“How does it feel to be back after almost two years, Eunha-ssi?”

With a nervous smile, she took the microphone and took a deep breath. Her hospitalization was filled with minor surgeries and almost hourly transfusions, but thanks to that, she’s feeling much better.

After her rest period, she began working extra hard but gently in order to keep with Gfriend’s comeback pace. Her sisters have been guiding her as well.

“Honestly, it feels weird. I have been outside the hospitals for few rehabilitation visits, but being out as a singer for a long time… it’s weird”

“What are your thoughts on this comeback?”

“First of all, I thank the members because this song is not really the usual knife-like Gfriend because of my condition… everyone crafted the song with much consideration, thank you”

It’s the first comeback after Eunha’s hiatus which is why they were bombarded with questions. She knew this was coming but she was still surprised at the amount of responses she has to make.

When the interview and showcase ended, they all went home.

“How are you?”, their leader asked her kindly.

“Exhausted, but I’m glad I could perform again with you guys”, Eunha was tearing up and the other members could sense their tears as well, but Sinb managed to break the mood.

“That’s right, unnie! We will always perform together, but first wipe your snot”, she said teasingly and handed over wet wipes to her Eunbi half.

Everyone joined in the laughter as if two years of yearning and pain didn’t happen. They never forgot the hardship on that span of time, but they treasured the present more… enjoying the rest of the times they are going to be together.

When they all decided to sleep, the 97-liners were in deep thoughts inside their room.

“Eunha, I missed you. It was so lonely… having no one beside me when I go to sleep and when I wake up”, Yuju was covering her eyes, but Eunha could see her tears.

“I, too, Yuna… sorry if I just came back, but I’ll be here from now on. I promise that”, Eunha closed her eyes as she prepared herself to slumber.

“Good night, Yuna-ya”

“Good night, Eunha-ya”

The next morning, their schedule-filled says began. Their celebrity life was on  play once again.

At their first schedule with MCountdown, they had their live comeback stage. The cheers and fanchants of Buddies, the warm welcome of other idols and staff— Eunha was greatly moved by what she has witnessed. She was glad she didn’t give up along the way.

“Eunha-ya! We missed you!”

Buddies were thrilled to see Eunha performing on stage once again. It was evident on their practice stage wherein Buddies were literally crying while doing the fanchant.

“Me too, but please don’t cry”

“Unnie, you’re crying too”

“Ahh, tears party again?”

It was a wonderful stage, not just for Eunha or the rest of Gfriend, but for Buddies as well. They all waited for this reunion, they all did.

“Ah, Eunha!”, a familiar voice resonated as Gfriend entered the backstage.

“Sana-unnie! Jihyo!”

Twice had an overlapping comeback with Gfriend, and they too were glad that Eunha could perform on stage once again.

“It’s been a long time”

“Yes it has been”

“Be healthy and happy always!”

There were smiles plastered on their faces. Being two of the strongest girl groups, they weren’t really competitive instead they always greeted each other with warm hugs and friendship.

Twice moved forward to their stage as Gfriend went to their dressing rooms to change. Weekly Idol schedule was next, and a photoshoot for Marie Claire Korea after so.

At Weekly Idol, they made themselves comfortable like they usually do. They went full variety mode and managed to complete and set new records on unusual corners of the show. Nevertheless, they enjoyed the show as much as the hosts did.

As they travelled to their photoshoot location, everybody except Sowon and Eunha fell asleep.

“Unnie, what are you thinking?”

“Nothing much… it’s just that we went through various things and it’s amazing how we got here”

Eunha could feel their eldest unnie’s sincere thoughts, and so she figured she could share some of hers too.

“I’m sure everything happened for a reason. My illness, my hiatus, various controversies about us… it’s like every bad thing turned to a good one in the end”

Sowon grinned, agreeing to what Eunha just said. Indeed, it felt as if everything just came roughly yet smoothly to this point of their lives.

After a few more minutes, they arrived at the shooting location.

“Ahh, that nap felt great”, Sinb stretches her limbs out, stepping out of the van.

“Yeah, I didn’t have any weird dreams either”, Yuju added gleefully. She has been having clear sleeps from a point she couldn’t really recall.

“Since when did you stop having those weird dreams, unnie?”, Yewon innocently asked.

“I can’t really remember but even before Eunha went in medication”

“That’s good then, Yuna”, Eunha held her hand and squeezed it.

“Yes”

When they entered the set, they couldn’t believe what they’re seeing. An intricately-designed fantasy-like set.

“Good day, Gfriend”

They all exchanged greetings and bows.

“So this photoshoot will revolve on the theme of dreams and astral realms”

For some reason, they all felt a pinch in their hearts when they heard the phrase ‘dreams and astral realms’. Not to mention, the staff mentioned about a freakish concept.

“Please go directly to the make-up and wardrobe area”

“Thank you”

They proceeded to the area and the makeup process began. With them is a staff that gave out instructions to Gfriend of the worlds and characters they’re going to portray.

Sowon was a puppet whose goal was to be free. Yerin was a doll with no exact identity. Eunha was a glutton who was trapped in a temptation-filled world. Yuju was a traveller trapped in the astral realm. Sinb was a powerful queen who was imprisoned by her hatred. Umji was prisoner of time whose goal was to go back to their timeline. Overall, their concept was breaking free of dreams and unwanted realms.

As the received their own concepts, they felt nervous and weirdly scared at the same time. The freakish concept was way too evident in their characters. But as celebrities, they had to pull off the assignments well or else they might not be booked again. Maybe it’s time to explore more quirky photoshoot concepts.

They did their characters well that the staff were applauding them for a great job. Gfriend felt happy but deep inside they were feeling uneasy.

Little did they know, they had personal connections to their themes… they just can’t remember, that’s all.

Right after their shoot, they had to do the interview. Meanwhile, their manager answered a call from So Sungjin.

“Yes, sir”

“How’s it going?”

“They seem to feel uneasy, I don’t know why... but they did great”

There was a long pause from the other line.

“I see, just look after them okay?”

Gfriend’s manager looked at them, giving off a fatherly smile before finally responding, “Yes, sir”.

A good coincidence it is for the call and the interview to end at the same second. Gfriend came running to the dressing area to get back to their normal clothes.

“This is Gfriend! Thanks for the hardwork!”

“Thank you too. That was a great shoot!”

After an exchange of bows, their manager fetched them to their services, but before that, he informed them of something good.

“Girls, we’ll be heading to another schedule”

“Ehh?”

The look of fatigue was well painted on their faces.

“We’re going to have a sudden company dinner! An all-meat grill party!”

Upon hearing so, the girls jumped in joy as they hopped on to the vehicle, excited to taste and eat more meat than ever.

Departing the place, they began to chat about what they felt earlier, filling themselves with conversations before food could fill them up.

“Dreams and astral realms match Yuju-unnie really well”, Sinb started.

“I know right, but it felt so weird and heavy to shoot”, Yerin clicked her tongue before positioning her head to ease.

“But the concept was great”, Sowon argued.

“Glutton was too much though”, Eunha pouted.

“They saw right through you, Eunha-ya”, Yuju giggled.

“But really… it all felt familiar. The concepts, it was as if we went through those or something”, Umji raised her thoughts.

“I am not a glutton!”

“I was surely a beautiful doll”

“An evil queen for Sinb— just like at The Friends in Adriatic Sea”

“Ahh that dang reign”

“But I, Umjiliena, took over”

“For two days only”

“Shut up, Sinb”

Laughter was filling the van, and their journey to the restaurant became lighter, much different from the cloudy feeling from the shoot. From the driver’s seat, their manager was just listening intently, smiling at every remark Gfriend made.

Sometimes, they felt as if they were forgetting important events in their lives, that no matter how they try to remember, they would go back to nothing but headaches. It , feeling incomplete at times, but they could feel their inner strength radiate even more… so maybe this was fine for them. No, it was more than fine— it felt good. That’s for certain.

Days are still ahead of Gfriend. More sunrises and sunsets for these hardworking and talented young women. More summers and blazing heat whilst wearing lots of laughter. More autumns and reminiscing of summer rains. More winters and twinkling snowflakes. More springs and awakenings. But for sure, it would always be their own season— it’s always Season of Gfriend.