“I’m off to become a princess~”
“Make sure to eat well and call every day.”
“Daily calls… well, if Mom calls, I won’t refuse.”
“Oh dear.”
Due to my busy schedule, I quickly slipped out of the house.
I immediately returned to my dorm and wrapped up the remaining work swiftly.
I also had to prepare for the next year’s end-of-year stage.
It’s so busy.
Especially this time, my body felt more tired than ever due to a new schedule.
Because I had to MC at the Christmas SBC year-end music show.
“Hello!”
“Oh, Do-hee, you’re busy, but still doing MC? Isn’t it tough?”
The popular music show director welcomed me warmly.
“Eh.”
I’d just finished recording a pre-broadcast stage with the older sisters, so I was tired, but it was a good kind of tired.
“I’m not preparing a separate stage, the MC thing is just one day of hard work, so what’s the big deal?”
I guess they offered me the MC role because my hosting during the music show received good reviews. Well, there’s also some popularity behind it.
“Oh, I would really like it if you could perform a special stage here, Do-hee.”
“Really?”
“Yes! Your company said it was a one-off planned event, so they refused that too, and I was so disappointed.”
I guess the director cut it out appropriately.
“Ah~ But that’s really how it is.”
As said, that stage had to be a one-time deal before the comeback.
That way, the memory would be more impactful.
“Maybe we could do it lightly during our concert later on.”
“Oh, is that so? Then please invite me when that happens? That would be so great.”
“Of course, definitely.”
The PD looked genuinely disappointed.
I can’t help but feel a little proud.
The fact that viewership ratings skyrocketed at the Watermelon Music Awards must’ve spread quickly among the PDs, right?
Media broadcasts might lag behind trends and memes, but the PDs who plan are quick to catch on to the trends.
“Oh, and halfway through the script today, there’s a request for the ‘Do-hee pose,’ can you do that?”
See, they’re talking about the Do-hee pose already.
“But is there even a pose?”
“…Not really? I just think the youngest writer put that in…”
What on earth is this Do-hee pose that even I don’t know about?
“Can’t it just be me striking a pose?”
“What, should I pretend to play the piano…?”
“Ah, I found it! It says, ‘The moment Do-hee held the microphone and gave her acceptance speech at the Watermelon Music Awards became quite the topic!'”
“Is that so…? I guess I’ll just hold the microphone and proceed softly…?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Suddenly, it feels a bit challenging.
It’s something… even I find hard to grasp.
*
And thus, another day came to an end. Our members returned to the dorm at 3 AM after finishing both the stage and the MCing.
“I’m dead…”
I collapsed on the floor, exhausted, while the others said,
“I’m kind of feeling like doing something right now. Should we have a little Christmas party? We have no schedule tomorrow.”
“Shall we? Should we cut the cake then?”
Woo-ah Unni and Seo-yoon Unni were spewing some bizarre words.
“Have you lost it… Let’s talk about it tomorrow when I wake up.”
“Well, Do-hee must be really tired… Go to sleep quickly.”
“Yeah, you just sleep.”
In the midst of this, Kimchi climbed on top of my body, which was flopped down on the floor.
She grabbed my head and smacked my butt, then took a riding stance.
“Hyah!”
“…Hey, get down.”
“Hey-ya? The youngest, having no stamina and all, what about manners?”
“Ha-ah…”
I wanted to slam my head until I turned into a mashed kimchi, but…
“Not happening, not happening.”
I was too tired to even muster that strength.
“Yeah, Chiyo, stop torturing Do-hee and go wash up and sleep. Unni is really tired right now.”
Fortunately, Na-eun Unni directly intervened with Chiyo Unni.
Of course, Chiyo Unni was the kind of being that couldn’t be stopped.
“Seriously… what is aging even? Passionate Na-eun Unni is saying she’s tired.”
It was just that Na-eun Unni took the aggro for Chiyo Unni.
“Chiyo, today was busy and long… And you’re not that old. I’m only three years older than you, I’m 22. You’re not that old!”
“So are we having a Christmas party then?”
“No, not really…”
“And Na-eun-chan isn’t she 23?”
“That’s in Korean age, and it’s been a while since they introduced international age.”
“Tsk… I, as a Japanese, use Korean age when I’m in Korea.”
Saying she was tired, Na-eun Unni, who was unusually verbose today, was perfectly handling Chiyo Unni meanwhile.
“I’m 22…”
I quietly crawled to the bathroom.
And as I heard the sound of water, a spirited voice and knocks cheering for my washing up came from outside the door.
“Oh, what’s this? When did Do-hee go into the bathroom? No way, today’s an even day! I’m first in the bathroom!!”
“Ugh…”
“Don’t be a brat and come out quickly!”
I just wanted to give advice to be as wise as Na-eun Unni, who had earlier moved the wash tools to the kitchen.
Still, I came out almost immediately.
“Oh, I’m tired. Unni, I’m out…”
Eight minutes is a new record.
Pretty quick, right?
“No way, today’s an even day!”
“Oh…? It just turned past midnight to the 26th. I thought since we were having Christmas party I was still on the 25th, an odd day.”
“Then what was that fuss earlier!”
“Ugh… Unni, do you think I’m cute…?”
“…Well, somewhat cute.”
“Then the cute Do-hee is going to bed now.”
I’m tired.
“Don’t wake me up until lunch tomorrow…”
“Get lost, I’m definitely going to wake you.”
“Ugh.”
On days with no schedule like this, I should sleep for a long time until I feel refreshed. That’s how I recharge and tackle my tasks.
“I’m really going to wake you.”
Anyway, since Seo-yoon Unni sleeps in, there’s no worry at all…
So I fell into bed and closed my eyes immediately.
I fell straight onto the bed and immediately closed my eyes.
As soon as I lay down, drowsiness hit me hard.
I woke up not in the late afternoon as planned, but in the morning.
“Ugh… what the heck.”
─Buzzz buzzz
Thanks to the phone ringing insistently.
─Buzzz buzzz
“Ugh, who is it… so early in the morning?”
If it was my mom, I was determined to inform her of my furious allowance cut right after answering. With puffy eyes, I blindly grabbed the phone relying on touch.
“…Hello.”
[Hmm~ Do-hee, it’s Unni. What are you up to this morning?]
What is this now?
“Ugh…”
A sigh escaped despite my fatigue.
It was definitely a familiar voice, but the way she spoke was so strange.
“I’m just… sleeping…”
[Did I wake you up? You must’ve been tired yesterday.]
That unmistakable rap tone could not be hidden.
It was Ha-rang Unni.
“Yeah, but Unni…”
[Huh?]
Honestly, I immediately figured out why she called.
[Why, Do-hee?]
Of course, that overly sweet tone of hers wasn’t normally how Ha-rang Unni sounded when she called.
“Ugh.”
If it were the usual Ha-rang Unni, she would have been spouting out nonsense like, “Hey, Do-hee, what’s up with you? Why isn’t Hana here?” or would jump into a prank phone call speaking Japanese.
Even when I said “Hello?” she’d randomly burst into the song she was listening to and wouldn’t stop until she finished it, no matter how many times I asked her what she needed.
“Unni.”
[Yes?]
Anyway, Ha-rang Unni mostly called for fun rather than business, unlike regular folks.
“About the broadcast… No, just tell me.”
And upon hearing that, a voice burst in exuberantly.
[Mission failed!]
[What? No, no! Why is it a failure!?]
So it was indeed for a variety show.
[You can’t let them know it’s a broadcast!]
[Oh, why not!? Do you even know how well I’m following your show? When’s the next one airing? You do know it’s me, right?]
What should I respond with?
“Wait, it was a broadcast? I didn’t know…”
[PD! Look! She had no idea!]
“Is that what I was supposed to say?”
[See? Anyone could tell it was you!]
[No way!]
[Do-hee, you’re pretty sharp!]
[Ha-rang was totally confident it would work out!]
The chaotic situation over the phone completely chased away my sleepiness.
[No, I really didn’t know! I’m not messing with you!]
Rubbing my eyes, I pressed the button for the auto-curtains next to me.
As the sunlight streamed in, I woke up even more…
[Hello, Do-hee! Welcome to Super Planet with all sorts of missions!]
“Oh, yeah, hello. This is Debonaire Lee Do-hee.”
Anyway, this Unni surprisingly got to be on a great variety show.
[Right now, Ha-rang is throwing down a phone mission. Did you know about it?]
This voice belonged to a star-level PD who surpassed the recognition of most entertainers.
“Since you’re the director.”
[Do-hee, honestly! Honestly, you didn’t know, right?!]
Well, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ha-rang Unni was chosen as a regular member. She was famous for never dropping the audio on the Seven shows.
“Honestly?”
[Yes, you have to be honest!]
Sure, if someone who contacted me just before debut suddenly called and talked like that, who would not notice they were appearing on a variety show for promotion?
“I really didn’t kno…no. Shouldn’t I not know?”
[See? Do-hee doesn’t sound like she didn’t know!]
[So she said she didn’t know!]
But at this hour, it must be a phone mission concerning meals, so I should make sure to bring her food.
“Yes, I didn’t know. I’m totally groggy right now…”
[That’s right, Do-hee can’t talk properly when she wakes up!]
I tried to feed her, and she’s accusing me?
[Oh, I’m sorry to wake you up.]
“Oh, no. The one who should be sorry is Ha-rang Unni.”
[Hey!]
Accusing her and whatnot.
“By the way, what was the phone mission?”
[It was to hear from your cutest younger sibling that you’re cute in return!]
“…Oh.”
The cutest younger sibling, huh…
What am I supposed to feel about this? To be honest, isn’t Ye-eun Unni cuter than me?
“But Ha-rang Unni is cute too. The more I see.”
[That’s right! How cute am I?]
Sigh, even matching her rhythm is a hassle. Should I hang up?
[Anyway, mission failed!]
[No, PD, Do-hee honestly said she didn’t know!]
[Right, PD, you chopped the flow by randomly deciding it was a mission failure!]
Once again, the voice of the cast, which seems to be on the same team as Ha-rang Unni, filled the air with a mix of frustration.
Sigh… Still a bit tired.
What should I have for breakfast?
Maybe I should just sleep a little longer.
[Then let’s do this! I’ll give you a new chance!]
[Yes, yes!]
Can I hang up now?
[It feels a bit sad to cut off the call with Do-hee, doesn’t it?]
Guess I can’t do that.
[So, for the next snack mission, I have prepared an easy trivia quiz! I’m going to ask you 5 questions, and if you get 3 right, I’ll mark it as a success.]
“What? Why me all of a sudden?”
[Please, Do-hee! You have to eat Thai breakfast all the way in Thailand!]
“Unni, I already ate a ton when I went on the tour.”
[No, this is different! And I’ve been on a diet lately for the debut! I’ll treat you to a meal next time!]
Sigh.
“Um, I’m not sure I can do this trivia quiz well.”
Looking at the whole three out of five right thing…
It doesn’t seem completely easy.
[Oh, it’s okay! It’s just sad to hang up, so we’ll keep it easy! If you get all five questions right, there will be snacks along with a meal for everyone!]
[Do-hee, please!]
[Please!]
“Haha… I’ll give it a shot.”
Waking up to this fatigue is no joke.
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