Chapter 8: I'm inside!

POV: Jade

n. 123: 선발 통과 (seonbal tong-gwa).

I stare at the billboard in amazement.

Some are screaming, some are crying, some are jumping, some are laughing. A flood of human emotions upon learning the outcome of a selection.

And I passed it.

The last one.

The one where I practically expelled the last drops of sweat and tears I had.

It was a tough test of endurance, study, and technique that debased me.

There are 40 of us left, desperate, holding ourselves up by sheer miracle.

"Silence, please."

That calm, quiet voice coming from the microphone petrifies everyone, as if someone had suddenly muted the sound.

Hundreds of eyes stare at the man who is stepping onto the platform, in a gray suit, with a firm step. I don't even know how we managed to hear him amidst the chaos filling the arena, yet it happened.

He advances gracefully to the center of the stage, lifts the microphone, and looks up at the stands.

It's actor Park Soo-Hoon.

"Contestants, I extend my heartfelt thanks on behalf of the entire Project International Idol staff. We loved your energy, your commitment to this very tough competition, and your perseverance until the very end. But it was a competition where the most resilient and creative won. Let's give a round of applause to the 40 finalists and an even bigger round of applause for those returning home. You worked hard, and we appreciate it."

He begins to clap his hands, and we follow suit.

His words are a warm embrace for all of us, both those who passed and those who were excluded. It's a special emotion that only Easterners can convey, with simple and seemingly unloving words that touch straight to the heart.

And I'm one of the few who stayed.

I let myself fall exhausted against the backrest, wiping away the sweat and the trail of tears.

God, I can't feel my legs anymore. I, who always struggled to keep them still!

Slowly, the excluded are led toward the exits, while the finalists are invited to their seats around the platform for the usual briefing.

I reach one of the front-row seats and grab my water bottle, only to find it empty.

"Damn!" I mutter, shoving it back into my bag.

A hand reaches out to me, holding a bottle of mineral salts. Lemon.

My favorite.

I look up and meet Min-ho's, who smiles at me.

"Thanks."

"Looks like you blew away the competition, Korean Jade," a bright voice exclaims behind me.

Ari is approaching with her friends, beautiful and perfect, as if she'd done nothing but watch the show.

"I wish you'd stop calling me your version of a Barbie doll," I huff, sipping my drink and feeling my strength return.

She laughs and winks at Min-ho.

"Tell her, Coach, that she does indeed resemble the exotic version of a Korean Barbie."

"We don't have a Barbie doll," he replies, smiling. "But we could make one in her image, if you wanted."

I give him a dirty look and he grimaces.

"Looks like you guys passed too."

They sit next to me.

"I'll make a confession, sister: I don't think I've ever gritted my teeth like today for a tryout. And I didn't even have to use my father's name."

I give her a puzzled look and she laughs.

"I'm the daughter of one of the major sponsors, but I'm here, like you, under an assumed name. I wanted to prove to my father that I don't need his money or his name, but I can get by on my own."

I really didn't expect that!

Ari grimaces.

"You're a bit judgmental about some things, aren't you?"

"It must be my Korean side," I grumble, making her laugh.

I glance at Min-ho and he's laughing too.

"I'll eradicate that unhealthy side from you, making you a true Yankee... No offense, Coach."

He shakes his head and joins his companions, who have gathered on stage and are talking among themselves.

"If you'd stop saying things like that..." I rebuke her, following Min-ho with my gaze.

"I have to, sister. I play a role when I'm in this world, otherwise they'd have already eaten my soul. You have to do it too. Mask your feelings, pretend to be cocky, you can show off as much as you want, given your talent."

I turn to study her, and find her deadly serious.

She smiles at me.

"I like you, Korean Jade, but you still have to know what you want. You're good, prepared, but very fragile, and that will be your weakness now that the challenge becomes cruel. Think of it as a sort of Squid Game, where your soul is at stake. Don't break, bend to events, because show business isn't interested in skill, but what that talent can bring. And when it comes to money, no one knows how to calculate better than Asians." On that stage, it's like being weighed by a scale, revealing how much you can earn. It's the first thing my father taught me, which is why I wanted to understand what I was worth without his name. And I won, even if I were to leave the first challenge tonight... but you? What you're looking for isn't on that stage, but inside yourself. Bring it out and then chop it into many small pieces, eliminating it from your life.

He pats me on the back and joins his friends.

Petrified is the right word for this.

He grabbed me and chopped me up like parsley, leaving not even a crumb.

Is it so obvious to everyone what I'm feeling?

Instinctively, I look for Min-ho, who is watching me seriously.

And I see the same response in his eyes.

But I don't have time to analyze my feelings, because Mr. Kim, the Project organizer, takes the microphone.

His speech is more or less the same as before, with a few added technical notes.

We are handed out sheets of paper, with team assignments and coaches.

I don't understand.

And apparently, so do the others.

There's a murmur in the background, and we exchange puzzled glances.

"I understand your confusion," he says, speaking again, "but since it's a show funded by international sponsors, the original plan has undergone some changes. You will perform in teams that have been randomly selected and will be paired with professionals who will assist you in preparing for the shows. The groups will be mixed, as requested by the American sponsor, so you will have to adapt. Anyone who has trouble following these instructions should know that they are non-negotiable. You can leave the show and will be replaced by the first ones left out."

The chatter gets louder and he raises a hand.

"The rules are set, there's nothing more to say. For other matters, please contact your coordinators."

He bows briefly and then leaves, leaving us in complete bewilderment.

It's Lee Ha-Eun who catches my attention.

"Lee Yeona, you're with me," he says, scanning the list in his hand. "Follow me."

He calls out more names and I find myself in a group made up mostly of boys and one Asian girl. I'm the only foreigner.

Wow, we're off to a good start.

I'll be the first one they eliminate.