Sunny looked back, hesitant, but griped the handle hard and pushed herself out the door. If she needs to talk she can chase after me for all I care. She ran down the hall and down the stairs, looking to flag a taxi. Tonight was the time to relax and forget her worries. She wouldn't get carried away, or so she thought.

She directed the driver to head to the popular night club that Hyomin was talking about earlier. She paid the guy and got out, walking without emotion to the front door. 

"Hey," the guard called, "how old are you? Aren't you a bit young to be here, kid?"

Sunny didn't even look at the man. She just flashed her agency ID and he let her in immediately. So much for reputation...

She still pardoned herself from the crowding people blocking her way, but made a b-line to the barside. She motioned to the bartender.

Hyomin blinked, hearing a door slam. She quickly opened the door, looking for signs that Sunny was still there. She could hear footsteps, but they were far away now. 

Something compelled Hyomin to chase. She shouldn't have cared, at least she thought she shouldn't, but she didn't hesitate to run after her. She bolted down the street, only to see Sunny drive off in a taxi.

I told myself not to get involved with any of these girls...

She flagged down a taxi, but Sunny was already out of sight. It would be a long night for that taxi driver.

After searching several clubs and getting in trouble each time she attempted to go inside each of them, Hyomin arrived at the club that Sunny was currently inside. She snuck her way inside and looked around for the dirty-blonde head.

After a good five minutes, she spotted a little head face down on the barside. She sat down next to her.

"Do this often?" Hyomin asked suddenly without looking at Sunny.

"Hmm..." she murmured. "Y-yeah... what of it?" she was a bit tipsy. Usually Sunny could really hold her liquor, but today it seems that she drank too excessively.

"Ooh..." Hyomin fanned her nose from the stench of alcohol coming from Sunny's mouth.

"What... what are you dooooing here...?" Sunny asked, still face down on the bar.

Hyomin stacked the empty shot glasses into a pyramid, "Hm? Well you left suddenly at 2 in the morning without saying anything. Should there be a different reason why I'd try to track you down?"

Sunny snapped her head up, combing her hair out of her face. "Eh..." she let her head fall back on the table. "Just gooo... you don't haave to watch me... I'm... I'm older than you..."

"By less than a month..." she whispered. She cleared , "Tell me, Sunny. Why did you come here? You don't seem like the person to drink at your age."

She scoffed. "I... do this... often."

"Hm?" 

"Aigoo... I do this often!"

"Why? You don't seem like you have a lot of problems."

She laughed, "I'm more... messed up than you think, kid..."

"What? Your love life? With that oblivious little twerp? Please, kid, you could do a lot bett-"

"Shut up!" she practically yelled, then placing her head back in its spot, "you don't know Taeyeon like I do..."

"Tsk. I don't know what you see in that... that kid! Why are you so caring... caring... for anyone for that matter?"

"People... are people, Hyominnie... they're just like us... a mind in each... and each... has gone through different experiences of the crap this world throws at us... s-so why be another piece of , when you could instead... be the light that can brighten up someone's world...?"

Hyomin looked down a hundred thoughts and ephiphanies coming at once. Drunk Sunny is deep.

"Is that why you make people call you "Sunny" instead of Soonkyu?"

"No."

"...okay."

"And... don't call me that..."

"Why not?"

"I hate my real name... it's so ollddd..."

"Hm.... well I like it."

"Too bad... don't call me... Soonkyu."

"But you let the kid call you that."

"She's different..."

Hyomin rolled her eyes. "Why is that?"

Sunny's already alcohol-reddened face darkened more as she made a goofy smile, "I love her."

Hyomin's fist unconsciously tightened a bit. The bright feeling in her heart she felt just a few minutes ago hardening once again.

Hyomin grabbed Sunny's hand and slammed the tab money on the counter. "We're going now."

"B-but I didn't get my last... serving..."

"Now."

She pulled her out of the bar, Sunny's drunken resistances not having much effect. 

The two arrived back at the dorm. Sunny fell asleep in the taxi and Hyomin had to haul her half-dead body to the front door of the motel. She still reeked of alcohol.

Hyomin checked her watch. 6:57 a.m. She braced herself for questioning and pushed the door open.

Her eyes were closed, expecting an explosion of questions hitting her at once, but nothing happened. Hyomin placed Sunny on a chair and walked to the bathroom to wash her hands and face.

She exited the bathroom freshened up, and the cuckoo clock hit 7:00 a.m. Immediately, Seohyun woke up, sitting straight up on her bed. Hyomin jumped back in fear.

"Omo!" she sighed, "You scared me..."

"Oh, sorry unnie. I just usually get up to read at 7."

And she gets up on the dime?

"Ooh..." Seohyun pinched her nose. "What's that sme-"

"Quiet!" Jessica apparently woke up.

"Ah, unnie, sorry..."

Sooyoung was next to awaken. "EEH! I missed my 6 o'clock meal!" she ran to dresser to pick up a couple dollars and ran out the door-to the vending machine, most likely. 

Yoona then bolted upright. "YAH! CHOI SOOYOUNG! DON'T CLEAR OUT THAT MACHINE WITHOUT ME!"

Hyomin continued to look in complete and utter horror.

"MMM!!!" Yuri screeched. She bit her tongue from the sudden movement Yoona made against her bed. "Ah-wby bo I albays bave to sleeb bith my bongue out?" she moaned.

"THANK YOU FOR COMING! I'M KIM TAEYEON, YOUR NEW HQ LEAD. I'LL TAKE GOOD CARE OF ALL OF YOU. SM HWAITING!" Taeyeon talked quite loudly.

Tiffany proceeded to slap her cheek. "BE QUIET TAEYEON. I'M NOT DEALING WITH YOUR SLEEP TALK AGAIN!" Fany's boomingly loud voice echoed throughout the motel. It wouldn't be a surprise if she woke up the entire building... or rather block.

Somehow, though, Hyoyeon was still sleeping.

Ten or so minutes later, all the girls were up and packing their items into their bags. They'd have to get back on track to meet the time limit. They only had two days left.

"Hyomin, could you hand me my-"

Suddenly, Sunny bolted out her seat and to the bathroom. She slammed the door quickly and sounds of distress could be heard coming from the room.

All the girls froze, unable to understand why that just happened.

"S-Sunny?" Tiffany started.

"BLECH"

Taeyeon quickly got on her feet and ran to the bathroom, swinging the door open, entering, and shutting it.

The girls were even more surprised that of all people, Taeyeon reacted first. It was if she had to deal with this kind of thing before.

"What happened to her?" Jessica was next to stand up.

"Kim Taeyeon, if you kill her again..." she walked slowly to the bathroom door. It was locked. "I'm gonna kill you!" she slammed her fist on the door.

"Hyomin, what happened?" Jessica her.

"W-what?" a sweatdrop fell down her face.

"You were gone last night with Sunny. She tried to sleep next to me but couldn't, for whatever reason, and left right? I heard you calling after her. What happened? Did she go drinking again?"

Hyomin was shocked about how right Jessica was. Lying would be the stupid thing to do, so she just nodded.

"Agh... why does she always do this...? Why doesn't she just come talk to me?" she murmurred to herself.

An hour passed, and everyone was up and out. Sunny was still wobbling, with a terrible migrane, but wanted to move on and not hinder the group, even though everyone told her that she'd be putting her health in danger.

They were back on the road after paying for their rooms. It was foggy again... really foggy.

"Aish... what's with all the fog...?" Yoona complained, unknowingly grabbing Yuri's arm for support. 

"Yah..." Yuri shrugged her arm away, "It's fine... we have a map."

"Yeah, but..." Yoona rubbed her arm, "Doesn't it seem strange that there's fog in such a dry part of Korea?"

"Hm?" Hyoyeon asked.

"Well... we're a long ways from any body of water. Don't you think that it's strange that there'd be fog here?"

Jessica's eyes widened as she grabbed for a knife from her back pocket, throwing it ahead of them. 

Fog... danger... again

The fog thickened suddenly, blowing over them like a smokescreen. The girls used their arms to cover their faces.

Taeyeon quickly realized what their mistake was.

"S-Soonkyu! We need to protect her!" she stuttered. "W-where is she!?"

The fog lessed a bit, the silouhettes of at least twenty thugs surrounding them.

The girls were forced into a cluster, still looking for Sunny.

The fog blew over a bit more, and they were finally able to see the short figure of Sunny, as well as Hyomin's behind her, both of them facing the cluster of girls.

Taeyeon took a breath, "Oh... it's okay... it's okay... she's with Hyomin."

A second of silence passed.

...

...

Then another.

..

...

"I'm sorry, guys."

Hyomin's smirk shown through the dense mist.