Unspoken Feelings ( A love that defines the odds )

41. The Path We Choose

The tension in the practice room was different today. It wasn’t the kind of stress that came from preparing for another concert, another comeback, or another dance routine. It was the kind of tension that came from realizing that things were about to change—maybe for good. The air felt heavier as the members silently prepared themselves for their last few months together as TWICE.

Tzuyu stood in front of the mirror, her eyes tracing her own reflection. She could hear the faint conversations behind her—Nayeon nagging Jeongyeon about something silly, Dahyun laughing with Momo, and Chaeyoung whispering something to Mina. But even with all the noise, the reality of the situation kept buzzing in the back of her mind. There was a year left on their contract, and the future beyond that year was uncertain.

Across the room, Sana was adjusting her ponytail, catching Tzuyu’s eye in the mirror. She sent a playful grin her way, her usual flirty demeanor peeking through even in a moment like this. Tzuyu smirked, giving her a teasing nod before turning her attention back to the mirror. Sana had a way of lightening the mood, even in the heaviest of times.

Jeongyeon, who had been lounging beside Nayeon, suddenly spoke up, “You think JYP’s gonna try to push us into one last world tour before we all call it quits?”

Nayeon laughed, her head resting against Jeongyeon’s shoulder. “Knowing him? Probably. But I think we all know what we’re doing after this.”

Tzuyu caught the slight edge in Nayeon’s voice, the kind of calm that comes from acceptance. It was true—no one had made their decisions out loud yet, but everyone had been talking about what was next, even if only in private moments. They’d given their lives to being idols for nearly a decade. It was time to start thinking about life outside of TWICE.

“You mean after the contract ends?” Dahyun asked, taking a sip from her water bottle. Momo was sitting beside her, watching her with an amused expression, but even she had an air of seriousness that didn’t quite fit her usual carefree self.

Jihyo, ever the leader, chimed in from the back. “We have a year left. That’s enough time to decide, but I don’t think we need to push ourselves into anything. If it’s time to move on… it’s time to move on.”

The words hung in the air, and for the first time, it felt like everyone was truly acknowledging the end.

---

Later that day, the group was gathered in the studio for a recording session. Their producer ran through the logistics of the next song, but the members were distracted. It was one of the rare moments when they weren’t completely immersed in their work.

As they wrapped up, Tzuyu found herself standing next to Chaeyoung and Mina, who were joking about something only they seemed to understand. Tzuyu nudged Chaeyoung, her voice teasing, “You’re really leaning into that MiChaeng ship, huh?”

Chaeyoung turned red, her eyes widening. “W-What? I didn’t say anything—”

Mina, ever composed, laughed softly, giving Chaeyoung a gentle pat on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Chaeng. We’re kind of obvious anyway.”

Tzuyu chuckled, shaking her head. “Everyone knows. You’re not fooling anyone.”

Chaeyoung rolled her eyes, but the smile tugging at her lips gave her away. Tzuyu was right—they weren’t fooling anyone, especially with how close they’d become. But before Chaeyoung could retort, Jihyo came by, smirking.

“Don’t worry, Chaeng,” Jihyo teased. “Mina’s got your back.”

The group burst into laughter, and even Mina, who was usually the quiet one, couldn’t hide her amusement. It was moments like this that made Tzuyu realize how much she’d miss these interactions. No matter where they ended up after this, they would always be connected in ways only they could understand.

As they headed out of the studio for the night, Tzuyu caught up with Sana. The older girl had been quieter than usual, and it didn’t take much for Tzuyu to notice the change in her mood.

“Hey,” Tzuyu nudged her gently, “You okay?”

Sana looked up, her usual playful demeanor replaced by something more subdued. “Yeah, just… thinking.”

“About what?”

“Everything, I guess,” Sana replied with a soft sigh. “It’s weird, isn’t it? Knowing that this could be one of the last times we’re all doing this together.”

Tzuyu didn’t respond right away. She knew exactly what Sana was talking about, but it wasn’t easy to put those feelings into words. Instead, she slipped her arm around Sana’s waist, pulling her close.

“Yeah,” Tzuyu said quietly. “But no matter what, we’ll always have each other.”

Sana smiled, leaning into Tzuyu’s side. “You’re right. We will.”

The two walked in comfortable silence for a while, the night air cool against their skin as they headed back to the dorm. They didn’t need to say much more—the connection between them was strong enough without words.

---

As the night settled in, the members gathered in the dorm for a rare moment of relaxation. They had grown used to their chaotic schedules, so moments like these were a luxury. Nayeon and Jeongyeon were sitting together on one of the couches, Nayeon leaning into Jeongyeon like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“You know,” Nayeon said, looking up at Jeongyeon with a grin, “if you don’t renew your contract, I’m going to have to keep you all to myself.”

Jeongyeon chuckled, her arm draped lazily over Nayeon’s shoulders. “And what’s wrong with that?”

Jihyo, who was sitting across from them with a glass of wine, rolled her eyes. “You two are ridiculous.”

“Jealous?” Nayeon teased, sticking her tongue out.

Jihyo shrugged, taking a sip from her glass. “Please. I’ve got all of you to deal with. That’s enough for me.”

Chaeyoung and Dahyun were sprawled out on the floor with Momo, who was, unsurprisingly, munching on a bag of snacks. Dahyun glanced at her, smirking. “You really never stop eating, do you?”

Momo shook her head, grinning. “I’ll stop when I’m full.”

“Might be never,” Chaeyoung quipped, causing the room to burst into laughter.

As the night wore on, the laughter grew softer, the conversations deeper. Despite everything, despite the uncertainty of the future, there was still so much love and warmth in the room. It wasn’t just about being a group anymore—it was about being a family.

And no matter what the future held, they knew they’d always have each other.

---

Author's Note: Thank you all so much for reading this far! I hope you’re enjoying the journey as much as I am writing it. Don’t forget to vote for this chapter and let me know your thoughts in the comments. We’re getting closer to the end, and I promise the best is yet to come!