Hoon hasn't showered in 16 days.
16 full days.
His underwear felt like it had been dipped in concrete at this point, yet he didn't care.
Hoon's rage still hadn't simmered down after June's real story had been revealed. The ordinary person would probably feel pity for the guy, but Hoon wasn't ordinary at all. His anger only escalated every time he opened the Navel app and saw June's face and name splattered on the trends and his featured page.
So, he decided to dedicate his time to his new dream—to become a pro gamer.
It had been going quite well, and he had even risen to the top 20 in the server after playing for 76 straight hours. Honestly, any person would make it to that rank if they spent that much time completing missions and the like.
As a result, he landed an interview with a third-tier professional team. They were probably the worst team in the league, but for Hoon, it was better than nothing. Today was his supposed contract signing with the team manager, so he made an effort to wash his face and hair.
The remaining parts of his body remained unwashed, though.
He sat in front of his computer, waiting for them to call. Finally, his ringtone rang, and he excitedly answered the call. However, instead of the team manager, it was Xin that emerged on his screen.
Hoon groaned in annoyance. "What?" he snapped at the miserable lad.
"Bro," Xin shakily whispered. "It's bad. It's really bad."
"What are you yapping about? I have an important meeting waiting in line!" Hoon snapped, reaching for a bottle of soda from his mini fridge.
"Have you checked Navel?" Xin asked.
"No," Hoon snapped. "That app is fucking trash. I'm focusing on my growth in pro-gaming."
"I think you should really check it, Hoon," Xin said. "They found out…My school had contacted my mom, and I think they're going to kick me out," he frantically said.
"What?" Hoon asked.
"They know, Hoon."
"They discovered our plan," Xin responded. "There are videos circulating online…about us talking about revealing June's background."
Hoon quickly opened his Navel app. His eyes widened when he saw his name trending along with Xin's. This was the first time he had trended on social media in his entire career.
However, it wasn't the glamorous trend he was expecting.
Instead, on top of the trend was a post by the user 'MinMin,' who had uploaded a clear video of him and Xin talking on multiple occasions about how to bring June's career down.
Hoon gradually became numb as he read through the thousands of hate comments.
"What have I done?" he muttered, wide-eyed as his actions began to sink in.
Then, a notification popped up from his personal account—it was from the gaming team that had contacted him.
His heart swelled with hope. At least he still has a chance with this one, right?
Right?
"Dear Sim Kwang-hoon, we regret to inform you that the Liu Sir guild is no longer looking for new members. Thank you for your understanding!
Sincerely,
Team Manager Sir Liu"
Hoon slumped like a lifeless corpse on his squeaky computer chair.
It was over.
"I'm over," he muttered. Feeling defeated by it all, Hoon opened the cold bottle of soda and brought it to his lips.
However, he quickly spat it out when he didn't taste the familiar sweet soda.
"What the fuck!" he exclaimed, the taste of chlorine, cheese, and armpit gunk lingering on his taste buds.
Hoon looked at the cold, clear bottle with wide eyes.
It was, indeed, his own bottle of pee.
***
In the Azure building...
"Production Mission? Please tell me it isn't what I'm thinking about."
"Oh, I think we already know the answer to that."
June sighed when he realized what type of mission they were going to have just from the title alone.
"As you all know, the Cherry Blossom Concert will be next Friday. Azure had been chosen to host the said concert, so Rising Stars wouldn't be airing this week. However, this is actually good news for you, trainees! You will be given a whole two weeks for the preparation of the mission!" Bone announced.
"I don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing."
"If it's what I'm expecting, then they should give us a month at least."
"I don't know shit about producing."
"I'm already hearing some guesses," Minho chuckled. "And I hope you wouldn't be afraid of this mission, trainees. Think of it as your stepping stone to the finals!"
Bone nodded. "As you all know, idols these days are expected to be more than just performers. They are expected to be all-rounders with skills that go beyond the stage. You have been testimonies of that, trainees. You have shown your versatility by accomplishing past complex missions."
"That's right, Bone," Minho chimed. "That's why today, we're here to introduce the Production Mission—a mission that will test not only your abilities as performers but also your skills behind the scenes. In the modern music industry, idols are not just performers; they're also involved in production, lyric-writing, arranging, and more."
Bone continued, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "This mission is an opportunity for you to step into the shoes of a true artist. You'll be responsible for creating a complete performance, from concept to execution. You'll write your own lyrics, compose your music, design your stage, and choreograph your moves. It's a chance for you to showcase your creativity and prove that you can be more than just a performer."
"We believe in each and every one of you, so we are giving you the freedom to do this. This mission will test your versatility, creativity, and teamwork. So, embrace this challenge, and let your artistic spirit shine," Minho added with a reassuring smile.
June internally scoffed.
Freedom? There can never truly be freedom in Rising Stars.
"But, of course, this is Rising Stars, and we like to keep things challenging," Minho continued. "In addition to creating your performances from scratch, each team will be assigned a specific genre— a mandatory aspect that you must incorporate into your performance."
"5 teams, 5 genres, 5 members each. We expect nothing but a 5/5 performance. This is the Production Mission!" Bone announced.
"How about the rewards? How many stars are at stake this time?" Lin Zhi asked.
Bone and Minho smirked at each other. "That, trainees, will be a question we will answer after the live shows!"
