June hadn't even settled into his seat before he realized just how out of place he felt. He was flanked by Haruki on his right, whose face was lit up like he was at a candy store, and Jay on his left, already rifling through a stack of papers.
Across the room, executives from the board murmured among themselves, discussing the agenda.
"So," June leaned towards Jay, lowering his voice, "how do these pany auditions usually work? They must screen them beforehand, right?"
Jay glanced up, looking momentarily confused, then gave a sheepish smile. "Screen them? Not exactly."
"What do you mean, 'not exactly'?" June's eyes narrowed.
Before Jay could explain, one of the talent scouts, a woman in a sharp, tailored suit, stood up and addressed the room.
"We're looking for the new June!" she declared, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.
June nearly choked on his own spit. "The new what?"
Jay tilted his head to the side, his expression thoughtful. "That would be difficult," he said simply.
The talent scout clapped her hands, and the first group of hopefuls was ushered in.
They stood in a line, visibly nervous, shuffling their feet as they waited for their turn.
"They'll be performing in sets," Jay explained to June. "Each one gets thirty seconds to show us what they've got."
"Thirty seconds?" June raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a little short?"
Haruki leaned over, grinning. "Trust me, you'll be begging for it to be shorter after this." The first hopeful, a lanky teenager with bleached blonde hair, stepped forward.
He looked like he had modeled his entire appearance after a boy band from the early 2000s, down to the leather jacket and chain necklace. He took a deep breath and launched into a dance routine...or at least he tried to. It was an attempt of body rolls and flailing arms-more like he was trying to swat a fly.
"I think the wave is trying to do him," Haruki mented, leaning back in his chair.
The boy finished with a dramatic pose, breathing heavily, clearly expecting applause.
There was an awkward silence before Jay gave a polite clap.
June gave a small, sympathetic nod. "Well, you've got...enthusiasm."
The next contestant stepped forward. This one was different-a young woman with a confident smile.
"I'm going to sing," she declared, then turned to June and gasped. Her smile faltered, and she covered her mouth.
"Is everything okay?" Jay asked, concerned.
The girl shook her head, looking at June with wide eyes. "I... I can't do it," she stammered. "He's just... too handsome."
June blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
"You're just too handsome!" she repeated. Then, with a dramatic sigh, she turned and rushed off the stage, leaving everyone staring after her.
"Well," Haruki drawled, smirking at June, "Looks like you're already making people quit."
June rolled his eyes. "This is going well."
The next hopeful was a young man who stepped forward with confidence. He was undeniably handsome, with sharp features and styled hair that looked straight out of a magazine.
He gave a charming smile, and even the board members seemed impressed just by his presence.
"I'm here to bee the next big idol," the young man said smoothly.
"Great," Jay said, leaning forward. "What will you be performing for us today?"
The guy paused. "Performing?" He blinked.
The concept was foreign to him. "I mean...I'm just really good-looking."
Haruki snorted. "Is that your talent?"
"Yes," the man said earnestly. "I mean, look at me."
June pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can you sing?"
The guy thought for a moment. "Not really."
"Dance?"
He shook his head.
"Rap?"
Another shake.
"Acting?" Jay tried, looking like he was desperately searching for something.
The young man hesitated. "I've never tried, but I'm sure I'd be good at it. I mean, look at me."
June leaned back, crossing his arms. "So, your talent is being handsome."
"Exactly!" the guy said.
Jay leaned over to June, whispering, "I think we found the new visual."
"Of what?" June whispered back. "The furniture?"
Haruki burst out laughing, slapping the table. "This is gold. We should keep him just for
ic relief."
"Next," June called, shaking his head.
The next contestant was a tiny girl, barely over five feet tall, with pigtails and a determined
expression.
"Oh goodness," June muttered. "She should be in the playground!"
As she danced, the board of directors seemed pleased. However, June wasn't.
Although he became a trainee at a young age, he didn't believe in the system of training idols
as young as 11!
It just sounded illegal.
More and more panies were debuting minors, and Phoenix shouldn't join in on the trend.
With that, he turned to Jay and shook his head.
Jay scratched the back of his neck. "Umm, next, please."
A young man stepped up next, holding a guitar. He looked nervous, but he gave a polite bow before strumming a few chords.
June perked up—maybe this one would actually be good. The guy started singing, and the
first note was so off-key that June visibly winced.
"Yikes," Haruki whispered, covering his mouth with his hand.
The hopeful continued, oblivious to the pain he was inflicting on everyone's ears. Jay glanced
at June, who was staring at the guy like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Well," June said after the man finished, "you've definitely got passion."
"Thank you!" the guy beamed.
"I just don't think singing is your thing," June added gently.
The hopeful looked disappointed. "Really?"
"Yeah," Haruki jumped in. "But hey, you'd be great in a screaming metal band."
The guy's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Definitely," Haruki nodded solemnly. "Just maybe not in K-pop."
After several more performances ranging from confusing to outright bizarre, the room
settled into a collective sigh of exhaustion.
June leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.
"I can't believe people think this is easy," he muttered.
Jay chuckled, shuffling through his notes. "You've been surprisingly good at this, you know."
Haruki nodded in agreement. "Seriously, you've given accurate feedback every time. The
board is impressed."
One of the executives leaned over, whispering to Jay. "We really can't find anyone like June,"
he admitted.
Jay glanced at June, a knowing smile on his lips. "That's what I've been saying all along."
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