*crowd cheering loudly*

 

“Thank you,” Yonghwa said to the crowd.

 

***

 

“Great job guys,” Kikwang said.

 

“Thanks,” Seohyun replied.

 

“Yeah, thanks,” Yonghwa added. “You guys were great too, but we’re probably a ‘tad’ above you,” Yonghwa joked.

 

“Get out of here!” laughed Yoseob.

 

“Haha, what? It’s true!” Yonghwa continued.

 

Seohyun chuckled at their antics. “Um, guys, what should we do next?”

 

“We were thinking of going over to Min and the others, you wanna come?” Soyeon asked.

 

“Yeah, sure,” Seohyun replied. “I haven’t seen them for some time now,”

 

“Yeah, I bet they’re dying to talk to you, especially after that performance,” Joon added. “You were awesome!”

 

“R-really?” asked Seohyun.

 

“Yeah, you were,” Kikwang smiled brightly. “The song was great too, I didn’t know you had it in you to write a song like that,”

 

Seohyun blushed at the compliment. “W-well, Yonghwa-ssi really did most of the work, I just came up with some of the lyrics,” Seohyun explained. “If anyone’s ‘awesome’, it should be Yonghwa-ssi,”

 

Yonghwa frowned at her. “Stop being so modest, will you?” Yonghwa said simply. “She’s really awesome, you guys should hear her play the piano,” Yonghwa said, patting her head slowly.

 

Seohyun blushed even brighter. Then, she looked around for a while. “Why? What’s wrong?” asked Kikwang.

 

“N-nothing, I just felt like someone’s watching me.. It’s nothing, I guess,” Seohyun said.

 

“Haih.. Why didn’t ‘we’ have a talented girl like her in our group..,” whined Yoseob.

 

“What’s that Yoseobie~? Did you say something?” Soyeon said, glaring at him.

 

“N-nothing,” Yoseob stuttered. Everyone was laughing at Yoseob’s antics.

 

“Now then,” Soyeon said, standing up. “We should get going, can’t let them miss us too much,”

 

“You guys go on ahead, I’m going to hang out with them for a while,” Kikwang said, pointing at the MC’s who were chatting at the side.

 

“Yeah, me too,” Yonghwa added.

 

“Okay, suit yourself,” Joon said.

 

“Wait, umm.., Soyeon, could you wait for me for a bit?” Seohyun said slowly. “I need to go to the toilet,”

 

“Sure, go ahead, we’ll wait for you here,”

 

“Thanks,” Seohyun said before walking to the toilet.

 

“Okay guys, see you later,” Kikwang said, leaving for the MC’s. Yonghhwa followed suit.

 

As the group made their way, a girl continued glaring at Seohyun. “Hey guys, I need to go to toilet for a bit, okay?” the girl said, without looking at her friends.

 

“What?! Are you serious? Our turn’s coming up in a few minutes!” panicked her friend,

 

“I’ll only take a moment, okay?” she said, before rushing towards the toilet.

 

“W-wait, Hara! HARA!”

 

***

 

“Hey guys!” Kikwang greeted.

 

“Kikwang! Great job! You were awesome,” Sulli congratulated him.

 

“Oh? Better than me?” Yonghwa asked playfully.

 

“Aish, Oppa.. If he’s awesome, you’re ‘beyond awesome’!” Sulli said excitedly. “I like your new member, she seems nice,”

 

“She does doesn’t she?” Kikwang agreed.

 

“Yup, she’ll definitely be a good influence on you,” Sulli joked.

 

“Ya, ya, who needs influencing huh?” Yonghwa retorted. Everyone laughed along.

 

“Wow.. I didn’t know Seohyun-ssi had such a great voice,” IU added. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think both of you were great,”

 

Kikwang smirked playfully. “Of course, I’m Lee Kikwang aren’t I?”

 

“Oh yeah, who’s the new crush you mentioned just now?” Jokwon asked.

 

“Hmm? Aish, I can’t tell you. That would take away all the fun,” Kikwang said playfully.

 

“Awwh.. Come on, tell us! IU-ssi’s probably dying to know,” Sulli said slyly.

 

“W-what?!” IU stuttered in surprise.

 

“Oh? IU, you want to know too?” Kikwang asked her.

 

“N-no! I mean, i-if you want to tell us, t-then that’s fine with me..,”

 

“Hmm, well.. If IU-ssi wants to know.. then.. nope, still not telling,” Kikwang said smugly.

 

“What?!” Sulli exclaimed loudly, making everyone laugh.

 

“Hey, Jokwon, who’s up next?” Yonghwa asked.

 

“Hmm? Um.. I think it’s.. KARA, sure of it,” Jokwon said, checking his cards.

 

“Oh? Where’s KARA then?” Kikwang asked.

 

“There they are,” Sulli pointed at a group of girls.

 

Yonghwa stared at them for a while. “Aish, oppa, will you stop ogling them?” Sulli said.

 

Yonghwa frowned slightly. “Jokwon, KARA’s supposed to have five members right?” Yonghwa asked.

 

“Yeah,”

 

“Why do I only see four?” Yonghwa said, sounding concerned.

 

“Oh? You’re right,” Jokwon wondered.

 

“Aish, what’s the big deal? Maybe one of them went to the toilet or something,” Kikwang said.

 

“That’s what I’m afraid of..,” Yonghwa said, before walking to the toilet.

 

“He’s afraid of girls going to the toilet?” Kikwang wondered.

 

“Well, can’t say I’ve heard that one before,” Sulli said.

 

***

 

While Seohyun was washing her hands in the sink, a girl suddenly entered the toilet to wash her hands. The girl kept playing with the tap, closing part of it so that the water sprays onto the mirror. “Hey, you’re that girl that sang with Yonghwa-ssi earlier, aren’t you?” the girl asked her.

 

“Y-yeah,”

 

The girl nodded. “Great performance by the way,” the girl added.

 

Seohyun blushed at the compliment. “Thanks,”

 

“It would have been better if you weren’t in it,” the girl continued.

 

“S-sorry?” Seohyun said, shocked by her statement.

 

The girl smiled brightly at her. “Nothing, I was just joking,” the girl said quickly.

 

Seohyun forced a laugh. “Y-yeah,” She said slowly.

 

The girl looked at her form top to bottom, before turning back to the mirror to fix her make-up. “Hey, why do you think Yonghwa picked an ugly girl like you to join his band?”

 

“H-huh?”

 

The girl looked at her again, before smiling apologetically. “Ah, I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant,” the girl apologized. “I meant, why did Yonghwa picked such an untalented, ugly nerd like you for his band?”

 

“W-what do you mean?” Seohyun said timidly.

 

“Well, it’s obvious isn’t it? Yonghwa’s such an awesome guy, I mean he already have his own show at the club, he even went to Japan last year. It’s a wonder why he’s wasting his time with such a rookie like yourself, you know?” the girl said while fixing her make-up.

 

“…” Seohyun stayed quiet.

 

The girl turned towards Seohyun. “No offense, but have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re not pretty, not talented, you don’t seem like a rich girl, you don’t even know how to properly style yourself,” the girl said straight to her face. “You’re a nerd, you’re chubby, your eye’s too small, your busts’ too small, heck, you sound like a toad up there. I don’t even know where you even get the confidence to sing in front of the crowd like that,” the girl shook her head in disapproval. “So tell me, how did you do it? Did you bribe him? No, you’re probably too poor for that. Then did you beg him to let you in? You didn’t let him sleep with you right? Didn’t think you’d be that cheap,”

 

Seohyun bit her lips, trying to hold back the tears.

 

The girl looked at her straight in the eyes. “Let me tell you something, Yonghwa’s destined for bigger things, understand? If you continue to be around him, he’ll just be wasting his talent on a tone-deaf nerd like yourself. Besides, it’s just a matter of time before he gets tired of you and got rid of you. So, why don’t you save him and yourself the trouble, and just stay away from him?”

 

Seohyun just stayed silent at all the hurtful comments thrown at her. “No..,” Seohyun said slowly.

 

“Sorry?”

 

“No, Yonghwa-ssi isn’t like that,” Seohyun spoke slowly. “I might be a untalented, ugly, tone deaf nerd like you said, but Yonghwa-ssi isn’t like that, he won’t abandon his friends, he’s not that kind of person,” Seohyun said firmly.

 

The girl laughed skeptically. “Oh? And I suppose you know him better than me?”

 

Seohyun glared at the girl. “I don’t know who you are, but I know Yonghwa-ssi, and he’s not like that,”

 

The girl chuckled skeptically at Seohyun. “Boy, you must’ve thought highly of him to see him in such a light,” the girl retorted. “Fine, suit yourself,” the girl said, turning back towards the mirror. She played a bit with the tap, before accidentally spraying the water to Seohyun’s face.

 

Seohyun didn’t expect that, and she slipped on the slippery floor. She fell down on her .

 

“Oh my god! I’m sorry! It was an accident!” the girl rushed over, offering Seohyun a hand of assistance.

 

Seohyun wiped the water from her face. “It’s okay,” Seohyun said as she tried to pull herself up, but the girl lets go of her hands, halfway, and Seohyun fell down again.

 

“Oops, sorry, my hand slipped,” the girl said skeptically. She glared straight at Seohyun, before pulling Seohyun’s hair.

 

“Aah! Let go!”

 

“Where’s your precious Yonghwa huh? Where’s your ‘Yonghwa-ssi won’t abandon his friends’, now huh?!” the girl mocked her. “I guess there’s no one here to help you,” continued the girl, pulling Seohyun’s head up to slap her face.

 

Seohyun closed her eyes and braced herself.

 

‘…’

 

‘…’

 

She waited, but the girl didn’t slap her. Seohyun opened her eyes slowly.

 

“Seohyun, you okay?” Yonghwa asked her softly.

 

“Y-Yonghwa-ssi..,” Seohyun said slowly. Yonghwa was holding the girl’s other hand, stopping her from slapping Seohyun. Yonghwa then grabbed her other hand, and forced her to let go of Seohyun’s hair.

 

“Aah! Ah!” the girl screamed in pain, and lets go of Seohyun.

 

Yonghwa then released both her hands, and went over to help Seohyun. “Are you hurt anywhere?” Yonghwa asked her softly.

 

“N-no, I’m fine,” Seohyun said slowly.

 

The girl glared at them both, while still clutching her hands.

 

Yonghwa turned his attention towards the girl. “GOO HARA! WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!” Yonghwa yelled at her.

 

Hara bit her lips silently.

 

Yonghwa walked up to her and curled his fist. He stared her straight in the eye. “Go away, I don’t want to make a scene,” Yonghwa said, his fist shaking in anger.

 

Hara stood there, glaring at him.

 

“I SAID GO! BEFORE I LOSE MY TEMPER!!” Yonghwa yelled at her.

 

Hara continued biting her lips, before rushing away from the toilet. Yonghwa stood there silently for a moment before shifting his attention towards Seohyun. He crouched down next to her. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” Yonghwa asked concerned.

 

“I’m fine,” Seohyun said slowly.

 

Yonghwa frowned at her. “Stop lying, you have a bruise right here,” he said pointing at the side of her forehead.

 

“It’s okay, it’s just a slight bruise,” Seohyun assured him.

 

Yonghwa looked dissatisfied. “Can you stand up? Yonghwa asked.

 

“Y-yeah, I think so..,” Seohyun said as she tried to pull herself up. As soon as she stood up, her ankle felt like it was burning, and she fell back down.

 

Yonghwa quickly grabbed hold of her. “Are you okay?”

 

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” Seohyun lied, forcing a smile. She forced herself to stood back up normally, despite the burning pain in her ankle. “See? I’m fine,” Seohyun assured him.

 

Yonghwa looked at her from top to bottom before crouching down next to her. He then poked at her ankle forcefully, making the burning pain in her ankle even worse.

 

“Aah!” Seohyun screamed before leaning on the sink counter.

 

Yonghwa stood up and stared at her angrily. “Is this what you call as okay?” Yonghwa asked furiously. “Why do you have to put up such a brave front and lie, huh?!”

 

Seohyun stayed quiet. “S-sorry..,” she said slowly.

 

Yonghwa softened his gaze, and lifted her up onto the counter.

 

“W-what?!” Seohyun stuttered in surprise.

 

“Stay quiet,” Yonghwa ordered her. Then he took a closer look on the lump on Seohyun’s ankle. “I think you twisted your ankle,” Yonghwa said to her. “I can set it back, but it’s going to hurt, a lot,”

 

Seohyun nodded her head slowly.

 

Yonghwa then pushed her ankle back in position. Seohyun bit her lips hard, to prevent herself from screaming.

 

“There, that should do it. It’ll still hurt a bit, but it’ll be okay,” Yonghwa said, checking her ankle. “For the time being, we’ll stay here for the moment, until the pain subsides,”

 

Seohyun nodded her head slowly. Yonghwa moved to sit on the counter with her. “Hey, Seohyun, what did Hara say to you?” Yonghwa asked slowly.

 

“Hmm? Nothing, she didn’t say anything to me,”

 

“Tch, I said don’t lie!” Yonghwa raised his tone slightly. “Tell me if she said anything hurtful,” Yonghwa continued softly.

 

Seohyun stayed silent for a while. “She said, that you were destined for bigger and greater things, and that I was holding you back,” Seohyun said slowly. “Yonghwa-ssi, who is she?”

 

Yonghwa looked at her softly. “She’s a friend of mine, but we had our disagreements,” Yonghwa said simply. “Don’t try to change the subject, I know she said more than that,”

 

“No, really that’s all she said,” Seohyun said firmly.

 

“Haih.. why is it so hard for you to open up..?” Yonghwa sighed out loud.

 

Seohyun continued staring at her soaking shoes. “She also said something about me being untalented enough to be in your group,”

 

Yonghwa stayed silent hearing that. “And?”

 

“And?” Seohyun questioned him back.

 

“And? Did you believe her?”

 

“W-well, no, but, umm.. Yonghwa-ssi, do you really think I’m good enough to be in your band? I mean I’ve thought about it, and a part of me wants to believe that I’m talented enough, but another part is saying that I’m only pulling you down..,”

 

Yonghwa stayed silent for a while. “You know, Kikwang once told me ‘if god grants you a talent, you should acknowledge it, and use it wisely. Denying it will only deny the gift that god gave you, and you’ll only mock others who aren’t born with the same talent’,” Yonghwa said staring at the ceiling. “Not everyone is born with a great voice, or dancing talents, some are born tone-deaf, some are born with a croaked voice, and some are born ‘special’, but none of them doubted themselves, and that didn’t stop them pursuing music wholeheartedly,”

 

Yonghwa continued staring at the wall. “Some of the greatest musicians of all time were ‘special’ in many different ways, ‘Stevie Wonder’ for example, he was blind ever since he was a baby, and yet he composed some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard. And I’m sure you already know this, but ‘Ludwig van Beethoven’, yeah, he was deaf. Even though he wasn’t deaf from the start, some of his greatest compositions were done when he was deaf,” Yonghwa said.

 

“Two years ago, I met a little Korean girl who only had one arm, her mom told me that while she was still a baby, she fell over while the mom was chopping vegetables, and as a result, her mom accidentally chopped off her arm,” Yonghwa stared down at the floor, a small tear forming at the corner of his eyes. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but if you were there, you can’t help but feel the mother’s sadness and regret. They went to the doctor, but they couldn’t reattach her arms, all they could do was stop the bleeding, and close the wound. As she grew up, she never questioned why she didn’t have a hand, one day she went up to her mother and asked her, ‘Mom, when will my arm grow like all the other kids?’,” Yonghwa said smiling softly, a small tear trickled down his cheeks. “And then, as time went by, she became interested in music. Of all the things in the world, she became interested in music, can you imagine how hurt her mom felt back then? With only one hand, it was really hard for them to find her a music tutor. But after a while, they found one. She learned how to play the piano, with one hand and an elbow. And ironically, the music that I heard her play that day was one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard in my life,” Yonghwa finished his story.

 

He looked straight at Seohyun. “I won’t talk about the thousands of people who’ve trained their hearts out to get as good as you, instead, think about all these people who were born with much worse circumstances, and yet they’ve already surpassed all of us,” Yonghwa looked at her softly. “You are one of the most talented girl I’ve ever met, but if you don’t believe in yourself, then no one will, understand?”

 

Seohyun nodded her head slowly. “I understand, I’m sorry I doubted myself,” Seohyun said slowly.

 

Yonghwa smiled slightly at her. “It’s okay, everyone has a time where they’ll doubt themselves. And I know Hara said a lot more hurtful things to you, but if you don’t wanna share it, I’ll respect that, okay?”

 

Seohyun nodded at him.

 

“Now then, how’s your ankle feeling?” Yonghwa asked.

 

Seohyun moved her legs a bit. “It’s okay now, I guess,”

 

Yonghwa jumped off from the counter and walked towards Seohyun. “Come on, I’ll give you a piggyback ride,”

 

Seohyun blushed at the idea. “T-that’s okay, I can walk on my own,”

 

“Aish, don’t be so hard headed, come on,” Yonghwa said, offering her back at Seohyun.

 

“Seohyun!” came a voice from outside. Yonghwa froze after hearing the voice. “What’s taking that girl so long?” the voice was coming closer to the bathroom, until Soyeon stepped inside the bathroom and saw Yonghwa. “AHH!! YONGHWA, YOU ERT!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE GIRL’S BATHROOM!!” Soyeon yelled in a high-pitched voice.

 

*sorry for the late update, next one's a kisung chptr, 24 hrs, tops!*