Chapter 4

Idol Guide for the Ending, Chapter 4

“I’m just a bit stiff.”

I said in an embarrassed tone.

My voice echoed in the practice room, where it was just the two of us.

Choi Hyun, seemingly not hearing my excuse, covered his mouth and said almost tearfully,

“Yunjae, you were originally the main dancer position….”

That was true.

Main dancer position.

I was often praised for my height and how I didn’t look stiff at all.

I even loved dancing, so I worked hard and my skills improved quickly.

But why was Choi Hyun so shocked?

Visual: B+

Vocal: F

Dance: F

?? : ??

?? : ??

Coins: 1

Skills: None

– Current Title Slot is Empty.]

It was because my stats were in such a state.

I was already confused about the main scenario being unlocked, and I had only opened the stats window late while trying to persuade Choi Hyun.

I had missed some notifications among the many that had popped up.

That was my mistake.

No matter how much I reset my stats, could everything except my visual be F?

Can a person move like this?

My waist is as stiff as a board, and I can’t keep the beat.

From Choi Hyun’s perspective, how ridiculous must it seem that the kid who danced well yesterday is suddenly dancing like this today.

The deadline is today.

We need to shoot the self-performance video right away.

…Dried Pollock?

Hey, come out.

If you’re going to talk like that, at least take out the word ‘help.’

Feeling frustrated, I glared at the air, and the window quickly disappeared.

“It’s probably because you’re very tired. You’ll get better with a bit of practice.”

“Today’s the deadline, what are you going to do….”

Choi Hyun’s face was pale as he said this absentmindedly.

I wanted to assure him that I would do my best and not to worry, but even I was flustered by how my dance moves looked in the mirror, like dried pollock.

I thought that if I practiced to the death, I might improve a little, but there was no sign of it.

Wiping my sweat, I felt frustrated and glared at the notification window.

In Likers, my stats would easily improve with just a day of practice, and by the time I reached the fifth quest, I had already hit all A+.

The scenario was extremely difficult, so it felt like an X.

I moved my body to the practice song I had practiced the most during my trainee days and collapsed.

I had to admit it quickly.

This was hopeless.

While trying to figure out how to solve this problem, a window appeared in front of me.

Coins?

I did receive them when I completed the scenario.

I also remembered that a shop was activated when the scenario was unlocked.

At that moment, a skill shop window appeared in front of me.

Solo Eye-Catching (1 Coin)

Sparkling Concentration (1 Coin)

Maybe Your Ideal Type (1 Coin)

…]

What a lack of naming sense.

They all have creepy names that I don’t want to click.

I resisted the urge to close the shop and clicked on one of the skills.

It allows you to focus intensely for a short period of time.

Activation Time: 30~180 seconds, random activation

I had expected some kind of cheat skill, but what is this… what am I supposed to use it for?

The other skills weren’t much different.

(Passive) Your fingertips become more graceful.

You can capture one person’s attention.

Activation Time: 60 seconds

You become someone’s ideal type.

Limit: Random 3 people

I can assure you, these are not good skills to use right now.

They would only be useful if my stats were better.

Come to think of it, this scenario is quite different from the previous ones.

There were no coins, no skills, and no scenario guide before.

So, there might be more features I don’t know about.

“Is there anything else I don’t know?”

New User Exclusive Skills?

I kept scrolling through the skill shop, quickly scanning through what seemed to be hundreds, maybe thousands of skills.

In games, there’s always a cost-effective item for newbies.

I paused at the last category in the scroll.

First Stage Impact

Giving up is for counting cabbages

…]

There were quite a few skill types.

I clicked on the skill at the top to check, and it seemed to be tailored for new users.

You absorb everything you learn like a sponge.

Activation Time: Until you drink water

The conditions seem a bit haphazardly attached, but...

“Kim Help, can I buy all of these now?”

“Yunjae, what are you saying?”

“No, not you.”

I named it out of laziness, why.

I scanned through the new user exclusive skills and stopped at the last one.

Looking at the skills that seemed to be telling me I had to use them...

I soon closed the shop window indifferently.

Do you think I’m crazy enough to believe that?

If I mess with something I don’t know, I might end up back at the beginning, and I’m not insane.

I’ve already been betrayed by the scenario, and there’s no guarantee that a seemingly helpful guide won’t betray me.

I need to keep my guard up until I’m sure it’s on my side.

I closed the window and stood up.

“Choi Hyun, can you record for me?”

“Record?”

“Yeah, I’m going to shoot a video now.”

“Yunjae, are you feeling okay?”

I stood in front of the camera, looking at Choi Hyun’s flustered face.

The most important thing I learned over the years in Likers was reading the room and improvising.

I knew that even if my singing and dancing were terrible,

there was a way to pass the first round.

* * *

A few days later.

This is the first interview with the production team.

Leave a strong impact and complete the interview successfully!

Reward: 1 Coin

“What do you think is the unique strength of trainee Do Yunjae?”

I turned from the sudden scenario window to look at assistant director Han Ji-yeon and writer Lee Ye-rim.

I was inside the set for the pre-interview, which only those who passed the first round could participate in.

Despite Choi Hyun’s worries, as I had expected, both Choi Hyun and I passed the first round.

The production team’s faces were expressionless and bored from conducting many interviews.

In such a situation, what’s most needed is freshness.

To stand out among the trainees who all give the same clichéd answers, you need to be unique.

So, what I could do here is...

“My face.”

The only high stat I have is my visual.

Using that while showing a slightly shameless image.

The crazy guy meta.

“...”

Han Ji-yeon looked at me with a ‘What’s this kid up to?’ expression.

It’s an answer that no trainee who values humility would ever give, but I did.

The pre-interview is only edited to show the ‘desperation’ part and is briefly aired in the final episode.

So, instead of worrying about the image, it’s a better deal to make a strong impression on the production team.

“My face.”

“Yes, I’ve been hearing it consistently since I was in the company, even now as an independent trainee.”

“...I see. What specific aspects of your face?”

I swallowed hard.

My neck itched from saying something I never would in normal circumstances, but in the entertainment industry, being shameless is also a virtue.

“The sharp look from my upturned eyes and the single teardrop under my right eye, which I think enhances my charm. My lips are thin and have a slight pinkish hue, which I think is also a charm point.”

“...”

“Oh...”

I added with a serious face.

“Most importantly, I think my black eyes complement my facial features well.”

“...”

Han Ji-yeon looked at me with a bored expression and asked again.

“I see from your application that you were in the same agency as trainee Choi Hyun. Do you know each other?”

Finally, a question about Choi Hyun.

Today’s goals were two: to be the crazy guy and to be linked with Choi Hyun.

“Yes, we were trainee classmates. We trained together.”

“What do you think of trainee Choi Hyun?”

Choi Hyun would have definitely received the same question.

Choi Hyun would have smiled and said he was a good colleague, but since I decided to go with the crazy guy concept...

“An eternal rival.”

“...A rival?”

“Choi Hyun has something I don’t.”

The production team asked a beat late, surprised by the unexpected answer.

“What is it?”

I answered with a serious look.

“A warm smile, affectionate eyes, a neat image. The way he always warmly encourages others and his soft voice that fits well with that image. It’s something I always envy.”

“Wow...”

Lee Ye-rim couldn’t hide her admiration.

I know. I must sound like a weird guy.

But now that I’ve decided to make Choi Hyun my colleague, it’s necessary to plant the idea of him in their minds.

Now they were tired of me.

Even if I looked like a crazy guy among the desperate and humble trainees, it didn’t matter as long as I got better editing.

My image doesn’t matter; my ultimate goal is the ending.

I consistently answered like a crazy guy during the few more questions.

I thought I was quite calm and composed, but by the end of the interview, the two of them were completely drained.

“Do you have any final words?”

Finally, the end of this long crazy guy concept.

What’s the most impactful line I can give?

I had prepared it before coming in.

“Everyone must have applied with the determination to die. I also applied with that resolve.”

I looked at Han Ji-yeon, who was staring at me in disbelief, and continued firmly.

“I’ve brought everything I can. My will, my resolve, my dreams, and even my face. I want to pour everything I have into creating a festival that will make many people happy.”

I finished speaking and turned to the camera.

Recalling the concept photos I had taken thousands of times in Likers, I winked with my right eye.

“See you at the festival, everyone.”

“...”

An awkward silence filled the room, and Lee Ye-rim laughed uncomfortably.

I maintained a poker face and smiled at the two of them.

“Thank you. That’s all.”

“Do, Do Yunjae trainee. The interview is over here.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Han Ji-yeon smiled kindly as she organized the application forms.

...I think I made an impact somehow.

In a world where attention is so competitive, I’m not sure if this is enough to have broadcast value.

The annoying help window’s words made my stiff facial muscles relax.

Even though I had let go of my self a bit, I had been tense.

“Thank you, PD, writer. Thank you for your time.”

The two of them smiled soullessly, like office workers.

I bowed and left the meeting room.

At that moment.

“...Do Yunjae trainee?”

Lee Ye-rim approached me cautiously.

It seemed I had successfully drawn attention.

When a writer asks a question off-camera, it means they’re openly interested.

Sure enough, looking at the notification window, I naturally smiled.

After hesitating for a moment, Lee Ye-rim opened her mouth with a serious expression.

“...You didn’t leave the company because of any unpleasant incidents, did you?”