Wow, two uploads in one day! Who am I? 

I'd like to thank all of you readers for your patience and support. It really means a lot :) Anyways, we still have a little less than half of this story to go (Yes, there's still a lot coming). I hope you enjoy the remainder of it!

“We’re ready.”

It had taken some time, but all of the members were now able to face their CEO and say those words confidently.

CEO Choi, his chin resting on his folded hands, eyed them cautiously with heavy eyes. “And this is a unanimous decision based on the fact that you are all truly ready? Not because you feel rushed?” 

“We really are ready,” Bomi repeated with more conviction. This time, she wasn’t sitting in the centermost chair; Namjoo had taken that seat. There had been no conversation about who would sit where; when they entered the office, they had all just chosen their seats for the sake of sitting. It had been like a collective decision that had been made without words to not let Bomi―or anyone, for that matter―take the burden of being the leader.

They had all made a vow to carry their burdens together, and they would keep it. 

“Very well,” their boss said. “We shall release a statement about Chorong’s situation soon.”

“Has her family agreed to this as well?” Namjoo questioned.

The older man nodded. “Not so long ago. Of course, we are going to keep our promise to do our best to protect them from the press.”

As much as Eunji wanted to feel relieved, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy. In this world, there was no way to stay completely safe from the press.

CEO Choi diverted his attention to his computer and began typing something down. “Expect to be contacted soon for interviews. We’re going to try our best to block the most invasive reporters out, but…”

“It can’t be helped,” Eunji finished for him. “We understand, and we’re ready for it.”

“We also still want to do the year-end performances,” Hayoung added.

This seemed to surprise their boss. He looked up from his computer screen, his fingers frozen above his keyboard, with widened eyes and a slightly agape mouth. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Bomi affirmed. “We’ve been preparing for them for a long time now, and it would be a waste to not perform. It would be a disgrace to Chorong-unnie, too.”

“Apink is not the same without Chorong-unnie,” uttered Naeun, “but we are still Apink.”

“She would have wanted us to perform,” Hayoung said.

Eunji didn’t want to mention that it would be emotionally painful to perform without Chorong, but everything her members had just said was true. They had all agreed upon this before coming to the meeting; they would perform at all the year-end shows, for their fans and, most importantly, Chorong. They had been preparing for the performances long before their concert, and those hours of practice and planning would be put to use. If they weren’t, it would disrespect all the sleepless nights that they, the staff, and the choreographers had suffered through. Besides, practicing for the year-end performances would give the members something to do to take their minds off of things. It would be a form of healing for all of them.

“We can adjust the dances. We’ve also discussed already about how we’re going to be covering for Chorong-unnie’s parts,” Namjoo explained.

Again, CEO Choi surveyed the members carefully and a bit worriedly. He seemed a bit apprehensive and hesitant, but he eventually let out a sigh and said, “Well, it seems that you’ve already made up your minds, so I can’t stop you.” 

Bomi smiled rather mischievously. “We’d fight our ways onto that stage if it comes to that.”

“It won’t come to that, I assure you,” he chuckled. “I’ll contact the staff as soon as possible so we can start preparations for the year-end performances again”

“SBS Gayo Daejun is in a little over a week,” Naeun pondered. “Will the preparations be done in time?”

“Well, we’ve already done most of the important things. All that’s left are the formalities, like confirming your attendance and ensuring a proper stage setup. Of course, there’s also the concern of whether or not you girls will be able to revise and perfect your performance in time.”

“We will,” Hayoung stated matter-of-factly. All of the other members nodded in agreement. 

Perhaps it was because of the confidence that they were exerting, but some of the CEO’s apprehension seemed to ebb away. “Very well, then. It’ll be a very busy few weeks, so I suggest you all go home and rest while you can. Expect a call very soon.” 

Together, the members stood up, bowed and thanked their boss, and began to leave the office. 

“You know,” CEO Choi said just as Eunji’s hand wrapped around the door handle, “it wouldn’t have dishonored her.”

They all turned to face their boss, whose usual stern expression was replaced by a gentle, sincere look. 

“Whether you had decided to perform or not,” he elaborated, “you wouldn’t have dishonored Chorong. The fact that you are all trying to push through this and are, most importantly, staying by each others’ sides is enough. Chorong would be proud of you. I have no doubt about that.”

Chorong would be proud of you. 

Of all the things that their CEO had said, those were the words that had left the biggest impression. Hearing that statement and getting some sort of assurance that they were doing something right somehow encouraged her to keep her head up higher. 

Chorong had made this strength possible, Eunji realized. Her strong leadership throughout the years built this stability both in each of the members and among the group as a whole. Because of her, they were able to look up and walk forward from this setback together. 

They were all the pillars of Apink, but Chorong had been the one who had invested most of her time helping to build up those pillars. If Chorong had a legacy, this would be it―the creation of the glue that held Apink together not just as an idol group, but also a family. Apink was Chorong’s legacy.

And Eunji was sure as hell not going to let what Chorong had worked so hard to build up crumble. So, yes, hearing that Chorong would be proud of them had been a comforting validation that Eunji hadn’t known that she had needed until then.

“What are you thinking about?” Bomi asked abruptly.

With the sound of Bomi’s voice, Eunji was lured back to reality, where she and the other members were walking down the halls of their company building. With the maknaes leading in the front and Bomi walking by Eunji’s side, they were all heading toward a restaurant (of Namjoo’s pick, of course) to discuss more about their upcoming performance over lunch.

“How’d you know I was thinking?” Eunji answered with another question.

“You had your thinking face on.”

Eunji arched a brow. “My thinking face?”

“Yeah, whenever you’re deep in thought, you get this far away look in your eyes, like you’re here, but you’re not seeing what’s directly in front of you. You also furrow your brows a bit and twist your lips to a side. Like this.” Bomi tried to match her expression to her description, and Eunji stifled a laugh.

“You look like a very focused puppy,” Eunji commented. 

“Good. That means I did it right.”

“I don’t look like a focused puppy when I’m thinking.”

“I have pictures that say otherwise,” Bomi grinned and tapped her phone. “So what were you thinking about?”

“Chorong-unnie and how she would be proud of us.”

Bomi chuckled lightly under her breath. “CEO Choi’s words got to you too, huh?”

“We’re doing right by her,” Eunji said to Bomi, though a part of it was addressed to herself, as if to provide even more validation.

“Of course we are. We―” Suddenly, Bomi froze and stopped dead in her tracks, looking forward with eyes that looked surprised, worried, and fearful all at once. The other members had also stopped in front of them, and when Eunji saw the person whose presence had made them freeze, she too stiffened up. 

Chorong’s father.

It seemed that he had been neglecting his appearance. His dark, greying hair had grown past his ears and were in need of a trim and some brushing. Patches of unshaven stubble dotted his face and neck, and his face seemed more sunken in and tired since the last time Eunji had seen him.

The last time she had seen him...That had been when he had angrily shouted at them. Since then, she hadn’t run into him, even though she was sure that he’d been visiting Chorong in the hospital very often. 

That was undoubtedly why Mr. Park also stopped abruptly when he saw them frozen in the hall. For a moment, they just stood there awkwardly, staring at each other as memories of their last tense encounter floated in the air like a heavy weight that was holding both parties from speaking first. As Eunji stared at Mr. Park, all of his hurtful words rushed back to her.

Why didn’t you do anything? 

Chorong is not your older sister. She’s not your family.

This would have never happened if she had just stayed home.

It still hurt, knowing that those words had come from Mr. Park and that there was some truth behind them.

But as Eunji stared at Mr. Park, she also took in his weary state and the perplexed look in his tired eyes as he gazed back at them. They weren’t full of anger, like they had been last time. No, instead they looked incredibly worn out, worried, and slightly guilty.

Namjoo was the first to square her shoulders and lean over in a deep bow. The other members followed her. “Hello, Mr. Park,” Namjoo greeted politely. “What brings you to the company building?”

“I’m here to talk to your CEO about the matter of going public about Chorong’s accident,” Mr. Park replied gruffly.

“Is everything alright?” 

“Yes. I just need to sort out some details with him.”

“How are you and your family doing?” Namjoo asked honestly, and Eunji found herself genuinely wanting to know the answer to this question. Though she personally had exchanged a few messages and short calls with Chorong’s mother and sisters, she hadn’t been able to truly speak to them about their well-beings. 

“We’re slowly adjusting.” The old man looked at each member, and when his gaze fell on Bomi, Eunji swore that the guilt in his eyes doubled. “And you all?”

“We’re also still slowly adjusting,” Namjoo answered. 

“I see.” There was an awkward pause, then Mr. Park said, “Well, then. CEO Choi is expecting me.”

Namjoo nodded and bowed again. “Goodbye, then.”

“Please send your family our warm wishes,” Bomi said.

“I will,” he replied and began to continue down the hall. Before he could pass Eunji, though, he stopped and turned around. “Your year-end performances―are you still doing them?”

“Yes, we are,” responded Eunji.

 Chorong’s father chewed on his lower lip, and Eunji wondered if Chorong had gotten that habit from him. With his apprehensive silence, Eunji feared for a second that he was against them performing without Chorong.

But Mr. Park only tilted his head down in a gesture of acknowledgement and said, “I’ll be watching the broadcast.”

Then he turned back around and continued down the hallway toward CEO Choi’s office.