clutter. Chorok-ssi looked speechless, as if he had seen something incomprehensible.

"Am I the only one feeling overwhelmed?"

"Where do we even start?"

Chorok-ssi and Seo Hoon-ssi tried to do something, but it was too much. They moved a few things, but it made no difference.

"I don't think we can finish today. Seo Hoon-ssi, Chorok-ssi."

"I agree with I-won. We can't estimate the work. We need to hire professionals..."

We decided to only select the things to bring to the dorm and leave the rest. We would call a moving company to bring the rest to my place.

The final destination was my house. My parents were happy to welcome the members, even though it was a sudden visit.

"Shouldn't we bring something? Ji-on is in a position to ask for help."

"Bouquet."

"Bouquet? Ji-on, in Korea, a bouquet usually refers to a flower arrangement used at weddings."

"I understand. Seo Hoon. Then, flowers."

Despite saying there was no need to bring anything, the three of them bought a large bouquet and a cake.

"Dad, I'm home."

Dad, wearing an apron, greeted us. It was a weekday, so Mom was still at work, but she said she would come home early.

Dad and the three of us exchanged warm greetings. Dad, holding the gifts, admired the colorful bouquet and placed it in a vase.

I led the group to the basement to show Ji-on where he could store his things.

"Here it is. I was planning to make it a practice room, but the ventilation isn't good, so I left it unused. You can use it freely since no one is using it."

I opened the door to show the space. It currently had a few boxes and some furniture.

Since it hadn't been used for a long time, it could all be thrown away. After that, there should be enough space for Ji-on's things.

"The ventilation is better than I thought. The lighting is good too."

Chorok-ssi walked around, muttering that he needed to clean.

"I thought you were rich, I-won, but this exceeds my expectations."

"I could live here too, I-won."

Ji-on seemed to be considering settling in our basement. It reminded me of a movie.

"Since your stuff will be here, you can visit often."

"Can I rent this space?"

"I'm not the landlord..."

I heard Ji-on mutter that he would really ask my parents.

Would we end up living together? But since we would be living in a dorm, there wouldn't be many opportunities to come here...

However, I didn't want to dampen Ji-on's mood, so I decided not to say anything.