TWICE’s staff and crew, and the stadium engineer fills the stage. Double checking, triple checking every show equipment. This is opening night and they’re not letting down a single person. Meanwhile, those who are not on the stage, are in the dressing room, preparing costumes and make up. And those who are neither, are probably having lunch or sleeping. It’s a long day after all. A long day but it has barely started. They have a concert to do in three hours.

This leaves the hallway spacious. It's where you can find Jeongyeon strolling with her attention glued to her phone. She’s in one point of the internet where the funniest things lies. Then something made her laugh. And it’s a laugh. Not to forget that Jeongyeon laughs emphatically boisterous.

“Whoa, I think you shook the whole of Korea there.” Jihyo takes her face backwards, surprised by Jeongyeon's noise.

Jihyo shares the hallway where Jeongyeon is laughing through. “Oh, Jihyo!”

“Correct. It is I, Jihyo.” Jihyo states dramatically.

“You’re going somewhere?” Jeongyeon puts her phone away now that there’s another human being in the cavernous hallway.

“The cafeteria.” Jihyo says. “I mean, it’s a waiting room, but cafeteria sounds a lot more neat doesn’t it.”

Jeongyeon laughs. A lot smaller than the previous laugh she exploded to. “Yeah.” Jihyo’s jokes have always been adorably hilarious.

A few seconds into Jeongyeon’s departure with Jihyo’s unconditional less than normal human walking speed, Jihyo opens a box of conversation.

“If you think about it. My life has been pretty crazy.”

“Your life?” Jeongyeon asks. And although Jeongyeon didn’t mean a hint of bitterness nor sarcasm, Jihyo doesn’t want Jeongyeon to take it the wrong way.

“Oh sorry. I mean, our lives has been pretty crazy.” Jihyo redress herself. “Like, in what? Three years? We’ve come on top in becoming one of the most successful girl group in Korea. Ever.” She continues. “Actually, you don’t even have to think about it.  

“Hahaha, yeah.” Jeongyeon grins. “You don’t.”

“All the hard work really paid out, huh.”

“Hard work and accidents.” Jeongyeon admonishes Jihyo.

“Accidents?” Jihyo is not really positive about Jeongyeon’s blunt word.

“We’ve made a lot of mistakes.”

“But I wouldn’t say accidents, though.” Jihyo examines Jeongyeon’s words. “Coincidences. Yeah that’s the word.”

“Coincidental accidents.” Jeongyeon restates.

“A ton of hard work and coincidental accidents” They agree to disagree to their words.

“You’re wrong, though.” Jeongyeon tilts her little face. “You said one of the most successful girl groups in Korea. We’re not. We’re one of the most successful girl groups in the world.” Jeongyeon says charmingly. Giving Jihyo a bright laugh.

“And that’s after two cancelled debuts.” Jihyo says. Throwing Jeongyeon in sudden bafflement.

“Two cancelled… 6MIX and?”

“Oh sorry. There was one group. Barely lasted for a week. Long story.” Tells Jihyo.

“Okay?” Jeongyeon is even more confounded.

“Wait no. It wasn’t a six-mix. It was a ‘Quartet’ or something.”

This beats Jeongyeon above all else. She has been an artist for two and a half years, after training for five years. She has been under the same agency for almost 9 years. And she is incredibly dumbfounded. There’s another group she wasn’t informed of.

That Jihyo was told and she was not.

“But still, Nation’s girl group is one a hell of a title you know.” Jihyo goes on. “Guess it really is one in a million huh? Billion even?”

Meanwhile the blue haired girl is still lost in her thoughts. Then out of her befuddled mind, she brought up something that she has been wanting to say for quite a while.

“Can I ask you a favour?” Jeongyeon says. This time a bit lacking in confidence. “If you don’t mind?”

“Be our guest.” Jihyo welcomes a question.

“So for the past three years, we’ve made about what? Eight? Nine releases?” Jeongyeon’s hands dance along with her explanation.

“Yeah, that’s about right.” Jihyo confirms.

 “And so far, we have not done a single failure in a comeback.” Jeongyeon slowly climbs her idea.

“Not that I am aware of, no.” She answers Jeongyeon carefully. Jihyo starts to speculate on what Jeongyeon might say.

“And you have probably heard that some of us has been making music.”

“Where are you going with this?” The younger leader wonders.

“And you, among the nine of us, is the closest to Jinyoung PD-nim.”

Jeongyeon gives Jihyo time to think. They are now in the ballpark. Jeongyeon’s ballpark.

“Jeongyeon-unnie…”

“Yes?”

“So here’s what I’m getting. You’re asking me to ask Park-Jinyoung PD-nim to ask the group to make music for ourselves?”

Jeongyeon doesn’t return a yes. Rather, she nods a confident yes.

“And why are you asking me?” Jihyo instead asks back.

“Because you’re the closest to him.”

“And me being the closest to him can do what again? Jihyo winces her eyes in question.

“It’s like you’re the golden child, y’know?” Utters Jeongyeon something that Jihyo has little awareness of.

“In TWICE?”

“In the whole company.”

“Wouldn’t that be Suzy-unnie?” Jihyo blocks. Throwing Jeongyeon off balance.

Jeongyeon takes a breath. She’s preparing something.

“Okay. First, no offense.”

“Wasn’t taking any.”

“I’m not saying that he would do everything you ask for because you’re PD-nim’s golden child. Or that I’m saying you are are a golden child. But at least you being closer or even the closest to him makes it easier.” Jeongyeon says. “And imagine our fans’ excitement when they’re told the nation’s girl group makes their own music.”

“It would be insanely great.”

“It would be insanely great.” She repeats Jihyo’s words.

This puts Jihyo in a ponder. Jihyo’s job, other than being the main vocals, is to be a leader. And being a leader means to decide and consider everything that has something to do with the team. But now, she is unable to think straight. 

“So, can you do it?” Jeongyeon asks, almost enthusiastically.

“I can do it. I’ll ask Jinyoung.” Jihyo says, relieving Jeongyeon. “To the younger Jinyoung. Your Jinyoung.”

“What? What does that even¾”

“Ok, I can’t do it.” Jihyo says disconcertedly. Throwing Jeongyeon back to the realm of bafflement.

“Because?”

“Letting us make our own songs is a great idea, don’t get me wrong. But…” Jihyo pauses.

“But?”

“It would be harder for me to explain than to say yes.”

“Then just say yes.” Jeongyeon is having a hard time understanding Jihyo.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I… can’t…” Jihyo hesitantly says.

“Not even why?”

“Not even a short explanation.” Jihyo says, toneless.

“What about a long explanation?”

“Which you and I don’t have time for.”

“Alright. After the show?”

“No Jeongyeon-unnie. I just can’t do it.” Jihyo says, breaking the conversation.

A pause. They stare lightly into each other. Jeongyeon is still beyond the unsatisfying reason while Jihyo is finding the best way to end this segment. Until Jihyo’s phone rang and Jeongyeon’s phone chimed. Jihyo then picked up her phone, hanging Jeongyeon’s conversation.

“I’ll wait after the show.” The short-haired girl leaves Jihyo, unsatisfied. She heads to the hallway, opposite of Jihyo’s direction.

“See you later, Jeongyeon-unnie.” Jihyo says, before sticking the phone to her left ear.

Yet another iron in the fire.