Yuri’s brother released the knife from Yoona’s neck and began to speak.

“How rude of me,” laughed Yuri’s brother, “I’ve yet to say my name, it is Kwon Hyuk-Jun. Nice to meet you.” He flourished a bow.

Taeyeon and Sooyoung exchanged looks, both of them thinking the same thing.

Does this man have a personality disorder? He’s cruel one minute and charming the next.

Yuri’s brother cleared his throat and a smirk settled on his face, “Now about this deal…”

While all of this was happening, Yoona was not listening, her gaze only focused on one person. A person who was standing emotionless and unmoving next to her brother. A person whom she thought was good but was not. A person she had fallen for yet should not have, she should have known better.

Yuri opened to speak, voice sharp as a knife’s edge as she finished off her brother’s words.  

Yoona felt her heart being smashed in an instant, splintering into thousands of tiny little pieces like glass, each sharp edge piercing her soul to its very core. Tears temporarily clouded her vision but she willed them away, clenching her fists so tightly that her nails drew blood, vivid trickles of colour running down her porcelain white hands.

Maybe I should just throw myself into the water with the alligators. It’s not like she will care anyway. I never thought she would be like this… how could she be so emotionless when her members are in such a situation? It hurts… it hurts so much knowing you don't love me Yuri but this hurts even more… it’s unbearable to see you with a face colder than that of the bitterest winter when your own members, even me, are suffering in front of your very eyes… I can’t believe it… this can’t be the girl I fell in love with… this can’t be the kkab Yul I know… it can’t, but it is…

Yoona got more despondent and despairing as every second passed achingly by, she couldn’t think about anything but the pain of betrayal from the one she loved.

After she spoke, Yuri did not listen to her brother at all, although her eyes were fixed blankly ahead, she was looking at Yoona from the corner of her eyes. She struggled to maintain her composure when she saw the streaks of red down Yoona’s hands. Her wrists had been bound together so tightly, that her skin was a bluish-white hue.

How could my brother do this? But… I’m a coward, I won’t be able to save the ones I love. Because of that promise, that promise I made on that day. I promised him…

“So… do you accept?” questioned Yuri’s brother languorously.

“Yes, I do” called out Jessica.

Donghae’s eyes immediately lit up like a cat’s eyes in the dark and a grin was plastered over his face. He his lips carnivorously, devouring Jessica’s body with his eyes.

Sooyoung stood still as a stone statue and Taeyeon glanced worriedly at her friend. She had never seen Sooyoung look so blank and lifeless.

If only Jessica knew that Sooyoung loves her.

Jessica ignored Donghae’s preying eyes and gazed fondly down at Sooyoung.

I hope… I hope I can save you by doing this. I will still love you, even though my body now belongs to someone else, my heart will always be yours, it will always be waiting for you, even if you never return my feelings.

“So, Tiffany sweetie,” drawled Yuri’s brother, “Your pretty friend has agreed. What do you say?”

Taeyeon’s blood boiled and tears of anger and pain glimmered in her eyes.

Sweetie? Sweetie? Only I can call Fany that! That man! He really gets on my nerves. Must do something…

Tiffany saw Taeyeon’s desperate face and the tears glistening in her eyes and hesitated, unfortunately for a moment too long.

A storm cloud passed by Yuri’s brother’s face and he let out a scowl.

“Why is the pretty bluebird hesitating? Do you want your midget to die? Do you?” he screamed, spittle flying out of his mouth in angry specks.

Tiffany waved her hands wildly, “No! No! It’s not that, I…”

“Ouch!” screeched Yuri’s brother before muttering a string of curses.

As the situation unfolded, Taeyeon had jumped on Yuri’s brother’s foot despite been gagged and bound by the arms and legs.

“You,” Yuri’s brother hissed with pain and fury, “will pay…”

As Taeyeon tried to escape, she tripped on one of the ropes she was tied to and Yuri’s brother grabbed her by the collar. Hauling her up easily, he cackled as he pressed a button.

A strange cylindrical contraption appeared from a trapdoor in the ground.

Everyone looked at it with a mixture of fear and awe.

Carrying a struggling Taeyeon along, he opened the lid and put her inside before pressing a few buttons.

Tiffany’s eyes widened in horror, “No!” she yelled, “Don’t do that to her! I’ll do anything you want. Anything!”

Yuri’s brother turned to her and grinned, teeth glimmering like pearls, “It’s too late to do anything, Miss Bluebird. Too late to do anything to save her. She will be gone soon. Gone! And you will have to do as I say anyway.”

He snapped his fingers and Tiffany flinched.

Yuri couldn’t believe what her brother was doing, she had never imagined he would go this far. Or maybe it was just because his previous victims had nothing to do with her.

But what can I do? He’s insane, he’s mad. You can’t stop him from doing anything he wants to. And… that promise.

Yuri let out a silent sigh as she thought back to the past.

*flashback*

After her younger brother had passed away, her older brother had gone hysterical with grief and anger. Her parents had tried to do everything they could to help him, including sending him to the best psychiatrists in the country. But nothing they tried worked.

Then, one day, her older brother left home with a note explaining that he thought he was being a burden to the family and he was going to do some travelling to try and sort things out. They were all worried for him and hoped that he would come back soon.

A couple of years later, her older brother came back healed from his trauma, but he was a completely different person. He wasn’t the kind and caring brother he was before, he was cruel and abusive of others. Yuri was barely able to recognise him and soon she realised that he definitely had some sort of mental illness although he refused to admit it.

One night, she heard loud screams coming from their parents’ bedroom. Running there, she saw a horrible sight. Something she never wanted to remember for the rest of her life but it was branded in her mind. He threatened her at knifepoint and made her promise to support whatever he did unless she wanted her parents and her dead.

And so, from then on, Yuri supported whatever sadistic actions he carried out including his culling rampage of homouals.

*end flashback*

Everyone watched as the contraption began to make a whirring noise and Taeyeon’s face whitened.  

*

Sunny got up from the chair in Yoona’s room.

It seems quite obvious she is not going to be coming back any time soon. I do hope that Sooyoung and Taeyeon will be alright. Maybe I could go and ask Hyoyeon and Seohyun about it. Perhaps they will be able to help.

Sunny was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she unknowingly bumped into someone.

“I’m so sorry” apologised Sunny and when she looked up, she tried hard to keep her jaw from hitting the floor.

The gorgeous girl she had seen before was standing in front of her in a cream chiffon blouse with black polka dots and a pair of denim shorts.

Hyomin giggled softly, “That’s alright! Are you okay?”

Sunny nodded shyly.

Hyomin linked her arm with Sunny, “I was actually looking for you, Sunny Bunny.”

Sunny blinked.

That nickname again.

“Um… why were you looking for me?” she asked, perspiration breaking out on her forehead.

Why am I so nervous?

Hyomin smiled, “I wanted to know if you would like to go out to dinner with me. So, would you like to?”

Sunny controlled herself from jumping around and squealing in joy.

I finally have a date with her… a date with the girl of my dreams… not really but it’s still a dinner with just the two of us. The two of us…

A dreamy expression took over Sunny’s face.

Hyomin looked at her strangely, “What are you thinking about Sunny Bunny?”

Sunny blushed at the nickname, “I… wasn’t really… ummm… thinking about anything.”

Hyomin raised an eyebrow disbelievingly, “Really now?”

Sunny gulped, “Um… Actually I was wondering why you call me Sunny Bunny.”

Hyomin laughed, “Because you’re so cute, just like a bunny.” She leaned in closer to Sunny and poked her cheek before bursting out into another tinkle of laughter.

Sunny felt Hyomin’s warm breath against her lips and looked down at her feet to stop her from seeing the rising blush in her cheeks.

Don’t think wrong thoughts Sunny. You’re not a byuntae. You’re not like Taeyeon and Jessica. Just breathe in, breathe out, calm yourself down. But, she was so close to me, and her lips… Don’t think that Sunny. Must not think about that. Concentrate on something else.

After steadying her breathing to some degree, Sunny looked up to find that Hyomin was no longer by her side but walking in front of her. She found it impossibly hard to draw her eyes away from her slim, toned legs and the way her hips swayed slightly from side to side.

Sunny groaned inwardly.

What is wrong with me? Being such a byuntae. You are doing so well Sunny. I wonder what Hyomin will think of you when she sees you drooling.

*

Taeyeon felt panic as she felt dampness seeping into her clothes. The contraption was tightly sealed and she could see no way of escaping, especially with her limbs bound as they were.

The dampness spread across her clothes. Taking a deep breath, Taeyeon looked down to see the water level in the tank she was in rising slowly.

She felt fear stab her in the heart.

I’m too young to die! This can’t be happening to me. I’m going to drown like this.

But more panic set it when she looked out to see Tiffany’s face, tears pouring out of her eyes and her body trembling with sobs.

I promised that I would make you happy, make you smile and laugh. But now… I’m so sorry my dear Fany, that I have to leave you in tears, in pain, in grief. I have to leave you in the hands of a monster while I die in this drowning contraption thing.

The water level was rising up to her chest. Taeyeon’s lower body felt numb from the cold of the water but even the water was not cold enough to numb away the pain she felt.

The one I love is crying for me, I wish Fany, that you wouldn’t cry. It hurts to see you like this. To think, that the last moments I see of you will be of you crying. It’s breaking my heart. Please don’t cry for me Fany. Be strong for me…

The water level was now up to her chin and Taeyeon was doing her best to keep the rest of her head above the water.

My dear Fany, if only I could talk to you, if only I could spend the last moments of my life next to you. But, I don’t want you to see me like this. A dying person. I don’t want you to remember this scene for the rest of your life.

The water was now a few centimetres from the top of the tank and Taeyeon was holding her head horizontally, trying desperately to get oxygen into her lungs.

Fany, even if you can’t hear this, please know that I love you and I will always love you. For eternity. I will love you until the end of time and beyond. And I will never regret loving you, the beautiful eye-smiling girl who brightened up my days so much. Even when I’m gone from this world, I’ll still be watching over you.

Taeyeon was now fully underwater and she knew she had seconds left before she ran out of oxygen.

I’ll forever be your guardian angel Fany.

She felt weightless, her head felt light and her vision began to blur.

Fany…

Taeyeon felt her lungs were about to burst.

Sarang…

She fought against the black spots clouding her mind.

…hae…

It was no use, she could feel her body succumbing to the lack of oxygen.

…yo…

Taeyeon lost her grip on consciousness and fell into complete darkness. 

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Hello my readers, 

I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of this chapter but some other questions you have been asking have been answered, somewhat. Perhaps, my readers will be able to sympathize with Yuri since they know the background story. Any guesses as to what will happen next?

I'm updating this story on a very special day, the sixth anniversary of Girls' Generation♥ It's been so wonderful to see all of you grow up and mature over the years, and yet, still keep the dorky, childish side of you (more in some than others):D Since your debut, you've achieved so much through all of your hard work, determination and dedication to be global stars and along the way, you have won the support of many fans, SONE, around the world. I'm sure all SONE wish Girls' Generation the best for the future, whatever you do, wherever you go, we'll be right behind you, supporting and loving you all the way.

"Nine people who are very different from each other, have now become one" -Choi Sooyoung

Also, I'm grateful to all of my new subscribers and my commenters and a  huge thank you to those who upvoted my story, it means so much to me:

~ SoshiSoo09

~ cjsy2422

~ tinajaque

Just a question to ask my readers, do you think Hyomin be good or bad in this story?