Behind the Spotlight

Luxen's Rules

— Lia! Wake up!

Lia suddenly opened her eyes.

— What?

Sumi was standing beside her bed, already dressed.

— It's six twenty.

Lia grabbed her phone.

— What?!

She sat up so quickly that she almost fell out of bed.

Sumi burst out laughing.

— You should have seen your face.

— Why didn't you wake me up earlier?

— I called you three times.

— And you just waited?

— I thought you'd wake up eventually.

— Thanks for your help.

— You're welcome.

Lia grabbed her clothes.

— Where are my pants?

— Under your pillow.

Lia stopped.

— Why are my pants under my pillow?

— I don't know. You're the one who put them there.

— Oh.

Sumi shook her head.

— You're really something.

— I slept for four hours.

— And you're going to have to last all day.

Lia quickly put on her jacket.

— I'm ready.

Sumi looked at her shoes.

— No, you're not.

— What now?

— You put your shoes on the wrong feet.

Lia looked down.

— ...

Sumi burst out laughing.

— Don't say anything.

— I won't.

— I already hate this day.

— It just started.

— Exactly.

At exactly seven o'clock, the trainees were in the dance room.

The instructor walked in.

— Good morning.

— Good morning!

— Did you sleep?

Nobody answered.

She smiled.

— Very good. Let's begin.

Sumi whispered to Lia:

— She knows we didn't sleep.

— She wants to make us suffer.

— Exactly.

— I can hear you.

The two girls immediately fell silent.

The instructor started the music.

— From the beginning!

The practice began.

This time, Lia followed much better.

— Good, Kim Lia.

Lia was surprised.

— Thank you.

— You learn quickly.

Sumi smiled at her.

— I told you.

— Told me what?

— You have potential.

Lia nudged her with her shoulder.

— Stop.

— Why?

— You're putting pressure on me.

— Too late.

They quietly laughed.

After two hours of training, a staff member entered the room.

— Kim Lia?

Lia turned around.

— Yes?

— The director wants to see you.

Sumi gave her a worried look.

— Have you already done something?

Lia whispered:

— Not that I know of.

— Good luck.

Lia followed the staff member down the hallway.

They stopped in front of a large door.

— Come in.

Lia opened it.

A man was sitting behind a desk.

— Kim Lia.

— Hello.

— Sit down.

She sat.

He looked through her file.

— Twenty-four years old. No previous professional training. You were accepted yesterday.

— Yes.

— You know Luxen is very demanding?

— Yes.

— And you still want to continue?

— Of course.

He closed the file.

— Then here are the rules.

Lia listened carefully.

— First, no leaving the building without permission after eleven p.m.

She nodded.

— Second, no photographs in restricted areas.

— Understood.

— Third, you must never enter an artist's private studio without permission.

Lia paused slightly.

— Private studios?

— Yes.

— Why?

The director looked at her.

— Because they're private.

— I understand.

He continued.

— And finally, you must not interfere in the artists' personal affairs.

Lia smiled.

— I'm not the curious type.

The director stared at her for a few seconds.

— I hope you stay that way.

Lia stood.

— Thank you.

She left.

Once she was in the hallway, her smile faded slightly.

Don't enter the private studios.

She had just learned an important rule.

But she still didn't know why.

At lunchtime, Sumi and Lia were eating in the cafeteria.

Sumi put down her fork.

— So?

— So what?

— Why did the director want to see you?

— The agency rules.

— Nothing else?

— Nothing.

Sumi looked at her suspiciously.

— Are you sure?

— Yes.

— Weird.

— Why?

Sumi lowered her voice.

— He almost never calls in new trainees.

— Maybe he just wanted to remind me of the rules.

— Maybe.

Sumi looked around.

— You know what's even stranger?

— What?

— Since you arrived, several people have been watching you.

Lia discreetly looked around.

Several trainees were talking among themselves.

— You think so?

— Yes.

— Why?

— Because you're twenty-four.

Lia sighed.

— Again with that?

— You're a curiosity.

— Great.

Sumi smiled.

— Don't worry. In a week, they'll find someone else to watch.

Lia laughed.

— I hope so.

That afternoon, the trainees had a break.

Lia went into the hallway to get some fresh air.

She heard voices coming from behind a door.

— I told you not to talk about that anymore.

The voice belonged to a man.

A second voice replied:

— But we can't keep pretending nothing happened.

— Lower your voice.

Lia stopped.

— The trainees might hear us.

— Then tell me what we're supposed to do now.

Silence.

Then:

— We forget about it.

Lia frowned.

The door suddenly opened.

She stepped back.

One of the AUREX members walked out.

Lee Min-jae.

He looked at her.

— Were you here?

Lia smiled awkwardly.

— I was just passing by.

He stared at her.

— Did you hear anything?

— No.

He continued looking at her.

— Good.

Then he walked away.

Lia watched him disappear down the hallway.

She wanted to know what they had been talking about.

But she forced herself to keep walking.

For now.

That evening, Lia returned to her room.

Sumi was sitting on her bed, looking at her phone.

— Did you know Jae-hyun has a show tomorrow?

— No.

— You really don't follow idols much.

— I told you, I'm discovering everything.

— Then you need to learn.

Sumi showed her a video.

— Look.

Lia sat beside her.

On the screen, Jae-hyun was singing on stage.

The lights illuminated his face.

He was smiling.

Lia remained silent.

— Well?

— He sings well.

Sumi smiled.

— That's all?

— Yes.

— Liar.

— Sumi...

— Okay, okay.

Lia took the phone from her.

— Turn that off and go to sleep.

— You're boring.

— Good night.

— Good night.

A few minutes later, Sumi fell asleep.

Lia remained awake.

She stared at the ceiling.

Then her phone vibrated.

She picked it up discreetly.

A message.

“You were noticed sooner than expected.”

Lia sat up.

A second message appeared.

“Don't try to find out who's involved yet.”

She frowned.

Then another message arrived.

“Tomorrow, watch AUREX.”

Lia stared at the screen.

Why were they asking her to watch AUREX now?

She slowly put her phone down.

In the bed beside her, Sumi was sleeping peacefully.

Lia closed her eyes.

But this time, she knew one thing.

Her first day had seemed perfectly normal.

Her second day had just proven otherwise.