Caught Between Four Beast Idols

Yena's hand hovered over the remote control, her expression hardening as she turned off the TV. The screen flickered once before plunging the room back into silence. Her arms crossed over her chest as she stared at Ahri, a deep furrow etched between her brows.

"Anything about the entertainment industry is forbidden," she said, her tone firm, as if the matter were already settled. "You are not going for that audition, and that's final."

Ahri's heart dropped at her sister's words. The weight of them pressed heavily on her chest, leaving her breathless. "But Yena…" she began, her voice barely above a whisper, the plea clear in her eyes.

"No buts!" Yena snapped, her voice sharp, cutting through the air like a whip. "Have you forgotten already? The day you auditioned as a child for the female lead with that Lee Jihoon... You two were clearly in sync. Lee Jihoon clearly chose you, but they didn't pick you. They picked someone else. It hurt our parents so much… They really wanted you to make it, Ahri. You were the one they had faith in. Now they're gone."

Ahri's throat constricted. The memory Yena referenced flooded her mind—the painful one from her childhood. She could almost hear her parents' disappointed sighs and feel the weight of their shattered expectations. The dream that had slipped away before it even truly began.

She shifted uncomfortably. How could I possibly forget? But...

She swallowed hard, blinking away the sudden sting in her eyes. "I... I didn't forget, Unnie," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But this time... I can't let it slip away again."

Yena's expression softened slightly, but her resolve remained unshaken. She shook her head. "Ahri, I know how much this means to you, but you need to be realistic. The entertainment world isn't kind. It's cruel, and I won't stand by and watch you throw yourself into it blindly. I'll protect you from it, no matter what."

Ahri's lips quivered, her heart aching with the weight of her sister's concern.

Yena sighed, clearly unconvinced. "I made a promise to our parents to protect you."

"But Unnie, protecting me isn't keeping me from pursuing my dream," Ahri replied, her voice filled with quiet frustration.

"Unnie, don't you believe in me? I'm good enough—you know that," she pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation.

Yena crossed her arms, her gaze softening just a little. "Ahri... Please understand. That world is not safe. You don't know what you're getting into."

Ahri's fists tightened against the blanket, her thoughts spiraling. 'Yena suffered so much because of me... After I lost my chance at joining AR Entertainment, I gave up on everything. She worked herself to the bone trying to support me, and in the end… she got cancer and died.'

Her chest tightened as guilt threatened to swallow her whole. She looked at her sister's face, the one she had loved and depended on, now filled with the same worry and concern that had always been there.

'I won't let the past repeat itself,' Ahri thought fiercely. 'I'll change it this time.'

"Unnie... please trust in me," Ahri whispered, her voice trembling.

Yena's gaze softened, but the flicker of doubt still lingered in her eyes. She sighed deeply, as if the weight of her decision was too much to bear. "I do trust you, Ahri. But I can't stand to see you hurt again."

Ahri reached out, taking a step closer. "I'm not a child anymore. I'm ready. This time, I'll make it. I promise."

Yena looked at her for a long moment, the silence heavy between them. Finally, she spoke, her voice quieter, almost resigned. "I want to believe in you... I do. But I can't just let you walk into that world without knowing the risks."

Ahri's heart clenched, but she held her sister's gaze. "I've thought it through, Unnie. This is something I need to do. For myself. If you want to protect me then support me in anyway you can."

Yena's lips pressed into a thin line, torn between her love for her sister and her desire to protect her. "You're really stubborn, fine I will support you if you pass audition."

"I'll pass the audition, Unnie. I promise." Ahri smiled, her voice steady now, filled with a resolve she hadn't fully realized she possessed until that moment.

Without another word, she stepped forward and hugged Yena tightly. The warmth of her sister's embrace was something she had clung to all her life, and in that moment, it gave her the strength she needed to face whatever lay ahead.

Yena was a bit surprised at first, but after a beat, she relaxed and gently patted Ahri's head, her fingers threading through her sister's hair with a sense of tenderness. "You're growing up, Ahri," she murmured, her voice soft, laced with both pride and worry.

Moments later,

As Ahri sat on her bed, her mind raced with conflicting thoughts. The clock on her nightstand ticked away, reminding her of the precious little time she had left before the audition.

"Okay, so I regressed to ten years into the past, but that makes no sense, I'm no supernatural creature. So why?" she thought, her hand absently tracing the edges of her blanket.

She let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing her temples. "Well, that isn't the main issue... The issue now is that I have one month left until the audition."

The reality of it all began to weigh on her shoulders. She had always been a dreamer, but now, things felt so much more real. There was no time to waste. If she didn't make it this time, she wasn't sure if she could bear the idea of giving up again.

Her thoughts spiraled, her mind going back to the moment when she had signed up for the audition late. "Just why did I sign up late?" she thought, kicking herself mentally.

The pressure was mounting.

She glanced around her room. Posters of past idols, acting brochures, and even a few old photos from her childhood still clung to the walls, reminding her of her past dreams and disappointments. Each image was a fragment of the life she had once longed for and lost.

"Well, there's no turning back now," she murmured to herself, standing up and walking toward her desk. She picked up her phone, scrolling through her notes.

"I'll make it work," Ahri said, her voice steadier than she felt. "I have to."

Ahri sat back on her bed, her thoughts turning to the upcoming audition. She knew the judges wouldn't just be any ordinary panel—they would be supernatural beings. They wouldn't be looking for the typical idol or actor. She needed to stand out, to show them something unconventional, something they'd never expect.

"What do I even showcase in front of these... creatures?" Ahri muttered to herself, pacing the room. The idea of performing in front of supernatural judges, who could possibly see through her every move, was overwhelming.

She needed something bold. Something that would make them take notice.

As she thought about the audition's requirements, Ahri recalled the message she received when she signed up. The audition would focus on three key areas: Talent, Charisma, and Presence. But the panel of supernatural judges was known for testing contestants in unexpected ways, challenging them to show what they truly had inside.

"Hmm, talent… charisma… presence…" Ahri whispered, pacing again, her mind running through options. Singing was too safe—too predictable. Typical dancing was too… normal those were the things she showcased in her past but she couldn't even showcase it completely because of her leg injury.

Then it clicked.

She would perform something that combined all three. She'd showcase something that would be uniquely hers: A storytelling performance.

It would be a performance that told a story—her story.

She'd show them that while she might be a human, she had the heart and soul of someone who could stand toe-to-toe with supernatural beings.

"Unconventional," Ahri whispered to herself with a small, determined smile. "They'll never expect it."

"So now, which song should I use?" Ahri asked herself, sitting on her bed and running her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"It has to be a song that suits the story I wish to tell..." she murmured, her voice trailing off as her mind drifted back to the past.

As she recalled the year after Jihoon died, the days felt long, the nights even longer. She had been so busy with her work at the convenience store, trying to keep her mind off the void in her heart. It was during one of those mundane shifts that something unexpected happened.

The store was quiet, the hum of the refrigeration unit blending with the occasional rustling of paper bags. And then, the radio played a song—a song she had never heard before. For the first time in a long time, she stopped in her tracks. The soft melody wrapped around her, and the raw emotion in the lyrics stirred something deep inside her. Her chest tightened, and before she knew it, tears had welled up in her eyes. The song made her remember Jihoon again.

"Oh my, what is the name of this song?" one of the customers asked, her voice cutting through the air.

"Fading Light by Choi Seung Jae," another customer replied, their words almost drowned out by the delicate sound of the song still playing.

Ahri's heart skipped a beat. She immediately pulled out her phone and searched for the song. To her surprise, the track had been uploaded ten years ago but was only now starting to gain traction. The familiar sensation of finding something that resonated with her after so long was overwhelming.

"Fading Light by Choi Seung Jae..." Ahri whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Since that day, I became a fan of his," she thought, her eyes glinting with both admiration and something a little more sentimental. She chuckled softly, the memory of that moment flickering like the dim light of a fading star.

The song felt like a part of her story—a story of love lost, of memories cherished and fading away. It was perfect.

Using a not-so-popular song will amplify the uniqueness, but then again, it's risky... That's only if the song wasn't good enough to gain traction. But she had confidence that it would.

She knew this would be a gamble. It wasn't a safe choice, but it was the only choice. And it was her only chance to make it into the trainee selection stage.