On the west side of Seoul, neatly tucked between a run down drug store and some long forgotten building, letters fading with years of braving the seasons and no repair, sits a small tavern, not exactly renowned in reputation.

It’s 3:00 a.m., the majority of familiar customers long since returned home. A thin perfume of cigarette smoke still lingers, the stench never quite able to leave the building. Long white wisps dance through the air, inhaled like clockwork into the lungs of the brunette. When she arrived five hours ago she considered finding another place, somewhere much more suitable to her taste. But in her mind there wasn’t any time left, waiting beyond impossible. She settled with waving the smoke away, a delicate flourish of her hand enough to satisfy her. Now the smell doesn’t even register to her senses, her mind much too intoxicated to be swayed by such a minor nuisance.

The bartender has been eyeing her cautiously. After all, the wolves hunt at night. Their lecherous hands, beckoning her to follow, their sly smiles, hiding nothing save their malicious intentions. They are always easy to spot. A lustful yellow gleam glowing in their eyes, only growing as they lay them on the delicate lamb that somehow wandered in here. He already spotted one, his lips in anticipation, the taste of the young girl too much for the wolf to bear.

He accordingly threw him out on his . He dusts his hands immediately, ridding himself of the filth he was sure lingered on the ert’s clothing.

“Poor girl, can’t even get a drink without some trying to take advantage of her.”

The girl gives him a small smile, a thanks for his protection. Nothing more than that, her unwillingness to abdicate her thoughts leaving her unable to do anything else.

The girl is beautiful. He’s enjoying her company, as silent as it is. Her floral scent is intoxicating, a breath of fresh air for the man, normally absorbed in a cloud of smoke and the stench of vomit. Although the smell of liquor began to overtake her he could still pick up that scent. At first her cheeks were white, polished alabaster in this landscape of gruff beards and dark, tanned skin. Those cheeks now flushed a display of pink and red, small roses sprouting as the poison pumps through her veins. The thing that amuses him most is her speech pattern. Although her words are brief, she doesn’t fail to give signs of the alcohol she’s consumed. The sounds of S’s multiplying like s-s-sir or thanks-s-s. Of course that is reserved for when she can actually formulate a sentence. But she has been silent for the better half of an hour now, the glasses surrounding her as she taps her shot for a refill.

He normally doesn’t involve himself in the lives of his customers, but he can’t help but ponder how a sweet girl like her ended up like this. How someone could slips so far, drowning deep enough in her own sorrow to be able to down shots at such a rapid pace. He can’t help but be just a little curious.

“It’s none of your business,” he chastises himself, placing the thought away as he continues polishing the same glass, as he has been these past ten minutes.

“S-s-sir?” Her voice shatters the long sustained silence.

“Yes ma’am?” He strides toward her, tucking the sullied rag into his waistband and returning the glass to its shelf.

She slumps over the counter slightly, toppling one of the numerous glasses she surrounded herself with. He reaches out, the glass narrowly escaping between his outstretched fingers. The shards erupt across the floor, flecks of the jagged dust attaching to his clothing.

“S-s-sorry,” her slurred speech berates his ears. “I can umm… I can pay for that,” she grins, proud of herself for regaining her train of thought so quickly.

“It’s not necessary ma’am,” he smiles reassuringly, shaking away the fractals in his clothing as he searches for the broom.

She waits in silence, watching intently as for once someone else is cleaning up her mess.

If only it were that easy to clean up the mess I’ve made.

“Did you need something?”

“Umm yeah,” she hiccups. “Could I get another shot of…” she swivels the glass in her palm, a bead of liquid sloshing back and forth inside.

“Vodka?”
“Yeah!” She jumps excitedly, earning glares from the group of men seated at the end of the bar.

After a long day in the office, the last thing they want to spoil their night of relaxation is some obnoxious drunkard who can’t control her volume.

“That s-stuff was-s-s good,” she laughs.

“I’m sorry but I can’t,” he sighs.

“Why not?”

“I think you’ve had enough. No matter what’s bothering you, I won’t allow a nice young woman like you to solve your problems like this.”

“Enough? I can never have enough to get rid of this!” She smashes the glass to the counter, the resounding clatter earning more groans from the other patrons.

“Have a good night miss,” he turns back, attending to the men who have been calling for his attention. “I can’t get involved,” he berates himself, glancing back one more time at the girl before strengthening his resolve and returning to work.

“Aish. What doe that guy know anyway?”

Completely dissatisfied with the lack of the pain numbing substance in her system she places her money on the bar, wobbling out of the tavern and into the deserted streets.

 

Within minutes the same girl stumbles out of the neighboring drugstore, a twelve pack hanging from her grip and a sickening grin on her face.

“What does that guy know huh? He doesn’t know pain, sadness, failure. He can’t know this feeling. How dare he deprive me of the one thing that makes me forget. The one thing that makes me forget. The one thing that makes me feel…

Something.

Okay,” she sighs, immediately downing the warm beer. “Aish, how did things end up like this?” Hot tears brim in her eyes, combating the beer as they both clash in combat for control of her emotions.

*I got a boy handsome boy*

She snatches the phone from her purse, a drop of the drink she caresses spilling onto her dress.

“!” She hisses, her hazed vision blurring the phone’s glow. The tone is aggravating, seeping searing heat into her forming migraine. Seconds from tossing the phone onto the asphalt she finally manages to answer.

“What?” She grumbles, popping the cap off another beer in an attempt to sooth her growing migraine.

“Tae?” The voice is low, hours of sobbing forcing it to become hoarse.

“T-Tiffany..” she stutters, memories of the night’s events threatening to subdue her emotional wall these cans of beer have been so aptly constructing.

“Yeah Tae, it’s me. Where are you right now?”

Her head ticks left to right, scanning the area for something familiar.

“I’m not really sure,” she laughs, sopping her tears with the sleeves of her coat in an attempt to regain her composure.

“Have you been drinking?” The question hits her like a solid wall of concrete.

How was she supposed to explain herself?

I’ve already ed up so much tonight. How do I tell her I’ve been out drinking while she’s at the dorm being an angel, a leader, being responsible?

“Yeah, just a little bit,” she sighs, taking a guilty sip to clear .

“You can come home Tae. It wasn’t your fault that she…”

“I shouldn’t have let her get to me Tiffany! I made a mockery of SNSD, of Hyoyeon’s funeral, of myself!” She cries, throwing the can to the concrete, crumbling to the ground and clutching her shivering body in a tight embrace.

“Tae, Min shouldn’t have said the things she did. We’re all angry, upset confused. But we should talk about this together.”

“Tiff… What she said, about Hyo’s parents, how did Jessica take that?”

 “She’s doing okay now. The panic attacks have stopped and the doctor have her something to help her sleep.”

“That’s good… Tiff?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry for storming out like that. I just…”

“Tae! We had to bury her without you!”

She’s snapped Tae. She’s done trying to make you feel like you aren’t a worthless piece of . She’s done putting up with your crap.

“We had to bury her without you, without Jessica! You can’t just be sorry… Just six of us. Only six of us buried her. Two of the most important people in her life abandoned her.”

“I’m sorry Tiffany! It hurt okay! It still hurts! It hurts knowing that while the rest of us complained about our aching bodies and sore throats that she kept silent. She was dealing with the loss of her family all alone. We were all she had and we didn’t even realize it. We were supposed to be her sisters…”

“I know Tae, I know. I feel awful, we all do. But don’t you think we wanted to run too. Did you even bother to think that we all wanted to just go and never come back… But Hyoyeon deserves better than that. After being alone for so long, this was our last chance to show her that we were here, that we were always here, together. But you ran. You ran without saying goodbye.”

~Tae! Taeyeon! Taeyeon don’t go!~

Damn it. How can I be so stupid? You called my name and begged for me, but all I could do was run. I’m such a coward.

I’ll change Tiffany. I’ll make things right.

“Tiffany, don’t wait up for me. I have something to take care of.”

“Tae…” The phone beeps in response as she clicks the red button, sliding

the device into her pocket and breathing a deep sigh.

“Get ready Min. I’m coming for you.”

 

Miss A’s Dorm

 

The front door slammed shut, Fei’s palm still forced against the wood as she tries to suppress her rage.

“Min, go to your room before I do something I’ll regret,” her jaw clenches, forcing the words to flow calmly instead of erupting into a shout.

“But…”

“Now!” She tears her hand from the door, forcing her piercing gaze into Min’s.

Min doesn’t respond, knowing any more words would only anger the three girls even more.

She resigns to her room, the small click of the lock echoing through the silence.

“,” Fei hisses, allowing her body to slink down the doorframe and onto the ground. “God damn it,” her fist slams onto the door, tears spilling from her eyes as all the manifested stress finally escapes.

“Fei,” Jia gasps, dropping to the ground and curling the girl into her embrace. “It’s okay. Please don’t cry.”

“No Jia, it isn’t okay. We just wrecked a funeral, Hyoyeon’s funeral. We dishonored her, her friends, her family. And even through all of that turmoil, we managed to break the only promise she ever begged us to keep,” she cries, tears soaking into Jia’s dress.

“We didn’t,” Suzy interrupts. “Min did. She completely crashed Hyoyeon’s funeral. How could she? They were best friends, she should have respected her wishes. They would have been so much better off if they had never found out,” she argues, finally joining the other girls on the floor. “Hyoyeon wanted nothing more than to protect Jessica. She died doing it and in death she still protected her, but Min, Min just had to tell her our secret.”

“How are we going to make things right?”
“I don’t know Jia, I guess we should apologize to SNSD first. Especially Jessica. She’s probably in the hospital after this mess.”

“You’re right, we should call them.”

As the girl begins searching through her contacts a loud knock attacks the door.

“Who could that be?”

“Probably the angry mob,” Suzy groans.

Attempting to mentally prepare themselves for whoever would seek them out so late the girls take a deep breath, finally swinging open the door.

“,” Fei breathes, eyeing the visitor with a sense of pity and guilt.

 

SNSD’s Dorm

 

She hasn’t stopped pressing the keys of her phone, hoping maybe this time the beep will be replaced with the voice of the missing girl.

“,” she tosses the phone to the ground, her hope crashing to the ground along with the device.

“Nothing yet?” Sunny pokes her head through the door, the rag in her hand stained black as she still tries to remove the black streaks running down her face.

“No. I’m really worried now. She just hung up without telling me where she was or where she was going.”

“This isn’t like her,” the danshin enters the room, closing the door behind her and joining the raven haired girl on the bed. “I’m still trying to process all of this,” she laughs bitterly, wiping her eyes with the damp cloth.

“Sunny?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think Hyoyeon would be angry about what happened today?”

“Nah. You know Hyoyeon. She’d work on trying to cheer up these three idiots. She’d probably beat up on Min for saying what she did, she’d tell Taeyeon it was okay and wouldn’t let her run off like that, and of course she wouldn’t let Jessica feel so guilty. But, Hyoyeon isn’t here. This time we have to fix things for her so she can rest happily. She probably has a lot of regrets in leaving this world, so as her friends we have to help her. Can’t have her coming back as a ghost now can we?”

“Yeah. She’d be a horrible ghost. I can imagine her knocking over things to scare us or making noises in the night after we watched a scary movie. Like hell I’m letting that happen,” they laugh.

After this insane mess they genuinely laugh, their hearts lifted if only for mere seconds.

“I feel bad though. I sort of imagined the eight of us carrying that coffin, helping each other lower it down and watching together as it disappeared beneath the Earth. Just us, eight sisters, saying goodbye to our ninth. Of course I didn’t imagine that happening to any of us for a long long time. But I don’t think Hyoyeon would mind. She knows they care, even if they couldn’t show it.”

“I think so too Bunny,” they rock back in forth in each other’s embrace.

They’re the strong ones, at least now that Taeyeon seems to have lost it. Each girl needs a comforter, someone to confide in. Sometimes the strong have to come to the strong, otherwise their own burdens would only grow, just like poor Taeyeon.

“How’s Jessica?” The girl inches over to the bed, eyeing the unconscious girl with caution, waiting with bated breath for some change. She was seated close when the panic attacks began. Her and Tiffany really didn’t know what to do. They looked to Taeyeon, but the girl was already out the door, leaving them alone as the funeral began to unravel. Jessica was sent to the hospital, the other six girls unwilling to leave Hyoyeon there by herself. Now Jessica’s back here, still captured in this curse of deep slumber.

Min was their evil queen, casting the curse that brought Jessica under.

Yuri, Yoona, and Sooyoung were three seconds short of initiating a fight with Miss A, Seohyun the voice of reason between the two infuriated groups. Luckily the majority of Miss A was still in their right mind, safely escaping with Min before things really got hairy. But those three still sit, bathing in their dark pool of anger. They actually had to employ shifts, their only way of ensuring the girls won’t flee into the night on some idiotic quest for vengeance. Seohyun is on the first shift as we speak, her small frame firmly guarding the only exit. Tiffany and Sunny are supposed to be sleeping in preparation for their shift, but I sincerely doubt anyone will be sleeping tonight.

“I should go check on Seohyun. I don’t care how scary she thinks she is, those three can still easily overpower her.”

“Alright, you have fun with that.”

, why’d she have to leave me alone with Jessica again. It’s already been hard enough on me.

Tiffany breaths a deep sigh, once again joining Jessica in Taeyeon’s bed. She fed herself silly excuses for her actions like it’ll be better for her if I’m closer or I can watch her better from here, but she knows when she’s lying to herself.

Why can’t I control myself? Why can’t I just sit here, be a good friend, and watch over her without my hormones attempting to take over.

“Hyoyeon,” the words pass almost silently between Jessica’s lips.

If Tiffany’s heart didn’t hurt before, it was in shambles now.

“Hyoyeon, why’d you have to leave. At least with you around I could tell myself she was happy. I was happy with that. I was content seeing you two together. But now, she’s alone, I’m here, and you’re not.”

Jessica stirs slightly, Tiffany too immersed in her own thoughts to give this change even the slightest attention.

That is until she feels a pair of lips crashing onto her own. At first she resists, the situation leaving her bewildered, but then it hits her, Jessica is kissing her.

Jessica Jung is initiating this kiss.

The kiss deepens, neither of the two wanting to be the first to break it.

This is everything I’ve ever wanted… but why does it feel so wrong.

“I love you Hyoyeon,” Jessica breaths with the last of her oxygen before collapsing back onto the bed.

“Hy-Hyoyeon?”

~ The doctor finishes writing the prescription for Jessica’s attacks, passing the slip of paper before returning to his work. As she is about to leave he turns back, “Oh yes I almost forgot to mention. Some patients have experience hallucinations after taking the medicine. For the most part you should just ignore what she says or any strange actions until she weans off the medication.”
“I understand.”~

A hallucination. It was just a hallucination.

“Hyoyeon, you thought I was Hyoyeon. I’m so stupid,” Tiffany’s body racks violently with sobs, the realization still running through her head, “I’m sorry Jessica. I’m sorry I can never be Hyoyeon. I took advantage of you, I should’ve broken away. I let our kiss deepen because like a fool I believed you loved me too.”

No longer able to handle the situation Tiffany flees the room, leaving Jessica to her dreams of Hyoyeon.

 

Miss A’s Dorm

 

“,” Fei breathes.

“Where i-s-s Min?”

“Taeyeon-shi…”

“I’m not here to talk. My is-s-sue is with Min, not you. S-s-so if you’d be so kind a-s-s-s to move.”

“Taeyeon, you’re drunk. You’re not thinking straight.”

“I may have had a drink but my mind is-s working fine. I want to s-s-see Min.”

“You!”

“Min go back to your room!” Suzy rushes to intervene but Min pushes past her.

“Min I swear, you’ve already caused enough trouble today!”

“Shut up Fei! The only people who have caused trouble is those s of SM entertainment.”

“You shut your ing mouth!” Taeyeon finally lets go, unleashing all of her anger in one shot at Min’s face.

Min reels back, clutching her palm to her face.

“!” Min’s lip begins spilling blood.

“Taeyeon!” Fei and Jia lock their arms around Taeyeon before she can do any more damage.

Even so she struggles, her fury still searching for an outlet, “Don’t you ever ing say anything about SM! Those are my sisters you’re talking about!”

“You think everyone at SM is such a ing saint? Have you even seen the press conference your precious Lee Soo Man is holding right now?”

“Press conference?”

Time seems to stop for a moment, no one wanting to move and allow the conflict to begin again.

Taeyeon ceases her struggle, the anger practically spilling out of her.

“What press conference?”

“Why don’t we just sit down and find out?” Min spits.

“Very well.”

And just like that a silent truce is made. Suzy works to bandage Min’s lip while the others tune in to the program.

 

“That’s right you heard it here first. CEO of SM Entertainment, Mr. Lee Soo Man, has just announced a collaborative memorial concert for Kim Hyoyeon. This concert will be held one month from now, allowing all artist who wish to participate a chance to prepare a performance. Lee Soo Man has already confirmed the participation of all SM artist, including the now eight member group Girls Generation. Many are curious as to how the girl’s performance will be altered without their member. Most had earlier speculated the disbandment of the group but it seems they aren’t done yet. Tickets will go on sale midnight tomorrow…”

 

Fei is the one to shut off the TV. No one says a word, the new still taking its time to circulate through their minds.

“Did you know about this?” The question is directed at Taeyeon.

Although Fei asked it’s obvious that everyone was wondering the same, their body’s leaning forward in anticipation of her answer.

“No, I had no idea.”

“I can’t believe this. He’s using Hyoyeon’s death as a way to make money,” Min spits the words angrily, still refusing to make eye contact with Taeyeon.

“We can’t let them do this. Hyoyeon wouldn’t want this. Her death isn’t something that should be used in this way. It’s disgusting.”

“But how are we supposed to stop them Jia? SM is a huge corporation, we’re just one group. People won’t see this the same way we do. What if people actually believe this is anything but some selfish display of SM’s lust for money?”

“I don’t know Fei. I don’t know.”

“I do. There’s only one person who can stop this. Hyoyeon herself.”

The silence last but mere seconds, the initial shock giving way to the questions building up inside.

“Taeyeon, I know you’ve been drinking but you do realize that Hyoyeon is dead right?”

“No, she’s not.”

“What do you mean?”

It takes a few hours, answering questions, regaling every detail, explaining every single detail as she knew it to be true. It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky and many tears had been shed before ever single member finally understood.

“Taeyeon, I’m so sorry for what I said,” Min rushes to hug the girl, silently thanking her for everything she’s done and has been doing to protect her friend.

“I’m sorry too Min. I thought I could handle this by myself. But I realize now, this isn’t something I can do on my own. If I want to bring Hyoyeon back, if I want them to have their happy ending, it takes a team. Will you guys help me?”

“Taeyeon, do you even have to ask?” Jia laughs.

“Yeah, let’s bring Hyoyeon back, no matter what her stubborn says,” Suzy cheers, pumping her fist in the air with renewed vigor.

“Can we go see her Taeyeon? I need to go apologize,” she pauses for a moment. “Do you think she can forgive me? I mean, I hurt her. I hurt Jessica so badly.”

“Of course she will Min. She’s your friend I think Hyoyeon really needs you right now, even if she won’t admit it. If we’re going to bring her back we need all the help we can get.”

“In that case,” Suzy interrupts, “I think there’s one more person we need to involve.”
“Who?”
“Krystal. She’s Jessica’s sister after all. If anyone could help it would be her. Someone so close to Jessica is an asset.”
“I think the number one thing is that we need to bring Hyoyeon back to her original health.”
“What do you mean by that Jia?”
“I mean think about it. Right now Hyoyeon can’t even dance. Her heart is so damaged that even physical activity is out of the question. We need to employ people that are going to rebuild Hyoyeon, in a sense.”
“I see what you’re saying. I can help her regain her dancing strength. If we take things slowly we can strengthen not just her body but her heart.”

“Exactly.”

“But wait. Taeyeon unnie, if her heart really does what you say, wouldn’t the shock of seeing all of us and the fact that we know her secret cause something to happen?”
“You’re right Suzy. I think there needs to be sort of like an elite team. One that will see Hyoyeon directly while the rest of us work from the outside, doing what we can to help.”
“The way you’re talking I assume you’ve already decided you’re not on that team Jia.”

“Yes Taeyeon I have. It needs to be a small group, one that Hyoyeon is comfortable with. A group that won’t upset her and that will get the maximum results.”

“So Taeyeon, Krystal and I?”

“Precisely Min. You can help with dancing, as well as just being there for her as a friend and encouraging her. Krystal will be the emotional support as well as being a constant reminder of what she needs to return to. Taeyeon, you’ll be the leader of course. You’re close to Hyoyeon. You can keep her on track as well as updating her on the actions of the girls.”

“How will that help?”

“I hate to think about it this way but the only way to help Hyoyeon, with how stubborn that girl is, is to hurt her. We need guilt, pain, and sadness to give her that necessary push. More than anything she has to want to get better. If she doesn’t then she never will.”
“Can we accomplish all of this before the concert?
“Sadly I doubt that Fei. Recovering Hyoyeon’s heart needs to be a slow process. I don’t want Hyoyeon to feel any more pain than she has to. This could take months at the least. If anything the concert will remind her that people are waiting for her, that we care.”

“So we should make sure that Girls Generation, Miss A, and F(x) create an unforgettable performance?”
“Naturally Suzy. That will be the B-Team’s mission.”

“Already assigning code names?”
“Why not Min? Just because this is a serious situation doesn’t mean we should take it with such a somber attitude. It’s important that you all remain cheerful in the presence of Hyoyeon. Don’t add to her sadness in any way. You’ll only succeed in pushing her further away.”

“It’s a plan then. Let’s go get Krystal.”
“Wait Taeyeon. Make her come here.”
“Why?”
“We don’t need anyone else catching on. This isn’t something most people can handle so easily. I’m surprised we’re taking it as well as we are to tell you the truth. To ensure ultimate privacy for our conversation we need to make sure no one else is around.”

“Ah, I understand.”

 

F(x)’s Dorm

 

“Krystal? Krystal wake up,” the short haired blonde taps the girl lightly, her only reply a rough grunt before the latter turns over. “Come on Krys. Wake up already.”

“No.”
“Why not?”
“The last time you woke me up I found out Hyoyeon died.”

The words strike harshly on the girl’s already fragile heart. “Oh… I’m sorry. I’ll just go…”

“Wait,” she catches the girl’s wrist, forcing her back to her seated position on the bed. “I’m sorry Amber. It’s just that after all this , my dreams are a much better reality.”
“I know how you feel Krys. We all do. Min shouldn’t have said what she did but I think we need to try to see this from her perspective. Min and Hyoyeon were best friends. She was angry at all of us for letting Hyoyeon live with so much pain. Admittedly I could come up with thousands of less frontal approaches but she’s hurting. We’ve all done some pretty stupid things during this time that were much more products of our emotion than our right minds.”

“I know. But Jessica and Taeyeon, it upset them so much. My sister started having those awful panic attacks again. Do you know how many trips to the doctor, late nights singing her to sleep, and medications to get her to sleep peacefully at night. Min managed to obliterate that in less than five minutes. And Taeyeon, Tiffany has called here at least ten times looking for her. Nobody knows where she is. I’m so worried about her. What if she did something and now she’s hurt or lost and doesn’t know what to do?”

“Actually that’s why I came to get you. Taeyeon left you a message. She wants you to call her.”
“Really? Why would she call me”

“Only one way to find out,” as she rises to leave she tosses the girl’s phone, giving her the privacy she’s sure the girl needs.

Krystal quickly dials the girls number, the anticipation rapidly rising as she waits for the girl to answer. Within seconds the phone clicks but for some reason no one responds.

“Hello?”
“Are you alone?”

“Taeyeon unnie?”

“Yes Krystal. Now answer the question, are you alone?”
“Yeah why?”
“I need you to meet me somewhere.”

“Unnie,” she grabs the alarm clock, tossing it back to the ground as her eyes vomit at the sight of the time. “It’s seven in the morning unnie. You’ve lived with a Jung long enough to know that this is equivalent to two at night to you normal people. Go back to the dorm. If I’m right you’ve been gone all night and the girls are worried sick.”

“Krystal, I can’t go back right now. I need you to meet me at Miss A’s dorm.”
“Unnie why are you there? If you’re planning on getting some kind of revenge on Min I’m begging you to go home. Just give her some peace, we all need some peace right now.”
“No Krys, Min and I are fine see.”
“Hey Krystal.”
“Min? What’s going on?”
“We need you to come to our dorm. It’s about Hyoyen. It’s sort of an emergency…”
“I’ll be there in twenty.”

 

Jason’s House

 

“Hyoyeon, are you almost ready to go?” The man begins loading his luggage into the back of the cab, his bags taking up the majority of the trunk.

This is his whole life packed in here. The house is once again up for rent, all his life’s necessities packed into this small taxi. He’s surprised at how easy it is for him to just pack up and go, but also, he’s amazed at how exciting it is. Although this resulted from such tragedy it’s like he gets to start his life over again, what’s better is he has one of his best friends beside him now.

“I was ready hours ago Jason,” the girl stands at the top of the staircase, three small bags in tow.

“Let me get those for you,” he runs up the stairs, unwilling to let the girl lift a single finger.

“Jason, my heart isn’t going to go crazy from carrying so few bags down the stairs,” she laughs.

It’s good to hear her laughing again.

“Maybe,” he smiles. “But you can never be too cautious.”
“Aish this kid,” she ruffles his mop of black hair before following him out into the yard.

“Kid? You realize I’m more than just your senior. I’m surprised you don’t call me ahjusshi.”

“Eww. I could never call you that. Besides, you don’t even look that old.”
“I don’t understand how you got ready so fast. Aren’t girls supposed to have a lot of luggage?”
“Usually but you have to remember that my entire life is locked inside that room. I don’t have anything but the clothes you bought me while I was in the hospital. I have to start over from scratch in LA.”

He hadn’t really thought about it. While he considers this some amazing adventure this has always just been the only way out for her. She can’t stay here anymore, too many memories of things she can never return to. Unlike him she doesn’t leave with packed luggage and an assured future. She walks into the unknown with empty hands and a heavy heart. He can’t even imagine how terrified she must be.

“It’ll be okay Hyoyeon. The first thing I’ll do is take you shopping okay?”

“Thanks Jason. I know you’re just trying to make me feel better,” she gifts him a sad smile before handing him her crutches and sliding into the cab.

I promise Hyoyeon, I’m going to help you pick up the pieces. No matter how bad things seem, you still have your whole life ahead of you.

“So, besides all your clothes and stuff, what else do you want to buy when you get to LA?”

“I want a motorcycle. When Jessica...." She looks down momentarily, forcing herself to regain the courage to continue," When she and I started dating she made me get rid of it because she was scared I would get hurt. Now that I’m leaving I think it’d be nice to live dangerously again.”

“Ah, maybe I’ll get one too.”
“You?” She laughs.

“Yah, why can’t I have one?”

“I’m not saying you can’t, I just find it hard to imagine. You aren’t exactly the cool type.”

“Oh, and you are.”
“Naturally. It’s why the ladies love me so much.”
The groan Jason emits is loud enough to be heard from three cars away. “It’s amazing that we’re friends with the way you treat me.”
“But you love it,” she ruffles his hair again.

“Are we going to have a fight again?”
“Bring it.”

By the time the cab arrived at the airport both passenger’s hairstyles appeared to have been through three rollercoaster’s, a carwash, and a wind tunnel.

“You win,” Jason breathes before attempting to escape out the door.
“You know it,” she follows, her breathing hitched from laughing so hard.

“Are you okay?” Jason grows increasingly worried as her breathing struggles.

“I’m fine. Just laughed a little too hard.”
“Okay, just let me know if you need more pills.”

“Alright. What time does our flight take off?”

“10 a.m. We still have about an hour.”

With luggage in tow the couple heads through the sliding doors, waving goodbye to the city they call home.

“LA here I come.”

 

Miss me? Aish I'm such a bad author. School is starting to be such a jerk I swear. My aunt finally had be baby though *throws confetti* That was an exhausting experience. Honestly I begged about three different people to bring me my computer because I sat at that hospital without sleep for three days. I guess I can use that as a bit of an excuse hahaha. Anyway I sincerely apologize for keeping you in suspense for so long. You guys probably want to kill me after this update anyway. I bet you guys are glad I gave Taeyeon a team though. You guys sure did beg for that, you're just lucky that was in my plans anyway. I just couldn't bear to let poor Taeyeon suffer any longer. The next chapter will be fittingly titled LAX and will detail Hyoyeon and Jason's arrival in LA. Then I'm thinking something entitled A Concert?! which will describe what those who don't know about Hyoyeon think of Soo Man's 'lovely' idea. Until next time Subscribe, comment, criticize, and romanticize. Your faithful servant ~AfterSNSD

Pause for shameless advertising. If you crave something to read in the meantime check out the oneshot collection of my partner in crime Datmao, entitled Hotel Restlessness (I wanted to mention this I'm the last chapter but sadly your author is a forgetful child) Anyway yeah go read that! She's pretty awesome and I should be posting a SooHyo or HyoYoung (wichever you prefer but I'll tag both) story there shortly. ~AfterSNSD