AUTHOR’S POV

The dinner among the apartment’s occupants went well, with some cheerful chatter in between. The jazz music enveloping the hall whilst the ladies savored their meal added a radiant mood to the gathering.

Surprisingly, the ‘lovely ladies’ did not bombard Amber with too many questions about her persona or about her life, much to the relief of the latter.

Rather, most of them, if not all, were more focused on enjoying the variety of dishes served on the buffet table, all of which was bought from a well-known restaurant by the organizer Victoria Song. Sooyoung was the liveliest of all, settling not only on a mere single plateful but to countless swift returns to the source of the feast.

Krystal sat between Luna and Sulli. She made sure to occasionally shoot glares to a certain occupied blonde-haired tomboy across the table from theirs. To Amber’s defense, she had no choice on her own seating arrangement since she was dragged by the ‘Krystal look-alike’ to a table for two the instant she filled her plate with food.

After the much enjoyed and uncharacteristically serene meal, everyone else turned their attention to the ‘lovely ladies’ as they all occupied the center stage facing a karaoke equipment on the back of the area.

“We dedicate this song to our new boarder, Amber Liu! May you have a long stay here and may we build lasting friendships!” The midget, Taeyeon, brought her wine glass to the air as a toast of welcome.

Amber flashed her dorky smile and nodded her head vigorously, obviously touched with the hospitality of her boardmates. She took a quick glance to the landlady who was very engaged in a conversation with Sulli.

When the seven started to sing, Amber was instantly taken aback at how good singers they were. They performed their own rendition of the Disney song “At the Beginning”. (A/N Uh…. Hehe. I hope you’re familiar with the song. You know, the one from the Anastasia movie?)

They definitely gave justice to the song, adding a melodic sweetness to the musical piece. Since there was only one microphone, they took turns in using it, with the others providing back-up harmony to whoever was taking the lead at the moment.

When they ended, the other five’s applause filled the air, with Amber’s hoots adding up to the ovation.

Afterwards, Luna and Sulli stood up and sang a duet of the High School Musical song “Start of Something New”, with Sulli’s cute English enunciation to her memorized lyric parts endearing the crowd quite well. Amber was blown away, but since the two were trainees in the biggest talent agency in South Korea, she was already expecting their performance to be truly remarkable.

Halfway through their song, however, Sulli snatched the mike from Luna and ran towards the astonished landlady who is sitting silently on a table by herself. The giant baby put on her irresistible aegyo which consisted of her pouting face and her tugging at the hem of Krystal’s dress, as she placed the microphone in front of the exasperated Jung.

“Alright! ALRIGHT!” Unable to resist Sulli’s childish moves, Krystal finally gave in. She slowly walked towards the center as the ladies’ cheers urged her on.

“I don’t know what to sing.” She mumbled, silently praying that the girls leave her be.

“Ask Amber! We’re dedicating all our songs to her anyway.”  Yoona suggested, as she encircled her left arm around Amber’s shoulders.

“I don’t want to sing for that dork.” Krystal responded uncaringly.

Amber pouted and clasped both her hands in a prayer-like position, apparently begging Krystal to sing for her.

“Please princess, princess please…” Amber implored.

“How sweet! Amber calls our landlady princess.” Tiffany teased.

“That’s because she’s my servant.” Krystal clarified.

“Reallyyyyyyyy?” Everyone mumbled ohs and ahs.

Krystal’s and Amber’s cheeks by this time have become a shade redder.  

“C-can you please shut up? I’m going to sing now.” Krystal shouted to stop the nonstop teasing of the bunch.

Silence automatically prevailed. Krystal heaved a sigh as she chose a song.

“Um… This song. I dedicate this to… to those I love… and lost.”

(A/N - Soojung sings “Because of Me”. I love this song of hers, and I think, based on the English translation of this song, it fits her longing for those she loved and lost in the past, her family. She sings in Korean, btw. It will be great if you really listen to the song while reading this. keke. Poor Amber she won’t understand in this fic. X)

Saranghaeyo jeegeum gyuhtae uhptgeemahn

(I love you, although you are not beside me at the moment,)

Geudehgah eessuh eesehsangee nahnhaengbokhanguhlyo

(Because you’re here, my world is filled with happiness,)

Geudae eehtgeemahyoh sehsanguhdee ehsuhdoh

(Don’t ever forget, wherever you are,)

Neh sarangeul gheyuhkhaejwuhyoh

(Please remember my love,)

Saranghaeyo geudael saranghaeyo

(I love you, I love you,)

Geudae ddehmooneh eereukae ddehmooneh eereukae noonmooleenah

(Because of you I'm like this, Because of you I cry these tears,)

dahsheen geudaelbohlsoo uhptsuhdoh geuhrehdoh nahneun gwenchanhayo

(Although I may never see you again, I'll be alright,)

Geudael saranghaneekkah

(Because I love you,)

Oorhee maeheelguhtdun eeksookhan eeguhreedoh

(The familiar road we used to walk on every day,)

Nahneun ohneuldoh nahtsuhlgehmahn ddoh neukkyuhgeenehyo

(Feels strange to me once again, even today,)

Geudae uhptneun donghan mahneungeh byunhessuhyo

(Although so many things have changed while you were gone,)

neh sarangmahn mumcwuhsuheetjoh

(Only my love remains the same,)

Saranghaeyo geudael saranghaeyo

(I love you, I love you,)

Geudae ddehmooneh eereukae ddehmooneh eereukae noonmooleenah

(Because of you I'm like this, Because of you I cry these tears,)

dahsheen geudaelbohlsoo uhptsuhdoh geuhrehdoh nahneun gwenchanhayo

(Although I may never see you again, I'll be alright,)

Geudael saranghaneekkah

(Because I love you,)

Meeyanhaeyo nehgah meeyanhaeyo

(I’m sorry, I’m sorry,)
 

nah ddehmoonhae heemdeuluhtjyoh nah ddehmoonhae ahpahtgehtjyoh bahboh chuhruhm

(Because of me, you must’ve been tired; because of me, you must’ve hurt like a fool,)

eejaeyah ahlgguhtgahtaeyo gahseumee wohnhaneun hansahrahm

(I think I know now, the person my heart wants,)

bahroh geuhdae eeneekkah

(It’s you,)

Saranghaeyo yungwuhnhee

(I love you forever.)

AMBER’S POV

When Krystal sang, to be blown away is an understatement. I may not have understood the lyrics of the song, but the way she sang it is so powerful, so moving, and so heartrending.  Her voice is like a magical spell that heavily placed me under an enchantment I don’t ever want to be freed of.

I bet my clap and my cheer is the loudest when she hit the last note. But the cheers died down when I noticed that Krystal is crying. She left the stage in a hurry. Sulli immediately came to the rescue, placing Krystal’s head on her shoulders while patting her back.

I don’t know why but I felt the burning want to envelop her in my own arms instead, rather than standing helplessly there and look at her being comforted by someone else. What is this I’m feeling? Damn it.

After a few minutes, which seems forever to me, Krystal’s sobs eventually ceased. She looked up at us, well, to me and to the other girls, and smiled. She smiled as if trying to reassure us that she’s okay, where in fact I know she’s not. She has never been okay. She lets on a cold façade to hide the fact that she’s broken.

“Yah Soojung-ah don’t scare us! We’ll die with worry here.” Victoria cut the silence.

“It’s okay everyone. Ahaha. I was just moved by what I sang earlier. Don’t worry I’m okay!” Krystal waved her hands frantically in front of her face.

“Alright then, let’s proceed to the next and the most vital part of our welcome party, the new boarder’s initiation!” Sunny proclaimed.

“What?” I asked. Did I hear it wrong?

“Can we go dancing first before that? The night is still young. I want to burn some calories.” Hyoyeon suggested.

“No, that can wait. I’m personally looking forward to this.” Yoona responded with a playful smile on her lips.

Before I had the chance to react again, I was forcefully dragged towards a large round table somewhere in the corner of the room by some pairs of hands. A large glass bowl filled with some type of cocktail drink is placed in the centerpiece. I don’t remember seeing this earlier.

The midget made me sit before everybody else had themselves seated around me. Everybody except Krystal, that is.

She just sat on a bench not far from us, sporting a disinterested look on her face.

“Hey Krystal are you not joining in?” My sister asked.

“No Jack. I’m taking a nap.”

“What!? This is the best part Soojungie!” Luna exclaimed excitedly.

“Just wake me up when you’re finished with this silly test. Aisssh!” Krystal answered. She then settled for a comfortable position and closed her eyes.

Test? What test am I taking?

“Amber Liu, you, as our new boardmate, needs to go through this initiation. This has been a tradition of ours for years. It will be more challenging for you, since you are, (counts fingers) the twelfth boarder here currently. Hehe.” Luna proclaimed.

“This test is simple, if you have photographic memory. All you need to do is to announce what each boarders names are correctly. Each time you get a boarder’s name wrong, this Appletini we have here in the middle, which consists of a divine mixture of vodka, apple schnapps and pineapple juice by the way, will be polluted with something from the person you named wrong, something you would hate to have mixed in your drink.”

“Why would I take this test, anyway?” I replied. They all looked so serious that I find it really funny.

“If you don’t, then we’d make your life here a living hell. So don’t dare treat this as a joke.” Taeyeon answered.

I’m already servant to a demanding princess. I can’t afford to have my boardmates make my existence here even tougher.

“Alright, I’m up for it.”

“You seem so confident. Do you, by any chance, remember all our names which we just introduced to you hours ago?” Tiffany asked me.

I just flashed her my dorky smile.

“I think she’s smarter than she looks.” Sooyoung warned.

“Might I make a suggestion?” My sister proposed.

I flashed her an intimidating glare. Don’t you dare, sis.

“Stop glaring Ambie, doesn’t suit you.”

Hmph! Why do my glares never work?

 “Hmmm. You know guys, believe it or not, my sister never forgets a name, even if she has only heard it once.” Jackie continued, “So, let’s change the rules and challenge her luck instead. Let’s make her determine each boarders names and what room number each occupy.”

“But some of us have roommates.” Seohyun reminded.

“Which makes it all the more difficult.” Yoona smirked.

“What happens afterwards?” I asked the  Krystal look-alike.

“You drink the cocktail.”

“All of it?”

“All of it. Along with the certain additives for your mistakes.”

“What if I don’t?”

“Listen, Amber. History bore witness to what everyone else did during their ‘initiation’ time. Well, except for Luna, Sulli and Victoria who were the master planners of this. Everybody else chose not to drink the mixture and settle for the dare instead.”

“Dare? What’s the dare?”

“Secret… Haha. Let’s just start, shall we? You just decide afterwards if you can endure drinking the Appletini up, okay?”

 “O-Okay.”

Why do I feel so uneasy all of a sudden?

It’s because they were all staring evilly at me.

I took a glance at Krystal who seems to have really dozed off by now.

Help me princess! 

-----<3

So there's the update. keke. Got a little carried away so it's a bit long.

Haven't edited yet, or maybe I never will, so forgive my mistakes! hehe

Please don't forget to leave comments, hearing from you makes my day. And gives me motivation to update.

Thank you for those who branded this fic as one of their favorites. I'll try my hardest to give my best shot at it. :)