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Chapter 6: Six Months Later – Stats, Systems, and Social Alienation
Six months.
Exactly 183 days, 4,392 hours, 263,520 minutes since Ayesha Singh had awakened in this strange parallel timeline. Since the cold realization of her death, her rebirth, and the System that promised her a second chance—on the condition that she rise to the pinnacle of the modern K-pop world.
She'd poured herself into the System like it was her last anchor, because in some ways, it was. Her trauma still lurked beneath the surface like a tiger waiting for stillness, and Ayesha had learned early on: if she kept moving, it couldn't catch her.
And moving she had been.
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SYSTEM INTERFACE: IDOL.EXE
[USER: AYESHA SINGH] [AGE: 6 years, 6 months] [SYSTEM LEVEL: 3]
Current Stats:
Current Stats (Six Months In):
Vocal: 26 out of 100
Ayesha's vocals have shown some improvement, but still remain one of her weakest areas. She's been consistent with breathing drills and pitch training, but her tone and power need serious work to meet idol standards.
Dance: 42 out of 100
This is where she shines. Thanks to daily drills, muscle memory training, and the HoloCoach system, her dance technique is surprisingly refined for a child. She still has far to go, but her foundation is solid.
Charisma: 30 out of 100
While not naturally flamboyant, Ayesha's stage presence has begun to form. System feedback suggests she's getting more comfortable performing and expressing emotions on simulated stages.
Appearance: 45 out of 100
With help from system-monitored skincare and posture adjustments, she already stands out as a child with visual appeal. Her future potential in terms of looks is extremely high.
Stamina: 38 out of 100
Built from consistent jogging, physical conditioning, and hours of dancing. Her endurance is above average, especially for her age.
Mental Fortitude: 50 out of 100
Years of past-life memories and trauma management have made her unusually mentally resilient. She rarely panics or loses composure.
Intelligence: 82 out of 100
Retaining advanced academic knowledge from her previous life gives her a huge head start. She performs well in school and easily grasps training concepts.
Popularity: 2 out of 100
Barely noticeable for now. Her social presence is negligible outside the system space and her immediate surroundings.
Current Skills:
[Foundations of Rhythm I] (PASSIVE): +5% dance accuracy
[Focus Training I] (ACTIVE): Boost stat gains for a single task for 30 mins/day
[Stage Visualization I] (PASSIVE): Increases comfort on stage
Quests Completed:
Daily Training Tasks: 174
Weekly Special Tasks: 24
Personal Wellness Goals: 12
System Commentary:
> "You are progressing at 140% the expected rate. However, your vocal stats remain underwhelming. Please consider a focus module next month."
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SYSTEM EVALUATION SPACE – SIX MONTH REVIEW
Ayesha stood in a strange, simulation-like room with shifting panels and a glowing evaluation bar above. It was a space she entered once every six months—a system feature called the Evaluation Chamber.
"Are you ready for your semi-annual idol progress review, Host?" the System's synthetic voice chimed.
Ayesha stood with her arms folded, wearing a mock training jersey. "Can I skip the vocal comparison to toddler Jihyo this time?"
> "No. Comparison remains statistically relevant."
A projection lit up behind her: video clips of her recent vocal recordings played beside early tapes of K-pop idol legends like IU, Jungkook, and yes—pre-debut Jihyo from TWICE.
Ayesha made a face. "God, six-year-old Jihyo could probably shatter glass with that clarity."
> "Would you like to unlock [Ear Training Module II]? Cost: 7,000 XP."
Ayesha groaned. "Ugh, fine. Take my XP, you capitalist hologram."
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SYSTEM GRIND: TRAINING ROUTINE SNAPSHOT
05:00 AM – Wake up
05:15 AM – 10-minute meditation (Stamina + Mental Fortitude)
05:30 AM – Dance drills with Hologram Coach Taehyun v1.3
07:00 AM – Breakfast (carefully monitored nutrition plan)
08:00 AM to 2:00 PM – School
02:30 PM – Homework blitz
04:00 PM – Vocal Module: Scales, pitch recognition, breathing
05:30 PM – Stamina jog (2km with increasing pace)
06:30 PM – Dinner
07:00 PM – System Tasks (Daily & Weekly)
08:30 PM – Light dance choreography (she loved this)
09:30 PM – System log check + Journal logs
10:00 PM – Sleep
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SYSTEM MODULES UNLOCKED:
1. HoloCoach: Training AI Companions
A virtual K-pop trainer named "Coach Taehyun" guides her through dance drills.
Unlockable personalities: "Dance Hardo Minji," "Vocal Critic Seojin," and "Charisma God Rin."
2. Virtual Stage Immersion
She can perform in projected VR concert venues to simulate crowd pressure.
Once a week, she does a "Stage Trial" where she is scored based on accuracy, charisma, and crowd control.
3. Feedback Analyzer
The system records her daily performances and automatically corrects her angles, postures, and vocal pitch.
"Too breathy on that chorus."
"Tense shoulders. Relax."
"You look like a scared squirrel in that bridge. Smile more."
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REAL LIFE INTERLUDE – SCHOOL: WHERE AYESHA CARED ZERO
"Ayesha Singh is… weird," whispered a girl named Sneha to her deskmate.
Ayesha didn't hear it. Or rather, she did, and she gave absolutely zero emotional bandwidth to care.
She sat with a perfect posture, her handwriting already rivaling a top-level calligrapher, while solving math problems two chapters ahead of the class.
Her notebooks were immaculate. Her clothes, though simple, always clean and fit well. Her answers in class? Unbeatable. Her recitation of the poem "Daffodils"? Delivered like she was auditioning for Juilliard.
Some kids tried to befriend her. Others ignored her. A few were lowkey afraid.
"She's like… not six," a boy once mumbled.
She wasn't. Not really.
Ayesha chuckled under her breath one day when a girl tried to make fun of her for not playing with dolls. "Babe, the last time I held a doll, I was learning differential calculus the same week."
Confused stares followed. She'd moved on.
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SYSTEM LOG: WEEK 26
Weekly Highlight Tasks:
Dance replication of "Love Shot" (difficulty: A) — Completed
Breathing drills while singing "Into the New World" (difficulty: B+) — Completed
Charisma mimicry exercise: watch & emulate Taemin's solo stage mannerisms — Completed
Essay: "What kind of idol do you want to be?" — Completed
System Notes:
> "Your vocal tone has improved by 8.2%. Still flat on transitions between B and D notes. Dance sharpness is up 14.6%. Charisma drills show enhanced audience awareness."
Ayesha flopped onto her bed, legs twitching from fatigue, and asked the System, "Hey, if I max out charisma, do I just like… automatically make people swoon?"
> "Only if paired with appearance and stage aura. Swooning is not guaranteed."
She laughed. "Damn. You're no fun."
> "Incorrect. I have 34.3 GB of pre-loaded K-pop memes. Would you like to see V from BTS trying to vacuum in sunglasses again?"
She grinned wide. "Play it."
For a few minutes, her system dashboard became a makeshift meme vault. She scrolled through clips of K-pop idols doing absurd things, of poor Mingi tripping on stage, or Sana saying "cheese kimbap" with existential confusion. A tiny coping mechanism, maybe. But it worked.
She was grinding herself into the ground, yes—but she was living. Laughing. Surviving.
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The morning sun filtered through the cream-colored curtains of Aisha's room, casting a golden hue across the floral wallpaper. The faint aroma of warm ghee and cardamom wafted in from the kitchen below, where Maya Singh—her mother—was already bustling around, preparing breakfast and something sweet. Today was special. Today was Aisha's seventh birthday.
Seven years old. It had been a full year since she'd awoken in this unfamiliar yet strangely comforting life. A full year since the system first greeted her with that sterile, digital welcome and the promise of turning her into the world's greatest idol. But for now, the day began like any other in the Singh household.
She stirred in her bed, blinking at the morning light, letting out a small sigh that carried the weight of two lives. Her tiny hand reached for the polished wooden side table where an old alarm clock ticked away steadily. Her gaze drifted toward the digital display in the corner of her mind.
> [SYSTEM STATUS: LEVEL 4 REACHED] [VOCAL MODULE: UNLOCKED - BASIC PHONATION AND BREATH SUPPORT MODULE 1.0 NOW ACTIVE] [NEW TASKS AVAILABLE - See Daily Quest Log]
Aisha suppressed a chuckle. Even on her birthday, the system never took a break.
Downstairs, Raghav Singh—a stern-looking man with salt-and-pepper hair and gentle eyes hidden behind thick glasses—was sipping his morning chai and reviewing his lesson plans. A high school mathematics teacher, Raghav had a reputation in school for being a no-nonsense instructor. At home, however, he was every bit the doting father, even if his love was often shown in the form of meticulously balanced schedules and surprise geometry quizzes.
"Maya," he called softly, eyeing the small gift-wrapped box on the counter, "you remembered to put the batteries in that music box, right? She loves when it plays that Korean tune."
Maya chuckled, swatting his arm gently with her spoon. "Of course, I did. It's her favorite. She hums that song in her sleep."
Aisha came downstairs with deliberate grace, already embodying the posture and poise that had become second nature thanks to the [Basic Idol Physique Alignment I] passive buff.
Her mother turned around just in time. "Happy birthday, meri jaan!"
"Happy birthday, chipkali!" Raghav called out, using the pet name he refused to give up. It annoyed her to no end, but also warmed her in a way that scraped against the hollow loneliness she buried deep.
They hugged, breakfast was served, and the three of them enjoyed idlis, coconut chutney, and a fluffy kesari halwa topped with roasted cashews. Her parents had invited a few neighbors—Mrs. Kapoor from next door and the Kumar twins from two houses down. The party was modest but warm, laced with the smell of jasmine flowers and homemade sweets.
While everyone admired the little decorations in the living room, Aisha sat for a moment near the window, eyes distant as the sun poured over her golden-brown hair.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE: BIRTHDAY BONUS - +500 XP GAINED] [STATS UPDATED:] Vocals: 6.1 Dance: 5.4 Charisma: 7.2 Appearance: 8.3 Stamina: 4.9 Korean Language Comprehension: 3.7
> [New Tasks Unlocked:] • Perform Breath Control Training (10 minutes x 3 daily) • Mimic 3 Idol Expressions in the Mirror • Watch 1 Classic Idol Stage Performance and Record Observations • Korean Vocabulary Drill (30 Words)
> [Suggested Module: Vocal Clarity through Diaphragmatic Support - Ready for Activation]
She let out a tiny sigh, murmuring under her breath. "The grind never ends."
The system voice responded, sterile and efficient as ever. "Progress is built on consistency. Would you like a breakdown of your current growth projection curve?"
"Yeah, hit me," she muttered.
A blue translucent panel opened, showing a graph with upward trends, statistical markers for vocal range, breath capacity, and visual ratings—most notably a new line showing her Emotional Adaptation Progress (EAP) that had recently started to shift upward.
"User emotional bond with family: 57%. Increase noted after consistent positive interactions and hormonal responses to stimuli classified as 'parental affection.'"
"You mean I'm finally starting to feel something real for Maya and Raghav, huh?" she murmured, her voice cracking slightly.
"Affirmative. Emotional processing patterns indicate stability and emerging trust response. Projection: full emotional integration within 1.2 years."
She rubbed her eyes.
They weren't her original parents. She still remembered her old mom's jasmine perfume, her brother's weird collection of Marvel figurines. But Maya's soft hands and Raghav's gruff humor—it was starting to... feel like something.
That scared her.
Later in the evening, after the guests had gone and Raghav had carried the now-drowsy Aisha back to her room, she sat on her floor mat and brought up the system again.
> [DAILY STREAK: 147 DAYS - DAILY COMMITMENT REWARD +15 XP] [Optional Quest: Perform Birthday Song Recording - Mic Settings Auto-Calibrated]
"Fine," she sighed and cleared her throat.
Her small voice filled the room as she recorded a gentle Korean version of "Happy Birthday," with smooth pronunciation and newly trained vibrato. The system analyzed and sent her a performance report.
> [Vocal Clarity: 71% | Breath Support: 62% | Emotional Resonance: 40%] [Result: C+]
She grinned. "C+? That's practically an A when you factor in the cake coma."
"User humor detected. Dopamine spike confirmed. Emotional regulation noted."
There was still darkness inside her. Still shadows of fear, grief, and loss. But as she crawled into bed that night, arms clutching the plush pink teddy Raghav had awkwardly handed her with a blush, Aisha felt... light.
The grind would continue. The world was still slow, the internet a snail, the music scene barely evolving. But she would change that.
She had a system. She had a family. She had a future.
And she had just turned seven.
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The buzz of her seventh birthday still lingered faintly in the corners of her room like a pleasant aftertaste. Balloons, now half-deflated, bobbed lazily in the corners. Ribbons and paper wrappers remained in a decorative mess around her desk, her gifts stacked neatly beside them. Aisha sat cross-legged on her bed, the soft glow of her system interface reflected in her hazel-gold eyes.
She had reached Level 4 now. A new threshold. A new wall to climb. And with it came the much-dreaded initiation of the Vocal Module.
The familiar ding! of the system notification chimed in her head.
[SYSTEM: Vocal Module Unlocked.]
[Primary Focus: Vocal Strength, Breath Control, Vocal Stability, Range Expansion]
[New Function Added: RAP MODULE - Preliminary Stage]
[System Note: User's current vocal stats are below projected idol baseline. Targeted intensive training suggested. Failure to meet baseline by Level 6 will lead to performance bottleneck.]
She winced. Aisha was confident in her dance—she could feel the rhythm even in her sleep, and muscle memory had long since started forming. But singing? Her past life had involved plenty of bathroom karaoke, but nothing technical, and her childhood voice here in this world was... not exactly bursting with power.
"You're saying I'm underqualified," she muttered, throwing a pillow at the glowing projection.
[Affirmative. But potential remains. User exhibits strong pitch sense and tonal memory. Recommend: Vocal Strengthening Task Set - Beginner.]
The screen shifted to her new Daily Vocal Quests:
[DAILY VOCAL MODULE TASKS - BEGINNER]
15 mins of breath control (diaphragmatic breathing)
20 mins of vocal warm-ups (Humming, Lip trills, Sirens)
15 mins of pitch repetition drills
Song Practice (Simple Ballad - "Twinkle Stars") - 3 repetitions
Pronunciation Enunciation: Tongue Twisters x5
RAP BEGINNER MODE: Tempo mimicry + syllable sync (1 line / 10x)
Reward: +5 Vocal EXP, +1 RAP EXP, +2 System Points, Temporary Buff: Vocal Clarity (+2%)
Time-Locked Tasks: Repeatable every 12 hours.
"Twinkle Stars? Really?" Aisha huffed and then collapsed backward. The old ceiling fan above her creaked slightly. "Fine. I guess even the greats started with baa-baa-black-sheep."
[System Lore: Vocal Module is one of the Four Pillars of Idol Development. Weak vocal foundation will reflect during live performances, song recordings, and public perception. RAP MODULE introduced due to market trends and user adaptability score. User's current rap affinity: 63% (Potential: High)]
That made her perk up. She hadn't expected rapping to be an option.
"Okay, now you have my attention. What's my rap training like?"
[RAP MODULE - BEGINNER PHASE I]
Objective: Develop rhythmic control, breath pacing, and articulation under speed.
Starting Point: Mimic Line Delivery from sample library.
Initial Unlock: Classic verse from 'Mic Drop' (Line 1 only).
[BONUS QUEST: RAP SYNC]
Perfectly sync 1 line to system metronome (90 BPM)
Reward: +10 RAP EXP, +3 System Points
Aisha laughed. "You're making me rap BTS on Level 4? Bold of you. I accept."
Then came the routine. Day by day. The grind began.
The mornings were still spent curled up on the floor of the small sunlit veranda, a hand-me-down radio playing old Bollywood classics while she trilled scales under her breath. Maya smiled at her daughter's devotion, often bringing warm milk with almonds, occasionally giggling at her daughter humming into a glass jar to feel the resonance.
Afternoons were training-heavy. System interface spread in front of her like a transparent projection, showing pitch graphs and breath meters. The vocal training was grueling. Her diaphragm ached from constant breathing control exercises. Her lips stung from overdone enunciation. And yet, Aisha powered through.
She also began developing a strange sense of humor about it.
"I sound like a dying kettle," she commented to herself after a pitch exercise went terribly off-key.
[System Log: User's self-assessment: Accurate. Encouragement Level: Minimal.]
"You savage, binary rectangle."
[Nickname Accepted: System will respond to 'Binary Rectangle' when user is annoyed.]
Somehow, the system's dry responses and her sarcastic jabs became a comfort. It was like an emotionally stunted sibling. And for someone as broken as she still was, she needed something to play off of.
Despite her jokes, the trauma still lived under her skin like a parasite. Sometimes, her hands would shake before a rap verse. Not out of nerves, but because she remembered.
But it was summer, and the days were long and free. With no school, she had all the time in the world to bury herself in rhythm and rhyme. And when night fell, and Maya tucked her in and kissed her forehead, Aisha would stare at the dark ceiling and whisper those lines again. Quietly. Repetitively. Building power in her voice. Rebuilding control.
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Then came the first vocal simulation evaluation.
A white space, ethereal like mist. Her projection stood there, 3D-modeled with perfect accuracy. She could see her own posture, her chest movement while breathing, her vocal cords depicted in semi-transparency.
[Vocal Module Evaluation: Level 4 - Week 2 Summary]
Vocal Control: 48/100
Breath Mastery: 41/100
Pitch Accuracy: 63/100
Pronunciation: 71/100
Vocal Tone Development: 35/100
RAP Flow: 58/100
[Conclusion: Progress Acceptable. RAP FLOW developing faster than expected. Tone Development underperforming.]
Aisha tilted her head.
"So I'm basically a tone-deaf rapper baby."
[System: Metaphor… imprecise. But sentiment noted.]
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Her sixth month wrapped with more stamina. Her voice cracked less. Her breath held longer. She could almost mimic Suga's 'Cypher pt. 3' verse at 0.8x speed now, and her favorite new vocal warm-up was pretending to sing IU's 'Palette' while balancing a book on her head for posture.
At school, she was now in Grade 1.
The teacher praised her reading aloud. The kids… didn't know what to make of her. She looked like an angel, with her rosy cheeks and honey-gold eyes. But she answered complex word problems faster than anyone. And she hummed scales under her breath in Math class.
"Creepy old lady in a child's body," she once heard a boy whisper.
Aisha only smirked. If only they knew.
She had stats. She had modules. She had a freaking system.
Let the world underestimate her. She was just getting started.
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