Chapter 75: #13. Two Weeks Vacation (6)
In the end, I couldn't openly stroll the streets because of my face.
'Gotta rack up those coins quick.' It hit me again that I really needed to grind those missions hard at times like this. If I had that item, I could've wandered freely with them right now.
Joanna asked me to recommend some spots worth checking out. But I didn't know much about this place myself. In the end, when I admitted I had no clue, she shook her head in disbelief.
– You're surprisingly clueless. How do you know less about your own country than a foreigner like me?
– Ahaha, I just hate wandering around that much...
I might as well be a foreigner here too. It had a similar vibe to Korea, the same language, similar culture—but those little shocking differences from Earth meant I could never think of it as the same.
We got up, saying let's just head out anyway, and picked the most eye-catching shop nearby to duck into.
'Of course it's a karaoke joint.' Anyone could tell they were expecting me to sing. And I figured out why Joanna picked it.
'She said appeal with charm, so she means through singing.'
The problem? My singing was only a notch above average compared to regular folks. Any real music fan would clock my level right away.
– Whoa~ This is wild. I've seen pics, but it's really like this.
– No karaoke back home, huh?
– Nope. We should get something like this. Seems fun.
Joanna quickly snagged a seat and grabbed a mic. Like a pro, I pulled out the songbook and handed it to her.
– Find a song you wanna sing here, punch the number into this machine. Hit reserve, and it queues up. Lyrics show on screen.
– I don't get it. Jin, show me!
I'd seen this coming the moment we walked in, so I casually flipped through the book, entered a familiar song number, and started.
– Hm-hm! Kinda nervous—should I burn some coins to boost my singing?
While the backing track kicked in, I whipped open my status window and rolled the gacha with coins.
My singing skill had crossed 30% a while back, now at 37.13%. Compared to my other stats, pushing this to 40% would make me legit enough to call myself a singer without shame. But those last 3% were stubborn as hell. If this were a game, I'd be raging at the lame effect as it ticked up.
'Oh!'
Jackpot after ages. Singing jumped 0.83%. Clean 38.00% now. Seeing such a neat number for once put me in a great mood as I dove into the song.
The 0.83% boost hit immediately in my tone. The Singing stat bundled pitch, rhythm, tone, everything—so one upgrade lifted my whole game.
'Need practice to max the high, but it applies right away to some degree.'
No warm-up, and it flowed smooth. Good start propelled the rest. Even I thought it sounded solid. I glanced at Joanna and May Lin.
'They're hooked.'
Easy song, plus the tone upgrade landed perfectly. Even May Lin, who'd been avoiding eye contact, held my gaze.
Song over, Joanna squealed and clapped.
– Babe, why do you sing so well? Idols are different!! Right, May?
– Yeah. Great listen, thanks.
– May loves guys who sing well. It's her type.
– My skills are way short for author's ideal guy.
– No, plenty good! Right??
– ...Not bad.
– Didn't know my muse had such a sexy voice! Next time, let me hear your real moans! Inspiration incoming!
*Cough cough!* Her sudden dirty talk startled May Lin and me.
– Joanna! What kinda auntie talk is that outta nowhere?
– What?!
Thoroughly shameless, Joanna doubled down. Speechless, May Lin and I just watched her.
– Sigh, how do I rein you in? My turn next.
May Lin picked a solid track—topping Billboard Hot 100 lately. Her husky voice nailed it.
– Wow, author sings great too.
– Hehe, thanks.
– Me next!
Joanna stepped up boldly; May Lin's face soured a bit.
– Rock again?
– Rock's her thing, huh.
– Not the taste—it's tone-deaf rock. Super loud.
– Rock's about the vibe! Tone-deaf? No issue.
Confident, she punched in and grabbed the mic. My ears exploded.
– Ah~ Stress gone!
After that banshee wail, if stress wasn't gone, she'd have issues. Post-karaoke throat burn led to drinks.
– No far spots—grab booze, drink in the hotel. Easier.
– Hm, yeah?
– Yup yup!
Following Joanna's plan, we packed snacks and booze, headed back. Her room.
– Too much?
– Fine~ We'll eat it.
Our hands overflowed with faves—but way too much for three. Bossam & jokbal medium, tteokbokki, fritters, odeng singles, cheese dakgalbi one serving. Not done: beer & soju bags dangling precariously.
Hyper Joanna spread it all fast.
– Didn't know Korean food was this good. Craving more later.
Surprise: May Lin loved it. (Her pick: tteokbokki.)
We huddled round the feast.
– Dig in!
– Cheers first!
Boze eyes sparkling.
– Cheers~!
– Cheers.
– Cheers.
*Gulp gulp gulp* – *Ahh~!*
Bitter soju warmed the gut, smiles bloomed.
'This is it.'
Speared cheese into red dakgalbi sauce, pulled stringy—rolled, bit, chewed.
'Delish!'
Spicy with smoky edge, cheese mellowed the heat—chopsticks flew.
– Bossam like this.
Joanna was chomping plain; taught her wrap method.
– Yum!
They wrapped per my way, thrilled. Good eats fueled drinks.
Booze loosened May Lin up—not besties, but not stranger vibes anymore. Led to her starting chats.
– You hold liquor well?
– Not much practice. Just turned 20.
– Lord, 20? Kid. You ate a baby?
– Hehe~ Age? If tastes good, fine.
– Slut.
May Lin's roast? Joanna cackled. Close enough to trash-talk sans hurt.
– Oh, learned this!
– What?
"Drink up~ Drink up~ Drink up~ Till when? Five shots, then go home?"
*Pffft hahaha!!!*
– Huh? Why laugh? Some song?
– Hehe! Mandatory boozy classic!
Joanna's curveball cracked me up, clutching gut. Hotel room? Drink heavy, no issue. Booze piled up.
Night deepened chats.
– Jin, when stop "author"-ing May? Not work.
– Don't mind? Call author "author."
– Nooo~! See her today only? Want us three hanging often!
– Job done, back home. Why return?
May Lin dodging; Joanna scolded.
– Nonsense! Skip me too?
– ....
May Lin drew sharp lines: cold outside, soft inside.
– Not that, but...
– I'll stay long! Suck dry my muse. Jin's amazing.
– Know your man's hot. Brag less. Stomach hurts.
– No! Face big plus, but real worth beyond.
– This face "just"?!
Joanna nodded big at baffled May Lin. Bad vibes; I jumped in—but she beat me.
– Jin fucks amazing! Fantastico! His dick? Not Asian-small. Huge! Haven't seen others IRL, just porn—but no way tiny. That girth churns me breathless, zappy. *Gasp!*
*Cough cough!* May Lin, mid-sip, choked hard on the shock. I gaped too.
– Drunk turned you dog. Sexual harassment. Even lovers got pride!
– Hate me bragging? Wanna! Jin taught me womanly joy.
– Such a girl okay?
May Lin eyed me. Awkward grin.
– Joanna's charm.
– Love goggles strong. Learn well. Stop drinking. Wasted.
– Sober truth.
– That's worse, no?
Joanna giggled at our flushes. Her no-filter wrecked us. Faces red, booze flowing.
– Staying long?
– Genius idiot—company won't bench long.
– Praise?
– Kinda.
– Hehe, wanted stay—they okayed. Send designs regular.
– You? Micromanage queen.
– Can't capture my designs? Why freelance? Switch where they do. Offers galore. Saw my latest—shocked 'em. Muse nearby? Quality locked.
May Lin drowned shot massive, gulped. Hammered but bold—hotel safety net. Long-awaited bomb dropped.
– You said you'd teach slump escape last time?