Chapter 10: Men and Mentors
Fu is the spawn of satan. That's confirmed.
How was June supposed to accomplish the side quest when the auditions were finally starting?
Just then, extravagant music started playing. A state-of-the-art sound system enveloped the hall, ensuring crystal-clear audio that resonated deep within the four walls. Lights focused on the middle of the stage, commanding the attention of the trainees.
Kim Minho walked out of the double doors. His aura was unbeatable by anyone in the room. He practically shone on stage, and his experience was evident in how he walked.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first episode of Rising Stars. Today, we have 100 talented young men ready to showcase their abilities and compete for the chance to become the next idol sensation! Who's your lucky boy?" Minho stated, and the trainees erupted into applause and cheers.
"Before we get to the auditions, let me introduce you to our mentors for the season."
Everyone waited in anticipation. The first two mentors slowly opened the door, revealing themselves to the trainees.
"Our vocal mentors: Kim Ji-hyun and Lee Woo-jin!"
A tall woman with voluptuous curves entered the hall. Kim Ji-hyun was a multi-talented singer and actress known for her versatility and captivating performances. She started her career as a child actress but got recognition for her musical performances later in her career.
On the other hand, Lee Woo-jin was a talented singer-songwriter known for his soulful voice and emotional lyrics. He began his musical journey as a street performer and gradually gained attention for his unique style and live performances.
The two of them looked quite intimidating, and the trainees who didn't focus much on their vocals became nervous.
"Good day, trainees," Ji-hyun said. "Today marks the start of your journey as idol trainees. I am quite pleased to see such handsome trainees."
She scanned the room and smiled at the young men. However, she stopped when a pink creature came into her view.
"Is that a trainee?" she whispered to her co-mentor, Woo-jin. Woo-jin narrowed his eyes and frowned.
"I think so? Is that a concept?" he asked.
"I don't even know," she said. "Kids are getting weirder these days."
The two of them went to their seats and waited for the other mentors to be announced.
"Our dance mentors: Hyerin and Gun!"
The trainees cheered at the mention of the famous mentors. Hyerin was a renowned K-pop idol. She was a part of the idol group LUNA, one of the most famous groups in South Korea. She debuted at a young age and quickly rose to fame with her exceptional dance skills and charismatic stage presence.
Gun was one of the most famous K-pop choreographers of the current generation. He has choreographed dances for multiple idol groups, and most of his dances were iconic in the industry.
Jisung's eyes practically sparkled as he looked at the two dancers. He held onto June's arm and squeezed it tight.
"I can't believe this," he whispered. "Can you pinch me?"
Without any hesitation, June pinched his tricep. Jisung covered his mouth to muffle his scream.
"Bro, you're really strong," he said, still in pain. "Even though your body looks quite delicate."
June clicked his tongue. This kid should have seen him when he was still a thug!
"Our rap mentor: Bone!"
A charismatic man with long hair, bearded chin, and tattoos appeared. Out of the mentors, he was the only person that June didn't know. Well, he was never a fan of Korean rap, and Mei Ling never talked about it, either. The other trainees seemed to love him, though.
"And lastly, let me introduce myself. I am Kang Minho, your main MC for Rising Stars season four!"
"In this audition, you will be ranked with stars. There will be five tiers: five stars, four stars, three stars, two stars, and zero stars. The current stars on your shirt only correspond to what you think you deserve. However, today, we're going to rate you based on your actual skills," Minho said.
June looked down at his nametag and saw that he didn't have any stars. Not even a single one. He then looked at Jisung and saw he had two stars on his nametag. He looked around the room and saw trainees with even more than five stars on theirs!
"Where's your stars, bro?" Jisung asked.
"Nobody told me where the stars are," June said. It was true! The past seasons had letter systems. It started from A to F. This was the very first time they applied this rule.
Jisung chuckled. "You're quite cute. They were just before the entrance."
June glared at him through the mask, so Jisung raised his hands in surrender, feeling a bit fearful.
June's eyes looked quite sharp when he was glaring.
Kang Minho sat down, and the other mentors followed.
Jisung was still giddy next to June, looking at the judge's heads with a delightful smile. The two of them were quite close to the judges since they sat at the 91st and 92nd seats.
"Are you performing alone, June?" Jisung asked.
June nodded his head. "How about ya?"
"I'm performing alone, too," he said. "I'm quite nervous about it. I wish I don't perform first."
Yena, the show's main director, went to the front and brought out her cue cards.
"Trainees, the order has been determined," she said.
The trainees' hearts started beating in their chests, hoping not to be the sacrificial lamb. They still didn't know the judges' standards, so being the first one meant you were going in blind.
There were only some trainees who didn't mind going first. One was the talented and popular trainees from the big companies, and the other was June. The editors will edit as they see fit anyway. It doesn't matter what the order would be.
"The first trainee will be Song Jisung!"
The other trainees glanced at him with pity. Jisung wanted to cry. That was his biggest nightmare. He didn't want to go first!
"The auditions will start in thirty minutes. Trainee Jisung, please prepare and go backstage."
Jisung turned to June, his hands shaking as he took his hands.
"Bro," he said. "I'm nervous."
Just then, a light bulb switched inside June's mind.
Maybe he could complete his side quest after all.
Chapter 11: Stars and Status Windows
"How long have you been a trainee?"
"Less than two years," Jisung responded.
June nodded. That explained why he was still quite nervous. Two years usually wasn't enough to build a trainee's confidence.
June still remembered when he was still two years into being a thug. He was always tasked with making coffee, mixing alcohol, and cleaning the other gang members' feet. However, one day, Bo Wen asked him to shoot a gun. He was scared out of his own wits!
Then, this old member approached him and said some inspiring words.
"Jisung," he said, channeling the old gang member's words. He retired a year later and was probably dead by now. So, it wouldn't be too bad to say his words, right?
It was not like he was going to hear it from his grave.
"Let me tell you a little secret," he said, coaxing Jisung to lean in. Jisung, still nervous, leaned in.
"Nobody really cares about your anxiety except you. They only care about the results here. So, it's time to slap those jitters in the face and show them who's boss. I want you to strut on stage like a peacock with a PhD in shooting a gun," June said.
"Trainee Jisung, it's time for you to go backstage," a PD said, interrupting their conversation.
June forgot to change the last statement. It should have been a "PhD in performing," but he was too engrossed in the role that he forgot.
He shrugged his shoulders. It should have worked, right?
He looked at his status window and saw the timer still ticking.
[Side quest deadline: 1 hour, 25 minutes]
June clicked his tongue. It worked for him back then! He was able to hit the target in the center even though he was a newbie.
Ah, whatever. He can just deduct some of his rap skills. It was non-existent in the first place, anyway.
After a few more minutes, Jisung came to the stage, still appearing quite nervous. He continuously shook his hands, and his feet were practically glued together.
"Please introduce yourself," Minho said.
Jisung cleared his throat. "Good day, mentors and trainees. My name is Song Jisung, 20 years old under Harmony Entertainment."
His face was shown on screen, and hums of approval were heard around the room.
"He's a handsome trainee."
"Ah, I'm jealous. My parents should have done a better job."
"Why wasn't I born with that kind of face?"
June could resonate well with what they were saying. This kid was blessed with good looks.
However, having good looks wasn't a foreign concept to him at all. As Jun Hao, he was hailed the most handsome in his gang! He looked like a rugged man, though, and the beauty standard in the idol industry was definitely more delicate and flowery.
Choi Joon-ho actually has a lot of potential to become even more handsome. However, he had incurred many scars from his past fights with the hoodlums in his neighborhood. It seemed like he didn't take care of himself well, too. His skin was blemished, his hair dry, and his eyes quite sunken from lack of sleep.
"Whenever you're ready, Jisung," Jihyun said.
Nervousness filled the hall once more. Everything felt more real. It was really the time for them to show the judges what they had worked hard on for the past weeks or even months.
In June's case, it was two days.
Music started playing, and Jisung became a completely different person. There was still a hint of shyness in his movements, but barely noticeable to the amateur eye. His voice was a bit shaky, but it was outshined by his dance.
Dancing seemed to be his specialty. With every step, the floor beneath him ignited as if it were not merely a stage but a blazing inferno of passion. His movements were fluid, a seamless fusion of strength and grace. Each extension of his limbs told a story, expressing emotions that words alone could never capture.
As the stage ended, the trainees erupted into applause. The next trainees became even more nervous. Jisung had set the standard so high!
"Hmm, not bad," Minho said. "You've trained in dance, I presume."
Jisung nodded, still catching his breath.
"Give us a moment to discuss."
The judges gathered around and started discussing his skills.
"This kid is quite good at dancing," Gun said. "I can give him five stars for that aspect."
"Me too," Hyerin agreed.
"His voice is a bit underdeveloped," Woo-jin contraindicated. "I'd say he's two stars in vocals. I can't give more than that."
Jihyun nodded her head. "Trainees these days are quite good at dancing. He's better than the average idol, but I don't think he can handle the vocal training in the five-stars class."
As the judges discussed, a status window appeared before June's eyes.
[Congratulations, host! You have succeeded in the mission: Heart of Gold.]
[You may now see other trainees' status windows when they are performing on stage.]
June snapped his eyes to Jisung and saw a holographic screen above his head.
[Song Jisung:
Dance: A
Visual: A
Vocal: C-
Rap: C
Charm: B]
This kid was more talented than he'd imagined. He has two A's and a B! However, judging from the judge's long deliberation, they must be discussing his vocals and confidence issues.
With that, June concluded that he would at least be three stars.
"Trainee Song Jisung, you have three stars," Kang Minho said.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
274 Power
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