I couldn't believe my ears when I heard my name being called out as the current number one in the interim ranking. All my hard work, endless hours of practice, and determination had finally paid off. But as I looked around, I saw the jealousy in some of the other trainees' eyes. I could feel their envious stares, and it made me uncomfortable.

I tried to focus on my lunch and pretend everything was normal, but the whispers around me grew louder. It was getting harder to ignore them. Finally, Keita and Matthew came over to my table with a concerned look on their faces.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked, feeling a knot form in my stomach.

Keita hesitated for a moment before he spoke, "Billie, have you seen this?"

He handed me his phone, and I saw a headline on a popular website that read "Is Billie hiding her wealthy background? Zaibatsu heir confirmed among K-Pop trainees."

My heart sank. How did they find out? I had tried so hard to keep this a secret, but I guess in this industry, nothing stays hidden for too long.

Matthew put a reassuring hand on my shoulder, "Hey, it's okay. We don't care about that stuff. You're still our friend, and we'll support you no matter what."

I smiled weakly at them. I was grateful for their support, but deep down, I knew things were going to change. Being a wealthy heir in a cutthroat industry like this meant that people would be looking at me differently.

As we finished our lunch, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. How many people had read that article? Would it affect my future as a K-Pop idol?

Keita and Matthew tried to lighten the mood by cracking jokes and making me laugh, but I couldn't shake off the weight of the situation. I had to figure out how to handle this before it affected my ranking and relationships with the other trainees.

But as I left the cafeteria, I couldn't help but feel like I had lost a part of myself. Being a Zaibatsu heir wasn't something I was ashamed of, but it wasn't something I wanted to define me in this industry either. All I could do now was to work even harder and prove to everyone that I deserved to be here, regardless of my background.

I take a deep breath before entering the training area and try to calm my racing thoughts. How could they find out about my family's wealth, I purposely entered the competition under a different last name? I always tried to keep it a secret, to be just like any other trainee. I didn't want special treatment, and I didn't want anyone to think that I had it easy. But now that the truth is out, I'm not sure what to do.

Keita and Matthew were looking at me, their expressions a mix of concern and disappointment. I feel a pang of guilt for not telling them, but I didn't want them to treat me any differently. "I'm sorry," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't want anyone to know."

Matthew puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Billie. We understand why you kept it a secret."

I can feel the eyes of the other trainees on me. They whisper and point, and I can hear snatches of their conversations.

"Did you hear about Billie?"

"She's from one of the wealthiest families in the world."

"No wonder she's been ranking first. She must have bought a million votes."

I feel my face grow hot with embarrassment and shame. I don't want to be judged based on something that's completely out of my control. But I know that's exactly what's going to happen. The other trainees will envy me even more now, and I'll be even more of an outsider than before.

I try to focus on the routines and block out the whispers and stares. But it's hard to concentrate when I feel like everyone is judging me. I keep thinking about what my father told me before I left for the training camp: "Don't let anyone know who you really are. You're just like everyone else, Rei." My father supported my dream and I was so grateful for it. As the youngest kid I was well aware of my privilege. My older brother hadn't been as lucky.

But now that secret is out, and I'm not sure how to deal with it. I try to push the thoughts out of my head and focus on the training, but it's difficult. I can feel the weight of everyone's expectations on my shoulders, and it's suffocating.

As I walked past a group of trainees, one of them muttered, "That's the rich girl, right?"

I felt my face flush with embarrassment and shame. I wanted to disappear, to run away from this all.

But then, I heard Keita's voice from behind me, "Her name is Billie, and she's worked just as hard as any of us to be here. So, how about we focus on training and not on gossip?"

I turned to see Keita standing tall, his eyes fixed on the group of trainees. I felt a surge of gratitude and admiration for him.

Slowly, the other trainees began to disperse, and I was left standing with Keita and Matthew. "Thank you guys," I said, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

Matthew smiled, "Of course, Billie. We're a team, remember?"

After classes, Choonhae and Ricky caught up with me on my way to the dorms. "Are you okay, Billie?" my roommate asked, concern etched on her face.

I shook my head, "I don't know, Choona. This is all so overwhelming. I didn't mean to keep it a secret from you guys. I just didn't want people to treat me differently."

Ricky put a hand on my shoulder, "We don't care about your wealth, Billie. You're our friend and that's all that matters. We just don't want you to be hurt by what others might say or think."

"I appreciate that, guys," I said, feeling grateful for their support. "But I don't know how to face the other trainees now. I can already feel the envy and judgment from them."

Choonhae put a reassuring hand on my back, "Don't worry. We'll figure this out together. We'll have your back no matter what."

I nodded, feeling a sense of comfort wash over me. Having friends like them made me feel like I could face anything.

I head back to my room and try to process everything that's happened. I know that I need to come up with a plan to deal with the fallout from the article, but I'm not sure where to start. I decide to call my father and ask for his advice.

"Rei," he says when he picks up. "How's the training going?"

"It's going okay," I say, trying to sound upbeat. "But there's been a development."

I explain the situation to him, and he listens patiently. "Well, Reina, you know that this was bound to happen eventually. You can't keep your background a secret forever."

"I know, but what do I do now? The other trainees are going to treat me differently, and I don't want that."

"Be true to yourself, Rei. Don't let anyone else's opinions or judgments affect you. You're there to train and improve, and that's what you should focus on."

He was right. That should be my number one priority no matter what.