Song Yura

A Few Days Later.

Minjae adjusted the strap of his bag as he walked into Flex Entertainment's office. He went directly to the 5th floor.

Today, he'll get his company ID and talk to Dongwook about his upcoming training sessions. Sooner, he knew he had to undergo intensive training, just like he had done decades ago. 

"You're here, Minjae!" one of the staff called out with a bright smile laced on her face. "You're here early today. Did you rest well after the shoot the other day?"

"Yes, Soo-ah noona," Minjae replied with a polite nod. 

Noona was a term used by males to address older females. 

"Come on, I'll take you to the office. Dongwook's already there with Boss Chanhyuk. They're already waiting for you, Minjae." The staff member, Soo-ah, gestured for Minjae to follow her. 

"Thank you, noona." Minjae uttered with a slight smile on his face. He was thankful that the workers here were kind enough to guide him, even though he was just a new shot. 

In their industry, be it an idol or an actor, it was known how a lot of newcomers get mistreated by their company's staff. There was a huge portion of trainees leaving their agency every year, and even though it was already known to the public, there was little that they could do about it. 

One of the reasons for this was that trainees usually sign a contract with their agencies. They weren't allowed to say anything bad about the company they were under or they would get sued.

This was big enough for trainees who were usually poor and had debt to be paid to their company.

"I heard you were making a good impression lately, Minjae," Soo-ah said as she glanced at him with a knowing smile. "The director of your shoot the other day called our department to give some feedback. He said you were good and that you're a natural in front of the camera!"

"Who" Minjae's forehead creased. Director Suwoon wasn't the type of person to go to that lengths just to praise someone. 

"Director Choi Yejun." 

"Ahh, I see." 

Soo-ah nodded, her smile widening even more.

"Yup! He said you brought a fresh energy to the role, even though it was just a very small part. That kind of praise is rare. You should be proud of yourself."

"I know, noona. I'll keep working hard." Minjae nodded in acknowledgement. 

As they reached the office door, Soo-ah turned to face him.

"Dongwook's a bit stressed today, so try not to add to his workload, alright?"

"I'll do my best." Minjae chuckled softly, adjusting the strap of his bag as he followed Soo-ah from behind.

The department seemed to be quieter today. Multiple employees were hovering over files while repeatedly staring back at their computers. It seemed like they were all busy for the day. 

As they reached Chanhyuk's office, Soo-ah pushed the door wide open. In there sat Chanhyuk with Dongwook in front of the desk. Dongwook was scrolling through a folder that looked like a list of schedules.

When the door opened, the two looked up as Minjae entered, their eyes lighting up.

"Minjae, there you are," Dongwook said as he waved his hands. "Take a seat. We've got a lot to go over."

Minjae complied in silence, settling into the chair across from Dongwook. He set his bag down and waited patiently as Dongwook shuffled through a stack of papers.

Chanhyuk was just smiling as he watched.

"First things first," Dongwook slid a small card across the desk. "Here's your company ID. Don't lose it, since you'll need it to access certain floors and to clock in for training sessions."

Minjae picked up the card, examining it closely. The photo he submitted to the company was printed on the front middle, along with his name on the bottom and a sleek Flex Entertainment logo on top.

"Thank you," Minjae said, slipping the card into his bag.

"Now, about your training…" Dongwook smiled and remained silent as he let Chanhyuk take the floor. 

Chanhyuk presented a schedule to Minjae. 

"You'll be training 5 times a week, with weekends as your resting days. Throughout the process, the company will provide your basic needs. As normal, all your expenses will be calculated and will be considered as your debt to be paid once you're earning. 

"I see… Does that mean I won't be able to get any income as long as I have debt?" 

"Don't worry since we won't take all of your income. We know that you would also need it. Just like what we agreed upon in the contract, it will be a 70-30 split. Though we'd have to get 20% more. That meant it would be 50-50 until your debt had been paid." 

"Oh, that works." It was better than having no income at all, which was normal in the industry when actors were just starting.

"Regarding your schedule, we're starting you off with acting workshops and vocal lessons. You'll also have some media training to help you handle interviews and public appearances. I know it sounds like a lot, but all of them are needed."

"I understand." Minjae nodded. "I'll work hard for it." 

"I know you will," Dongwook replied with a small smile. 

"Oh, and one more thing. We're giving you a mentor. She's someone who's been in the industry for a while.."

"A mentor?" Minjae repeated Dongwook's words, his interest was piqued.

Dongwook nodded. "Her name's Song Yura. She's an actress and an acting teacher with years of experience under her belt. She's kind but fair, and I think you'll learn a lot from her."

'Yura?' Minjae's forehead creased but before he could respond, a knock sounded at the door. 

"Yura's here. Should I send her in?" Soo-ah peeked. She was the one who knocked on the door. 

"Perfect timing," Chahyuk said as he raised a thumb, gesturing for Soo-ah to let her in.

A moment later, a tall and elegant woman stepped into the room. Her presence was commanding and her posture exuded confidence. She had sharp features softened by a warm smile, and her brown eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and excitement.

'Yura? It's not a familiar name to him.' 

"You must be Minjae," Yura said as she entered the room. She extended a hand toward him.

"I've heard a lot about you."

Minjae stood up. He bowed politely before opening his mouth to say something.

"It's an honor to meet you, teacher. I look forward to learning from you."

"No need to be formal, Minjae. We'll be working closely together, so let's keep things casual. Just call me noona," Yura chuckled, waving off the formalities. 

She was also just a rising actress under the agency. However, before becoming an actress, she was an acting teacher who had trained numerous actors in different companies. 

Chanhyuk smiled happily. He cleared his throat to draw his attention. 

"Alright, I'll leave you two to get to know each other first. Minjae, you're in good hands with Yura. Don't worry. Just trust her guidance, and you'll go far."

"Yes, Sir." Minjae nodded, though, he knew inside that there was no need for this. 

[Ding!] 

[It's time, Host!] 

[New Quest: Be Limitless] 

[Objective: Go through different professional training sessions and expand your talent in acting. Every day attended will grant you a 3,000 EXP]

[Duration: 30 days.] 

[Reward: To be followed.]

'Oh? I got a new quest?' 

"Come on, Minjae," Yura's soft voice followed, pulling Minjae back to reality. "Let's go to one of the training rooms. I want to get to know you better before we start anything serious."

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A/N: As promised, I'll be mass releasing chapters. This is the first chapter of the day. Expect another one in 2 hours.

If you can, please drop powerstones on the novel.

Happy Reading!