Trapped in the Idol Universe

Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

For some reason, most agencies cluster around Sinsa, Nonhyeon, and Cheongdam-dong.

Roy’s first company—before he’d run away—was also nearby.

Though the dimension had changed, the unchanged streets stirred old memories: the snack stalls, cafés, and coin karaoke we used every month-end for evaluations.

‘If only I’d just looped back to my normal life.’

If this were a second shot at an ordinary life, maybe Shooting Star would’ve hit Billboard right at debut.

Instead, he’d been dumped into this shitty world-view...

Roy gazed wistfully in the direction of his former agency.

At that moment, a neatly dressed man and woman approached him.

“Hello~”

“We couldn’t help but notice your great aura as we passed by.”

Their overly polite smiles and the pamphlets they carried made Roy suspect a cult.

Roy bowed slightly and tried to pass without replying.

But they wouldn’t give up their chosen prey. They followed him, making small talk.

“We’re not weirdos—we work right around here.”

“If you don’t mind, could we talk for a moment? Or even give you our business card.”

Regardless of their chatter, Roy strode on—until a card was thrust before him.

Expecting a cult’s flyer, he glanced at the logo—and froze. First Entertainment.

Roy stopped dead in his tracks and finally turned around.

“Is this real?”

“Yes. You know actor Seo Hangyeol, right? He’s with our company. Could we have a quick word?”

“Why?”

Roy’s bright, cat-like eyes peered at them. The delicate upward flick at the corners gave him a mesmerizing charm.

Just as the man was about to continue, speaking for the spellbound woman—

“Are you perhaps casting?”

So clever!

Though they weren’t on the casting team, letting such talent pass would be professional negligence.

“That’s right. You’ve probably received lots of cards, right?”

“Not none.”

Junseo was the only one before—and that wasn’t exactly none—so it wasn’t a lie.

The man smiled, charmed by Roy’s coy answer.

“I won’t take long. Let’s talk for a moment.”

Roy’s eyes widened.

Maybe he could meet Hangyeol without ever appearing on Star Hero?

Roy nodded, pointing toward the First Entertainment building.

“All right. So we go over there?”

They’d found Roy, but they didn’t actually know the casting process. After a moment’s thought, they decided to escort him inside and hand him off to the proper department.

“Of course. Shall we?”

✧

Thus Roy arrived at the enemy’s stronghold. The grand exterior matched the lavish interior.

‘Seo Hangyeol must be bringing in serious revenue.’

How infuriating.

Roy vowed he’d slap Hangyeol silly when he saw him next.

“If you wait here, the person in charge will be with you shortly.”

They hustled Roy inside, anxiously offering snacks and drinks lest he change his mind.

Roy, meanwhile, plotted how to linger here even longer.

‘I came hoping to stake out the area, and now they’re treating me like royalty.’

Life truly is unpredictable.

Roy munched a cookie while surveying the territory. Through a transparent conference room window, he spotted busy staff—and a hunch struck.

‘Maybe the business team brought in some face genius and turned the place upside-down.’

It made sense: Roy’s family all looked like him, and the servants never gawked in front of their employer. In school, rank mattered far more than looks—F-ranks were utterly ignored.

Only Junseo and Hojin ever complimented his face.

So Roy hadn’t even realized he’d set himself as “the world’s most handsome” in his mental cheat sheet.

His blatant surveillance must’ve betrayed him: the window instantly switched to opaque, blocking his view.

“...!”

Roy’s eyes shot wide as he spun around, coming face-to-face with an attractive man’s smiling gaze.

“Hello~”

“Huh?”

The man was a familiar face: the road manager of Neonova and eldest son of First Entertainment’s CEO. He’d apparently hidden his identity and started at the bottom—only Roy would meet him here.

“My face seems familiar, right? People say I have one of those faces you can’t quite place.”

Roy gaped wordlessly as the man settled opposite him, amused.

“I heard you met our business team in front of the building. You must have been on your way somewhere.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you so much for your time. Let me briefly introduce our company...”

He offered his card and extolled First Entertainment: its roster of top actors, its lavish investment in trainee training... to an outsider, it sounded like paradise.

He went on a bit longer, but Roy’s expression grew bored, so he hurried to wrap up.

“That’s our quick intro. Any questions? Fire away.”

At last, Roy’s moment arrived.

“Is actor Seo Hangyeol here today?”

“Hangyeol? No. As far as I know, he’s not in the country.”

“Huh? Why?”

Perfect timing—of course.

Since Shooting Star’s trainee days, Roy assumed Hangyeol would always be in the agency.

Roy froze in shock, and the man laughed awkwardly.

“He’s overseas for a photoshoot. If you join us, you’ll have opportunities to meet him.”

Apparently, Hangyeol had just finished a project and taken a vacation abroad under the guise of a photoshoot.

“Anything else you’d like to know? Actually, we’re planning to launch our first idol group—likely a boy group. We’ll of course respect your wishes, but—”

The man tried to continue business talk, but Roy cut him off.

“When do I start working?”

“...As an actor?”

“Yes.”

“Heh, well, he rarely comes in anyway.”

“Why? No practice?”

“Actors don’t usually come in. They primarily take lessons from home.”

Actors have it so easy... I barely lived at the office back then.

Roy had only studied action for a single MV shoot—he found the concept baffling.

“When will he be back in Korea?”

“I can’t disclose that per company policy. But if you join us, I’ll do my best to arrange a meeting.”

“So there’s a chance it won’t happen?”

“...I’ll certainly try.”

“Ehh.”

Roy pouted in disappointment.

“Well, then at least tell me where I can meet him—”

“Haha. I’m not sure. But since you came all this way, would you like a quick camera test?”

Ignoring Roy’s pushback, the man revealed his true colors.

Honestly, with Roy’s face, they didn’t need a team leader meeting—he was a shoo-in.

But there were company procedures. Even if he coaxed Roy’s signature here, they’d need footage for the files.

And claiming to be Hangyeol’s fan, the man was sure Roy was 90% sold.

But Roy thought otherwise.

He was already punished for being Awakened—confined in a dormitory prison at Awakened High.

Sure, he could vault walls, but the most he could do was reunite with Hojin and Taeeon.

To sign with this agency and train properly?

He might be expelled for violating school rules.

‘I can’t disgrace my parents.’

He hypnotized himself.

【Casting skill ‘Godslighting’.】

Roy rose with a sullen expression.

He’d gathered enough information.

“Sorry. You told me to ask anything, but you only said no and I don’t think this will work for me.”

At once, the man’s calm facade cracked.

“What? Did I overwhelm you? If you’re uncomfortable, the camera test is optional.”

Roy merely stared.

“Or is this because of Hangyeol? You asked when he’s back—probably within a month—”

“They’re gone that long?”

“Since it’s effectively vacation... but he has an August schedule, so he’ll definitely return by then.”

That schedule meant Star Hero.

So Plan B was dead. He couldn’t avoid appearing on Star Hero now.

As Roy’s face soured, the man scrambled.

“I’ll... I’ll speak to the CEO and try to carve out a spot.”

Oh?

Why didn’t you do that sooner?

Roy, half-standing, sat back down.

“When?”

“I need to check the actor’s schedule, so I can’t give an immediate answer. But I’ll try to make it happen within a year...”

A yeaaaar?

Negotiations broken.

Roy rose again and bowed.

“Goodbye.”

“Wait! At least your contact—”

“I don’t have a cell phone. Sorry.”

Then what’s bulging in your pocket...?

The man was momentarily speechless at Roy’s brazenness.

“P-please take my card, at least.”

He offered a shiny gold card—the VIP pass to First Entertainment.

Different from the earlier business card in both design and authority.

“Think it over and be sure to contact me. Promise. Promise.”

“Yeah. I’ll think about it.”

He said he’d think, not that he’d call.

Still, he pocketed the card—as insurance if he bombed Star Hero.

Roy strolled out of enemy territory and sighed up at the sky.

‘Must I face the judgment of the people after all?’

He had no confidence he could last until the next selection round.

His phone buzzed in his pocket—an unknown number.

‘Did they catch me out without permission?’

Roy’s trembling eyes glanced down, and he answered.

“...Hello?”

[“Hello~ I’m Kim Mi-young, writer for Star Hero. You passed the prelims and made the final 202. I’m calling to guide you through filming the main competition. May I ask if you have a moment?”]