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━━━ " 📂  " ‍..⃗. ༉

𝙁 𝙇 𝙄 𝘾 𝙆 𝙀 𝙍

! ep. 01 pt. 01 ─── ʚĭɞ

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She had only just stepped out of the van and she was regretting it, swallowing back nerves as she bowed at the staff that greeted her and pointed her towards the path that she would be taking through the woods to the building in which I-Land would be set.

Seo Yoomi was more determined then every to do well. She had been approached by Bang Sihyuk himself and asked to be in the show - they needed a sudden twist, and considering that most survival shows were sorted by gender, what better than to add a girl to a primarly male show and watch those ratings soar.

Nobody else had agreed to do it, and she could understand why. Co-ed groups were looked down on in the industry, and god knows what they would have to say about a girl staying in a space with boys for weeks on end.

Not to mention the general inequality between them. Whilst Yoomi liked to pretend otherwise and just do her very best, there were things which would set her apart. Such the songs, they would all be made for males, and although she knew she would be able to do them given her skills, the dances would be made for men as well, people with different body types and physical strengths.

She wasn't going to let that affect her at all though. Yoomi didn't give two shits if the dances, songs and challenges were made for men. She wasn't there to win, as per the agreement, but simply there for ratings and to push them up.

The girl really didn't know why she accepted, already able to feel the cameras on her as she descended down the stairs to the building, her fully black outfit standing out in the green. She could only imagine the reactions of people watching and the producers in their small room as the footage was played back to them live, listening to a profile that detailed her to have been a trainee at SM for two years, then another two at BigHit - so she was used to competitive environments.

Only Bang Sihyuk and the other important people surrounding the shows creation knew why she was there. Only they knew the amount of money she had been offered for each episode she appeared on and the total she would have earned by the end.

That was why she accepted, and why she was pushing the sick feeling and nerves away. That amount of money was what was fuelling her. She needed it to pay off her living debts to her grandmother so she didn't have to worry about it for the rest of her life and then be able to debut in some girl group some time after I-Land ended.

But for now, she could only stop in front of the massive wall that the staff had instructed her to go to, marvelling at the sheer size of the building as she tightened her ponytail. Forrcing the nerves away she assumed a facial expression that nobody would expect from her and wait for the door to open.

Because that was a part of the contract as well as the money. She was to act like her usual self. Which was a little harder to do when you knew you were being watched by cameras, but something she knew she could achieve.

Finally, the door swung open, far too slow for her liking. Like many of the trainees before her - and she knew she was the last to enter - she waited for the door to open fully before walking inside, following through the natural path of the corridor.

There was a break in the cameras here, a quick scan of the walls and ceiling determined that. If she walked a couple feet forward up into the reflective she would be seen by the cameras and the other trainees.

And so, before she began up the stairs, she took a moment to herself. Adjusting her tank top to cover her midriff as much as possible, pulling the sweatpants further up her waist and the jacket closer around her. Then, she made sure her laces were tied properly because really the last thing she needed was to fall flat on her face.

She could hear the contestants talking inside, about the last remaining seat. All of them were aware that one of the trainees had to forfeit his place as he had injured himself pretty severely, but nobody had heard about him getting a replacement.

Which already set the tone for her entrance. Already they were muttering about who it could be, which meant they were interested. And given that she had a reputation to uphold throughout the show, she had to make sure this was perfect.

Some of them already knew her, whether it was from training around her or not. But they knew her from before the show and knew how she acted there, which would spread around for itself.

She couldn't stumble and had to look as serious as she could manage. Which was easy, it came naturally now, even when she was full of nerves.

Finally, she took one last deep breath and pushed herself forward, taking the steps confidently, head held high.

Gasps echoed through the room, some of pure shock, some of recognition. Already she could see several recognisable faces leaning across to each other and mumbling as she stepped onto the lit up platform that would move her across the space.

Yoomi scanned the scene in front of her, through the ranges of colour and familiar and unfamiliar faces, taking in the competition.

Much to her surprise, a few stood up and bowed to her, receiving the same greeting back as she moved forward, ducking her head in various directions, not a single smile appearing on her face.

The seat remaining was right in the centre, the only grey box left over. Perfect. Chin still held high she cross the space, sitting down in the seat and cross her legs, forcing her hands into fists to stop them from shaking.

This was the beginning of a completely new journey for her. She just had to try her hardest to get that money she so desperately needed. She didn't care about debuting - which she knew she wouldn't - or the trainees or what the public thought of her. Just about the money.

Otherwise there would have been no point in her coming on the show at all.