Ringing ~~~~

Slim fingers are reaching out aimlessly but instinctively for an object on night stand that is making louder ascending sound as ringtone is going off continuously. Being woken up from her peaceful slumber, Hyomin feels so unwilling to find out who dares to disturb her beauty sleeping, with her eyes closed, she is managing with extra effort a to grab her phone, though not fully awake, caller ID is clear enough for her acknowledge, fighting an urge to reject the calling, Hyomin knows better than to be childish or overcame by her desire to go back to sleep, she answers the call.

“Hello oppa ?”

“Hey Hyomin, are you still sleeping?”

“What do you think?”

“Well, I guess you are awake, otherwise I would be talking to Hyomin identical twin”

“Ha, very funny”

“Okay, okay, I won’t keep you so long so you can go back to your sleep, I'm just calling to remind you of TV program filming at your place tomorrow”

“Oh yeah, tomorrow, and you are calling me early this morning?”

“Save your thank you for later, I’m reminding you that you have more than 24 hours to clean the place before you embarrass yourself and broadcast on the show”

“My place is always clean and tidy”

“I bet I can trust you on that”

“What are you talking about?”

“In previous show, you left a lot of trace Hyomin”

With that sentence, Hyomin sighs inwardly remembering what her manager oppa is mentioning about.

“Thank you oppa”

“See kid ? I told you to save your thank you for later”

“Whatever, I’m going back to sleep”   

“ Stubborn kid, don’t forget to clean up mess okay?”

“Arraso, I’ll handle everything, don’t worry”

“ Good girl, now go back to sleep, good night”

Hyomin smiles at the comment then hangs up the call with her manager oppa who has been taking care of her and her group over a decade and she would never take his nagging in a wrong way because in her heart, she knows he cares. Reminiscing the old day memories, she is grateful of how he managed their lives and cleaned up their mess, without him, it could have gone disastrous. Memory after memory is replaying itself and she can’t help but smiles.

“Oh God, I miss them again” Hyomin is talking to herself, her thought is going back to the best era of T-Ara and she is thinking of her members now. Instead of going back to sleep, Hyomin tosses in her bed playing with her phone, she wonders what other members are doing; Funny as it sounds, though they have their own group chat and individual chat with each different members to keep one another updated, she loves the joys of stalking them on Instagram as well, because most photos that members post and share with fans are the ones she first sees them together with fans too. 

There she sees 3 of her members recently posted photos, Soyeon with her Totoro puppy that seems to grow a bit, Qri was at her holiday ( again ) and Eunjung who posted delicious look food which Hyomin recalls it was the night they went out for dinner together but Eunjung didn’t mention anything on caption which it’s very common for them, their bond is stronger than sisters and lasting as family, they don’t always have to show it in public anymore. However as playful member she is, she is typing a mischief comment under the photo.

“Eunjung unnie , are you having a secret date @sweetgirl_eunjung ?” Reads and laughs at her own comment then an instant reply pops up.

“Aigoo, I can’t hide it from you. I’ll reveal it to you but don’t tell anyone, it was a special dinner with my precious person * heart & heart @ hyominn”

Hyomin smiles from ear to ear at the reply, Eunjung never fails to make her day, she is always sweet and caring. Hyomin remembered being asked in one of the interviews “ Who is Eunjung to Hyomin” She didn’t even have to think about the answer because to her, Eunjung is a good sister and best friend in life that Hyomin can’t lose, and she meant every word she said, moreover as years went by, their strong bond and love for each other is indestructible, as they both are only child in respective family, they rely on each other and always support one another along the way both in career path and personal life.

Scrolling down further in the hope to see one last member who has been on Instagram, Hyomin finds herself feeling disappointed not to see their youngest member posting anything at all, and it has been almost 4 months since she was seen last active. Mood goes downhill from all smiling seeing Eunjung’s reply, Hyomin can’t help but worries about the maknae who always puts strong facade and keeps things to herself, they have not talked to each other much anymore though. Shaking off the blue feeling, Hyomin gets up and decides to start her day by cleaning her place and prepares for the TV show shooting.

Hyomin wipes the droplet of sweat off her forehead, admiring her tidy place. “Nice job Hyomin” and this is one of many times in a day she talks to herself, it would be very normal scene for her members to see her talking to herself randomly when they are around, but it would always be Qri who makes fun of it, she keeps teasing Hyomin for weird behavior but Qri herself doesn’t realize that she is not different at all with her super unique personality. Lifting up one last paper box to put above the shelf, Hyomin reaches out at her tallest to put it in place, but she miscalculates the length and the box ends up dropping to the floor with all stuff inside the box falling off to the floor, heaving a tired sigh, Hyomin couches down to pick up stuff on the floor, which luckily they are all photo. As she is picking them up, she looks at them one by one, and again, sweet memories that captured and frozen in those photos are brought back to life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

December, 2009

“I see your sad back hidden
behind the flashy lights and busy schedules
For your heavy shoulders as you worry
about what you want to do and what you have to do”

At the corner of the practice room, Hyomin noticed that their maknae was isolated herself from the group, she didn’t seem cheerful as usual.

“Are you okay Jiyeonie?” Hyomin approached her, the younger didn’t say anything but leaned her head on older girl shoulder.

“ Hyomin unnie, do you ever wonder if what we are sacrificing now is worth it?” Jiyeon asked in unsecured tone.

“ Jiyeon ah, I know you are tired and all, but remember we would never stand where we are now without all this hard work, we’ve got not many choices, “ give up” or “ go on” , but these two choices have totally different outcomes, we can lead a normal life as people as our ages out there, or outshine with our extraordinary dream” Hyomin stole a glance at the girl beside her.

“Hyomin unnie”

“Yeah?”

“Since the first day I saw you in practice room, I knew right from that moment that you will always be my guiding star, thank you” Jiyeon smiled and hugged the older girl

“Hang on there, one day it will pay off Jiyeon and you’ll be a rising star Jiyeon” Hyomin hugged her back

“But you’ll always be my guiding star and let you outshine me” Jiyeon said

“But I don’t want to” Hyomin argued

“Then, let’s always be by each other side” Jiyeon suggested

“ Okay” Hyomin agreed

“ Hey, kids , stop being lazy and moved your asses here” Eunjung shouted across the room, which earned harmony playful tongue sticking out from the maknae and second maknae . Jiyeon got up and offered her hand to pull Hyomin up, they were hand in hand joining the rest of the group for killer practice in mid night.

It was like a miracle when they were extremely tired but with their passion strength came from unknown source and they did practice tirelessly , more than that the two maknaes who wished to experience a normal life, they always sneaked out of their dorm most every chance they could or every breaks they were allowed to take sweet escape just the two of them to just stroll around the street, at playground, shopping arcade, coffee shop. They made a lot of silly memories together as two youngest of the group that were adored and loved by their members.   

 April, 2010

“When I hear your footsteps,
I greet you with a smile
That is the only gift that I could give you
Are you feeling sick anywhere? Was it hard?”

With hectic schedule that came with phenomenon rising fame, T-ara members found themselves depriving of sleep, they didn’t even get a proper chance to eat, but out of six members, three of them that seemed to gain most appearance on TV, but one of them also had conflicted schedule as the face of T-ara.

Tried not to disturb her roommate, Jiyeon tiptoed to a bedroom shared with her member as quiet as possible, depending on light from the living room guiding her to her bed without having to switch on the room light.

“ Jiyeon, are you home?” Hyomin groggily woke up and asked

“Did I wake you up unnie, I’m so sorry” Jiyeon quickly felt guilty

“No worries, and please turn on the light, if you keep walking in the dark, you may kick on stuff and fall” Hyomin chided

“I don’t want to…” Jiyeon was going to reason

“I told you a hundred times Jiyeon and I don’t mind that” Hyomin said just then she reached out for light switch.

“How is your fever ?” Hyomin asked worriedly

“I’m getting better” Jiyeon lied, she didn’t look any better.

“ Come here” Hyomin motioned her to sit next to her bed, and Hyomin’s instruction was like a magical words that Jiyeon never opposed.

“Aigoo, you are burning hot” Hyomin placed her palm on Jiyeon’s forheard.

“I’ll be fine unnie, don’t worry” Jiyeon convinced.

“Get shower, I’ll make hot soup for you while you are in shower and then you can take medicine and sleep” Hyomin was getting up from bed.

“ Hyomin unnie, please don’t bother and go back to bed” Jiyeon held her back “ And it’s getting late now”

“I want you to get better” Hyomin reasoned

“Just smile for me, your smile is best medicine here” Jiyeon smiled

“You must have read your drama script so much” Hyomin tried to hide her blush

“I didn’t have such a dialogue” Jiyeon argued, “Can I sleep on your bed without taking shower tonight?” Jiyeon didn’t wait for answer when she moved the side of the bed. Hyomin can only sigh, she got no choice but climbed up her bed which one side was already occupied by stubborn unwell kid.

Lying next to her, Jiyeon naturally turned and hugged her.

“You smell nice unnie” Jiyeon snuggled closer.

“And you smell bad” Hyomin exaggerated

“Jinja?” Jiyeon started to feel uncomfortable.

 “Nah, just sleep well Jiyeon, you can take shower in the morning” Hyomin reassured and cuddled Jiyeon closer and felt the heat emitting from the sick girl.

“ Saranghae unnie” Jiyeon voice faded as she closed her eyes

“Get well soon Jiyeon ah”

July, 2011

“Don’t worry about me,
I just need you to be okay”

With killer schedules where Hyomin had to do the drama shooting as the same with promoting their new album, as a hardworking woman she turned to be, she always put herself out there and never complained despite how weak she was, all members knew that and started to worry about her but there would always be one person who cared her more than anyone else and wa