The Moments In-Between - A JeongHyo fanfic

Chapter 47 - Moment of Implementing Self-Care

"What do you mean, Momo and Chaeyoung aren't able to perform with you?" one of the managers asked Jihyo.

"Well, they called in sick today and I don't think they have it in them to perform." Jihyo calmly replied.

"Okay... Do you think it'll take long for them to recover?"

"I don't know." Jihyo blurted out.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... It depends on how sick they are."

"Well, how sick are they?"

"I don't know." Jihyo was just nervously blurting out things one after another.

Silence. The managers looked at Jihyo confused.

"Jihyo... what is going on?"

"Nothing! Momo and Chaeyoung are just sick."

"And you don't know for how long?"

"No."

"Shouldn't you at least take them to the doctor?"

"I don't think that would do any good."

"What are they sick from then if a doctor wouldn't do any good?"

Silence.

"Listen, Jihyo, okay, something happened, you're protecting your own. We get it. But, we can't let Momo and Chaeyoung stay at home during the promotions. Fans will get worried, the company will get worried, we are getting worried. Especially if we're not given the right reason on why Twice's main dancer and main rapper aren't performing with the rest of you."

More silence. Jihyo was looking to the side and for the first time in a long time she did not know what to say.

She was planning on coming up with a better excuse than this, with better reasoning, however, the managers jumped the group in the hallways of the company and now they were all looking at them scared of what might come next. Jihyo was in front of everybody, with Nayeon, Mina and Jeongyeon right behind and with Dahyun, Tzuyu and Sana in the back.

Stay calm Jeong, you don't need to get involved. I know you want to, but you need to stay calm. It's for your own good. You need to think of yourself - Jeongyeon wanted to jump into the conversation, to save Jihyo, but she knew that wouldn't help her mental state at this moment so she kept quiet.

"Look... They need to be at home at the moment." Jihyo finally managed to say something.

The managers looked among themselves and then back at Jihyo and the rest of the group.

"Okay... We hope they do get better, whatever the situation is. We'll come up with something for the press release, but we will be needing answers about their true situation soon."

The managers then left the group alone.

Jihyo stood there frozen.

"You okay?" Nayeon was the first one to talk to her and comfort her.

"Yeah... I'll be fine." Jihyo replied, uncertainty in her voice.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, sure" Jihyo replied. She didn't sound like she was very confident with that answer, but no one questioned her further. Jeongyeon wanted to at first, but decided not to in the end.

Jihyo earned a hug from Dahyun and Sana as the group coordinated themselves out of the building and into the cars that were supposed to drive them to the next event - a fan event where they would greet the fans and perform the choreography from Yes or Yes.