I desperately want to win on the peninsula

Cheongdam-dong, a mid-to-high-end apartment.

A table in the living room was covered with a variety of snacks, including nuts and cookies, canned fruit, and potato chips. There were also several kinds of alcoholic beverages, giving it the feel of a spring outing with a big feast.

Shin Jimin patted her face as she walked out of the room, then applied moisturizing lotion evenly.

She walked slowly into the living room, glanced at the table, and asked with some surprise when she saw the situation.

"Seolhyun, aren't you afraid of gaining weight by preparing so many snacks?"

"Hey, I'm the type who can eat whatever I want without gaining weight." Kim Seolhyun, wearing a pink headband, grinned and waved her hand nonchalantly.

"..." Shin Jimin glanced at Kim Seolhyun speechlessly, not wanting to talk to her.

She walked to the sofa and slowly sat down, causing Kim Seolhyun, who had been lying on the side of the sofa, to sit up as well. She reached out and picked up a can of fruit, patting the bottom to release the air inside.

Then, she easily twisted it open and skillfully poured the fruit and syrup into the bowl. Kim Seolhyun picked up a fork, took a piece, and ate it with relish. As a seasoned foodie, she naturally didn't forget to share and helped by putting a piece to Shin Jimin's lips.

"Unnie, you eat too, ah~"

"Hmm..." Shin Jimin looked down at the yellow peach in mid-air, hesitated for a moment, and finally lowered his head to open his mouth and bite into it. As soon as it entered his mouth, he felt that it was fresh, sweet and delicious, and very tasty.

Upon seeing this, Kim Seolhyun immediately offered another piece to feed him, but Shin Jimin shook his head and focused his gaze on the television screen.

Although the fruit is delicious, Shin Jimin will definitely not eat too much; she will only have a small taste.

Because she knows Kim Seolhyun too well. This big girl definitely has bad intentions. She says she can eat whatever she wants without gaining weight, but there will be problems after she finishes eating.

The next day, I would secretly go to the gym to burn off those calories. To maintain my amazing figure, I would train even harder than usual... I would do both cardio and anaerobic exercise.

If anyone gains weight later, she'll pretend to say that she eats more than X and that she's actually lost weight... The little devil is cunning and wicked.

Kim Seolhyun was completely unaware that her thoughts had been thoroughly exposed. She was holding a bowl, munching on the yellow peaches in it, her left cheek bulging out, while staring wide-eyed at the GG on TV... She looked exactly like a big, protective dog, the kind that would suddenly burst into silly laughter.

After GG, the scene switched to the SMTM main perspective.

First, there were introductions of the four contestants' performances, followed by praise and encouragement from the mentors. Then came interviews with the contestants. Surprisingly, the parts were evenly distributed, without the large-scale showcasing of popular star Song Min-ho and family-oriented dad Basick that had been featured in previous episodes.

"Wow! Zhou Xian is out! He's so popular lately, the internet is buzzing about him, you can hear his songs everywhere."

The scene shifts to Joo Heon's interview, and Kim Seolhyun gives a lively shout, then turns to Shin Jimin and says in a deliberately serious tone, "Unnie must be happy too."

"Oh……"

Upon hearing this, Shin Jimin glanced at Kim Seolhyun with disdain. "Kyo's 'Shut Up' is also quite good. Want me to cover a few lines for you now?"

"..." Kim Seolhyun's gaze froze for a moment, then she awkwardly turned her head away, her eyes returning to the television.

Typical low attack and low defense, yet they dare to talk back to a rapper, they're really asking for trouble.

Shin Jimin raised an eyebrow. As the interview with Lim Gan Chiao appeared on screen, his confident voice began to flow in the living room. Kim Seol Hyun, however, dared not move, afraid that her unnie would suddenly diss her. She curled up on the sofa, trembling.

Fortunately, Shin Jimin was magnanimous and didn't hold it against him or make fun of him. The captain's magnanimity was on full display at this moment.

That concludes the miscellaneous recap of the background.

Back on the main stage, host Jin Zhenbiao stood in the audience seats on the side. He skillfully began to motivate the audience, and amidst cheers, he announced the first contestant to take the stage.

"You've all finished watching the interviews. Did you feel like you wanted more after the trash-talking session? No worries, because all the contestants are ready to go! Let's look forward to the first contestant to perform in the SMTM semi-finals—Zhou Xian!!!!"

"Wow!!!"

Not only did the viewers at home cheer enthusiastically, but even Kim Seolhyun, who was watching the show, clapped along, exclaiming, "Amazing! The production team really pulled out all the stops right from the start!!"

"..." Shin Jimin did not reply.

Of course, Kim Seolhyun wasn't the only one who thought this way. Many viewers who stayed up late watching TV couldn't believe it and started calling their friends and family on their phones.

Many casual viewers planned to only watch one or two performances, but they didn't expect that popular contestants would be shown at the beginning, and many fans of these celebrities immediately flocked to their TVs.

The scene shifts, and the stage lights go completely dark, with only a few scattered lights illuminating the front. The colorful light boards hanging in mid-air glow faintly, their neat arrangement resembling a television in standby mode.

The screen displayed the song's title, "Easter Egg Video," with a synopsis below: "This song doesn't mean the end, but rather that I have so many stories to tell, too many, too many..."

It might seem a bit sentimental, but those two simple sentences directly touched the hearts of his fans, and many viewers were also drawn into the conversation.

As the intro's bouncy guitar melody and buzzing bass began, suddenly, without warning, a husky, magnetic human voice rang out.

"As countless names scroll upwards, the audience members leave their seats one by one, even as the black screen fills the empty spaces..."

My story doesn't end here...

The combination of the accompaniment and the magnetic male vocals creates a feeling of a clear spring flowing in a stream, and the subtle auditory experience makes people unconsciously calm down.

Just then, the lights flashed in a series of flashes, the beat suddenly changed, and the drumbeats became rapid and out of control.

As soon as the figure standing at the back of the stage moved, the stage lights up completely, as if a television channel were replaying a program, giving the impression that a wonderful show was about to begin.

"The movie is being released; the subject matter is the supernatural sixth sense."

There's only one main character! Everyone should reserve one.

The figure that walked to the front of the stage was fully revealed, and Zhou Xian's figure gradually became clear. At the same time, K will, the backup singer on the right side of the stage, appeared. As soon as he appeared, he caused a burst of cheers. Obviously, there were quite a few audience members who were familiar with him. He made a gesture and pointed to the person in the center of the stage.

As if by telepathy, Zhou Xian gripped the microphone tightly, completely letting loose and launching into a self-deprecating rap.

"First of all, let me state that my personality is quite annoying."

Aside from rap, everything else is sluggish.

At first glance, you can see that I have many problems, but the most prominent one is my integrity. There are people who guide me in my work and point me in the right direction.

As the rhythm and frequency changed, Zhou Xian's rap speed gradually increased, and his facial expression became more and more flamboyant. "I'll show my attitude with my actions. We only live once in this world, so why not live it to the fullest? Everyone thinks I'm, oh~ actually not bad. I'm someone my friends are willing to confide in, someone my colleagues want to stand with, and someone my family wants to be proud of."

The scene then shifts to Zhou Xian's family members, with his parents clapping and his brothers holding long banners in support, creating a joyful atmosphere.

"I will reap all of these rewards and use them to live a long and magnificent life. After all, I only have one life, and I want to leave my mark on history with a handsome photo without any filters, so please believe me! Wait for me to shine, my story still has many unfinished chapters to be told..."

After this highly infectious rap, Kwlii's husky and magnetic male voice returns with a melody, unfolding like a TV drama OST.

Surprisingly, it wasn't Zhou Xian who took over the rap, but a figure walking off the stage from the right side of the stands. When the camera focused on his face, viewers familiar with SMTM immediately recognized him as Zhao Donglin—Mad Clown—one of the top four from the second season.

He walked around rapping and high-fiving the audience. When he reached the center of the stage, he bumped shoulders with Zhou Xian. The two smiled at each other and began to show off their flow skills and intonations as they jumped around facing the audience. Surprisingly, their coordination was just right, and the collision of their timbres brought a wonderful feeling.

The atmosphere gradually heated up, and both the audience at the scene and those watching on television could feel the meaning of the song at this moment—life is full of dreams, and everyone's life is wonderful.

Just when everyone thought this wonderful performance was about to end, an even more unexpected situation occurred.

The neon lights on the central platform illuminated, revealing a woman with long, flowing hair. Her tanned skin made her instantly recognizable, not to mention her unique voice and emotionally powerful delivery.

"The movie-like story has come to an end. If tomorrow comes, will I be forgotten? This is the end, but it's not the final conclusion, because my story is not yet finished..."

ya~ya~

When the lights in the movie theater went out, and everyone left, I was left alone, carrying another dream.

Hyorin, who was walking down from the stands, sang a heartfelt song, which was naturally greeted by Jooheon on the stage. When all the supporting singers appeared one by one, the group stood in the center of the stage and sang.

Viewers began to realize that these were all Starship artists, and all of them were well-regarded pillars of the company. Even Starship's loyal fans could recognize familiar female trainees among the backup dancers.

The entire Starship lineup immediately captured everyone's attention. Kwlii provided the intro, Zhao Donglin featured, and Hyorin sang the bridge... This song, or rather, how much prestige does Joo Heon have?

Too scary!

But the audience thoroughly enjoyed it; this was a case that many people couldn't have imagined, or rather, dared not have imagined...

Basick and Song Minho, both new dads in the waiting room, stared wide-eyed at the scene. Even the mentors' reactions were quite interesting, especially Jay Park, who was shaking his head wildly for the camera, as if he were the one performing on stage.

Surrounded by people on stage, Zhou Xian finally brought out his performance from when he was in the top six, and his rap gradually became more rapid.

"When I was a child, I had many dreams. I dreamed of becoming a pirate in One Piece, and I dreamed of becoming a professional StarCraft player, just like Li Jidong. Although it also caused me pain, at least I embraced my dream."

Even now, my heart still aches with nostalgia… Back then, as a little kid, I couldn't imagine that I would become a rapper, using music to get people dancing. I still can't believe it, and I'm still so nervous, taking deep breaths—

I've come a long way, and even if this story ends here, my promise to you will never change. Even if I die here, I will stay until the very end!

As his vow-like rap came to a close, his unwavering conviction filled the entire screen.

Just then, small fireworks burst forth on the stage, and the blurry figure amidst the sparks became even more memorable.

This scene was deeply etched in the minds of every viewer, and they could not forget it for a long time.

As the final melody of the four-person chorus faded, the stage curtain fell.

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!!"

When Starship All-Stars and Zhou Xian bowed, the audience below the stage suddenly burst into enthusiastic applause. Seeing this big show was a real treat, and both sides cheered enthusiastically.

Fans who had just watched the performance online were discussing it enthusiastically. The scene and the performance were unsurprisingly another amazing, god-level performance.

"My God! This lineup is terrifying!" As soon as the performance ended, Kim Seolhyun exclaimed in surprise, her eyes wide.

"..." Shin Jimin didn't reply.

The living room was silent for a moment. Kim Seolhyun couldn't resist asking Shin Jimin, "Unnie~ Joo Heon has such a lineup, Inui must be very luxurious too, right?" She had been thinking of finding a topic to get the conversation out of her, but Shin Jimin didn't take the bait.

"I don't know either, you'll find out as you read on." Shin Jimin still didn't respond. Joo Heon had revealed a little bit, but she didn't know the specifics either.

"Just reveal a little bit is enough."

"Pabumo... Now, right now! Useless Kim Seolhyun should pick up a useful phone and text someone instead of asking me for help."

"How could you say that to me? I... " The useless Kim Seolhyun rambled on and on about a bunch of useless nonsense, but she didn't pick up her phone.

Shin Jimin rolled her eyes and ignored her.

Helpless, Kim Seolhyun pouted and sulked, not at Shin Jimin, but at Lim Gan-chiao.

The two actually talked quite a bit during this period. At first, Kim Seolhyun was very enthusiastic and couldn't get her spirits up. But as they talked, she gradually felt something was off.

That person was just like my first impression of them. Their personality and way of getting along were like a bouncy ball. If you throw it at a wall, it will bounce back, but if you stop, it will just lie quietly in place without reacting... It gives people the feeling that you get back exactly what you put in, but there is no real change.

Kim Seol-hyun is a heroine among women. When has she ever suffered such humiliation? These past few days, she has been planning to leave him out of the picture and let him see how lonely and isolated he would be without her.

Thinking of this, Kim Seolhyun couldn't help but laugh out loud. She reached out, picked up a bag of dried fruit, tore it open, grabbed two pieces, and put them in her mouth, chewing them with gusto. In a great mood, she would occasionally chuckle.

Her sudden, inexplicable laughter left Shin Jimin completely bewildered.

Shin Jimin instinctively shifted her position, feeling a little apprehensive that Kim Seolhyun might catch her silliness.

Fortunately, the TV screen showed the second contestant, Song Min-ho. Surprisingly, this guy also brought along Bobby from season three to film a VCR. The screen showed the two sitting at a street stall chatting about the past... The atmosphere looked pretty good.

"Could it be that Zhou Xian's opponent has asked him for help? If so, they're guaranteed to win!"

Kim Seolhyun really seemed like she was part of the atmosphere-building team, but Shin Jimin shrugged and said, "Mino might have invited several YG artists like Jooheon... Wouldn't it be even more explosive to put on a YG family stage?"

"what?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head. Kim Seolhyun was stunned. When it came to building connections, YG Entertainment clearly had the advantage, with too many popular artists under their management to count on two hands.

But she quickly stopped caring, because the focus wasn't on the match itself, but the unexpected delight was seeing a fantastic stage performance.

This makes it even more anticipated.

As the VCR's storyline ended, the scene switched back to the stage.

The first thing that catches the eye is Song Minho wearing a white baseball cap. In the black and white image, he is talking to himself in the air. The image is not smooth, and black lines and white spots occasionally flash by. Moreover, the audience behind the screen cannot hear anything, only the static sound like an old television set.

Just then, the unique sound of a piano began to play, one note after another... like a pair of calloused hands gently patting his child's shoulder, a faint sense of nostalgia instantly flowing through the entire scene.

Looking back, I realized I had walked much farther than I had imagined. I had come all alone, and suddenly I felt afraid...

As the camera gradually zooms out, the black and white image begins to blur. When it switches again, the image focuses on Song Min-ho sitting alone on the stairs. A beam of light shines on him, yet there is a strange sense of loneliness and loss about him...

He was wearing an ordinary hoodie suit, his face obscured by the hood, and he was holding a microphone, rapping in a low, murmuring voice that sounded like both a plea for help and a confession.

"Looking at myself, I accepted the fact that I was exhausted, but I didn't realize how lonely I was, and suddenly I felt scared..."

The intro repeats twice, the tedious narration goes on and on, but then the melody suddenly changes, the sound of the shutter clicking backwards creates a sense of suspense, and the drumbeats come alive like a heartbeat.

"You did a great job. If you feel confused, just do it the way you always have."

Do what you're supposed to do. You know that's who you are. Haven't you practiced that?

After experiencing one or two setbacks in countless practices, do you feel it's pointless?

These kinds of things always happen during life crises. Don't you know how to get back on your feet?