"I think it’s enough”

The PD of Channel Girls’ Generation commented after watching the video that Hyoyeon just recorded in their waiting room. The girls themselves had to perform soon, but in the last minute the PD called Taeyeon to record something about her coloring since the material they filmed in her bedroom the previous day did not seem to be enough. Though it was just a short filming and ended with Taeyeon laughing in embarrassment after calling the fish as her ‘friends’, Hyoyeon was quite happy that the PD looked satisfied with her amateur filming.

The room was filled with silence after the PD’s departure. The dancing queen of the group went off somewhere, leaving the two danshins in the same waiting room where they filmed Taeyeon and her fish. The oldest-but-petite girl from the top national girl group then took the blue color pencil and brought it to the paper. She had been doing the same thing – changing colors, coloring some, and flipping pages frequently – for almost one hour even before the filming started. The red-haired girl next to her had been there from the start, waiting for Kim Taeyeon to put down those pencils at last and talk to her. However, the fact that the leader did not even speak anything since her arrival in the room annoyed her extremely, and she could not help but to pout upon it.

Sunny sighed when she decided to try first; probably asking Taeyeon about what was on the damn book would steal her attention. “Why don’t you try finishing one page once in a while? I am sure the result is going to be more beautiful that way”

“I am too lazy for that” Taeyeon briefly replied. “It’s more fun this way”

“Can I just join you then?"

“But we’re going to perform in 15 minutes. I am about to finish anyway”

Sighing once more, Sunny held the other part of the paper. Taeyeon was going to go over to the next page when she noticed the hand that disabled her to do so. She looked at Sunny, trying to read and understand her expression.

“What?” The kiddo leader asked innocently.

“Nothing, I just…” The younger stuttered. “I- I think you should let me join you. I am about to die of boredom here”

“Boredom?”

“Yeah? Because you didn’t even talk to me?”

Hearing that, Taeyeon looked away; the fact that Sunny had been sitting there the whole time, even when filming, just to wait for her to talk somehow warmed her heart.

“Well, in that case, why didn’t you just tell me that you wanted to join”

“Really? May I? May I just hop in and join you next time? In the dorm as well?”

“Of course!” The peach-haired girl stressed her words.

“Okay” The second danshin grinned happily while taking one of the color pencils and joyfully started scribbling right away.

Taeyeon smiled, even though it went unnoticed by the other girl. She took another color from the box and went back to her book.

“In fact, I have been waiting for you to do it, Sunny-ah” She wanted to say that out loud, but she could not.

* * *

The hall which was used for the 2015 Idol Championship was already crowded by the time Bomi arrived. She was exhaling and inhaling while her eyes were busy looking for her fellow members among the people. She was really late, she knew, but she could not help but wanting to drink first after running all the way from the waiting room to the filming area.

Plus, she could not help but to be worried of her eldest unnie who was now lying in sickness on the waiting room’s sofa. Her mind was still wandering, thinking of Chorong, when a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned around and found Eunji.

“How’s she?” The main vocalist of the group asked; the other members were behind her with worry showing obviously on their expressions.

“She said the pain is still lingering” Bomi replied. “But at least the nausea is gone. She still wants to join the archery competition if it’s possible. That’s what she said”

“Seriously, unnie can be stubborn at times. She does know that it’s okay for her to not join this year” Hayoung sighed before sitting down on the ground and folding her legs lazily.

“Did you try to hold her back?” Eunji asked again before taking her seat next to the maknae and motioning Bomi to follow along.

“Of course I did” Bomi gulped down some more water from the bottle before finally taking a rest. “But…”

“But?”

“…Nothing” Halting her sentence, Bomi’s mind brought her back to the words Chorong said back then in the waiting room.

“You have heard from manager oppa himself! It’s okay if you’re not joining. You heard that right?”

“Yeah, but I still think somehow I should show up at some point. Don’t worry, Bomi-yah. I will only come later when I get better. I just need to lay down here for a while”

“Come out later when? You are still sane enough to remember that this is Idol Championship, right? It’s sport competitions!”

“But I don’t want to make the fans worried and sad” Chorong pouted.

“You yourself are more than aware that the fans prioritize your health more than anything”

“But” Chorong winced, trying to fight back the pain in her stomach. “I want to show that Apink members are not unprofessional. As long as I still can bear the pain, I am still going to show up. That’s what Sunny sunbaenim taught me”

“Taught you?”

“Not literally, but I watched the video where she still performed that crazy Catch Me If You Can dance with her knees hurt. With that kind of dance movements, it was amazing that she could keep up even with the pain. I am only having stomach problem; it’s nothing compared to what sunbaenim went through”

After Chorong finished her sentence, it was as if the latter were running out of words to say. Bomi looked down when she remembered the Girls Generation member her leader had just mentioned – yes, that girl who was not only beautiful on the outside but also inside. Again and again, she knew she could not compete with that.

“Up to you then” That’s all she commented.

“You’d better rush to the hall now” Chorong held the blonde girl’s hand. “The others must be waiting and the filming should start soon. Don’t show your worried face to the fans. It will make them feel even more troubled”

“Park Chorong from Apink, you’re next. Once again, Park Chorong from Apink, you are up next”

The loud voice from the speaker was heard clearly as more and more competitions passed by and it was time for the archery – the only competition that day Chorong was strong enough to join in. Although Bomi had hoped that the March-born girl would not turn up and that one of them could replace her, she had to put that hope away once she turned back and saw Chorong behind them.

“Don’t worry, I feel much better already. I can do this” Chorong threw a comforting smile, as if she were able to read the other girl’s mind.

The leader from the girlgroup walked to the set place with the eyes of her members on her. Minutes went by, and the sick girl was eventually able to stand strongly, pull the bow and shoot the arrow a few times. Bomi, meanwhile, could not even leave her attention from her longer than a minute. She did not even care that they did not win the competition; she was just thankful that it was finally ending soon and Chorong could rest.

They came back to their waiting room after the ending ceremony and celebration for the winners. Bomi rolled her eyes up and noticed that Chorong was still all smile and laugh, and her own lips turned up at the thought that the girl she liked had probably healed by now.

But it was not until when they were inside the room that Chorong dropped herself on the sofa; her breaths were heavy and her hands were clutching her stomach.

“Chorong-ah!” Bomi was the first to notice and to come by her side. It was soon followed by the rest of the girls.

“I am okay, just a bit painful”

“I should have just announced to the PD that one of us would replace you! I knew it!” The slightly younger girl let out an angry breath. “Why should you force yourself like that!? Because of the fans!? They know already that you’re sick! If you're not that strong as Sunny sunbaenim is, then why troubled yourself by pretending to act tough!”

Realizing the situation as well as what Bomi was actually feeling inside, Eunji held her arms tightly yet gently. “Yah, now is not the right time to talk about that”

“I will call manager oppa first” After breathing in and out to calm herself, Bomi stepped out.

“Is she angry at me?” Chorong opened her eyes a bit, finding Eunji right in front of her.

“No” Eunji gently answered; her fingers rubbing Chorong’s to make her feel better. “She just feels… something else inside”

I know this part has more Chomi than Dandyu, but I can assure you that the next part will have more of the danshins! I hope you still enjoy this chapter though. Cheers~