CHAPTER ONE

                “Hours seemed to last longer than they should”, Yuri thought.  Despite her eagerness to finally meet her childhood flame, she had to come to work and even the complicated dance steps couldn’t dampen her spirit.

                As their group takes a break from their practice, she checked the time.  “Eight hours more,” she mumbled.

                “How come you don’t look tired right now, Yuri-ah?” Sooyoung asked.  Sooyoung was one of the other eight members of their group, SNSD.

                She smiled, “It’s too early to get tired Sooyoung-ah.  We still have the whole day ahead of us.”

                “She’s doing well today.  She has been getting the steps like they were nothing, she could even beat Hyoyeon.”  Sunny said.

                “And she’s been smiling all along.” Taeyeon added.

                “What’s gotten into you?  Yoona told me that you didn’t sleep last night,” Sooyoung said.  Yuri looked incredulously at Yoona.

                “What?  It’s true, you didn’t sleep!  You said you’ll be at the balcony last night and when I woke up your bed was still empty,” Yoona said in defense.  “Then I found you at the balcony, smiling by yourself.”

                “That’s just creepy, Yuri,” Sooyoung teased.

                The girls all live in one dormitory because according to their agency, it would make them comfortable around each other.  They all became close and they treat each other like their real sisters.  She is especially close to Yoona because they share the same room.

                “Yah!  I couldn’t sleep last night so I decided to go out and started to count the stars like ‘counting the sheep’!”

                “But why would you be smiling all alone?” Sooyoung persisted.

                “Be-Be-Because…”

                “Be-Be-Because…” Sooyoung mimicked her.  The other girls laughed.

                “Because I finally counted the stars!  That made me happy so I smiled.” She blurted.  She couldn’t say that she was thinking about her childhood crush because they didn’t know about him.

“Aish.  You’re making it obvious that you’re lying.”  Sooyoung said.

“I don’t think she’s going to tell us about it if we keep on nagging her.” Seohyun said.  Sometimes she wonders why Seohyun is the group’s youngest when she could act this mature, most mature among them all.

                Yoona started to get up.  “Let’s get back to practice now.  Hyoyeon probably got the entire dance mastered because she’s the only one hanging out with Rino-unni.”

                The girls sighed.  Thinking about the long hours of Rino’s practice could only mean hard work.  She smiled at Yoona and mouthed a ‘thank you’.  Yoona just winked at her.

                Yuri smiled, she could always count on Yoona.  People say that they look like each other because they’re always seen with each other.   Sometimes she thinks that maybe that’s why she gets along well with her than the others because they look alike.  Yoona came from a wealthy family in Incheon and her family’s company became their group’s main sponsor in support of their daughter.  Although she grew up having what she wanted, she never had a hard time mingling with the other girls who mostly came from ordinary families.  Yoona has always a ready smile for everyone, maybe that’s why she’s the main face of their group.

                Yuri on the other hand is almost the complete opposite of Yoona.  She is darker even though they look almost the same.  She doesn’t talk much when she’s around other people earning the “most anti-social” title among the SNSD.  She doesn’t always smile if not for cameras flashing her way and if she does, it would be just a little, the only thing you would notice are her smile lines.  The other girls had a hard time befriending her at first because they found her a snob.  If not for Sooyoung’s blunt attitude and the other girls’ persistence, she wouldn’t have budged on them.  Looks is not the only thing she is similar with Yoona though.  She also came from a rich background.  Her family is one of the richest in Korea though only a few know about this.  She didn’t want people to think that she only got into SME because of her rich background.  She wanted to prove that she could do it in her own and she could very well pursue her dreams, not what her family wanted her to do. 

                “What are you still waiting there for, Yuri?” Sooyoung called her. 

                Yuri rushed to the elevator before it closes.  “Please, wait!” she called at somebody who was inside.  When the door opened, her eyes widened.  It was Choi Siwon, a member of a boy band that was also a talent of their agency.

                “Siwon-oppa!”

                “Yuri!” he smiled.  Honestly, who could resist that smile?  “A pleasant surprise!”

                “Ah, yes.  Thank you for waiting.”

                “Hmmm,” he nodded.  “You’re welcome, Yuri.  A date?”

                “N-No.  It’s a family thing.  My parents’ friends invited me,” she tried to shift to another topic before he could go on asking her.  “What about you, oppa?  You must be out for a date tonight.”

                “No.  I am actually having a dinner with my family.  We do it every weekend.”

                “Such a close family.  And oppa is dressed impeccably for their dinner.”  Siwon looked down at his suit then smiled.  Kwon Yuri just gave him a compliment when they don’t even talk that much, just a few pleasantries.

                “I should thank Yesung later on.  Why, Kwon Yuri just complimented me for a suit he recommended to me.”

                Yuri pouted.  It’s not that she doesn’t give praises, it’s just that they’re not close enough.  Besides he must have heard a lot of it from everyone else.

                “The least you could do is to return that compliment,” she blurted.  She didn’t mean to be rude but it was already out of .

                Siwon chuckled, “Yuri-ah looks stunning tonight!”

                Yuri’s ears turned beet red.  She totally didn’t expect him to return that compliment.  She even kicked herself mentally for being that childish.  She looked at her reflection.  She was wearing a simple black tulip-cut dress.  There was nothing special about it.  She just wore it so she would look mature but apparently this Choi Siwon could make her feel childish.

                She looked at his reflection and smiled genuinely, “Th-Thank you, oppa.”

                Siwon smiled again, that ­heart-melting smile again, “You look prettier when you smile.  That’s twice now.”

                Yuri laughed.  If Siwon could only bottle that moment, he would.  He knew Kwon Yuri has a nice bone in her body and now he has found it.  He always admired her.  He just couldn’t get near her because she has a reputation of being cold to people she is not close to.  Every time he would try, she finds her way to get away from him or from the throng of people around her and sink back to her group.  He first thought that she was just shy but later on, he figured that she doesn’t like mingling to people because even his group noticed it too.

                When the elevator stopped at the restaurant’s floor, Yuri felt excited yet disappointed at the same time.  She knew that just outside the elevator door, the person that she long to see was there.  Yet she was disappointed that she was stepping out of the elevator.  She just had the chance to talk to Siwon who she looks up to and she found him surprisingly comfortable to be with and to talk to.  She wanted to talk to him more but the moment that she has been waiting for is here.

                “Aren’t you going to step out?” Siwon asked.  He was holding the open button, waiting for her to come out.

                ”Ah, yes.” She hastily got out.  Siwon followed after.  She was surprised when he offered his arm.  She hesitated in taking it.

                “C’mon,” he encouraged.

                “But people would get the wrong idea.”

                “We’re going to separate when we get inside.  Besides there’s nothing wrong if your hyung takes you to dinner, is there?  I’d be really flattered.”

                Yuri smiled.  Siwon knows his way to women.  When she finally took his arm, Siwon sighed.  “You got me nervous.  I thought you’re going to refuse it.”

                Yuri just giggled.