“Jjang!!!” The members of TWICE clinked champagne glasses and downed their drinks.

As Dahyun tasted the bitter bubbliness of it, she tried to appreciate the pulsating beat of the dance music and the night ambiance of the famous crowd around her. People talking, murmuring, and laughing as glasses of drinks clinked together. Everyone was dressed to the nines in formal black-tie attire and the classiest of evening gowns.

“Heck yeahh!” Sana, the clumsy-as-ever, Japanese flirting queen of TWICE, still looked too slyly cute to Dahyun’s eyes when she was possibly honest-to-god drunk.

“Ya! Sana, don’t you think you’ve had enough to drink?” Jeongyeon supported Sana as she was about to stumble again. The gruff yet caring Jeongyeon, stunningly pretty with her stylish blonde hair, was both annoyed and concerned that, of course, Sana wouldn’t be able to control herself this time and be unable to tolerate too much alcohol.

“Sana, let’s go find some food! I saw an appetizers table we passed earlier and it’d help you feel better!” Momo, also beside Sana, said with a slightly concerned look. The energetic, dancing queen of TWICE always found a way to look on the bright side of things, usually encouraged by delicious things to eat.

“I’m like TT, just liike TT!!” Sana sang, swinging Jeongyeon’s arm back and forth endearingly, like a pabo fool. “Tell me that you’ll be my babyyy!”

“I think you’re supposed to eat before you drink so it slows down the effect, Momo,” Mina, whose elegance was only enhanced by her sophisticated evening gown, covered her smirk with her pale fingertips as her cute eye-smile narrowed from amusement at Sana’s antics.

“I’m fiiiine, unnie,” Sana whined cutely as she made the effort to stand up straight again, hanging on by the support of Jeongyeon and Momo’s arms. “Saranghaeee!” She puckered up to kiss Jeongyeon, who held her back at safe arm’s length, then made an attempt at Momo who playfully pushed Sana off before grabbing to steady her again. Sana fluttered her long lashes and pretended to pout at their rejection.

“Aish, what am I gonna do with you,” Jeongyeon shook her head and couldn’t help but laugh a little as she and Momo exchanged knowing looks, and Mina kept smirking. Dahyun looked on from across them, observing the scene and simultaneously thinking how ridiculously cute Sana was and also wanting to help, but then..

“Maknae line! Let’s take a quick photo!” One of the event’s photographers ushered the three youngest members of TWICE to the photo wall. Dahyun put her empty glass on a nearby tray held by a uniformed waiter, as Chaeyoung dragged her reluctantly from the disorderly scene being caused by Sana, saying “Come on, unnie, they want pictures!”

"Hana…dul…set!" The photographer counted down. The cameras went click and the photoshoot lights flashed as Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu posed against the backdrop for a quick take at the JYP 2018 New Year's Gala. "Great! You ladies look daebak!"

Dahyun blinked at the bright lights in her eyes, giving her charmingly cute smile and posing fabulously like the natural she was. But inwardly, a certain Japanese girl had put a damper on her mood. Though this Korean beauty with her radiant white skin and disarmingly good looks was in the spotlight as always, Dahyun just couldn't feel at ease, at the crashing thoughts of Sana giggling and drunkenly flirting with every girl within reach.

No, those thoughts were just eating away at her inside, but if there was anything she had learned in the famous life, it was to control what inner turmoil lay within and keep her poise and cheerfulness for the camera, to adapt to the glamorous surroundings and forget what troubles sometimes stirred in her heart.

"Fantastic! So beautiful!" The words in their cheers felt so commonplace to hear now, yet the members put their best face forward for the event photos sure to be seen later by adoring fans. ONCE was the reason they could stick together, to work and survive through the hardest training and routines, yet still feel renewed hope and joy every single day. It was hard to forget that, even for one second.

The brief photoshoot ended with much enthusiasm, and the maknae line headed back towards the party, while continuing to captivate with their dazzling presence.

"Where is Mina unnie?" Chaeyoung asked. TWICE's baby cub looked all grown up and particularly stunning in a haute couture dress and her wavy locks of obsidian-black hair. For a girl still so young, she was perfectly at ease like a natural born star. “Let’s go look for the others.”

"Probably with the others by the podium where we were before," Tzuyu replied, never breaking her tall, modelesque posture. The exquisitely pretty Taiwanese maknae seemed slightly nervous but excited within the famous ambience as she nodded politely to passerby.

All their sunbaes in JYP were here, along with many other renowned stars in K-pop. JYP himself, commanding a cool yet fatherly presence among the company’s stars, was out mingling with the crowd.

At the moment, Dahyun was trapped within a glass cage of feelings. Her disappointment mingled with vague guilt. She was supposed to be enjoying this party, right? It wasn't just another glitzy event, but a time to welcome in the new year with the classiest celebration possible. But without Sana by her side right now, it was like a miniscule yet irreparable hole puncturing her heart.

"Dahyun unnie, come on, let's go find them," Tzuyu said, pulling Dahyun towards the front of the podium where a large crowd of important people were gathered. Chaeyoung went slightly ahead of them. She lost sight of Sana since before the photoshoot started.

“Oh, there they are!” Chaeyoung jumped up and down slightly to get their attention. Nayeon waved them over. The oldest member smiled, always with her enduring aegyo charm, even when dressed in elegant dark green with cat-eye evening makeup.

“You won’t believe what Sana’s doing now,” Nayeon struggled to hold her giggles while pointing. “She even tried to kiss Suzy just now. Otoke, what do we do with this girl?”

Dahyun didn’t say anything as Tzuyu smirked, but thought back to the night of Sana’s birthday that happened only just a few days ago. The noise of the party felt momentarily drowned out and distant. Dahyun thought she was promised to be hers, to forever and back. After the gifts, the cake, the big celebration on stage, they went back to the dorm and fell fast asleep lying next to each other, their fingers intertwined like the two would never be separate. She could always fall asleep easily while listening to Sana’s steady heartbeat. Not to mention the endlessly playful, fun memories over the past few years together were never far from Dahyun's mind.

Just hours ago, everything seemed busy and normal when TWICE got ready for this New Year's Eve event together. Sana always knew what kind of looks suited Dahyun best and vice versa, with the tenderness she gave when helping Dahyun put on silver earrings, or when she helped zip up the back of Dahyun’s new dress for the occasion. The two were cheerful and inseparable, and always there for each other ever since the beginning of TWICE.

But now, ever since the party began, Sana seemed to be ignoring her. It was the worst kind of torture.

“Where is she now?” Dahyun asked, as her thoughts came back to the present. She let go of Tzuyu and pushed her way through the crowd to the direction Nayeon was gesturing. Some people stared as she walked past alone, but she didn’t care.

“Heey, how you doin’...Ooops!” Sana's familiar voice was close by.

The splash and the shock. The echoing crash of the glass to the marble floor.

Dahyun had come just in time to see Sana spill her drink on a very taken aback Lee Sunmi. People were now staring, some looked amused by the spectacle. Sunmi blinked in disbelief and backed away from Sana, who only giggled shyly and could hardly look at her in the eyes.

“Sana unnie, let’s go,” Dahyun charged forward from the circle of onlookers. A staff member rushed to help Sunmi clean up the slight stain. Dahyun gave Sunmi a sheepish apologetic look, bowed embarrassedly, and went to Sana, determined to take care of her. 

Who cares what people were going to think the next day? Yes, she felt jealous and hurt tonight, but she wasn’t going to leave Sana behind. Dahyun grabbed her hand and hoisted her arm over her shoulders, as Sana gave her a dazed puppy dog look.

“Dahyun, I thiink I spilled on someoneee?” Sana sounded grateful but still slightly out of it as they walked away together.

“Yes, you did, but let’s find a place to sit down,” Dahyun looked forward and scanned the surroundings, eagle-like. She soon zoned in on a quiet, unoccupied bench overlooking the hills and the city. They sat down. The colorful neon lights of Seoul shined brightly in front of them. The night was theirs. The full moon beamed down on them, ivory-white and luminous. Dahyun checked her phone. It was ten minutes to midnight.

“Th-thanks, Dahyunnie,” Sana spoke softly, breaking the awkward silence. She was looking at the ground but her voice was tender, broken almost. She leaned on her shoulder and reached for her hand.

“I’m just glad you’re sobering up,” Dahyun mumbled hesitantly, still a little hurt by Sana’s flirtatious betrayals, which happened on a regular basis but not usually out in public like this.

“Do you think Sunmi unnie is mad at me now? Aigoo, I’m embarrassed...”

“You don’t need to worry about it now.”

“I-I like being here with you,” Sana gazed at her savior lovingly. She hugged her tightly and swayed a little. “My soft dubuu.”

Dahyun didn’t reply at first.

“You’re so pretty, Dahyunnieee. Are you mad at me?”

The rest of the world seemed so far away when Dahyun looked back at Sana. Even with her makeup smeared on her angelic complexion, she was heartachingly beautiful. Time could stand still and Dahyun would be forever happy in this instant.

“No, I’m not mad. I’m glad you’re okay,” She took a deep breath. “Don’t worry, I still like you a lot.”

“Awww, are we still...girlfriends then?” Sana winked and wiggled her eyebrows flirtatiously. Dahyun rolled her eyes at her attention-seeking manner, but she couldn’t help herself from smiling, looking down at the ground, and wondering how did she get together with this adorable dork.

“Of course. We’ll be together forever.”

Sana buried her face in the crook of Dahyun’s neck and whispered, “You’re so prettyyy. You’re like...you’re like the radiant moon in the sky.”

“Oh! It’s nearly midnight!” Dahyun’s face was burning a little, so she spoke to combat her blushing. Sana sat up and looked at the phone Dahyun was holding. The time read 11:59, just one minute until 2018. There was also an influx of new messages from their fellow members. One from Jihyo read, “Where r u guys? Fireworks starting soon!”

“Let’s stay here a little longer,” Sana murmured. Their hands found each other, like two chain links interlocked as one.

The fireworks began to light up, small and fragile like the first kisses initiated by Sana. Little pecks. Sana curled into a sly grin at Dahyun’s touch which belonged only to her; their contact was sweet and sudden, like candy pop rocks bursting. Then the bright, sparkling explosions of color and light painted the midnight sky.

They were pure and young. The moment felt fresh and real, like sakura blooming in early spring. SaiDa shared this tender first moment of the new year, which marked new beginnings and old ties conjoining, like coming full circle back to the start.