2010

On the set of a popular talk show, Strong Heart, the staff was busy preparing the materials and settling the audience. In the waiting room, Hyunae was checking her makeup for the eighth time through the big mirror before her.

 

Physically, she was more than ready. Her carefully chosen pink silk dress was top of the list of the latest fashion magazine and her hair was perfected down to the last strand.

 

Emotionally however, she was nothing more than a dolled-up bundle of nerves. Her nervousness could be attributed to a few reasons.

 

Firstly, ever since Apollo was placed on their second hiatus, she had only been on drama assignments. Every word that she ever had to say was scripted and every expression practiced over and over again.  Even if there were mistakes, they could either alter their lines accordingly, or simply reshoot the scene. However, this time round, she would need to depend on her instincts to answer any unexpected questions that would be thrown in her direction, a skill that had long since grown rusty ever since their first hiatus.

 

Secondly, there were live audiences in the studio. While she was used to a large number of cameras focusing on her,, the presence of members of the public made her nervous.

 

All it takes is a small slip up and I will be totally destroyed.

 

She sighed as she flashed another smile at her reflection, trying to find the perfect smile. All of a sudden, a prominent laughter floated down the corridor. The image of a particular individual popped into her head as her heart skipped a beat.

 

Leeteuk oppa...

 

She walked over to the door and peeped down the corridor where more laughter was echoing, longing to seek out the source. However, she knew that she still had preparations to make. She silently cursed the fact that guests and hosts had separate waiting rooms as she sullenly trudged back to the swivelling chair in front of the dresser.

 

Since their hiatus, Hyunae had not seen much of her heartthrob as they were developing in different fields. Focusing on drama, Hyunae never had the chance to impress Leeteuk on the same stage. Eager to make an impression, she revised the things that she had prepared in her head.

 

The sudden ringing of her phone caused her to jump a little. Picking up the device, the picture of a guy holding a danhobak in his hands greeted her.

 

"Sungmin oppa?"

 

"Ne~ Has the show started?"

 

"Ani... But I think it's almost time,"

 

"Ah...  Hyunae-ah, we can't find the streamers and balloons that you have bought!"

 

"Mianhae! I left it in my room! Can you go get it? It's on my desk, in a brown paper bag!"

 

"Arasso! What time will you guys be back?"

 

"Aish, the show hasn't even started! I'll text you when we're on our way. Just get ready first!"

 

"Okay, we'll wait for yo- Mwo? Arasso. Hyunae-ah, Ryeowook wants to know where do you guys keep the knives, scissors and other utensils?"

 

"It's in the bottom shelf of the drawers nearest to the fridge. Remind him not to put milk. Unnie's lactose intolerant!"

 

"I will. Good luck for the show! Come on guys, let's cheer for Hyunae!"

 

"Hana... Tul...  Set...  LEE HYUNAE HWAITING!!!"

 

Hyunae smiled as she ended the call. Sunjung's birthday was coming in another few days and they were preparing a surprise birthday party for her. In fact, Strong Heart had invited Hyunae and Minhee as a birthday special for Sunjung, who was a member of the Teuk Academy. She was about to return to her practicing when she caught sight of the screensaver of her phone coming on. It was a picture of all six members of Apollo, taken after their debut performance in 2005.

 

Unnie would be so happy if all six of us can appear on the show today...

 

However Hyunae knew that it was something that would never happen again. After Soohei's second scandal, the company released an official statement which removed Soohei's position as a member of Apollo while the rest of the members were eventually eased back into the entertainment industry through individual activities.

 

It had taken Sunjung's many good words, together with some tears from Hyunae, before the duo was able to convince their CEO to convert Soohei to a normal staff instead of terminating her contract with the company completely. They had pointed out that Soohei still had a kid to raise, arguing that it would reflect well on both the CEO and Apollo, portraying Lee Soo Man as a compassionate and understanding leader, regaining some of the image that Soohei had destroyed.

 

And now... Soohei won't be able to step back onto the stage again... Apollo will never be complete now...

 

On the other hand, futher along the corridor, in the host waiting room, Sunjung could hardly hide the excitement in her heart. After so long, Apollo was finally going to appear on the same stage.

 

Well... Whatever remains of Apollo...

 

Sunjung's excitement died down a little when she recalled how the past year had been. Once a six member band, Apollo had been reduced by half. Being a project group initially, the company had only signed a three year contract with them. They were originally supposed to renew the contract after they finished recording their comeback album after the first scandal.

 

But Soohei got into trouble, and now Apollo will never be complete again.

 

Sunjung sighed as she pulled out her phone and stared at her screensaver. It was the same picture that Hyunae had on her phone. The happy faces that Apollo had in the picture were something that she missed dearly. Ever since the second scandal, Soohei was officially transferred out of the trainees division and given a position as a permanent staff of the company in one of the many staff departments of SME.

 

The number of remaining members further dwindled when Hyojung left the company after her contract was up, signing on with another company. Her decision was then followed by Jinah, who left after her own contract had expired as well.

 

As much as she would like the band to stick together, Sunjung did not have the grounds to get them to stay on. Their passion was still in singing, and they felt that since their route in SM was unclear, they really wanted the opportunity that was presented to them by others. Even though Sunjung was approached by another company, she turned them down straightaway.

 

Once an Apollite, always an Apollite. Besides, the company was very kind to me. And they did promise that we would have another chance.

 

Hyunae and Minhee both chose to remain with SME as well. When they were approached by other companies, they too turned them down with the belief that Apollo will be able to stand on the stage once again someday, and when that day arrived, there was nothing more that they would want other than to stand beside Sunjung.

 

"No choice! As the visual, my face has already been branded with Apollo! This is a contract I can never break! Unnie, you're stuck with me forever!"

 

Sunjung remembered Hyunae's words as if they were said just yesterday, not almost a year ago. Her heart still felt warm each time she recalled how grateful she felt when the duo stayed on for her sake, regardless whether they admitted it or not.

 

Well, Hyojung's and Jinah's choices proved to be right.

 

The two ex-members of Apollo rejoined the entertainment industry a short while after they transferred over to another company, making their comebacks as singers through the bands Sistar and After School. Their debuts were huge successes, and the trio was really very happy for them even though it meant that they would not be able stand on the stage as members of Apollo ever again.

 

"Sunjung-ah? What's on your mind?"

 

Leeteuk threw a cushion into her lap, jolting her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw the questioning looks her fellow members of the Teuk Academy were giving her. They had been trying to get her attention to no avail since light years ago. Sunjung shook her head and was about to reply when the PD stuck her head into the waiting room.

 

"10 minutes to the start of the show! Get ready!"

 

"Arasso!"

 

10 minutes later, all the guests and hosts were in their places. Hyunae was sitting on the

second column, second row, with Minhee seated next to her. The members of the Teuk academy were in their usual position, with Leeteuk on the first row followed by, Eunhyuk, Sunjung and Shindong.

 

Should I be glad or sad that I'm not sitting beside Teukie oppa?

 

This random thought ran through her head as Hyunae stared woefully at the back of Leeteuk's head. Just then, he turned around and caught her eyes. Lifting his right hand up, he pumped his fist once, mouthed ‘Hwaiting!', smiling brightly at her. Hyunae returned the smile and hurriedly looked away, lest he saw the slight blush that was working its way up her face.

 

Seated diagonally behind her, Sunjung caught the interaction between the two and tried to hide a small smile.

 

Hyung, you have no idea how happy you just made her…

 

Her leader instinct took over as she did a quick inspection on the outlook of her two members, wanting to make sure that they were looking their best for their first live appearance after so long. A huge curtain separating the guests from the audiences were right in front of them. She knew that once the two main hosts were finished with their standard introduction, the curtain would fall and the guests for this episode revealed. It was a routine that she was more than familiar with.

 

"Annyeonghasaeyo! Welcome to Strong Heart! The only program where you can have first hand news about the stars that has never been known anywhere else! Kang Ho-dong imida!"

 

"And Lee Seung-gi imida!"

 

"That's right! We're your MCs for tonight! Presenting to you, the stars who will be with us tonight!"

 

Hyunae inhaled sharply as the curtain before her dropped down abruptly, revealing the many audiences that were on the other side. Then, apprehensive that the program has started, she willed her raging heartbeats to slow down as she gave the smile that she had practiced countless times.

 

How many people are here today? God... I'm so nervous. It's been so long, I almost forgot how it felt to be in front of a live audience... I don't suppose I can turn back to look at Unnie right? No... Lee Hyunae! Focus! Don't make a fool out of yourself!

 

Clapping along with the other guests, Hyunae tried to concentrate on the fast ramblings of the two MCs before her. She definitely did not want to appear like an idiot if she lost track of the pace of the show. Loud music and the applauses were like a crescendo as the audience cheered and clapped for their favourite stars. She felt her heart leapt as she spotted an area among the audiences where they were holding on to nameplates with Sunjung's, Minhee's and her names printed on them. There were even a few which read ‘Apollo'.

 

The public had not forgotten about Apollo totally.

 

"So! We have some special guests on stage with us today!"

 

"That's right! Some of the faces are familiar to us all, but we do have some faces whom we haven't seen in a loonnngggg while!"

 

"Of course! Among all, the face which has been away from the screen for a while, the one who drove critics crazy with her perfect portrayal of Desdemona in ‘Othello', I give you… The voice of the heavens... An…. MINHEE!!!"

 

Hyunae's clapping grew harder as she too, cheered along with the audience and guests. Through the screen in front of her, she could see Minhee pasting a rarely seen wide smile onto her face as she bowed her head politely to the hosts and the audience in accordance to the address. Hyunae tried to hold in her chuckle as she knew that under normal circumstances, Minhee would be rolling her eyes at the excessive compliments. Conscious that she was on TV, Minhee tried her best to bring out a smile onto her face.

 

"Annyeonghasaeyo! Minhee imida,"

 

At least she still remembers that she needs to smile at the camera...

 

Sunjung heaved a sigh of relief inwardly as she leaned back in her seat switching her focus back to the fast flow of the show. As the cool one in Apollo, Minhee never had to smile much. Even within themselves, she was a person of few smiles. Crossing her arms across her chest, Sunjung silently prayed that Minhee would be able to answer the questions well.

 

"Minhee-sshi! Is this your first time on the show?"

 

"Ne~ It's my first time here,"

 

"Thank you for coming then! So, why don't you update us on what you are doing now?"

 

"Sure, I'm currently doing my third musical."

 

"Ah… Minhee-sshi has been really active in the musical industry, aren't you?"

 

"Ne! Musicals are really my kind of thing because I love music. It allows me to sing, as well as work with many other musicians. Also, working on stages is more familiar to me,"

 

"I see, Seunggi-sshi, it has been a long time since Minhee-sshi appeared on camera, am I right?"

 

"Ne hyung, since Minhee-sshi is doing musical now, people are more likely to see her on stage rather than in front of the camera!"

 

"That's right! Minhee-sshi, what's the musical you're working on currently?"

 

"It's a classic so I think everyone will know the storyline. It's Romeo and Juliet!"

 

"Jinja? Oh my! That's my favourite love story!"

 

"Haha! Well, hyung you can start asking Minhee-sshi to offer you free entry passes to the musical!"

 

"Yah! You brat, do you think I cannot afford the tickets?!"

 

Ho-dong gave a playful smack to Seung-gi's head while the latter bowed profusely in apology. Laughter broke out in the studio at the duo's funny antics.

 

"Mianhae hyung! Please don't hit me on national TV!"

 

"That's right! Do you want to get scolded again when this airs out?"

 

Joori, one of the other guests drew more laughter with her witty comments. Hyunae watched on admiringly. She was amazed by the hosts of the show, who were able to bring the show out so smoothly. Even the simplest thing seemed funny and entertaining.

 

No wonder Sunjung unnie loves hosting so much... Is this what she is capable of too?

 

Hyunae was so engrossed in her random thoughts that she almost failed to notice the hosts finishing up with the conversation with Minhee. Moving on, Ho-dong fanned himself using the cue-cards in his hands before continuing.

 

"Besides from more rarely seen faces, we also have somebody here today who has had her fair share of not only screen time, but also paper time,"

 

"Ah... I think I have a rough idea of who you are referring to!"

 

"Ne~ Since the start of the show, she has been living up to her nickname in the industry!"

 

"That's right! Known as the idol with a smile so sweet that you may get a sugar rush just by looking at her! Ladies and gentlemen, audience and guests, we give you... Lee... HYUNAE!"

 

Screams and applause broke out in the small studio as a particular section amidst the audience came to life, waving the cards and nameplates madly in excitement. Hyunae snapped into ‘on-stage' mode almost immediately as the training she thought she had forgotten took over, her trademark sweet smile brightening up her face as she lowered her head in a small bow, straightening in her seat as she caught sight of the camera moving closer to zoom in on her.

 

"Annyeonghasaeyo! Hyunae imida!"

 

She shot a playful wink towards the cameras and ended her greetings with a cute wave of her right hand, head tilting to the side slightly. Adrenaline rushed through her body as she savoured the attention that was on her. It had been a long time since she felt this nervous-but-happy excitement.

 

I'm so glad we still have quite a number of supporters… I wonder if they're Olympians… Or just individual pockets of supporters…

 

Sunjung wondered as she clapped along with all the other people who were cheering for Hyunae. With more exposure than Minhee, it was only natural that the screams for Hyunae were louder than those for Minhee. After all, apart from dramas, Hyunae was also actively involved in fashion shows, as well as modelling for magazines.

 

Now I can start having fun! I shall bring up the mood of the show by teasing Hyunae at some of her answers…

 

Knowing Minhee's temper well, Sunjung knew better than to interrupt her when she was responding to the questions. While Minhee was able to take the occasional teasings and jokes in stride, she was the more awkward member when facing impromptu situations, and Sunjung was aware of how upset she would be if she fumbled and made any major mistakes.

 

However, Hyunae was a different matter altogether. She was more natural around cameras and also a person who can take jokes and harmless teasing well. Thus, this playful thought crossed Sunjung's mind as she leaned forward in her seat, prepared to perform her duty as a member of Teuk academy by poking fun at the various guests’ comments.

 

Lee Hyunae, look at all the people cheering for you! You are doing a great job… All those time I spent on ensuring exposure did pay off…

 

The thought filled up Hyunae's mind as she sat back, looking attentively at the hosts, confident that she would be able to catch all the balls that they would throw in her court. After the cheering gradually died down, Ho-dong set down his cue cards and stepped off the host podium where he and Seung-gi were standing on, holding a small stack of what looked like magazines in his hands.

 

"Hyunae-sshi! Welcome to the show!"

 

"Thank you! I'm very glad I had the chance to come onto this show! I've always wanted to come!"

 

"Jinja?"

 

"Ne~ She's always bugging me to bring her onto the show!"

 

Sunjung piped up, drawing small pockets of laughter from the audience stand.

 

"No wonder you had to wait until now before you could come onto the show! You were asking the wrong person! Sunjung-sshi's not important enough! You should have asked me instead!"

 

"Yah! Hodong-sshi! What do you mean by I'm not important enough?"

 

"Well, if you were important, you'll be standing here instead of sitting there, right?"

 

“Well, if you’re as important as you think, you’d be getting paid to sit down instead of standing there right? We’re so much more comfortable than you Hodong-sshi!”

 

Laughter broke out again at Sunjung’s witty retort. Doing a high five with Leeteuk and Eunhyuk at her successful rebuttal, she grinned at Kang Ho Dong’s disgruntled expression at being out-manoeuvred. Hyunae smiled along, feeling her nervousness slowly dissipate as she got used to the stage.

 

“Yah, what that kid said makes sense! What are we doing here standing?”

 

Kang Ho Dong exclaimed as he gave an accusing look towards the PD, dumping his cue cards onto the podium in front of his in mock anger.

 

“But hyung, I believe we were paid more for than them!”

 

“Ah… Yeah, the more important one is the higher the pay isn’t it Seung-gi ah? So I’m still more important than you, Sunjung-sshi!”

 

"Dae, hyung. Anyway, I believe Hyunae-sshi is a familiar face to us all nowadays!"

 

"You can't be more right Seunggi-sshi! Look at this whole stack of magazines I have here!"

 

Cheers and ‘wows' began filling the small studio as Kang Ho-dong began holding out the different magazine covers. Most were fashion magazines, where Hyunae modelled the latest fashion. However, there was one particular magazine that caught the attention of the guests.

 

"Whoa! Is that ‘Vogue'?"

 

One of the guests gushed as Hyunae glowered with pride. That was one of her most satisfying achievement. Over the past year, she not only had the chance to act in a couple of dramas, she also had the chance to add in modelling, as well as runway appearances to her artiste portfolio.

 

"Besides from appearing on magazines and our TV screens, Hyunae-sshi also made her appearance on a couple of fashion runways!"

 

"That's right! Hyunae-sshi! Seems like you have been really busy! Since we have the chance to invite you to our show today, why don't you show us a short showcase of your performance on a fashion runway for the benefit of the people who had not had the chance to see your catwalk?"

 

As soon as Kang Ho-Dong finished his sentence, loud rhythmic music started playing in the studio and the guests and audience began clapping to the beat of the song. Hyunae was initially filled with uncertainty as she was caught off guard at this sudden request. However, recalling Leeteuk's encouragement at the beginning of the show, she was determined to perform the best catwalk of her life right in front of him.

 

Well… I guess this is a chance to shine in front of him… Luckily I have a nice dress on today…

 

Determined to leave a good impression with her first live show after Apollo was placed on hiatus two years ago, Hyunae got onto her feet and stepped off the small platform where her seat was located and walked as elegantly as she could to the front stage. Then, with perfect poise, she began her walk down the ‘runway'.

 

"And now, on Strong Heart's Fashion Runway, we have the famous Lee Hyunae wearing this season's…"

 

Kang Ho-Dong's words became a drone in the background as Hyunae allowed the beats of the music to fill her, guiding her steps. With every step that she took, she owned the stage with the gentle swaying of her body and elegant poise. When she reached the furthest end of the stage, she ended her showcase with a charming pose and the perfect facial expression.

 

"And that's our runway model, Lee Hyunae! Wow, it's no wonder she received such good response with her runways showcases!"

 

"Ne hyung! I was so captivated that I almost thought I was in a fashion show!"

 

"Kamsahamida! I am very thankful for all the chances that were bestowed upon me,"

 

Hyunae flashed a thankful smile towards the hosts and the cameras that were pointing in her direction. Indeed, life had been rather kind on her. Her many connections both because of her family and the nature of her work allowed her to gain access to many opportunities.

 

"So Hyunae-sshi, what are you currently busy with?"

 

"Oh! I'm currently doing my first lead drama!"

 

"Oh really? Well, I believe many of us have seen the dramas where you participated in, but this is the first time you're taking up the main role in the drama right?"

 

"Ne~ This is the first time I am taking up the main role, so I'm really excited!"

 

"So what's the title of this drama you're doing? You're still working on it right?"

 

"Aniyo, the shooting has already ended. I'm sure many viewers are familiar with the drama as it was adapted from a popular romance comic,"

 

"Why don't you give us a brief outline of the plot, and what should we be looking out for in the drama?"

 

"Sure! The title is "Absolute Boyfriend". Well, the storyline is about this girl who received a cybernetic male who is custom-designed as the ‘perfect' boyfriend. Then the story develops into the interactions between her and her robotic boyfriend, as well as those with the people around her. There will be some unexpected twists and excitement in the story, so please do stay tune to find out more about it!"

 

"So you are playing as the girl who has the robotic boyfriend? Then who is the main male lead of the drama?"

 

"Ne~ Ah, the male lead is this man that is sitting right here!"

 

Hyunae laughed as she gestured towards Siwon, who was sitting right in front of her. Siwon then stood up and bowed at the audience, earning many shrieks and cheering.

 

"Annyeonghasaeyo! I am your perfect boyfriend, Choi Siwon imida!"

 

"Yah… Seems like Siwon-sshi can't wait to introduce himself to the viewers out there! Siwon-sshi! Please bear with us for a moment more! We'll just need to finish up with your ‘Absolute Girlfriend' first!"

 

Siwon held up an ‘OK' sign while he settled back to his seat with a charming smile that showed his deep dimples.

 

"So, Hyunae-sshi, why don't you tell us more about this female lead that you are playing?"

 

"Ah, she's your typical girl-next-door kind of person. She's a little blur and silly at times, but has a matured set of thinking.

 

"So what's the most challenging part in having to portray this character?"

 

"Acting matured,"

 

Sunjung interrupted while she sat relaxed in her seat, shaking her head in mock helplessness. Before Hyunae could voice her objections, Sunjung's opinion was seconded by the usually silent Minhee.

 

"It was really a strain on Hyunae unnie's capabilities and personality. We were really amazed when she managed to overcome these obstacles and portrayed the character well."

 

"And that's my wonderful and supporting members for you!"

 

Hyunae laughed while making her comment as she was entertained by the teasing from her favourite unnie and dongsaeng. It may seem like the two of them are targeting poor Hyunae, but everyone present could see that it actually reflected the close relationship shared by the three girls, as it was just harmless teasing.

 

"Haha! It has been a while since the three of you have been seen together on the same stage! It seems like you girls are still as close as ever!"

 

"Do I look like I've already gotten rid of them?"

 

Sunjung answered, kneading her temples as if she has a headache before shrugging her shoulders animatedly while Hyunae and Minhee burst out laughing at Sunjung's over-reaction.

 

"We're actually still living together in the same dorm,"

 

Minhee took up the responsibility of answering Lee Seung-gi's question. Nodding in acknowledgement and agreement, Hyunae turned around and looked at Sunjung before adding on.

 

"And I'm really thankful to the company for allowing us to stay in the same dorm all this time. My two members have been my pillars of support when I faced difficulties in filming."

 

"And for providing me with stay-in cook and helper!"

 

Sunjung made use of the moment of silence after Hyunae's sincere statement to display her ambition for gag. Kang Ho-Dong laughed heartily before directing his question at Sunjung.

 

"Sunjung-sshi! There seems to be an internal strife within you girls isn't it? Why are you doing this to them?"

 

"It's because they don't split their earnings with me!"

 

"Unnie! You don't split yours either!"

 

Hyunae whined, pouting a little, throwing an innocent look at the cameras.

 

"That's because I earn much lesser than you!"

 

"But you're the leader! You should be giving them pocket money!"

 

It was Leeteuk who spoke up this time, trying to act all adviser like. Sunjung threw a bland look at him before leaning forward in her seat to get closer to her best friend.

 

"Teukie-sshi, you need to do what you preach first! How much are you going to give the rest of Super Junior? I'll take it as a benchmark,"

 

"Ani! Ani! Mianhae, Mianhae!"

 

With that, Leeteuk began shaking his hands rapidly and apologising to her profusely, while the rest of the studio cracked up at Sunjung witty comeback.

 

"Yah, I almost forgot that Sunjung-sshi is the leader of Apollo! What about you, Seunggi-sshi?"

 

"Ne, hyung! The Sunjung-sshi here on Strong Heart definitely does not seem like she is part of a popular girl band!"

 

"That's right, Sunjung-sshi! What happened to you? Your image does not suit a girl band at all!"

 

Sunjung, who had gotten onto her feet, all ready to defend herself when the reply from Minhee left her not knowing whether to laugh or cry,

 

"Since our band is on hiatus, so is Sunjung unnie's leader image and her sense of responsibility,"

 

Minhee's face was the only straight one left in the studio as everybody else burst into laughter at her serious face while delivering such a clever reply.

 

"Wae! I'm the representative of what a girl band should look and act like!"

 

Sunjung answered indignantly as she struck out a y pose, placing one hand on her hips and the index finger of her other hand against her lips, tilting her head backwards slightly as she aimed an exaggerated smouldering look towards the camera. Deliberately overdoing her facial expression, Sunjung tried to incorporate elements of entertainment into her pose.

 

"Bwo yah! What on earth is that?"

 

Amidst laughter, Leeteuk managed to lash out at her teasingly before covering up his face with his hands, too embarrassed to look at his best friend. The rest of the guests, especially Hyunae and Minhee, were tickled pink by her ridiculous pose.

 

"If that's representative of girl bands, SNSD must be a boy band!"

 

Eunhyuk managed before breaking into another fits of his high pitched giggles. Hyunae was laughing so hard that she collapsed onto her knees at her podium, body convulsing with laughter. Sunjung gamely laughed along, smoothing out the sides of her hair in an act of awkwardness.

 

"Since you claim that you are the representative of girl band, Sunjung-sshi! Please step forth with an impromptu performance! I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself!"

 

"Ani, ani! I can't do it! To be representative of girl bands, you need to have a band, there's only one of me! Aish… Such a shame! I was looking forward to it! I really wanted to show you how popular and good I was back then!"

 

Sunjung shook her head as she faked a look of regret and disappointment. In reality, she was actually very glad in her heart as singing was something that she had not done in a long time. She definitely did not want to make a fool of herself. However, Kang Ho-Dong was not ready to let the matter go just yet.

 

"No worries, Sunjung-sshi. Two of your members are here with you today, don't you remember? You have your band now! Please come forward!"

 

All three girls were taken aback by his sudden request. Both Hyunae and Minhee turned around and looked at their leader uncertainly, seeking further instructions. Sunjung's mind whirled for an escape route for she was not sure what the company's response would be if they were to sing without permission.

 

"Ani, ani! It has been a long time since we sang together! Our skills must have gotten lousy! I don't think we cou-"

 

"Apollo! Apollo! SunHyunMin-yo Apollo! Apollo! Apollo! SunHyunMin-yo Apollo!"

 

Sunjung's sentence was cut off as Apollo's fan chant suddenly started ringing out from the audience stand. Soon, everybody joined in the chanting and the studio rang with their demand. The three girls were surprised initially and simply stared around the stage before exchanging uneasy looks with each other. Left with no other alternatives, Hyunae and Minhee decided that the only thing they could do was to accede to the request gracefully. Catching their leader’s eyes, they then nodded subtly, and Sunjung understood the wordless message they were conveying.

 

"Arasso, arasso! I'll do it, I'll do it. Shall we do a small part of  M2M's ‘Pretty Boy'?"

 

Sunjung smiled apologetically at her two members, feeling contrite that she had brought this predicament upon them. The two girls gave her a bright smile in response as they were more than aware of their leader’s thoughts. It was just like Sunjung to blame herself for everything. Hyunae understood her leader's guilt and tried to alleviate it by responding enthusiastically to her request.

 

Stepping off their respective seats, the three girls converged and met at the front stage, each wearing an awkward smile on their face. Receiving the microphones that the staff handed them, they held the foreign object in their hands and looked at it hesitantly. Ever since their hiatus, they had not had the chance to hold hand held microphones again. Helpless to do anything else, they gathered together and began to divide their individual portion of their short performance.

 

"Mianhae, Hyunae, Minhee. Unnie's dragged you two into this…"

 

"It's okay unnie, we'll just treat this like when we're singing at home! Right Minhee?"

 

"Ne, we'll do well!"

 

Pushing her sense of remorse to the back of her mind, Sunjung quickly took charge of the current situation. Luckily, even while they were in the 6-membered Apollo, Sunjung, Hyunae and Minhee were in charge of different vocal range. Sunjung and Hyunae were responsible for the low and high vocal keys respectively, while Minhee, as the lead vocalist, was responsible for the actual notes.

 

"Okay, we'll do the chorus part. Hyunae, you'll sing the higher chords and I'll do the lower ones. Minhee, you'll just do the normal ones. So we'll start from the 'pretty boy' part where I go first, followed by Minhee, then Hyunae, Then we'll continue from there.  Arasso?"

 

"Ne! Arasso!"

 

"Daebak! Okay, Apollo fighting!"

 

With a soft group cheer, the three girls then took their positions. With Minhee in the middle and Sunjung, Hyunae on her either side, they stood close to each other for moral support. Hyunae's smile was faltering a little as she tried to overcome her nervousness. On the other side, Sunjung also had a stiff smile on as she tried to clear subtly. Minhee, who had been singing all along after Apollo went into hiatus, was the only confident and calm girl left.

 

"Okay, which part are you girls going to sing?"

 

"We're be doing the chorus part of 'Pretty Boy',"

 

"Please do forgive us if it's not good,"

 

Hyunae added nervously after Sunjung’s reply, rubbing her palms together in a pleading action. The program did not have western music on hand, thus it was going to be an a-capella. Everyone in the studio was waiting eagerly with anticipation for the girls' performance.

 

"Pretty boy, pretty boy, pretty boy

Say you love me too

 

Oh, my pretty pretty boy, I love you

Like I never ever loved no one before you

Pretty pretty boy of mine

Just tell me you love me too

Oh, my pretty pretty boy, I need you

Oh, my pretty pretty boy I do

Let me inside

Make me stay right beside you"

 

Their voices, which were in perfect harmony, were reverberating in the small studio. Resembling that of a fresh breeze in a summer day, their voices were clear and sensational, etching deep in the hearts of those present. As the girls continued singing, those present quickly became spellbound, falling deeper and deeper into their song. They were so engrossed that they did not even realised when the song had ended.

 

While they had been singing, their attention was solely on each other. Having stayed together for so long, the three girls were able to understand each other's intention without the need to exchange words. It had proved to be useful during their performance when they needed to make last minutes changes, and even in this case, when impromptu performances were required. Now that they had finished their performance, they suddenly realised the lack of response. Mortified, they looked around them and found everyone staring at them with opened mouths.

 

Did we do badly? Why is everyone staring at us like that?

 

Sunjung wondered as she exchanged alarmed looks with her two other members. Poor Hyunae looked as if she was going to burst into tears any moment, while Minhee was looking confused. Sunjung did not understand what was wrong as she felt that while it was not fantastic, they had done a pretty good job.

 

However, before Sunjung could say another word, the next moment took them by surprise. As if broken out of a trance, everyone burst out into cheers and applauses simultaneously. With incredulous looks, the three girls stared at each other in shock.

 

"Whoa! That was INCREDIBLE!!!!"

 

"Ne hyung! That was very very sensuous! With the different layering of their voices, it gave a completely new feeling to the song!"

 

"Seunggi-sshi you cannot be more right! No wonder Apollo took the world by wonder when they debuted! They have truly earned their fame!"

 

Sunjung couldn't believe her ears, and she turned behind to look at Leeteuk for confirmation. The three remaining members of the Teuk Academy put up their thumbs in recognition while they continued staring in awe at them. Exchanging looks with Hyunae and Minhee, Sunjung finally broke out in a sheepish grin before they linked hands and bowed to the audience, who was giving them a standing ovation.