Trapped in the Idol Universe

Roi broke his principle to obtain two tickets to the Star Hero MGV screening.

At first, Hojin thought about going with Bi.

But he remembered how fiercely Duk-sun criticized influencers who leveraged followers for perks.

She’d ranted so harshly, his ears ached just recalling it.

‘I’m not an influencer, but I did get these similarly...’

He felt uneasy even bringing it up. Reflecting further, he thought of Bi—he’d owed her a favor for helping him last time. So he messaged her, and fortunately she agreed.

That’s how the two met at the Yongsan MGV.

“It must have been hard to get these. You’re talented.”

“I got them too.”

Hojin replied bashfully.

“You got these?”

They were IMAX seats—prime central block. People would have paid premiums for them. And they were invitations, as the corner of each ticket read.

“Ah—I heard from Roi.”

“Our...Roi?”

Bi always called Roi “that idiot” or “iRoi,” so Hojin’s first impression was awful. Now her tone had softened strangely. She glanced around, then whispered.

“You’re the one who runs the InHeart 1-Second Nyan account, right? You got them that way?”

“Y-you know?”

“These seats are usually for insiders. Influencers get the perks, huh?”

At “influencer,” Hojin waved his hands in denial.

“No, no... I’m no big deal. Just lucky. I’m not an influencer... Besides, if I start that, I’ll be in real trouble.”

He was about to work with Roi in the Awakened Management Bureau. An influencer—no, an “awakener-influencer”—would be a scandal. Bureau agents must be above reproach; any personal gain was forbidden. So he shouldn’t accept sponsorships...

“You can’t!”

Hojin realized he’d momentarily forgotten he’d be a bureau agent. Being exposed as secretly enjoying undue perks would ruin him—and stain Roi’s good name. He blurted out in panic, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Bro, please...!”

Among the startled was Je­gal-bi, the only friend of genuine-fan Chan-gong.

“People recognize me!”

Photos of him collecting a merit award had gone viral, forcing unwanted fame. Bi had masked up and hidden under a hat—but still worried. Now their group’s spectacle drew unwanted eyes.

“Quiet—what do you mean I can’t?”

“I—I shouldn’t accept this...?”

Hojin’s hand trembled around the invitation.

“We should return them—”

In that moment, Bi snatched the tickets, her face flushed beneath her mask.

“Are you crazy?! Why come all this way and not watch it? Shut up and follow me!”

She grabbed Hojin’s wrist and marched straight into the theater.

✧

[Title: Star Hero second survival MGV review (spoilers!)]

As a K-pop bassoonist, I don’t care about Awakeners, but I know Bermuda. I almost resisted, but a friend said “I’ll buy chicken if you come,” so I went. No ads before the special screening; they rolled each contestant’s profile. Of course, fans went wild for every popular member—iRoi was epic. The highlight was the Red Team hunt—they moved like possessed wolves. Evidently they practiced hard. Park Yeonwoo’s athletic grace stood out, and Seo Hyunwoo’s gaze was intense. Anna’s bare face was adorably fresh. Tons of comedic beats—I never got bored in three hours. I think Gwak-hyeol absolutely hard-carried lol. The montage when iRoi clutched his nape had the whole theater losing it lol. Every time Bermuda got a close-up, everyone held their breath. Favorite moment? “iRoi’s face.” Realized I stan now.

└ 222 The battle scenes were edited like a movie

└ Better than Marvel

└ But what if F-rank?

└ After seeing iRoi, F doesn’t seem so bad?

└ Guy, you iRoi? If not, just stay a muggle...

└ Saying F isn’t bad = ignorance of this world

└ If F-rank then Stay

└ F-rank boom incoming

[Title: I feel the Awakener scene growing]

Proud! A month ago only the top three guild masters or rookies were talked about—this boom is unreal... Back then, only Baek Eunseong and Belline had fan photographers. Seeing Bermuda’s fans explode, I nearly cried.

└ So much bait, can’t function IRL

[Title: Star Hero team vote closed]

I bet on Kim Taeon, iRoi, Park Yeonwoo, Anna, Seo Hyunwoo, Dong-yoil! Please let me get live-audience!!!

└ Huh?

└ iRoi withdrew?

└ Yes, an acquaintance at First said he joins before the finale

[Title: Why iRoi can’t be forced out]

Star Hero’s boom = iRoi. Ratings were about to break the roof—if they kicked him, they’d tank. So they rigged votes, gave him benefit #1, did everything to keep him. All other F-ranks fell, but the weakest—iRoi—survived. That’s proof of manipulation. First demands his exit, but the PD refuses, so the CEO personally showed up. Don’t know how it ends, but his removal is inevitable~

└ Obviously

‘Obviously,’ my foot! What do you know? Habitually monitoring like my morning routine, Roi flung down his phone in fury.

“Ugh, it’s so hot! I’m so pissed!”

He had told First Entertainment’s CEO plainly: “I won’t become a celebrity, not in a million years.” To his surprise, CEO Il-deung backed off and left with Gyeol. He’d come to fetch Gyeol, who’d holed up on the Star Hero set after canceling schedules.

‘How can you force someone who just wants a break?’

Still, First Entertainment’s treatment of artists like slaves was as vicious as ever. Roi felt a pang of loneliness at not seeing that familiar face. Even annoying, it was comforting to have someone visible around.

‘I hate everything about this!’

Kicking off his covers, Roi stood. In sleepwear in power-heater mode, long padding, and a microfleece blanket, he was drenched in sweat. The room was 44°C. He couldn’t sleep with the heater on. As he rose to get water, his head spun and he felt a strong vertigo.

‘Ah. This isn’t right.’

He feared he’d die before raising proficiency. Realizing this obvious fact after a week, Roi shut off the heater and crawled to the bathroom.

‘Damn. After all that, can’t my proficiency at least rise?’

Unsure if there was another condition or if small gains just weren’t visible yet, he felt frustrated. Propping himself up, he wobbled again. Stumbling over the threshold, he stubbed his pinky toe hard.

“Kk!”

He collapsed with a scream, holding his breath against the pain. Already on edge from sleeplessness, the unbearable pain triggered all his pent-up stress.

“Aaah! I’ll kill them all, aaah!”

His horrifying scream echoed down the hallway. Concerned participants rushed to his door.

“Roi!”

“What is it! What happened!”

Taeon and Yeonwoo, next door, burst in first, flinging open the bathroom door. They halted at the blast of heat—like a fire had broken out. Then they saw Roi, sitting on the threshold, panting. On the floor lay his long padding, which he’d refused to shed all week.

“What are you...shedding?”

“...molting?”

From behind, Seo Hyunwoo’s voice startled Yeonwoo, who shrank in surprise.

“G-geez, make some noise walking...”

Yeonwoo glared at Hyunwoo, then looked back at Roi. Today, he truly looked different—as if he’d evolved another step.

“Look at that fierce glare.”

Combat power: Max. That fierce energy made him more wildcat than cat. Yes—a wildcat. Yeonwoo thought: after a week of madness, Roi must have finally achieved something.

“Insane.”

Could it be...SS-rank?