Idol in a Gender-Reversed World

The day after I got the doppelganger doll, I sent a message to Ahyeon.

[Me: Are you busy?]

[Ahyeon: No. I have nothing to do, so I'm bored. I'm a junior, so they don't give me much work.]

Ahyeon's message reminded me of the old days. If I had to go back to office life, I wonder if I could handle it. Becoming an idol trainee was physically demanding, but at least I escaped the tedious office life.

'I wish I could have thrown my resignation letter in that guy's face and left coolly.'

[Me: Why didn't you tell me?]

[Ahyeon: (Rabbit tilting head emoji) Huh? What do you mean?]

[Me: That you're on the dedicated team.]

[Ahyeon: I figured you'd find out soon enough, so I didn't see the need to tell you early.]

[Me: So you'll be working with our team from now on?]

[Ahyeon: Yeah, that's the plan.]

[Me: Then we'll see each other often. That's great. ㅎㅎ]

[Ahyeon: You like seeing me often?]

[Me: Of course. Having you on the dedicated team makes me feel secure. You'll work hard, right?]

[Ahyeon: ㅎㅎㅎ You do your thing.]

Thanks to Ahyeon being on our group's dedicated team, our somewhat neglected relationship was rekindled. She was busy adapting to the company, and I was focused on debut preparations, so we could only exchange occasional messages.

'She clearly has feelings for me….'

This seemed like a good opportunity to use the doppelganger doll.

[Me: Are you busy right now?]

[Ahyeon: Right now? Why?]

[Me: Can you come out?]

[Ahyeon: Now? Isn't it too late? It's 11 PM.]

Ahyeon is from the countryside and lives alone. If she hadn't found a job after her trainee days, she would have returned to her parents in the countryside.

[Me: Just for a bit? I'm so busy with debut prep that I need a break. Talking to you will help me relax.]

[Ahyeon: How will you get out? You're living in the dorm.]

[Me: Everyone will be asleep by midnight. I can sneak out quietly.]

[Ahyeon: Won't you get in trouble if you get caught?]

[Me: I'll deal with it if I get caught. Can I come to your place?]

[Ahyeon: You're coming to my place!?]

[Me: It's late, so going somewhere else would be tough. I just want to relax. I'll stop by the convenience store and bring some beer.]

[Ahyeon: You want to drink beer too?]

[Me: Just one can each.]

[Ahyeon: Okay. I'll wait for you. My address is....]

"Yes!"

Successfully convincing Ahyeon, I used the doppelganger doll while the other members were resting in their rooms. After a day of practice, the tired members were resting, making it easy for me to sneak out. My roommate, Woo-yeon, had gone to wash up, so I used the doll without any issues. He wouldn't bother me since he knows I sleep like a log. I had told him several times that once I fall asleep, he can move me without waking me up.

"Hae-sol!"

"Hi."

"Wow, you brought so much stuff."

I had bought beer, snacks, and even some junk food from the convenience store.

"You're not going to tell me to watch my diet, are you?"

"Ha ha! No, I'll make an exception today. Even athletes have cheat days."

"Today is my cheat day. No one can stop me. Hehe!"

Gulp-

My mouth watered instinctively. Of course, it was because of the food.

…Probably.

She was wearing a comfortable, flowing long dress that suited her well.

'I was hoping for hot pants, but…'

Ahyeon looked great in the dress too. Plus, it was getting warmer, so the dress was thin and slightly see-through. Sometimes, a subtle reveal is more tantalizing than being fully exposed. We had said we'd have just one can of beer each, but I bought more than that. As we started drinking, the beer disappeared quickly.

"You can hold your liquor."

"This is nothing. These days, I'm surviving on alcohol."

Ahyeon sighed deeply. She seemed to have a lot on her mind. I could relate, having been through similar experiences.

"Is it hard to adapt?"

"When I ran away from home to become an idol and came to Seoul, I thought I would never regret it. It was my life's decision."

"Do you regret it now?"

"I thought my experience as a trainee would help, but it hasn't. Do you know what I did all day today? Made coffee, copied documents, answered phones, moved boxes, copied more documents. I didn't become a trainee to do this. What have I been doing all this time?"

Listening to her made me feel like I was having a PTSD episode. If she keeps this up, she'll be carrying a resignation letter in her heart soon.

"Hey, it's okay. It's all part of the process. It'll all be worth it someday. You're doing great! You're amazing, Ahyeon!"

Everything Ahyeon was feeling, I had been through it all. The regret of not studying something more practical, the frustration with clueless or demanding bosses, and the self-loathing when you can't understand something right away.

'Adapting is never easy.'

I didn't need to solve her problems. She just needed to know someone was there for her.

"Hang in there! You can do it! And so can I! Cheers, cheers!"

"Hehe, thanks. Cheers~"

We clinked beer cans and drank more. As the night wore on, the atmosphere became more intimate. Ahyeon talked mostly about work, and I talked about the debut.

"Adapting to something new is never easy. I somehow ended up in the debut group, but I often don't understand what I'm doing. Once I get used to it, I'll know what I can do. Until then, I'll just do whatever they tell me, even if it kills me."

"Haha! Same here. I'm just doing what they tell me, even if I don't understand it."

The conversation deepened. Before we knew it, empty beer cans littered the floor. Ahyeon's cheeks were flushed, and she was swaying slightly.

"Hum~ hum~ hum~♬~♪"

She seemed happy, humming a tune. It was adorable.

'I want to kiss her.'

Smack-

Should I? Should I go for it? Is this the right moment? My outer appearance had changed, but inside, I was still a 30-something guy from Earth. I couldn't move easily in this situation. But even on Earth, this would be a good moment to make a move. I couldn't resist the urge any longer and started to move closer to her. Just then, her dress rode up, revealing her deep cleavage.

'Wow, bigger than I thought.'

I was surprised and leaned back. She didn't seem to notice and laughed, grabbing another beer can.

"Aren't you drinking too fast?"

"It's fine! I'm at home, so who cares if I get drunk?"

"True."

If she gets drunk, she can just pass out and sleep it off. She seemed to feel safe drinking at home.

'She probably thinks I won't make a move on her.'

I decided to retreat for now. There would be more opportunities.

"Why did you choose to work at the company? The other trainees said they didn't want to."

"Well, I gave up on my dream, but I haven't let it go completely. I still have regrets. If I quit being a trainee, I'd have to go back home. The only way to avoid that was to get a job at the company."

"If you still have regrets, wouldn't it be better to keep trying as a trainee?"

"I'm not stupid. I knew I wouldn't make it even if I kept trying."

Many trainees left after the debut members were announced, especially female trainees. They lost hope when the company focused on boy groups.

"I didn't want to live with regret, so I thought about it. I decided to live vicariously through others. If I help other trainees achieve their dreams, maybe I can find some satisfaction."

"Will that be enough"

"Yes! It has to be!! I don't want to dwell on my regrets forever! But being on your group's dedicated team is a step towards achieving my dream."

Ahyeon was already quite drunk, but she kept drinking. She was opening up more than usual.

"Is it okay to tell me all this? You might regret it tomorrow."

I was worried she might regret oversharing, but drunk Ahyeon didn't seem to care.

"Huh? Don't you want to listen to me?"

"It's not that I don't want to listen, I'm just worried you'll regret it tomorrow."

"We're friends!! It's okay with friends!"

"Hey, you're too close."

Her speech was starting to slur, a sign she was really drunk. I thought she was handling it well, but she was already far gone.

'With that pronunciation, she could be an announcer. Wait, what am I thinking? That's not important right now.'

"Friend~ Friend~"

"Whoa, why are you crawling towards me? Stop."

She crawled towards me, her dress riding up, but she didn't seem to notice. She looked up at me and asked again.

"Don't you wanna listen to me?"

"I already told you, I came here to talk to you."

She was really drunk. She was repeating herself, a sure sign of intoxication.

"Hehe, really? My friend! I knew it! You're my friend! Cross my heart~!!!"

"Uh-huh. Cross your heart. Cross your heart."

I crossed my fingers with hers, but the X was wobbly.

'Am I drunk too? I can't be drunk from just a few beers!'

I tried to deny it, but I felt dizzy and lightheaded. If someone asked if I was drunk, I could probably say no, but my body wasn't cooperating. This must be because it's not my original body. Damn, I can't make a move on Ahyeon like this.

"Huhuhu!"

"Hehehe."

As I spaced out for a moment, Ahyeon was looking at me and giggling. I laughed too, looking like an idiot.

"You're cute."

"Hic. Th-thanks."

Ahyeon hiccupped and scooted closer to me.

"Tell me."

"About what?"

"You"

"Me?"

As I answered her, I reached for an octopus snack with mayonnaise. I love the combination of beer and dry snacks. I opened my mouth, expecting the salty taste. But the mayonnaise octopus never made it into my mouth. My face was suddenly grabbed by Ahyeon's hands.

"???"

"Hehe~"

Ahyeon was still smiling. I had the octopus snack in one hand, thinking.

'I need to eat this snack.'

Plop-

The octopus fell to the floor. It should have gone into my mouth, but I didn't care anymore. Because something even more satisfying had taken its place.

Smack! Smooch! Smack! Smack!

Instead of the octopus, Ahyeon's lips were on mine, and her tongue was in my mouth.