Twice's 10th Member Haeju

Ranked 10th

I come into my room after taking a shower. Apparently, everyone is here. It's so fortunate that I've changed clothes in the bathroom. Phew!

"I present you: The rank 10th member!!!" the 'Fake Maknae' says while opening her hand toward me. It's followed by everyone's laugh.
"Ouch! Watch your hands," Our official leader says while rubbing her nose.
"Sorry....."

I sit on the floor beside my little Penguin.
"The 10th member?"
"No~ Not the 10th member. You rank 10th," Momo with her cute nasally voice corrects me.
"Really? Where?"
"You're rank 10th among us."
"Huh, why?"
"Forget it, forget it. Haeju doesn't understand it yet," Nayeon cuts.
"Ah, let it be," the 'No-Jam Hyung' suggests.
"Should we?"
"Aww... Why is Haeju ranks 10th~? Ottokeee~?" the 'Shiba Inu', who sits beside Jeongyeon on the bed, speaks.
"Do you want to take her place?" the tallest member challenges her.
"No......."
"Let Sana Unnie gets the rank 10th then!"
"Oh my Goood~ Sana Unnie ranks 10th? Tsk tsk... So bad," the 'Eagle Girl' teases her.
"Why meee~ I'm a nice giiiirl~"
"No, you're definitely not." That is Tzuyu's mumbling
"Dahyun, you rank 9th!" Sana yells.
Dahyun pretends to be shocked to hear that.

"Who does get the 9th rank last time by the way?" Jihyo asks.
"You!" Jeongyeon answers automatically.
"No, I was not...!"
"Hahaha... Wasn't it Nayeon?" the 'Tiger Cub' who's busy laugh from the beginning finally says something.
"You, Small! Call me by 'Unnie'!"
"Haha... Why? All of sudden..."

"What does this rank mean? It seems bad... Why do I rank 10th?" I ask them as I'm genuinely confused. They laugh at that.
"It's okay, Ju. Don't take it personally," Mina says while tapping my thigh,"This is just an old inside joke....."
"But it has to have a meaning, right?" I whisper back to her. Wait, maybe Mina wasn't whispering. Ah, she doesn't answer me anyway. No one does until they change the topic.

Ugh, what does this rank joke mean.....?

***

Sana and I are taking a break in a car when Tzuyu comes with a plastic bag in her hand.
"Ah, here you are!"
"Tzuyuuu~" Sana greets her. "What is that?"
She takes out an ice cream cup and gives it to me. "One for you....."
"Ooh, thanks!"
"Be careful with your outfit."
"Me, me!" Sana opens her hand, ready to get the ice cream too. "Na yanaaa~ Na yanaaaaa~"
"Ugh, old song!" Tzuyu takes out the last two cups from that bag and glares at Sana. "But I eat two......."
"Hmph!" Sana is sulking. Not for long tho. "Tzuyu, pretty, pretty~ The most beautiful girl I've ever meeeet~ Literally top 100 in the world~~~"
"Good enough," she smirks. Sana finally gets her ice cream. "Look at our maknae. So sweet to her Unnies. The best!"
"Of course. Because I love you."
"Aww~ I love--"
"...Just kidding. It's because Mina Unnie told me to share it with you two. This is her money."
Sana is stunned by hearing that. I crack.

"Oh, speaking about 'the best'. What does actually 'rank 10th' mean?" I ask as I suddenly remember Twice's inside joke that's told a few days ago.
Sana and Tzuyu look at each other.
"Don't think about it, Annie! It was just a joke~"
"Who is 'Annie'?" Tzuyu asks.
"But I want to know...." I say again. "There must be a meaning behind that, right? And why is it me?"
They look at each other again. Definitely thinking of something.
"How about this..... We--"
"Ask Once!" Sana exclaims.
"Huh?"
"There will be a fan-meeting tomorrow, right? Ask them!" Sana explains her idea while busy wiping ice cream off her face. "Wait... Why does this tissue taste like chocolate?"
"Hey, that's actually a good idea! Just ask Once, Unnie. They've been with Twice longer than you. Haha...."
"Why not you guys?"
"Guys, do you remember the drama--"
"Why???" I cut Sana who is (obviously) trying to change the topic. Like their mouths are zipped, both of them stop saying anything.
At one moment, Tzuyu puts her ice cream down and says calmly,"Please don't make it a big deal, Unnie...