Chapter III

     “Eonnie, they want you in the make-up room.”

“Can you zip me up Eonnie please?”

“What time is it?”

“Guys, do you have any idea how to open this thing?”

Normally, Jeongyeon would react to the chaos happening around her but this time, she just let the conversations drift in the background. Instead, she was standing in front of a full-length mirror in one of the dressing rooms they were assigned to, feeling unsure as she was studying herself.

A gentle hand rested on her waist.

“What is it?” TWICE leader Jihyo asked her gently. “You’re not comfortable with it?”

She shook her head. “It’s not that Eonnie.”

“What then? It really looks good on you.”

She raised her eyebrows at her but secretly hoping it was true.

“You know I won’t say it if it’s not true. It’s not like I want you to be laughed at by people.”

Facing the mirror again while biting her lip, she said, “You don’t think it’s too much Eonnie?”

The royal blue dress was a minimal with small but elegant details. Capped, off-the-shoulder sleeves meet the strapless neckline, and a sultry, hidden V-bar. Fitted waist meets the tea-length, figure flaunting, maxi hem with a high side slit.

Their leader nudged her waist lightly, giving her a reassuring smile. “Believe me, it really looks good on you. I told you, you should be wearing this kind of dresses more often.”

This time, she gave their leader a knowing look.

Branded as the member who can pull of the boyish, she was never given the elegant dresses just like some of her members. Thinking it will change as the years passed by, she didn’t object with the idea. Five years since their debut, she founded it frustrating that she was made to stick with that image. She didn’t mind because honestly, she couldn’t be bothered most of the times, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want those elegant dresses. She did. After all, she was a woman.

It was a good thing the agency didn’t object when she told them the dress she wanted to wear. It wasn’t what she initially wanted but her sister suggested she try it out.

And she was thankful she chose it. She loved it, even though she was still unsure if really looked good on her. Though, even if she won't admit it, it did boost her self-confidence.

Jihyo laughed at her and gave her a wink. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.”

Somehow, Jeongyeon believed her. These days, she has been trying her best to be more assertive in raising their issues to the company.

Suddenly, the older member studied her, hand in her chin.

“What?” she asked, curious on the sudden change in her expression.

Jihyo had tapped her fingers on her chin and looked at her curiously. “You’re worried about Jimin?”

“Why would I be?” she frowned, not expecting the question.

She gestured at her dress. “Don’t you think that would be a problem?”

“Oh. I’m not sure. I mean, he never mentioned anything about how I dress before.”

“Huh,” their leader muttered in disbelief, and suddenly laughed out loud.

Jeongyeon looked at her like she was crazy.

 “Sorry,” she apologized while trying to calm herself. “I just remembered that he loves to show off his body, so I guess he doesn’t really have the right.”

“Eonnie!”

“It’s true,” Jihyo said, trying to control her laughter once again. “So, if he gives you a hard time with dress, where you look very good at, give him hell about his fan service.”

“Jihyo Eonnie, can you please help me with this?” their youngest, Tzuyu, interrupted them, holding a pin in her hand.

This time, it was Tzuyu who was nearly gawking at her, just like how the other members reacted when they saw her with the dress.

She raised her eyebrows at her, instead of asking out loud.

“You look really good Eonnie. I knew this kind of dress will suit you.”

She caught Jihyo’s ‘I told you so’ look behind their maknae’s head, with a satisfied look on her face.

Rolling her eyes, she took her phone and went out the dressing room, intending to call her parents.

Meanwhile, the members left in the dressing room were just shaking their heads and laughing. They knew she looked beautiful in the dress, just like they always imagined.

“I think she should be worried about Jimin, not other people.”

“Hmm. I know, right?”

“I can’t wait to see the reaction on his face when he sees her.”

“This will be a good night.”

     After going through the red carpet and a short interview, they were met by a staff when they entered the concert hall, on their way to their waiting rooms.

“You will be guided to your waiting rooms to settle down before doing a last-minute check if you want.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m hungry,” Dahyun muttered beside her.

“Me too. We should have eaten earlier.”

“I told you to. You didn’t listen.”

Few members playfully glared at her, but she just shrugged her shoulders, indicating she was right.

“Oppa, are we getting food here?” Dahyun asked their manager when they saw him in their waiting room.

“Yeah. I think they’re giving out the foods right now.”

“You can just the distributed food then you can. To satisfy your hunger. You can tell me what you want later, and I’ll go get it for you.”

Jeongyeon will always be grateful that their manager was very understanding with them and didn’t do everything the company told him to do. Because of a bad experience with their previous manager, they were cautious to get close to him when he first joined them three years ago. It turned out he was most understanding manager they ever had.

Instead of treating them like idols, he treated them like her children. He always checked if they were comfortable with the things they were asked to do and if they were not, he always tried his best to get them out of doing them.

Minseok always let them eat whatever they wanted to, but always reminded them to not to go overboard. Idols and actors are forced into the idea that they must have a certain weigh to be considered beautiful. Instead of pressuring them, he always told them that were already old enough to know how to handle themselves.

And that was for them, was the biggest deal. They were trusted and treated like adults who knew how to manage themselves, not children needing to be monitored twenty-four seven.

“I’ll go check the stage. You guys wait here for the food. You have to eat now if you’re hungry because you will be on in twenty minutes.”

“Ne, Oppa. Thanks.”

Minseok turned around and look at her from the door. “Yeon?”

“Ne?”

“Have you seen Jimin yet?”

She frowned, realizing that she hasn’t hear from him the whole day. “Anieo, Oppa. I don’t think they’re here yet. Why?”

“Nothing,” he shook and went out the door.

She didn’t miss the smile her members were trying to suppress but just chose to ignore them and got back to texting her sister. She also sent his boyfriend a message.

‘Hey. You guys arrived already?’

     “Yeon Noona, hello.”

“Oh, hey Vernon,” she greeted the younger member of Seventeen. All the groups are getting gathering backstage and getting ready for the opening performance. “You changed your hair color.”

“Ne. You look pretty.”

“Thank you.”

His shy smile made her laugh inside. Her members always told her the he has a crush on her but she didn’t really take it into heart. “How are you? Are you preparing for your comeback?”

“Ne. We’re planning it for t