It looks like having to work with Mari has been a constant of my journey in the competition. It's the third time already! Maybe Fate thinks we should give each other another chance. So be it. The other pairs are as follows: Seoyoung and Saesong, Daneung and Boyeon, Saeha and Daha, and, lastly, Hyewon and Hyanggi.

Apart from Saeha and Daha, most of the pairings seem troubled. I can already overhear Saesong confront Seoyoung over her laughing at my terrible pole dance performance. Meanwhile, Hyewon is already barking orders at Hyanggi in an ungraceful manner. If anything, it should be the other way around. Hyanggi is currently one of the strongest contestants and shouldn't be treated like that.

I take advantage of the two hours we're given to brainstorm and write together a song to discuss that topic with Mari. She's one of the girls who took part in the mockery and owes me an explanation. "I thought you were starting to act better. Why would you laugh at me like that?" I ask, not convinced by her coy glance.

"I was hearing laughter around me and just followed it... I didn't know why, though."

I snap at her. "Stop lying, Mari! You clearly had malicious intentions."

She doesn't take my latest assertion well and nearly storms out. So much for trying to be a good person for once! "You know what, unnie? I've had enough of your patronizing attitude! Acting all high and mighty when you do nothing but point fingers and find excuses for your shitty performances. Have you seen yourself? You were laughable!" Her mask has fallen. She's never meant to make it up with me. She wants war.

"Fuck off, Mari. Let's do well in this challenge, then get out of my way, you spoiled, good for nothing brat!" My tone is so harsh that everyone freezes at my rant. All except Mari, who keeps her word and bolts out. Time passes and I fear I might be disqualified if she withdraws.

I start jolting down some lines, desperation filling my eyes as tears threaten to pour down my face. I try to call Mari, only to receive no response. This means I have one last resort: asking the staff to help me trace her. One of them tells me she has headed to the dorm. Whatever her problem is, she can't simply run away.

As that staff member has said, I find her by her bunk bed, packing her bags. As soon as she notices me, she yells, "Leave me alone! I'm done here!"

"So, you don't care you're putting me in trouble because of your selfishness, Mari? How can you be so thin skinned? You acted like shit and need to own up to that." The more I insist on her needing to make amends for her poor attitude, the more she stuffs in her bags.

I don't move until she changes her mind. I keep provoking her by saying, "I won't leave until you apologize to me and come back to the challenge. No matter what it takes." She doesn't relent. She keeps packing. I guess I have to finish writing on my own—and will barely have any time to practice.

I can't please everyone. If she wants to quit the competition, so be it.

***

The production has issued a statement, saying that Mari will regularly take part in this challenge, but will be absent for a period due to family reasons. So, that was a serious matter... I shouldn't have judged her so quickly. This means that we'll have to earn each other's forgiveness in a mutual manner.

At least, she has managed to do her part, adding her own lines expressing her sorrow and feeling sorry for the drama caused. We are the last pair to perform, which allows us to regroup and distribute parts.

Daneung and Boyeon are the first to sing. Their piece, Nostalgia, is a journey through subconscious. The jury is touched by the emotional verses, as well as the bridge displaying their vocal skills. "Well done, girls," is Seokgi's comment. Simple, but showing his piqued interest in the track.

Next up are Saeha and Daha, who present a bold freestyle on being friendzoned. Thanks to Daha, it also has a humorous touch to it. For around two minutes and a half, I feel like my problems are lifted away like the heaviest of burdens.

The following pairs shockingly underperform for different reasons. During Hyewon and Hyanggi's turn, they go off tempo due to a misunderstanding, which is compounded further by Hyewon suddenly feeling unwell. As Hyanggi tries to carry on, Songbin shakes her head.

Afterwards, Seoyoung and Saesong present their piece titled What if?, talking about living in a parallel universe. Sara blasts the lyrics, deeming them overly simplistic, while Songbin criticizes Saesong, citing her lack of emotion in her performance. I don't think she's objective. If anything, Seoyoung is the one who's lukewarm at best today.

Mari and I close the round, hoping the judges will be in a better mood. Since the song isn't really finished yet, we have to improvise the final part. Mari starts with the first verse. 'It's a rainy day deep in my heart / My pains are washed away in the mirror / Like a deadly illusion / Like the smoke vanishing in the thick air.'

Silence falls in the studio as the song goes on. Then, it's my turn. Inventing lyrics following the flow comes natural to me. 'Those words are poison to me / Yeah, those words are poison to me / Even hours, days of rain won't erase traces of that poison / It takes more than a rainy day / To remove those painful memories.'

The other contestants and even the judges erupt in applause, with the clear exception of Songbin, who crosses her arms. She's pissed off. She angrily addresses me, her pointing finger directed at me along with a glare that could send me to the deepest of Hell if it could. "You... Was that aimed at you?"

I maintain a steady but measured tone as I answer, "Not really, Songbin-nim. It came straight from my heart."

"Spare me your excuses, Saesom! You've always cut corners throughout this competition. I'll push for you to get a low score until you learn." The way she pronounces these spiteful words, like a sentence, would've disparaged me a few hours ago.

Now, I fight back. "That's a bold assumption of yours to make. Look, I greatly respect you, as an artist, as a judge, as a person. Better said, I used to." The rest of the jury turns to her, cold looks on their faces. She has crossed the line.

I continue. "If this means I should be punished with a low score, so be it. This means I'll push harder in the final two rounds. I'm not going to quit."

At the end, Songbin's empty threat is nothing but dead air. The other judges and the audience appreciated Mari's and my performance enough for it to earn 40 points. The winners of this round are Boyeon and Daneung, with 50 points.

Saeha and Daha do well enough to bag 30 points. Saesong and Seoyoung's saving grace is Dohee's strong defense of the former against Songbin's biased judgement over her facial expressions, which means the pair earns 20 points.

Hyanggi and Hyewon, due to the latter's sudden illness, get the bare minimum of ten points. Hyanggi, however, doesn't care about scores. She's more worried about Hyewon's wellbeing, and so am I after realizing she could also have to put the competition on hold.

This feels like being in a carousel spinning at lightspeed in the hyperspace with no chance for a pause.