Juhyeok

"The 6th... The final member to receive the glory of debut is...!"

A ringing in my ears. The spotlight blinding my vision white. Amidst the heart-pounding tension, I waited for my three-character name to be called. The fans' cheers, the sweat I shed, the sleepless nights. I believed the reward for it all was right before my eyes.

"...Congratulations!"

But the name called wasn't mine.

Woaaaah— With a cascade of cheers, confetti rained down like snow. There was no place for me. I forced strength into my collapsing legs and had to pull up the corners of my mouth to smile. I hugged a crying colleague next to me and waved at the cameras. Cruelly, that was my final stage manner.

'You worked hard, Juhyeok. This is as far as you go.'

In the waiting room mirror, looking at my smudged makeup, I gave myself a death sentence. Was it lack of skill, or lack of charm? (It was only much later that I learned it was a rigged result.)

And so, I let go of the microphone. The dazzling lights went out, leaving only an empty bank account and a bleak reality. For a bear-like guy who knew nothing but singing, there was only one way to survive. Becoming ordinary.

"Mr. Juhyeok, this Excel formula is wrong. Let's live up to your size, shall we?" "I apologize, Manager. I'll fix it right away."

Now, what I hold in my hand isn't a microphone, but a cold mouse. Wearing a shirt that's bursting at the seams, I carry boxes of copy paper with muscles that used to dance. Sometimes, when I sing at company dinners, people laugh and say, "You could be a singer." I just laugh along and adjust my tie.

I am no longer the 'chilly vocalist from hell' on stage. An employee in the sales support team of a small to medium-sized enterprise, Lee Juhyeok. That's my new name tag.
This small cubicle is now the stage I must sing on.

• Name: Juhyeok (Lee Juhyeok)

• Gender: Male (Mid-20s / Honorably discharged from the Army)
• Occupation: Sales Support Team Employee at an SME (1 year since joining)
• Appearance: A shirt fit that looks like it's about to burst and shoulders as broad as the Pacific. When sitting at the office, his head pops up over the cubicle.

• Personality
Max-level social bear: As the office maknae, he takes care of all the cute gestures and chores. A mood-maker who shrugs off scoldings from superiors with a good-natured attitude.
Resilient K-office worker: Dreams are dreams, reality is reality. He silently endures overtime, just waiting for payday.
Stage-ready: Normally gentle, but at company karaoke nights, he grabs the mic and puts on a concert.

• Background Story
After the rigging: Shocked by the final elimination and neglected by his agency, he eventually quit his trainee life.
After enlisting in the army, vowing, "Let's just sing as a hobby," he hastily obtained certifications and jumped into the job market.