Before they knew it, time had flown and it was time to return to the real world. The girls bid farewell to the paradise that had been their home for the past two weeks and headed back to Seoul.

Training started in earnest immediately after that and the girls were given very little time to readjust before they were once more into lessons and training. But no one complained. They were working for their own future now, and what they did in this year or so would directly impact their debuting image.

There were some clashes between the girls, which was more than understandable and rather unavoidable, especially in a girl group of a whopping nine members. But regardless, the girls seemed to click well and their care and love towards each other soon made them more into sisters rather than merely colleagues or good friends.

Tiffany continued to be the more standoffish person in the group, but the girls seemed to understand that this was merely a front. Each of them had caught glimpses of a more approachable Tiffany every now and then, and more than once, Tiffany would surprise them with her level of attentiveness and affection for the welfare of the group as a whole and for each of the girls as individuals. The girls slowly became aware that Tiffany perhaps knew each of them better than anyone else. The girl had an uncanny ability to be able to read the underlying lines and meanings in each situation and react accordingly.

She had known when Seohyun had become rather fed up with the immature antics of her unnies during a certain training session and had firmly but gently asserted her quiet authority, keeping a tight hold on the reins that entire session. Seohyun had been more than surprised Tiffany had noticed her frustration as she never voiced anything and had made it a habit to professionally keep her emotions in check. The maknae was even more astounded when the other girls had listened to Tiffany and settled down. The girl didn’t often speak up, but when she did, there was something about her calm influence that made you want to heed her requests. Tiffany was smart and she often saw things the others didn’t. The girls had unwittingly come to trust and value her opinion.

Tiffany had also picked up on Yoona’s mounting fatigue as the young girl struggled to balance school, her newly blossoming acting career, and preparing for debut. Tiffany had pulled Yoona aside one night after dinner. The second maknae had come home that night tired as always, but still smiling widely. No one had picked up on the slightly reddish tinge just around the rims of the eyes. No one but Tiffany. The other girls had curiously watched as the two talked in hushed tones. At first it seemed the conversation between the two was more than amiable, but it soon became apparent that Yoona was becoming more and more worked up. Then to their surprise, Yoona burst into tears and spilled a whole torrent of tearful words about how her director had stopped filming that day because she couldn’t get her lines right. The young girl had then spent the rest of her day wandering up and down the Han River, crying her eyes out. Tiffany had gone out with Yoona after the girl had calmed down a little. No one knew what happened afterwards, all they knew was that Yoona had come home looking much happier and relieved.

It was also Tiffany who picked up on Sooyoung’s insecurities. It was hard to believe that a generally silly, happy and beautiful girl such as Sooyoung would have doubts about herself being in the group. But Tiffany had noticed that when Sooyoung was not in the comfort of her group members, she was almost painfully timid. She seemed to lack self-confidence in her abilities, and when other trainees would ask how debut-preparations were coming along, Sooyoung could only ever manage a small sad smile. This was never how she was around her own members, but its significance was not lost on Tiffany. Tiffany had taken Sooyoung out for a scrumptious meal one night, just the two of them. The older girl had laid the extensive menu in front of the self-proclaimed shikshin and told her to order whatever she wished. Sooyoung had more than happily complied. Sooyoung was ecstatic as she finally dug into a table laden with food, and that was when Tiffany dropped the bomb.

“I wouldn’t trade you for anyone else Sooyoung. I’m not good with being sensitive and sentimental, but you fit and you fit perfectly. That’s all I know.”

Sooyoung had stopped eating entirely and had looked at Tiffany with rather teary eyes. But the girl didn’t cry. Instead, she got up, almost overturning the table with her long legs in her haste. She quickly moved over to Tiffany’s side of the table and pulled Tiffany into a bone-crushing hug with a st