It was finally here, the day that would determine whether she would spend the next year promotin with the group produced by this show or return to Fantagio to perfect her skills even more before she finally made her official debut.

No matter how the events of today ended up, Doyeon was solid in the knowledge that she had practiced her hardest and even if something did by chance go wrong, there was absolutely no way that it could be her fault. Yoojung was right, she'd been entirely too hard on herself and she'd rather fall down the stairs twice than face the wrath of the tiny demon again. The older girl may have been fairly nice while they were at the hospital but she could still feel the sting in very cheek from the slap the girl had given her the moment they walked into the empty dorm. Yeah, she didnt want that again,  ever. 

Now, as they stood, all 22 of them, nervous for the moment when they all enter the stage to sing 'When the Cherry Blossom Falls' , Doyeon reminded herself to breathe and took comfort in Pinky's hand, tightly holding her own and providing an anchor. 

This song required no dance and although vocals weren't her strong point, Doyeon was sure that she was ready for this. The song was beautiful and she would absolutely do it justice! 

Far too soon representative Jang was calling their names and stepping down from the stage, that was it, that was their cue. 

The minute her feet touched the stage all the nerves evaporated, this was her domain and she was going to own it. This was the only place that nobody could beat her at her own game. 

The song was soft and the flowing white dresses suited the melancholy yet hopeful tone that shone through the soft melody. Doyeon sang her part confidently yet with grace and poise before allowing the others, her friends, to shine in their own right, everyone's inner radiance was evident and she knew that whether they made it or not, every single one of them would benefit from this final stage. 

The song was over before it even even felt as though it had begun and Doyeon departed the stage with her arm thrown across Hyeri's shoulder whilst her other hand was clasped with Suhyun's. Despite the feeling of closure and finality the bond between the remaining girls was closer than ever.

As representative Jang spoke about each girl individually and prepared to showcase the videos that they'd recorded in preparation for this episode, Doyeon let her eyes wander in search of the one person that she truly wanted to see, the person who'd made her innate strength possible in this moment. 

Yoojung wasn't difficult to spot, huddled between Chaeyeon and Chungha laughing so hard that there were tears in her eyes. Doyeon hoped that she would always be as happy as she was in this moment because she would give anything for her precious person to never experience sadness again. 

When she noticed that she was being watched, Yoojung turned, already sure of what she'd find but still blushing when she met the intense gaze of the new center of her world. Bringing a hand up to wipe the tears of joy from her eyes, she quietly excused herself from the two older girls who followed her gaze and snickered in understanding before continuing their conversation.

The short walk across the room seemed to take seconds and years simultaneously but she reached her target faster than she had anticipated. Doyeon's gaze never wavered and Yoojung forced herself to stand strong despite the way her knees had begun to shake under the intensity of the look in her eyes. She placed her hands on the younger girls shoulders, only able to do so because she had remained seated. Determined not to be beaten by a simple stare,  Yoojung let her lips pull up into a smirk as she eyes became hooded, knowing that the look is what drove most people crazy. 

Doyeon looked taken aback momentarily before winding her arms around the smaller girls waist and pulling her closer, almost knocking the older girl off balance which had been her goal.

"Thank you," she muttered quietly, knowing that only Yoojung would hear. It was a thanks for everything, not just what she'd done in the past few days but all the times that she'd stood by her side in their 8 years of friendship. 

Yoojung leaned forward, resting her head on the taller girls shoulder and breathing deeply, seemingly content. "You'll always be so much more than welcome," the words were said in the faintest whisper and Doyeon heard every ounce of sincerity in them. 

They stayed liked that for a moment, uncaring of all the activity occurring around them, just the two of them in their own world where nobody could come between them. 

Yoojung moved first, lifting her head and leaning backwards but never breaking contact. The look in her eyes said everything and more, in that gaze Doyeon could see everything, the world, the past, her emotions and their interlinked futures. She liked what she saw. 

"You know I wouldn't be able to be here without you by my side right? It may seem selfish but I need you to keep me grounded, I never would have made it here without you so I owe you thanks as well." Yoojung's every word was filled with sincerity and Doyeon knew that it was true. The smaller girl was alluring, confident, adorable and clumsy but she was also fragile and when she first entered this competition, it had hurt so much to see her sitting by herself, unable to socialise with her new peers.

Doyeon nodded, knowing that a verbal response was unnecessary and instead twisted her fingers though the older girls hair. Yoojung took that as her cue to lean for