For the first time in her life, Yoo Jeongyeon feels what it is like to be properly overwhelmed.

Stepping out of the train station, Jeongyeon’s mouth gapes open at many big buildings surrounding her. Her parents were right, Seoul is very big, too big for a young girl. Two luggage at her feet, a big backpack on her skinny frame, Jeongyeon stops and quints at the address note of her uncle’s house. She is supposed to take the 33 bus and get off at the fourth stop. “This should be easy.” Jeongyeon encourages herself. “You got this, Jeongyeon-ah”

Then she got on the wrong bus. 

It had taken a while for Jeongyeon's uncle to convince her parents to send her to Seoul for her final school years. Citing better quality education, closer to future universities, so and so, he went all out to make sure Jeongyeon could be in Seoul for the second year of high school. The main reason actually has very little to do with the girl's future. His daughter, Chaeyoung, is entering high school this year, and he needed someone close to keep an eye on her when he went on endless business trips. Who is better suited for the work than his innocent niece in Suwon? 

Her new room is way bigger than the one at home, but the feel is very different. She especially blames this on Seoul's air, and not at all on her crippling homesickness. She will not cry on her first night away. As soon as her sisters, Seungyeon and Seoyeon, catch a whiff of the news of her crying, she will be their laughing stock for months. Not gonna happen on her watch.

Even though Chaeyoung's room is next to hers, it is not until dinner time that she finally meets the kid. She is a year younger than Jeongyeon but looks a lot smaller. The last time Jeongyeon saw the kid was when they were 7, rolling around in the dirt of her grandparents' backyard. Her eyes still sparkle the same way and her drawling "unnie" catches Jeongyeon by a pleasant surprise. This is going to be not too bad after all.

###

It was her second week at the JYP High School and Jeongyeon is still slowly adapting to the new lifestyle. At her old high school in Suwon, life was familiar. Everybody in her class also went to the same primary and middle schools as she did, so there was no need to remember faces or to get acquainted with people. Jeongyeon used to be quite popular with her schoolmates, always jokes around and tease people. It is not the same vibe in Seoul, however. There are so many more students and much more things to do as well. Besides studying in class, there are club activities and cram schools. Who would have thought high school would be this much work. The only reason she has not gone crazy yet is that she's got Chaeyoung, who always eats with her during lunch break and teaches her things about Seoul. But after all, the little one is still a freshman, Jeongyeon knows better than to hog all of her times. She tries her best to put on a brave face and encourage Chaeyoung to socialize more with her same-age friends. For Jeongyeon though, she thinks she will manage, sooner or later. 

The club fair this year starts later than usual, so at dinner time when there are just the two of them, Chaeyoung insists, no, she begs Jeongyeon to join her in her new club.

"Please unnie, this club is the reason why I get into this school. Please sign up with me"

"Wasn't the reason why you join the school because it has a decent art program." Jeongyeon laughs, shaking her head lightly.

"Well, that's too. But I really want to be in this club. It will be fun, unnie, there are a lot of seniors and juniors. You will get more friends."

Jeongyeon really thinks she will regret this moment later, but she cannot refuse her cousin's cute tone, so she nods her head. The hell with it.

###

The next day, Chaeyoung introduced Dahyun and Tzuyu to Jeongyeon in the school canteen. The kids have known each other since middle school and they want to sign up for the famed Club together. For someone who she has just known for 10 minutes, Dahyun is very well-mannered and overly excited at the same time. During the meal, with bread in and spoon in her hand, she draws to Jeongyeon the pictures of people behind the club. 

“The club name is TWICE and the founders are like Goddesses of this school.”

"Goddesses?" Jeongyeon asked Chaeyoung in a hushed tone. 

“The first person: Im Nayeon is very beautiful. One classmate told me she did professional theater on the side and got herself a little fan club in our school. She does really well in class too, even came out first the last school exam"

"Jihyo is equally pretty AND very ambitious.” Dahyun continued, totally immersing in her role of the (fake) club ambassador.“I’m telling you, one of these days she will become President of South Korea.”

“Jesus, Dahyun don’t be too dramatic”. Chaeyoung laughed

“Thou shan’t take the Lord’s name in vain, my little friend. But anyway, I’m not dramatic. It is true. I have been told that Jihyo does not mess around when it comes to club work.” Dahyun shushed Chaeyoung.

“And as an honorable mention, Sana. Minatozaki Sana. She is, well, she has been in the club from the beginning, so she is just as important as the two founders. She is drop-dead gorgeous in my opinion.”

“Dahyun has a crush on her”, Tzuyu interjects as she stands to put the food tray back. Jeongyeon is taken aback because of her presence. The quiet girl has not said a word since their greetings and Jeongyeon almost forgets about her.

The two shorties follow suit, but Dahyun’s mouth never stops. “What are you on about? I do not.”

“You are soooo head over heel for her, Dahyun”. Chaeyoung teases

She turns to Jeongyeon. “At orientation, some popular seniors were assigned to hand out snacks and drinks for us. Sana was the one handling our section. Long story short, she tripped and fell on Dahyun. Dubu man cannot stop talking about her smell ever since.”

“Jeongyeon-unnie, do not listen to them. It is not like that all.” Dahyun pouts and tries to defend her dignity.

Tzuyu who is walking behind them gets fed up with the commotion. She walks past them while mimicking Dahyun’s voice “She smells like jasmine, bro not the cheap boba tea jasmine, real kind, the one that my grandma uses and can keep her alive, bro”.

Chaeyoung laughs loudly and Jeongyeon smiles. It is going to be fun hanging out with these kids.

###

During the club’s 1st meeting to welcome the newbies, Jeongyeon realized there aren’t a lot of people in the club. This can only mean two things: either this club is very exclusive and picky of its members, or not enough people signing up. But the latter reason is not possible. Jeongyeon saw with her own eyes how many fanboys of the club founders signing up to take the club entrance quiz. 

There are only 9 people in total, including her and the kids, all are girls. She recognizes Mina and Momo from her year, they were in different classes so she only sees them during Gym, but she is still relieved over the prospect of getting to know more people her age. The duo has been quite the talk of the school ever since they were freshmen, mainly because they are Japanese and pretty, according to Dahyun. 

Dahyun knows everything about everybody, but don’t bother asking how she knows. “A magician never reveals her secret.” She speaks furtively, hands forming Naruto’s Tiger sign.

At the end of the table sit the three most senior members of the club, Jeongyeon cannot tell who is who yet, but her confusion is resolved when Jihyo speaks up first, eyes bright and voice booming.

“Welcome to Twice, everybody. I’m Park Jihyo, club president. On my left is vice president Minatozaki Sana. And on my right is senior member Im Nayeon.”

Jeongyeon thinks Dahyun was spot on when she said Sana was gorgeous. The girl is really good-looking, the kind of look that can easily intimidate people who pass by her, were it not for her blinding smile. Sana stands up, hands waving and smiling brightly, “Hello kids. Let’s have fun together.”

Im Nayeon, quite conversely, does not smile. She wears a serious expression, almost glum. She slightly bows and says her greetings. 

That was weird. She almost looks like she does not want to be there. Jeongyeon has an inkling that they may not get along if this is how Nayeon really acts on a daily basis. Jeongyeon, though shy, prefers to be around balls of laughter like Dahyun and Chaeng or even a silent comedian like Tzuyu. 

The new members gradually stand up and introduce themselves. When it is Jeongyeon’s turn, she says she was a junior and just got transferred here. 

Jihyo replied loudly at her end of the table, “Cool, we are the same age then.” 

Mina and Momo turn to each other and simultaneously voice “EH?”

Jeongyeon isn’t sure who they are referring to.

###

Because it is a school’s endorsed club, the activities are standard and simple. Every week, they have a club gathering to carry out their event of the week, whatever that is. By the end of the school year, they must provide a report of their collective work to put in the school journal.

Jeongyeon has grasped the basics of how the club works, but she is still utterly confused over what the club is actually about. Hesitantly raising her hands after Jihyo finishes with her speed, she waited for someone to notice and let her speak. 

“Yes, Jeongyeonie?” Sana asks, her entire body leans forwards to anticipate the question. 

So this is why Sana is considered to be the most approachable of the bunch. She pays attention to other people, or at least she acts that way. And Jeo