Mischievous Function

More Idols, More Problems

That evening...

"Guys, we have a problem," Aqua said as she and Dot walked back into the lobby dining area, where Fanny and Clock had been munching on some chicken nuggets.

Fanny turned to look at them and asked, "What kind of problem?"

Dot glanced down at Aqua for a moment before speaking. "Well, it turns out that the solo division, 2–5 division, and 6–9 division are all full. Apparently there's a lot of musical groups competing, and the competition encompasses all music genres. Rock, J- and K-pop, metal, EDM, and so on."

"So not only can our group not compete," Aqua finished, "but you can't even split in half or compete individually; not that any of you are even ready for that, anyway. So, uh...we're either gonna have to figure something out, or, well...you know."

Fanny paused in disbelief for a second as her mind processed what they had just said. A few seconds later, she shut her eyes as she slammed her fist on the table. "Damn it!" she growled. "Are we really not going to get to compete? I hate embarrassing myself just for nothing!"

"Hey, a bet's a bet," Clock shrugged.

Aqua and Dot took the two remaining seats at the dining table, and all four of them sat in uneasy silence as they contemplated what to do. Clock pushed the tub of chicken nuggets toward the center of the table, quietly offering sweet chicken nugget sustenance to both of them as consolation.

A few minutes of somberly silent chicken nugget consumption later, Clock saw Microphone and Suitcase coming from the same hallway speed-walking toward them with frustrated looks on their faces. He tapped the table twice, getting the other three chicken-nugget-eaters' attention, and pointed to them.

Fanny turned around and nodded. "Hey."

"Hey," Mic replied. "You guys heard the news about the divisions filling up?"

"Aqua and Dot just told us," she grunted, turning back to the table and picking up another chicken nugget. "So, unironically, thanks for nothing, I guess."

Dot gestured at the table next to them. Mic and Suitcase grabbed two chairs from the table and pulled them up to sit with the four others. "That sucks," Mic said. "I know you guys really wanted to—"

"You know, you don't have to pretend you're sorry for us," Fanny grunted. "It doesn't take ESP to realize that you don't like us."

Mic glanced up at her, surprised, before looking back down at the chicken nuggets with a guilty expression. Aqua offered her a chicken nugget, which she gratefully accepted.

Suitcase picked up a chicken nugget as well and took a melancholy bite out of it. "We didn't sign in in time, either," she sighed with a frown. "So I guess both of our groups are out of commission."

Mic nodded in confirmation and sighed as well. "Serves me right, I suppose."

"Oh, don't say that!" Suitcase placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You've trained for this for a long time. You deserve to be on that stage. It's just...well, we didn't get lucky this time." The four others at the table nodded, and they all stared at the tub of chicken nuggets, lost in thought.

Suddenly, Clock raised his head and opened his mouth, but closed it soon after and instead reached for a chicken nugget. Aqua noticed, however. "Something on your mind, Clock?" she asked.

"Nah," Clock said with a dismissive wave. "It's nothing."

"You sure?" Dot asked.

Clock shrugged. "I mean...it would never work, so there's no point."