Edited by: Kuro and Lille
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From then on, Jaden was able to come out to his peers at the dance studio. A lot of them were actually very supportive, while some- cough cough Sumia, weren't. She pretended to be neutral about it, but deep inside she was disgusted.
System 225 used his powers to read other people's minds to keep the Host updated. [Host, she wants to get rid of you. She finds you disgusting to look at. You are better than her and a visible stain to the current society. Her thoughts, and I quote, "Is doing everyone a favor."]
'People like her make me want to vomit,' Jaden replied and then continued to practice dancing. He didn't really care too much about what Sumia thought of him.
After they finished their dance practice, Kelly brought everyone together. "Okay folks, next week, there will be people from CBStar, Radiant Entertainment, and JQ coming to look for potential idols or background dancers. We will be learning new choreography to show them, so make sure you all are on your A-game next week!"
Being Kelly's student made it so that they didn't have to go through the usual auditions. It was like a fast pass at an amusement park. They still had to walk but at least they didn't have to wait for so long.
It was after this announcement that Sumia decided to get rid of Jaden, her only threat.
The dancers chatted in excitement and couldn't help but dream about getting into one of the companies. Those companies were among the top 3 in the entertainment industry. Even being an idol trainee could set them for life. As long as they were a trainee, they could become a full-fledged idol. Jaden, on the other hand, remained calm. He didn't care if he got picked or not. He had his own ways of becoming famous if things didn't work out.
They started practicing the dance that Kelly taught them. Sumia somehow was able to stand near Jaden. She glanced at him for a moment before coming up with a disgusting plan. She was going to ruin him and make sure he could never dance again.
Getting her train of thought just by seeing that look on her face, he sneered. She was stupid to think he didn't notice how malicious she was.
As they started to practice the dance in a group, Sumia moved closer and closer to Jaden. She tried to bump into him, but somehow Jaden always moved at the last minute. When she tried to trip him, he would somehow maneuver away from her leg. It got to the point where Kelly could even see that Sumia was trying to ruin Jaden.
Before Kelly could speak up, Jaden stopped dancing and went to go grab some water. "Kelly, is it alright if I move over there? It seems like Sumia needs more room than I do."
"That's fine, Jaden."
Jaden was nonchalant about the situation. He didn't try to blame her or belittle Sumia. Even slightly covered for her. This made Sumia irritated.
'Making it seem like you are benevolent and I'm the bitch...' She gritted her teeth and knew she had done too much. She had to take it slow, but she wasn't patient and wanted to get rid of Jaden immediately!
Jaden did this on purpose. He had a whole week to mess with her! There was no point in ending the entertainment so soon. Plus, he wanted to release some steam from this annoying world. The nerve of these worlds with this shitty soul and body management!
System 225 could clearly see how much the world had blackened his Host. His Host had gone through thousands of years of being slaughtered and this was what blackened him?
If Jaden heard System 225, he would grit his teeth in anger. He wanted to stab himself every moment of the day! He wanted to carve the perfect body. He wanted to stab himself with needles to feel better. If the world didn't have such shitty management, no one would have to feel this kind of turbulent emotions that had him feeling okay one second and then feeling like he was the most disgusting thing on the planet the next second!
(The world sneezed and felt a chill. Someone was definitely talking about them...)
So Jaden decided he was going to enjoy Sumia's little ploys. It would be funny to watch her dance around eggshells without knowing and then watch her fall to her death.
For the next week, Sumia tried everything she could to ruin Jaden but he seemed to shine even more with her attempts.
On the other hand, Jaden had already gotten bored with her by the second day, so he did a lot of things to improve himself. He sold a lot of his old clothes and bought new clothes. They were all very simple attire, but with his new haircut, he looked masculine.
He got an undercut with bangs long enough for him to style. He also got a chest binder to bind his small chest when he wasn't dancing. When he was dancing, he made a makeshift chest binder using two sports bras. It was enough to hide his chest.
His parents noticed his change but didn't comment on it. More like they didn't care to notice as Jaden's contact with them became more scarce.
The original Jaden didn't like to stand tall when he was out in public, but with the Host, he kept his head held high. He looked confident in every step, with every movement. People couldn't take their eyes off Jaden who looked as if he were an aloof Prince.
Jaden arrived at the dance studio early and helped Kelly set up. One by one, all of her students filed in looking their best.
Kelly, who saw that all her students were on time and in the studio, got everyone's attention. "Listen up everyone! Today is the day when those companies are coming to find some new talents. As long as you all behave and do the dance routines I showed you, most of you should find yourselves in a company if that is what you want."
This happened twice a year, so Kelly didn't mind it. She was glad to see new talents going into the entertainment world. If someone from her studio becomes famous, she would feel proud. She knew that her time as someone famous was up. It was time for the new generations to step up and bring the entertainment world further.
Whispers soon erupted, but only Jaden was silent. His thoughts were the usual ones, 'Where in the hell is my husband?' Usually, that man was so close to him. He was feeling really lonely. He was a whipped man.
'Achoo…' Husband, somewhere far off, sneezed.
****
The group of young adults and teens were very nervous to have the company reps looking at them as they danced. They felt as if the reps were staring into their soul, picking and choosing which parts they liked the best.
Only Jaden was able to keep his calm as he was used to the staring. He was an actor in the first world coming back. This was nothing.
The three reps, who were off to the side, were whispering amongst one another.
"His dancing is alright but he's having a hard time keeping up with everyone else. He does have skill, his only downfall is his stamina." The company rep from JQ turned her head to look over at a young man who was more towards the middle.
"That girl's technique is good but there's no emotion in her dancing." Rep from Radiant Entertainment stated.
"I think that young man is the only one who has piqued my interest." CBStar motioned his head towards Jaden.
The three reps nodded. Jaden was definitely outshining everyone in the room. With his new clothes and new hair, nothing could damper Jaden's mood.
Everyone around Jaden felt they wouldn't be able to shine near him, so everyone, including Sumia, danced away from him. But that made him look like he was in the center of the spotlight instead.
By the end of their dance routines, the three company reps went to meet everyone. Each person had potential, so meeting them to gauge their personalities was what determined if they were fit for the company or not.
They each went to the person closest to them. Each person had about 2 minutes to answer questions and try to impress the reps. Only when the reps finished talking to everyone, would they ask people to join their company.
Eventually, the rep from CBStar, Lawrence, went up to Jaden.
"Hello young man, my name is Lawrence. It's nice to meet you."
"My name is Jaden, it's a pleasure to meet you as well." Jaden's voice was extremely gender-neutral. No one could tell if he was male or female through his voice. He also had perfect voice control, he didn't even need to worry about his voice. It was one of the few blessings the original had.
"Mr. Jaden, your dancing was quite beautiful and you worked well with others. You took my breath away as you danced."
"Thank you for your kind words. My craft is not yet perfect and I aim to achieve higher."
"Such an ambitious yet humble young man! How old are you? Are you still in school?"
"I'm 19 years old and I am a 2nd-year university student majoring in computer science. I am an online student though."
This was the only major that Jaden's father and he could compromise on. His father still wasn't happy, but working in IT was better than working in the entertainment industry. Plus, Jaden didn't mind working with technology as it could be used to make music.
Lawrence seemed really happy. Talented and smart! He wondered what else this good seedling could do.
"Do you know how to play any instruments or sing?" Asking if he made his own music was too much. He wouldn't hold such high expectations for newbies.
"I can play more than 5 instruments and I also sing." He didn't really specify which instruments as honestly, the original had a gifted ear and could learn any instrument as long as he played around with it for a bit. This was definitely not the Host's gift. He liked to use the skills the original bodies of each world had. It was such a shame that the original Jaden's parents didn't understand his gift. It was really sad that the original died never being able to show the world his abilities.
Lawrence's eyes lit up in delight. "If you don't mind singing a little for me? I would like to gauge where you are at."
By this time, the other two reps, Carl from Radiant Entertainment and Charlotte from JQ, had overheard the conversation between the two. They wanted to get in on the fun as well. If Jaden entered their company, he would definitely become a popular idol really quickly. It was like having a huge cash cow falling from the sky!
"Should I sing without an instrument?" He didn't mind it, but he didn't know what the reps preferred.
None of the reps had an instrument on hand. They didn't think this far!
"Kelly, do you have any instruments in your studio?" Charlotte asked even though it was probably unlikely to find one in a dance studio.
But they underestimated Kelly who could play the acoustic guitar. She left it in her office and only played it on her days off. "I do have one actually, but it's in my office. Let me go get it." Kelly told her students to behave while she went to get her guitar.
Sumia was watching Jaden and was utterly jealous of the attention he was getting. At most, they said she could be a decent idol trainee who did background dancing work as she trained in singing. She didn't know how to sing that much, though her voice was nice. That's probably why they suggested she would need vocal training. On the other hand, from how they were looking at Jaden, he was probably going to start as an idol right away. She didn't understand how it worked in the entertainment companies, but she knew that Jaden was always going to be a step ahead of her and outshine her!
Well, she didn't know that idol trainees had to do a lot, not just background dancing. Dancing, singing, teamwork, and bonding, etc., it was all a part of the training. They made enough money to live, but they had to stay in dorms and wait for their debut.
Jaden didn't know if Sumia ever became an idol as it wasn't stated in the explanation of the plot. Thinking about it, Jaden felt that the plotline was really incomplete... Something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He shrugged and let it be for now.
Kelly came out with a beautiful and well-cared-for acoustic guitar. Even though she wasn't too good at it, she at least knew a couple of simple songs. She handed it to Jaden whispering, "Please take care of my guitar."
Jaden nodded. He completely understood her sentiment. His instruments were practically his children. He took very good care of them as well.
He put the strap on so that he could stand and play. He tested out the strings and found they were already tuned.
Everyone was waiting for him to start playing while he thought about a song. He turned to System 225 to help him pick a song.
'What's the most popular song that matches my voice?'
[Answering the Host, the song "Winter Beauty" by Four Seasons is the most popular song that would match your voice. Also, there are plenty of high notes that would be able to show off your vocal range.]
'Hohoho, never heard of this song, but I can give it a go.'
"Before I start, may I pick a popular song on the charts and learn it right now to give myself a challenge?" He wanted to show off a bit and piss Sumia off even more. Ahh, he really loved teasing people. Just like how he teased James, he loved to see Sumia's reactions. No grudges held though. Jaden was just slightly petty.
Carl was excited to see how it would go. "Of course, of course. Go ahead."
Sumia gritted her teeth. That show off! He probably didn't even know how to play and was trying to drag out the situation so he wouldn't fail in front of everyone.
Jaden didn't care about the thoughts going in her head as he took out his earbuds and played the song on his phone. He started to play out all the chords he heard, where they were placed in the song, for how long, and the frequency of the usage.
After going through the song, he kept his phone out for the lyrics then placed it on the stool Kelly just brought over for him. He would only look at them just in case he forgot something.
He didn't pay attention to his audience as he started to play. They immediately knew the song he was playing. The song was "Winter Beauty" by Four Seasons. Incidentally, Four Seasons was the famous boy group that Sumia would do a lot of background dancing for in the future.
His voice went well with the acoustic version of the song. His control was very good and he was able to stay on key. He added his own twist to it, but he highlighted all the best parts of the song.
To be able to learn a song and grab its essence in a matter of minutes, they knew they found a talented new star!
kuro_kama: Ohh~ Every time I see~... this line ‘Something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.’ I feel there are millions of butterflies in my stomach. Is this what they call Love?
Lille: It’s the first time we see a mean Female Lead here, it’s fun seeing Jaden tease her (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ
Grandpa Marky: Hey everyone, I don't know if I will be updating tomorrow because I do not feel well. I've been thinking about going to the ER... that's how bad it is. Pray I get better LOL. Anyway, I will see you all soon. Hopefully.
Edited by: Kuro and Lille
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This chapter is sponsored by: Auralie. Thank you so much for supporting my work and buying two extra chapters! You are amazing <3
At the end of the song, everyone but Sumia clapped loudly for Jaden.
A slight blush went across Jaden's face as he bowed and thanked them. He seemed shy because it was his first time playing for no money, but he used to play in front of people so he didn't seem too unfazed. He was just happy people enjoyed his singing and playing.
"Jaden, I was amazed by your performance and stage presence. It would be an honor to have you in our company, and you would get the best treatment!" Charlotte quickly said as she knew the other two reps would try to snag Jaden away.
"JQ isn't a bad company, but it doesn't compare to all the famous idols that come from our company. At Radiant Entertainment, we will guarantee that you will have the best treatment, the best housing, and the best contract." The number of times Carl said best was kind of weird but you could tell he was quite passionate about his job.
Lawrence shrugged. "These two may be good but they aren't the best. CBStar is number one among the three companies. It's guaranteed that anyone regardless of their contract will have the best resources and highest pay. Jaden, with your talent, you will go far and probably become the king of the entertainment world."
Jaden had already looked at the data for each company. The best of the best may not always be the best, but he couldn't be too cautious.
JQ Entertainment was ranked third in the top 3. The reason it wasn't as famous as the other three was because JQ was only a company made out of pure boredom. They produced many famous models and supermodels, but the company wasn't as big as the founder's original company. The founder was someone who was a cosmetic tycoon who had businesses that dealt with make-up products, plastic surgery, soaps, etc. She was a powerful woman who was once a single mother and then became someone who dominated the industry.
Radiant Entertainment was ranked number two. It wasn't like JQ who had a huge background, but their main focus was on their idols. Idols had the best treatment in their company and though they weren't number 1, most of the famous idols, like the male protagonists' group SNOW, came from them.
Finally, CBStar was number 1 in the entertainment industry. Famous actors, models, and idols were recruited. They didn't put a lot of energy into their idols, but their actors and models were first-class. The best movies came from within their walls, most supermodels were under their contracts, and also, with the tiny amount of idols that they had, they were all very famous, making them the number 1 entertainment company.
In terms of the safety of their employees, JQ was the safest. Sexual harassment was practically nonexistent and the company was female-dominated. There were a few males and they were happy to be there. Though they had much fewer idols and more models, their models and supermodels were all famous. Most girls would die to be in their company because they knew that they didn't have to resort to sexual means to get to the top.
Radiant Entertainment was a bit of a mess. Though their idols were famous, some trainees were forced into prostitution to make sure their more talented peers would be able to rise to the top. If all you had were looks, you would be a trainee until your contract ended, but the scars would never be erased. It was a cruel system and not many people knew what they were getting into until they got there.
CBStar was a grey area. They didn't force anyone, but they allowed people to sleep their way to the top. None of it was forced and was voluntary. It was a little weird, but each party was consenting adults. It just made the competition to be the actual best a little difficult.
In terms of resources, CBStar was the best. In terms of opportunity in the country, Radiant Entertainment was top-notch. But for the overall quality of the company, JQ Entertainment had more connections to other countries and would be able to expand further.
Even though JQ wasn't the best, they were more likely to become world-famous. If Jaden was going to go big, he was going to GO BIG.
"Is it alright if I have all your business cards? I would like to ask my parents first before making a decision."
If he were to accept someone now, he would make enemies out of the two companies. It was better to "decide" later.
"Of course, of course!" Carl, from Radiant Entertainment, was the first to reply, "I will be expecting to hear from you soon." He couldn't help but think that Jaden was a very sensible man.
Lawrence smiled as he handed his card. "Whatever decision you make, just know you will always be welcomed at CBStar."
"You will definitely not regret picking JQ." Charlotte gave her business card to Jaden and winked.
After that, the three reps went to the other dancers. Most were asked to become idol trainees, some rejected saying they were just dancing as a hobby, and few were rejected by the company.
From time to time, people would look over at Jaden. None of them knew the thoughts that were in Jaden's head. They couldn't help but feel jealous.
Who was he going to pick?!
****
When Jaden got home, he immediately went to his room. He wasn't going to talk to his parents about it, but he was definitely going to come out as soon as he confirmed his living quarters with JQ.
JQ Entertainment's founder was an intersectional feminist and her ideals branched off to her employees. They would be more accepting of him being Transgender than the other two companies. They also had health insurance that was Trans affirmative and pushed for Trans rights.
Little things like this made the decision easier for Jaden.
If JQ rejected him as a Trans man, his second option was CBStar. They were a grey area for every controversial topic anyone could think of. They wouldn't outright reject him, but it was better than being in Radiant Entertainment.
[Host, I have been monitoring Sumia and she decided to be a trainee at Radiant Entertainment. Since tomorrow is everyone's last day in the studio, she is determined to ruin you even if she is caught. She doesn't like obstacles and likes to use force to get rid of them. I personally hate these kinds of people. So annoying. Why can't she leave people alone?]
'There were many like her in the Villain System. So two-dimensional and has no substance. How unfortunate. Though... Why does it seem like she is more of a villainess than a protagonist?'
[Host, you know that the main protagonists of each world can be scheming too, not just "villains." People will be people, but the only difference is if the world wants to protect them (main protagonists) or not (villains).]
He knew that System 225 was right, but something in his gut kept telling him that something was wrong.
*****
Before going to the studio one last time, he called JQ to confirm his acceptance. Charlotte was very happy and quickly scheduled the closest date she could so that they could sign a contract and figure out if he was going to be a solo artist or in an idol group.
Afterward, he called the other two companies and thanked them for their consideration but he had made his choice. They were a little disappointed but they couldn't do anything about it.
He put on simple black joggers and a baggy thin cropped hoodie. It was short enough to show his slightly toned stomach but long enough to hide his makeshift sports bra binder. He walked out the door without saying anything to his mom. She was watching TV in the living room and didn't even notice he left. His father was at work and wouldn't come home until dinner, so he didn't worry about them.
When he got to the studio, he was the first one there.
Kelly was setting things up while he put his stuff down to help her out. One side of the room had chairs and tables while the other half was to be used for dancing.
As they finished, the other dancers started to file in until finally, Sumia came in. She was very happy as she also got offers from two companies but when she saw Jaden, she couldn't help but be reminded that she wasn't the best out of everyone.
But even though she had these negative thoughts, something seemed off. She seemed disconnected from those thoughts and her body seemed a little tired, different from how she was in the past. No one else noticed, but Jaden, who had once been in the same place, could immediately tell.
'System, is it just me or is there something unusual about Sumia?'
[Hmm? I don't sense anything wrong with her...]
All of Jaden's anger and petty feelings for her disappeared immediately because he saw a slight change in her eyes. It went back to normal but he knew...
Sumia was also a Host.
'System, is it possible for me to run into someone who is also in the Villain System?'
[It's normally not possible unless...]
'She has just recently landed which is why you couldn't tell...'
[Host, you need to bring her to an isolated place so that I can do a formal check. If she really is a Host, I know a way to save both her and the System that she had contracted with.]
Jaden subconsciously nodded before putting his attention back on Kelly. She gave a small speech about how she was grateful to work with everyone and how happy she was that most of her students were able to get into the company that they wanted.
"Now that we have the formalities out of the way, everyone, dance to your heart's content! DJ Lu is over there and will be playing music for 3 hours. If you have a song request, go up to him and request a song. There is food on the tables there, drinks over there, and seats here. I hope everyone will enjoy themselves tonight!"
Everyone clapped and cheered before happily dispersing. Jaden immediately went to the food bar and put food on his plates.
Sumia, on the other hand, was dancing with her friends, but she kept looking over at Jaden. Her intense hatred flickered once in a while, making Jaden confirm that she was definitely a Host.
'System, if Sumia is a Host, is she actually the Villainess of the story instead of the Female Protagonist? I don't recall any other person mentioned in the story except for her and that group leader guy. Wow, I don't remember his name.' It just showed how irrelevant these people were to him.
[Let me read through the story one more time... Perhaps I missed something while I was reading the story plot to you.]
It was silent on System 225's end, so Jaden decided to keep eating. He wondered what would happen if someone in the Villain System were to not be able to complete the story. It was weird for two Hosts to be in the same world...
Maybe, the Villain System knew they would be here?
Jaden felt a chill go down his back.
"Jaden, why don't you go dance?" Kelly's voice broke him out of his train of thought. "They are having dance battles right now."
"I will after I finish eating." He hadn't eaten lunch, so he was kind of hungry.
He looked over to see people cheering for their comrades as they formed a circle around their peers who were dancing to the music being played by the DJ. Sumia was cheering for one male who was considered quite good-looking compared to most of the men in the room. He was a masculine beauty instead of an androgynous one. But he was a bit of a jackass because he thought that he was the most good-looking out of everyone in the room. He was an average dancer. He was no one too brilliant but not bad, he just didn't shine as Jaden did.
[Host, it seems when we landed here, the Villain System had landed as well. The data got corrupted and we only got the part of the story that the original Jaden was in. Sumia is indeed the Villainess. Her life with that leader guy, stage name Snow, real name Yuki, was going well at first but then he fell out of love with her and in love with the female protagonist, Mila. Seeing that Mila was another idol and also more talented, she began to scheme against Mila in all sorts of ways.
[In the end, though her scheming wasn't brought to the public, she became one of those trainees who were forced into prostitution, specifically to help Mila further her career. When she became too old to debut and too old for those disgusting scum bags, she was tossed out of the company. She lived with that huge scar until she died by suicide a couple of years later.]
His first reaction was "What goes around comes around," but he also felt pity for the villains of each story. Like they were driven to play out these roles to the very end. He wanted to believe that people were more 3D and real. But he knew that there would be people like this like the Light Prince Stephan. He couldn't help but sigh.
'Hopefully, if we save the Host inside Sumia, we can see what had happened from her point of view...'
Jaden hadn't met another Host before, but he hoped that Sumia's Host was someone nice.
Lille: *GASP* So the mean Female Lead is actually a Host with the Villain System!
Grandpa Marky: Hey everyone! I will be updating two more chapters because I have work tomorrow (another 10-hour shift yay).
Comentario de párrafo
¡La función de comentarios de párrafo ya está en la Web! Mueva el mouse sobre cualquier párrafo y haga clic en el icono para agregar su comentario.
Además, siempre puedes desactivarlo en Ajustes.
ENTIENDO