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Chapter Text

JL wakes up in a cold sweat, feeling like he just ran the Tokyo Marathon. The last thing he remembers from his dream was the bright lights of a truck that was about to hit his car. 

What a horrible nightmare, JL thought, when he noticed that something was off with his surroundings.

This is.. my house in the Philippines? What on earth is going on? JL felt around for his phone and was surprised to hold one that distinctly resembles the one he had —and broke— a few years back. He unlocked it to turn on the flashlight, but was startled when he saw the date indicated on the lock screen.

Tuesday, March 13, 2024. 

Wait— what???

JL scrambled to get out of bed immediately, running around the house to search for clues as to what was happening. The layout and the appearance of the house were exactly as he remembered, that is, if you’re talking about the house before he had it renovated a couple of years ago. The drugstore calendar on the wall clearly showed March 2024 in bold red and blue. He ran to his laptop (his old Lenovo?), opened it, and checked the date there as well. 

Fuck. It seems that he has really gone back in time.

Heart racing, JL decided to connect to the internet and look for more information regarding his situation.

After several hours of going through the messages, e-mails, and files of current-day JL, he had a clearer view of his situation and came to a conclusion:

While on his way to meet a friend at his favorite cafe, a truck crashed into the car he was driving, likely killing him on the spot. In the process, he was somehow sent back in time to five years ago, to the time when JL was still a PPOP idol as a member of a group named PLUUS. At this point, he hasn’t signed the trainee contract with his previous? future? korean agency. 

What are my options? Do I really want to be a k-pop idol once again? JL doubted for a second, but shook himself out of it immediately.

What a stupid question. JL lives for the thrill of pulling off a perfect stage in front of his delighted fans, and it is what kept him going even when he was suffering from the stresses of the industry. He can’t imagine himself doing anything else. Performing is his life. 

And yet, JL found himself hesitating at the thought of signing with his agency once again. 

His A-list agency did successfully propel him to stardom 2 years after signing up as a trainee. Just a few months ago, his group won several Daesangs for their latest album and managed to complete a successful world tour. JL himself just finished promoting his second solo album, which did amazingly on the charts.

But now.. he's back to zero. Back to before it all even started. 

He recalls all the sleepless nights practicing in at the company's practice room, the endless training, and the monthly evaluations. He recalls his joy at finally getting to debut, thinking it can only get better from that point, only to find out that being a k-pop star is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Despite his agency’s promises of protection, being a Filipino, his path to stardom was rife with racism and mistreatment from even those within the company. He let out a shudder at thought of once again being met with skepticism and discrimination after he has finally proven his talents to the world. 

Am I really going to subject myself to this again?  Is there any other choice? JL thought as he absentmindedly scrolled through Twitter (refusing to call it X even years after the rebrand). 

His eyes widened as his timeline refreshed and his attention was caught by a headline. 

“K-pop group UNIS to hold PH fan sign tour in May” -ABS-CBN News

UNIS, JL recalls, was the debut group borne out of Universe Ticket, one of the many survival programs he has watched. The show earned a sizeable following in the Philippines for having 2 Filipina contestants make it to the debut lineup, which was eventually handled by a newly established entertainment company called F&F Entertainment. 

Wait, isn’t this a chance?

JL vaguely recalls that the CEO of F&F Entertainment himself went to the Philippines during this particular fan meeting to gauge how the Filipino fans will receive UNIS. Insider information told him, however, that the CEO also came to look for talented trainees he can recruit for his upcoming survival show, Universe League. CEO Choi allegedly ended up leaving empty-handed, and sure enough, Universe League did not have a single Filipino contestant. 

In his previous life (and wasn’t that a kicker?) JL himself wanted to audition for the show, however, he has already signed a trainee contract with the A-list korean agency that scouted him. While he was willing to participate in Universe League (and said as much to his management), they did not think highly of the show’s low-rating previous iteration. The agency vetoed his decision to join UL, thus, his dreams of survival show participation ended at that.

Instead of signing that contract again, should I give this a try?

With a few strokes of his keyboard, JL pulled up the company’s website and its namuwiki page. Sure enough, everything was exactly as JL remembered: F&F entertainment is a newly established k-pop subsidiary of a clothing conglomerate with nothing but money to its name. 

JL tried to rack his brain for more information and finds himself mulling the conversations he had with his friends, Elisia and Gehlee, over the past couple of years. He first met the two girls from UNIS in the waiting rooms of M Countdown, and has since developed a camaraderie with them as fellow Filipinos. He recalls how the two often spoke highly of the company and how well-treated and protected they are, despite being handled by what was considered as a novice entertainment agency.

He might be crazy for considering choosing F&F’s survival show over the security of debuting with his previous group and agency.  And yet, the more he thinks about it, the more he finds himself drawn to the idea of joining Universe League. And it’s all due to a specific person.

Park Han. His one-pick. His bias in the survival show he wanted to join but couldn’t. 

Despite being unable to participate in Universe League in his previous life, as a survival show enthusiast, JL still found himself tuning in for the show’s launch. He remembers watching the first episode of the show with relish, filled with amazement when one of the groups performed the best Siren cover he has ever seen. One of the trainees in particular, Park Han, caught his attention with how stable he sounded despite the heavy choreography. His performance was magnetic, and JL was blown away. 

What initially started as a fun watch, however turned into a massive disappointment for JL, when his one-pick failed to rise up the ranks despite hard carrying all of the performances with his amazing vocals. He witnessed with horror as Park Han looked more and more disappointed in himself for failing to attract the audience’s attention. Park Han continued to garner low votes in each round, got demoted to the bench lineup, and was ultimately eliminated from the show. JL lost interest in watching after that, but he never forgot about Park Han.

Even after the show’s conclusion, JL kept himself on the lookout for news of Han participating in other survival shows or joining another entertainment company, but to no avail. It seems the latter has given up on his dreams of becoming an idol after failing to debut on Universe League, much to JL’s disappointment.   

It wasn’t until 4 years later that JL actually got to meet Park Han, former aspiring k-pop idol, and the owner of the very same cafe he liked to frequent and was heading towards before the accident happened. 

Flashback

Having just finished his solo debut promotions, JL found himself having a rare off day. Thinking it would be nice to get out of the house and spend the day enjoying some good coffee, he chatted his friends idly, looking for recommendations on a good place to go. One of his idol actor friends sent the location of a quaint-looking cafe located in the outskirts of Seoul, claiming that the place had good food, greater coffee, and even better privacy than most coffee shops afford, assuring JL that he would go undisturbed despite his celebrity status. 

Huh. This place IS nice. JL thought idly as he entered the cafe, taking in its appearance. Despite being a bit old-fashioned, the cafe was quiet and had a good ambience.

If the coffee is as good as he’s hyping it up to be, I’ll have to thank him for the recommendation, JL thought absently as he looked around while making a beeline for the counter. He busied himself in perusing the menu, looking to start the day with a drink and a bit of pastry. 

“Good morning, welcome to Cafe Chronos. May I have your order please?”

“I’ll have one matcha latte and one—“ Looked up in reply to the barista, almost having a heart attack at the sight of the man before him. It was none other than Park Han, his long lost one-pick from Universe League. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t get that. You’ll have one matcha latte and one..?”

“Bagel with cream cheese, thank you.” Flustered, JL hurriedly answered. He paid for his order in a jiffy and decided to sit in a spot where he’d get a clear view of the bar. Instead of relaxing as he planned, he ended up subtly observing Han for the most of his stay, marvelling at the sudden twist of fate that led to this chance encounter. 

While he never ended up talking to Park Han on that day, JL found himself returning to that cafe over and over again. Han recognized JL at first glance of course, but thankfully did not make a big deal of things (which would be awkward, since JL was a bit starstruck himself).

With JL’s frequent visits, Han recognized him as one of the cafe’s regulars, and they eventually developed a quiet sort of friendship. They would converse whenever there is a lull in the number of customers coming in, and Han would occasionally ply him with free coffee or pastries for testing. Inevitably, when JL gets caught up in sharing his experiences onstage, Han would get a wistful look in his eyes while listening to JL ramble. JL would catch himself, heartbroken, knowing how passionate Han was in his craft before he gave up on being an idol once and for all. 

End of Flashback

He has a chance of meeting —and possibly debuting— with Park Han, no, Hani hyung if he participates in Universe League. 

Sweet and kind Hani hyung, who, despite shining so brightly onstage, had to eventually give up on his dreams. Hani hyung, his friend. 

While he did make excellent coffee, I think the music he’ll make is going to be even better. I’m gonna miss his lattes. JL thought fondly. 

His mind made up, JL turned off his laptop and went to sleep. 

He has to wake up early tomorrow after all, for he has an audition tape to film. 

Chapter Text

Early the next day, JL woke up early to come to ShowBT, since he decided to put out all the stops in his audition for F&F’s survival show. While JL has his years of experience as a top-ranked idol behind him, it’s not in his character to rest on his laurels and count on just his inherent talent to carry him through the screening process. To JL, It doesn’t matter how big or how small the stage is, he will give his best in every single performance. He has never been one to slack off, and he’s not about to start now. 

Besides, JL feels that it will take some time to get used to how his body moves; he is a bit shorter than before and has a whole host of habits he hasn’t fixed yet. While he feels that he probably won’t mess up his audition too bad to the point that he won’t pass —he doesn’t have years of experience behind his belt for nothing— JL wants to do so well that the screeners will want to call him back immediately. 

Also, since JL will be declining the offer from his previous agency, he has to make sure to do really well on the show, otherwise his chances of getting back into the k-pop industry will dwindle drastically. He has to secure his spot on the debut line up by making everyone acknowledge his skills. All in the span of a few episodes.

With Hani hyung, of course, thought JL idly as he went through the motions of the dance he was planning on including in his audition video. 

JL passed the initial screening for Universe League with flying colors. He came in for the in-person audition, blew the producers away with his cover of “Beautiful”, and easily managed to earn his spot in the official list of Universe League contestants. 

After confirmation of his successful audition, F&F was quick to send a representative to help JL with his visa requirements. JL figured that maybe, they weren’t expecting someone so honed already to join the League. 

Maybe they’re scared that I’ll change my mind, JL mused.

Despite F&F’s assistance, however, several issues came up during the processing of JL’s working visa, making him arrive a week later than the other contestants did. Eventually after months of red tape, his visa was finally approved. JL could finally make his way to South Korea, where he would challenge the Universe League.

JL’s flight landed late at night in Incheon, making him arrive even later at the hotel (one he was supposed to share with a Thai trainee named James). Thankfully, JL was able to settle down quickly without any difficulties and have a quick but restful night’s sleep. 

The next morning, JL woke up bright and early to attend his first group practice for the draft stage. He’s a bit bummed that he couldn’t make it in time to start with the other trainees, but JL is confident he can pick up the slack and catch up in no time. 

That is, if he could actually find his way to the location of the One and Only team. 

The worst thing about arriving late is having no one else to get lost with you. JL thought begrudgingly, twisting the door handle of the closest room. 

" Let's get it, go, we won't be stoppin'

Pull it back, pull it back, pull it 

Pull it—"

Intense music blasting through the speakers continued as JL walked in. Those dancing to the rhythm of the song, however, came to a screeching halt, as their attention was caught by sudden opening of the practice room door. 

An awkward moment ensued as the room’s inhabitants all turned to stare at JL, clearly surprised at the unfamiliar person that interrupted their rehearsal. 

JL himself was similarly stunned.  

He looks so young. This was JL’s initial thought when he saw Han standing in the middle of the practice room, wearing what used to be his favorite ensemble: an army green jacket over a plain black shirt and black pants. 

A few seconds of staring later, JL shook himself out of his stupor.

"Ah! I’m sorry, I entered the wrong room by accident", JL apologized profusely, bowing towards members of the Siren team. Flustered, JL moved to exit the room but was interrupted by one of the trainees before he could make his escape.

"Wait, wait, don’t leave yet! Are you a new trainee? We should get to know each other before you go. I’m Koo Hanseo, and these are my teammates—". One of the taller trainees started while gesturing to the others.

"I’m Steven." A slightly scary looking trainee greeted JL in English with a small salute.

"Kim Hyotae", supplied the next trainee.

"I’m Li Zhinuo", blonde, waved at JL joyfully.

"I’m Jiang Fan", one of the trainees introduced himself while doing a little dance.  

Noticing that their last teammate wasn’t saying anything, Jiang Fan nudged the latter, who eventually introduced himself gruffly.

"..Park Han", he replied softly while meeting JL’s eyes. JL couldn’t help but swallow and look away from the intense gaze directed at him, feel a little intimidated at the focused look on Han’s face.

"Hello! I’m JL. I’m just arrived last night from the Philippines. Nice to meet you all!" JL said cheerfully, bowing to each of the trainees.

"Wow! If you’re from the Philippines then you must be really good at singing!" Kim Hyotae wondered out loud.

"Just a little bit?" JL replied humbly, still a bit ashamed at accidentally wandering into and ending up disturbing the Siren team’s practice. 

What the heck! Of all the rooms I could end up stumbling into, it had to be this one! JL thought to himself, embarrassed at this being Hani hyung’s first impression of him in this lifetime. 

"Anyway i’ve taken up enough of your time, and I have to find my teammates now. I’m sorry for interrupting your training. I’ll see you around!"

JL hastily bowed once again towards the trainees and quickly made his escape, unaware of the narrowed eyes following his exit.

Han doesn’t know why he’s here, going through the motions and practicing for the draft stage. 

Again. In what seems like some sort of sick cosmic joke. 

He woke up several days ago at a familiar looking hotel room. The hotel room he was allocated a few years ago, back when he first started filming for Universe League.

It took him a while to get his bearings, but Han finally figured out his situation. He, for some reason, travelled back to the past, to the time when he was still an idol trainee desperately wanting to debut. 

Why couldn’t I have regressed a few days earlier? Han sighed, frustrated that he would once again have to participate in the show that left him nothing but disappointment. 

Giving up on his idol dreams the first time around was already painful enough, having to go through the process again sounds like torture. 

Alas, his current self has already signed a contract with the show team, so he can only grin and bear it until the end of the filming period. He briefly entertained the thought that maybe things will turn out better this time around, but discarded it as quickly as it came. The odds of that happening are really, really low. 

He really doesn’t know why he went back to this time in his life. 

Is it supposed to be a second chance? But what would even be the point? 

His previous experience with the show has already left him quite jaded; no matter how good his personal performance is, it’s not going to be enough to be considered debut-worthy. 

He just doesn’t have what it takes to be an idol that the audience wants to see. The pathetic amount of votes he got in the show made that very clear. 

Angry at his helplessness regarding his situation, Han opted to put his energies into rehearsing, getting ready to sing as his part was coming up next.

"Let’s get it go, we won’t be stopping," one of his teammates, Hanseo, sang loudly.

" Pull it back, pull it back, pull it

Pull it —"

Han started, moving into position to sing the last chorus when suddenly, the practice room door opened. Distracted, Han went along with his team to take a look at the sudden interruption. The sight in front of him stopped him in his tracks. The interloper turned out to be the last person he ever expected to see.

JL. 

Han’s eyes widened at seeing the youthful face of his dearly departed friend. The face he never expected to see again.

I— what? Why is he here? What is going on?

Hanseo was making a fuss about introductions, but none of it seemed to register with Han. He continued to stare at JL in a daze, until his teammate Jiang Fan nudged him to indicate that it was his turn to greet the newcomer. 

"..Park Han", he replied stiffly, keeping his eyes on the face of the friend he sorely missed.

Han’s thoughts are in shambles, and the rest of the conversation went by in a blur. He could do nothing but stare as JL conversed with the rest of his teammates. It wasn’t until the door of the practice room closed after JL that Han was able to gather his thoughts. 

He’s alive. I- of course he is. 

It was then that Han realized that, right, he was sent back to 5 years ago. 

He was stuck wallowing in his misery at having to participate in UniLeague once again, that he forgot to look at the silver lining in his situation. He forgot to consider that, at this time, JL is still alive. 

For the first time since he returned, Han couldn’t help but be thankful. 

For the first time in a long while, Han found himself smiling. For having the chance to see his friend again, in UniLeague of all places. 

He doesn’t know why he travelled back in time, or why JL is participating in this show for some reason.

All he knows is this: JL, the shining star that he is, will dazzle everyone and debut, no matter if it’s through an established company or in a survival show like this. He lights up the stage like no other. 

Maybe things will be different this time around. No, wait— they already are. 

And with that, despite the uncertainty, despite his previous trauma, anticipation started to bloom within Han. 

Maybe, it's okay for him to try. If he gave it his all, maybe, he’ll be able to realize his bygone dream of being an idol.

Maybe, it’s possible for me to debut. With JL.

Han steeled himself for what's to come in the next few months. 

---

As the day came to a close and rehearsals ended, the Siren team left the practice room, filled with wonder as they witnessed Han throw himself into dancing with vigor and motivation like they’ve never seen before. 

Han, on the other hand, left the practice room, feeling something he hasn’t felt in quite a while.

Hope. 

Chapter Text

The weeks JL spent in preparation for the draft stage were actually very fun, much to his surprise.  

JL was invited to switch rooms and pleasantly surprised to find out that he and his new roommate —a Thai trainee named Mac— have a lot of similar interests and hobbies; they hit it off quite well and became bosom buddies. Before becoming roomies with Mac, JL was hesitant on befriending the younger (at least mentally) kids around him, but ended up deciding not to worry about it too much, as his current self is also just 20 years old. He has more important things to worry about.

Such as perfecting their group’s draft stage. 

He wants to ensure that his teammates have all their parts down pat, and for his newfound friends and teammates to do well in the show. JL wants to their stage to be faultless it so that none of the directors can nitpick on their coordination and teamwork. 

Besides, as an artist, JL would hate to present a stage that is anything less than impeccable. JL wants to make the best possible impression on the directors, so that all of them will pick him to join their team. He has a certain team he wants to join, and he has a gameplan to follow. 

For now, after playing catchup with taking his solo promotion shots (as the other trainees have finished theirs earlier than him), JL’s daily routine consisted mostly of going to the practice rooms early in the morning, training for the draft stage for the whole day, then walking around the streets of Gangnam after work (his current favorite pastime being shopping at Olive Young).

He hasn’t enjoyed walking around this much since, well, forever. 

When JL’s previous group began blowing up in popularity, JL’s privacy was pretty much shot. He stopped being able to step outside without needing some sort of disguise, so he really missed the freedom that being unknown afforded him. JL is having the time of his life roaming around without a mask on because he doesn’t have to worry about sasaengs or paparazzi. He loves it.

Come to think of it, that’s also part of the reason why Han’s cafe became such a refuge for him before he passed. Aside from his own house, Han’s cafe felt like his sole reprieve from the lack of privacy that his idol career eventually became saddled with. Great company and the occasional free food aside, it was one of the few places where he felt like he could be himself without worry of any idol burden. JL found himself missing his favorite matcha latte.

That cafe and that latte isn't going to exist anymore. Hani hyung’s going to debut. With me. I need to focus on this so everything can go according to plan. JL shook his head to snap himself out of his own musings and continued practicing. 

Universe League started filming for its Pick stage on one frigid day in October. JL is currently waiting for his turn to enter the stage, quite relaxed as the instructions given were to simply project in front of the camera then take a seat on his designated spot. It should be a piece of cake. 

“Here's the next player. Lets go: Player, JL” said senior Jay Park, the MC of this survival show.

JL took that as his cue to approach the center stage. He started projecting in front of the camera, effortlessly switching between different facial expressions. As a bonafide professional, everything was like child’s play to him. 

He made quick work of his entrance and went to the front bleachers, just as the producers wanted him to. He gave a quick smile to his fellow trainees before taking a seat.

I can’t believe I almost forgot that Jeongwoo hyung debuted from this show.  JL thought as he nodded to his fellow trainees in acknowledgement.

Seo Jeongwoo, idol actor, was a friend JL made in his past life. The former served as an MC for one of the music shows that JL’s group attended, and they’ve hit it off pretty well behind the scenes. 

In fact, Jeongwoo hyung was the one who recommended the Han’s cafe to him. 

I mean, I just didn’t expect Hani hyung to own that cafe though. Or for him to become a cafe owner, for that matter. JL thought absentmindedly.

In hindsight, Jeongwoo hyung did have a pretty good relationship with Han during the show. They must’ve stayed close friends well after it. 

JL clapped politely as the trainees entered one by one, eagerly anticipating Han’s entrance. Han’s entrance clip wasn’t aired on the show from what he could remember since the man wasn’t exactly a PD pick, so he was very curious as to how it all went down.

“Player Park Han” the MC declared.

JL couldn’t help but pay close attention when Han was announced to be the up next. Han looked good, with his hair parted and styled coolly, in the same exact way JL remembered from the Siren face cam used to watch years ago.

JL watched Han’s entrance with sparkling eyes and couldn’t help but smile widely.

Park Han tried his best to project in front of the camera, he really did. He was so awkward that JL found it funny, if a bit painful, to watch. He even made a cat pose with his fingers which JL thought was totally endearing, but it was very obvious from the get-go that the man isn’t used to being in front of the camera. At least, not yet.

I mean, Hani hyung WAS stuck in the basement for 7 years. Maybe that’s why they didn’t air this part. At least, I don’t think they did. 

Grinning, JL clapped as Han finished his bit and went to the bleachers. JL’s eyes met Han’s for a brief moment and JL couldn’t help but smile at the man again. He can’t wait to watch Han perform Siren with his own eyes. 

JL watched all of the performances with rapt attention. It was a bygone dream of his to participate in a survival show, so he was having the time of his life watching the different stages live. 

He recognized a few familiar faces: Zhang Shuaibo and Cha Woongki from Boys Planet, of course. Jeongwoo hyung too, whom he met on a music show. He also spotted a couple of trainees that later on made it as members of various groups or made their solo debut.

From what he could tell, the skill level of the trainees in this show was actually pretty high in comparison to the other survival shows he has seen. He was glad to find out that the their performances were actually mostly true to what he could remember and didn’t seem to have been overly edited or exaggerated.

Before JL knew it, it was his team’s turn to head backstage. It’s show time.

---

“3, 2, 1, GO.” 

JL locked in as soon as the music for One and Only by BOYNEXTDOOR started. 

"Knock, knock, knock, knock knocking at your door~

Knock, knock, knock, knock  knocking at your door~

Knock, knock, knock, knock  knocking at your door~

Knock, knock, knock, knock  knocking at your door~"

JL danced fluidly across the stage, his movement clean and precise as he waited for his vocal part to begin. Even though he wasn't the focal point of that part of the song, he stood out because of his unmatched stage presence. 

“Ibe iljjik deureogal mameun eopseo,” JL sang stably while doing the song’s signature high kick. JL instinctively looked at where the cameras are, a skill honed by his years of experience as an idol. 

“24/7 meotjin nariya

Nal gaman naebeoryeo duji ma

I'll be your ideal type

Ttan de gagi jeone neomeowa”

He continued singing in perfect pitch. With excellent expression management, vocals, and dancing skills, JL blew the entire audience away. He wasn’t dubbed as a hexagonal idol for nothing.

When his mic pack accidentally fell off right as they were singing the second chorus, JL paid no heed, keeping to the dance routine, before surreptitiously placing it in his pocket right before the bridge.

"Moduwa gatjin anchiman mwodeun doel su isseo

If you don't know, now you know"

Singing in strong falsetto, JL pulled off another one of the song’s killing points perfectly, to the amazement of everyone watching. This man was born for the stage, and he knows it. Performing and attracting the audience’s attention came as easy as breathing. 

The rest of his teammates also did pretty well and the stage ended with tremendous applause. However, it was pretty obvious right from when the song began which trainee caught everyone’s attention.

JL shined so brightly that the others on his team didn’t really stand a chance. 

---

For the first time on the show, someone got three first picks. 

“I was suprised by how good of a singer you are. While dancing, you were singing in falsetto, and yet you were firm and your pronunciation was even perfect. That surprised me.” Director Yugyeom praised JL enthusiastically.

“While you were performing, you were flirting with the audience. At the same time, I noticed that you knew exactly where to look to appeal to the cameras. That stood out immediately to my eyes.” commended Kun, the guest director for the Rhythm team.

JL breathed a sigh in relief as he listened to the praise and appeals that came from the mentors’ mouths.

Thankfully, he got chosen by the team he had in mind. Getting picked by all three mentors was simply icing on the cake.

It took a lot of time for JL to decide which team he planned to go. Unfortunately, he had to rule out Team Groove —Han's previous team and the winning team in his past life— if he wants the debut team to stand a chance in this cutthroat idol industry. From what he could recall, prior to the winning team’s debut, one of the original members that made it in was apparently embroiled in a scandal of sorts, which massively affected the team’s prospects. 

JL wasn’t too clear on the details as to what exactly happened since he stopped paying attention to the show once Han got eliminated. All he knows is that the issue that popped up in their debut era sort of followed them for the rest of their contract, and they had a hard time attracting a stable fandom since. 

This means that if he wants to debut AND have their team do well afterwards, he can’t afford to risk it by picking the Groove team.

Which only left Rhythm and Beat. 

Strategically JL wants to choose Rhythm because its lineup had a higher ratio of popular trainees, but aside from that, JL wanted to pick Rhythm for himself. One of the things he regretted in his previous life was being unable to participate in this show, thus being unable to closely interact with the mentors from WayV. Ten was his role model, and while he did become acquainted with this senior eventually as their promotions coincided, it wasn't the same. 

“Now, it’s time to choose.” Jay Park intoned. 

“The team that I’ve chosen is…” JL said, drawing out his sentence for some suspense.

“Team Rhythm.” JL finished, pointing towards the Team Rhythm box, to much jubilation from the trainees and directors of the said team. JL walked towards his seat and from it took the red jersey, which he put on immediately before sitting down. 

After the hype from the previous team’s draft —wherein James and Kim Dongyun joined Teams Groove and Beat, respectively— the trainees settled down in anticipation for the last stage of the day.

I can’t believe I can finally watch this with my own eyes! I’ve lost count how many times I’ve rewatched this particular stage. JL thought with anticipation. 

The Siren stage is, in JL’s opinion, the BEST survival show audition stage he has seen, bar none. And as a survival show enthusiast, JL has seen A LOT. He sat up straighter in anticipation as the Siren Team entered the scene.

Beep. beep. beep . “Ready, Go.” 

Siren sounds flared across the studio as the group stood in their starting position.

“Beat, beat, beat droppin' low, feelin' up,

Dwiseokkyeo bwa wanjeonhi saeroun flow”

The trainee named Steven started the song with a bang.

“Ready or not? sungan ullyeo daeneun siren”  Park Han sang in a resonant voice that rang throughout the studio. 

“Whoa.” JL’s jaw dropped when he heard Park Han’s voice ring from across the stage. He couldn’t help but be impressed at the clarity of Han’s live vocals. 

He watched with laser focus as the man did a short rap section, and danced with undeniable groove as the song entered the chorus.

“Pull it back, that siren, ah—

Pull it back, that siren, ah—” 


Park Han’s clear tone sounded once again.

“He’s crazy.” JL couldn’t help but say to his seat mate, astounded at Han’s talent. 

I always knew that he was good since I’ve watched this thing over and over, but he sounds even better live. I’m so glad I came back, JL thought as he bopped his head to the rhythm of the song being performed. 

"Pull it back, pull it back, pull it

Pull it back, that siren, ah—

Pull it back, that siren, ah—"

Han sang stably even as the song came to an end. It’s insane how good he sounded despite flying across the stage to do one of the heaviest choreographies in k-pop. 

I still can’t believe they stuck him in the basement for 7 years. Also those live audiences in UL must have had their ears stuffed. JL thought vehemently, shaking his head as he clapped for the Siren team after the stage ended. He still couldn’t fathom why Han didn’t get enough appreciation in his past life with talents like that.

“That was the performance by Group Siren. All right Directors. What did you think about their performance?” MC Jay Park reentered the stage and asked for the Directors’ opinions.

The directors proceeded to shower the Siren team with compliments. They praised the team’s impressive performance and vocal stability despite the song’s difficult choreography. 

JL agreed with all of their opinions, and wasn’t surprised when Han ended up being picked by the directors of both Groove and Beat teams, just like in his past life. 

And just like how JL saw it unfold before, Han chose Team Groove.

Frowning, JL couldn’t help but feel a bit bummed, since Director Changsub was the one who didn’t pick Han to become a Finalist, thus eliminating him from the show. However, Team Beat didn’t really do too hot in the show either from what he could remember, so JL’s not sure if that would be the correct choice, really.

I really, really need to win all the missions so we can bring Hani hyung over to our team. Should be easy enough, right? JL thought optimistically. 

Days after his accidental first encounter with JL in this life, Han eventually got the hang of practicing for the audition stage. He was thankful that this younger body of his still had its ingrained muscle memory, otherwise he’d have a much more difficult time adjusting to the life of a trainee once again. It's been years since he practiced dancing in his previous life after all, and he only has so much time before the draft stage begins. 

Now that Han has rekindled his long lost goal of debuting as an idol, he has to pull out all the stops and exert all effort towards that end. 

He really, really, really wants to debut this time. Because this time, debuting means being in the same group and performing on the same stage as JL. 

Speaking of which, Han was noted that JL seems to be quite friendly at this age, a far cry from how subdued he was when Han first noticed him in his cafe. 

In this life, despite their awkward initial encounter, JL would often smile and wave at him as they passed each other by in the practice room hallways.

In fact, even as Han stood in the waiting room, JL approached to wish all of them luck before going on his merry way to perform.

“Hani hyung fighting!” JL said directly to Han, pumping his fist then waving cheerfully as he had to go ahead. The One and Only team was due to be onstage any minute now.

He’s really outgoing. Han thought fondly, as he bid JL luck as well. 

---

As their team moved to the back stage after having checked that their mics were properly fitted and in good working condition, Han could hear the audiences’ loud cheers and the praises that the Directors gave JL after a stellar rendition of BOYNEXTDOOR's One and Only. 

Han wasn’t surpised when JL handily got chosen as the first pick by all three directors. The man really is just that talented, and Han didn’t expect any other result. 

He also wasn’t surprised when JL ended up choosing Team Rhythm, as he knows JL is a fan of WayV from their previous conversations. He couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed, however, as he wasn’t exactly picked by Team Rhythm in his past life. It appears that the two of them wouldn’t get to be teammates for now.

---

Beep. beep. beep. “Ready, Go.” The robotic sound of the stage intro gave Han a sense of nostalgia. 

After a strong start by Steven, Han got into position as he sang his first line in the song. 

“Ready or not? sungan ullyeo daeneun siren”  Park Han sang with his whole chest.

He danced like his life is on the line. And if Han was being honest, he really feels like it is. He really, really, wants to turn his life around and debut this time. With JL.

“Pull it back, that siren, ah—

Pull it back, that siren, ah— ” 

Han sang stably, just like he has during practice. He has spent a lot of time and effort in perfecting this performance, and it shows.

As the song entered the dance break, Han could feel a little bit of tiredness creeping up. He paid it no mind and ran to the center, leaping as he restarted the chorus.

“Pull it back, pull it back, pull it

Pull it back, that siren, ah—

Pull it back, that siren, ah—“

Han put all his desperation into this performance in hopes of touching the Directors’ hearts, and as the song came to a close, Han hoped that it would be enough. 

---

“That was the performance by Group Siren. All right Directors. What did you think about their performance?” MC Jay Park said as he reentered the stage and asked for the Directors’ opinions.

Sure enough, the Siren team was showered with compliments for their impressive peformance, which left Han feeling satisfied. At least, it doesn’t seem like his dancing skills have slipped. He was also happy to hear how Director Changsub enjoyed their performance. 

Han was a member of Changsub’s team before, and hearing the man’s compliments once again is like a balm to his soul. As a mentor, Changsub truly tried his best to help him shine on the stage and debut; it wasn’t his fault that Han proved to be unpopular. 

Prior to Han’s elimination in his past life, Changsub sat him down and apologized with a heavy heart. Despite Changsub's best efforts to promote him, the number of votes he got were simply not enough. The producers have set their foot down; Changsub can't insist on continuing to pick Han.

And while Han was heartbroken, he understood that Changsub was helpless in the situation. After all, Universe League was a survival show, and the producers have their picks. 

That’s why even after being eliminated by Changsub himself before getting into the finals, Han didn’t have it in him to hate the man who treated him so sincerely as his protégé.

That’s why, despite his misgivings, Han ended up choosing Team Groove once again. 

This time, I’m going to make sure Changsub hyung won’t have a reason to skip me. I’ll make it all the way to the finals and debut. Han thought with conviction, as filming for episode 1 of Universe League came into a close.