The room was silent.

  Everyone there waited, waited to be called. It seemed like no one wanted to go first, after all the first is the one who gets the most attention.

  Most sat upright looking straight at the judges, others were looking downplay with their hands.

  There were some whisperings, mouthing their performances or self-introductions maybe.

  I sat still. Not because I was especially nervous, but because I felt that I did all that I could to prepare. No last-minute practice would help me now.

  At the front the woman sitting in the center fidgeted with her laptop. Looking like she was scrolling on it.

  “Number 14 stand up and come to the front”

  They were calling us with the numbers they assigned through email. I quickly went to check mine already having forgotten it, #23.

  A couple seats to my right a guy stood up. He had a tall lanky build with brown hair that was in a middle part. He looked fairly good with clear skin. His face looked carefree, sort of like an athlete.

  He began to make his way through the chairs to the tape on the floor shaped like a box. In Front of it were the three judges and a mic.

  “Alright, introduce yourself, and what you're going to perform.”

  The guy cleared his throat and took the mic to his hand.

  “Hello, my name is Moon Min-Ho, I'm twenty. For my performance I am going to perform a rap, titled ‘break’ by NG7”

  A few people looked up, I wouldn't have known the group before but after immersing myself with different idol groups online, I knew that they were a fairly popular group who were known for their fast lyrics.

  The beat began-

  It was fast, then the lyrics started, Min-Ho nodding along with the beat. He spoke, each word coming out with speed, and eloquent flow.

  Although the lyrics themselves weren't anything powerful, the way he spoke to them made them complement the beat.

  He began to move as well, showing a good routine, moving his hands around as well as his body. Not straying far from the square on the ground but still showcasing his moves.

  The others sitting couldn't help but have their eyes gravitate towards his every move. Some even nodded to his lyrics.

  His presence shining through his performance, confidence.

  As he hit his final verse his rapping slowed down a bit, although he was consistent through his performance at the end it looked like he was getting tired.

  He ended with the final lyrics and stood up straight and bowed.

  For a few seconds it remained silent, before the man on the right began to speak.

  “It was good Min-Ho, overall, you remained consistent with some slight stepping errors and getting winded at the end, but you handled the choreography well.”

  The other judges nodded to his statements showing that they agreed. The judge to the left took her mic and spoke.

  “Yes, I agree, you were also able to handle the lyrics and tempo well, you did slow down at the end but that's expected, with some slight practice you'll get over that.”

  Min-Ho smiled and took the mic to his mouth.

  “Thank you judges, I'll keep this advice in mind.”

  “Okay, you can go back to your seat Min-Ho, good job.”

  Min-Ho put back the mic onto its stand and walked back.

  Some of the guys that he walked by looked up at him. He looked down at them and gave them a grin.

  I didn't bother to look, I knew the performance was good, and his demeanor as well, but there was no point in congratulating or paying attention to it.

  After all I didn't want the others to do well, each time they did that would be one less spot for me.

  I wasn't here to cheer the others on.

  The judge took to her mic again.

  “Alright number 15 please come up.”

  A boy a couple rows in front of me stood up, they were a bit on the shorter side, shoulders slouched and looking down while walking.

  As he made his way to the front he stumbled on his feet.

  It was apparent that he was nervous.

  He introduced himself quietly, his voice cracking when saying his name.

  He began his performance, his voice cracking while singing and making weird looking moves while doing his routine.

  Some of the guys sitting looked away. Just looking at him embarrassing himself made those sitting uncomfortable.

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  He pushed through it, finishing his performance and giving a small awkward bow.

  The judges looked him over and gave him some brief advice. Not one of them complimented him on his performance, only giving him some advice on how to improve.

  The kid walked back, looking at him you could tell that he knew he performed badly, tears forming on his eyes making them look glassy.

  It was strange, as I looked at him, I felt relieved that he failed, he was cast aside by the judges as someone not worth paying too much mind to.

  No actually, I felt good that he failed. All I could think was that it was one less person to take my spot. After all, these people weren't going through what I am.

  I wasn't here for fun, or to try it out. If I didn't make it, I would be gone.

  I knew that what I had prepared was miles ahead of the kid who just went and if the people going next were anything like him then all the better.

  “Number four, step up.”

  A couple chairs to the back a guy stood up. His hair was a gray silver tint, styled backwards, he walked calmly to the front paying no attention to the other people he passed. Moving through them with his broad shoulders.

  He had a calm demeanor making him look experienced. Had he done this before?

  He grabbed the mic in front of him not waiting for the judges to say anything.

  “Hello, I'm Kim Ryung, I'm nineteen, I'll be singing ‘Return’ by ZERO.”

  As the instrumentals began the room quieted. It was a slower type of song with a ballad. His voice wasn’t especially prominent but the way he moved carried weight.

  He moved around effortlessly as if he had nothing holding him to the floor, akin to a figure skater going through their routine.

  Even the judges looked at him with surprise, basking in the audiologist’s every move.

  As he reached the end of his performance the judge in the middle immediately went for her microphone.

  “How long have you been dancing; you already look very trained?”

  Ryung gave a smile to the judge and answered.

  “Not long, only 3 years.”

  The middle judge nodded showing interest, the judge to her left took to his microphone.

  “The routine itself was good, there were some off notes in your singing so watch out for those, but overall good job”

  Ryung maintained his small grin, giving a short bow before heading back to his seat.

  A couple more auditions passed. Most were forgettable but some were decent enough. However, none of them left as much of an impression as Ryung’s and Min-Ho’s.

  I felt conflicted, although the others weren't good. Just having Ryung and Min-Ho doing good was bad, I knew there must've been other rooms filled with auditions either here right now or in the past few days.

  Trainees with natural talent, others with connections. How many people were they even going to take in.

  “Number twenty-three”

  I snapped out of my thoughts. I looked forward, they had called me.

  I stood up, I couldn't lie my legs felt heavy, like there was mud slowing them down. But I kept my mind sharp.

  I made my way up to the microphone, each step felt throughout my body.

  Walking up there it seemed that everything else disappeared around me. Standing on that tape, everything around black besides the judges and the microphone in front.

  I looked to my left looking at myself.

  I took a deep breath in and out, readying myself. Grabbing on to the mic and putting in front of my lips.

  I had to show them I was good.

  No, I had to show them that they needed me, that out of everyone here they needed to recruit me. Otherwise, this was it for me. What other chance would I get to become an Idol this fast.

  “Hello, my name is Rae Minwoo. I'm nineteen years old. I'm going to be performing ‘H3art’ by TZBoys.”

  The music started; I tightened my fingers around the microphone.

  I focused my thoughts, remembering the lyrics and the routine I burned into my body for the past month. Even if my skills themselves were mediocre, the effort I put in to master this song was burnt into my brain.

  I stepped into the movement, focusing on both singing and the routine. A step to the right, both arms going up, left foot back and pivoting with it.

  The moves connecting together, the vocals remaining steady. Unlike in the past where I needed to redo the routine countless times to make it look decent, my body now moved on its own as I heard the instrumentals.

  The words that came out of my mouth weren't powerful or strong, neither were my moves breathtaking, but they remained steady.

  As the end of the song came, I tilted my head down and lowered the volume of my voice, something I rehearsed a hundred times.

  I still continued on holding the same consistency throughout the performance. Not doing anything flashy but with enough energy that I could remain throughout the routine without faltering.

  As the last of the song finished, I remained still. Legs aching, lungs and throat burning and sweat dripping. But I maintained a composed act, I couldn't let myself look tired or weak in front of these people.

  I remained on the taped square and gave a bow.

  I looked straight at the judges, waiting for their thoughts. Whatever they thought of my performance was the deciding factor on my future.

  The judge on the left was the first to voice their thoughts.

  “Minwoo, overall, your performance was solid. Nothing too flashy, but I could see the consistency you had, something that already sets you apart from those before.”

  The middle judge nodded along seemingly agreeing with his statement.

  “Still, it looked like you were playing it safe. I know you were asked to prepare a performance, but it just looked like you were performing something you memorized… However, I can see the foundation you have and the effort you put into it.”

  He looked at the notebook in front of him and wrote something.

  “With the right training, who knows maybe you could flourish further.”

  The judge to the right leaned into their mic.

  “You've definitely got the control needed, be proud of that. Good Job.”

  I raised my microphone in front of my mouth.

  “Thank you judges, I'll keep this insight in mind.”

  They wrote a couple things in their notes before calling the next number.

  I walked back to my seat, hands sweating and heart pounding.

  Although not nervous, I couldn't help but wonder if that would be my last time performing anything.

  As I sat back down looking forward, I caught something in the edge of my vision.

  Turning to my right I caught vision of another auditionist. He had curly yellow hair. He looked shorter than me, but he had a soft look to him.

  His hazel eyes met mine and he flashed a smile.

  Not a friendly one but something else.

  Did he know me?