December 31, one day before welcoming the new year 2022.
Since becoming the debut group, the training intensity had increased compared to before.
Basically, the other practices were hard too, but the physical training was just insane.
100 jumping jacks
20 burpees, 5 sets
Up-down planks, 3 sets
Side hip raises, 3 sets
Bunny hops, 3 sets
Of course, the list changed every time, but that was the basic framework.
And after finishing this, we started choreography practice.
On top of that, choreography practice was twice a day—once in the morning and once in the afternoon—so...
We’re really gonna die.
Today as well, after finishing physical training and before even starting choreography practice, we collapsed in the practice room, completely exhausted.
Chiyo unnie said.
"Dog tired. Dog dying. Dog wanna rest."
That unnie seems to have a faulty Korean patch installed.
Hearing what Chiyo unnie said, Naeun unnie spoke as if displeased despite the struggle.
"Haa... Haa... Chiyo, I told you 'dog' is a bad word..."
"Huh? That's not right... Dohui said dog is good. Is dog bad, Dohui?"
Is dog bad, Dohui?
I think she did that on purpose just now.
"Dohee, why'd you teach her weird words."
"Ugh, Dohui."
"When will our youngest wisen up."
I have a bit of a grievance too.
"No, it's just that when Chiyo unnie asked what 'dog' means, I told her it's like 'cho' in Japanese when you say 'cho-kawaii'—an intensifier. And strictly speaking, 'dog' is a word recognized by the National Institute of Korean Language too, okay? I'm so gentle that I don't use profanity."
Seoyun unnie scoffed at me.
"Gentle?"
"What."
Of course, there are times I can't hold back curses, but even then, I only think them in my heart.
Really.
"Yes, that's right. Dohui said dog is an intensifier. Dog-Dohui."
"...?"
"Ugh, Dog-Dohui."
"...? Dog-Seoyun."
"Guys, stop."
"Dog-Dohui."
"Dog-Seoyun."
Naeun unnie gave up on stopping us and sighed.
"So are we going back to the dorm today too?"
Naeun unnie looked at Ua unnie, who was at least somewhat sane, as if relieved she existed, and answered.
"I suppose so?"
"Ah, I miss Mom."
"Pfft. Dog-Seoyun is still a baby."
"You're fine since your house is nearby. I'm from Busan, so it's been almost half a year since I saw my family."
"What about Chiyo unnie, who's Japanese?"
"Oh, right?"
"I miss dog too."
When it seemed like things would go to the dogs again, Naeun unnie said.
"Okay, everyone's rested enough, so get up quickly. Yerim-ssam will be here soon. We have to practice choreography."
Everyone groaned and got up.
Still, everyone practiced hard, at least.
We were practicing choreography again under Naeun unnie's lead when the team leader came in and gathered us.
"Kids, it's tough since you became the debut group, right?"
"""Yes..."""
It's not just hard—it's dog hard.
"You practiced even on Christmas and cursed the company, didn't you? It must have been hard."
"Chiyo and Seoyun have lived in the dorm before, but Dohui, Ua, and Naeun suddenly started dorm life, so it must be unfamiliar too."
"So starting tomorrow, I'm giving you three days off. Everyone spend time with your families and come back."
"Chiyo, rest hard at the dorm and call your parents too."
Color returned to the faces of the people who had looked dead just moments ago.
After practice ended, we came to the dorm to pack our things to take home.
"Ah, I just want to sleep. I'm tired."
"Sleep on the way. It's gonna take a while to get to Busan anyway."
Chiyo unnie, whose hometown was Japan and who would be spending her vacation at the dorm, went into her room and flung herself onto the bed.
Is she not going to wash?
Her roommate, Naeun unnie, shouted.
"Chiyo! Lie down after washing. After washing!"
"I don't care. I'm dog tired."
Ua unnie asked us.
"You're all going to wash before going home, right?"
"Yeah, I was sweating all day, so I have to wash before going."
Seoyun unnie had already gone into the bathroom.
"I'm washing first~"
"Ah. Rock paper scissors!"
Ua unnie stealthily slipped into the master bathroom too.
I banged on the bathroom door and shouted.
"Ah, hurry up and come out. Rock paper scissors is the national rule!"
Naeun unnie sat sprawled on the sofa and said.
"Ah, my head hurts..."
***
*Beep beep beep beep click.*
I came home as a surprise without contacting them.
At the sound of the front door opening, Doa was the first to come out to the entryway.
"Unnie!!!"
Doa ran over and hugged me.
Ah, our Doa.
"Our Doa, did you miss unnie?"
"Yeah..."
I guess she was lonely since we hadn't seen each other for two months because of my dorm life.
Hearing Doa's voice, Mom and Dad came out to the entryway too and welcomed me.
"How did you suddenly show up without any notice?"
"Is our daughter on vacation?"
"Yep~ Let's unpack first and talk~"
I went inside, unpacked my things in my room, then we all sat together in the living room and started chatting away.
Mom said, bringing out sliced fruit from the kitchen.
"So when is your vacation until?"
"Until January 3rd. Not long."
"Oh my, that's so short."
"That's how it is when you're in the debut group. At least we're seeing the new year together."
Ah, right.
I set Doa, who was sitting in my lap, down for a moment and went to my room.
Then I came out with a wrapped box.
"Doa~ What is this?"
Doa's eyes turned red.
"A birthday present...?"
"That's right. It was our Doa's birthday yesterday, and I'm sorry unnie couldn't celebrate with you~"
When I handed the present to Doa, perhaps feeling sad, she hugged me again and cried.
I had thought she was entering puberty since she'd been so prickly these days, but she's still a baby.
***
A vacation that won't happen again until debut.
Since becoming the debut group, Sundays were no longer days off.
If we get any rest, it'd probably be Lunar New Year or Chuseok.
We might not be able to rest during Chuseok since it's right before debut.
Anyway, since this was a vacation that would barely happen anymore, on January 1, the first day of this break, I decided to hole up at home and do my best to rest.
I was lying in bed holding Doa, healing.
"Doa, is it fun?"
"Mm."
"Let's play with unnie~"
"..."
Doa was playing the Nintendo I gave her as a birthday present and didn't even look at me.
I shouldn't have bought it for nothing.
Yesterday she talked like she'd look at me forever.
And January 2nd.
Today I had to take care of all the things I'd put off due to lack of time.
There was something very important today.
A time I would never wake up at on a normal day off.
9 AM.
I got out of bed and went to the kitchen.
And I hugged Mom from behind as she cooked.
"Mother?"
Mom smiled proudly when I hugged her.
"Why the honorifics all of a sudden? Did you miss Mom after living in the dorm?"
"Of course~"
"Aigoo, Mommy loves it so much when our princess hugs her."
"Hehe..."
Mom beamed and said.
"Is there anything you want to eat?"
"No. Not that."
"Then what is it? Tell me."
"Can you feel it?"
As if sensing something, Mom stopped smiling.
"What."
"My heart directed at you, Mother."
"What is that nonsense so early in the morning."
"My chest. This pressure."
Mom's face scrunched up as if she'd bitten into something foul.
Haha, I've been waiting for just this day.
How wretchedly had I lived for the past year.
No matter what I did, I was shamed by my chest.
Today I am reborn.
"Very well. Today, I issue a rematch request to Mother. Follow me to the underwear store."
Mom flicked my forehead for the first time in a while and said.
"'Follow me' to your mother? What's with the 'follow me'? It's my fault for getting my hopes up."
"Hing... To think you can't rejoice in your daughter's growth."
"Hurry up and get ready to eat."
"Hing... But I really need to buy a bra. A sports bra is fine for a day or two, but it pinches tight every time I dance, it's uncomfortable."
"Go alone."
"Mom, are you scared?"
"..."
"See, you must have felt it too. My pressure."
"Mine are still bigger."
Mom admitted honestly.
"Then does that mean you acknowledge that I'll be bigger later?"
"Sigh... let's eat and go, might as well buy clothes too."
"Yeaaah~"
***
The clerk and I entered the fitting room alone together.
I was too old to come in together with Mom.
"I'll measure the underbust first~"
I held my breath so that the underbust would measure smaller.
That way the size would come out bigger.
"Customer, if you hold your breath right now, the underbust measurement will be incorrect and it may be uncomfortable in daily life."
Ha, caught.
I breathed in comfortably again, and the clerk started measuring my underbust with a tape measure.
The clerk read the markings on the tape and said.
"It's 68.1 centimeters."
Hmm... Since it's just a number, I don't really know what that means.
"Is that good?"
The clerk said enviously.
"Of course. Your underbust is very small."
"Ah... is it good to be small?"
"Most women prefer having a small underbust. Because the smaller the underbust, the more your bust stands out and the slimmer your body looks, so your silhouette is pretty."
"Ah, I see... Thank you~"
Last year when I measured, I was probably 165cm tall with a 67cm underbust?
Now I'm 167.5cm with 68.1cm, so my underbust seems to have grown along with my height.
"Then I'll measure the bust circumference now~"
"Mhm."
I raised my arms so the clerk could measure easily.
The clerk checked my bust with the tape and said.
"It's 79... 78.9."
Then what is it? The difference between bust and underbust is 10.8, so it's like a B?
"So is it a B?"
"Yes, you should wear a 70B. Since your ribcage is 68, you could manage a 65, but since your underbust is 68, a 70B will probably fit better."
"Oh..."
My chest swells with pride.
"Excuse me?"
"No, thank you."
After the measurement was complete, I exited the fitting room.
Mom was standing in front of the fitting room.
"Mom?"
"What."
"You heard, right?"
"No."
Mom's pupils were shaking.
She totally heard.
"Hehe... I'm a 70B, Mom's a 70B. Now Mom is the same class as me."
"What are you talking about, I calculated and mine are bigger."
Just as expected.
I knew she'd heard.
"Sure~ enjoy it while you can. It won't be long now, right? You know they grow until you're 19? Kekekh."
"Ah."
Please, let's get that C-cup~