The dance group were brought to the forefront next, and the singers and rappers created a mini live audience for them. The machine whose brand name had taken the first girl’s life was lit up.

First up, number 66.

Yu Jun’s heart fluttered with recognition. The woman bouncing from arrow to arrow with such poise and grace… it was Sami. Lead dancer of the now-disbanded girl group GAL. Yu Jun’s body thrummed with excited energy. A real idol was among them. She had followed GAL from debut, as she did with most girl groups. Yu Jun was what her mother called a ‘super-fan’ and her brother called an ‘idol-creeper’. Her obsession with idol groups had been a part of her as long as she could remember. But she no longer wanted to stand by and cheer, she wanted to get closer, to take that final step up onto the stage with them. One day she would be surrounded by idols, dancing among them, blinded by their bright auras.

Sami, and her group GAL, had so much potential. They were a group that really excited Yu Jun with their debut. Unfortunately, as with so many rookie groups from smaller companies, they were only given a couple of years to hit it big. Casual fans would talk about the seven year itch, groups disbanding after seven years even when they were successful. But Yu Jun was always far more heartbroken by the two-year terminations. Groups that could have been great, if their companies could afford to keep pushing them beyond those first few years. For a lot of small-time debuts, they had to land a hit song or viral dance to make it to the three year mark. They didn’t have the cushioning, the safety net, of an incredibly wealthy CEO behind them. Low investment often equalled low reward, which left fans like Yu Jun crushed every time an up-and-coming group was dropped for not hitting a home run in their first year.

Sami’s feet slammed a combo for the final beat of the song and the screen lit up with NEW HIGH SCORE! Yu Jun clapped enthusiastically at Sami’s image on the screen high above them. The camera panned up from her sneakers to her long slender legs, showcasing her powerful ending stance. Yu Jun hoped they gave her such favourable camera work when she was performing. Sami’s charisma was undeniable, though. She would have appeared amazing regardless of the angle. Yu Jun was tempted to do the GAL fan chant, but restrained herself for now.

The rest of the girls couldn’t compare to Sami. Two dropped below GOOD scores and were executed while still stood in their ending poses on the machine. 73 and 48. The blood made it slippery for the last few girls. Some of them cried as they danced. Yu Jun wondered if it was a tactic to go viral. The ridiculousness of crying while dancing on a DDR machine was completely comical. They were geniuses.

The rappers went last. They were divided evenly into the very good and the very bad.

4. 83. 60. 18. OUT.

There was vomiting and fainting now, quite unbecoming of the top idols they were trying to prove themselves to be. Yu Jun continued pointing her pretty smile at any camera in her vicinity. She wasn’t planning to give up the opportunities she had been so generously offered by Idol Survival and their kind sponsors.

The cameras shifted away from the girls in a smooth swoop after the final rapper scraped her way through to the next round. The host was stood upon a slightly raised disc and speaking loudly for all to hear.

“Ladies and gentlemen, what incredible performances from our survivors! If you applaud loudly enough from your home, they might just hear you.” He winked and gestured to his ear. Yu Jun giggled. “There is a phenomena that I am sure you are all aware of in this modern day and age: viral fancams!” Yu Jun nodded earnestly. One of her top ways to pass time was watching fancams, and not just the super popular ones. Rookie groups, industry legends, special performances, anything that allowed her a glimpse into their world from another perspective. “In particular, we want you to picture the last fancam you watched where the idols were performing in less than ideal circumstances,” the host continued. “Slips, falls and fumbles are what make the entertainment over the song or dance, am I right?”

Oh yes, Yu Jun knew exactly the viral moments he was alluding to. Videos that circulated for weeks of precious idols slipping and sliding on a rain-soaked stage. The drama of whether they have hurt themselves, the determination to get back up and keep going that brought a burning pride to the group’s fans, it was just magical. And the reputation as an idol that never gives up can follow them for quite some time afterwards. That was what Yu Jun wanted to be known as: the idol that never quits!

“Well, the first mission for our Idol Survivors is to perform for you in inclement conditions. Come rain or shine, an idol should be bright and exuberant.” The host himself beamed, a shining example to them all. “The rules of the mission are simple: complete the song and accompanying choreography but do not touch the stage with anything but your shoes. If you fall, you are out. If you slip, but steady yourself with your hand to the ground, you are out. Does everyone understand?”

“Yes!” the girls called back.

“Rehearsal begins immediately!” The host clapped his hands. A few girls flinched. “You will be split into four groups to practice and then come together in twenty-four hours for a special performance on our purpose-built storm simulator stage!” With a wave of his hand, oohs and aahs broke out amongst the girls that had pulled themselves together.

Four production assistants placed coloured flags in a square formation and after the host set them loose chaos ensued as girls rushed to group together with their friends behind the flags. Maximum twenty-five girls to a group. Yu Jun hurried to Sami’s side to be grouped with her. It was selfish, and nothing to do with her growth as an idol, but she wanted so desperately to meet the real idol in their midst.

They huddled behind the green flag, close enough to graze against each other as they glanced up and down the line at their newly-formed dance troupe. When Sami’s eyes scanned over her, Yu Jun leapt for her chance.

“Hello, my name is Yu Jun and I am a huge fan of GAL!”

Sami blinked slowly and gave a small smile. “Oh, thank you so much for recognising me.” Her voice was gentle, but not timid. It was perfect.

“Of course!” Yu Jun blurted. “You have unmistakable beauty! Your legs are so long and-”

Sami smiled and nodded politely through the entirety of Yu Jun’s ramble covering the top attributes of Sami herself, her group, and their songs. When she was done, Yu Jun was almost out of breath.

The host called for silence and they both turned forwards again, all four groups of girls faced inwards where the host had taken the centre spot. There was one trainer per group, and they were all either industry experts or established idols. The host introduced each one with a small speech about their accolades and achievements. Then they stepped to the flag of the group they would be mentoring. Disappointingly, Yu Jun’s group got an expert… no fangirling for her. Except over Sami, of course.

She could tell already that their mentor would be playing the ‘harsh but fair’ character on the show. The member of the judging panel or training team that was there to bring contestants back down to Earth when the other experts or celebrities were hyped up over a performance. The best mentor to have if you could win them over, because it meant more to have their approval.

The four lines of girls filed away behind their mentors to separate practice rooms, all interconnected inside the enormous studio. They had been advised in the interview process that they would not be leaving the walls of the Idol Survival studios unless they won. Yu Jun wasn’t missing the sky yet, there was too much to be excited about.

The practice room floor was highly polished and Yu Jun felt immense gratitude - learning to dance on a slippery surface was obviously the key to success in this challenge! There were no windows, clearly to keep out distraction. Not that anything could take Yu Jun’s mind from her dream. Except… some slight Sami obsession. She shimmied in next to her when they were told to find a space in the room, and then practice began under the stern instructions of their mentor.

From the first beat of the lesson, it became clear that there were girls who could pick up the choreography, and those that couldn’t pick a foot to stand on. It wouldn’t do for an idol group that would represent the continent, they needed to either have the skill or the determination. And they only had twenty-four hours to rise to the top. Yu Jun would place herself in second or third place within their group, with Sami firmly cemented at the top. Already, the seasoned idol was practising the more delicate extras of the routine like hand positions and facial expressions - she’d cleared the basic steps long before everyone else.

After a few hours, the mentor left them to practice alone, letting them know she would be back in the morning for a second and final session before the grand performance.

After another hour or so, the production team announced that they would be shown the dormitories. Many girls were relieved for the break, Yu Jun was beside herself. Buzzing energy at the thought of seeing her idol accommodation. It was just like a trainee documentary, seeing where an idol group started their career in their company dormitory. This was her beginning - it was really real.

They were roomed with their rehearsal groups in the dormitories. Which meant Yu Jun would sleep just a few feet away from a real idol. Sami unpacked her things silently at the other end of the room while Yu Jun stole excited glances. The desperate need to ask what make-up and skin care products she had brought with her, to make a list for herself for when she got home, was tearing at her inside. The long room was very quiet, only the rustle of possessions being put away reached Yu Jun’s ears.

She couldn’t understand it. This was the greatest opportunity of their lives. They had idolhood ahead of them. She had expected chatter and girl talk and maybe even singing as they all celebrated the miracle that they had made it there. Instead, there was a tension in the air that Yu Jun couldn’t quite identify.

With her own belongings tossed in the drawer dug into her bunk, Yu Jun returned to Sami’s side.

“Isn’t this so exciting?” she gasped. Her feet were bouncing without a thought and her hands bunched in her shirt. Despite the hours of rehearsals already behind them, Yu Jun had buckets of energy still to be released.

“Oh, yes.” Sami nodded down at the items she was organising. “Are you looking forward to the performance?”

Yu Jun launched into all of the aspects she was excited about, all the videos she had watched throughout her life and what she had learned from them, and her expectations from their mentor. Sami listened intently, offering short replies and encouraging her to continue as she finished personalising her own sleeping area. Sami’s polite demeanour made sense for her age. She was going for a mature and elegant concept, Yu Jun was certain. They would be a great match side-by-side on stage with her as the excitable puppy type.

After a nutritious dinner, eaten in a communal hall, they were advised that they could rest or rehearse as much as they liked before their second lesson the next day, after which their performance would be filmed for the world to watch.

Of course, Yu Jun and Sami opted to practice late into the night. The group still dancing at midnight with them were numbers: 90, 74, 35, 40 and 85. Sami had become an honorary leader, with all girls looking to her for feedback and tips. Yu Jun liked to think she was her right-hand girl - her general.

She hardly slept even when they did retire for the night, anticipation thrummed through her like music.

One more lesson with their strict instructor, and then they were dressed in matching black and silver outfits with sparkling eye make-up. Yu Jun barely recognised herself in the mirror. This wasn’t Yu Jun The Idol Creeper, it was Yu Jun The Idol.

With all ninety-or-so remaining girls dressed and beautified, they were led to the performance area. An enormous studio with black curtains lining all of the walls, black painted floors and ceiling, and a black reflective shard in the centre that would be the stage of their first group performance. Yu Jun shivered at the sight of it all. It was the perfect backdrop for the lightning and thunder they would be brining to the song in their routine. The formation was set to their groups bunched into the four points of the diamond stage. Cameras were pointing to the black shiny shard from all angles, some on the shoulders of crew and others with wheels and tracks to get all of the performance highlights.

It was a struggle to keep still once she had been shown her place on the stage. Not only was she about to give the viewers the best performance of her life so far, she had been placed next to Sami! Yu Jun couldn’t hope for anything more. She had been right all along, Idol Survival would be the launching pad to everything she dared to hope for.

Lights faded out, thunderous pouring of rain began, and a male voice bellowed, “Are you ready?!” The call echoed throughout the hall, bouncing off the shiny stage and shaking the metal structure. The sparkling silver uniforms were too thin to resist the rain for more than a moment. Yu Jun’s was slick to her skin all over, a second, waterlogged skin. The lights central to the stage flickered to life.

Standing under the downpour, lights shining on her from all angles, Yu Jun became the idol of her fantasies. The main character in her own dreams. No longer a fangirl.

The music began, familiar and energising. The choreography and the lyrics were muscle memory now.

The rain may be beating down on her body, but Yu Jun would not be beaten! She had a dream. She had belief in herself. She had a need to join the idol world. It called in her chest, burst out of her mouth as she sang, and pulsed through her limbs as she danced.

Her body registered the sole of her shoe slipping before her brain did, the sharp intake of breath somehow louder than the beat of the song.