Dating for Good Image?!

A time for the nine of us.

"Thank you to Once who watch over us through both the good and bad. We'll work hard to show you a good image as 9 member-Twice". Nayeon unnie's well-thought out speech fits well especially in this trying time.

I'm thankful we have her as our oldest. Along with Jeongyeon, Momo, and partner Sana~ Yeah, I'm the leader. But honestly, I still lack a lot. I'm just glad these unnies have my back.

The girls show Mina what they've just gotten from Genie Music Awards.

"We've worked hard Mina unnie", Tzuyu tells her.

"How are Onces?" Mina asked.

"Oh, many Onces were there. They cheered a lot!" Chaeng hands over the trophies to Sana and continues through.

Nayeon and Momo filling-in with laughter as they also tell how Dahyun saved them from a bug. Dahuyn reenacts while Jeongyeon gives Mina her meds.

She passes the trophies to Jihyo who's climbing up a chair, "Careful~"

Jihyo sighs a relief as she puts their first 2019 daesang atop the cupboard. She marveled on the collection before her and says, "Mina let's keep living our dreams with the nine of us like this".

Morning comes. Jihyo awakens by her phone. She smiles upon seeing a long-time friend ringing her. "Ooo~ Taecyeon oppa it's been a long time! Good mor-"

"Yah, Jisu-ya… you didn't tell me you're already dating?"

"That's a new way of saying chukahae", Jihyo lets a little laugh.

"Chukahae! Our Jisu is grown now", Taecyeon expresses his congratulations.

"Hehe komawoyo~", Jihyo thanks him. Another call is waiting for her. It's from manager Jinjin. She sighs, "Oppa mian. Let's talk next time. Manager is calling."

"Alright, tell me over a meal next time. Okay?" Taecyeon hangs up. This oppa is really funny. He knows how award shows go. But he still wants me to tell him? Hahaha!

Jihyo trying not to disturb her roommates, slowly goes out the bedroom to answer a persistent call from the manager.

"Jihyo-ssi mianda", manager quickly apologizes. "Dispatch made a breaking news". Why does manager sound certain and serious? And did he just say Dispatch?!

"You and Kang Daniel are dating".

"Huh? WheRe diD THAT COME FROM?!" What's the Politics behind this? Is this why Taecyeon oppa said chukahae?! And I thanked him. Jihyo slams her head with her palm and murmurs, "babo-yah".

"Hmm good morning." Jihyo jumps and accidentally hangs up her phone as Sana suddenly hugs her from behind, "Why are you surprised? It's just me, heh."

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Uhm, Jinjin oppa" Jihyo waits for Sana to break away before sending manager a text that she doesn't know about it and has nothing to do with it.

"Oh, did our schedule changed?"

Again, manager is calling. "I~ will take this to find out." Jihyo grins as Sana goes to the kitchen, "alright then I'll make you something."

"Jihyo ssi, I'm sorry. The higher ups have decided to confirm it anyway. It seems Konnect agrees to do the same."

"NONSENSE."

"PR is grabbing the opportunity saying it's going to help the company. Err, Twice image too since we're moving to mature concepts."

"I said make it make sense. Nayeon unnie just told national tv we'll work hard to show good image tHEN THIS?"

"Well apparently, the company received massive criticism following Mina's situation. That the company is abusive to the point of ill health."

"It is. And the proper solution for that is to give ample spaces in between events. We barely made it on US tour. How would a Dating issue solve this? It only worsens it."

"I don't know what the companies agreed to. But with this, it would mean you are treated well. That you still have time to date", Manager explains.

"I AM USED as a diversion! And what of Kang Daniel?"

He adds, "Perhaps it's also favorable to him. I'm just informing you that both are confirming the issue. I hope all of you would prepare. I~ I'm really sorry", the call has ended and Jihyo is in total disbelief.

It's magnified even more when she turns around and finds Sana rubbed off of a smile in a supposed good morning. Breakfast scatters on the floor. Silence echoes as both realize an impending cruel reality to live through.

To be known as someone I'm not, I feel discouraged. But making her worry like this, I am defeated. Neither of us know what we actually are to each other. We never hid it either. Who needs dating issue when we are-?

Who am I kidding? We wouldn't count as good image too. Whatever we are. But still, don't become different Sana.

"Morning~ everything alright?" girls are up one by one.

"Yup!" "Everything fine." Jihyo rushes in to help Sana clean up.

Her hand brushes Sana's. She is trying to incite a reaction. Anything but a serious Sana. Because a serious Sana is a scary Sana.

Meanwhile, Chaeyoung eases on the sofa and starts getting social media updated. Her eyes widen, brows curve, jaws drop like never before. "WOAaahh! Omo omo, unnie-yah. Yah yah yah~ JIHYO-UNNIE YAH!!"

Jihyo just side glances her as she's still on to Sana.

"Wae, wae, wae?!" Jeongyeon closes in. Nayeon follows, "what's up? Eveything's alright, right?"

Sana carrying a mess passes by in obvious worried look. "Okay. Everything's NOT alright", Nayeon concludes.

"You", Chaeyoung points at Nayeon and Jeongyeon "and you… Who among you drove Jihyo-unnie to her date? T-to a man's house?"

"WE WHAT?!" NaJeong exclaims.

"WHAT?! Unnies got involved?!" Jihyo syncs in. She snatches Chaeng's phone to read how Dispatch writes her good image.

Good image my ass. You had one job Dispatch. Sigh. At least this fic author-nim attempts to remind everyone how indecisive I am.

That I barely finished a handcrafted notebook because there's a lot of covers and kinds of pages to choose from. Good thing, Jeongyeon-ie hurried me up.

Let alone choosing to chase a guy in his exclusive villa on this terrible schedule and even manages to take an unnie to drive for me!

"What's with another sudden issue by the way? Similar to Jennie chingu", Nayeon ponders.

Making sense of their responses, Chaeng apologizes. "Oh sorry. Both companies confirmed it. So, I thought~"

"Jihyo could never!" NaJeong repeats. "She's fickle!" Jeongyeon attests.

"Yeah, Jihyo unnie can't even make up her mind on whether to buy a teddy bear or not. Remember that, hyung?" Chaeng recalls.

"Ugh, I jumped a lot to reach it only to be asked to return it", Jeongyeon shakes her head.

"Thanks everyone for knowing me so well. But I'm already ruined", Jihyo's eyes on Sana who has gone to the bedroom. She gets up to follow.

"You'll survive though", Chaeng raises. "Anything is possible with us together. Right, unnies?"

Jihyo beams with a bit of hope, "Twice Twice jjalja!" She marches on.

Sana flops on bed. She senses Jihyo next to her. "I have to get used to you as being someone else's now. I will look after you from afar", Sana says faintly.

"Annyeong, Sana's Jihyo imnida~" Please don't. Do not get used to it. Instead, look at me more closely. I am Sana's Jihyo. She squeezed in for a hug. Sana adjusts enclosing Jihyo to her arms. Their fingers entwine, thumbs rubbing one another.

"From now on, the world knows otherwise. And that~" Sana meets Jihyo's eyes, "That's okay."

Jihyo buries her face unto Sana's neck. "I'm scared", she says.

In Singapore, I've promised so many people that I will become better. To be more responsible and mature than how my parents raised me. I'm in no way near that promise. What kind of a leader am I?

"I felt that months ago", Sana recalls her Instagram post. "Mitang did too recently." She reaches for Jihyo's face, "But as long as we understand each other, it will get better."

"Jihyo-yah, you're not alone. There's nine of us." Sana moves closest. She goes in tongue first for Jihyo's and plants a quick yet resounding kiss.

"I'm hungry." Sana declares.

Asdfghjkl!@#$%. Jihyo's mind goes blank and the only thing she utters is, "S-Sana ssi." Flushed, she folds her lower lip in shock. Yet, she braces in anticipation.

Sana takes more of her space. Leaning in then, suddenly~

"Let's have breakfast." Sana says as she passes above her and gets out of bed, "I dropped it. What a waste. Damn dispatch!" Jihyo breathes out.

W-what was that? She actually kissed me this time. I've been asking her. But s-she grants it when I'm sober? But it isn't soft as I've imagined it to be. It's rather- unforgiving.

Jihyo gets grip of herself and catches up on Sana who's already seated. Everyone is now gathered in the dining.

As much as she wanted to ask Sana about what just happened, she delays it when she notices the rest of the girls on to something.

"Jihyo unnie are you alright? I just heard about it", Dahyun taps her.

"Honestly, I- don't know how I'd face the public especially Once", Jihyo worries. "I feel like I've eaten my own words. Embarrassing."

"Me too, Jihyo. Me too. Ugh, my beautiful speech~" Nayeon laments.

"Don't be! We're planning something", Momo retorts.

"Hmm, seems we have time 'til the next sched. Rest unnie. Inhale, exhale, meditate until you can smile more brightly to the camera", Tzuyu advices.

Jihyo doesn't seem to catch a break when later that day, she receives another call from the manager. "Another dating issue has spread. This time it's Momo."

"MOMO?!", Jihyo is close to breaking down. Not for long, she hangs up.

"Eh? What about me?" Momo has no idea.

"Another issue within 24 hours", Jihyo massages the brigde of her nose.

"I- I have issue?" Momo is puzzled.

"Yeah, with Heechul sunbaenim. The company has immediately denied it at first. Later retracted it. Then finally, denied it." Jihyo lets a sigh of relief.

"Yah! These people are mean!" Momo is upset. Dahyun appeases her while her worries intensify for the rest of them, "What's going on? It's as if the company is cornered and we're being pawned. What are we supposed to do?"

"I have an idea!" Chaeyoung slams the table and shows everyone. "So, what do guys you think? Hyung, I'm not the only who's good at rebelling now."

"Chaeng Chaeng this is beyond brilliant!" Mina holds her.

"Woah, my dongsaeng!" Jeongyeon grabs them initiating the chant. "Whatever's going on, we will not put up without a fight."

The rest comes in and together, "TWICE TWICE JJALJA!!"