“The members are like my family, since I spend more time with them than my family. They’re so precious where it’s difficult to define it with words.

We dream the same dream as each other, we’re moving towards the same goals.

We have a special relationship where we’re able to share the same feelings just from the expression in each other’s eyes.” Momo told Dicon, the magazine interview they had before vacation.

Lights are off in the van. Momo’s eyes couldn’t be seen. Though this dongsaeng is easily startled, she isn’t sheepish nor cowardly. She has no qualms in telling what’s in mind.

“Wah~ Unnie jincha?! Do you really not know? Wah!”

“Well, I just know that each of us can have different wants in life. I respect whatever changes your mind goes through.”

Nayeon can only recognize the amount of time and space Momo has shared with her. But the unnie doesn’t know that that is the dongsaeng’s loyalty.

Momo mutely sighs. It frustrates her because the answer is simple. She works hard to be happy in life. To be able to eat well with the people she likes, as time is precious for her. The answer—Momo finds happiness wherever she is.

“Unnie, where am I now? Right at this moment?” Her frustration is addressed in these rhetorical queries that she plucks off the SaMo ring.

“More questions don’t answer the question.”

“Here unnie, keep this for a while.” Momo hands the ring to Nayeon, “This is my answer.”

“O?” Nayeon is taken aback, she almost drops it. Knowing it’s a unique ring, she holds it tight careful not to drop it in this van.

Momo turns to the window sulking. The unnie senses this through the silence. She tries to lighten her up by poking some tickles, “Waegure~ Why are you lending me this?”

The dongsaeng whines.

“Araseo. Araseo”, unnie halts. “But really, why? How can you just give me this?”

“Well, I trust unnie.” Momo then mutters, “And- it’s not about the ring. It’s not what I’m giving.”

Time—once it’s spent, it can’t be taken back. It’s only given to those that matter. And even so, it isn’t always easy.

Jihyo took time to pull something off. It wasn’t merely for Sana’s sake but, hers too. Ever since the dating news, Jihyo couldn’t claim Sana out in public. Count those days to now, that’s how much it is missed.

It’s a month into 2020 and the resolution is of health and happiness. That stage was a necessary coping expression to a long overdue reverence. With Jihyo’s inclination to responsibilities, she does it by giving queenly Sana what is due.

Passing that much time also means it is now Jihyo’s birthday. Sana didn’t expect the grand gesture from the celebrant. As far as she’s concerned, Jihyo is supposed to be the one catered to. Nonetheless, Sana too has to cook something up as she had promised.

It was in the Korean Season Greeting 2020 calendar, which was prepared July last year, when the girls got to write comments on a member’s birthday. Jihyo wrote “Holiday vacation? <3” on her own birthdate.

Meanwhile, Sana wrote “A surprise for Jihyo!”

She had grand ideas then. But with the stresses of her partner’s dating news plus the recovery process, Sana learned that surprises can instead be in a form of a deeper bond.

Thus, in Jihyo’s birthday dinner, Sana sits beside the celebrant filling the side dishes and cup of rice for her. The Japanese with the tongs and scissors is also cooking the premium grade meats tossed on the grill.

Sana pinches a pork, blows on it, and offers. Jihyo opens mouth and bites. The Japanese looks intently. “Mmm!” The leader nods in delight. It’s soft and juicy, cooked just right to her liking.

Sana smiles as she succeeds giving a perfect piece for Jihyo. The Japanese goes back to turning meats on the grill waiting and finding the next one.

When Jihyo is reaching for the liquor, Sana grabs it and pours for her. The leader half whines and chuckles on this behavior, “Yah just ‘cause it’s my day, doesn’t mean you have to serve my hand and foot.

Could it be… You forgot to prepare a gift for me?!”

Sana grins as the glass goes half full, “My gift takes time.”

“If not now then, when? Time is precious, Sana-yah.”

It seems the leader is beating the Japanese on her rules. Sana decides to tease and play along. She brings another serving towards her partner’s mouth but retreats it right before it’s bitten.

Sana puts it in between teeth; further teases as she tilts her head. “Heol~”, the leader freezes. What she can only do is sip somaek.

Waiting in vain, the Japanese shrugs and eats the piece instead. Jihyo turns to get side dishes over there and suddenly notices Jeongyeon on her left looking.

“Why didn’t you take it? Only our team is here. What are you shy about?” Jeong asks.

“Aniya. She should eat. She hasn’t taken anything yet.”

“Wah really?!”

Well, that’s the fate of whoever’s in charge of the grilling. Sana’s energy goes into checking the meat’s tenderness and puts it on plate when it’s done. She barely remembers herself. Jeongyeon reaches over to snag the utensils from Sana.

“Thanks, Jeongyeon-ie. Now you can eat well Sana-yah”, Jihyo drinks the remains of her glass.

Now that Sana can only focus on Jihyo, she clears throat and confers “To be honest, I have nothing to gift you but- myself.”

Jihyo spews as she almost chokes on her liquor. Sana quickly grabs table napkins and wipes her, “O- mian.”

Sana continues, “My gift takes time because I’ll not only give you today. I’ll also give you tomorrow and the days after. Jihyo-yah, would you take me?”

How could Jihyo say anything other than a yes? Her days are not always healthy and happy. But with Sana, who’s warm and bright as summer, being always with her; Jihyo is uplifted and made happy.

Thus, though still coughing, she answers by pulling Sana into a hug. “Y-yes. Yes, of course!”

Sana rubs Jihyo’s back. When they tug away, she puts parka over the other saying “Here’s for today…”

She then kisses her. Her lips are stamped vividly that she finds it amusing. Sana realizes she really hasn’t eaten much for the color to be smudged on Jihyo’s cheek. She brings out her phone and captures this.

This is just for today.

The birthday kiss mark photo joins the collection of their Disney Sea date, the reindeer coupling, the Kouhaku New Year, and the photobooth-captured Seoul Music Awards.

Some photos are blurry. Regardless, as these matters to Sana, she remembers these moments clearly.

Sana intends for these precious moments to go on as time passes. She later sends this wish out to Twicetagram, “My Jjakkung Happy birthday <3 You’ve gotten a year older so let’s also be happier as well <3 Sharunghae”

Again, that Jjakkung exclusive way of I love you.

It may be a short message but, the photos make up for it. Other than rat and purple heart emoji, Sana has also added woman-woman couple with a heart and woman-woman kiss emoji. Short but sweet. Loud and Clear.

Time—and like how some photos aren’t perfect, the next days too are mundane full of hard work. What has kept them going since are the presence of each other.

Twice has resumed rehearsals for Twicelights Japan where Mina could join once again. For her recovery, she has also undergone work. She too learned a lot about time. When else could she be Twice if not now?

February 11^th—for the first time, Mina assumes her spot and is able to sing and dance to Feel Special.

It’s a long battle and wasn’t an easy one. But today, time is spent with those who matter. That is triumph. The girls sing Stay By My Side. Mina wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

She receives the big embrace from the rest of the girls with Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu on her right and Jihyo, Sana, Momo on her left. Nayeon and Jeongyeon are pushing on Momo’s side for tighter hug.

Atop the platform, Mina moves closest to Chaeyoung. They rest heads to each other while singing the last lines. With the rest of the girls, they wave hands sending thank yous for today as the curtains close.

This similar moment is lived again for the next day. Only similar but never the exact same thing. Jeongyeon in ponytail with pearls, sticks some of those shiny trinkets to the members. Particularly on MiChaeng’s moles. Jjakkungs receive these too.

Sana checks on Jihyo. She giggles on a pearl placed on the nose. The Japanese moves it to the leader’s forehead and kisses it. Sana has one of pearls on the forehead too.

“Now we’re matching”, she says.

These four then flaunt their faces posing for the camera. Mina leans putting her body weight to Chaeyoung as if backhugging her. So as Jihyo does to her partner, with face cupped between her own palm and Sana’s shoulder.