The judges stared at each other, confused and bewildered by the confidence of this young man.
"A deal...?" one said. "What are you even on about? Does this look like a playground to you?"
"No. It's strict business and I understand that. That's why I want to strike a deal with you instead of wasting our time."
Seo Yujin spoke with clarity and boldness that one couldn't help but get curious about him and his words. And that was exactly what happened with these judges.
He spoke like an adult.
"What deal do you have?" one of the judges asked after exchanging glares with the others.
"Recruit me in your show, and I'll be the joke of the show."
"....." They blinked.
"What...?" one asked.
"You need someone to make a joke of themselves in the show, right? Someone to go viral online either with terrible singing skills or awful dance skills. Someone that would generate views and buzz from the first episode, with the audience dragging him across social media. Someone to showcase bad performances that would highlight how perfect the chosen trainees are. You need that trainee, right? Let me be it."
"....."
They blinked, staring at each other and now staring at Seo Yujin.
They couldn't deny understanding his words. It was clear, and they understood what he meant.
But what they didn't understand was how the hell a young lad like this understood the "concepts" of the show while presenting his deal so casually and confidently.
And since they could already tell he understood the business to some extent, they didn't bother playing dumb either.
"There are other trainees who are naturally bad that could fill that spot. So why would we consider you for it?" one asked.
"Because I'll be intentional about being bad. They'll struggle to put on a good first performance. But I'll practice and deliver the worst performance any survival show has ever seen from a trainee. One that would generate millions of views across platforms, pulling the fandom in."
Seo Yujin spoke with so much confidence and professionalism that it had these judges questioning his real age or experience. He was speaking like an adult with years of industry background already, while they were sure he was just a teenager—seventeen or so.
"Like I said... I have more experience in this industry than you might think. So I'm the best option for this," Seo Yujin continued.
"So if you pick me, I won't struggle to put together the best performance to make the audience like me. Rather, I'll give a terrible one that would benefit the show's buzz. You don't have to stress over making someone else do it. I'll willingly do it—and do it better."
They stared at him, quiet, as though they were thinking about his words.
Seo Yujin read their faces and could tell they were considering it. So he continued with his convictions.
"Besides..." he placed a hand over his face. "You don't always see an extremely pretty Alpha these days. So I'll also be a unique character to your show. The unique one amongst a stereotypical bunch of traditional male Alphas."
Yujin smiled and added, "I've done the research and the fans love such. So trust me, and I'll make your show blow up."
The judges stared at each other while mumbling some things to themselves.
While they muttered, Yujin stared, hoping his plan worked. He hoped his bargain was at least successful.
After they were done muttering, they looked back at him.
"Okay. We've heard all you've got to say. Since you don't have any performance, you can leave," Mrs. Choi said.
Seo Yujin blinked. "So... did I get the position?"
"The results will be out by this evening or tomorrow. So you could be on the lookout," she added casually.
Seo Yujin nodded. "Oh... I see. Then thanks."
He smiled. He was about to leave through the door when he suddenly paused and turned to the judges.
"Remember, I can intentionally be the bad trainee who will get people talking in the show... The show would be boring if all were great performers..."
He continued as though he was desperate. "Plus, I can also use my experience to make your show go viral countless times! So consider my offer... okay?"
He was soon gone, as the judges blinked and stared at each other.
"That was a strange one," one said.
Another nodded. "Really a strange one."
---
Evening.
Seo Yujin sat on the bus, eyes out through the window as he admired the night view while heading home.
He couldn't help thinking about the audition while praying he got the position.
He should get it, he believed.
He had put in the effort and talked to the judges about what he could offer. He was sure they'd be interested in what he brought to the table.
He was sure they'd be interested since they had found a trainee they could use to spice up the show.
A comic relief trainee—or whatever they could come up with. Seo Yujin didn't care.
All that mattered to him was that he got into the show first. And from then, he could begin his grand plot of debuting.
He soon arrived home—an ordinary apartment he lived in with his mother.
His mother, an Omega, was a divorcée. She had been abandoned by her alcoholic husband, Yujin's father.
His father, a dominant Alpha, was embarrassed and disappointed that he had given birth to a male Omega.
So he would always throw tantrums after drinking away his day, beating Yujin's mother for giving birth to a "useless" son.
He forced her to throw the kid away, but she always refused. She swore to take care of Seo Yujin with her last breath. And he kept making her life hell, beating the young Seo Yujin too.
Finally, when Yujin was around 10 years old, his mother divorced his father. They hadn't seen each other since.
"You're back?" Mrs. Seo was making dinner in the kitchen when Seo Yujin walked in.
Seo Yujin hesitated at the entrance door before walking toward the kitchen to catch a glimpse of his mother—the mother he was finally seeing again.
In his last life, his mother had passed away from an illness when he was 28 years old, a few months before he finally decided to quit pursuing being an idol and dive into acting.
Her death was one of the major reasons he made that decision.
He couldn't save her back then because they were too poor to take good care of her and afford good treatment.
But now, while Seo Yujin stood at the kitchen entrance staring at her, he swore that he would make sure he had the money before that age to keep her alive.
He would make it in the industry before then, to ensure he could take care of his mother.
"Mm-hmm. I had some extra lessons," Yujin smiled at his mother. He was happy to see her again.
He walked up to her and hugged her from behind, feeling the warmth of her body again.
"What's it?" She smiled.
"Nothing. I just missed you" Seo Yujin sulked.
"Is that so? Then go set up the table. The meal will be ready soon. I made your favorite."
Seo Yujin nodded. "Okay. I'll go do that then."
---
That evening, Yujin got news about the final trainee lineup to join the all-male Alpha survival show.
And he was part of them.