The cafeteria hummed with the evening chatter of trainees unwinding after a long day. Bright flourescnet lights cast a white glow over rows of tables, and the scent of rice and soup filled the air. Damien carried his tray toward a table in the corner where Hajoon and his friends were waving him over. With a small nod, he joined them, settling in among the mix of familiar and new faces. He kept his posture relaxed and his expression neutral, quietly observing as the conversation flowed around him.
After just a day, Damien had realized that he had to be more careful and more observant than ever.
Stay low and don't try to show yourself off. Confidence is good, but ego breeds resentment.
Always observe and watch your back. Take the time to study unspoken rules, hierarchies and group dynamics. Let others reveal how the environment works.
Always maintain your composure and read the room constantly. Stay calm even in humiliating situations. It's safer to process things quietly than to react rashly.
Those were the three rules he had learned. If he had only followed these rules, he wouldn't have had someone like Hajoon out for his neck this early on.
But... he didn't even do anything that remarkable.
What set this dude off? Damien wondered.
Then, the system energetically remarked,
System: [Maybe it's due to your S-rank visuals, host!]
Damien: "..."
Hajoon was mid-rant about the day's dance class. "I swear, Instructor Han nearly made us drill that routine to death," Hajoon groaned, stabbing his chopsticks into a chicken, adding emphasis to his words.
Damien had noticed during dance practice that Hajoon executed the choreography with ease, hardly breaking a sweat. Now, at the dinner table, Hajoon's charisma kept his small audience entertained.
As the other chuckled at his words, Damien only offered a slight smile, eating his food at a steady pace.
As they say... keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
Hajoon and his group were friendly in the surface, but Damien had felt something off about Hajoon from the very beginning. He wasn't about to let his guard down. And in this environment, every trainee was a rival—an opponent to beat to place at the top.
Hajoon turned to Damien after a moment and said, "Hey, Damien, you were keeping up with us during dance class today. You have experience?" He asked casually, but there was a curious glint in his eye. Hajoon's question sounded innocent enough, yet Damien sensed it for what it was: a probe. At the moment, no one knew he had prior experience. None of the auditionees from when he revealed the information were at the orientation. The only rumour spreading about Damien was about how a trainee with good looks entered the company—nothing else was known about him.
And from his rusty performance earlier, Damien had guessed that Hajoon lowered his guard. If he figured out that he had some major experience, wouldn't he ruin this perfect opportunity?
Damien chewed his food calmly before responding, "I took some beginner classes with a friend but stopped." He did not elaborate further.
A trainee in the group laughed, "Luckily, a few months back, we learned some other fundamental movement which helped us get into the groove."
"Yeah!" Another trainee said. "Otherwise, we would've been screwed!"
Damien dipped his head, wanting to just listen in, but Hajoon was still watching him, waiting for him to offer more. "Instructor Han gave me a lot to think about. I have to work on my execution and cleanliness." He gave a self-deprecating smile. Though it was true, admitting a flaw openly was disarming. As expected, Hajoon nodded in understanding, his posture loosening.
Damien inwardly sighed. It had been a while since he had to play these mind games—not since he left the Hertz household.
"You've got time to get it down," Hajoon said, sounding genuine. "Your fundamentals, though lack a bit of grounding, are solid." A couple of boys murmured in agreement. Damien bowed his head lightly in thanks and continued eating. Compliments or not, he still remained vigilant.
Hajoon's praise seemed sincere on the surface, but the slight narrowing of his eyes couldn't escape Damien's sight. It was a sign of calculation.
He's assessing how serious of a threat I am... I mean, come on. Isn't there other better targets? Why me?
The conversation shifted to lighter topics as the dinner went on and Damien let himself chuckle softly, trying to sound genuine.
He could play the part of an ordinary teenager enjoying downtime with friends.
After all, hasn't he been acting all this time?
First as Damien Hertz—now Yeong Myeongho.
He'll play any role.
"End of the month is coming in two weeks." A trainee in the group remarked. "Think they'll schedule the monthly evaluation soon?"
"Probably," Hajoon replied, shrugging. "They always do it around the turn of the month. We'll likely get an official notice any day now." He spoke confidently, but couldn't quite hide the tightness around his smile. Even Choi Hajoon, the top three overall ranked trainee, wasn't immune to the pressure that hung over all of them.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the group.
Another trainee broke the silence with forced optimism.
"Well, whatever happens, we just gotta give it our best, right?" He raised his cup of water as if toasting. The others raised their glasses as well. Damien mirrored their gestures quietly. His face remained relaxed, but his mind was already whirring with plans.
When dinner wrapped up, the group stood to place their trays away. Around them, other trainees were doing the same—some laughing, some exhausted and silent as they shuffled out the cafeteria. Damien noticed a few foreign trainees hurrying to finish. He guessed they were off to language class which was scheduled right after dinner.
He recalled that he would have been among them if not for the placement test he'd done after orientation. Thanks to his fluency in many key languages, the instructors had exempted him form the thrice-weekly language lessons. It was a small relief since those evening hours could be now used for extra practice or much-needed rest.
Hajoon, who put away his tray, glanced at Damien. "You heading to the practice room now, or calling it a night?" He asked.
"I might practice a bit." He replied. "You?"
Hajoon stretched his arms above his head. "Eh, I'm kind of beat. Probably going to review some of my other classes then crash early."
Damien hid his slight surprise. It seemed none of them planned to put in additional practice hours tonight.
They were talking big earlier about giving it their best, but when given the choice, even strong trainees could become complacent. Or maybe Hajoon was confident enough to rest?
Either way, Damien wouldn't squander the opportunity. "Rest well, then."
The group split off.
Once he was alone, he headed to the nearest practice room and sighed in relief when no one was there.
He closed the door and immediately said, "System. Give me my stats."
System: [Yes, host!]
[Accessing Status Screen...]
[Name: Damien Hertz (Alias: Yeong Myeongho/Damien Yeong)]
[Age: 16]
[Gender: Male-Alpha]
[Physical Condition: Excellent]
[Group: TBA]
[Agency: Starlite Media]
[Mission Progress: 1%]
[Base Attributes (Ratings)]
Vocal: B-
Dance: C+
Rap: D
Charm: A+
Visual: S
Artistry: A+
Fame: D- (Notable in a tight social circle only)
Current Balance: 800 Points
[Special Skills]
Reactive Acting: Boosts performance when acting. 50% increase in mastery of expression and control of complex roles.
I'm Good at Everything!: Improves proficiency and learning in various skills.
Unshakable Resolve: Reduces self-doubt and anxiety. Enhances endurance through physical and emotional discomfort.
Old Money Upbringing: Slight increase in elegance and aura. Gives 10% increase in negotiation and sponsorship probability.
Language Expert: Enhanced linguistic ability and comprehension across multiple languages.
Special Host: Access to the system and its support, shop functions and triggered events.
Hmm... it looks like everything has stayed the same except my points. There's been no progress.
Suddenly Damien slumped over at the realization that he might have to have another round of restless nights.
Well... I guess tonight's a great time to start. What stat should I focus on levelling up?
After a few moments of thought, he decided to get his dance up to at least a B-. That way, it'll be easier for him to not only get into the groove but also memorize and etch choreography into his body more easily.
He tapped a button on his phone, and a simple beat pulsed through the room's speakers. It was one of the routines that their class had been working on. Without wasting a second, Damien began to move.
He danced with measured precision, repeating the choreography again and again. In the mirror, he watched his form critically: the angle of each limb, the timing of each step. By the umpteenth run through, sweat flattened his hair and gasped for breath.
After the music stopped, Damien took a moment to breathe. He grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his face, walking slowly toward his bag. Then, he caught his reflection in the mirror. His expression was calm, eyes sharp and contemplative.
He could now execute the routine well. But next to a naturally gifted dancer like Hajoon or Li Xingyuan, Damien knew he still lacked a certain explosive flair. That, too, he marked as something to improve on.
A knock on the practice room door jolted Damien from his thoughts.