章 18: Chapter 18 – Practice Makes Perfect
Sarah looked at him suspiciously.
"I am not hoping for much. But if you can find a handsome man with a wild look for me, that would be great. My type is someone who looks like an idol or a gangster."
"Gangster?"
"Yeah, a gangster. Like those guys with tattoos all over their bodies and wild looks. It's like they're ready to fight at any moment."
Tom scratched his head. It was the first time he had someone with such an unusual taste.
"I will try to contact my friend to help you, but I can't guarantee anything."
"That's fine. You don't need to do much. Just introduce me to him."
She smiled at him, and he felt her eyes were shining with expectations.
"All right, let's start your training."
She clapped her hands and started their singing training. Sarah showed how it was done and the theory of singing. She didn't teach them the specific way to sing, but how to sing in general.
The two boys were shocked by her knowledge and how she could sing like an idol. It seemed that she was an otaku who was good at singing and dancing, unlike her useless brother who could only chase a girl's skirt.
Time passed by, and it was evening when the training was over. Sarah was tired, and the two boys were exhausted. They decided to go home.
"Okay, I will contact you when I have time in 3 days to continue the training. I can't always meet you here because my schedule is packed, and I'm busy with my life. But I will try my best to help you two. Don't disappoint me! Keep training alone."
"Yes! Thank you very much, my sister!" Sam bowed deeply at her.
Tom also thanked her and nodded. They parted ways, and he went back to his room. He planned to create another appearance.
"Let's see, a wild gangster?"
He wondered what kind of guy Sarah would like. It was easier to make him based on the <Body Modification> and <Voice Manipulation>.
"I have a perfect idea!"
He grinned and created a model.
"You look awesome!"
The model looked exactly as Sarah described. Wild and fierce, just like a gangster. A handsome face with tattoos all over his body. His physique was also muscular, and his eyes looked as if he was ready to fight at any time.
He didn't make the man too tall or too muscular, just the right amount for his body.
"You're the coolest, dude. If I weren't a straight guy, I might fall for you."
He was so excited about his creation that he decided to use it and speak after making his voice hoarse.
"Hmph! Don't fuck with me, kid!"
He shouted angrily and pounded his fist. The sound was so loud that it startled Tom.
"Oh shit."
He looked at the model with wide eyes.
"I might have made this appearance too strong."
Tom smiled wryly.
***
Training was important. You wouldn't be able to reach your goals without it. In Tom's case, he didn't want to join the audition if he couldn't sing and dance well.
"I'm so tired..."
Two days had passed since Sarah taught him how to sing. He managed to be better, but not to a satisfactory extent. It was Wednesday now, and his only healing time was when he chatted with Amy and Mary as well as see the pictures they sent him.
Tom sighed and went to walk in the courtyard. Today, the cafeteria was full. The small cafeteria that Sam usually brought him to was also packed. He couldn't find his friend anywhere, so he decided to walk around.
The weather was nice, and the wind felt refreshing. He spotted some girls playing in the courtyard and noticed something interesting.
"Are they practicing cheerleading? It's pretty rare."
A group of 10 girls was doing various jumps and twirls with their pom-poms. They were quite good at it, and Tom couldn't help but stare at them. He knew that cheerleading required a lot of physical training and dedication.
Among these girls, Sienna, Amanda, and Arlet twins stood out.
"Wow, they're so good."
Tom looked at them in awe. Their movements were sharp and precise. He was especially attracted to Amy and Mary.
'Sienna and Amanda are pretty good too. Not as good as the twins, though. Maybe I am biased because I like them, but still...'
He chuckled to himself. The girls continued to practice for a while before stopping. They were sweaty and panting heavily.
"Alright, girls. Good work today. Let's take a break."
Amanda called out to everyone. The girls nodded and sat down on the grass. They took out water bottles from their bags and drank them.
Tom turned around. Watching them practice made him want to try harder.
'Let's send two videos, with my appearance and James's. There should be no way for them to know we're the same person. Well, not unless the system is a joke.'
He smiled and began walking back to a nearby karaoke to practice.
"Haaa... Haa..."
He panted heavily as he looked at the screen. The result of his hard work showed up on the screen.
73/100
"Phew, finally I got a passing score."
He grinned in satisfaction. Today was the promised day where Sarah would train him and Sam again. He couldn't wait to show her what he had accomplished in the last few days.
The three of them met at the karaoke where he was training for the past three days. Sam and Sarah arrived together. It wasn't strange because they were siblings, but Sam seemed to be in a bad mood.
Sarah, who was dressed in a tracksuit and a pair of sneakers, looked at Tom.
"I heard from my brother. You've been training hard these past few days, huh?"
"Yeah. I want to be better for the audition. I showed you that I am serious with this, right?"
"Well, I have to admit that I didn't expect this." Sarah nodded. "But that doesn't mean you're guaranteed to pass. Even if you get a good score, you still need to pass the real audition. It's not an easy feat. I know it."
Tom understood. He didn't think he could pass with his current skills, but he wanted to be better.
"That's why I will teach you everything I can."
Sarah smiled and patted his shoulder.
Sam smiled softly as he also patted Tom's shoulder.
"I believe you can do it, brother." The look in his face was that of a soldier returning from a war. "I'm proud of you."
"What's wrong with you?" Tom asked.
"I've been through hell and back, and I am still alive. I almost died, but I managed to survive. Do your best."
That didn't sound good. Whatever happened in the last 3 days in Carson household, and what his friend experienced, he didn't want to know.
Tom decided to ignore his friend's weirdness and focus on his training.
"Come on, let's start."
Sarah said, clapping her hands. They started their singing practice. She taught them the basic theory and technique while Sam looked like he was about to cry.
At first, everything was fine.
An hour later, Tom and Sam were completely exhausted. They fell to the floor and gasped for breath.
"I can't do this anymore." Tom said.
"Me too." Sam said.
"It's not enough. Reach 90 score or else don't even breathe."
Tom wondered if this was the same girl who had a 'Masochistic' personality.
Or maybe, because of that personality, she thought that they also enjoyed being in pain like her?
He had no idea.
"Come on, you guys! Stand up and continue!" Sarah shouted at them.
"No way. My throat is hurting."
"Me too, my throat is in pain."
The two of them protested. But that didn't work.
Sarah was a demon instructor.
"You asked for my help, and I deliver. Finish training today and rest tomorrow. We will shoot your video in 2 days and send it before the deadline in 4 days."
She looked at Tom and Sam.
"You two will not stop until you reach 90 score. Got it?!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
They replied in unison and continued to practice.
Only by midnight did Tom manage to reach 88 score, slightly behind Sam who reached 90 first. He couldn't help but envy him.
However, he had a hidden weapon called <Voice Manipulation> and James' appearance. He would definitely pass this qualifier.
'I am ready.'
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