Prince from another dimension becomes an Idol chapter 11

After a quick warm-up, Louis confidently stepped forward first.

Dojae took a seat on a chair at the back.

Only one of them would debut with Kingdom.

Although it was a sudden and unfortunate situation, they had to accept it.

‘The problem is that the competition is based on dancing skills…’

To be honest, Dojae wasn’t confident he could beat anyone in a dance battle.

‘At least it’s Louis, which is a relief.’

It wasn’t because he was confident, but because Louis was a decent person.

He might have been a bit quirky and unconventional, but the more Dojae got to know him, the more he saw his charm.

Louis’s bright and genuine personality made him easy to be around, and his exotic appearance, like a fashion magazine model, was perfect for an idol group member.

Because it was Louis, this competition was meaningful.

‘It’s much better than competing with someone insignificant like Sunghwan or Yoo Myeongwoo.’

Dojae focused quietly on Louis’s dance.

‘Worrying won’t change anything anyway.’

Dojae was ready to compete fairly and accept the results.

Then, Assistant Manager Lee Jungyeon played the music.

It was a song Louis had chosen himself.

This audition allowed them to dance freely for three minutes to a song of their choice.

Music began to flow from the large speakers.

Boom, boom, boom, boom—

The song had a lively beat and was a famous pop song with a mix of funk sound and new jack swing style.

―Baby tonight, tonight, I am gonna show you off.

Louis let the rhythm take over and started dancing.

To compensate for his height, which was just over 170 cm, Louis was wearing high-heeled boots.

They looked like they would be uncomfortable to walk in, but Louis’s footwork was as light as if he were barefoot.

With each change in the song’s mood, Louis seamlessly transitioned from waves to locking, from locking to rhythmic stepping, showcasing his skills effortlessly.

Dojae watched Louis with admiration.

Louis was dancing with a smile, showing no signs of nervousness.

‘He really seems to enjoy dancing.’

“Oh, he truly deserves to call dancing his specialty.”

“Indeed. He’s really good.”

Baek Johee and Kim Seokchul exchanged their thoughts in low voices.

If there was one flaw, it was that Louis seemed to lack power.

However, he made up for it with flexibility and lightness.

When the song ended, Louis took a deep breath.

For the first time, Manager Kim Seokchul spoke.

“Good job.”

Louis smiled brightly and greeted Manager Kim Seokchul.

Louis and Dojae.

Since only the two of them were auditioning, it was now Dojae’s turn.

While Assistant Manager Lee Jungyeon searched for the song, Dojae stood up and stretched.

“How was I? I did well, right?”

Louis, who had come to the back, quickly asked Dojae.

“You did great. Your skills are truly impressive.”

Louis shrugged his shoulders at Dojae’s genuine compliment.

“I did my best so you wouldn’t regret it.”

“Regret…?”

“Inviting me to the audition. You were considering debuting with me. You didn’t know me well… I just clung to you on my own…”

Louis seemed to care about that, even though he appeared to act recklessly.

‘I wasn’t necessarily planning on debuting together…’

Dojae, who had thought it would be nice to go through trainee life together rather than alone, felt a bit awkward.

‘Of course, it would be better if we could debut together.’

If Louis knew that one reason Dojae decided to team up with him was because of his name, ‘Louis’…

Louis would be quite disappointed.

Unaware of anything, Louis murmured with a touched tone.

“Thank you, hyung. Although you’ll definitely pass…”

“Nothing is certain.”

“You were even chosen for the debut team at New Entertainment. You’re good at everything.”

Dojae chuckled and shook his head.

“Dojae, are you ready?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

After answering Assistant Manager Lee Jungyeon’s question, Dojae placed a hand on Louis’s shoulder, who was sitting on the chair.

“Kim Louis.”

“…?”

“I’ll do my best too.”

Louis looked up at Dojae and nodded with a smile.

“Phew.”

Standing in position, Dojae took a deep breath.

‘I learned something from Louis.’

Hearing that the final decision would be based on dancing made Dojae feel a bit desperate.

But Louis seemed to think Dojae would pass.

‘Indeed, Kang Dojae was good at dancing. The problem is that I’m not Kang Dojae.’

Despite thinking he would lose, Louis had done his best to show a great dance.

For a remarkable competition.

That’s why Dojae resolved to give it his all once more.

He didn’t want to disappoint Louis, Kang Dojae, or himself.

A sense of responsibility settled heavily in his chest.

But this responsibility wasn’t the heavy duty as a Prince that had oppressed him for the past 20 years.

It was a very pleasant responsibility for his dream.

After a short intro, the song Dojae had chosen started.

―Look here!

At the same time, Dojae extended his arm upward with all his might.

The Kingdom Entertainment staff, who had been watching Dojae with interest since the intro, now had sharp glints in their eyes.

Dojae’s song choice was Big Boys’ debut song, ‘Love Virus.’

‘Love Virus’ was a song based on pop and R&B.

―My heart, which had become a complete ruin. You can fix it.

Dojae had chosen this song for one reason.

He was captivated by the passion of Big Boys when they danced to it.

Although it was their debut song and their performance was the most awkward, even that awkwardness seemed to shine with passion.

Dojae wanted to incorporate that passion into his dance.

―Love, love, love virus.

With the repetitive lyrics, Dojae’s hands and feet cut through the air with precision and strength.

Power and sharpness.

Both were felt in his impressive movements.

Despite the increasing tempo of the music, Dojae’s movements remained steady.

Such stability could only come from a well-trained body.

Kim Seokcheol, the team leader who had been closely observing Dojae, murmured softly.

“He must have practiced a lot.”

Kim Seokcheol was once the manager of Big Boys until their first album.

He had seen the stage performance of “Love Virus” more than anyone else except the Big Boys members.

Yet, even he was amazed by Dojae’s dance.

It was as if he had copied Big Boys’s debut performance.

Though he seemed tense, it didn’t detract from his performance.

Even his tension seemed like part of the act, thanks to his innate charisma.

―Love, Love, Virus.

During the interlude, Dojae executed a grand aerial turn with his eyes closed, just like Big Boys’s main dancer.

It was a swift turn devoid of fear.

His previously displayed precision was now complemented by flexibility, emphasizing his long, stretched lines.

―We start again, look here!

The song ended with the same lyrics as it began.

Simultaneously, Dojae stopped in the center, panting.

His heart was pounding.

It was as if he could hear his heartbeat in his ears.

Sweat beaded on his pale, straight forehead and trickled down.

The past week had been intense.

Dojae hadn’t just watched Big Boys’s videos in his room.

He practiced dancing for the audition.

‘If you’re going to be an idol, you need to sing and dance… and surely, dancing will be part of it…’

The original Kang Dojae had decent dancing skills that required no additional practice.

But for the current Dojae, it was different.

Even with Kang Dojae’s body, Dojae’s mind, which had never danced before, was uncertain about moving it correctly.

So, Dojae practiced non-stop for a week.

Fortunately, Kang Dojae’s body remembered a lot, and Dojae quickly picked up the dance moves.

Still, he wasn’t overly confident.

It was his first time.

He had never danced properly, even alone, let alone in front of others.

It was an incredibly nerve-wracking experience.

At the same time, under the scrutinizing gazes, Dojae felt an inexplicable sense of freedom.

‘This is one of the things a prince would never do. If Father had seen this…’

He might have fainted, saying he was being reckless.

He could have been forever recorded as the prince who brought disgrace to the Korean Empire…

Nevertheless, dancing in front of people for the first time, he realized one more thing.

He definitely wanted to be on stage as soon as possible.

Not just singing, but dancing on stage.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Just like Louis, Dojae’s turn ended with team leader Kim Seokcheol’s words of thanks.

The Kingdom staff, who were having a brief discussion among themselves, asked Dojae and Louis for a favor.

“We need to discuss a bit more. Could you wait outside?”

Dojae and Louis nodded and left the practice room at the planning team leader’s request.

***

While sipping the drinks provided by Deputy Lee Jeongyeon in an empty meeting room, they waited for the results.

“Hyung, you dance really well too.”

“…Thanks.”

“Your dancing style seems a bit different from before though…”

“Have you seen me dance before?”

“Of course. There was a dance evaluation before the singing one, remember? I wanted to get to know you since then!”

Since then, huh.

While everyone else only noticed Kang Dojae’s scruffy appearance, it seemed Louis saw his skills.

“Oh… What’s different now?”

“The strength, maybe? And the way you use your facial muscles…”

Louis carefully chose his words before giving his honest opinion.

“Back then, I thought you were much better at dancing than singing.”

Now, it seemed he thought Dojae’s singing was better.

Dojae nodded, acknowledging the fact that he needed to improve more.

“It’s not that you did poorly. You didn’t make a single mistake in the choreography. You did great. It’s just that something feels different…”

Louis had an oddly good intuition.

“Hyung… If you debut before me, don’t pretend not to know me later.”

Sensing the exhaustion in Louis’s words, Dojae shrugged.

“You might debut first. Here.”

Honestly, the outcome was unpredictable.

If Dojae scored better in singing and Louis in dancing…

Neither of them could know who the team needed more.

They were waiting for the results with as clear minds as possible.

Assistant Manager Lee Jeongyeon called them again.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“No problem. It’s fine.”

Dojae answered the planning team leader’s apology.

It was an important matter for them, so the wait was understandable.

The vice president, who alternated his gaze between Dojae and Louis, finally spoke.

Without any preamble, he announced the result.

“Our decision is Kang Dojae. Kim Louis, you did great at the audition.”

“…!”

“Hyung, congratulations.”

Louis’s eyes were full of genuine sincerity as he immediately congratulated Dojae.

Of course, there was a hint of deep regret.

‘It would have been better if Louis could join too…’

Dojae also felt regret.

Louis was the only person he had befriended in Korea, and he had grown fond of him over time.

However, the joy of being accepted into Kingdom, which felt like destiny, was undeniable.

As he set aside his regret and began to relish his success, receiving Louis’s congratulations, the practice room door suddenly burst open.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry to barge in. Vice President… Team Leader… We have a problem!”

The employee’s urgent call left Planning Team 2 Leader Jung Heeyoung in a state of panic.