Chapter Text
“Once again, this is Twice. Thank you!” the nine members said in unison, their voices harmonizing perfectly as they held each other’s hands, giving a deep, graceful ninety-degree bow.
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, a wave of love and energy that filled the stadium and made their hearts swell with gratitude. The roar of the audience, the candy bongs flickering like constellations in the darkened stadium, and the vibrant fireworks exploding across the sky above them created the perfect ending to their sixth world tour. It was a breathtaking moment—one they would carry with them forever. They waved one last time, their smiles wide and hearts full, before finally retreating backstage.
As they walked down the dimly lit backstage hallways, their footsteps in sync with the rhythmic pounding of their hearts, the adrenaline from the performance still buzzed through their veins. The air smelled faintly of sweat and perfume, a reminder of the countless hours spent rehearsing.
The muffled cheers of the crowd faded slowly as the dressing room door clicked shut, replaced by the quiet hum of the backstage. There was a certain peacefulness in the air, a stark contrast to the electrifying energy of the stadium just minutes ago. The members exchanged glances, their faces still glowing in the afterglow of the stage lights as they tried to process what they’d just accomplished. The smiles on their faces were a mix of exhaustion and fulfillment—the kind only earned after pouring their hearts and souls into a performance.
Sana sighed, running a hand through her damp hair as she collapsed onto the couch. She could still feel the vibration of the music in her chest, the electric energy lingering. Nayeon, sitting cross-legged on the floor, focused on her bowl of ramyeon. Her hair was still slightly damp from sweat, her face glowing under the soft backstage lighting. Even in exhaustion, she looked effortlessly beautiful.
Jihyo was the first to break the silence. She let out a small smile. “Can you believe it?” she said, looking around at her members. “We did it. Another world tour completed. I’m so proud of us.”
Momo, still basking in the afterglow of the performance, nodded as she plopped down onto the couch. “It feels surreal, doesn’t it?” she said, her voice soft yet filled with excitement. “Like, we were just here, doing our first tour, and now look at us.”
“I don’t want it to end just yet,” Chaeyoung admitted, stretching her arms as she took a sip of her iced Americano.
Dahyun, sitting beside Jihyo, was already in the process of removing her makeup. “Me too. I’m already thinking about where the next tour will be,” she said, her voice tinged with anticipation.
“I can’t wait,” Sana chimed in, letting out a soft laugh as she ran her fingers through Nayeon’s hair. Her touch was gentle, almost hesitant, as if she wasn’t sure how much was too much.
Nayeon, focused on her bowl of ramyeon, stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away. She swallowed, eyes fixed on her food as if pretending not to notice the way her heart picked up speed.
Sana, unaware—or maybe just pretending to be—continued, her voice turning soft and wistful. “But you know what I’m actually looking forward to?” She twirled a loose strand of Nayeon’s hair between her fingers. “Our hundred-day break. Imagine doing absolutely nothing.”
Seven pairs of eyes watched them, exchanging glances, barely holding back knowing smiles. Jeongyeon, being mischievous, smirked. A little idea popped into her head as she watched how Sana stroked Nayeon’s hair, how Sana watched Nayeon enjoy her food.
“Let’s have a vacation,” Jeongyeon said, a smirk never leaving her face. “Jihyo has been inviting us to their beach house since forever, but we never have time. And let’s be real—going all the way to Jeju just for three days would suck.”
A hum of agreement rippled through the room as the idea began to sink in. The thought of a private getaway together, away from cameras, schedules, and rehearsals, was undeniably tempting. It had been nearly three years since they last had some real alone time as a group, just them, without the weight of work on their shoulders.
“You really have the best ideas, unnie. I’m so excited I already imagined myself being one with the sea,” Dahyun exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat. Her enthusiasm was contagious, making the others perk up as well.
Jihyo arched her brow, arms crossed playfully. “Did I agree to that?” she teased, though the smile tugging at her lips gave her away.
Tzuyu, ever the quiet but effective persuader, turned to Jihyo with her signature puppy eyes. “Unnie, let’s do it,” she said, her voice sweet and persuasive.
Jihyo sighed, rolling her eyes before finally breaking into a grin. “Fine,” she relented. “But only if we plan it properly so no one can make any last-minute excuses to bail.”
Without wasting another second, she grabbed her iPad, her leader instincts kicking in as she began to organize their long-overdue getaway. The members immediately crowded around, offering ideas and excitedly throwing out suggestions.
“We should have a barbecue night by the beach!” Momo suggested.
“And a bonfire!” Dahyun added.
“What about hiking? There are some great trails near the area,” Chaeyoung said, already imagining the scenic views.
“Oh! We should try surfing,” Tzuyu suggested, her eyes lighting up.
“I refuse to do anything that requires energy,” Nayeon muttered, still focused on her food. “Count me out of the hiking.”
Jihyo, half-listening while typing away on her iPad, glanced up. “That’s fine. Each of us will plan a full day itinerary for everyone. That way, we’ll have nine days with different activities planned, and the rest of the days can be for relaxing however we want.”
The group nodded in agreement, excitement buzzing in the air. It was the perfect balance of structured fun and well-deserved rest.
“For the room situation, I’ll have to double-check how many are available, so I’ll let you all know tomorrow or when we're at the beach house,” Jihyo continued. “The only thing left to decide is when we’re actually going.”
“Let’s go as soon as possible,” Jeongyeon said eagerly.
At that, Nayeon hesitated, setting her chopsticks down. “I’m not free next week,” she admitted. “I have a photoshoot in LA that’ll take about five days, if I’m not mistaken.”
The room fell quiet for a moment as the group processed this. Jihyo was about to say something when Sana beat her to it.
“Then we’ll wait until you’re back,” Sana said without hesitation, her hands never leaving Nayeon’s hair. She gave a small, soft smile, eyes lingering on Nayeon for a moment longer than usual. “It wouldn’t be fun without all of us together.”
Nayeon’s lips curled into a small smile, touched by the sentiment. She glanced at Sana, her voice softer than before. “You guys don’t have to wait for me. I’ll go there as soon as I can.”
Momo rolled her eyes at how Nayeon and Sana exchanged looks and smiles. “God, they’re down bad for each other and they don’t know it,” she whispered, which made Chaeyoung laugh.
The exchange between Nayeon and Sana didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the members. They all shook their heads of how they were stupidly in love with each other but they refused to admit to each other, even to themselves.
“But we will,” Jihyo said firmly. “We’re not going without you.”
The other members nodded in agreement. It had to be all nine of them, or it wouldn’t feel right.
Jihyo made a final note on her iPad. “Alright then, we’ll wait until Nayeon unnie’s back. That gives us more time to plan everything properly.”
A buzz of chatter filled the room once more as they continued fine-tuning their plans, voices overlapping in playful bickering and laughter. It was rare moments like these that reminded them why they were more than just bandmates—they were family.
And for the first time in a long while, they had something to look forward to that wasn’t tied to a performance or a schedule. Just them, the ocean breeze, and endless memories waiting to be made.