As Ji Hyo stepped out of the elevator in the lobby of his apartment building, he took a deep breath and tilted his face toward the sky.
The morning air was crisp, the sun shining just enough to feel gentle on his skin. His heart was pounding, nerves knotting in his stomach… but strangely enough, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Well… last night wasn't entirely a waste."
He pulled open his system screen again while walking, eyes scanning through the updated profile that had appeared just before he passed out in exhaustion.
[Skill Update – Ji Hyo Hyun]
Vocal Skills:
Breath Control [E-]
Pitch Accuracy [E-]
Vocal Range Expansion [E-]
Vibrato Control [E-]
Falsetto Technique [E-]
High Note Stamina [E-]
Tone Balance [E-]
Lyric Articulation [E-]
"All E-minus, huh…" he thought, chuckling to himself. "Well, at least I didn't get an F. That's something."
For some strange reason, just seeing his skills listed—however low they were—gave him a small dose of confidence. A tangible reminder that his efforts weren't in vain.
"One step at a time, Ji Hyo. One step at a time."
As he reached the front gate of Glint Entertainment, the towering glass building greeted him once again with its elegant structure and intimidating aura. But before he could walk in—
"Hey—look who's actually on time today!" came a loud voice from across the sidewalk.
Ji Hyo looked up and spotted Mojin approaching, waving dramatically while balancing a coffee cup in one hand.
Ji Hyo raised his hand in greeting, slightly embarrassed but relieved to see a familiar face.
"Morning," he said.
Mojin grinned. "You sure it's not a fever dream? Ji Hyo Hyun arriving early instead of crashing through the doors ten minutes late? This is history in the making!"
Ji Hyo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Was I… that bad before?"
"Bad?" Mojin laughed. "You were the definition of 'fashionably late.' But hey, proud of you! Must be that military discipline kicking in now."
"Or maybe it's because I've got a literal system tracking every breath I take," Ji Hyo thought.
As they walked into the lobby together, the atmosphere was very different from yesterday. The once-empty hallways were now alive with movement—trainees arriving in waves, greeting one another, chatting, or reviewing lyrics on their phones with nervous glances.
Some trainees glanced at Ji Hyo's way and smiled politely.
Others… didn't even bother to hide their indifference.
He could feel the occasional assessing stare from a few older trainees, especially those who looked more seasoned and confident. They weren't being hostile, but Ji Hyo could tell—they were sizing him up.
Mojin leaned in and whispered, "Ignore them. Everyone's tense before evaluations. Half of them are trying to look cool while silently panicking on the inside."
"Really?"
"Trust me, I've seen guys throw up in the hallway from nerves. This is Glint, not a picnic."
Ji Hyo swallowed hard. "That's… reassuring."
"Just breathe," Mojin said, patting his back. "Remember, it's not about being perfect—it's about showing improvement."
"Easy for you to say. You didn't spend all night trying not to sound like a dying dolphin."
Mojin chuckled. "Hey, progress is progress. Even if it sounds like marine life."
As they reached the hallway leading to the evaluation rooms, the crowd grew denser. Trainees were lining up, chatting in hushed tones, some pacing nervously while others stood still, quietly reviewing lyrics or sipping warm tea from paper cups.
Ji Hyo glanced down at his trembling fingers.
"This is it… Monthly Evaluation Day."
Even though his head was buzzing with nerves, there was also a strange kind of thrill deep in his chest.
His journey as Ji Hyo Hyun… was officially about to begin.
As everyone filed into the grand evaluation hall, Ji Hyo could immediately sense the different auras radiating from each trainee — some calm, others tense, and some exuding intimidating confidence. But one presence stood out the most.
That tall trainee.
He was undeniably handsome and carried himself with effortless confidence. Ji Hyo found his eyes involuntarily drawn to him, studying his sharp features and the way he stood like he owned the room. But then — the tall trainee turned and met Ji Hyo's gaze.
Their eyes locked for a second.
Ji Hyo instantly averted his eyes, startled by the piercing intensity of the trainee's stare. It felt cold, sharp — almost threatening.
Mo Jin leaned in and whispered, "That's Kyunsoo Jin… one of the top trainees here. You better be careful around him."
Before Ji Hyo could respond, the room suddenly fell silent.
The door opened.
The first to enter were the dance coaches — Badji Lee and Doeri Mon, their expressions stern and unreadable. Right behind them came vocal coach Gunmi Sok, calm yet observant, followed by the fierce rap coach Yoona Chae, known for her blunt critiques and no-nonsense attitude.
The air grew heavy. Tension filled the room. Trainees stiffened, backs straightening, jaws clenching.
But then — a sudden uproar erupted.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
Walking in with quiet authority was none other than Glint Entertainment's Main Producer — Hyun Jae Yang. Just his presence was enough to send a wave of nervous energy through the hall. Whispers broke out. Even the most confident trainees looked shaken.
The main producer almost never attended evaluations.
And when he did… It only meant one thing.
He was observing potential debut members.
The unspoken message swept across the hall like a tidal wave. Every trainee knew that Glint Entertainment was in the final stages of selecting members for their upcoming boy group. This wasn't just a routine check — this was a golden opportunity.
The atmosphere shifted. Excitement and nerves tangled in the air. Some trainees clenched their fists in silent determination. Others whispered, trying to mask their panic behind fake confidence.
But Ji Hyo… felt something different.
His hands were cold. His heartbeat thudded in his ears. This was it — the moment he had to accomplish his mission. His chance to finally rise right away.
Then it hit him.
"Fuck."
He cursed under his breath, his soul briefly leaving his body.
Because the song he had chosen — with all his naive optimism and zero foresight — was…
"Baby Shark."
The ballad version.
Not a cool dance track.
Not a powerful high-note ballad.
Not even a trendy pop song.
Freaking. Baby. Shark.
He felt his stomach sink as the absurdity of it registered. Who sings Baby Shark in front of a legendary producer scouting for top-tier idols?
What was he thinking?
"I'm doomed," he whispered to himself, facepalming internally.
As the trainees began to prepare for their evaluations, Ji Hyo's legs felt heavier with every second, not from stage fright — but from sheer embarrassment preloading itself in his soul.
And somewhere in the corner, Kyunsoo Jin stood silently — eyes scanning the room — and for a brief moment, Ji Hyo swore he saw the faintest smirk on his face.
The hall slowly quieted as the Main Producer raised his hand, signaling everyone to settle down.
A heavy silence followed.
Then, in a composed and charismatic tone, Producer Hyun Jae Yang greeted the room.
"Good day, everyone," he began, his voice calm but commanding. "It's been a while since I've attended a trainee evaluation. I know my presence here might be making you all nervous—"
Nervous? Understatement of the year.
"—but don't be too stiff. I'm here to see your progress. After all," he paused meaningfully, "I'll be the one selecting the members for Glint Entertainment's new boy group."
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire room tensed up. Every trainee could feel it — this wasn't just another evaluation… this was everything.
"I want to see your improvement, your energy, and your commitment. Impress me," the producer said with a slight smile.
Some of the coaches nodded in agreement.
"We're looking forward to seeing how far you've all come," said Vocal Coach Gunmi Sok, her gaze sharp but encouraging. "This is your moment to apply what you've been taught."
There were 32 male trainees under Glint Entertainment. But how many would debut? That part wasn't revealed. And that mystery only made the pressure worse.
Coach Gunmi stepped forward again.
"For today's evaluation," she announced, "we will start with group performances, followed by your individual solo performances. Be prepared."
A quiet gasp escaped from Ji Hyo.
Group performance?
His heart skipped a beat. His expression turned pale.
That wasn't part of the plan.
He had spent all his time preparing his solo — his cursed Baby Shark ballad version. He didn't even check the group stage lineup.
His eyes darted around in panic, then down to his screen. "Wait— group performance? Since when?!"
As if on cue, his screen buzzed and the system said.
[This is the standard evaluation procedure.]
Ji Hyo's jaw dropped. "What?!"
He furiously tapped the screen, muttering under his breath, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
[You never asked :)]
Ji Hyo clenched his fists, fighting the urge to scream.
"I swear this system is messing with me on purpose."
Around him, other trainees were already forming into their assigned groups, discussing choreography, warm-ups, and vocal lines. Meanwhile, Ji Hyo had no idea who his teammates were, what song he was performing, and how much worse his day could still get.
And that damn Baby Shark Ballad solo still loomed over him like a death sentence.
While Ji Hyo was still lost in his own world — mentally cursing the system, the evaluation format, and everything in between — someone suddenly grabbed him by the wrist and started dragging him toward the far end of the room.
"Wha—?!"
Too stunned to resist, Ji Hyo was pulled along, wide-eyed and flailing slightly. He didn't even get the chance to ask who it was or why.
When they finally stopped, he looked up—and his heart dropped.
Kyunsoo.
Of all people.
Kyunsoo freaking Jin.
The top trainee. The sharp-eyed, intimidating, untouchable legend-in-the-making.
Ji Hyo blinked. "Wait… You're my teammate?"
Kyunsoo gave him an annoyed glance. "Obviously. You forgot?"
Ji Hyo opened his mouth to reply—only for another voice to chime in behind him.
"Ah, sorry… that might be my fault."
Mo Jin shuffled over awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Uh… sorry, Ji Hyo," he said nervously. "I-I was supposed to tell you earlier. But you kind of… forgot some things after collapsing from overtraining last week."
Ji Hyo stared blankly.
"You passed out, remember? Coach said it was fatigue. Maybe that's why you didn't remember the group assignment…"
Then, without even waiting for a response, Mo Jin bolted away, clearly terrified by just standing too close to Kyunsoo.
Ji Hyo was left standing there, utterly confused — and now even more anxious.
Kyunsoo didn't say anything else. He just handed Ji Hyo a folded sheet of paper.
It was a lyrics and line distribution sheet.
"Your part's in the bridge," Kyunsoo said plainly. "You don't need to join the formation. Just step in when it's your part and then step back."
And just like that… he walked away.
Gone. No explanation. No discussion.
Ji Hyo stood frozen, still clutching the paper.
He wasn't sure how to feel. Relieved? Offended? Nervous? Lucky? Doomed? All of the above?
He sighed and looked down at the sheet. "Only the bridge part… So I just need to appear in the middle of the performance and disappear after?"
It sounded easy — but it wasn't. Appearing only for a few seconds would make him look disconnected from the team, and worse… it would definitely be a negative point in front of the producer.
Still processing everything, he flipped over the paper to check the song title.
And almost fainted.
"W-what…?" he muttered in disbelief.
"Likey…?"
The title stared back at him mockingly.
"TT" — by TWINCE.
A bright, bouncy, aegyo-filled, cutesy performance song.
Ji Hyo felt his soul leave his body again.
From Baby Shark Ballad to TWINCE's TT.
He couldn't tell if the universe was playing a prank or giving him a comedy arc.
And before he could even think of running away, Coach Gunmi's voice echoed in the hall.
"Alright, trainees! Let's begin with our first group performance. Group One, step forward!"
The evaluation had officially started.
And Ji Hyo's inner chaos had only just begun.
Author's Note:
Hello dear readers. You might be wondering why I'm using real-world songs like "TT" or "Baby Shark" in this fictional story. The reason is simple — I want you, the reader, to instantly connect with the scenes not just through words, but through sound and emotion too. When you already know how a song sounds, its mood, or how it's usually performed, you can imagine the characters more vividly — their struggles, their awkwardness, their performance energy, or even the comedy of the moment. That familiarity helps you feel more immersed in the story, like you're right there with them on stage.