New Year’s Eve, Christmas.
Carols echoing everywhere in the streets.
TV is filled with various year-end programs, including awards ceremonies.
Of course, SBC’s music festival, [Music Awards], is also part of it.
Thanks to that, I’ve got a two-week vacation from the SBC trending music show due to the cancellation.
‘What a sweet deal.’
I was anxiously hoping to be the MC for [Music Awards], but thankfully not.
I secretly wished to be selected though.
When it comes to star quality, there’s no doubt it should be me…
‘Why isn’t it me…? Is it because of my age? Well, the youngest MC at year-end stages was probably a 20-year-old adult… 17 seems a bit too young for a broadcaster.’
Yeah, I guess a little break during the year-end is necessary.
‘If it weren’t for my age, I would’ve definitely been picked.’
Even as I reach this conclusion, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed.
Could I really be that workaholic?
‘Sigh… Do-hee, are you really a professional idol? Phew…’
“Oh my, her expression is weird again.”
“Seoyoon, Do-hee is at an age where delusions or creativity run wild. We should nurture her instead of teasing, so our youngest grows up right.”
“No, unni. Didn’t you see the onion experiment? The one who got bullied grows up strong, for real.”
Of course, it’s disappointing that I can’t show my face to the fans who longed for Seven.
Right now on SNS, hashtags like ‘#SevenYearEndStage, #SevenReunion #I’minSeventhHeaven’ are exceeding thousands, even tens of thousands.
Fans were hoping that Seven, who had been active until the beginning of this year, would reunite for the year-end stage.
Of course, the chances of that happening are slim.
Hana, Sara, and Ye-eun have already debuted with Ailee.
While it’s not impossible to prepare a special stage, it’s just that.
Ailee and all of us are busy preparing for our debuts, so it wasn’t easy to organize a special stage.
That’s why both the fans and I are just sitting in front of the TV, watching Ailee’s performance during the Christmas holidays.
— Tap tap tap
Anyway, the notification sound has been ringing continuously since earlier.
[Sixth Sense 7]
[Ha-rang Unni: I feel a bit down without you guys on New Year’s Eveㅠㅠ]
[Ha-rang Unni: We’ve spent every year together… sobsob]
[Ha-rang Unni: I love you guys… I really do!!]
Today too, Ha-rang Unni is lost in emotion and making sobbing sounds.
[Gong Chae-rin Unni: Who are you with right now?]
[Ha-rang Unni: My parents…]
[Gong Chae-rin Unni: What, so you’re not lonely?]
[Ha-rang Unni: Parents are parents, and you guys are you.]
[Ha-rang Unni: How can you say that? Cherry, that’s so cold.]
“Is it there? Chae-rin is way too cold.”
[Chae-rin Unni: “Yeah, but we’ll all be on stage together someday, right?”]
[Seo-yoon Unni: “At least I’m not lonely since I’m with our Lai-hee, hehe.”]
[I: “Yeah, lol.”]
[Seo-yoon Unni: “Should our youngest get a kiss?”]
[I: “No way, lol.”]
The unni sitting next to me sends a message and immediately leans in for a kiss.
“Um, mwah~.”
Making strange sounds.
I simply pushed her lips away with the top of my head.
“Ah, you didn’t wash your hair!”
“I washed it in the morning.”
“You practiced, though.”
“Eh, I didn’t feel like it.”
“Ugh, ptooi, ptooi!”
It doesn’t even smell; she’s being overdramatic.
*
Finally, the showcase, one week before Monday, January 6th, the last day of the year, December 31st.
It was the busiest time, but once again, Director Jung So-hyun gave the debuting Debonaire members a break, claiming the staff needed time off.
The still childlike members hoped to spend the holidays and new year with their families if possible.
But on a day like this, there’s one member feeling left out.
Chiyo, who came to Korea at 16 with dreams of being an idol, living away from her family in a foreign land.
“Everyone, I hope you have a great time with your families!”
Chiyo had a somewhat dignified face, but inside, she was feeling quite rotten.
With the new year, both her best friend Woo-ah and Chiyo would become adults.
The change in digits was both exciting and…
confusing and sad.
And today felt even more heartbreaking.
“I’m spending it alone…”
Alone, without family or friends.
Unbeknownst to her heart, the members were cheerfully getting ready to go out.
“I want to see Mama and Papa too…”
Na-eun noticed Chiyo and gently rubbed her shoulder.
“Chiyo, are you okay by yourself? Would you like me to stay with you?”
But Chiyo rolled her shoulders back proudly.
“That’s fine. Tomorrow, I’m treating myself to a drink to celebrate my adulthood…! Hehe.”
Tomorrow would be a day of feeling mature and proud like an adult!
“That’s the spirit…!”
Her best friend Woo-ah, who had been by her side for years and never gave her a moment to feel lonely, nonchalantly added.
“Yeah, Chiyo can have fun on her own, right?”
Chiyo’s expression became subtly complex for a moment.
But she quickly smiled brightly.
“That’s right! Chiyo is a responsible adult!”
Everyone was just nodding their heads at that sight.
“Yeah~ It’s not like Chiyo Unni is a kid. Why even worry?”
The cute youngest, Do-hee, also waved her hand, saying she’s an adult now.
‘The members… they don’t know me… I’m so super duper sad…’
Chiyo was eagerly looking forward to the day she became an adult.
Setting up a drinking table in front of the youngest, Do-hee, who can’t drink, they teased her a lot for being a baby.
Then, there was a simple party with the five of them chatting and toasting, a coming-of-age ceremony.
Suddenly, she felt resentment towards Director So-hyun for giving the members a vacation.
“Uchha~”
Seo-yoon Unni came out of her room, dragging a carry-on bag that seemed packed to the brim.
Do-hee playfully nagged Seo-yoon Unni, clearly used to it.
“Where are you escaping to? You’re only gone for two days; why pack so much?”
“When have I ever packed lightly for one or two days?”
“That’s why it’s not one or two days.”
“Ha, you don’t understand. I’m popular, you know? Really, I’ve said it a hundred times, whenever I go to Busan, it’s like… Do-hee, you really can’t compare!”
“That daughter of Busan… sigh.”
“Still don’t believe me? Even packing this much merch is barely enough. Once I hand out stuff to my relatives, it’ll be gone in a flash. Everyone’s gathering at my house just to see me, you know?”
Seeing this, Chiyo bit her tongue inside.
‘I’m the superstar in Fukuoka, you know…’
Once all the members finished their preparations, they grabbed their bags and put on their shoes at the entrance.
“I’ll bring you something delicious when I come back~ I’ve got Busan souvenirs, you know?”
“Like mackerel?”
“Ha, this is why Seoul folks are so out of touch. What’s mackerel, anyway?”
“What then?”
“Pfft, when you go to Busan, there’s always something special waiting. Busan is just… Busan.”
The first two left the accommodation bickering.
“Chiyo, just guard the place!”
Woo-ah said jokingly as she opened the front door.
Then… Na-eun Unni also hugged Chiyo tight before stepping out.
The accommodation was now left empty.
So spacious.
A 50-pyeong apartment, way too big for a rookie.
It was so nice.
The room, once filled with the voices of the members, felt too vast and empty today.
Chiyo trudged toward the living room.
She found the remote control.
Turning on the TV, she switched to a very loud program.
MBS was airing the Music Festival on December 31st.
The dazzling stages of senior singers.
Chiyo had been captivated by such stages, dreaming of them for so long.
Today, she could make it through just fine.
After all, Chiyo was about to become an adult.
During times like this, she needed to fill herself up.
‘Korean people run on rice…!’
She went to the fridge and opened the door.
“Here, make sure to heat it up! Congratulations on becoming an adult, our beloved Chiyo~♡”
— Always loving, Na-eun Unni!
A note was attached to the Kimchi fried rice, Chiyo’s favorite, made by Na-eun.
Chiyo stared at the note for a while before taking out a bowl and putting it in the microwave.
Seo-yoon occasionally boasts about the adult taste of alcohol in front of the minor members, but she too can barely handle it, evidenced by the full whiskey bottle she found on the shelf.
Chiyo knew that whiskey was a very strong distilled drink.
Now as an adult, it was quite a potent drink for her first attempt at alcohol.
But tonight, Chiyo planned to enjoy this Kimchi fried rice with a nice buzz.
‘I hope I wake up to find the day has passed…’
She took out a glass and filled it with ice from the water dispenser.
Then, she moved the glass and whiskey into the living room.
The microwave beeped as it signaled the food was ready.
Chiyo took out the heated Kimchi fried rice, grabbed a spoon, and headed to her seat.
Sitting down, Chiyo poured herself a steady stream of whiskey and toasted by herself.
“This is the adult ceremony of superstar Chiyo!”
Of course, she hadn’t taken a sip yet.
‘Only two hours left until New Year’s…’
That time felt unbearably long.
Chiyo sulked and rested her head in her hands.
At that moment, a beeping sound pierced the air.
It wasn’t the microwave.
It was the fast, distinct sound of the front door lock.
‘If it’s not the impatient Seo-yoon Unni, it must be Do-hee…!’
She heard the door opening.
Chiyo, unable to hide the whiskey, jumped up and dashed to the front door with excitement.
And as she faced the door, her eyes began to water.
All the members were there.
Regardless, Do-hee and Seo-yoon Unni carelessly kicked off their shoes and rushed into the living room.
“AAAH!!”
Seo-yoon screamed.
“See, I told you she’d pretend to drink alone in solitude!”
“No, wait. You opened it already? Hold up. This is even my drink!”
“Forget it; you lost. I get to take the first shower for the next month.”
“Ugh… Hey, Kim Chiyo! Why are you drinking my alcohol!”
The dorm was already buzzing with energy.
Chiyo couldn’t stop smiling!
But that wasn’t all.
Na-eun Unni turned Chiyo’s head to face the entrance.
Woo-ah, who had been hiding behind, peeked out and smiled.
“…Mom?”
With her eyes still red, Chiyo rushed over to her mother.
It was a gift prepared by Jung So-hyun for Chiyo, and a surprise from the members!
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