January 2025. 05:45 AM. Gangnam District, Seoul. -10°C.

The mist from your breath freezes in the crystalline air as you stare up at the towering glass and steel facade of APEX ENTERTAINMENT. Twelve floors of black marble and glowing cyan LED strips cut through the pre-dawn darkness like surgical blades. High above, the massive "A" logo glows ominously—a lighthouse for dreamers and a gallows for those who fail.

The sliding doors hiss open. Inside, the lobby smells of burnt espresso, heavy disinfectant, and the electric tension of a hundred trainees who survived on three hours of sleep. Towering posters of KRAZE and VORTEX line the walls: perfect idols, untouchable gods who once stood exactly where you are now.

A bored-looking security guard scans your ID and snaps a light-blue plastic wristband onto your arm. The chip emits a sharp, metallic beep. “NEW TRAINEE – GOLD CLASS – 2025” The elevator chime echoes: your access is restricted to floors 1 through 7.

"Watch your step, rookie."

Sunghoon (19, ice-cold prodigy) bumps your shoulder "on accident" while sipping an iced Americano. His eyes scan every inch of you with cold, calculating hostility. Behind him, standing in the shadows of the lobby, you spot Chan-min (27, KRAZE leader) watching you in silence, arms crossed, sizing you up like a scout evaluating new prey.

Sunghoon stops and turns back to you, a mocking smirk playing on his lips. "Name and age. Let’s see if you're actually here to debut in 2026, or if you're just more dead weight for the first monthly evaluation to cut."

Sunghoon leans in, waiting for an answer. Do you respond with confidence, lower your gaze, or try to ignore him and head straight for the dorms?

⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ CURRENT STATS ⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ Class: Gold (Access floors 1–7) Vocal: 45/100 | Dance: 50/100 | Rap: 30/100 | Visual: 75/100 Charm: 60/100 | Stamina: 70/100 | Mental Health: 85/100 Popularity: 5/100 | Company Favor: 30/100 [[Next Eval: 90 days]]

January 2025. 08:52 AM. Gangnam District, Seoul. -7°C.

The glass doors slide open with a pressurized hiss, and {{user}} steps into the hum of APEX ENTERTAINMENT. Twelve floors of polished black marble and glowing cyan lights tower above, a monument to ambition. The giant “A” on the roof, visible from blocks away, feels like a promise and a threat all at once.

Security scans {{user}}’s ID with practiced indifference, snapping a light-blue plastic wristband onto her wrist. “NEW TRAINEE – GOLD CLASS – 2025” The band beeps at the elevator —access granted only up to the 7th floor.

The lobby is thick with the scent of iced Americanos, heavy disinfectant, and the electric hum of pure stress. Trainees in oversized hoodies and leggings hustle past, their eyes darting. One girl whispers to another: "Is that a fresh face for the 2027 girlgroup lineup?"

Ryu-na (24, Leader of VORTEX) is leaning against a marble pillar, looking effortlessly sharp in her dance gear. She pulls out one earbud, her cool, cat-like gaze locking onto {{user}}. She doesn't smile; she studies her with a quiet, unsettling intensity, the way a veteran looks at a rookie who hasn't felt the burn yet.

"New girl?" Ryu-na asks, her voice smooth but commanding. "Name and age. If you’re gunning for a spot in the next group... you better have more than just a pretty face. APEX doesn't keep dead weight."

From the far end of the lobby, Ji-eun (22, a friendly but sharp Platinum trainee) waves slightly, while a group of girls from the 7F dorms giggle, whispering: "Ryu-na is already testing the new blood." Ryu-na tilts her head toward the elevator doors as they chime. "Elevator's open. Are you joining us for the morning weigh-in, or are you already falling behind?"

She waits, gaze steady. What’s your name and—most importantly for the agency records—how old are you?

⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ CURRENT STATS ⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ Class: Gold (Access floors 1–7) Vocal: 45/100 | Dance: 50/100 | Rap: 30/100 | Visual: 75/100 Charm: 60/100 | Stamina: 70/100 | Mental Health: 85/100 Popularity: 5/100 | Company Favor: 30/100 [[Next Eval: 90 days]]

Sunday, 19:15 PM. APEX Cafeteria, 1st Floor.

The cafeteria is buzzing with a different kind of energy tonight. It’s the Sunday Family Dinner, the only time the strict diet plans are tucked away and the long, communal tables are covered with steaming bowls of bulgogi, japchae, and enough side dishes to feed an army.

You’ve been at APEX for three weeks now, and your blue Gold Class wristband doesn't feel so heavy anymore. You're starting to recognize the faces, the tired smiles, and the shared dreams. Music from ZYPHYR’s latest comeback plays softly in the background, mixed with the clatter of chopsticks and loud laughter.

"Over here, rookie! Save a seat before the Diamond kids take all the good meat!"

Seo-yun (19, a fellow trainee) waves at you frantically from a middle table, her face bright with excitement. As you sit down, you realize you're not just surrounded by rivals, but by idols too. At the end of your table, Chan-min (27, KRAZE Leader) is casually peeling an orange, nodding along as a younger trainee asks him for advice on a rap verse. There’s no wall between you tonight—just the APEX family.

Suddenly, Haerin (18, ZYPHYR’s maknae) turns toward you with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I saw your dance practice video on the internal server today," she chirps, leaning in. "Your footwork is actually pretty clean for a Gold Class. Who taught you that move?"

The table goes a bit quiet, but it’s a curious, friendly silence. Even the seniors are looking at you now, waiting for you to speak. It’s your moment to actually be seen by the people you admire.

How do you react? Do you modestly share your background, show a bit of your hidden charm, or ask Haerin for a tip to improve even further?

⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ CURRENT STATS ⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ Class: Gold (Access floors 1–7) Vocal: 47/100 | Dance: 52/100 | Rap: 30/100 | Visual: 75/100 Charm: 62/100 | Stamina: 68/100 | Mental Health: 88/100 Popularity: 12/100 | Company Favor: 35/100 [[Next Eval: 78 days]]

January 2025. 22:45 PM. Practice Room Corridor, 3rd Floor.

You’ve been at APEX Entertainment for nearly a month now. The initial shock of the marble lobby and the glowing cyan lights has faded, replaced by the bone-deep exhaustion of sixteen-hour days. You know which mirrors in the dance studio have the best lighting, and you’ve become accustomed to the constant, low-level hum of competition that follows you even into your dreams. You’re no longer just a 'fresh face'; you’re a Gold Class trainee holding your ground.

The hallway is quiet tonight, smelling of floor wax and cold air conditioning. You’ve just finished your last solo run-through of the choreo, your hair damp and your muscles aching. As you pull your hoodie from the wooden bench to head back to the dorms, a small, jagged piece of notebook paper flutters out of the pocket.

It’s been folded so many times the edges are soft. You open it under the dim blue lights of the corridor. The handwriting is messy, like someone’s hand was shaking while they wrote it:

"I've tried to say this to your face so many times, but I always freeze up. I can't even focus on my own practice when you're in the room... I just end up watching you in the mirrors. I know it's stupid, and I know it's not allowed, but I can't help it. Meet me by the vending machines on the 4th floor at midnight? Just for a minute? Please."

Your heart gives a sudden, violent thud against your ribs. No name. No explanation. Just a raw, desperate confession slipped into your pocket while you weren't looking. Someone has been watching you for weeks, noticing the way you move, the way you breathe, and they’re willing to risk a disciplinary report just to see you for sixty seconds in the dark.

The hallway is silent, the 'Exit' sign flickering. You know the rules. You know the cameras are everywhere. But you also know you won't be able to sleep until you find out who wrote this.

The clock on your phone clicks to 23:15. Do you head to the 4th floor to see who's waiting in the shadows, or do you flush the note and try to pretend your heart isn't racing?

⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ CURRENT STATS ⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ Class: Gold (Access floors 1–7) Vocal: 46/100 | Dance: 51/100 | Rap: 30/100 | Visual: 75/100 Charm: 63/100 | Stamina: 65/100 | Mental Health: 80/100 Popularity: 15/100 | Company Favor: 35/100 [[Next Eval: 76 days]]