Felix touched him and asked, "What are you thinking?"
Ji Hyo blinked, pulled out of his daze. "Nothing," he muttered, eyes focused on a point just beyond Felix's shoulder.
Felix chuckled softly, his voice a low hum. "You don't have to worry so much. Just enjoy it."
Ji Hyo's brows furrowed slightly, unsure of how to respond. Felix leaned in, adding, "And don't think of me as your competitor. No matter what, I'll always be your number one fan."
Ji Hyo turned his head slightly, unable to hold Felix's gaze. Something tightened in his chest. It wasn't discomfort… it was warmth. A confusing kind of warmth that made the world seem a little less sharp around the edges.
He didn't say anything—but something inside him shifted. He realized that Felix was right. This was a competition, sure, but the debut seats weren't limited to one. And maybe… maybe he didn't have to carry all that weight alone.
Some of the other trainees glanced over, visibly surprised. If Ji Hyo had been a wall of ice earlier, now he looked like a forest of cherry blossoms—gentle, soft, and blooming for the first time in a long time.
Rin and Baekho approached with smiles, casual but sincere.
"Hey, you were really good in the last evaluation, I saw your clips" Rin said.
"Yeah," Baekho added, "Looking forward to seeing what you do next."
Ji Hyo nodded politely. He didn't know them—new faces, probably new trainees—but their energy didn't feel fake. Still, before he could think more about it, the lights dimmed and the screen lit up.
[Super Music Entertainment]
Whispers rippled through the room as two boys walked onto the stage. The emblem of their company shimmered behind them, bold and unmistakable.
Ji Hyo leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing with focus.
They were tall, confident. One had a sharp, angular face and a gaze that could cut glass. The other carried himself like he owned the stage already, even before the music started.
Ji Hyo didn't know them either—but something about their presence set the room on edge.
They took the seats across the aisle, just beside him. Every move they made was smooth, deliberate—like they already knew the camera was watching, even if it wasn't rolling yet.
One of them, the one with the sharper features, leaned forward and gave a polite nod. "Hey, nice to meet you," he said with a smooth voice that carried confidence but not arrogance.
The other followed, flashing a brief smile at Ji Hyo and the nearby trainees. "Hope we get along."
Ji Hyo blinked, unsure how to react. He wasn't the type to open up quickly, and greeting strangers never came naturally. Still, something in their tone didn't feel fake—it was practiced, sure, but not insincere.
He lowered his gaze slightly and gave a small nod, bowing his head just enough to acknowledge them.
That was it. No words. No forced smile.
Just a quiet, cautious gesture—Ji Hyo's way of saying, I see you, but I'm still figuring this out.
Felix, seated nearby, glanced at Ji Hyo and smiled to himself. Even that tiny bow was progress.
Around them, the other trainees whispered and observed, some with curiosity, others with wariness. These new boys weren't just any trainees. Rumor was, Super Music Entertainment didn't send anyone who wasn't already prepped to dominate.
Ji Hyo sat still, eyes forward, but his thoughts swirled.
Why now?
Why them?
And why does it feel like everything's about to change again?
Felix reached out and gently held Ji Hyo's hand. It was subtle—comforting more than anything—and Ji Hyo didn't pull away. For a moment, he let himself lean into that quiet reassurance.
Then the screen flashed brightly, capturing everyone's attention. The show's logo blazed into view, and a wave of energy rushed through the room.
Cue music. Lights.
Four girls from Thorne Industry Trainee Academy took center stage.
Elegant, powerful, and perfectly in sync, they commanded attention the moment they stepped out. The trainees straightened in their seats, murmurs rising in the air. Dressed in sharp uniforms with matching confident smiles, they split into pairs and launched into the opening performance—a high-energy mix of dance and vocal, flashy but clean.
When the music faded, they caught their breath and transitioned smoothly into their hosting duties.
"Welcome to Pick Me +1—season three!" one of them beamed.
They introduced the show's premise, its legacy, and what was at stake this season. There was excitement, playful banter, and just the right touch of pressure. Then came the audience segment—short, light questions tossed at the contestants.
"Who's the loudest in the dorms?"
"What's your favorite midnight snack?"
"Who's most likely to cry on elimination day?"
The room buzzed with laughter.
Then one of the girls—Ranran—whispered something to the others, her eyes subtly flicking toward Ji Hyo.
They had noticed him the moment they walked in. That aura—cold, untouchable, like he didn't belong to the noise around him. Ranran bit her lip, hesitating. She wanted to ask him something. A fun, innocent question. But his earlier expression—the icy indifference—lingered in her mind.
She chickened out.
With a tiny shake of her head, Ranran smiled back at the camera and kept things rolling.
"Alright! It's time for the moment everyone's been waiting for…" she announced.
The mentors.
The lights dimmed again.
First came Lee Seok-hoon, stepping out in tailored black, his vocals echoing through the studio with a live showcase of his range and power. He didn't need an introduction—his voice did it for him.
Shin Yu-mi followed, taking the stage with a short but stunning vocal run that had even the boys applauding mid-performance. She smiled warmly as she waved to the crowd.
Then came Bae Yoon-jeong and Kwon Jae-seung, entering together in a hard-hitting dance performance. Their chemistry was electric, every move sharp and deliberate, a showcase of mastery.
Cheetah entered with swagger, spitting a few bars of a self-written verse that had even the quieter trainees nodding along.
But then—
The screen flashed gold.
A distorted voiceover teased: "One more."
The crowd leaned forward.
A beat dropped. And when she appeared, the room practically exploded.
Lisa. From Blackpunk.
All-around mentor. Global icon.
She danced with the ease of someone born on stage, flipped into vocals without missing a beat, and ended with a short rap verse that sent chills down spines.
The boys screamed in unison.
Even Ji Hyo's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected that.
Felix grinned beside him, nudging his side. "I think I just found my new religion."
Ji Hyo didn't smile, but the corners of his lips twitched. Just a little.
The mentors greeted the contestants with warm smiles, waves, and polite bows. A few offered casual nods to familiar faces from previous seasons, while others scanned the room, already sizing up the new talent.
They took their seats at the judges' panel—Lisa settling gracefully between Cheetah and Seok-hoon, who leaned over to exchange a quick word with her. Yu-mi and Bae Yoon-jeong chatted softly, laughing at something only they could hear.
Cameras panned across their expressions—each mentor embodying their own unique flavor of authority.
Then the spotlight dimmed again.
The four Thorne girls stepped forward, once more assuming center stage.
"One last thing before we begin," Ranran said with a playful grin. "After all… The Stage wouldn't be The Stage without the one who brings it all together."
The music shifted—slow and rising. A tension-filled electronic hum swelled beneath a deep pulse of drums.
"All the way from the world of drama to the world of dreams…" one of the other girls teased, dragging out the suspense.
A single figure stepped out from the far side of the stage.
The lights stayed low—just a silhouette against the glowing LED screens.
Tall. Poised. Effortless.
Gasps rippled through the room, and someone from the back whispered, "No way..."
The camera zoomed in as the lights slowly rose.
And then—click. A final spotlight snapped on, illuminating the face beneath the shadow.
Park Hyun Sik.
South Korea's golden boy. Actor of the year. Household name. Heartthrob. Icon.
He stood there with that quiet, confident smile he wore on red carpets and in movie finales. The trainees erupted in murmurs, some with jaws slack, others nudging their neighbors in disbelief.
Ji Hyo blinked in surprise. Even he didn't see this one coming.
Hyun Sik raised a hand in greeting, voice smooth and deep as it echoed through the studio.
"Welcome, everyone… to the third season of….. PICK Me +1."
The lights blazed behind him, bathing the entire set in gold.
It had officially begun.