"Next contestant or group please enter through the side door!" the crew member yelled.
Another 4 contestants entered the door to the stage. There were a line of contestants, each waiting for their turn. As soon as the group had left through the door, the line immediately moved up. Various types of trainees were waiting backstage for their turn to perform. Some kept looking at the door, as if the people who just left would end their turn that quickly. Some were still practicing their performances, and others were just on their phones.
When I had left the bathroom earlier, almost two thirds of the trainees had already gotten their numbers and were in line. After rushing to get my own number from the staff, I was stuffed in another line of trainees waiting to get their make-up done and microphones attached. Finally getting through that, I found myself here, the line of trainees all waiting for their turn the audition and be on stage.
When the audition started, there were almost 100 people all cramped in this space behind the door to the stage. I had planned to take a look at the song I was auditioning with immediately but I kept getting distracted by the trainees that were practicing their performance around me. In the blink of an eye, 2 hours had gone by and my turn was only a few turns away.
I was number 59 and there were still quite a few trainees in front of me. Though from their interactions between each other it did seem like they were divided into 2-3 groups. It was nerve-wrecking, waiting as my turn got closer. Unlike these trainees, I don't even know if I knew anything about dancing or singing.
Finally, while searching around for anything to help I found Ahn Hwan-Byeol's phone. A phone was a strange device. I don't know how I knew what it was called but it felt strangely familiar, as if I had used one before. I decided to look up the song I was auditioning with on the strange device, but it only showed videos of five people performing it.
I scrolled through the videos looking to see if there was even one video with only one person. Thinking that maybe there were just too many videos I changed my search to an even more specific one, "Los*r=Lov*r 1 person dance cover" Still there was nothing. Don't panic I thought. Although I did not remember my past life, something told me that I had been in plenty of time-tight situations before and was a master procrastinator. Worst comes to worst I would replay the original dance video again and again before my turn while focusing on copying the main dance moves.
But there might still be an option left, I thought while eyeing the penguin icon in the corner of my vision. I tapped on it and one sided messages sent by 553 earlier appeared. This time, however, there was an additional keypad for me to send 553 messages.
Host 934: [Hey 553, how am I going to do this song alone when it's supposed to be performed by 5 people???]
553: [So you finally remembered me host? (╥︿╥)]
Seeing the message sent by 553 made me feel a little guilty-
"Next contestant or group please enter through the side door!" the crew member yelled again. This time 6 of them left at once!
BUT, I was still facing a crisis and had no time to comfort the penguin.
Host 934: [Sorry, I got a little distracted earlier. I'll make it up to you when you reappear in your physical form. Right now though, I really really need you to answer my question!]
553: [Well to be honest host, I don't know either. ┓(〃◜∀◝ )┏]
Host 934: [WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW???]
Although I was ready to start watching the video like crazy I still didn't actually want to do it! Thankfully 553 sent me another message so maybe all hope wasn't lost?
553: [Well the one who practiced the song was the original Ahn Hwan-Byeol so we don't know what he has prepared. Why are you asking about it host? (｡· v ·｡) ?]
I felt a vein pop on my forehead. Isn't the answer to the question obvious enough? No, maybe it was my fault for putting my hope on a talking penguin.
Host 934: [I don't know. Ma be... becAUSE I AM ABOUT TO PERFORM THAT SONG WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING!]
Darn it, there's a typo!
553: [Ahhh... Actually host, you don't have to worry about that. You're inhabiting the original owner's body so you can just borrow their ability to sing and dance. (๑>ᴗ•๑)]
Suddenly I felt that 553 wasn't as cute anymore and instead seemed more punchable. Thankfully, I was a person who fully knew that violence was not always a good answer and that animal abuse was illegal. So as calmly as possible I typed my reply.
Host 934: [And why did you not tell me this earlier?]
553: [Welllll... I kind of forgot. (;・∀・) I'm still a new system you know?]
All my good feelings for 553 seemed to disappear without a trace. Where did they go? Did they fly away?
Host 934: [Can I file a complaint to get a new one? I feel that you are defective.]
553: [Σ(°□°´Ⅲ)!!? You can't do that host! Pleeeease! If you file a complaint I'll get replaced with another newbie system and have to go back there. (╥︿╥)]
Host 934: [There? Where is there?]
553: [The equivalent of a school for systems. (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )]
Host 934: [You know, everyone complains about school, but those who still need to learn should still attend. Once you're out again you'll realize that it wasn't so bad. :)]
553: [NO! It's worse than hell!ヽ( ˚Дﾟ)ﾉ If you get sent back, you are teased non-stop until the end of time! Even juniors will cyberbully you until you self destruct. ｡°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°｡]
Host 934: [Wow even system schools have a bullying problem.]
I couldn't help but give a mirthless laugh. I guess the problem of bullying applied to all groups of sentient beings.
Host 934: [Okayyyyy. I won't send you back, just don't forget to inform me about important information in the future, okay?]
553: [Yes sir! (￣^￣ )ゞ]
"Next contestant, it's your turn. Please enter through the door in front of you!" the crew member yelled, pointing at me.
Before I knew it, it was my turn. Even though I knew I could just leave it all up to Ahn Hwan-Byeol, I still felt nervous. I wasn't a hundred percent sure, but I felt like it was my first time on stage. Ahn Hwan-Byeol, let's do well enough to debut!