Chapter 30 - Final

 

"Hwayoung ah.." Her mom entered her room.

 

"Oh omma.. Why?" 

 

"A package came for you, from Jiyeon" her mom said.

 

After her mother left, Hwayoung grabbed her scissors and quickly yank off the wrapper and there, T-ARA's Bunny Style lay in front of her, all versions in her hand.

 

"Our Hwayoungie ❤" said the note which was left inside the box.

 

Hwayoung spent her day going through all photos in each and every version with the album playing in her room. 

 

"Jiyeon sent it?" Without her noticing, her mother was already in her room.

 

"Oh mom you scared me. Yeah, she got me all versions ," Hwayoung giddily smiled.

 

"Hwayoung, are you okay?" Her mom asked.

 

"What do you mean by okay?" Hwayoung said while going through Eunjung's version.

 

"Are you okay? As in being like this?" 

 

Hwayoung stopped motion. 

 

"I'm okay, mom. Don't worry."

 

"Okay, dear. If you say so,"

 

Hwayoung sighed and finally took a really good stare at all the versions of the album and suddenly she felt her wound slowly opening. In her eyes, it's already too late for anything to happen. She left.

 

The next day, she took a trip to CCM main building to watch the girls practice.

 

"Hwa ah!" She was welcomed happily.

 

Spending her hours there felt as if she was a T-ARA member again.

 

"Areum ah, are you blending in well?" Hwayoung asked when the other girls were busy eating or practicing on their own.

 

"I am, unnie. I'm really happy here but of course sometimes it's awkward but everything's falling into places now," Areum smiled while chewing her snack.

 

"That's good to hear.." Hwayoung smiled back.

 

"Unnie.."

 

"Hmm.."

 

"Are you really not coming back?" 

 

Hwayoung looked at Areum blankly and finally drew a smile.

 

"I don't think so, Areum ah.."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because I don't know. There are a lot of things to take measures of. Even if I want to, it's not the best,"

 

"But if you come back, a lot of our fan will be happy, things will go back as it used to be.." Areum said.

 

"Areum ah, it's not easy as it seems. Words are easy to utter but hard to act on it. For example, if I come back, what would the antis say? Antis are mean, you know. Didn't you witness what'd happened? It's complicated,"

 

"Hmm.." Areum defeated.

 

Hwayoung pat her former member on the head and smiled.

 

"Then, will you ever come back as a singer?"

 

"I'm still thinking, I have a lot of time in my hand, don't worry,"

 

"Here we gooooo! Fried chicken is here!" Jiyeon made an announcement and the room was filled with the smell of good fried chicken.

 

"Waaaah!" The members spazzed.

 

"Just like old times! Especially with Hwayoungie here!" Boram said and shoved a piece of small chicken in Hwayoung's mouth.

 

"Ah unnie! It's hot!" Hwayoung tossed away the chicken and shoved it back to Boram's mouth.

 

"Hoi!"

 

All the members laughed.

 

"Oh Danee ah, you're here, come here and eat!" Eunjung said.

 

Danee put her bag by the side and sat beside Hyomin.

 

"9-ARA JJANG! I love you guys! Lets be together for a very long time! For better and for worse!" Soyeon yelled and the members hugged in unison.