The Second Round Begins

The buses transporting the contestants came to a halt in the parking lot of a well-known hotel in Calatonia, and the contestants began to disembark.

With all expenses for the next two weeks covered by the show, the hotel staff warmly welcomed them and guided each contestant to their assigned rooms.

Prince soon discovered, along with the others, that they would be sharing a room with not one, but two other people. The beds were neatly arranged, and keys had already been distributed in the order of their arrival.

The contestants would also share the bathroom and toilet facilities, but meals would be provided by the hotel throughout their stay. Naturally, males and females were separated, ensuring no mixed-gender accommodations.

"Ah~ So comfy!" Rocky sighed in contentment as he plopped onto one of the beds the moment he and Prince entered the room with their small travel bags.

Having received their keys back-to-back, the two inevitably became roommates. Now, they only had to wait for their third.

"What do you think our last roommate will be like, Prince?" Rocky asked, rolling over on his bed like an excited child.

Unbothered by Rocky's antics, Prince calmly walked over, claimed his bed, and sat down. "No clue," he replied.

"Let's guess, then!" Rocky grinned, resting his face on his palms while lazily kicking his legs in the air.

"Maybe it's CJ," Prince offered casually, lying back on his bed and staring at the white ceiling illuminated by fluorescent lights.

"So... why are you in this, Rocky?" Prince asked, turning his head slightly toward his roommate.

"Same as everyone else—to win a million dollars!" Rocky declared with a playful grin. "What about you?"

"To share my music with the world... and to be a star," Prince replied without hesitation. "And, obviously, to win," he added, sitting up with determination flashing in his eyes.

Before Rocky could respond, the door burst open, revealing a white wolf with a horn atop his head.

Recognizing him immediately, Rocky greeted, "Hah, what luck!, huh?"

"Yeah. Hello, CJ," Rocky said cheerfully, while Prince gave a simple nod.

Barely a moment later, a notification beeped on all three of their phones. They swiftly checked the message.

On the way to the hotel, the production staff had explained that their personal numbers and emails wouldn't be used for official communication. Instead, each contestant was provided with a new smartphone for the duration of the show, along with a confidentiality agreement they had signed that morning—one with strict clauses about disclosing any show details.

Prince skimmed through the message, noting that the next round allowed contestants to pick any song they wanted. They were also instructed to inform the production staff—who would check in each morning and night—about any instruments they would need for their performances, at least a few days before their scheduled stage time.

For those opting not to use instruments, instrumental tracks would be provided.

"Next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., huh..." Prince mused aloud before adding resolutely, "Let's give it our all."

Without wasting time, Prince got off his bed and headed for the door.

"Where you off to?" Rocky asked curiously.

"To practice," Prince replied with a small nod, closing the door behind him.

Taking the elevator to the middle floors, Prince soon found one of the many music rooms remodeled for contestants. Each room was equipped with every instrument and sound equipment they could need.

Entering the first room, Prince paused, mildly surprised to see a beautiful husky engrossed in playing a melodious tune on her violin. Her eyes were closed in concentration, and though the sound was muffled by the room's soundproofing, it was enchanting.

Each large music room was divided into smaller, soundproofed sections with transparent windows, allowing multiple contestants to practice simultaneously without disturbing one another.

Not wanting to interrupt, Prince quietly made his way to another section, picked up a guitar, and started practicing.

---

Wednesday, The day of the Second Round.

"Brrr... it's freezing!" Prince shivered slightly, hugging his arms in the chilly filming studio, where the AC was blasted at full power to maintain the equipment.

His focus shifted back to the stage where Rocky, his roommate, was the first contestant to perform. Singing a pop-rock song with instrumentals playing in the background, Rocky's smooth vocals hit every note perfectly, enhancing the audience's enjoyment.

The crowd was hooked, and two judges had already turned their chairs.

The only judge yet to turn was Anos, the toughest of the panel. Prince could sense Rocky's longing for that final chair turn, knowing how much his roommate sought validation, especially when it came to music and playing the piano.

Yet, even as Rocky's performance concluded, Anos remained unmoved. Despite that, Rocky advanced to the next round with the other two judges' approval.

Elated, Rocky returned to the waiting area, grinning as he walked up to Prince, who greeted him with a high-five.

"Congrats, man."

"Hope you make it through too," Rocky said sincerely.

"Fingers crossed," Prince replied with a determined smile. "I'll give it my all."

The competition continued as another contestant was called onstage.

"Remember," a production staff member reminded, "you just need one chair to turn. Good luck!"

Nervously, the next contestant performed, but their efforts fell short. No chairs turned. Though the judges offered kind words of encouragement and assured them that this wasn't the end of their musical journey, the contestant left the stage fighting back tears.

The show pressed on, contestant after contestant, but Rocky remained the only one to secure a spot so far.

"Why does this feel like death row?" Prince muttered, the chill from the AC mixing with the somber atmosphere of dashed hopes and broken dreams.