Note: My beta has actually sent me the revised version of this chapter a few days ago. However, it was me who couldn't upload this sooner. I apologize to you guys, and especially to my beta. But here we go, the 15th chapter of PC:

Project: Cupid!

Chapter 15: Showcase

beta reader/editor: itssasa

Yoona knew she was not the most intelligent girl around, but she had never felt so stupid in her entire lifetime.

The moment she reached SNSD’s dorm after filming, she threw her body onto the couch face first. Sunny wrinkled her forehead in a mixture of worry and alarm.

“Yoona? Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Yoona’s immediate reply was muffled by the soft pillow beneath her face.

“You don’t look like it.” Sunny skeptically refuted.

“I’m fine. I’m just feeling completely stupid, that’s all,” she said as she stood up. With the intention of avoiding more confrontation, Yoona walked towards the bathroom. She thought that a shower could probably help clear her mind and managed to form a weak smile to reassure Sunny before leaving her. However, with that vain attempt, Sunny saw right through everything. At least, she was considerate enough not to pester Yoona any further.

She knew that it had been rather impulsive of her to lash out at Donghae in that manner. She did not mean to at all; she knew that wasn’t the way that she should have treated - even if she tried to defend herself emotionally. He did not do anything wrong, it was her who had done him wrong.

She constantly questioned herself why she would ever fall for someone who was in love with someone else.

The cold water felt refreshing against her skin, but it could never wash away the guilt smeared all over herself. She contemplated whether she should text or call Donghae afterward to clear everything between them. On the other hand, she knew that the real honesty and the things on her mind needed to be let out for him to understand.

Still, she forever regretted expressing it in such a childish manner.

The water continued to pour onto her body as thoughts continued to swirl around inside of her head. It was not until Yuri banged on the door that she suddenly snapped back into reality.

“You look awful,” Heechul commented solemnly as he and Yoona walked towards the studio for a special reunion episode of Family Outing 2. Despite having the chance to reconnect with everyone again, Yoona did not feel well at all, but she could not let her own excuses affect her professionalism.

 “I know -” she replied,“- just how awful?”

“Just pray you have a good make-up artist for today’s shooting,” replied Heechul, “You cannot look that way when you meet your precious Donghae Oppa today, can you?”

Yoona suddenly winced and turned towards him with wide eyes, “What?”

“Didn’t you know, I have to head over to film Strong Heart with everyone after we film this. I have to leave midway.”

“Oh,” she replied curtly. Yoona made a mental reminder to quickly get back to the van as soon as the shooting ends later on. Meeting Donghae would not do well for her mental health for the time being.

They parted ways when she reached the female dressing room. Her other co-stars were already inside and they commented on how pale and fatigued she looked. Yoona cast another reassuring smile to subdue their heightened worries. She resolved to calm herself down as she sat in the chair to be prepped for shooting.

Shooting began about an hour and a half later. Unfortunately for Yoona, because of her highly regarded looks, she had been placed in the front row of seats. Much to her dismay, she knew that the cameras would focus on her more than she would like, especially today. However, feeling quite stubborn, she managed to convince the producer to move her to the end of the front row – the farthest from the hosts. That way, at least the spotlight wouldn’t be on her the entire time.

Thank the heavens that Heechul and Taecyeon were also seated in the front row. They both loved the camera and wouldn’t mind hogging screen time. Therefore, the entirety of the show became centered on their mental battle to win the spotlight.

Yoona tried her best to engage with the others, but she couldn’t help but lose focus every now and then. It wasn’t until Bongsun tapped her shoulders impatiently that she realized that everyone was laughing and teasing both her… and Taecyeon.

“Yoona-sshi, what do you have to say about this?”

She threw the host a puzzled look, “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.”

Everyone in the studio burst into laughter at her dazed state before the host amusedly repeated the question, “Your scandal with Taceyeon is an old story, but to find out that he still likes you after about a year – what do you think?”

Her eyes shifted uncomfortably to the grinning Taecyeon, whom was seated in the middle row. Yoona knew that her reaction towards him wouldn’t exactly be a wise thing to say, but she couldn’t help but defend herself. Before she chose to answer, she threw him the nastiest glare that she could muster without anyone else noticing.

“So, what do you think about Taecyeon-sshi?”

Yoona then faked a smile, “Oppa is a very dear Oppa. I enjoy spending time with him.”

Everyone else booed at the lack of suspicion that should have been underlined in her statement. Yoona laughed heartily for the first time after watching Taecyeon’s crestfallen pout. However, unbeknownst to her, Heechul was furiously starting at him. In order to award himself with more screen time, the flower boy opened his trap again. “Lately, Yoona has been involved with another reality show, my friend.”

Yoona immediately turned towards to stare at Heechul as her heart began to be wildly. She desperately hoped that he wouldn’t say anything that any of them would regret later. Yoona, being the strongest member out of SNSD, has the potential to inflict copious amounts of pain if he chose to let something slip. Because the current program is under a different broadcaster, the host was very cautious when he referred to Project: Cupid!. “Oh, the one where Yoona also competes with both of your fellow labelmates?”

 “Yes -” replied Heechul. “- but this is not because I’m the commentator for the show, but I think there may be something fishy between Yoona and my friend.”

The studio cheered. Yoona, though, promised herself to give Heechul a strong kick after the shooting ended. He was seated on the other end of the front row, so it was impossible to teach him a lesson at the moment.

“Yah, Kim Heechul, who are you siding with anyway? You fellow co-star here, or your own bandmate?”

As a man who did not mind speaking up his honest mind, Heechul casually replied, “My fellow band mate, of course. He is a real family to me.”

Afraid that the silent battle between Heechul and Taecyeon would lead to the worse, the host decided to avert the attention back to Yoona again, “Yoona-sshi, who do you choose? Our dear Ok Taecyeon or Lee Donghae?”

She knew the answer within her own heart, it would always be him. However, being in the entertainment industry for a few years, she knew what was wise and what wasn’t on a broadcasted talk show. Therefore, she chose the diplomatic answer, “I think both of them are very good to me.”

“We’re not interested to hear that!” the host complained good-naturedly, “Who do you like more?”

She faked a laugh and deliberately tried to buy time, “Do I have to answer that?”

“Yes!” everyone in the room shouted at her, their curiosities hanging on the edge.

“Among the two?” she questioned again.

“Yes!” the crowd was getting impatient.

Another fake smile and she paused to contemplate for a moment. A few seconds later, she replied slowly, “Donghae Oppa is a good listener; however, I think I can be more comfortable around Taecyeon Oppa.”

“So, then… it’s Taecyeon-sshi for you?”

“Among both?”

“Just answer the question!”

Yoona stopped to give a moment’s worth of a pause and slowly replied, “Yes, it’s Taecyeon Oppa.”

Suddenly, Taecyeon’s fist grazed upward in a victory stance and a smile graced his feature. Yoona watched amusedly as the other co-stars “congratulated” Taecyeon as if he just won the lottery. Beneath all of the eagerness, thought, Yoona was wide aware of the disbelief that stunned Heechul as he looked in her direction.

She returned it with an equally icy glare, as if to say, “You’re so dead.”

As soon as filming wrapped up, Yoona jumped up and stormed through to the corridor, attempting to escape to her van as fast as her legs could take her. Heechul, whom had been kicked hard in the shin right after the camera stopped recording, had informed her of Super Junior’s arrival earlier. She would die if she encountered Donghae, so she made to rush back to her van and drive safely to her dorm as soon as possible.

Yet, the fickle ways of hindering came to stall her in the form of Ok Taecyeon.

“Yoona!” he loudly greeted as he laid an arm around her shoulder. The grin that had been plastered onto his face never seemed to have left.

“Oppa, what did I tell you about surprises?”

“That you like them?”

“That I don’t like them,” she complained impatiently.

However, his grin only widened. Pulling his arm away from her shoulder, he ruffled her hair affectionately, “You want to grab something to it? I’m starving and you don’t have any more stops for the day to attend to, right?

“No -” she admitted, albeit reluctantly as she moved forward, “- but I want to do back to the dorm.

“I’ll drive you!” he piped up expectantly. “I have my van waiting,” she shot back almost immediately. “Tell your driver to go back; I’ll take you myself!” he persisted.

“Oppa –“

“You said that you liked me, though.”

Yoona laughed bitterly, “I was cornered. You know that –“

“They say that a cornered confession is an honest one,” Taecyeon said with a wink. Yoona grumbled, “Oppa, you’re seriously being a –“

She suddenly paused when ahead of them, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun were walking in their direction. Super Junior must have arrived already. That meant, Donghae was somewhere around here as well.Luckily, the pair hasn’t spotted her, so she could manage to go away discreetly. She spun around walk a different way. Taecyeon confusedly looked at her, but instantly followed.

“Where are you going?”

She mumbled incoherently as she dragged her feet away from the members of Super Junior. “I forgot something from the dressing room.”

“I’ll go with you,” Taecyeon insisted, “Dinner afterward?” he tried again.

This time, Yoona had been so busy with her own worries alongside trying to ignore him, she replied mindlessly, “Alright, alright,” without giving it so much of a thought. All of her focus was directed towards evading the one Super Junior member that aded her mind.

Despite diverting her attention away from Taecyeon, she had also been unaware of a stunned man some feet behind her.

Donghae’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of her teammate walking away from him with an ecstatic Taecyeon, whom was walking too close to her… for his personal comfort.

To be Continued

A/n: There isn't much (or any) Yoonhae in this chapter, which is entirely intentional. hehe.

And I'm totally grateful with all of your support guys, really, I'm a very lucky author to have supportive readers like all of you... However, as you might probably notice, I don't update often lately. My situation now is different from my situation back then when I first started this story. Unfortunately, I have other priorities at the moment, and unfortunately again, that is not fanficcing. I hope you understand, I don't exaggerate when I say my work really occupies my time, because last weekend and the weekend before that, I literally work. At weekend. yes. So...yeah, I'm still really grateful with you guys (and you don't know how much I feel guilty writing this note...), but yeah...well.. just a little outburst from my heart. Thank you. :)