God Idol Project: Hope [GIPH]

Chapter 21: Debut Team Announcement

All the male trainees gathered in the seminar room upon hearing that the debut team was going to be announced. The seminar room was usually used for watching video materials and resembled a stepped lecture hall. 

I waited anxiously, thinking this might be the day that could change my life. My heart was pounding louder and louder. 

Looking around, I noticed that everyone else seemed frozen in place. They were all pale with tension. Even Oran, who usually seemed confident and relaxed, was gritting his teeth in nervousness today. 

Well, Oran did say he would quit being a trainee if he didn't make it this time. It made sense that he was more nervous than I was. 

At the podium, ready to announce the debut team, stood the CEO, the trainee development team leader, and a man I'd seen a few times in passing. The CEO, holding the microphone, was the one leading the announcement. 

"You've all worked hard for the debut evaluation. Over the past two weeks, we have strictly evaluated each trainee's skills, personality, and dedication to determine the debut team members. Congratulations to those who made the debut team, and my deepest regrets to those who didn't. Since there are no scheduled activities today, those not in the debut team may return home after the announcement, while the debut team members will stay behind." 

Drumroll? 

It felt like I could hear the sound of a drum roll, like at an award ceremony, right before the big announcement.

"Now, let's announce the debut team. The trainees selected for Hanul Entertainment's new male idol group are..." 

My already shaky heart pounded even harder. Would my name be called? Was it too soon for that? Had I not practiced enough? Did they notice I was sick during the evaluation? 

What if I didn't make it? Would I have to move to another agency? Park Ha, Chorok, Seohon, Ji-on, and Oran would surely make the debut team. What if I was the only one who didn't? How would I congratulate them? How could I keep a straight face...? 

As the CEO prepared to call the names, countless thoughts raced through my mind. 

"Park Ha-jun. Hong Oran. Seo Hon. Nam Chorok. Kim Ji-on. And Ham Iwon. That's all." 

Did I hear that right? Was my name really called? My name is Ham Iwon, right? 

"Wow! Wow! Aahhhh!" 

Park Ha, unable to contain his emotions, jumped up, shouting and flailing his arms wildly. Chorok covered his face with his hands, his shoulders trembling. 

Oran stood up but collapsed back into his seat as his legs gave out, while Ji-on kept asking if it was really him. Seohon, on the other hand, stood frozen, tears streaming down his face. 

I felt a lump in my throat. Their hard work had finally paid off. They had worked so much harder than I had. I still couldn't fully grasp that I was part of the debut team, but I was overjoyed to be alongside them. 

To be honest, it felt surreal. After regaining my voice, thanks to Hyun-oh, I had dreamed of becoming an idol. I joined an agency as a trainee without much thought, and before long, I was selected for the debut team. 

Everything seemed to fall into place so easily. 

Did I even deserve to be this happy? 

I turned my head to the side, feeling a sharp glare. Someone was staring at me with such intensity that it stung. 

Was his name Koo Da-myung? I had no idea why he was glaring at me so fiercely. We hadn't even interacted much. 

That trainee gave me a terrifying look as if he wanted to devour me, then spun around and stormed out of the seminar room. 

The other trainees, apart from the ones who had been announced as debut team members, slowly left the room, unable to hide their disappointment. The CEO stood by the door, staring thoughtfully as they filed out. 

"Please gather here. I have some announcements to make," called the trainee development team leader. 

Chorok, now composed, guided the other members forward one by one. Seohon wiped his tear-streaked face with his sleeve as he walked. Park Ha, excited, practically skipped ahead, with Ji-on following close behind. 

I helped Oran to his feet. Normally, Oran would have brushed me off, but in his daze, he let me lead him. 

"First of all, congratulations. You've all worked hard, but this is just the beginning. The preparation for debut will move quickly, and things will get hectic. I expect you to keep up." 

We were finally at the starting line. We were one step closer to our dream. I felt a mix of excitement and anticipation. 

"There are a few things I need to ask of you. First, those of you who are still in school, please adjust your schedules. With how intense the preparation will be, it'll be almost impossible to attend school and prepare properly at the same time. Second, you will now live in a dorm. This is to make managing schedules and transportation easier. Please inform your parents and move your belongings to the address we'll provide as soon as possible." 

I had heard that preparing for a debut could take anywhere from six months to several years. It seemed Hanul Entertainment was planning to compress all those steps. That meant we would have to work that much harder. 

"Third, our company values the input of our artists. We want you to be actively involved in the debut process. You can even think about group names or concepts and let us know if there's anything you need. We are your colleagues, sharing the same goal. Fourth, avoid any behavior that could cause problems. Delete your social media, and no spoilers. Fifth...." 


We carefully listened to the rest of the trainee development team leader's lengthy list of instructions. It was stricter than I had expected. 

"This is Choi Joon-hyun, your manager, who will assist you during your time as part of the debut team. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to him." 

"Hello, I'm Choi Joon-hyun from Management Team 3. Let's work well together." 

We all bowed in greeting. Manager Choi had a strong, sharp appearance and was physically imposing—he must have been over 190 cm tall. He looked like someone you'd mistake for a bodyguard or a soldier if you passed him on the street. 

"CEO, do you have anything to add?" 

"Ahem. There were a lot of challenges during the process of selecting the debut team. I expect that those of you who have made it through these tough times will do well moving forward. Remember, you are now an asset to the company. Take care of your health. Today, celebrate as much as you like." 

With that, the CEO left the seminar room. As the trainee development team leader was about to leave, he stopped and turned back. Was there something else he wanted to say? 

"Oh, and make sure to call your family first." 

Ah! We all quickly pulled out our phones.

˚˖✧✧✧˚. 

My parents were thrilled to hear that I had made the debut team and immediately started talking about throwing a party. There was no way I'd be able to avoid a noisy celebration when I got home. 

I kept the call short. I wasn't very comfortable with phone conversations, and I never knew what to say beyond the essentials. How do people manage to talk for half an hour or more on the phone? 

Unlike me, Park Ha hesitated for a long time before finally making his call. 

"Mom... I finally made the debut team. I can finally debut for real. Yeah. Thank you for everything, Mom...." 

For Park Ha, who had been a trainee for so long, this must have been an especially emotional day. 

I stepped aside to give him some privacy. Seohon and Oran went outside to make their calls. 

Chorok, overcome with emotion again, sat down on the emergency exit stairs, his head hanging low. 

Was he debating whether to make a call? He fiddled with his phone but didn't dial. I went over and sat next to him. 

"Not going to call?" 

"...They wouldn't be happy about it. My parents don't approve of me being an idol." 

"...Still, don't you think you should let them know? Imagine how shocked they'd be if they saw you on TV later." 

"Would they be? Then I won't call. I want them to be surprised." 

It seemed he was serious about not making the call. He set his phone down on the floor. I wasn't sure if that was the best decision. 

"When are you moving your stuff? I'm thinking of moving today." 

"Today, already?" 

"I live alone near the school, so I don't have much stuff. I'd rather move in quickly and start living with you guys." 

It seemed Chorok didn't like being alone. I had always thought he was a strong person, but now I saw a more vulnerable side of him. 

"Chorok, I want to move in today too, but I have too much stuff," Ji-on said, entering through the emergency exit and sitting next to Chorok. 

"How much stuff are we talking about? Need help? But Ji-on, our dorm probably isn't that big. You can only bring a little." 

"I was thinking of canceling my lease entirely. Is that okay?" 

Though his wording was a bit clumsy, I understood what Ji-on was trying to say. 

"If you're going to cancel your lease, where will you store the rest of your stuff?" 

"No idea." 

So, he needed a place to store his belongings but didn't have a plan. Chorok sighed in frustration after hearing Ji-on's reply. 

"Ji-on, how about storing it at my place? We have a spare room, so it should be fine to store your stuff there." 

When I offered a solution, Chorok looked more relieved than Ji-on. After that, my day was suddenly decided for me. 

We would first head to Chorok's place to pack his things, then go to Ji-on's place to sort out what he would bring to the dorm. After that, we'd store the rest of his belongings at my place, where he, Chorok, and I would spend the night. 

Seohon, who lived with a friend because his family lived far away, decided to join us too. Park Ha and Oran went home to share the news with their families. 

With four strong workers, we thought we could easily handle the moving process. We assumed nothing could go wrong. 

At Chorok's place, there wasn't much to pack. 

Chorok was a minimalist. Apart from the furniture that came with the apartment, he didn't have many personal belongings. We quickly sorted everything into boxes, and with just a simple backpack on his shoulders, we headed to our next stop. Moving had seemed like such a simple task. 

"This is my place." 

We arrived at Ji-on's house, brimming with confidence about our moving skills. But as soon as he opened the door, we were stunned. People actually lived like this? 

Ji-on was the complete opposite of Chorok—a maximalist to the extreme. His small apartment was filled with clothes and stuff everywhere, like a jungle. 

Unfazed, Ji-on waded through the clutter. Chorok, on the other hand, was left speechless, his expression one of disbelief. 

"...Am I the only one who feels overwhelmed?" 

"Where do we even start?" 

Chorok and Seohon tried their best, but it was no use. We moved a few things, but it made no noticeable difference. 

"There's no way we're finishing this today. Seohon, Chorok." 

"Let's listen to Iwon. This is beyond us. We need professional movers." 

We ended up sorting out only the essentials for the dorm and escaping the jungle. We decided to hire movers to bring the rest of Ji-on's stuff to my place. 
Our last stop was my house. Despite the sudden announcement that I was bringing guests, my parents were delighted to welcome everyone. 

"Shouldn't we bring something? Ji-on, you're asking for a favor." 

"A bouquet." 

"A bouquet? Ji-on, in our country, bouquets are usually for weddings." 

"I get it, Seohon. Fine, flowers." 

Even though I told them it wasn't necessary, the three of them bought a large bouquet and a cake. 

"Dad, I'm home." 

My dad, wearing an apron, greeted us. Since it was a weekday, my mom was still at work. However, she promised she'd come home early. 

After we exchanged greetings and handed my dad the presents, he admired the bouquet's vibrant colors and put it in a vase. 

I led the group downstairs to show Ji-on where he could store his things. 

"Here. I was going to turn this into my practice space, but the ventilation wasn't great, so I left it as is. No one's using it, so feel free to store your stuff here." 

I opened the door to reveal a space currently occupied by a few boxes and some old furniture. 

Since it hadn't been used in a while, most of the stuff could be thrown away. After clearing it out, there would be more than enough room for Ji-on's belongings. 

"The ventilation is better than I thought, and the lighting is pretty decent too." 

Chorok wandered around, muttering that the place needed cleaning. 

"I already figured Iwon came from money, but this is beyond what I expected." 

"I might just live here, Iwon." 

It seemed Ji-on was already considering moving into our basement. For some reason, it reminded me of a certain movie. 

"Since your stuff will be here anyway, feel free to drop by whenever you want." 

"Can I rent this space?" 

"I'm not the landlord...." 

As Ji-on muttered to himself about asking my parents for permission to live there, I wondered if we might end up living together. But since we'd be staying in a dorm, he wouldn't have much reason to come here often. 

I decided not to point that out, though, since it would probably dampen Ji-on's mood.