Chapter 10
Detachable Gills | Presence 15
Stamina + 3 levels | 3 days | Glub glub gives you inhuman stamina—enough to breathe even underwater.
It was just a stamina boost.
But Hayan suddenly understood where the root of her vocal problem came from.
Throughout the entire performance, she had felt out of breath.
And when she briefly pushed past the limits of the “Break the Ceiling” item, it had been right after she had fully caught her breath.
Breathing.
If her breathing was stable enough, she could try an entirely different vocal technique.
The Detachable Gills item lasts three days.
If she used it the day before the feedback evaluation, she could keep using it through the actual stage.
She hoped it would work the way she expected.
It’s a shame I can only use one item at a time—and that it costs Presence.
Still, she could always earn Presence back by using items well.
As soon as she purchased it, her status window popped up.
Presence Update
Presence -15
Current Presence: 30
I can’t rely on items forever. Time to start stamina training.
Her first plan was simple: run at least one hour a day.
There’s nothing better than running to build stamina.
Everyone knows that.
They just don’t do it because it’s hard.
Starting the next day, Hayan went to the company gym every dawn.
When it was empty, she ran while singing.
“I can’t breathe; you’re coming closer—huff, huff—”
No, seriously. I really can’t breathe.
She had never related to song lyrics this much before.
Even when she felt like dying, she forced herself to sing through the lines.
Gradually, her stamina improved.
She panted less with each passing day.
Sometimes she had moments of self-awareness, hearing her own voice echo through the empty gym.
But still—
By the third evaluation, I’ll know. Whether I’m right—or Director Han is.
* * *
A few days later, Episode 2 of Fight for DI-World aired.
Hayan sat in front of the TV with her Team 3 members.
The practice process hadn’t been smooth, so she had wanted to watch alone again—
“Are you sure we won’t feel awkward after watching this? Really?”
“Just sit down. Grab her.”
Four against one.
She lost.
Hayan was thrown pitifully onto the dorm sofa.
And just as she feared—
“They edited it so we look way worse than the other teams.”
“They made us look like Team Disaster.”
“…We kind of were.”
“……”
But then Heera’s interview aired.
“Actually, Hayan unnie gave up the last spot in Team 2 for me.
If I had chosen Team 3… I wouldn’t have had much I could do. I was really thankful.”
“Huh?”
“What? Is that true?”
“…Yeah.”
Then Hayan’s interview followed.
Q: How did you know the song?
“I just guessed. Based on the positions of the people who chose. I didn’t know the exact song—just the genre.”
“…Oh.”
“…Oh~”
“…Ohhh~”
“…I should’ve watched this alone.”
The reactions were positive.
But she didn’t like the edit.
Because—
[Post Title: Moon Hayan is seriously amazing]
Honestly, I would’ve taken the easier song.
— Same, I would’ve grabbed that last Team 2 spot instantly
— She’s such an unnie… if you’re cool, you’re unnie
[Post Title: Um… lol]
Talking about benefits and all that… this is basically a trick play, no?
[Post Title: The controversial behavior of Moon Hayan on Papo World]
Loyalty vs. blatant favoritism
— Calling it “controversial” is just people nitpicking
— Seriously
— But you could call it favoritism, though.
└ They didn’t even seem that close? If a younger trainee is struggling, you could give up a spot. Just call it fair play. Stop being so exhausting.
— Wow… so this is what it looks like when a 6-year trainee loses to a 3-month one…
[Post Title: Isn’t Hayan even more impressive?]
Her ranking’s unstable, but she gave it up for someone younger who could do better. Seems like she just has a good personality.
Let’s stop reading here.
Being known for a “good personality” wasn’t safe either.
It was better to win people over with skill and stage presence—things only an idol could show.
Personality can turn dirty. Dirty can turn good. It changes like money.
And she wasn’t some saint.
If someone found fault later, backlash could be huge.
She shook her head.
“Team 1 starts practice immediately.”
Haemi’s team divided positions so cleanly.
They looked like they’d already debuted together.
She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t jealous.
— Shin Haemi is riding the bus comfortably
— I can already tell the rankings…
Click.
Haemi, who had been sleeping like the dead, walked into the living room rubbing her eyes.
The moment she saw herself on screen, she slowly backed away and returned to her room.
Do the Days maknaes enjoy hiding?
Like hermit crabs.
Though in Haemi’s case, she probably just didn’t want to watch.
Next was Team 2.
Heera had barely made it in—and became lead rapper.
She seemed more confident than usual.
Hayan smiled slightly.
Then—
Team Disaster.
Being last already feels ominous.
Even though they had insisted on watching together, everyone looked tense.
Minsu spoke solemnly.
“Watching Papo World Episode 2 vs. watching a 3-hour horror movie alone.”
“…Sigh.”
“Sigh.”
“Insom—”
“Don’t.”
Catherine and Hayan cut him off in unison.
And as expected—
Their icy rehearsal room atmosphere aired exactly as it had been.
[Post Title: What’s up with No Jua?]
She’s not good enough to push that hard. Why is she like that?
— “Do you have to?” seriously…
[Post Title: The nightmare version of team projects]
Freshmen dreaming of ideal team projects—watch Episode 2.
My dream: (photo)
Reality: (photo)
The first photo was Haemi’s team.
The second—
Hayan’s.
Then came the scene—
The argument over the main vocal.
And—
“At that moment, Hayan leaves.”
“…What?”
Hayan sprang up like a spring.
“I didn’t leave.”
“What is this editing?”
“Didn’t you go to the bathroom then?”
“Yeah! I took my mic off and went!”
Then—
“Hayan: (I can’t do anything about her…)”
“What is that? When did I say that?”
“That was from an interview. I said the song composition was hard!”
It was ridiculous.
Half of it was stitched together.
Anyone watching would think she stormed out in anger.
“Teammates walking on eggshells between them.”
“Team 3 is in crisis from the start.”
“That’s not fair!” Jua stood up.
Online reactions showed viewers had fully bought into the edit.
— I get why she left; I’d be mad too
— But leaving like that mid-practice isn’t right
— So much for her good personality lol
So much for that flag.
“Hayan returns.”
“Practice resumes after delay…”
So I’m the first sacrifice.
She felt her blood run cold.
They’re using me as early bait.
Most trainees were unknown.
She had recognition.
Use her first.
Build tension.
Then let her fade out while spotlighting others.
A classic squeeze-every-drop strategy.
“They didn’t even need fake editing. We were chaotic enough.”
Hayan muttered.
Everyone laughed weakly.
“But the stage—”
“We killed it.”
“We tore it up.”
“You flipped the stage upside down.”
She nodded.
Right on cue—
The actual stage aired.
“Team 1’s performance.”
“Didn’t we go first originally?”
“Guess they changed it in editing.”
Even small changes now felt suspicious.
Haemi’s stage quality was just as overwhelming as she remembered.
It began with a solo dance.
String instruments added grandeur.
Her dark blue skirt with lace details resembled a black swan.
And her commanding presence in the center—
Perfect.
I hate to admit it, but her solo probably did well in the past timeline.
Back then, Hayan had secretly hoped it would flop.
But with those visuals and that skill—
Flopping would’ve been weirder.
[Post Title: Shin Haemi is insanely good]
She’s debuting.
— Female fans already gathering
— If she doesn’t debut, it’s rigged ^^
Haemi never came out of her room.
Isn’t she curious?
How is she portrayed?
What do people say?
But even after the debut, Haemi hadn’t cared much about reactions.
She had just done her job terrifyingly well.
I’ll probably never understand her.
Next was Team 2.
Catherine flew across the stage.
“She’s good,” Minsu said softly.
Catherine shone brightest on stage.
Which made it shocking when she suddenly returned to America in the past timeline.
The stage was her calling.
Like she gathered sunlight into herself.
A person who burned brilliantly.
Minsu smiled at the screen.
After Catherine moved to the U.S., Minsu had visited her several times.
There had even been an article—
[★1STAR NEWS Catherine & Jeon Minsu ‘Our Friendship Is Still Strong’]
Even after the group disbanded.
A cruel reminder.
Stop thinking about that.
She shook her head.
Focus on the quest.
* * *
The day arrived.
The day that would decide whether she’d be IDOL—
Or DOL-I.
The ranking announcement.
And the first eliminations.
Every trainee looked pale.
“Thank you to all viewers watching Fight for DI-World.”
Hayan felt the same.
She didn’t think she’d be eliminated this early.
But there was someone she was worried about.
She turned around.
“Ranks 14 and 15 will unfortunately be eliminated.”
Heera squeezed her eyes shut.
