Watched: Pretty Little Liars

      October 10th, 2010

October 10th, 2010

The gentle snipping of scissors met the members of Girls' Generations ears.

It was that day again.

Hairstyle day.

Every comeback the girls would get new hairstyles, some more drastic than others, and they would all go at the same time to the same place. SM actually rented out the whole place whenever a group was changing concepts.

Every hairstyle day Echo would get the same boring thing, some lowlights to add shine to her hair and a little trim to get rid of dead ends. She was used to it. So when the hairdresser proceeded to tie her hair at the nape of her neck with a hair tie she immediately questioned the break in the routine.

The woman kept doing what she was doing. "Your hair is going to be a little under your ear, I'm adding bangs and the usual lowlights."

Echo's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. "E-ear length? You're chopping my hair off?!"

"Yes," the woman's response was dull as she picked up the scissors.

Echo immediately pulled away. "Wait, you're cutting off all of this?" she grabbed her precious ponytail in her hand.

The hairdresser gave her an irritated look. "Yes."

"B-but why? Why that short?" the girl was becoming desperate to keep her locks, it took forever for her to grow it out this long and she's never had a short hairstyle. Would it even suit her?

"What's going on?" Jiwook walked up to the idol, arms crossed.

"Why is my hair going to be so short?"

"Because you're playing a tomboy in your next drama?" the manager responded. "We're adding extensions for Hoot promotions, really wavy stuff."

Echo continued to look at her manager in disbelief. "But… my hair…"

"Is going to be chopped off," Jiwook said, voice tight.

The idol, extremely, reluctantly leaned back in the styling chair, watching the hairstylist chop off her hair while wearing a tight expression.

Once the deed was done, Echo noticed a few of her members hanging around her chair.

"Is it bad?" her voice was light, her lower lip jutted out in a pout.

"No, no, it's cute!" Sooyoung assured her. "It's just… different?"

"Yeah, I never pictured you with short hair before. Fans are going to love the change!" Jessica backed her up.

"Everyone will be talking about your hair the most!" Sunny smiled, walking behind the idol to gently pat her on the shoulder.

"It's just so strange," Echo continued to scrutinize herself in the mirror. She could see the hairstylists reflection in the corner, which stopped her from further complaining. She knew it wasn't her fault, it was the companies, but she didn't want her to know how much she hated the hairstyle either.

"Girls, stop dilly dallying, we need to go," Jiwook called out, accepting the company credit card back from the receptionist.

When the girls were in the safety of their van, Echo pawed through Yoona's bag (who barely looked at her when she did it) and took out her compact mirror*. Flipping it open she continued to inspect herself.

"You looking at yourself isn't going to help," the visual mumbled, her eyes half lidded.

"I feel like those girls on America's Next Top Model," Echo frowned, gently tugging at the short tresses. "I feel like having a mental breakdown because of this."

"Echo-ah, it's really not that bad!" Taeyeon yelled out from the front row.

"But I don't like it. I think I look horrible, how am I supposed to act confident when I feel ugly?"

The Girls' Generation members lounged around their studio, just having finished practicing their Hoot dance in time for the music video recording.

Echo leaned against Tiffany's back, their heads using each other's shoulders as pillows. "I'm so exhausted." She wiped away a few drops of sweat from her brow. "I don't know how well my body will handle promotions."

"We have Japanese Gee out soon too," the other singer groaned.

"Please don't remind me."

Across the room Sooyoung, Jessica and Yoona were huddled together, their eyes glued on Sooyoung's phone.

Echo raised an eyebrow at their suspicious behavior. "What are you three up to?"

The trio grew still, looking towards their member with wide eyes. They shared silent looks with each other, before Sooyoung pulled herself away from the group and slowly sat down next to Echo.

"What?"

The tall dancer simply placed her phone in the other girls hand.

Echo read the text.

I saw Jonghyun and Shin Sekyung kissing last night? I thought he was with Echo?

She was numb, she didn't know how to feel.

Echo believed she had no right to feel jealous due to them no longer being a couple. Which is why she mentally questioned herself when she felt no happiness for him for finding someone. "As long as he's happy," she softly spoke, her eyes emotionless.

"You okay, sweetie?" Sooyoung gently asked her, resting a reassuring hand on her arm.

She avoided the question. "He's not mine to hold onto." The singer sent the taller girl a tiny smile before slipping out of the studio.

It wasn't until she reached a desolate corner that she slid down the wall and curled up with her forehead resting against her knees.

She didn't cry.

She didn't scream.

She didn't know what to do.

She didn't know how long she sat there.

When her bottom felt numb she looked up, for whatever reason expecting a familiar face to pop up out of nowhere and sit down next to her with consoling words.

Echo felt extremely lonely in that moment.

      November 2nd, 2010

November 2nd, 2010

"Oppa, look!" Echo her phone in Hajoon's face, who conveniently stopped the van at a red light. "Isn't the new dance studio pretty?"

Her manager smiled. "Looks like it has decent air conditioning too."

The idol widely grinned, flicking through the sets of pictures her members sent her. "It's so not fair that I have to record this stupid drama while everyone gets to see the new SM building."

Hajoon chuckled under her breath. "You're going to see it soon, remember you're going to be making money."

She smirked. "That does help a bit. But if I end up getting another ert producer-!"

"Relax, the one who was asking for you was the writer, and she's a woman."

"She could be a lesbian!"

Hajoon gave her an 'are you kidding me?' look. "Even if she was, do you really think she would be open about it?"

Echo 'oh'ed. "Sometimes it slips my mind how conservative Korea is, still have my American mind set." She gently tapped her head.

Once they reached the filming destination, Echo waited for Hajoon to get out of the van first before following him.

The second the door slammed closed behind her, all the staff members eyes were on her.

"Hello, Echo-ssi!"

"How are you Echo-ssi?"

"So nice to be working with you Echo-ssi!"

Echo was overwhelmed with the complements and attention by the staff members. Usually they would simply greet her, but today they were going all out on this new set. To be polite, she tried answering everyone, but Hajoon literally pulled her away when she just stood there while people gathered around her.

"What just happened?" she half-whispered to her manager, her eyes wide.

"Your name is getting out there in the acting world, that's what's happening." With a smile Hajoon guided her towards the makeup artists, who promptly got to work after greeting her just as enthusiastically as everyone else.

In the middle of getting her makeup done, a few people waltzed into the trailer.

Echo felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. How was she supposed to be polite when someone was gluing fake lashes onto her eyelid?

"Jung Echo, sorry for the intrusion," the lone woman of the trio was the first to speak. She was older with thick curls of brown hair on her head. "We were just really excited when you decided to accept the role, we're very grateful and we hope you enjoy your time here!"

Her words confused the idol, who immediately smiled. "How could I say no to such a great script? The character will really test my acting skills, I'm really looking forward to it."

"Told you she's looking forward to it," the woman punched one of the men in the arm, who simply shrugged. "I'm the writer Kim Eunsook, and these are the directors Shin Woochul and Kwon Hyukchan."

"Sorry for interrupting you here," Shin Woochul apologized, he was the man that the writer didn't punch.

"It's no problem, I'm sorry I didn't try to find and greet you when I first got here."

"You have other things to worry about," Hyukchan assured her, his arms crossed. "Just focus on personifying Gil Raim and you're golden. We'll let you get back to getting ready."

Echo said goodbye, letting out a deep breath when the door slammed behind them. I wonder if that part ever gets any easier.

She briefly looked down at her phone before going to turn it off for the day, but stopped when she saw she had a new text from Park Shinhye.

Congratulations on your second lead!! Rest as much as you can! I'm so proud, hwaiting!

"This belt is digging into my skin!" Echo frowned, pulling at the thick black belt wrapped around her hips.

"Don't you dare loosen that!" the stylist scolded. "If you do, your shorts will fall off!"

"I can punch a new hole in the belt?" she cheekily responded, receiving a shake of the head as her only answer.

Black covered Echo's eyes. The idol would have jumped in surprise if it wasn't for the warmth radiating onto her face. "Hajoon?"

"Nope!" a girls voice met her ears.

Once the hands removed themselves Echo whirled around, only to let out a girlish shriek and tackle hug the person.

"I know I'm amazing and all, but please don't break my ribs," Ari gasped out, patting her sisters back.

"What are you doing here?!" Echo pulled back, but still kept her sisters hands in hers.

"Acting," her younger sibling spread her arms out, showcasing that she was wearing the exact same outfit.

"I thought you said you were just doing lines for the real actress?" Echo was growing more confused. During the first script reading she was surprised to see Arianna there, ready to read lines. When her elder sister questioned her Ari simply responded that the real actress couldn't come and it was one of her friends that she owed a favor to, so she was just a stand in for everyone else.

"Does that really make any sense?" she rolled her eyes. "You're so gullible Allison."

The elder idol threw her a raspberry, but a smile was on her lips.

"Jung Echo, we're recording in five minutes!"

My Best Friend was written for Tiffany and Echo!

I'm loving Echo's short wavy hair, it's adorable~

There's a rumor that Hanna and Echo are going to star in a drama together, is that true?

I'm updating a day early because I'm traveling tomorrow and doubt I would have time.

Echo's hair with the wave extensions.

*I almost called it a compowder, Jesus.