A massive hall where *Produce*—a blend of intense drums and a cheerful rhythm—was blasting. Two dancers on stage were in the middle of a flashy choreography, and Gang Rojun, standing at the center, was too.
-♬♪
He was showing off the *Produce* choreography as if to boast. Hand gestures, footwork, and shoulders shaking powerfully to the beat. Overall, *Produce* had a feeling that brought to mind cheerleading choreography.
Stopping briefly, then spreading both arms and shaking them, or kicking both legs out wide.
But perhaps because trendy moves were mixed into the cheerleading choreography, there were many fresh moves even as he used his body dazzlingly and splendidly, aside from the sections where waves came in.
Simple, yet complex.
But Gang Rojun was pulling it off as if *Produce* were his own song. There were no mistakes whatsoever—no missed beats, no wrong moves, no stumbles. He was no different from the two dancers. No, he was bursting with even more presence, displaying a demeanor truly befitting the center.
The lights flashed brilliantly.
I Hanna, who had been blankly staring at “Villain Number 1” on the shining stage.
‘What the hell is he?’
She momentarily had an illusion. Because Number 1 was at the center in an S-shaped stage formation, he looked like he could be an idol.
‘…Are the kids on both sides backup dancers?’
To that extent, Gang Rojun was practically a pro by now. Around this point, the rhythm that had been pounding in their ears faded, and the motions of Gang Rojun and the two dancers on stage grew smaller as well. They were controlling the tempo. In the meantime, the dancers standing at Rojun’s sides were flustered.
The two communicated with their eyes, wearing expressions full of question marks.
Why is this guy so good?
Regardless, Gang Rojun focused on the choreography. They had passed the build-up, and this was the section to burst with moves.
-♬♪
The speeding-up rhythm, the increasingly chaotic flashes of colorful lights, the booming sound. The hall fell into a trance. Before anyone knew it, dozens of *Geubaekpeu* staff were watching the stage like an audience, and PD U Hanseok, who had been out of it, slowly took off his glasses.
“…Is that the kind of tension you get after practicing a few days?”
An exclamation filled with sincerity. To PD U Hanseok, Rojun’s choreography was incredibly skilled and flashy.
‘It’s not like he’s doing it roughly either… Every single move is clear, and the details are alive.’
Just what kind of trick did that villain pull?
Around the time PD U Hanseok’s head began to spin, the *Produce* track passed the first verse and entered the interlude. It was the first time they had made it to the end of the first verse. But I Hanna, who was staring at the stage as if her brain had short-circuited, had no intention of stopping. The performance naturally moved into the second verse.
The two dancers decided to show their true skills.
Truthfully, they had been going easy on him until now, matching the participants’ level. When they showed their real skills, the quality of the dancers’ choreography rose. So was Gang Rojun pushed back?
No, not at all.
Entering the second verse, Gang Rojun exploded with twice the gaze-stealing momentum. More powerfully, more smoothly, more flashily. The *Produce* track was soaring toward its climax.
When they entered the second verse’s chorus, Gang Rojun felt it inwardly.
‘As expected, it’s fun. It’s hard to describe this feeling in words—it’s just fun. A feeling like my emotions are bursting.’
Freedom.
Body, mind, and heart.
Nothing could stop the current Rojun. Thus, he only looked forward and sprinted. Then, a chorus several times more explosive than the first verse spread out. Gang Rojun and the two dancers crossed their right and left legs, then executed a move as if flying into the sky.
Gang Rojun’s black hair fluttered attractively.
The situation captured on camera was being delivered vividly to the twelve members of Team 1 in the waiting room.
Every participant had their mouths slightly agape.
“……”
“……”
They only looked at Number 1 on the large monitor. No, one might call it a religious experience. Not a single person spoke. Partly because the shock had stopped their thoughts, but also because Number 1 on the screen looked no different from the idol they had all dreamed of becoming.
The *Produce* track was heading toward its end.
I Hanna was still half-rising awkwardly, her eyes fixed on Gang Rojun. She didn’t want to miss even a second.
Soon.
-Swish.
With Rojun spreading both arms toward the ceiling and slowly sinking into a sitting position, the choreography concluded. It was his first time performing the full-choreography for the entire song, and as the music cut off, a deep silence descended over the massive hall. I Hanna, PD U Hanseok, and dozens of staff didn’t move an inch.
The first to move was.
-Clap clap clap clap.
The two dancers who had breathed along with Rojun. They smiled and applauded Gang Rojun.
“Wow, I’m surprised.”
“You’re so, so good??”
Thanks to them, the ice broke. The many people who had frozen came to their senses and joined in the applause.
-Clap clap clap clap clap clap!
Of course, PD U Hanseok too. His face was full of a smile bursting with interest. On the other hand, I Hanna’s face was grave. Then Rojun, sweeping back his black hair damp with sweat, gave everyone a polite bow.
“Thank you.”
Most of the staff gasped. Because his current figure was no different from a pictorial. The cameras filmed Gang Rojun on stage in full shots, bust shots, close-ups, and more. Meanwhile, I Hanna, her face buried in her hands as if the shock still hadn’t worn off, let out a hollow laugh.
“Ha… haha, wow—this is crazy. What did I just see?”
Even she, a veteran choreographer of over ten years, was witnessing this for the first time. Gang Rojun looked at her.
A few seconds later, I Hanna let out a small breath and asked Number 1 on stage.
“Number 1, what and how did you do that?”
“I just danced the choreography.”
“No, I mean. How can you do that choreography so perfectly? It’s not just perfect—you’re taking care of details, tempo control, everything.”
Rojun’s calm answer was short.
“I practiced.”
“……That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“You learned it all in two days? At a pro level?”
“Yes.”
It was I Hanna who ended up flustered instead. Hardly any active idols could learn at that speed. And an amateur close to an ordinary person had done it? It was hard to believe.
Regardless, Gang Rojun didn’t think it was a big deal.
‘Well, I really did practice.’
In fact, he had spent two days getting the feel of the *Produce* choreography, then out of curiosity last night had run an “AI Automation.” The command was the same as during *‘brake’*. So the result was?
-[To derive the desired result, 25 coins are required.]
Compared to *‘brake’*, the price was quite cheap. For 25 coins, Rojun could earn that in three days, or in a single day if a hidden mission appeared.
‘I might as well learn it, I guess.’
He pressed accept. The *Produce* matter was already in progress, and unexpected things could happen like when parts were changed during *‘brake’*. Thus, Gang Rojun perfectly learned the *Produce* choreography in mere seconds.
The charm of pay-to-win that eliminated suffering.
I Hanna, who had no way of knowing this, walked toward the stage and asked Gang Rojun and the two dancers.
“…Can I see it one more time? My brain broke, so I couldn’t evaluate properly.”
Gang Rojun simply nodded.
“Yes, that’s fine.”
The song played again.
As expected, Rojun’s stage was amazing this time as well.
A few minutes later, I Hanna, seated, muttered to herself without realizing.
“Unrealistic visuals, choreo comprehension and copy ability, presence on stage. He’s already at an idol level.”
I Hanna, having uttered such high praise, asked Rojun on stage.
“What on earth are you?”
Gang Rojun shrugged.
“I’m ‘Number 1.’”
That villain-like or eccentric charm was also something no one else in *Geubaekpeu* could copy. Lowering her head to her tablet, I Hanna wrote an A next to Rojun’s printed profile, then.
“No.”
She erased it and changed it to an S. She increased it by a few. In the end, it became SSS.
At that moment.
“Number 1.”
PD U Hanseok cut in from behind the camera.
“So you’ll pass on training for this *Produce* matter as well?”
As if it were obvious, Number 1 answered.
“Yes, I will pass.”
At the same time, a vibration rang from his wrist.
Afterward.
With Gang Rojun as the last, Team 1’s first evaluation ended. Looking at Team 1 gathered on stage again, I Hanna recited the assigned grades.
“Number 15, B.”
It started with a B, but the rest were filled with Cs and Ds. The strange thing was that I Hanna didn’t specifically mention Rojun, to whom she had given SSS.
“You can take the grade just called as your current skill level, and your amount of practice will be determined by your grade. Of course, B, C, and D all need to practice like hell. If it’s not enough, pull all-nighters if you have to. You’d better prepare yourselves. There’s no time. Practice starts today, immediately.”
I Hanna ordered Team 1 to gather in the practice room in one hour.
Of course, Rojun was excluded.
Around the time all of Team 1 was stealing glances at Gang Rojun, the first evaluation filming ended, and as soon as PD U Hanseok’s simple briefing finished, Team 1 dispersed. Rojun stopped by the bathroom first, not Room 105.
To check the “AI Simulation” app.
When he checked, a notification had arrived.
-[You have achieved the Hidden Mission ‘Capturing the Eyes of the Big Shots!’ As a gift, we have awarded you 20 coins.]
He smiled at the gift that had arrived.
-[Held Coins: 455]
What he had spent on *Produce* was already recovered.
‘This is sweet, so sweet.’
Then Rojun invested coins into stat enhancement.
-[Visuals (100/100) | Vocal (11.5/100) | Rap (8.8/100)]
[Choreography (16.1/100) | Talk (9.3/100) | Acting (6.2/100)]
Next, he checked the messages that had arrived. PD Jeong Suryeong’s message was the first he saw. The gist was: ‘The advance meeting with the actors is confirmed for next Monday.’
‘If it’s Monday, August 17th—does that mean 5 days left?’
In five days, he would meet the actors of *‘Rental Lover’*, including top actress Choe Rina. At the thought of seeing celebrities, and of having to reveal his identity to them, Gang Rojun’s heart began to race.
“Ugh—what kind of expression am I supposed to make?”
Only after ten minutes did Gang Rojun return to Room 105, where he discovered his fellow trainees preparing to go out. But for some reason, Numbers 19, 37, 58, and 88 had dark expressions. The forced smile Number 37 made as soon as he saw Rojun.
“Ah, Number 1, are you done filming?”
“Yes. But where is everyone going?”
As expected, Number 37 answered.
“They said we’re filming the vote results now……”
The *Dance Team* filming immediately crossed Gang Rojun’s mind, and he closed his mouth. This time it was the *Vocal Team* and *Rap Team*’s turn. When filming ended, an eliminee might arise among those four.
“See you later.”
About thirty minutes later, the survival of the *Vocal Team* and *Rap Team* was decided in the hall. Of course, Gang Rojun didn’t find out right away. He checked the results roughly two hours later.
-Swish.
The fellow trainees who had finished filming returned to Room 105, and all four had gloomy expressions. Especially Number 88, who was tall and lanky. Numbers 19, 37, and 58 entered the room without a word, and Number 88 exhaled deeply but still greeted Gang Rojun and his colleagues.
“It’s been fun.”
Room 105’s eliminee was Number 88. He reddened his eyes and spoke with sincerity.
“I’ve felt it for weeks now—that I’m very lacking.”
Number 88’s gaze passed through his other colleagues and reached Rojun.
“Please win in my place and debut as an idol. I’ll be cheering for you as a viewer.”
“……”
Gang Rojun felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding, and he gave Number 88 a low yet firm answer.
“I’ve received the baton.”
A few days later, Friday night, the 14th.
It was almost 9 PM. Today was the day Episode 5 of *Geubaekpeu* aired, and only a few minutes remained until the start. Normally the campus should have been rowdy, but for some reason, the tension of the dozens of participants gathered in the room now was low.
One might call it gloomy.
They had sent off a comrade they had grown close to. As many as two eliminees had come from a single room. Room 105, where Gang Rojun was, was the same. The members of Room 105 had finished preparing to watch *Geubaekpeu* on their tablets. However, there were only four of them.
Because Number 88 had packed up and left for home earlier.
“……”
“……”
The reason they were silent wasn’t so much that their moods were down, but because they were thinking of Number 88. The absence of someone who had always been there left a surprisingly large void.
For reference, among the survivors Numbers 19, 37, and 58, Numbers 19 and 58 were in Team 2, and Number 37 was assigned to Team 3. Like Rojun, they had heard the *Produce* song, but they would receive the practice videos next week.
Because there needed to be a time difference with Team 1.
Currently, the *Geubaekpeu* campus had 13 members in Team 1, 13 in Team 2, and 12 in Team 3, leaving only 38 survivors.
Around this time, the advertisement on the tablet ended, and the opening of *Geubaekpeu* played.
Episode 5 had begun.
The Room 105 members forced smiles and tried to change the atmosphere.
“…It started.”
“I wonder what cuts they’ll have this time—”
“Number 1! Please turn up the volume!”
Gang Rojun, who raised the volume, also wondered what Episode 5 would be like.
‘Wow—over 300,000 users in the real-time open chat. Reading the chat is impossible.’
Anyway, after the title appeared, the first scene of *Geubaekpeu* Episode 5 was the appearance of the 13 members of Team 1 and their brief interviews, followed by interviews with the 7 eliminated contestants.
-[“I was really unlucky, of all people to be up against Number 1. If I had been with another participant, I would have survived.”]
The 7 eliminated participants leaving after red-haired Number 10’s bold assertion. At this point, the screen switched, and.
-[“The first official theme song of *Geubaekpeu* has been completed.”]
PD U Hanseok briefing Team 1 appeared.
-[“This theme song is not the end.”]
With the subtitle ‘Theme Song,’ the voice actor took over the explanation.
-[“With this theme song, and the ones to be completed later! Domestic surprise concert! Japan concert schedule confirmed as well!”]
Excited viewers.
-WOOAHH!!! Are they finally performing??!!
-ㅠㅜ I don’t even know what kind of concert it is but I want to see it so bad…..
-But what’s with the Japan concert??
-*Geubaekpeu* is pretty hot in Japan too, yup
-There were rumors it’d launch on Netflix Japan too
Next, participants who continued their usual schedules despite the eliminations were shown. Talking about eliminated contestants at the dorms, getting excited about *Geubaekpeu* ratings, eating, going to training, and so on.
Then the angle suddenly switched. At the same time, a subtitle appeared.
-[Number 1 is alone in the break room.]
While all participants were training, the sight of only Number 1 sitting alone in the break room. Busily typing on a laptop. No matter who looked, he didn’t have the aura of someone dreaming of being an idol; he had an intense aura of a writer.
The subtitle changed.
-[What is Number 1, who is alone, writing?]
Soon.
-I was wondering what he was doing while others were training lolol, he’s writing something?
-Turns out he might actually be a writer lololol
-lolol saying he’s a writer is overkill, probs just writing a diary
-But he looks so good even when focused hahaha
-Number 1, what are you doing??
The viewers’ curiosity exploded.