(Note: Everything that are in italics and centered are Sowon's thoughts.)

-3rd June 2017-

---

“I have to look for some sort of signs. What made her do it?”

Sowon thought to herself, she stared at Sinb’s back who was tugging the leader by her wrist. Sowon dragged her feet, still in her own train of deep thoughts as she gazed at every member’s back intensely. She had so many questions.

“Do they know anything? Are they being brought back as well?”

“Sojung Unnie!”

Hearing her name being called, she snapped out of her deduction as she tried to bring herself back to actual sanity.

The group stopped in their tracks as they all turned back to look at their leader in worry.

“Huh..ohh? Yeah what is it?”

She tried to look as unsuspicious as she could.

“We kept calling you for the hundredth time! Are you okay?”

Yuju asked in concern.

“I’ve got to cover this up well. They would think I’m crazy! Sojung, get it together. Be normal!”

Sowon scratched the back of her head as she let out an awkward smile, followed by a forced small chuckle.

“Oh, sorry didn’t hear you there! What is it?”

“We were asking you what do you think we should eat?”

“That’s right, this is the past, that means everything that happens now, changes the future!”

Sowon remembered that on Sinb’s birthday, they all went back to their dorm and ordered out. It was a simple dinner, but they couldn’t be happier to be in their little oasis, spending time by themselves and doing nothing but playing and goofing around with each other.

“Why don’t we go back home and order Sinb’s favourite seasoned chicken and pizza?”

“Call!”

The five younger members unanimously agreed as they cheered and laughed their heads off.  Sowon could not help but smile as she remembered that this was exactly what happened back then, or now, or before. She doesn’t know anymore, all she knows that time is running out. As she watched the younger members from behind, she tucked her hands in her pocket but her eyes could not leave Sinb. The girl was fooling around with Eunha, she looked so genuinely happy, like the most joyful little kid. It didn’t make any sense that Sinb would do something like that.

As they reached their dorm, a serious déjà vu hit Sowon. She was so afraid to enter, what they would call their safe haven, but now all she remembers is coming home to Sinb’s lifeless and bleeding body. She shut her eyes as she took a deep breath in, not wanting to alarm or freak out the members, she held up a strong front. With courage and clenched fists, she entered the dorm after the members threw their shoes aside.  After all, she reminded herself that Sinb is still right in front of her, alive.

“Unnie! Sinb wouldn’t give me the number for the take-out!”

“Yerin Unnie is just going to order the fried chicken and I don’t like fried chicken! Come on you all know that! It’s my birthday today!”

Sinb raised the pamphlet in the air, keeping it out of reach from Yerin who was jumping up high trying to snatch it from the younger girl.

Sowon couldn’t help but laugh at the usual sight that she’s used to seeing, but she remembered this was exactly what happened as well. She remembered how she resolved this as she stepped in to grab the pamphlet from Sinb effortlessly due to her obvious taller physique.

“Unnie!”

The two girls pouted at their leader.

“You know what, for a 20 year old and a 22 year old, you both are sure acting like two elementary school children! Grow up you guys! I’m ordering, we’ll just order both. Case closed. No questions.”

Sinb and Yerin just kept mum, but quickly continued to bicker their way through. 

Sowon told Umji and Yuju to go out and buy some supplies, while the rest of the members waited for the food to come in.

When their food arrived, they sat in one circle in their living room, enjoying their meal as they chat like they've not seen each other in years. They were all laughing so hard, having the time of their lives that Sowon had momentarily forgotten about everything. It was almost 12 midnight, which means they still had an hour to get a cake and blow the candles for their fifth youngest girl’s legal birthday.

“Man, it’s almost 12…”

Sowon blurted out. The members all turned their attention to the clock on the wall.

11:13PM

---

They’ve less than an hour before Sinb’s birthday was over.

Sinb stood up as she raised her drumstick in the air while off the seasoning that were stained on her other hand.

“I’ll go get the cake!”

“Ayyyy…”

The members all protested as they pulled Sinb back to the ground.

“It’s your birthday, like you’ve been saying for the umpteenth time today. We’ll get the cake!”

Yerin said as she patted the younger girl on her head. Sowon’s heart stopped for a beat, because this was the exact same scene that had happened before, or now in this context.

Sinb shook her head as she rebutted back.

“It’s okay, I’ll go with Sojung Unnie! I need to take a walk and digest all of this to eat the cake later!”

Sinb grinned like a child as she patted her full stomach. The members all laughed at her usual mischievous antics, as they sent the both of them out the door. Sowon started to feel sick in the stomach, because it was only now she realises that Sinb had already been showing or rather telling her things that she should have easily caught on, but Sowon thinking that it wasn’t much of an issue back then, brushed it off.

“Unnie, let’s go before the shop closes!”