Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 7

#7.

Despite it being a weekday afternoon, the subway was quite crowded.

To attend the audition, Do-jae met up with Louis at the transfer station.

“Louis, over here.”

“Oh! Hyung!”

Louis was wearing a blue trench coat, black skinny jeans, and thick-heeled boots.

His fashionable attire, combined with his near-blond brown hair and striking features, was enough to attract attention.

“Oh, my gosh! What, Hyung! Awesome. Totally awesome!”

Adding loud exclamations to the mix, the gazes of people who were already glancing at Louis became even more pronounced.

If the subway hadn’t arrived just in time, some people would have been openly staring.

Before Louis could raise his voice any further, Do-jae quickly grabbed him and boarded the subway.

In truth, Louis wasn’t the only one attracting attention.

Do-jae, wearing a fitted rider jacket and naturally ripped jeans, also had a striking appearance that made people wonder, ‘Is he a celebrity?’

Wearing new clothes, standing upright, and with his forehead exposed by sweeping back his hair, Do-jae drew people’s attention unlike before.

As soon as they stood near the door due to the lack of seats, Louis said,

“What? Did you buy new clothes to go to the audition? Your style seems to have changed a bit too. You look like a completely different person!”

It was true that he bought new clothes for the audition, and strictly speaking, he was a different person.

Sensing Louis’s strangely sharp compliment, Do-jae briefly averted his gaze and asked,

“Really? How is it, is it okay? It’s not a style I usually wear…….”

All Kang Do-jae owned were shabby tracksuits or plain cotton t-shirts.

Clothes that seemed to prioritize practicality over style, and even then, only Kang Do-jae’s good physique made them somewhat presentable.

No, even Kang Do-jae couldn’t hide the cheapness of the clothes.

That’s why Do-jae went straight to online shopping as soon as he had money.

The problem was that he had never bought or chosen clothes himself during his time as a prince.

Do-jae always wore clothes tailored by the Royal Tailoring Department.

Most of them were neat shirts.

However, he couldn’t buy stiff shirts like a company employee going for an interview when he was an aspiring celebrity going to an audition.

‘Clothes I could never wear when I was a prince…. I wanted to try wearing something like that, so I bought them.’

He was worried that the style he was trying for the first time wouldn’t suit him.

It was an unnecessary worry, though.

“Why are you asking? It looks totally great! You should have dressed like this all along! I didn’t even know you had such a good body because you always wore tracksuits.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’re like, F4, move aside!”

“F4…….”

If it was the F4 that Kang Do-jae remembered, they were the main characters of a childish drama about rich families [referring to the popular manga and drama series “Boys Over Flowers”].

It seemed like a compliment in context, but Do-jae frowned slightly.

“Ah…. I actually like . Becoming like F4 would be totally possible if I debut, right?”

Louis whispered as if revealing a great secret.

He seemed excited, as if imagining something.

It was too old of a drama for an eighteen-year-old high school student to be a fan of.

Thinking that his taste was quite unique, Do-jae nodded vaguely at Louis, who was sparkling his eyes.

As they talked and passed through subway stations.

Louis blinked rapidly as if he had remembered something.

“…Ah. But did you hear the news?”

“News?”

“About Song Hwan…….”

Louis spoke cautiously, unlike his usual self, as if worried about upsetting Do-jae.

“They might not let you debut.”

Do-jae had come out saying confidently that whether they would let him debut with the risk factors was up to the company’s choice, but he didn’t really have much expectation.

“That’s unexpected…….”

“There seems to be a lot of talk within the company. Because there’s even evidence of him bullying Hyung….”

“It’s nothing compared to what I went through.”

Louis felt anew that Do-jae was a very strong person because of his overly calm attitude.

To become a celebrity, skills were important, but more than anything, mental strength.

That was Louis’s thought.

You could quickly see its importance just by looking at the comments on popular celebrities’ articles.

Louis had no doubt that he would debut and gain popularity.

So, he often worried about what would happen after becoming a celebrity, but being next to someone like Do-jae made him feel like he wouldn’t have to worry about mental management.

Thinking that he had done well to follow Do-jae, Louis continued with the story he had heard from a trainee he had met at New Entertainment.

“Originally, his skills were just so-so, but he became friends with Yoo Myung-woo? And that’s how he got to debut, I heard from a friend.”

“Ah, that seems to be the case.”

“But Yoo Myung-woo said they should reconsider.”

The fact that Yoo Myung-woo, who was not only the person who would become the group’s leader but also the nephew of the director of New Entertainment, had raised the issue meant that the talk of canceling the debut was justified.

“Isn’t it because he thought it would harm the group he’s going to debut in? Since he doesn’t have any evidence of bullying Hyung anyway.”

Do-jae nodded slightly.

He seemed to understand the situation roughly.

Song Hwan was in a situation where he had a fire under his feet, so he couldn’t do anything that would escalate things, such as retaliating against Do-jae’s mother.

‘He must be out of his mind. Indeed…. Humans like Yoo Myung-woo are more frightening.’

Do-jae clicked his tongue inwardly.

“Yoo Myung-woo. Isn’t he totally scary? Even though they were so close.”

Louis shuddered, as if Yoo Myung-woo’s response was a bit creepy.

“I know.”

“Anyway, I hope even Song Hwan can’t debut. I heard he bullied Hyung a lot. Bad guys should be punished like that, at least.”

Song Hwan was definitely the one who directly bullied Kang Do-jae the most.

“Yeah. I hope so.”

Do-jae replied with a cold expression.

―This stop is Apgujeong, Apgujeong Station.

Before they knew it, the subway had reached its destination.

***

After getting off at the station, Do-jae and Louis looked for one of the buildings lining Apgujeong Street.

The high-rise building, which must have been quite impressive when it was first built, now showed signs of age.

7F

Finding Kingdom Entertainment’s company name in the lobby, Louis glanced at Do-jae while pressing the elevator button.

“But Hyung. Why here of all places?”

Louis had followed Do-jae here without asking or questioning anything, but it was true that he suddenly had doubts.

There had to be a special reason for someone from New Entertainment, which was called one of the big three agencies, to choose Kingdom, which only had ballad singers besides Big Boyz.

“Because I have confidence in my eye.”

“Confidence in…. your eye?”

Do-jae nodded.

Eye (眼目) [an insightful ability to discern potential or talent]. The ability to see something.

Do-jae was really excellent at ‘seeing’, no matter what it was.

Do-jae’s eye didn’t distinguish between objects, phenomena, or people.

His artistic insight also came from that eye.

With that eye, Do-jae had directly watched Big Boyz’s stage and confirmed their potential.

Furthermore, Do-jae had watched and analyzed all of Big Boyz’s stages from their debut to the present.

‘Big Boyz will be big.’

Big Boyz had struggled at the beginning of their debut due to lack of promotion, but now they were clearly building their position.

They had a clear direction and goal, and it was Big Boyz’s agency that had created it.

That’s why Do-jae had decided on Big Boyz’s agency.

Moreover, Big Boyz’s agency was called ‘Kingdom’ Entertainment.

From the name itself, it seemed to be calling Do-jae.

It was fate, if anything.

“They’re the ones who raised Big Boyz. It’s okay, so don’t worry too much.”

“…Big Boyz aren’t exactly super popular singers…….”

Louis muttered quietly, looking around in case there was anyone related to Kingdom Entertainment.

“Big Boyz will do better. In the future. The company’s name will also rise higher.”

Do-jae’s confidence was also a confidence in the executives affiliated with Kingdom Entertainment.

Two of the executives who founded Kingdom Entertainment with the CEO were famous composers who had been popular in Korea for a long time.

The reason why most of Kingdom Entertainment’s singers were mid-level ballad singers was also because of that, and they, as executives and composers, were still writing good songs without losing their touch.

‘Thanks to that, Big Boyz’s album has quality songs not only in the title track but also in the B-sides.’

It was to the point where he could even receive ballad songs and come out with them if things didn’t work out.

‘Of course, I have to make sure that doesn’t happen.’

Anyway, it was a company that had enough sense to raise singers, even though they were late to the idol industry.

Big Boyz’s shining stage and diverse album proved it.

Do-jae thought and pressed the button to go up to the 7th floor.

“Since Hyung says so, I believe it again. I trust yo…….”

“Being close to water also suits my fortune well.”

“…Fortune?”

“The company’s location is also good in terms of feng shui [a traditional practice aligning structures with the environment].”

“Feng… shui?”

Ding. While Louis was flustered, the elevator doors opened, revealing Kingdom Entertainment’s golden nameplate hanging on the wall.

***

In fact, there was one more reason why Do-jae chose Kingdom Entertainment.

It was that they were looking for members for a group that would debut next year.

It was a fact he had learned from a community site that was bookmarked on Kang Do-jae’s computer.

‘Even if I have financial freedom, it’s better to debut as soon as possible…. The timing is just right.’

He wanted to stand on stage as soon as possible.

He wanted to sing to his heart’s content.

If Kang Do-jae had already spent 3 years as a trainee, Do-jae had spent 3 years with a dream.

When the two arrived and pressed the bell next to the glass door, a staff member soon came out and greeted Do-jae and Louis.

“You two are…. Kang Do-jae and Kim Louis, right?”

“Yes, yes! I’m Kim Louis.”

“Hello. I’m Kang Do-jae.”

As the two greeted in turn, they could feel the staff member glancing up and down at them.

As a staff member, it was something that could be checked by going inside the audition room, but it was a habit close to a professional disease.

The two were also used to the gazes of others as if they were being evaluated, so they accepted the gazes without any reaction.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Jung-yeon, Deputy Manager of Planning Team 2 at Kingdom Entertainment.”

Lee Jung-yeon, who introduced herself, handed over her business card.

Do-jae received the business card in a proper posture.

“I’m also glad to meet you. Thank you for calling me.”

“Oh, don’t mention it…. But Do-jae, you look much better in person than in the picture.”

While being a little flustered by the polite attitude that was unlike the young people of today, Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon gave Do-jae a favorable look.

Do-jae and Louis had sent an email and passed the first audition, and they had come to see the on-site audition today.

Instead of taking a selfie right away as a picture to send in the email, Kang Do-jae thought it would be better to send the profile picture he had taken at New Entertainment, but it seemed like it wasn’t that good.

“Was the picture not good? It’s been a while since I took it.”

At Do-jae’s answer, Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon quickly waved her hand.

“No, the picture was good too. It’s just that you look better in person. Your eyes are more alive too.”

Do-jae smiled slightly at Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon’s evaluation.

It was a similar smile to the one he had given to Sunmi before, and Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon also blushed soon after.

“What about me?! I’m handsome too, right?”

At Louis’s sudden question, Deputy Manager Lee Jung-yeon thought again that the confidence of friends preparing to become celebrities was amazing and quickly replied.

“Of course. Louis, you’re handsome too, of course. Come this way. That practice room over there is where you’ll be auditioning today. Everyone is waiting.”

Jung-yeon guided the two with quick steps.

It was when Jung-yeon opened the door to the audition room with a knock.

Do-jae, who was entering the audition room with calm steps, stopped in surprise.

“Kim Court Attendant?”