"How would you know that?" Jung Shin asked, setting his water bottle down to speak to his old friend.

     "Because they're not staying at home, fearing what will come. It may sound like a joke, but if you believe it is, that'll be a huge mistake," he scoffed.

     Jung Shin bit his bottom lip and racked his brain for something that would convince Kwon Jin to stop his nonsense. "Maybe you should be focusing on being successful with your band rather than pestering me and my bandmates."

     Kwon Jin's faint grin twitched. "Your bandmates?" he repeated. "Were you the one who played alongside them in Japan? They were my bandmates before you butted in and ruined my future."

     "Do you think I felt delighted about that?" he retorted. "You really think I took this opportunity just to--"

     "I don't care about your reasons for why you stole my position," Kwon Jin interrupted. "Just know that there's something coming. You better tell your precious friends soon or it'll be too late. Oh, and tell Min Hyuk's girlfriend too. I have something special planned out for her."

     "Who, Ji Soo?! Why are you bringing her into this? She didn't do anything at all to affect you in any way," Jung Shin shouted. 

     Min Hyuk walked into the practice room and heard the last words yelled by Jung Shin. "Hey, what are you screaming about?"

     "Better tell him," Kwon Jin said in his unusually high pitched sing-song voice. He ended the call, leaving Jung Shin alone with Min Hyuk, who was crossing his arms, waiting for an answer from his young friend. 

     But no reply came.

     "Jung Shin...who were you talking to? It's the first time I've heard you raise your voice like that," he acknowledged.

     Jung Shin turned his back on Min Hyuk and said in a quivering voice, "Hyung, can you do me a favor?" 

     "What? What--"

     "Can you...do me a favor?" he asked again.

     "What is it?" Min Hyuk inquired. What in the world is going on? he thought.

     "You know how you're supposed to be dating Ji Soo?"

     "Jung Shin, look me in the eye when you're speaking to me," Min Hyuk demanded. "And what about Ji Soo? Are you drunk?"

     "I'm not drunk!" Jung Shin exclaimed as he turned around to face his Hyung. "Don't see her anymore. I don't want you or Yonghwa Hyung to see her. Please, I'm begging you. don't associate yourself with her anymore."

     "What? I think it's best that you lie down," Min Hyuk advised. "All that practice probably made you confused."

     "No, I'm in my right mind. Just listen to me," he begged, putting his hands on Min Hyuk's shoulders. "I don't want her to get hurt. I'm trying my best to stop him, but it's happening. He already set the building on fire. Who knows what else he could do?!"

     Min Hyuk shoved Jung Shin off of him. "Hey, talk to me when you're sober. I have no idea what you're talking about, but it all sounds crazy. I just came in here to tell you that Sung Ho invited us to watch Jun Hee's performance tomorrow at 6 am sharp."

     Jung Shin turned around and kicked the wall in frustration. 

     "I'll be going now," Min Hyuk sighed. "You really shouldn't play those games."

     He opened the door and stepped into the hallway on his crutches, leaving Jung Shin alone once again in the practice room. 

     "Damn...maybe I should tell Ji Soo myself instead," he whispered to himself. "I don't care if he messes around with us, but Ji Soo has nothing to do with him at all. She doesn't deserve this."

     Jung Shin walked out of the practice room and slammed the door behind him.

     This is it...the last lesson, Jong Hyun thought as he walked to the trainee practice room.

     The last of the trainees were filing out of the room, so he stepped aside to let them pass, most of them giving him dirty looks. Once they were all gone, Jong Hyun stepped into the room and found Jun Hee sitting on her chair, but she wasn't alone.

     "Jun Hee, please?" a boy begged. "Come on, just be a good friend." 

     Jong Hyun remembered him as the rude kid who shoved him in the hallway. He caught sight of Jong Hyun, so, startled, he quickly scurried out like a mouse, nearly tripping on his way out.

     "Who's he?" Jong Hyun asked as he took a seat beside Jun Hee.

     "Oh, him?" she replied. "He's just another trainee.

     Jong Hyun waited for her to say more, but nothing came. Just a somewhat nostalgic look on her face.

     "It sounded like he wanted something," he said, wanting to hear more.

     Jun Hee sighed and chuckled lightly. "You're so nosy. What are you going to teach me today?"

     "As we both know, tomorrow is the big day," Jong Hyun said, getting back to his professional self. "How you play tomorrow will determine your future. I know you've been practicing nonstop, and you have been improving every time I come teach you, so today, I want you to relax."

     Jun Hee's eyebrows shot up. "What? Relax? I thought you were going to coach me so hard today that my fingers would fall off. You want me to relax?"

     "Yup," he replied. "You can do whatever you want. Go have fun, kid."

     "Well, um, okay then," she said, standing up slowly. "Are you sure?"

     Jong Hyun laughed and nodded his head. "Go before I change my mind."

     She hesitantly walked to the door and turned around to see if her teacher was being serious. He waved at her. "Go," he whispered, making the shoo-ing gesture with his hand.

     Jun Hee quickly bowed to Jong Hyun and rushed out the door. Before she knew it, she was outside, breathing in the cool air that signified that autumn was quickly coming. Ah it feels so good! she thought. Tomorrow is the day, and I'm feeling more confident than I've ever been. Finally, for the first time, life is--

     Jun Hee felt a vibration in her jacket pocket, so she reached in and grabbed her phone.

    "Yobosayo?" she said, holding her phone up to her ear.

     "This is a doctor from Andong General Hospital," a man with a deep voice said. "May I please speak with the granddaughter of Choi Jun Hye?"

     "Yes, I'm speaking," Jun Hee replied, her heartbeat quickening. "Is there a problem, doctor?"

     "I'm afraid you'll have to come here to see for yourself. Your grandmother had a earlier today and is currently bedridden. Her son and daughter-in-law refuse to come console her. You're the only family member she has. Please come as soon as possible." 

     In her mind, thoughts were swirling about. Bedridden? ? she thought. But...my grandma...how? Jun Hee tried taking a step forward, falling to her knees in the process. She dropped her phone on the sidewalk, tears falling from her eyes without her even trying.

     "Hello? Are you still there?"

     A large man walking down the busy street of Cheongdam-dong tripped over the fallen girl, cursing at her once he regained his composure, but she didn't hear it. A skinny woman holding an MCM purse walked by, swinging it left, right, left right. It hit her face, but she didn't feel it. A vendor nearby making hot, delicious hotteok, but she didn't smell it. went dry, as if all moisture had been out. Then everything went black.