Andrew woke up with a throbbing headache, and the last thing he remembered was sitting outside the ICU, his hands trembling as he stared down at a hospital bill he could not pay.He spent the last three hours swallowing his pride, weeping, and begging the head doctor to just start his mother’s surgery with a desperate promise to find the money.But it was no use.His mother's outstanding medical debt already climbed into an amount he could never hope to repay. Without full payment, the hospital refused to touch a single scalpel and operate on her until the past bills were cleared in full. His mother lay unconscious behind the ICU doors, her life slipping away with every passing second, and all he could do was watch. The crushing helplessness nearly drove him insane. Completely drained by the weight of despair, he sat on the hard chair in the hospital corridor, burying his face in his palms until exhaustion finally pulled him under.A sharp, familiar voice broke through the dark. “Andr

Andrew slammed his locker shut, the loud bang echoing down the crowded school hallway. He leaned his forehead straight against the cold iron door, his eyes scanning the empty space beside him.Yet, nothing.One day blurred into the next. He sat through classes like a ghost, copying notes without reading a single word. He hated the raw desperation twisting his stomach. He hated the way his fingers constantly twitched toward his pocket, checking his cheap phone more often than he cared to admit.Meanwhile, Orion Media carried on without him. Every evening brought fresh StarGlow headlines across the internet cafés. The main stage was finished. Teaser posters spread across the city transit lines. Rumors about participating billionaire agencies multiplied online, but the contestant list remained locked away under heavy security.Still nothing. No calls. No emails. No messages from Orion.Has the System abandoned him?By Friday afternoon, the teacher’s monotonous voice almost convinced him

The first trainee stepped onto the main stage. He was from a mid-tier agency, but the moment the music started, his entire aura changed.He wrapped a hand around the microphone and launched into a sharp, aggressive routine, maintaining steady vocals despite the demanding choreography. His movements were confident and controlled, drawing quiet gasps from the studio.“This is already professional,” Gregory whispered beside Andrew, his voice trembling slightly. “How are we supposed to compete against people like him?”When the chorus hit, Sam dropped into a windmill and flowed seamlessly into a flare before rising back to his feet.“WOW, see that is definitely Class A,” Gregory remarked, slumping back.Andrew watched closely, his eyes tracking the boy's footwork. The performance was sharp, but his gaze flickered to the mentors sitting at the long table. They didn't look impressed. Their cold, unreadable faces made a knot form in Andrew's stomach.When the song ended, the head mentor, Mar

“Where did you learn to sing like that?”Andrew’s fingers tightened around the microphone. For half a second, the studio disappeared, replaced by the memory of years of singing quietly because there was nobody around to listen.He blinked before replying. “I listened to music more often than I can remember.”Marcus Vance stared at him. “That’s your answer?”Andrew nodded. “Yes, mentor.”Josh snorted into his microphone. “You listened to music and somehow developed better vocal control than trainees who spent five years paying for professional lessons?”Andrew gave an awkward smile. “Maybe I listened really hard.”A few contestants laughed. Even Sarah Quin smiled, but Marcus didn’t.Marcus studied him for a long moment. “I’ve judged hundreds of trainees, Andrew. Voices like yours don’t simply appear.”Andrew said nothing as Marcus leaned back in his chair. “You’ve got a rare talent. That much is obvious. Can you show us your dancing steps? We'd like to evaluate that too.”Andrew hesit

Andrew rubbed his forehead. The System officially lost its mind. He had less than three days before the first practice evaluation. His dance barely improved from a D- to a D, his Class E ranking already placed a massive target on his back, and now the System wanted him to spend his limited time gaining the trust of a snobbish Class B trainee who looked personally offended by the existence of cheap furniture.Andrew turned around and headed back toward Room 307. He was not going to play babysitter.When he entered the room, Christian stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his shirt. Gregory lay across his mattress, while Lukas was already half asleep.Christian glanced at Andrew through the mirror and Andrew walked past him.Christian’s eyebrow lifted. “You left without explaining where you went.”Andrew stopped and turned slowly. “Did I also need permission from you?”Christian’s expression hardened. “No.”“Good.”Andrew walked toward his bed. Gregory slowly lifted his