Watched: The Middle

      August 8th, 2009

August 8th, 2009

"Okay. Relax, and don’t think about representing Girls' Generation, but the whole country of Korea," MC Heeseok said with a straight face to SNSD's visual.

"Yes," Yoona shakily agreed, an uncomfortable look on her face. "That's a lot of pressure."

"It's okay, don't worry," Heeseok replied. "Okay, you are arm wrestling with Rie-ssi."

"I've never done this before," Yoona mumbled to herself, leaning over the tall round table to clasp hands with the Japanese beauty.

"Ready… start!"

In a second the arm wrestle was going Rie's way, their arms bending towards her by a mere inch. The two women held their hands tightly against each other, desperately trying to pull the others to the plastic tables surface to win. Yoona turned to face away, her short red hair hiding her reddening face as her tiny fist hit the table.

"Rie wins!" the beauties side cheered for their member.

"Why are you doing this to me? She's really strong!" Yoona cried out behind her own clasped hands.

"Yoona-ssi," the MC began, "you're laughing but it seems that you really gave it your all. You're really red."

"We request a rematch!" one of the SNSD members called out, obviously not wanting the beauties side to win so easily.

"Our Tiffany-ah is really strong!"

"Unfortunately, Yoona-ssi lost. Our next challenger is Tiffany-ssi."

Echo gave her best friend a reassuring pat on the leg before the elder stood up, walking the few feet to the round table, taking the visuals previous position.

"Tiffany-ssi, be comfortable about it, just…" the MC trailed off at noticing the odd tension. "This is competition between Japan and Korea so don't be nervous."

The girls onstage let out uncomfortable laughs at the MC's poor joke.

"Here we go. Ready, 1… 3!"

Unlike the previous round the SNSD seemed well matched against Rie, their hands vibrating, still at their starting position. It was with a mighty push Tiffany's hand landed on the table.

The beauties erupted into cheers for their member, congratulating the Japanese woman.

"Let's keep Rie-ssi up here for now," the MC gestured for Rie to come closer to the table once more.

"Our Yuri-ah -"

The member was cut off by an energetic Tiffany. "Echo-ah is really strong, she works out a lot lately."

Echo gave her best friend a terrified look, the other members cheering the second youngest on.

The brunette was reluctant, but stood and slowly made her way to the table.

"We would usually switch people here, but let's just try this for now," Heeseok

 announced as the two women got into position. "The last challenge for her third win."

"Say something to each other."

"Good luck," Echo nervously smiled, her members laughing when she used English.

Rie repeated the words in her own native language, the two leaning forward to clasp hands.

"Ready set…" Heeseok took a dramatic pause, "Go!"

Echo's face showed her surprise, her long hair hiding her reaction from the cameras, at the force Rie held in her arm. The fact that she already went against, and defeated, two other members was mind boggling to the girl.

Echo ended up squeezing the other girls hand as hard as she could while simultaneously pushing the Japanese girls hand to the white table top. Tendons popped from their wrists, the strain obvious, the power both girls contained competing against each other for the sweet chance of victory.

With a wave of she doesn't even know what, Echo slammed the shorter girls hand onto the table.

The beauties looked on in surprise as the Girls' Generation members cheered, happily surrounding their vocalist on her win.

"You're really strong," Echo laughed, bowing to Rie who smiled back.

"The win goes to Girls' Generation!" the MC cheered when the SNSD members sat back in their proper seats.

The pink roulette spun until it landed on their next challenge, limbo. Out of SNSD only Hyoyeon, Yuri, Jessica and Sunny were put up to the challenge. The rest of the members able to relax as they watched their members compete against the beauties.

As Echo watched Sayuri hysterically succeed she felt thin fingers wrap around her hand. Her gaze shifted to the person next to her, a softly smiling Tiffany. "I'm happy."

The younger member raised an eyebrow in question. "Why are you saying this all of a sudden?"

The two made sure their voices were soft enough that the microphones wouldn’t pick up on it, the cameras too busy capturing the limbo match to pay them any attention.

The singer shrugged, a happy glint heavy in her eyes. "I just am. Sure, we're really busy lately, but that's good, right? Our popularity has been through the roof, your health is fantastic, no huge arguments at home with anyone. Everything, is going pretty good."

"Getting more sleep would be even better," Echo dryly chuckled, her friend joining in.

After Girls' Generations win (thanks to the ever flexible Sunny) the wheel was spun again, landing on 'a challenge of shy talents'.

"I was just wondering what 'a challenge of shy talents' was, it's just a challenge to show a hidden talent. This isn't a big show of skill," the MC explained to the two groups of women. "It's along the lines of 'can you even call that a talent?'"

Mirja and Taeyeon both showed off their individual eye talents, the beauties Jessica bending back both her fingers far enough to touch the pad onto the back of her hands. Echo was nervous after the other Jessica went, knowing it was her turn to show off an odd talent.

"I can my elbow," she half-laughed, hiding her reddening face behind an open hand.

"Isn’t that physically impossible?" the MC asked, incredulously.

"Two out of every thousand people can do it," Echo corrected. "During my trainee days I took a lot of gymnastic classes, so I can bend my shoulder better than before." With a shaky breath Echo effortlessly pulled back the appendage, flicking out her tongue to meet the rough skin.

She was met with shocked gasps, others trying to copy her actions and fruitlessly failing.

After a few more odd talents, Hyoyeon and Taru danced the Cha Cha or Salsa for the next event.

It was after a short break where the beauties and girls were saying what they were jealous of: what the girls were jealous of foreigners and what the foreigners were jealous of Koreans.

Before the girls knew it, the recording was over. The girls stood and graciously bowed to the other women and MC, quickly taking their leave since Hajoon and Jiwook were rushing them. Some members had other activities to get to, while others desperately needed to get back to the dorm and get a few hours of rest.

"That was fun," Jessica smiled as the car drove through the darkened Seoul, only the luminescent lights of the streets and buildings lighting their way.

"It was different than I thought it would be," Sunny admitted. "I thought it would be focused more on them, but it seemed really equal."

"Well, it is their show," Sooyoung pointed out, leaning her head against the head rest, her eyes closed.

"I never saw the show before, I didn't know what would happen," Jessica chuckled.

"Did you have fun?" Tiffany asked Echo, who was looking out the side window at the familiar dark landscapes.

"It was fun," she replied, with a smile. "I liked how our conversations weren't as scripted as most shows."

Her friend hummed her agreement.

"Will you stop leaning on me?" Yoona snapped at a half-asleep Sunny.

"But I'm tired," the short member pouted. "We had three performances today along with that recording. I just want a nice pillow."

"Well it's not me," the visual half-growled, irritatingly nudging the girls head away when she fell back onto her shoulder.

The girls in the back seat swiftly twisted their heads away from the arguing duo, not wanting to be caught ease dropping. Lately Yoona has had quite a temper on her. Last time they were stuck in the car for a multiple pain staking hours heading to Busan she literally kicked Sooyoung in the shin because the girl's thigh was touching hers. The rest of the members assumed it was the lack of sleep getting to her, increasing her irritability. But, it was also increasing the other members irritation towards her current attitude. Their small things, but those add up to create bigger problems.

When the girls finally reached their dorm, only being guaranteed a few hours of sleep before their next schedules, Echo face planted atop her bed in between the maknae and Tiffany's.

"Can we cuddle tonight?" Tiffany jutted out her bottom lip, leaning against the white painted door frame.

"It's supposed to be cold tonight, isn't it?" Echo added, nodding her head at her friends request. Tiffany grinned, twisting on her heel to brush her teeth before curling into her warm bed.

"Echo-unnie!" Seohyun called from the kitchen. "Phone for you!"

Echo briefly flicked her tongue out in irritation, reluctantly getting up to make the few second trek into the kitchen. The dorm was bustling with life, even at the wee hours of the morning, the other members bustling around trying to do last second things before finally being able to head to bed, some members didn’t even care about taking their makeup off and already passed out on their beds the second they reached the mattress.

"Who is it?" Echo asked, shuffling into the small kitchen.

"Your aunt," Seohyun smiled, handing the phone to the older girl before exiting the room to take what little makeup off she had on.

"Aunt Hyorin," the young girl smiled into the phone, it's been a long while since she's heard from her aunt. "How is everything?"

"Allison."

Her heart dropped at her aunts cracking voice carrying through the phone, it was obvious her face was drowning in tears, her thick voice reflecting intense sorrow. Something horrible had to happen for her aunt to cry, but what? And why would she be calling her? And at this time no less?

"Aunt Hyorin, what's wrong?" Echo's eyes momentarily widened, her heart fastening in anticipation and fear. Was something wrong with her grandmother? She had a heart attack not too long ago. And her cousin Hanbi had been in the hospital not too long ago because of a car accident when she was with a friend, did she get some sort of infection? Or the blood the hospital had to supply her was infected in some way with some horrible disease?

"I'm so sorry baby," before her aunt could utter anymore words a cry over came her. Her body shaking as she tried to control herself, but the mere thought of what she had to tell her tiny niece was too much for her. Her heart felt like it was strike by a bolt of lightning, stopped but still living.

"What happened?!" she unintentionally heightened her voice, fear laced through her words. The few members that were in ear shot turned to give the singer a confused look, stopping what they were doing.

"Your mom, baby. Your mom passed away."

Damn Echo's strong. I didn't know she spoke English either.

These girls are so perfect, I wish I had their life!

I really hate when Echo becomes the center of attention on shows, she's so freaking annoying.

Don't know if I should hide or not...

The episode.