Chapter 2 - Dance Like A Wet Noodle

Manager Quang Zhi looked over at his co-manager, Ling Mei. Sitting behind the table, they shared the same look and looked over at the young man moving like a noodle. The boy's brown eyes were looking at the others, trying to follow the steps with sweat dripping on his shirt.

Shaking his head, he marked the name of the boy with an X.

"Ah Zhi," Ling Mei leaned in to whisper with her brown eyes still staring at the human noodle, "Maybe he should rest. He did just wake up from his fainting spell."

Nodding, he held up a hand and one of his staff turned off the music.

"Xiong Shun! You dance like a wet noodle!" He shouted from his seat and earned wide brown eyes.

'Is that me?' Shun questioned and glanced around to see all eyes on him.

"That fall must have messed up your brain. You could barely move your legs and to spin so… so…"

"Like an unoiled cog," Ling Mei provided.

"That! Go step back and watch everyone do it right," he reprimanded and saw the boy do as he asked, "Now, again!"

Shun went to the wall and slid down to sit. He watched everyone dancing well and he wondered if he could even catch up. Actually… was he not dead?! Rubbing his head, he wondered how this even happened and why the heck did he ended up as an adult and not a newborn baby?

'I feel like a newborn in a man's body,' he deadpanned and sighed.

Dropping his shoulders, he wondered if he was in some sort of prison. Was he able to leave this facility that made him dance like an in synced robot? Where do they eat? Where do they sleep?

He looked over at the two people behind the table and hummed to himself. Maybe this was a castle or a palace, and those people are the king and queen. Did that make the men knights? He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes in thought. From a prince to a knight… well, that was a change he didn't mind. The dancing though… He might die by the end of the day.

Suddenly, a floating square appeared before him and he startled at it.

'What… what contraption was this?!'

He never seen something like this. Was it magic? Who was wielding magic before him?!

The floating square turned white and words were suddenly displayed. He blinked at it and felt relief enter his bones. Thankfully, he could read the words.

*System booted. Shun Nottingale, also known as Xiong Shun. Complete all categories to become*

The letters disappeared for bigger ones.

*Idol Popstar!*

It flashed and he squinched his eyes, rubbing them.

*Reach 100% in Star Meter* *Accumulate 1,000,000 Fans*

'WHAT?! That is too many zeros!'

The letters disappeared again and more words appeared.

*Current Health 65/100. Must not fall to 0. 0=death.* *Stress level 66%. Must not reach 100%*

*Current singing ability 20%* *Current dancing ability 3%* *Current confidence 14%* *Current fan 0/1,000,000.*

*Earned Level 1: Singing- Vocal Techniques.*

*Wish to see current task?*

"Tasks too? What witchery is this?!" He frowned and sighed, "Alright. Go on floating square."

*Tasks available: 1. Get singing lessons from Suu Jin. 2. Increase dancing ability from Tee. 3. Be chosen for Idol Competition.*

"Who are those people and… what happens if I don't complete anything?" Shun crossed his arms.

*No completion. No return.*

"Wait… what? Return to… my kingdom?"

*No completion. No return.*

He thought of his family and how they must be feeling with him away. Then he remembered why this even happened. Did he want to return…

*No completion. No return. No life.*

"I am supposed to be dead…"

*No completion. No return. No life. For EVERYONE*

"What the- You witch! Taking the lives of innocents! Where are you?" He looked around and saw everyone still doing what they did. The boys were still dancing and the managers were still watching.

*100% completion. Idol Superstar! No one dies.*

Narrowing his eyes at the floating square, he reached his hand out to have it go through it.

"Fine! I will play your game, but I will stop you somehow."

The floating square disappeared and he widened his eyes. He looked left and right, up and down, to see if he could figure out where that witch's magic went, but he could not find it.

The manager king stood up and held his hand out. The music stopped and the mustached man held his clipboard before him, calling forth certain people, one of them being Ping Ping.

"Alright, go stand over there."

The mustached man repeated himself until everyone was grouped up. Shun was in the 4th group, Ping Ping was in the 1st group, and Wen Dong was in the 3rd group.

"Team 1, come to the center. Sing 30 seconds of a song, any is fine," Ling Mei spoke up.

'Singing!' Shun groaned and smacked his forehead, 'What kind of knighthood is this?'

He listened to everyone singing and when it came to Ping Ping, that young boy sang very clearly. He clapped when the boy was finished and earned a brilliant grin. Next was team 2, then Team 3. Wen Dong thumbed up to him and Shun couldn't help sending his friend a grin. That grin wavered when he realized Wen Dong's singing was not his strong suit.

He clapped for the boy anyways.

"Team 4."

'Singing… singing…'

"Your turn Xiong Shun."

"Uh…"

*Choice of songs*

The floating square appeared and he saw two songs.

"Which song should I do?" He whispered to himself.

"Any is fine," Ling Mei was watching him and he cleared his throat.

"Alright. I'll sing uh… My Fallen Dove…"

He cleared his throat and closed his eyes.

"Summer leaves washed away all the love I made. You came and gone like a bird you flew away. At night I cry underneath the stars, praying for my love to fall. My… my fallen dove, come fall back into my arms."

Shun stopped his singing and opened his eyes when he heard a ding. Looking over at the floating square, he saw some of his stats increased.

*Confidence increase 14% -> 16%* *Fanbase accumulated 2/1000000*

'Two fans! Wow!' He grinned and looked over to Ping Ping and Wen Dong to see them clapping for him. He figured it was them. They were friends with whoever this person was.

"Alright. Go take a break and eat up," Ling Mei smiled at them and head to speak with the mustached man.

Shun was happy to finally eat. He was starving and joined those he knew…

'Wait! They are going outside! They are leaving this prison!'