Bab 44: Almost Cry
"I was told just now our song is number 1 on the chart!" An hour and a quarter into the showcase, the script gets updated. Jeongyeon reads the prompt.
"WAHHH!!" The girls huddle together as Jeong sings congratulatory.
"It's probably because of the dance moves. Thank you~"
"Once, thank you!"
"This was my birthday wish", Dahyun reaffirms.
"It came true."
Twice wasn't expecting to rank in the previous era. 'Cause getting the message across was priority. Now, the girls are ready to compete on the charts. Though their hope is still to keep enduring, it's more of the physical demands this time.
Nayeon clasps hand praying, "I hope to not give up on this song and to finish it every time. Also, for the members to not get injured. We got stiff muscles in practicing the routine that we had to see physiotherapists a lot."
This is what it takes to be the best. The consequence of living the dream. And if fans could figure that instead of driving to a man���s house, going out their way for dates; the girls are actually meeting medics and rather rest to recover.
They've sacrificed their youth for this. Thus, wouldn't deliberately take on celebrity issues to an already full life. Afterall, the girls want to make good memories for as long as they face the world as Twice.
"I want us to be a cool group that always pushes boundaries and tries new things so that fans can look forward to what we'll do next. It will also make every effort for each performance worthwhile."
The unnie adds, "We can do something easier, something cute."
"I want to do something more sophisticated, something cool. I love our new dance routine", Momo asserts.
"Yes, we could've settled for the easy. But we're still striving to do something more. I'm very proud of us", Jihyo states. In closing, "We'll do our best to deliver and to also make you proud."
By proud, it includes winning on music shows. Like in every era, the girls make pledge when they do.
Previously, they based on tsundere Jeongyeon's idea of a kiss feast. A bizarre, out of the ordinary display. Now, it has returned back to being goofy as Nayeon proposes to sing without showing teeth.
This IS the usual Twice. A Twice that is before the issues occurred. So casual, so happy, they are enjoying amongst themselves.
After the showcase, Twice TV unnies gather the girls to shoot their reaction to the More & More music video. While it plays, they reminisce how fun it was in the making and are amazed by how the final product turned out.
"Who's that? So pretty!" Jeong comically says when she appeared on the screen. Jihyo follows. The leader too, comically gasps at the sight of herself.
Giggling, Sana remembers as she tells Jihyo "Ah you said you practiced smiling." The Jjakkungs duck heads laughing.
And when Sana comes up, everybody goes "Ohhhh~"
Jihyo catches breath, letting an extra "Ooh" after everyone else. In so much fascination, she can't help exclaiming "There are many SANAs~!!" Like a kid in a candy shop. The leader is so casual again in her expressions.
It's making Jeong smirk and side glance the staff. A 'sorry, not sorry' look that is basically exposing Jihyo going on with her Sana obsession. And this bestie just lets it, not wanting to spoil this sincere happiness.
The Jjakkungs are in their own world. Good thing, Jeong was in between Sana and Jihyo in the showcase. It went well uninterrupted. But since the set has changed, Jeong could care less. Even less when they moved to the next shoot.
Twice is divided into 3 subunits by age order, to do an unboxing of the album video each. Thus, Jeong goes with NaMo leaving the Jjakkungs with the meek Mina. More so, Sana is seated in the middle.
Inadvertently, it's pulling the synergy towards the left where Jihyo is. Yet Mina too could care less, as she didn't have to speak much. She's having as much fun spectating Sana and Jihyo tease each other.
SaJiMi pull each other's coaster from the album merch. Jihyo tries guessing what's written behind, the others' answers to "What would you like to have MORE of?"
Beauty is Mina's answer that Jihyo couldn't figure. The leader lightly scoffs, "How greedy of you." Yet, she helps giving clues when Jihyo turns to guess about Sana's.
"Food? Good hair?" Jihyo tries.
"It's an action", Sana says.
"Happy?" Make sense 'cause it is goal. Yet, Sana says no. "Laughing?" Nope. "Smiling?" Nuh-uh. "Crying??" Must be why Jeong thinks she's an idiot.
"Sana is good at it", Mina then gives clue.
"Dancing!" Sana is a good dancer, yes. But that's not what she wrote. The Japanese reveals her own coaster to Jihyo. The leader sighs in frustration as she reads silently.
Sana laughs a loud. She proudly turns the item to the camera like it's a badge of honor saying, "S-KIN-SHIP."
She repeats, "I SAID I want more and more skinship."
Jihyo isn't the most confident in this matter. She busies rummaging through the album, teasingly muting Sana. The leader mutters, "You can't have it all."
If it falls on deaf ears then, she shall seek others "The members will listen!"
"You can't, Sana."
The Japanese teases back upon choosing each of their favorite photo. While Jihyo presents a photo containing the three of them, Sana retorts with "In that case I choose this…"
Instead of a subunit photo, Sana chooses a photo with all of Twice in it. She shares, "It's also the album cover. BUT it has a secret. Or not, is it obvious?"
Jihyo glances a bit, "Don't tell me."
"Okay", cheekily. The partners laugh.
Mina is curious though, "What is it?"
Sana gladly tells her, "I'll tell you why Jihyo is the third from the back—she's the third shortest!"
Jihyo glares. Sana just smiles at her. The leader attempts to recommend another one instead, "We have this group pic too!"
Sana chuckles, "Who cares?"
Jihyo cares.
She's sensitive about height, thinking it's a physical disadvantage. Sounds like it when the other term for short is vertically challenged. The insecurity bugs her that she may not be enough for Sana, who wants more physicality.
The shoots wrap up. Sana pats Jihyo's pink crown. Pouting, Jihyo looks up to Sana. She thinks out loud, "I- am small."
"O why are you saying it like- that?"
"Because I can't seem to…" Jihyo tries to embrace as much Sana as she can. The leader couldn't make sense how to put Sana into arms. Meanwhile, the other finds it amusing. Sana lowers herself to fit right into Jihyo's shoulder.
"Ehh~ ", Jihyo breaks into smile. "Do you get more skin by this?"
"Mm. Let's do this a lot!"
Sana stands tall and tells Jihyo the advantage of being in the cuter side of measure. "There really aren't many SANAs. But since you're like this, you get to have more of me instead" coughs, "in queen size."
Each of their want complements what the other lacks. Sana and Jihyo together win both affections in quantity with persons of quality.
As soon as they got back to the dorm, they sleep earlier than usual. Because in every comeback promotion, waking up before sunrise is the routine.
The girls have to get up THAT early to get ready for guestings or pre-recordings. The latter meant that they have to dance to the most challenging Twice choreo yet by at least 7 times. And then, there's the live broadcast.
It's grueling that even the dance machine Momo is at the verge of passing out.
Lucky for today, it's a radio guesting. Unlike the previous era too, the girls this time are light-hearted. There's barely any piercing statement from them. Jihyo later posts on Twicetagram her radiant smile with caption:
"Once thank you so much. Since yesterday, I've been in a good mood. I think I might cry. Hing! Thank you. I miss you more Once. Hing, we'll work hard so you'll be full of pride for Twice this comeback <3 <3 <3 hehe"
Sana, on the other hand, shares a screenshot of a music streaming chart on IG Story. It's displaying their song taking the top spot. She captions with purple and orange hearts:
"Even though I see it, I still want to keep looking at it. A welcoming spot even yesterday… Thank you so much Once <3 <3 <3 I almost cried yesterday but I held it in… thank you so much to everyone who listened to More & More!!"
One thought she might cry while the other almost cried. Even in such oxymoronic happiness, the expressions are becoming one. Indeed, they go through it together. Perhaps why they comprehend each other this much.
It includes comprehending that for MOST of the promotion, they must focus getting ample rest. Hence, staying in their designated rooms. Mostly.
Somehow, this is in line with what Jihyo wrote at the back of the coaster "I want more and more health." More quality rest is a time for recuperation ensuing to more happiness that could be enjoyed.
Good thing, MOST doesn't mean entirety. The Jjakkungs steal skinships here and there. And at the end of the first week promotion, they reconcile Sana's want aplenty.
Timely on a Sunday right after Inkigayo, Sana hitches on a van where Jihyo and Jeongyeon are. They wave to the fans before leaving. Sana raises her left above head. Jihyo noticing what the other wants to make, she raises her right.
The Jjakkungs make a big heart.
Arriving at the dorm, they chill together and watch the airing of their Running Man episode as well as Jihyo and Mina's guesting in Where Is My Home. An info Jeongyeon would later spill.
On a Vlive the next day, she shares "We watched Running Man and the house show together in the dorm. Mina was doing photoshoot in the show!"
And yes, Jeong still has the habit of uploading stuff containing others. "I'm the one who uploaded it." Referring to the fresh smile of Jihyo in one of their stage rehearsals. "I thought it would be a waste if we're the only ones who saw it."
Lastly, Jeong herself addresses an arising problem—the speculations on her missing solo focus fancams. Hers is the only one not uploaded in every music show Youtube channel.
As it is her own truth, Jeong explains it frankly.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
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