Hyewon's POV:

It has been yet another Month past. I decided to stay with 8D and finish my contract. While she's getting ready to move out of Urbanworks. The announcement will be made in the first week of September, right before Chuseok Holidays. We are getting ready to welcome Hii back, we have shopped over the weekend for her arrival. Snacks for her and for Nako, I also gave them both several clothes from my brand deal endorsement. Something that fitted Hii-chan's and Nako-chan's style. Everything was already packed and was waiting for Minju and Hii's date out to the several Bakeries she wanted to visit. As much as I wanted to see, Hii-chan, we couldn't due to my all day filming for Seasons of Blossom. I went to filming now, Minju was on her way to meet Hii-chan and I already got done sending Hii a message of my apology for not being able to see her and reminded her to have a safe flight tomorrow. I informed her that I will have a scheduled fan meeting over in Japan and I wanted to see her along with my child Minami if they could come.

The fan meeting was supposed to be in Yokohama, Tokyo. It was near Akihabara District, together with Minami who was still working for the AKB48 just like Hii. She said she will try to come and see me and bring Minami with her. I already sent her five spare tickets to the said event. She can bring along other Japanese Friends I made during Produce 48. If of course they had the time, otherwise, she can send those tickets to her Mother, Father or Sister. Hii's family became extremely close to me during our time in IZ*ONE, because we always brought them keepsakes and snacks, plus I was specifically treated like their daughter because I took interest in Tochigi, everything about Tochigi, where Hii was from, I asked them often to tell me stories about Tochigi and the common fables around town. Beliefs and other things.

Her Mother was especially a good storyteller. She has recounted to me dozens if not hundreds of local folklore stories. I loved hearing stories about folklore and beliefs. Whenever we visited Japan, Hii's Mother was always there to welcome us and give us each a hug. I honestly wanted to see Hii's Parents, probably make a stop at Tochigi. I will see what I can do but for now both were supposed to go on a Bakery tour and I was supposed to focus on filming. I just arrived in the set and I was ushered into my dressing room where I found a cooler of drinks and an envelope. It was in Minju's hand writing. I opened the letter and read it.

To my aegi~ Bomi,

Do well today! It's going to be hot today, so here's a cooler of your favorite drinks, everything Nitrogen Cooled. To cool off my aegi~ Bomi. I hope you enjoy today no matter how hot it is, always smile for me. Have fun filming aegi~ and I will see you at home. I'm already mising you. Hii-chan and I miss you, we are rooting for you. I've bought some drinks for the staff too as well as some sweet bread from one of the Bakeries Hii and I were supposed to go to, that will be delivered shortly. Please enjoy your day, eat lots and hydrate from time to time, there's a water bottle inside the cooler, labeled with reminders of when you should drink. Also Nitrogen cooled drinks for a hot summer's day. Do not forget to share to the staffs as well as Director-nim and Producer-nim. Take care my sweet~ Bomi, be nice to everyone Bomi-yah. Aja Bomi! Saranghaeyo Bomi!

- 🦊 Ming 🤍

I opened the cooler and true enough, Liquid Nitrogen was put into the cooler, drinks are sorted based on the Staffs and My nickname on the other side together with a 🐹 hamster emoji. She drew this herself. I am lucky to have the sweetest and kindest girl. I got the water bottle and looked at the coral beige bottle, it had notes stuck to them in her cutest hand writing. Every two hours it said to hydrate. I can't help but smile at her thoughtfulness. My staff walked in to the dressing room and I informed them to get their drinks here when they needed it. My staff smiled at me and I also told the director and producer to come and get their drinks before we began filming. Everyone thanked me for the drinks and dispersed to their places. The rest are taken by my staff to distribute to my co-stars.

Soon hair and make-up was done and we started to film. Filming was light especially because my co-stars are very light to work with. It was full of laughter and full of fun moments. Min-kyu who was my partner in the series looked like he was going to pass out soon because of how hot it was. I asked my staff to get him some drink from the cooler. The staff went on and got back as quick as the staff disappeared. She handed Min-kyu the drink to which Min-kyu received gratefully.

"Hyewon-ah, gomawo for the drink. It's so hot today." Min-kyu told me.

"Yeah, my co-members were the ones who prepared the drinks, they'll send some sweet bread later." I replied to him.

"Oh, wow! They're very supportive of you." He quipped at me.

"Yeah they are my family. We knew each other's families too, so my members are essentially daughters of my parents, essentially." I replied to him.

"Oh, by the way, I wanted to tell you that you've done great as a singer, it's just a shame that you were in a temporary group." He said to me.

"Yeah, I released my own music this year and last year. It's more of a gift to our WIZ*ONEs and my members." I replied to him.

"I've heard both songs it's really a shame that you didn't get to show off your vocals. It was only fleeting on each comeback IZ*ONE had." Min-kyu commented.

"I'm like a shooting star aren't I? Fleeting appearances under the spotlight but it was very impactful for the songs, see when you are twelve in the group, most of you will have one or two lines at the most." I replied to him and paused.

"I wanted everyone of my members to shine, that I was grateful I got to sing fewer lines and worked hard on dancing with them." I followed up to him.

It was the truth. I enjoyed the times I danced with my members more than singing lines. My voice was a little peculiar, it was stronger than Hii's but also softer than Sakura Unnie's and not as powerful as Eunbi Unnie's, but definitely better than Nako's. Deeper than Minju's but not as deep as Yuri's, not as lively as Yena, Wonyoung and Chaeyeon's, more somber than Yujin and Chaewon's. Mine had a sultry tone, more crooning than singing. W Album as well as the recent collab with Stella Sunbaenim were my vocal colors, it showed off my voice, one I seemingly lost during Produce 48 and until I have gotten to be an IZ*ONE member. It was more of a self-reminder that I loved to sing more than act, I love singing for myself and not for the charts.

The director called our attention again and we started to film again and by the next cut, sweet bread arrived. There was a note from Hii-chan this time which read.

To Bomi Unnie,

I hope you are having fun filming. I promise to come back and meet you and the rest. For now, I am enjoying my time with QueenJuring and we are stuffing ourselves with these sweet breads. Have some from us, I love you Unnie, Saranghae Bomi Unnie! Aja! Make me proud and as always, I will be rooting for you across the deep blue seas from Japan like I always have, I got you some snacks and thank you for the snacks and other beauty products you sent through QueenJuring, there was a lot this time, I don't think it would fit in my luggage, Chaen Unnie also got me lots of snacks and I am wearing today one of the outfits you sent me. It's beautiful Unnie, totally my style. As expected you got me again. I miss you and your clinginess. See you at Yokohama soon, Minami and I have cleared our schedules to be able to see you and so did Oton and Okan, they'll arrive ahead of me as I have one last shoot by the time you get to go there, I will try to finish that shoot early if not be moved another day. Saranghae, Unnie and take care of QueenJuring and yourself.

P.S. There's more orders, from QueenJuring. 🤣😂 Watch out! I think she's going crazy over you. So take care of QueenJuring.✌️

🍑-CHAN❤️

I appreciated her thoughts with this heartfelt note, I kept her note inside my bag, I distributed the sweet bread and some more drinks from my stash, filming resumed and by dinner time, I had more food from Minju. Once I was done, I was driven home by my driver. Today, I decided to go home right away in the hopes of seeing Hii-chan and spending sometime with Hii-chan. Even for a fleeting moment, I arrived home in time for dinner. Minju and Hii-chan were about to eat, they are currently being served their dinner by Kku-chan, I was elated to find Kku-chan and I tackled her for a hug. It had b