Chapter 3
“Alright! Who wants to come up and sing a song today? Raise your hand!”
The cheerful host standing on stage was a VTuber known as Genie Karaoke.
At the moment, she had around 300,000 subscribers and was rapidly growing in popularity.
Her main content was street karaoke.
I remembered her easily because she used to hold karaoke events every Friday in front of the station near my house.
And later, she’d have millions of subscribers.
She was already fairly famous now, but in the future, as VTube platforms grew, her influence in the media industry would become enormous.
That was why even famous idols would occasionally appear on her broadcasts for promotion.
But that was a story for the future.
Pulling my cap lower to hide my messy hair from rushing out of the house, I quickly raised my hand.
“Yes, the student in the cap! Please come up!”
Fortunately, there weren’t many participants today, so I was chosen immediately.
I had been worried there might be too many applicants, but luck was on my side.
A male staff member led me backstage.
“You can wait here.”
“Thank you.”
Five participants were already waiting there.
Since no more volunteers seemed to be coming, the event started right away.
Including me, that’s six.
Naturally, I’d be the last one to perform.
“Now then! Who will be today’s winner? First contestant, please come up!”
As the explanation suggested, the special feature of Genie Karaoke was that one participant would be chosen as the winner and receive prize money.
Of course, I wasn’t here for the money.
I just planned to sing one song and leave.
What song should I sing?
Actually, what songs were even popular at this time?
It had been so long that my memory was fuzzy.
I was scrolling through my phone, thinking I should search for something.
Nothing was really standing out…
“Excuse me.”
“Ah, yes?”
The participant standing in front of me suddenly spoke.
Before I realized it, everyone else had already performed, and only the two of us remained backstage.
“You’re really focused on your phone. Nervous?”
“Well…”
Only then did I take a closer look at him.
He looked like a middle or high school student.
He was wearing a school uniform, probably having come straight from school.
But where were his vest and blazer?
Don’t tell me he thinks he looks cool dressed like that.
The oversized shirt and T-shirt hanging off his skinny frame weren’t exactly stylish.
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
I felt a little guilty shaving seven years off my real age.
Still, if I told people my actual age in this body, they’d think I was crazy.
The boy grinned at my answer and brushed back his hair.
Black roots were clearly visible beneath the dyed red hair.
You could at least touch up your roots…
“Oh, so you’re noona! I’m seventeen. By the way, are you good at singing?”
“A little.”
“Then do you want to go before me?”
What was that supposed to mean?
As I blinked in confusion, the boy shrugged casually.
“I’m just worried you’ll get compared to me if you go after me.”
“…”
“This is a secret.”
He lowered his voice dramatically and whispered only loud enough for me to hear.
His tone was full of confidence.
“I’m actually an idol trainee.”
“Ahhh…”
Look at this kid.
Many thoughts crossed my mind, but I simply smiled pleasantly.
“You go first. I need to think about something.”
“I was trying to be considerate, you know? Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t get much of a reaction.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Next contestant! Please come up on stage!”
The staff member waved toward us.
The boy straightened his shoulders and swaggered onto the stage.
The moment he left, I clicked my tongue.
Considerate? Yeah, right.
He called it consideration, but it was obvious he was looking down on me.
Maybe he wanted to show off.
If so, it had the opposite effect.
All he’d done was provoke me.
Soon, the instrumental for his chosen song echoed through the speakers.
Oh, this song…
Hearing the familiar melody after so long gave me a wicked idea.
…Right.
A grin slowly spread across my face.
I’ll sing that one too.
* * *
Clap, clap, clap—
“Thank you, brothers and sisters!”
Unlike the contestant’s energetic greeting, only scattered applause came from the crowd.
Seeing the reaction, Genie barely managed to keep her expression under control.
Yeah… that flopped.
Today’s participants were disappointing.
Their singing wasn’t terrible, but none of them stood out.
She was already getting a headache thinking about what to title the video.
Honestly, they weren’t even good enough to use as content.
The participant who had just finished had introduced himself as an idol trainee, so she had expected more.
He chose a song way beyond his skill level.
The song was To the Shining You.
A new hit song by the talented singer-songwriter Park Hyewon, currently dominating every music chart.
But it wasn’t an easy song.
Its insane vocal range and difficult high notes could ruin the atmosphere instantly if the singer wasn’t skilled enough.
And that’s exactly what happened.
When he cracked during the high notes three times, Genie genuinely wanted to stop the music and send him off the stage.
But she couldn’t.
Meanwhile, the crowd had visibly shrunk.
The performances had already been mediocre, and that trainee’s song was the final blow.
Tsk. Today’s a lost cause.
Just as she was sighing in disappointment, the final contestant stepped onto the stage.
A plain-looking girl wearing a cap low over her face.
The staff handed Genie the contestant’s song choice sheet.
For some reason, the staff looked utterly defeated.
“Genie, we’re in trouble today.”
“Huh?”
Feeling uneasy, Genie looked at the song title.
Her forehead immediately wrinkled.
She quickly fixed her expression and forced a cheerful smile, but her disappointment couldn’t be hidden.
“Wow… it’s the same song as the fifth contestant!”
She barely stopped herself from sighing.
Mechanically continuing her hosting duties, she stepped aside.
Why does everyone keep singing To the Shining You?
Maybe she should ban Park Hyewon’s songs altogether.
Her expectations had completely vanished.
Her mind was already elsewhere.
But then—
Every night, memories of the past come back to me…
The acoustic guitar intro ended.
The moment the contestant started singing—
“…Huh!”
Genie unconsciously gasped.
* * *
The soft, murmuring singing style blended perfectly with her rich low tone.
“Oh, there’s street karaoke over there.”
“Want to stop and listen?”
It was the kind of voice that made passersby stop walking.
The moment I couldn’t reach out to you
Appears before my eyes, making me smile
As I remember the shining you
Like most ballads, the lyrics spoke of old memories, lingering emotions, and regret that remained unchanged despite the passage of time.
But the singer’s voice expressed those emotions so perfectly that, combined with the acoustic guitar, they became even more powerful.
Carrying the longing I never spoke aloud
Within the time that’s already gone
Regret and pain continue to spread
*
As the song progressed, it became increasingly dramatic.
The melody jumped wildly, making it extremely difficult to sing.
Yet the girl effortlessly switched between chest voice and falsetto.
She handled every section flawlessly.
No.
She wasn’t just handling it.
She was completely making the song her own.
More and more people gathered around the stage.
Yet strangely, everything remained quiet.
Her performance felt like a genuine confession of love filled with regret for the past.
The audience couldn’t take their eyes off her.
So I sing with those feelings inside me
Even as time passes, unchanged…
Then the song reached its climax.
Returning to that time… to the brightest version of you—!
A long, clear, perfectly controlled high note exploded into the air.
“Wow…”
“Holy crap.”
The audience forgot even to breathe.
They could only stare in amazement.
Among them stood one woman who hadn’t looked away from the stage since the song began.
“Ah.”
A small sigh escaped her lips.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Her heart pounded wildly.
To her eyes, the girl on stage was shining brighter than anyone.
“…Found you.”
At last.
She had finally found the missing final member of her debut team.
* * *
[Sudden Mission Cleared!]
[Reward Acquired. Please claim it from the Mission tab.]
[Main Mission Received. Check the Mission tab for details.]
The notification window appeared the moment the song ended.
“Phew…”
Looking at the messages, I slowly caught my breath.
Then came a sense of regret.
I unconsciously licked my lips.
It had been so long since I’d sung that there were definitely areas where I could have done better.
I knew my own singing better than anyone.
Which made the imperfections stand out even more.
…Still.
It was good enough to pass.
Barely.
WAAAAAHHHH!
“!”
Whoa!
The cheers that erupted from the audience were far louder than I expected.
…Wait.
When did so many people gather?
The area below the stage was packed.
The cheers were so loud they made my ears ring.
WAAAAAHHH!
Encore! Encore!
“No way! Seriously, I got chills!”
“…”
Only then did I truly register the crowd’s reaction.
Everyone was cheering.
Everyone was applauding.
A strange thrill ran through my entire body.
…I used to love this feeling.
This was something only a stage could give.
That was why I couldn’t give up for so many years.
I had become addicted to this sensation.
Even during my trainee days, I occasionally got to experience it.
I’d assumed that after all this time, the feeling would have faded.
“…”
But experiencing it again after so long…
It was even more exhilarating than I remembered.
I still loved performing.
* * *
Once the cheering died down, the other contestants came back onto the stage.
The way Genie Karaoke chose its winner was simple.
All contestants stood together on stage.
Then the audience voted.
Now that I was standing here myself, though…
The system felt surprisingly cruel.
“Alright! If your favorite was the first contestant, please give them a round of applause!”
The winner was chosen entirely based on audience reaction.
There was applause.
But it wasn’t meaningful.
It was mostly polite clapping.
The same lukewarm response continued all the way through the contestant before me.
Naturally, I was the exception.
“Then for our final contestant— wow, I can barely hear myself over the cheering!”
WAAAAAHHHHH!
Before the host could even finish speaking, thunderous cheers exploded from the crowd.
“Th-thank you!”
I bowed repeatedly, pretending to be surprised.
Internally, however, I was thinking something completely different.
I already won. Can we just hurry up and finish? Why bother going through everyone in order?
I’d known the result the moment I heard the other contestants sing.
They were all about the same level.
If not me, then who else would win?
“Here’s your prize money!”
I wonder how much is inside.
Opening the envelope right here would probably be rude.
I hadn’t cared much about the prize before.
But right now, I was technically a minor and didn’t have much money.
Suppressing my curiosity, I tucked the envelope away.
My business here was finished.
Still, instead of leaving immediately, I looked around.
There was one thing I needed to do first.
Ah, there he is.
I spotted the self-proclaimed idol trainee still standing awkwardly on stage.
I picked that song specifically because of him.
I wanted to see his reaction.
“Good job. I really enjoyed your performance.”
“…Ah, yeah.”
As they say, you can’t spit at a smiling face.
I offered him a bright smile and a handshake.
After hesitating, he reluctantly shook my hand.
His pride looked badly wounded.
His complexion was noticeably worse than before.
It was obvious his confidence had completely collapsed.
Did teasing a kid make me feel good?
Be humble from now on. Humble.
Exactly.
This is fun.
I really enjoyed messing with arrogant people.
After throwing a few more comments his way and teasing him to my satisfaction, I finally left the stage and headed into a quiet alley nearby.
Now then.
First, let’s collect the reward.
[You have obtained 10 Karma Points.]
Maybe because it was my first reward, but it felt surprisingly satisfying.
Like finally having something inside an empty wallet.
Right.
Now that I had points, it was time to spend them.
I could finally find out what these so-called strategy guides really were.
Of course, I wasn’t planning to buy just anything.
[Main Mission: The Road to a Top Idol]
Chapter 1: Want to Debut?
Condition: Join an entertainment company and successfully debut.
Time Limit: 365 Days
Rewards:
- 300 Karma Points
- Trait System Unlocked
- Main Mission Chapter 2 Unlocked
I intended to buy whatever would help me clear this mission most efficiently.
Besides, there were several details in the mission that bothered me.
To understand it properly, I’d need to examine it carefully.
Now that I had decided to become an idol again, I planned to move as efficiently as possible.
Let’s see…
As I focused on rereading the mission—
“I found you!”
“!”
A woman’s loud shout suddenly echoed throughout the alley, startling me.
