“Living on, on dreams and Spaghettio’s, wondering where your life is gonna go.”

-This One’s For The Girls, Martina McBride

            Four heavy tires on large silver van rolled across the paved roads of the city at a steady pace. The driver kept his hands firmly on the wheel, carefully watching the road ahead. Silently sunken into the passenger’s seat beside him, fingers typing briskly away at an iPhone, was Andy. He seemed completely absorbed in his own world, mind buzzing with business and deadlines and plans as always. It was remarkable how he was completely unaffected by the loud gossip, chatter, and giggles blaring from the backseats. If it was one thing he learned in the years of mentoring a band of rowdy teenage boys, it was how to completely tune out background ruckus.

            Ruckus caused by teenage girls was hardly different. It was just as loud, but slightly higher pitched. At first, Andy had found it a harder concentrate with girls shrieking in the backseat than boys arguing, and he couldn’t even hear himself think the very first time he hit the road with all six girls. But the squealing in the car had been nothing compared to the squealing in the salon when it was time for the girls’ makeovers nearly three weeks ago. Minyeon had screamed when she first saw her hair go from bright purple with annoying black roots to silky smooth and fiery red, but she had loved it immediately. That same fiery red had made its way into each of the girls’ hair, but in very different ways. Soomin’s long, jet-black hair had been twisted into wild curls with two thick stripes of red underneath. Jasmine’s chest-length hair had been flattened to silky, pin-straight locks that faded from black to red. Boyun’s hair was shortened to a charming, wavy bob with thick front bangs and flaming red tips. Haeyoung had undergone a dramatic change with classically streaked red hair and a deep side part. Last but not least, Min Neul had received thicker side bangs, choppy layers, and red streaks only in her thick bangs. Each girl had fallen in love with her dramatic new hairstyle, and squealed once more when they saw how well they were paired with their outfits. Each of the girls’ styles had been taken into account when designing their individual looks. The outfits were studded, striped, dark, and extraordinary, with studded belts and combat boots and y suspenders to pull off the circus-like theme of “Freakshow.” Their modeling skills had been put to the test, and each girl had shot numerous incredible photographs during the shoot.

            Min Neul had never been particularly girly, and had never taken much pleasure in makeup and fashion like other girls. However, she had forced herself to comply with the stylists as they poked and prodded and painted her. When she glanced in the mirror, she hardly recognized the person. I am Miinah now, she had thought. Time to leave Min Neul behind.

            Leaving Min Neul behind had meant hiding her still broken feelings behind Miinah’s heavy makeup as if it was a mask, and finding the strength within her to give a dazzling smile before the camera. The first few moments had been shaky, and she worried endlessly about how she looked and whether or not her poses were attractive. When her smiling felt too unnatural, she went for ier, fiercer expressions--the photographer gushed over them as if he had struck gold. As Miinah posed, she found herself feeling horrendously nostalgic. The only times she ever acted y in front of a camera was when she was taking pictures for Jonghyun late at night when they couldn’t be together. As s he posed during the shoot, she could practically hear his gasps and groans. If he had still loved her, he would have been blown away at her tummy-bearing shirt, ridiculously high heels, smoky makeup and skintight jeans. Perhaps her y posing had made her shoot a success, but Miinah desperately wished that it hadn’t been so painful to do. She still found Jonghyun in everything she did, and she couldn’t wait until he stopped invading her mind.

           There were times, however, when she was at peace, and it was always when she was with the girls. They were becoming closer, but there was still much she didn’t know about them. In the three weeks they had spent together, they had definitely discovered how much fun they could have.

           Currently, Boyun and Minyeon were singing dramatically to Justin Bieber, and Jasmine was laughing at their English. Every once in a while, Soomin, Haeyoung, and Min Neul would join in between bursts of hysterical chatter. Jasmine and Soomin laid down Ludacris’s rap while Haeyoung and Min Neul clapped a steady beet and chanted their names. Soomin stumbled through it, sparking much laughter, but Jasmine spit it out perfectly, sparking awe. But before the song could even end, the van lurched to stop at the curb.

            “Sorry to ruin the fun, girls, but we’ve arrived,” announced Andy as he turned around, smiling. Each of their faces lit up, and they shouted and squealed for the girls by the doors, Jasmine and Minyeon, to open the doors as quickly as possible. When the giddy girls spilled out onto the sidewalk, they gushed as they looked up at their destination. The apartment building. Their apartment building.

            Despite the other girls’ amazement, Min Neul’s stomach dropped the moment she stepped out of the van. Her marveling at the building was entirely feigned, for she had seen the apartment building hundreds of times before. When Andy told them they were going to move into their very own apartment today, she had hoped they would be heading to a different complex than Teen Top’s. However, she had had an ominous suspicion that they would all wind up in the same apartment building, and unfortunately her gut feeling had been right. As she and the girls filed into the elevator, she silently prayed that they weren’t headed to the sixth floor. But when Andy pressed the number 6, Min Neul stifled a sniffle.

            “You girls will be on the sixth floor, in apartment 621,” Andy replied, handing each of the girls her very own key. Min Neul swallowed back a sob as her thumb the golden key. The boys’ apartment was just five doors away.

            When the elevator doors opened and everyone filed out, Andy led them down the hallway to their room. The girls squealed and clutched their hands together. When Haeyoung grabbed Min Neul’s and smiled, Min Neul couldn’t help but smile back. Just in time, too, since they were passing the very doorframe Jonghyun had stood beneath when he screamed at Min Neul, demanding for a heartbreaking end to their perfect relationship. Min Neul wondered what it would be like to live in an apartment with the girls, and the tighter Haeyoung squeezed her hand the more excited she became to find out.

            The group stopped before the door, and Andy made a show of fitting the key into the lock and dramatically turned the doorknob. With a grand smile, he pushed the door open. “Ladies, take a look at your new apartment.”

            All eyes lit up as the girls gazed inside their apartment—even Min Neul’s. The interior up was identical to Teen Top’s apartment, minus their colorful furniture and boyish messes everywhere. In fact, there was nothing in the living room except for a beat-up gray sofa, scuffed wooden coffee table and box television, all covered in a light layer of dust. The walls were bleak and white and the hardwood floors could definitely use a good sweep. Boxes of the girls’ belongings were scattered around the living room as well, leaving the three bedrooms blank except for empty dressers and bedframes with mattresses. There wasn’t even a table in the plain white kitchen.

            “We’ll definitely need to get some furniture in here,” Andy replied, placing his hands on his hips. “But for now, this will have to do.”

            “Our stuff is already here,” Minyeon remarked, brushing her bright red hair over her shoulder as she lightly touched a stack of boxes.

            Andy nodded. “You girls will have the rest of the night to unwind and unpack, and most of tomorrow.  But tomorrow night, you have your first schedule to attend.”

            Boyun’s eyes lit up. “What are we going to do?” she asked eagerly, bouncing up and down.

            Andy was smirking as he gazed at the six girls around him. “Your first official appointment tomorrow is a meet and greet dinner at six-thirty with your label mates, Teen Top.”

            Min Neul’s stomach dropped once more.

            Haeyoung’s hand flew to , stifling her squeal. “No way!” she cried. “No way!”

            “We’re meeting Teen Top tomorrow?” Soomin cried, already fluffing her flat hair as if its appearance now mattered in front of the boys later.

            “Cool,” Minyeon cooed, bobbing her head nonchalantly.

            “Do you like Teen Top?” Jasmine asked Min Neul excitedly.

            “Yeah,” Min Neul forced out, trying to sound enthusiastic

            Andy laughed and shook his head. “I’m glad you’re excited about tomorrow. Just be ready to leave by six-thirty to eat great food and socialize. You don’t have to dress up, but try to look nice.”

            Minyeon brought a firm hand to her forehead and saluted Andy. “Yes, sir!”

            Andy gave a laugh. “I’ll see you girls tomorrow. Have a great night.”

            The girls began to bow as they bid him farewell, but at the very last minute he turned around and looked at the girls carefully. “You girls might want to get to know each other a little better. Remember what the key to success is.” With that, the door clicked shut.

            With Andy’s wise words of advice lingering in the silence, the six girls shared brief but reserved eye contact. Minyeon was the one to clap her hands, breaking the silence. “How about we start moving our stuff in?”

            “How many bedrooms are there?” Jasmine asked, glancing down the hallway.

            “Three,” Min Neul responded flatly. “I noticed when we came in,” she added too quickly.

            Minyeon shrugged. “Two for each room.”

            Soomin shrugged in Jasmine’s direction. “Want to keep rooming together?” she asked. She and Jasmine had been roommates since the two had first become trainees in the same year.

            “Okay!” Jasmine piped up enthusiastically.

            Haeyoung nudged Min Neul’s arm. “Want to be roommates?” she asked kindly.

            Min Neul was certainly surprised by her question. She had feared that she’d be the outcast in the group, as she was the last to join. On top of that, it had always been difficult for her to socialize with girls her age. She gave Haeyoung a bright smile of appreciation and declared, “Sure. Thank you.”

            “Guess the third room belongs to you and me,” Minyeon smirked at Boyun.

            The younger girl watched silently as Minyeon’s vibrant red hair slipped down from her shoulder as she belt down to host up a box of her belongings. She nodded, and watched Minyeon disappear down the hallway and into a room. Their room. She took a deep breath and found a box of her own before hesitantly heading down the hall.

            The girls made brief small talk as they gathered boxes into their arms and field into their respective rooms. Each featured bland white walls and insipid tan carpets, beds with wooden frames and firm mattress. They were each given their own short dresser but would have to share the depthless closet.

            “Gosh, it sure is dull in here,” Haeyoung remarked as she dropped a box on the carpet. “This room could really use some color.”

            Min Neul peered over her shoulder just as Haeyoung broke open the box and pulled out beautifully tie-dyed sheets of the most vibrant colors. Her eyes widened as Haeyoung began to color her bed with them. “It looks brighter already,” she offered with a shy smile.

            “I like color,” Haeyoung announced, smoothing out her sheets. “Fits my personality.”

            Min Neul turned back to her own bed, which she was adorning with dark purple sheets. Quite a contrast to Haeyoung’s beautifully hued sheets, but perhaps their tastes would compliment each other. Slowly but surely, they were adding color to the room. Haeyoung colored the top of her pale dresser with picture frames of blue and green and Min Neul spread her purple striped comforter over her bed. Haeyoung hung posters of peace signs and pretty photography on the wall, and Min Neul began piling her clothes into her dresser.

            “So tell me something about you,” Min Neul heard Haeyoung say behind her. Both girls had their backs to each other as they loaded their dressers with their collections of clothes.

            Min Neul was glad Haeyoung couldn’t see her expression, because she was biting her lip in hesitance. Talking about herself was never easy, but she thought of something brief and interesting she could share. “I grew up in Mokpo but I’ve lived in Seoul for a few years now.”

            Haeyoung nodded vigorously. “I noticed your accent. Know where I’m from?”

            Min Neul smiled. “Busan.”

            “Born and raised,” Haeyoung nodded. She straightened up and gaze longingly at a photo on her dresser. “I left a big family back in Busan.”

            Min Neul turned around. “I only have a sister,” she shared.

            “I have two sisters and two brothers,” Haeyoung giggled. “They’re all younger than me. I miss them terribly.”

            “I miss my sister,” Min Neul replied empathetically. “She’s at college.”

            Haeyoung smiled admiringly. “Good for her,” she answered wistfully, gazing at her family photos once more. She would have loved to attend college, if it wasn’t so expensive. She could remember every contour of her father’s worn face and his sincere smile as sweetly told her to save her hard earned money as an idol in a fund for college instead of sending it back home. Haeyoung had assured him she would, but deep down inside, her heart promised otherwise.

            In the next room over, the middle room, a rectangle piece of lacy cloth had been placed over the top of one of the short, wooden dressers. Very carefully, a collection of glass angel figures, a ceramic cross on a stand, and a delicate jewelry box. Tender, manicure fingers adorned in silver rings carefully lifted the top to organize the collection of various earrings shining with pearls and diamonds. Next, a small snow globe with a ceramic base and a tiny ballerina. She gently twirled among a wind of sparks as twinkling music sang from it. Smiling to herself, Boyun turned her back and bounced to one of the many boxes on her side of the room and reached inside.

            Curiously, Minyeon peered over her shoulder. The entire time she had been pinning up a corkboard of hemp bracelets, rainbow stickers, and artistic photography above her dresser, she had heard the sound of paper crinkling. She watched her roommate carefully unwrap a shining silver cross from a long roll of protective paper. Minyeon smirked. “Did you wrap everything you brought in paper?”

            “Uh-huh,” Boyun answered, hanging the cross on a hook above her bed. She waltzed back to the box and began to unwrap an ornate leather Bible from a clump of paper.

            Minyeon glanced back at the rustic dream catcher with turquoise beads hanging above her bed; it was a stark contrast to the dainty cross above Boyun’s. When she glanced back, she caught Boyun unwrapped the Bible. “You even wrapped a Bible?” she asked curiously.

            “It’s important,” Boyun answered matter-of-factly, placing the Bible precariously on a stand-up nightstand, which she had brought herself.

            “Cool,” Minyeon responded, nonchalantly bobbing her head. She turned back to her side of the room and swallowed hard as she stepped up to pin a significant rainbow poster on the wall. Her many beaded bracelets slid down her wrist as she pinned up the poster, and they clattered again when Minyeon dropped her hands back down at her side. She then decorated her dresser with candles of different shapes and sizes, and filled the remaining space with beat up CDs and magazines. Spread over her mattress was a black duvet with red, orange, and green stitching. Colorful, woven throw pillows added vibrant, unexpected pops of color against the dark backdrop. In a way, Minyeon’s bed was a lot like herself. She would seem dark and intimidating without the different, dynamic hues of her personality. She smiled to herself as she stuck a few sticks of calming incense into a carved stand.

            Boyun turned around from arranging the lacy pillows on her satin, ruched bedspread. She blinked and bit her lip when she noticed her roommate push a small pack of matches onto the dresser. “Is that…incense?” she asked curiously.

            Minyeon nodded. “It smells really good and it’s really calming,” she explained. “I won’t light it if you don’t want me to. No worries.”

            Boyun tilted her head. “Is it for religious purposes?”

            Minyeon vigorously shook her head and gave a nervous laugh. “I’m not really religious,” she admitted.

            “I’m Catholic,” Boyun was quick to reply.

            Minyeon raised an eyebrow at the cross on the wall, Bible on the nightstand, and angels on the dresser. “I’ve noticed.”

            Boyun narrowed her eyes defensively. “Is that a problem?”

            “No!” Minyeon remarked. “As long as it’s not a problem that I’m not religious.”

            Boyun pursed her lips and crossly turned away. “Okay.”

            “Cool,” Minyeon said finally, turning away from the expensive lace and frills covering Boyun’s side of the room. With a deep inhale she reached for the matches to light the incense. She had the sinking feeling that she would be burning a lot of it in the near future.

            All the tension in Boyun and Minyeon's room was completely absent from Jasmine and Soomin's. The two girls had gotten along since they both entered the T.O.P Media training program. Neither of the girls had known each other prior to it, but it already felt like they had known each other their entire lives.

            As Jasmine fit her hot pink bedspread over her polka dot sheets, she heard the clacking and clamping of Soomin attempting to retrieve her belongings from a box. She glanced up just in time to watch Soomin dump an armful of picture frames on her bed. Most of them she recognized from Soomin's side of the room when they roomed together during their trainee years, but there was one in a plain white frame with small red hearts around it that she had never noticed.

            "What's that picture?" Jasmine asked boldly.

            Soomin glanced up and blushed. "Nothing."

            Jasmine smiled. "Let me look!" she insisted sloppily, reaching for the frame. Eventually, Soomin dropped her gaze and handed over the foreign, framed photo. Jasmine held it carefully in her hands and gazed at the colorful photograph. It was of two young girls with practically identical faces, except one girl had long hair in a headband and the other had slightly messy short hair. Both smiled brightly and embraced the other warmly.

            "This is so cute!" exclaimed Jasmine. "Is this you?” She pointed to the girl with long hair.

            Soomin chuckled softly. "Yeah, that's me when I was seven," she admitted, almost sadly.

            "Who is this girl?" Jasmine asked, pointing to the girl with short hair in young Soomin's tight embrace.

            Soomin bit her lip. "My cousin," she answered finally. "Yeah, it's funny how much we look alike, right?"

            "Yes!" Jasmine giggled as she handed the frame back. "I don't look like my cousins, obviously."

            Soomin was glad for the opportunity to laugh. "Of course not!" she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Your cousins are American!"

            "I wonder if I have cousins here," Jasmine spoke wistfully. "Real cousins."

            Soomin shrugged as she tucked the photo away on in her box. "Maybe," she said gently, glancing down at the frames photo on more time. "Sometimes you just never know what to expect."

            Jasmine jumped back and clapped her hands. "Room looks great!" she cried, admiring the bright room with a wide smile. Soomin's sunny yellow bed lit up the entire room, while Jasmine's hot pink bed have off a playfully feminine vibe. The polka dot rug, funky flower wall decals, and sticker-covered iHome already playing some catchy pop music had certainly brought the dull room to life. Even Jasmine's American flag added cute foreign flair, as did Soomin's chic poser of the Eiffel Tower. Of course, it wasn't their first time seeing the colors of their room come together before, but that didn't make moving in any less excited.

            Jasmine and Soomin weren't the only ones admiring their colorful, cozy room. Haeyoung had suddenly appeared, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. "Hi, girls!" she exclaimed, and Boyun popped up behind her. "Looks great in here!"

            "Hi," Jasmine greeted, offering a wave. "Thank you!" she exclaimed in English.

            "You're welcome," Haeyoung proudly responded in English, her words heavy beneath the weight of her charming Busan accent.

            "Want to come to the living room?" Boyun suggested, bouncing on her toes behind Haeyoung.

            "Sure," Soomin answered, skipping away from her vast collection of makeup sprawled over the top of her dresser. She and Jasmine followed Haeyoung and Boyun out to the living room, where Min Neul and Minyeon were sitting cross-legged on the floor.

            "Is everyone moved in?" Minyeon asked with a grin.

            "Yes," answered the four girls who had just arrived. The huffed as they sat down on the ground, forming a circle in the relatively bare living space.

            "What do you think of the apartment?" Soomin asked the group.

            "It's amazing!" Boyun giggled.

            "It's nice," Min Neul answered.

            "It's empty," Minyeon reported. "Especially the kitchen. We have no food!"

            "I'm starving," Jasmine whined, slapping a hand over her flat stomach.

            Haeyoung shrugged. "I have instant ramen we can eat," she offered.

            "Instant ramen dinner on the living room floor," Soomin announced. She smiled as she shook her head. "Every celebrity has to rough it in the beginning, right?"

            Less than ten minutes later, the girl were slurping up long, wavy noodles swimming in salty, flavored broth. It wasn't the most glamorous dinner ever, especially considering there was no table to sit at and only wooden chopsticks to use, but it was a perfectly memorable first dinner together as a band in their very own dorm.

            "Is this what being in college feels like?" Haeyoung asked.

            "Worse," Minyeon answered. "We're starving artists."

            "I hope we become amazing artists," Soomin wished into her disposable bowl of curly noodles.

            "You heard what Andy said. We'll only be successful if we have a strong bond." Minyeon's eyes glance at each hungry girl in the circle. "I think we should use this time to get to know each other."

            "We already know each other," Boyun insisted.

            "No we don't," Soomin shook her head. "Minyeon-unni's got a point. If we're going to succeed, we need to be the best of friends. I think we should all go around and say something about ourselves."

            "Like what?" Min Neul spoke up nervously.

            "Anything," Minyeon insisted. "It could just be a fact, or maybe something important. A secret."

            "Who's going first?" Soomin asked, glancing around with wide eyes.

            Each girl bit her lip, not wanting to share first, before Jasmine finally set down her bowl of ramen and cleared . After a moment of anticipatory silence, she uttered a shocking confession. "I was adopted."

            Instantly, the five other girls burst out laughing. "Jasmine! We can tell!" Minyeon exclaimed.

            "It's important!" Jasmine cried in defense. "So, I am not very good at Korean yet. I, uh, speak only English. And I was really nervous to come to Korea because I was afraid you would not like me."

            Soomin leaned over and have jasmine a hug. "Of course we like you," Soomin assured her. "Even if we can't understand you all the time."

            The four remaining girls roared with laughter once more, and Jasmine gave an exaggerated pout.

            "I'm kidding!" Soomin cried, laughing too. "But, don't worry. We'll help you with your Korean. Maybe you can teach us English?"

            Jasmine smiled. "Okay!" she exclaimed in English before pointing to Soomin. "Your turn!"

            "I don't know what to say yet!" Soomin exclaimed, her hands flying to her cheeks in playful distress. "Boyun-ah, your turn!"

            Boyun turned bright pink, but she folded her hands neatly in her lap and cleared before she spoke. "I, uh, have a secret. I've never kissed a boy before."

            "Really?" Soomin and Min Neul exclaimed at the same time.

            Boyun shielded her eyes and nodded. "My parents are really strict and I was never allowed to have a boyfriend."

            "I've had a boyfriend before," Haeyoung shrugged. "My dad didn't mind."

            "So have I," Soomin admitted. "I just never told my parents anything that happened."

            "I had a boyfriend," Min Neul found herself contributing.

            Boyun groaned and slouched her back. "I knew I would be the only one to have never kissed a boy before. It's so embarrassing."

            Minyeon, however, shrugged nonchalantly. "There's nothing wrong with that."

            Boyun perked up slightly. "Really?"

            "Sure," Minyeon replied. "I've never kissed a boy either."

            Boyun's eyes widened. "You're a lot older than me, too! And you haven't kissed anyone either!"

            Minyeon chuckled nervously. "Well, just because I've never kissed a boy doesn't mean I've never kissed anyone."

            Boyun's face twisted in sheer confusion, while a few other girls raised their eyebrows in surprise and suspicion. Their mix of responses made Minyeon chuckle as she confessed, "Yup. I'm a lesbian."

            "No way!" Soomin cried, practically shooting out of her seat on the floor.

            "What?" Boyun snapped fearfully.

            Minyeon laughed hesitantly and ran her fingers through her long hair. "I knew this would start trouble..."

            "Not for me," Jasmine replied, holding her hands up. "Lots of people accept that in America.”

            "I don't have a problem with it," Min Neul spoke up in support. After having been in love herself, and learning what a powerful force it was, she believed everyone deserved the chance to feel how beautiful and powerful it was. "Love is love."

            "Agreed," Haeyoung nodded.

            Boyun looked frightened. "Really?" she asked meekly, glancing around. She felt like the alien. The outcast. And the enemy was seated right next to her, sharing the same bedroom as her. She found herself draw away from Minyeon.

            Minyeon rolled her eyes. "Chill out. What do you think, homouality is contagious? I'm not going to try anything on any of you."

           "I'm sure glad I'm not a lesbian," Soomin replied, stretching out her legs. "Girls are so hard to deal with. Especially in relationships."

           Minyeon laughed and shrugged. "They might be complicated, but they're hot. So I deal with it."

           Boyun's pretty face twisted into a tight grimace, as if she more she puckered her face the less she would hear Minyeon's opinions.

           "How long have you known?" Haeyoung asked curiously.

           "Since I was fifteen," Minyeon remarked casually. "I had it easy. My parents didn't care and they still loved and supported me as they should. It's not that easy for a lot of girls I dated, though, so I was lucky."

           "I don't blame their parents," Boyun spoke up very gently, smoothing out her white capris.

           "Why?" Minyeon scoffed. "So their daughter likes to kiss girls. Big deal."

           "It is a big deal," Boyun replied. "It's completely against the Bible."

           Minyeon glared at her. "If you're looking for someone to preach to, try going door to door. But no words in a book are going to make me stop being myself."

           The tension in the room was heavy, and none of the girls knew how to respond or react. Any sudden movements could set off the two headstrong girls, whose opinions just wouldn't be swayed. Minyeon dropped her bowl of half-eaten ramen before her crossed legs and harshly wiped of the words she wanted to hurl at Boyun. "Now that that's clear, does someone else want to confess something?"

           "I will," Soomin answered quickly, jumping at the opportunity to amend the mood. If the girls were looking for a light topic, however, they weren’t going to get from Soomin. She had something just as heavy to share.

           All attention was on her as she tugged back the gray sleeve of her cardigan. "See this tattoo of a sun on my wrist? I got this two years ago in memory of someone. My twin sister, Sunmin. Four years ago, she committed suicide."

           Five pairs of eyes widened and five jaws dropped to release shocked gasps. Boyun's hands flew to and so did Haeyoung's. Jasmine, Soomin's closest companion in Circa, in particular looked horrified. "I never knew that..."

            Soomin's prettily plump lips thinned as she closed her eyes and pulled down her sleeve. "It's still not something I like talking about," she said gently. “But I had to share it.”

            "I'm so sorry," Haeyoung offered gently, placing a hand on Soomin's shoulder.

           "If you don't want to talk about it, we shouldn't make you," Min Neul spoke up in assurance. She couldn't imagine losing someone as dear to her as Hyerin. Without Hyerin, Min Neul's life would crumble into nothingness. She suddenly admired Soomin even more for remaining strong all these years and holding herself together.

            "It's okay. It gets easier as time goes on. I still can't believe she's gone sometimes, though," Soomin admitted. "We used to be really close as kids. I was always the girlier one, and Sunmin always preferred to play sports with the boys. She got injured playing soccer, one time, and it pretty much ruined her ability to play sports. Her friends kind of shunned her after that, because she couldn't be part of their team. And after that she really started changing. She didn't bother to make friends. She stopped caring about her appearance and school and stuff like that. She got really...dark. And she was never like that. She was always so bright and full of life. Like the sun. But being a teenager was rough on her, I guess, and she got made fun of a lot. She always thought I was the better twin, and that I was prettier and people liked me better. We were really different, but I loved my sister with all my heart. We took her to all kind of doctors and therapists to try to help her depression, but none of it worked. She started cutting her wrists..." Quickly, Soomin brushed away tears before they could fall. "And one night she just decided to end it all."

            "I'm so sorry," Minyeon apologized, tearing up. She didn't have siblings, but she had always wanted a sister she could share everything with and grow close to.

            "I am too," Boyun said gently. "God bless her," she added in a soft whisper.

            Jasmine reached for Soomin's hand and held it tightly. "She was the girl in the photo, right?"

            Sadly, Soomin nodded.

            "She's probably so proud of you, Soomin-unni," Min Neul said sweetly.

            "Thanks," Soomin replied, wiping away her tears. "I'm so glad I have you girls now. You're like my sisters now. If any of you ever feel depressed, please get help and don't give up."

            "We will," Haeyoung promised, rubbing Soomin's back sympathetically.

            Soomin took in a deep breath. "Well, does anyone else want to share something now?"

            Haeyoung was nibbling on her bottom lip. When she looked around and realized that everyone was closed-lipped, she took a deep breath and simply blurted, "I'm poor."

            Eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really?" Boyun asked timidly, twisting a gold ring on her finger.

            Haeyoung tightened her lips and nodded. "We're one of those families that struggle just to put food on the table every night."

            "That's terrible," Boyun replied in a small voice, sadly glancing down.

            Minyeon leaned over and have Haeyoung a sympathetic knee rub. "It's that bad, huh?"

            Haeyoung gave another nod and tucked her hair behind her ear. "It's been really rough the past few years. I have a lot of siblings, and it's pretty hard to support all of us."

            "Hopefully you'll make good money as an idol," Soomin offered optimistically.

            With a shrug, Haeyoung let out a deep sigh. "I doubt it. It'll be a while before I'm making some real money. But any money I earn, I'm going to send back to my family. They could really use it."

            Min Neul grinned sympathetically. "If there's anything you need, I'd be more than happy to help."

            Haeyoung beamed appreciatively at her new roommate. She could already tell Min Neul was going to be her closest friend in Circa. "Thanks," she whispered. She didn't anticipate being a burden to Min Neul or any of the girls, but it was still heartwarming to know that someone sincerely cared.

            "Now how about you, Min Neul?" Minyeon asked. "You've been pretty quiet."

            "Do you have a secret?" Jasmine asked, leaning forward with interest.

            With all the attention on Min Neul like a spotlight, she felt a rush of warmth wash over her. However, it wasn't the same exhilarating as being under a spotlight on stage. Min Neul racked her brain of all the secrets she carried with her. All the secrets she could think of instantly pertained to Jonghyun. How they used to send risqué pictures to one another late at night. How Min Neul had lied more than once and snuck off to sleep at the boys' dorm. Come to think of it, her entire relationship with Jonghyun was a gigantic secret, and so was the broken heart she was being forced to carry in her chest. But she couldn't possibly admit to the girls her relationship with Jonghyun, or all of Teen Top for that matter. With a hard swallow and a vague secret on the tip of her tongue, Min Neul finally stuttered out, "I'm getting over a breakup right now."

            Instantly, the girls around her cooed in sympathy, for at least have of them probably knew the feeling. "I'm so sorry," Jasmine admitted with a frown.

            "I know the feeling," Soomin spoke up with a pout. "I'm kind of going through one too."

            Min Neul was thankful for their sympathy, though she knew the girls didn't even know a fraction of the complicated story. She smiled weakly at Soomin, feeling tears begin to sting in her eyes. "It's terrible, isn't it?"

            "I've been through it a bunch of times before," Soomin admitted with a sigh. "We're kind of an off-again on-again couple."

            Min Neul nodded like she understood. "We weren't," she stammered. "We were...so perfect."

            "What happened?" Boyun questioned innocently.

            Min Neul inhaled a shaky breath. It was still difficult to talk about exactly what happened, even though it had been over a month. Jonghyun still crept into every one of her thoughts, and sometimes Min Neul still felt like breaking down in tears when missing him became too much to handle. She tried to think of a way to vaguely relay what happened without giving too many details. For the sake of Jonghyun, and her own composure. "Um...we got into an argument one day...he thought I cheated on him and I swear I never did. I never would cheat on anyone, but especially not him." Min Neul curled up in a ball, tucking her knees beneath her chin. "I miss him."

            Haeyoung and Jasmine gave Min Neul a squeeze. "Don't think about him," Jasmine suggested in support.

            "You're too good for him," Soomin encouraged, among other compliments that failed to lift Min Neul's spirits. They didn't know what they were talking about. They didn't know who they were talking about.

            "What an ," Minyeon remarked with a scoff as she hung her head. "Does to be cheated on, though. One girl I was with for a while cheated on me, so I ing kicked her sorry out of my life."

            Boyun covered her ears. "Do you always swear so much?"

            Minyeon raised an eyebrow. "Do we have another problem?"

            Boyun glanced away. "I, for one, am not surprised," she muttered.

            Minyeon narrowed her eyes. "If you have something to say, say it to my face."

            "I don't," Boyun remarked, holding her hands up. Her tight grimace of disgust, however, spoke volumes.

            The four girls uninvolved watched with worried glances and suppressed breaths. They had all been so supportive of each other just moments ago; they had truly bonded over sharing secrets and life stories. But it sounded like Boyun and Minyeon had differences that they just wouldn't put aside.

            "Girls, can we please talk calmly?" Soomin, the second oldest and therefore honorary leader, politely requested.

            "I am calm," Boyun insisted, turning her nose up. "She's the one who started it."

            Minyeon scoffed. "Look, you're younger than me, so I'll give you a break but someone really ought to put you in your place."

            "I can think of one place I'd love to put you," Boyun squeaked. "Church."

            Minyeon's face twisted. "You're kidding me, right? They'd just kick me out."

            "It wouldn’t hurt," Boyun corrected with a nod.

            Minyeon snorted. "Sorry, honey, but I won't be changing any time soon. So I'm just going to keep on being myself if that's alright with you."

            Boyun tried not to cringe. "Fine," she snapped curtly but quietly. "Suit yourself."

            Soomin, Jasmine, Haeyoung, and Min Neul exchange worried glances before Haeyoung spoke up, "Wow, it's getting awfully late. How about we all head to bed?"

            "Yes, bed, good," Jasmine chirped, beginning to gather the empty cups of instant ramen.

            "It was great getting to know you girls," Soomin smiled. "I know we'll all be the best of friends."

            "We will be," Min Neul said in support, giving a grand smile to help reinforce Soomin's hopeful prediction as she stood up. "Good night!"

            "Good night!" Jasmine cried back, heading to hers and Soomin's bedroom.

            "Sweet dreams everyone!" Haeyoung chirped sweetly yet a little too loudly.

            When the four girls filed out of the living room, they left Boyun and Minyeon behind, still on the floor. They stared dumbfounded at how quickly the girls had left, and briefly glanced at each other in confusion. Boyun was quick to look away, and Minyeon scoffed. "I'm going to bed," Minyeon remarked gruffly, pulling herself up and immediately heading for her room.

            She got ready for bed as quickly as she could before crawling beneath the safety of her sheets, burying her head deep beneath her pillows. Her mind was reeling, and her chest felt heavy with disappointment and abandonment. Minyeon hasn't expected to deal with such harsh criticism, though she knew she was bound to come across someone who disapproved of her life. As she wrapped her arms tightly around her body, she tried to convince herself that everything would be okay. At least the other girls accepted her for who she couldn't help but be.

            Boyun crept into the room not long afterwards. She glanced at the lump on the back bed on the other side of the room and took a deep breath. Very quickly, she changed into a short, will nightgown and shuffled to the side of her bed. Rolling her shoulders back, she closed her eyes, did the sign of the cross, and clasped her hands together.

            Minyeon curiously peaked her head out. "Of course," she murmured. "I should have known you'd be praying before bed."

            Boyun popped an eye open. "I can hear you."

            "Congratulations," Minyeon remarked, rolling her eyes. "God gave you ears!"

            Boyun stood up and placed her hands on her curvy hips. "You think you know everything about me, don't you? You don't. You don't know me at all."

            "And you don't know me," Minyeon fired back. "I get the courage to tell you girls I'm a lesbian, and this is how I'm treated? News flash, Church Girl, I'm proud of who I am."

            Crossly, Boyun grabbed the leather Bible and held it up. "And I'm a Christian, and I'm proud of who I am!" she exclaimed back.

            "Wonderful!" Minyeon spat sarcastically. "So glad I would up with the Jesus Freak for a roommate."

            "I'd rather be a Jesus Freak than a Gay Freak," Boyun snapped.

            Minyeon scoffed. "You're ridiculous!"

            "You're ridiculous!" Boyun spat. She shut off the light and crawled into her fluffy, white bed. "Good night," she added gruffly.

            "Night," Minyeon spat back, flipping the dark covers over her head and sinking lower than ever before.

            Their shouts could be heard into the next room, where Haeyoung and Min Neul were preparing themselves for bedtime. Min Neul was sitting at the foot of her bed, her back facing Haeyoung as the older girl weaved her long, silky hair into a French braid. They sat in silence, until the shouts from next door ended, and an eerie hush fell over the entire apartment.

            Haeyoung swallowed hard. "Do you think they'll ever get along?" she asked Min Neul, nearing the end of the braid.

            Min Neul sighed. "I hope so. You know what Andy said. We all have to be good friends if we're going to be successful."

            "I think it'll work out in the end," Haeyoung said gently, looping a skinny hair tie around the bottom of the braid. "They'll just have to learn to push their problems beyond them and fake a smile."

           Min Neul gave a deep sigh as the braid fell against her back. She ran her fingers over it gently. "Don't we all," she admitted quietly.

            Haeyoung hasn't heard. She was already slipping beneath the covers of her bed. "Good night, Min Neul!" she wished cheerfully.

            "Good night," Min Neul replied weakly. She glanced back at the bed she was sitting on. It suddenly felt foreign to her, as if the striped people bedspread wasn't really hers. It had been a while since she had slept in her real room at home, but she suddenly felt homesick. Homesick for her room, her parents, her sister, everything about her life before becoming a trainee. But mostly, she was homesick for the familiar feeling of being in Jonghyun's arms. As Min Neul crawled into bed, Jonghyun's olive green t-shirt hanging loosely on her body, it occurred to her just how close he was. Down the hall. Down the hall, Jonghyun was sprawled out all alone on his bed, thinking and dreaming of everything in the world except wanting Min Neul back in his life. Hugging her arms tightly around her body, Min Neul tried her hardest not to let her tears fall. As she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for a visit from Jonghyun in her dreams, she hoped Boyun and Minyeon could teach her a thing or two about faking a smile.

- - - - - -

Boyun & Minyeon BFFs 4evar <33

Okay in all seriousness, I'm so sorry it's taking so long for me to update. I promise the updates will become more frequent soon because I'll be on summer vacation soon. And I swear this story gets more interesting. WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT I HAVE IN STORE FOR JONGHYUN LATER ON BAHAH.

I hope people still read this story...