An entire year passed, with nothing noteable inbetween. Every day the girls attended the headquarters and recorded information again on the agents. People scolding and degrading them for making a mistake on their first mission so grand. On occassion they were assigned C or B ranked missions to keep in shape and give them more experience, but they weren't often or exciting to the least bit.

Tiffany's operation went well. Her ankle was replaced through an operation involving a strange liquid substance and molds. They didn't give much information on the process or the materials used, but Tiffany had no choice but to take the surgery. Normal prostetics wouldn't cut it, and Tiffany wasn't willing to amputate either. Ever since then, she's been fine. Nothing special has happened yet.

Jessica has also since then been a bit distant with Tiffany, yet more trusting. She wouldn't say it out loud, but ever since she opened up to Tiffany, she's felt vulnerable... and she didn't like that. At the same time though, she's had this feeling that she could now trust Tiffany. She hasn't said anything about her experience at all-not to her trying to get her to talk about her feelings, or to the other girls to let them know what she's been through. For the first time, Jessica was starting to respect Tiffany.

The girls, ages at most 18 and at least 16, were getting ready for another day at work. The "missions" that they've had for the majority of the year haven't paid much, and it was getting hard to pay for all their expenses. The girls started to feel more like a family-struggling together and working together every single day. They were... closer somehow.

"Yoona!" Taeyeon called from down the hall, "Do you have my sneakers?"

"Yes unnie!" she called back, walking into her and Sunny's room, "May I ask what are these foam pads in your shoes?" she asked, pulling out a two inch sole.

A sweat drop fell down her face. Unfortunately, Sunny and Taeyeon (and Hyoyeon) haven't grown in the past year. Taeyeon tries to stop the constant teasing from Sooyoung, the tallest in the squad, that her doctor told her that her growth hormones haven't stopped yet; yet still, Sooyoung just laughs in her face. They had recently found out about the glory that are insoles.

"Um... just something to help my back," she laughed it off.

"Oh, is there something wrong with you?" Yoona's innocence kicked in.

"Eh..."

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.

All the agents checked in for the day. 

"This ... it feels like we work in a some business building," Hyoyeon complained, "I trained for close combat, not writing stupid information on paper..."

"Yeah, no kidding..." Yuri agreed.

The doors slid open to BoA's office. Today was the first Friday of the month, which meant it was progress report day. 

"Good morning, Sunbaenim," the girls chimed.

BoA didn't say anything-she just smiled.

The girls exchanged glances, puzzled as to why she was making that expression.

"I have some good news for you guys..." she started. The girls' expressions lit up, "You guys have finished recording the information! I have a new mission for you all."

A burst of 'reallys' and 'omgs' exploded throughout the room.

"I have the file right here... it's another A rank mission. You think you can handle it? It's the only rank we have right now, but I wanted you guys active. I hope you'll be alright. Call for backup if you need it," she tossed a call button to Taeyeon, "Leader, I expect you to keep everyone safe," she winked.

Taeyeon's eyes sparkled, "Yes ma'am!"

"Now go, get out of here," she smiled, "You leave on Monday."

The girls squealed and ran out like children, which only made BoA chuckle more. They were growing on her, no doubt.

The girls ran into their dorm and started packing their backpacks/travel pouches. All the essentials went in-but for Sooyoung, two of her pouches were already filled with snacks.

Hyoyeon was probably the most excited. "Maknae! Aren't you hyped?!" she jumped around their room.

"I am unnie! I'm estatic!" she smiled widely.

"Ah, Seobaby, let's do our best this time!" she ruffled her hair. 

"U-unnie..." she grabbed her hair, trying to comb it back into place.

*****************************************************************************

Yuri came from behind and wrapped an arm around Yoona's shoulder. Her eyes widened quickly, and almost shoved her off.

"Whoa, tiger. Calm down," Yuri said, playfully strangling the younger's neck.

"Ack... it's just... cough... you've never... done something like that... before..." she couged out.

"Hehe, I'm just in a good mood," Yuri gave Yoona a quick nuggie and let go, turning away to grab her uniform.

Yoona tried to compose herself and pressed the backs of her hands against her cheeks to cool them down. Another year, still in love-still no progress.

She sighed mentally.

Her eyes widened again as Yuri came from behind and wrapped, this time, both of her arms around her waist, throwing her on her bed. "Unnie!"

"Go to sleep already! I can't wait!" she said through the most beautiful smile Yoona had ever seen. She coughed awkwardly.

"Hehe, goodnight!" Yuri clapped and turned the lights off. 

Neither one of them would get a lot of sleep... well, for different reasons.

Yuri was too kkab to sleep, and Yoona was still trying to get over being violated so easily.

********************************************************************************

"GO TO SLEEP!" Jessica groaned, face in pillow.

Yet again, Sooyoung was baking bread.

"It's been OVER four hours! I thought we've been over this!"

Of all the people... she HAD to be a baker's daughter...

"You know I've gained three pounds from being your roommate? Not even muscle weight..."

"Really? I haven't changed at all. Poor you."

Jessica was about to explode. "JUST FREAKING SLEEP!"

Ding!

Sooyoung extracted one roll carefully and took a bite.

"Shhfft, ah, that's hot..."

"Then wait a minute-"

"NO!"

"GO TO BED!"

**********************************************************************************

"Argh!" Taeyeon sat up frustratedly on the bed. Sunny looked up.

"What is bothering you, Taeyeonnie?" Sunny was starting to get a bit more comfortable with Taeyeon... but not by much. A nickname was as far as she's progressed.

"Soonkyu-ah," Taeyeon still never found out about Sunny's nickname, "I can't sleep..."

"Are you excited for Monday?"

"No... I'm nervous that I'm not going to do well. It's the first big mission that I'm leading, so..."

"Don't be nervous," Sunny said, face buried in her pillow to calm her nerves, "Remember what I said? I... I trust you. And now everyone trusts you... whatever happens... won't be on you. We're a team... we work together and we all take the blame together... o...okay?"

"Hmm... you've gotten so much better at talking, Soonkyu!"

"Wha-" Taeyeon hugged her from behind. Thankfully this is something that Sunny has gotten used to. Taeyeon was a very clingy sleeper. One that led to a lot of headaches and fainting in the mornings.

"And thank you... you always know what to say."

"Well... that's what friends do..." Taeyeon smiled.

"You're like family to me!" Sunny blinked worrily at the word "family," but shook it off. I'm getting ahead of myself...

"S-same here... goodnight, Taeyeonnie..."

"Goodnight, Soonkyu."

"EVERYBODY UP UP UP!" Tiffany's loud voice boomed and echoed against the walls of the dorm. She was excited. One more day until the mission.

Hyoyeon rubbed her eyes as she exited her and Seohyun's room. "Tiffany... why so early... hm?!" she was shocked to see Seohyun standing right next to Tiffany.

"W-when did you get up!? When did you leave the room?"

"I was the first one up, unnie," she said, monotonously. 

Hyoyeon frowned.

"So early..." Yuri dragged Yoona out of their room by the hand. Yoona was too out of it to react.

Next, Jessica and Sooyoung exited their room.

"You look wide awake," Tiffany commented.

"We already ate breakfast... what'd you expect?" Jessica complained.

"Ah, that's true... you usually don't eat the family breakfast in the morning... though Sooyoung still does..." Tiffany squinted her eyes.

"Now let's see... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... where are the danshins?" Sooyoung asked, "Well I mean, there are 3 of them already here but... where are the other two?"

"I'm not a danshin!" Tiffany exclaimed, "I'm average!"

Sooyoung rolled her eyes, "Sure, whatever you say."

"I'll go get them..." Yoona volunteered. She entered Dandyu's den, only to witness Taeyeon drooling all over Sunny's right shoulder, still asleep. Sunny, on the other hand, was wide awake, a look of horror on her face.

"Not again..." she sighed

An hour later, everyone was awake and ready. They all exited the dorm and made their way to the vans, heading to the agency to do some extra training before the weekdays came.

When they arrived at the HQ's gym, Taeyeon exclaimed, "Let's get Squad 9 back on track!"