They didn't announce the rankings right away.
That was deliberate.
The morning passed as usual—breakfast under surveillance, light stretching, idle conversation that never quite relaxed. A staff member mentioned casually that rankings would be revealed "later today," and that single sentence rewired the atmosphere.
Everyone started behaving.
Not better.
Sharper.
I noticed it in the way laughter came a second too late. In the way posture straightened when the handheld camera drifted closer. In the way silence stretched, heavy with calculation.
The system didn't comment.
It didn't need to.
We were called into the main studio just after lunch.
The lights were already on when we arrived, bright and unforgiving. A large vertical screen stood at the front of the room, dark for now. Chairs were arranged in neat rows, one for each trainee.
No assigned seats.
Another test.
Jae-hyun took the center position without hesitation. Two others flanked him instinctively. The rest of us filled in around them like water finding low ground.
I chose a seat slightly off-center.
Visible.
Not confrontational.
The cameras circled slowly, capturing anticipation from every angle. Close-ups lingered on tapping fingers, shallow breaths, lips pressed too tight.
The MC stepped forward.
"Today, we'll be revealing the first Rising Stars rankings," he said, voice warm. "These rankings are based on initial viewer impressions, on-site evaluations, and overall presence."
Presence.
A vague word. A dangerous one.
"These rankings are not permanent," he added. "But first impressions… tend to last."
Someone swallowed loudly.
The screen flickered to life.
"Let's begin."
They started from the bottom.
Not cruelly. Methodically.
Each name appeared with a soft sound cue, followed by a brief pause—just long enough for hope to flare, then settle.
Ranks twenty to fifteen passed in a blur of forced smiles and controlled disappointment. Some trainees bowed deeply. Some nodded stiffly. One blinked too fast.
I counted without meaning to.
When we reached fourteen, my name still hadn't appeared.
Neither had Jae-hyun's.
The system stirred faintly, like a breath behind my ear.
[PUBLIC PERCEPTION DATA: INITIALIZED]
Rank thirteen.
Rank twelve.
At eleven, a trainee beside me exhaled shakily when his name appeared. Relief wasn't joy. It was survival.
Top ten.
The studio felt smaller.
The MC's voice softened, as if aware of the weight.
"These trainees have left a particularly strong impression."
Rank ten.
Rank nine.
Rank eight.
When Kang Jae-hyun's name appeared at Rank 3, the room reacted before he did. Whispers. A ripple of acknowledgment. He accepted it with a polite bow, expression neutral—but his jaw tightened.
He hadn't aimed for third.
The screen paused.
Two names left.
My heart rate stayed steady.
That surprised me.
"Rank two…"
The name appeared.
Not mine.
A trainee known for bright expressions and easy charm. A producer favorite.
Applause followed, enthusiastic but measured.
The screen went dark.
For half a second, there was nothing.
No name.
No sound.
Then—
RANK 1: MIN-JOON
The room didn't erupt.
It went silent.
Complete, suffocating silence.
I felt every camera turn toward me at once, lenses adjusting, hunger sharpening. Somewhere, an editor smiled.
I stood slowly.
Not rushed.
Not stunned.
Just… present.
I bowed.
Once.
Deep enough to be respectful. Shallow enough to be steady.
Inside, something settled.
Not triumph.
Responsibility.
[RANKING IMPACT DETECTED]
EMPATHY TRAIT — PUBLIC RESONANCE UNLOCKED
NOTE: Being first means being watched the closest.
I sat back down.
Kang Jae-hyun looked at me fully now.
Not with hostility.
With focus.
After the shoot wrapped, we were dismissed in small groups. The hallway buzzed with whispered disbelief.
"Did you expect that?"
"No way…"
"Editing trick?"
I walked quietly, letting the noise pass around me.
The system appeared once more, restrained as ever.
[RISING STARS — LOOP STATUS UPDATED]
POSITION: HIGH VISIBILITY NODE
RISK LEVEL: ELEVATED
That night, alone on my bed, I stared at the ceiling camera.
Being invisible had been easy.
Being first?
That would cost me.
I closed my eyes carefully, aware of every breath.
Tomorrow, the world would start asking who I was.
And worse—
Who I should be.