Dohee seemed terribly indignant about having to sleep on the floor.
[Dohee: Two people. The bottom two go grocery shopping.]
─You said we were going to get some rest, but you keep trying to squeeze content out of everything lol
─Guys, just lose once. The bet can’t end until Dohee wins...
[Naeun: Even if a song we don’t know comes on, we still have to sing it?]
[Dohee: Of course. If you can’t sing even a little, or you sing awkwardly? Immediate deduction. You’re out. Last place.]
The members gathered in the living room and turned on the karaoke machine.
[Everybody cut foot loose]
And each of them tackled the practice song in their own unique posture—on the sofa, on the living-room floor, sitting, or standing.
But they all had one thing in common: their heads stretched forward as though they might be sucked into the karaoke screen, and their passionate singing was an utter mess despite their attempts to ride the rhythm.
[Ah wan too three four!]
[You, are playing! So cool~]
[Obeying every rule~]
[Seoyun: Wow, you picked some great songs.]
─Lol this is a complete disaster
The screen soon changed with a dinging sound effect.
[Chiyo: All right! Contestant number one.]
And the dinner bet began in earnest.
[Dohee: The judges said they’ll be watching your introductions, too.]
[Seoyun: Staff, you know how I feel, right~? My heart! 486! I love youuu~]
Seoyun called out the number 486 while putting on an adorable aegyo display.
[Naeun: Is there a number 486?]
But just as the members remembered, an unexpected, earthy melody began to flow from the speakers.
[Whoa... Seosan Seaside Village.]
[A song from ’77.]
[That unnie’s doomed. She’s doomed.]
─Lol listen to that intro
─Her variety-sense is really kicking in lol
─Who’s that hearty laughter again lol Dohee? lol
[Seoyun: ......Ah.]
[Dohee: Hwahahahaha!]
Still, Seoyun had been on stages and at concerts more times than she could count.
Like the veteran she was, she quickly raised the energy by playing the tambourine and performing a little dance.
[Chiyo: Hey! (clapping)]
Riding the excitement, Chiyo began to dance along to the rich, flowing melody.
Along with diamond steps, she waved her wide-open palms from side to side—the sort of choreography one might see from a grandmother in the countryside who loved trot songs.
─Chiyo lol Was she raised by a Korean grandmother or something?
─Where did she learn a dance like that? lol
─Her absurdity is killing me lololol
The lyrics appeared on the screen in karaoke-machine font, and the fingers folded down one by one.
Three, two, one!
And Seoyun’s potential exploded!
[Seoyun: Shall I pick oysters⤳ shall I pick abalone⤳♪]
─Lololol she’s seriously damn good
─Wait, what is this trot-voiced fairy? lol
[Seoyun: Seosan~ seaside villaaage⤻]
* * *
Applause rang out.
[Dohee: Seriously, unnie, that was the best singing I’ve ever seen from you.]
And as expected, Seoyun scored high!
[Uah: Ah... what do I do?]
With her turn next, Uah nervously bit her nails.
[Dohee: Enough. Next.]
As though she had steeled herself, Uah took the microphone and stood in the middle of the living room.
[Uah: Yes, hello~? Please take good care of me, judges~]
[Naeun (kind leader): You can do it~]
As Naeun’s cute two-handed encouragement brought smiles to the fans’ faces—
[Chiyo: Does your introduction have no individuality or effort?]
[Dohee: Are you asking the judges to make a biased ruling?]
[Seoyun: Boo, Jiwooah.]
The interference from the three who couldn’t stand to see another high scorer continued, each for their own reasons.
[Uah: Yes. I’ll go with number 123.]
[Dohee (first nitpicker): What does 123 mean?]
[Seoyun (second nitpicker): Does it have some kind of meaning?]
[Chiyo (third nitpicker): Even your song choice has no individuality... Good grief.]
─The Nitpickers lololol
─I like the name. It’s well chosen lololol
─From now on, this trio is going by the Nitpickers
Of course, Uah was not the type to sit still and take it from the three of them.
[Uah: One, two, three. Number 123. (menacing)]
[Dohee: Gasp...]
[Seoyun: I-it’s okay. I’m the unnie here.]
[Chiyo: ...Applause!]
Quickly reading the mood, Dohee rose from the sofa and dashed to the karaoke machine to press 123. The intro began to play.
[Number 123—Winter Rose]
[Naeun: Winter Rose?]
─But this song selection is seriously amazing lol
It was a truly gentle, old-style R&B song.
[Uah: ...I was young and didn’t know back then.]
Everyone knew it was an obvious fact that a song this calm and unexciting had no chance of receiving a high score.
On top of that, it was her first time hearing the song, so naturally she couldn’t sing it properly.
The staff members were pointedly ignoring the stage, while the Nitpickers kept sneaking glances at them.
The Nitpickers huddled together, pressing their heads close as they whispered.
[Seoyun: Ugh, I’m bored. The mood’s sinking...]
[Dohee: This unnie is definitely going grocery shopping.]
[Chiyo: No fun... Uah is definitely out of the running...]
Of course, whenever Uah briefly turned her head toward the members, the Nitpickers would clap and shower her with every exclamation of admiration imaginable.
[Dohee: Wahoo!]
[Seoyun: Yeehaw~]
[Chiyo: Oh my?]
─The forced hype had to show up here of all places lololol
─Lololol are these guys a girl group or variety entertainers?
─Every single one of their voices is freaking hilarious lololol
And so the stage, overflowing with forced laughter and applause, came to an end.
[Dohee: Ah~ Thank you for the lovely song.]
[Uah: You liked it?]
[Dohee: The best, the best!]
─Dorahee really never changes lololol
Seeing Dohee step forward yet again to take the microphone and greet Uah, the viewers snickered.
And finally, the judges’ scores were raised high into view!
[Dohee: Wait, how did she get that score?]
[Uah: What?]
[Dohee: No, I mean, how did she get anything but that score!!]
[Uah: Ah-ha~]
─Seriously, every single one of Dorahee’s lines today is cracking me up lololol
Of course, while everyone else tactfully kept their mouths shut, the occasional voice of righteous criticism and outrage could still be heard.
[Naeun: No, how did she get scores of 86 and 84!!!]
─Naeun can’t lie lololol
─The eldest leader’s shameless confidence lololol
─The Nitpickers are such sycophants, this is refreshing~
[Dohee: Why? There are so many ears in the world listening. People just have different tastes, right?]
[Uah: Oh, our dongsaeng sure knows how to talk. There, there.]
─Rahee was the boss during the day, but suddenly becoming a sycophant is killing me lololol I can’t
* * *
─Even the editor is slowly losing it while editing this lololol
─Now they’re just putting whatever they want in the captions lol
[Chiyo: Hello, my name is Kim Jisoo.]
[Dohee: Ms. Kim Jisoo? Are you committing fraud starting with your introduction?]
[Seoyun: She’s obviously Japanese.]
Yesterday’s comrade was today’s enemy.
There were no friends on Chiyo’s stage.
[Chiyo: E... yorushiku onegaishimasu.]
[Dohee: Japanese on a Korean broadcast...?]
[Seoyun: Ah~ The KCC might issue a warning over this, you know.]
[Uah: Did you really have to speak Japanese...]
And yesterday’s enemy was today’s comrade.
─What are they, a sports team? The Debonair Nitpickers lololol
─Lololol who’s the leader of the Nitpickers?
Meanwhile, the screen showed Dohee lightly nudging Naeun and whispering to her. Dohee was gesturing for Naeun to hurry up and say something too.
[Naeun: (hesitating) ...I was going to do it after my turn.]
─So Dorahee was the owner of the Nitpickers lololol
─Recruitment failed lololol
─She didn’t say she wouldn’t do it—she said she’d do it after her turn lololol
The Nitpickers’ owner wore a troubled expression.
Along with Dohee’s peculiar look—
[Chiyo: Then! I’ll go with number 8500!]
A button was pressed, and at last the third song, Chiyo’s stage, began.
[Number 8500—You Got It!!]
[Naeun: New Kids on the Block?]
[Seoyun: Isn’t it a famous song?]
[Uah: Maybe Chiyo knows it?]
[Dohee: I just looked it up, and apparently this song made the Billboard Top Ten.]
As the members reasonably guessed, the viewers’ chat filled with comments saying they knew the song.
─Oh, the first song I know
─I think I’ve heard it before
[Chiyo: ...Eeh.]
─Yeah, she doesn’t know it
Chiyo changed course.
[Chiyo: Yo, check it out!]
Anyone who saw her showing off a homespun granny vibe to Seoyun’s trot had to forget that image entirely.
Chiyo’s body automatically reacted to the hip-hop rhythm.
[Seoyun: Hey, this is good.]
[Uah: Huh...?!]
[Dohee: Hwahaha, wow!]
[Naeun: That’s awesome!]
The members burst into hysterical laughter once again, while Chiyo enjoyed herself onstage.
[Chiyo: First time was a great time~ ho!]
Those who work hard can never beat those who enjoy themselves and play.
─Lololol I’m seriously losing my mind
─I’ve never seen a girl group act like this before lololol
Chiyo pranced about with nimble footwork, occasionally giving the judges a cool look.
[Uah: ...She’s good, though?]
[Naeun: ...Why is she good?]
[Dohee: No, she’s seriously a genius. Why is she so good?]
─Lololol this is killing me
─No, being funny while overflowing with swag is a talent too
And Chiyo received a reward worthy of her talent and effort.
[Naeun: Chiyo, you seriously tore it up.]
She basked in the praise.
[Chiyo: Eh?]
─That’s too harsh lol She worked so damn hard
─Pitch: zero points lololol
─But the stage was awesome. She was a total top idol
Now only two stages remained.
Leader Naeun and boss Dohee.