*

SM Entertainment Recording Studio

City of Seoul, Gyeonggi Province

“Hey, great news boo! We found another couple here in Busan!”

On normal days, Tiffany Hwang's exuberance could successfully uplift Kim Taeyeon's spirits. However, today wasn't one of those days. She spent the last three hours with the studio engineers and producers, recording for her first solo album. She'd been praised for singing with so much emotions, only because she was singing sad love songs.

If she was to interpret a cheerful song, she wouldn't have successfully finished the morning's recording session.

“Really? There's another couple there?” she clarified, pushing aside the sandwich she was eating as a snack. She was now alone in the recording studio as the staff went out to have their lunch.

“Yes! They got married in 2011, and they represented the provinces of North Chungcheong and Gangwon. Two down, one more to go!”

Fany was so delighted, and Taeyeon could tell her best friend was very passionate in helping her. But why couldn't she share the same joy? Wasn't finding the couples for The Great Pact their ultimate goal?

“That's amazing. Thank you Steph,” Taeyeon commented with a forced happiness.

“Is everything okay?”

Of course Tiffany would sense the fake excitement she mustered. She always recognized when Taeyeon was on her “blue” moments. Part of the reason why they just clicked as best friends was the woman's natural knack of riding her mood swings.

“No, it's not.”

“What's wrong?”

She sighed and finally confessed what she has kept to herself for three days now.

“Baek and I broke up.”

“What? Why? When? Are you sure?!” Tiffany sounded happier than concerned. It was a known fact that none of her SNSD members liked Baekhyun for her. One, he was younger. Two, he was childish. And three, he was no perfect boyfriend material. “I don't mean to sound like I'm happy... but I'm just... surprised. What happened?”

“I'll just tell you everything when you come back.”

“Okay, Seunghyun and I will be there soon. I'll see you later today. But best, are you okay?”

Taeyeon didn't answer for a moment. Truthfully, it wasn't the breakup with Baekhyun that caused her misery. It was the fact that Kwon Jiyong hasn't contacted her since the night they almost kissed. He missed the last two family dinners in Songdo and Jeonju. He wasn't answering her calls or texts. She was very excited to share with him the news about her breakup, and yet it felt as if the man was avoiding her.

“Hey boo, what's going on. You are not fine, so don't even try to lie. Tell me everything.”

Sighing first, Taeyeon answered, “Jiyong and I almost kissed...”

“WHAT?!”

*

Samgyeopsal Restaurant

Town of Itaewon, Gyeonggi Province

“...I almost kissed Kim Taeyeon after I put the necklace on her,” Kwon Jiyong declared to his audience.

He was celebrating Teddy Park's birthday with Dong Youngbae, Kush, and Teddy's girlfriend Han Yeseul. When he was intoxicated enough to let go of his pride, Jiyong called Choi Seunghyun so he could patch over the phone while he announced something to his closest friends.

For a while, his friends were speechless and they stopped eating or drinking. Actress Han Yeseul clarified if he was talking about SNSD's leader, and the alcohol made Jiyong admit the truth. He explained to them what happened in the First Exchange, the gift he gave her, and their almost first kiss that was abruptly stopped.

“What stopped it?” inquired Kush, eyes sparkling with malice.

“Audrie's call.”

“Of course your ex would find a way to ruin your life!” Youngbae exclaimed, drinking the remaining of his beer.

“Damnit, I knew that girl wouldn't stop at nothing,” commented TOP from the speaker phone.

Yeseul giddily asked, “So what happened next? Did you try to kiss her again?”

“No. Audrie and I got back together.”

“WHAT?!” al his friends yelled in unison, albeit in different versions. Teddy and Yeseul even said the word in English.

“She gave me an ultimatum. It was then or never.”

“But what about Miss Kim Taeyeon?” the only woman, and clearly the most romantic, Han Yeseul asked, pouting.

“What about her?” replied Jiyong, trying to sound nonchalant. Since he was drunk, he was able to project indifference in his voice. He took two gulps of beer before continuing his cool response.

“We were just in the heat of the moment. And besides, I never wanted to marry her, and she obviously doesn't want to marry me either. She made it very clear that she wants to give that moron everything.”

To his surprise, he saw that all his friends just howled in laughter, shaking their heads and mocking him. He became worked up, and he slapped Youngbae's back defensively.

“What's so funny, tards?!”

“Dude, you just gave her a diamond necklace named Princess Love worth $30,000,” Youngbae retorted, also hurting him back.

Teddy added, “Your parents also gifted the two of you a fully-furnished house.”

“You also almost kissed each other!” shrieked Yeseul, smiling and affectionately slapping Jiyong's cheek, like she was talking to a child.

Choi Seunghyun spoke from the other line, “You don't seem or sound like two people who don't want to get married to each other. Fany and I can tell.”

“That's nothing, nonsense, and all pure ing crap,” Jiyong told the group, drinking once more. “With TOP and Fany finding the second couple, it seems the gods do not want us to marry either. So what's the point? What matters is Audrie and I are back together, so we have to find the third couple. You all have got to back me up on this in case Audrie finds out about The Great Pact.”

“You're making excuses. Do you hear yourself?! I love Kiko like a sister, but I know she is poison to you!” screamed TOP over the phone.

“Look Seunghyun, I'll just see you when you get back. Thank you for helping me find the first and second couple.”

“But--”

“Bye,” and he grabbed his phone and hung up on Seunghyun.

However, Youngbae just echoed what TOP was saying. “He's right. Audrie is a deadly poison. I don't think I can still support you while I watch her boss you around like her .”

This annoyed Jiyong more that he drank the remaining of his beer in one long gulp. He was now so drunk, so livid, that he almost broke the beer bottle when he put it down on the table.

Kush added, “Bro, I think you really like Kim Tae--”

“It doesn't matter now, alright?! She made it clear she's given herself to someone else. So please guys, shut the up about it!”

His friends were all startled and silenced, because never have Kwon Jiyong attacked them that way. The man even stood up, swaying and pointing at all of them.

“I'm going home, because I'm soooooo drunk. I won't cry, or pine about Kim Taeyeon, alright? Tomorrow, when I'm sober, nobody, and I mean nobody, should dare mention her to me. If you do, I'll kick your ! Goodnight!”

The ever so kind best friend Dong Youngbae followed the guy to drive his drunk home.

*

Busan Highland Hotels

City of Busan, South Chungcheong Province

“They almost kissed. I can't believe it,” said Tiffany under her breath. She was flat on her back on the hotel bed, her face on the ceiling.

“He gave her a ing necklace that's worth as much as a brand new car,” added TOP, also in the same position as Stephanie.

“These fools are definitely in denial. I thought it was just my boo who's so dense. Turns out your friend Jiyong's an idiot too. We have to wake them up.”

“Don't hope for the best though. Jiyong and Audrie got back together last Sunday.”

“What?!” Fany exclaimed, suddenly sitting upright from shock. “He got back with her on the night of the First Exchange?”

“He said Taeyeon was the one who pushed her to accept Audrie's heart,” explained TOP, following her and sitting upright too.

My baby boo must be having a hard time... Tiffany silently worried. “So what if my Taeyeon said that? Your friend just has to freaking man up!”

TOP didn't appreciate Fany attacking him for Jiyong's idiocy, so he yelled back, “But your friend said she picked Baekhyun over my friend.”

“Huh? Is that what my friend told your friend?”

“All I know is Taeyeon made it clear she's given herself to someone else, and Jiyong backed down based on that. Don't throw your fire at me, Mona Lisa.”

Tiffany just screamed nonsense and slid out of the bed. She began packing her things while saying, “Hurry and pack up. We got to go back now.”

“Why? What's up?” suspected TOP. “Do you know something I don't?”

“The stars aren't aligning, okay? Now come on, chop chop! My best friend needs me.”

Choi Seunghyun obeyed the panicking woman. However, he just ended up watching her pack, because Tiffany was already doing such a good job with TOP's things. She was a natural at it, as if she'd been his girlfriend for so long. This only reminded him of something

“Steph...”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if... uhm... well... err... never mind,” he backed down, because his nerve got the best of him the moment the woman's eyes gazed on his. To his surprise, Tiffany stopped what she was doing and sat on the edge of the bed beside him.

“Choi Seunghyun.”

“Yes?”

“I'll go to Yeonjun's birthday party.”

TOP was utterly surprised, because the woman answered his invite even if he didn't voice it out loud!

“How did you...”

Tiffany smirked and said, “Hyeyoon invited me. I was surprised to receive a call from your sister, but it was really fun talking to her. She's really cool! She said you wouldn't have the courage to invite me, so she did it for you.”

TOP's eyes widened, and he almost teared up from shame and embarrassment. His body fell down, flat on the bed, and he grabbed a pillow to cover his reddened face.

“Crap.”

“It's okay baby boy. Your sister and I got this,” Fany very affectionately consoled, tapping his hands slightly.