The audience roars as the MCs introduce SNSD and their hit song, “Genie.” Dressed in their crisp white uniforms, they dazzle with their talents and charm with their smiles. Sooyoung is working especially hard, putting forth her best efforts and being even more brilliant than usually, if that is even possible. As tiny beads of sweat collect on her brows, she gives the routine her all, because this may be the last time that SNSD will perform together. The thought of not being with her makeshift family anymore make Sooyoung more fearful than ever.

After their performance, the nine girls make their way back to their dressingroom. No one has spoken to Sooyoung since last night’s big fight. Seohyun feels extra sorry for her unnie, but whenever she tries to approach Sooyoung, another member would get in her way. They would pull her away from the moping Sooyoung, leaving the older girl even more depressed. Worst of all, Jessica is even more unreadable than usual. Sooyoung cannot tell if the blond is mad, upset, disappointed, or just do not care. This is what is bothering her the most.

As soon as the door to the dressing room opens, a girl rushes toward the tallest Soshi. “Sooyoung-ah!~” Hyomin says with all her aegyo and presents a bouquet of roses to the taller girl.

“Hyomin-ah!~” Sooyoung replies with her aegyo that calls for a punch.

The two excitedly embraces each other, oblivious to the scrutinizing eyes of all the other people in the room, including SNSD members, hair and makeup artists. They do not notice Jessica, with stunned eyes, watching them from the doorway. They also do not see Sunny ignoring them and walking toward her chair with a darkened expression on her face.

“Sooyoung-ah, you were so great out there. You were brilliant; I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you …” Hyomin blushes furiously as she utter those words.

“I couldn’t stop smiling because I was thinking about you.” Sooyoung smiles and rests her forehead against Hyomin’s. They create the most sickeningly sweet scene ever in the dressingroom, making Yuri want to gag.

“Let’s go out to celebrate, just you and me.” Sooyoung says, then grabs Hyomin’s hands and starts for the door.

Just as Jessica is about to say something to the happy couple, she is pushed from behind and stumbles away from the door. Angrily, she turns back to the person who pushed her and is just about to kick them, but she stops short. At the doorway stands a teary-eyed Goo Hara, who looks like a heartbroken porcelain doll.

“Hara.” Sooyoung freezes out of surprise and immediately lets go of Hyomin, who turns back to stare at the younger girl.

“I didn’t want to believe it when people told me …” Hara starts sobbing softly while an angry looking Hyuna stares at Sooyoung.

“It’s not what it looks like!” Sooyoung tries to explain.

SMACK! Sooyoung feels a burning sensation on her left cheek. A bouquet of roses crashes into her before it falls on the floor with countless petals scattered around.

“Then what am I to you?” Hyomin cries and immediately turns to runs out of the room. Someone dashes out of the room after the distraught girl.

“Sooyoung-unnie, you’re a jerk!” Hara cries and Sooyoung feels a slap on her right cheek. The short girl wipes her tears away and departs.

Angry Hyuna glares at Sooyoung and kicks her in the shin, “You jerkfaced idiot!” Then, she runs after her short friend.

With a soft sigh, Sooyoung shakes her head and goes to change out of her performing outfit. “Women …” she shakes her head and mumbles, “always so dramatic.” She avoids eye contact of all the surprised pairs of eyes in the room, especially Jessica’s. As she makes her way out of the dressing room, she blinks out of surprised at Yuri, who is staring intently at her. “Oh … you’re still here …”

Yuri knits her brows together, looking confused, “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

“Nevermind.” Sooyoung shakes her head and continues to the door way.

“Where are you going?” Seohyun looks concernedly after her unnie.

Hyomin did not know where to go. As she wipes away the tears that stain her cheeks, she winds her way through the mazelike corridors of the performing studios. She averts her eyes from everyone and keeps her gaze constantly ahead. She loses count of her steps and before long, she lets herself fall down onto a wooden bench in the garden area behind the building.

The night keeps the garden fairly quiet except for the chirps of crickets and mating calls of frogs. The light behind the bench creates a faint glow around the grieving girl. She shivers as she wipes the beads of tears freely falling from her eyes. A figure watches her from the shadows for a few minutes before deciding to interfere.

“You shouldn’t cry, your mascara is running.” A sweet voice disturbs the teary scene.

Hyomin looks up in front of her. Her eyes only tear up even more and she throws her arms around the person’s waist. “Sunny-ah~” She cries as she buries her face into Sunny’s bosom.

Sunny smiles sadly and Hyomin’s hair, “Don’t get mascara on my white uniform, Hyomin.” She softly reminds the damsel in distress, but she makes no effort to push the other girl away.

“S-sorry …” Hyomin leans away from Sunny.

“Here.” Sunny hands a packet of tissue to her friend then takes a seat next to the girl.

“Thanks.” Hyomin quietly smiles and wipes the tears from her eyes and cheeks, but that only smudges her make-up even more.

“Let me help you.” Sunny takes the tissue from Hyomin’s hand and gently dabs away the smudged make-up and tears. “There … our pretty Hyomin is back.” Sunny flashes her signature bright smile.

Hyomin is immediately captivated by Sunny’s kindness and smile. “You think I’m pretty?”

“…” Sunny pauses before lifting her hand to tuck some stray hair behind Hyomin’s ear, “You’re beautiful.”

Hyomin blushes deeply and turns away from Sunny, so that the latter will not see her smiling so brightly. “You’re just being nice to me.” She presses her lips together to hide her smile and turns back to Sunny. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. You should get back to your members.”

Sunny shakes her head. “They’ll understand.” Her brows furrow at the sight of Hyomin’s red, puffy eyes.

For some time, they sit quietly and stare out at the garden, where the fireflies came out to play. Occasionally, Hyomin’s sniffles rise above the sounds of nature. Other than that, they sink into the comfort of silence for a while.

“Why do you like Sooyoung?” Sunny asks suddenly. She turns to Hyomin, “I thought you were my byungpoong?”

Hyomin’s red eyes widen at Sunny’s sudden question. She stares into Sunny’s inquisitive eyes and shakes her head, “I don’t know. You didn’t want me to be your byungpoong anymore …”

“When did I say that?” Sunny cuts Hyomin off.

Hyomin blinks, “You never seem to like my attempts to be close to you. We haven’t hung out in months … you don’t even message me anymore.” She starts to list all the reasons with a soft voice that slowly turns into an airy whisper.

“You know we’ve been busy preparing for our comeback.” Sunny replies shortly. “I never said I didn’t want you to be my byungpoong … but it seems you found someone else to replace me. You have Soobyung now, instead of Sunbyung.”

Sunny’s voice is brimmed with jealousy as she turns to look away from Hyomin. Her hands grip the edge of the bench as she tries to keep her lowerlip from quivering.

“NO!” Hyomin yells. She places her hand on Sunny’s and shakes her head vigorously, “No one can replace you. There is only Sunbyung. I only like you!”

The sudden confession causes both parties to stare deeply into each other’s eyes.

“I only like you, too.” Sunny slowly replies and reaches over to hold Hyomin’s hand.

“Do you mean that?” Hyomin looks from Sunny’s face to her hand in Sunny’s.

“I think so …”

“You think so?” A hint of annoyance is present in Hyomin’s voice.

“Look, I’ve never liked a girl this way before, alright?! You made me so confused, I’ve been tearing my hair out because of you. Look at this bald spot on my scalp, you better take responsibility for …”

Hyomin cuts Sunny’s nervous rant off. Nothing shuts a girl up quite like a kiss from the person she likes. Hyomin’s warm, supple lips (with a hint of saltiness from her tears) are pressed lightly against Sunny’s. The kiss is not fireworks and fiery passion, but it is more like a slowly blooming flower.

Sunny reaches up to cup Hyomin’s cheek and gently brushes her thumb against the recently teary cheek. She smiles as Hyomin pulls away. She can see that the girl is still her byungpoong from the way Hyomin is staring at her lips now.

“That was … nice …” Sunny blushes and turns her cheek to the side.

“Nice? Just nice?” Hyomin gasps, “It wasn’t mind-blowingly awesome?”

“It was just a kiss, you know. I’m sure there are other things that can be mind-blowingly awesome.” Sunny laughs.

“Just a kiss? Omo, this girl is so heartless … wait,” Hyomin smiles slyly, “other mind-blowingly awesome things? Like …” She her lips and winks at Sunny.

The heavy atmosphere from before disappears after a few playful exchanges. That is what Hyomin likes most about Sunny, she can brighten any situation.

“ert!” Sunny playfully slaps Hyomin’s shoulder and laughs. However, she suddenly has a realization and her laughter is drowned out.

“What about Sooyoung?” Sunny asks. “You and her were together just recently … is it okay for us …”

“W-we … we never together …” Hyomin lowers her gaze and voice.

“B-but … in the dressing room … then you were crying …” Sunny is cute when she confusedly pouts.

“I wasn’t crying for Sooyoung … well, I was. But it was more because of you.” Hyomin shakes her head.

“What?! Please explain what you mean by that.” Sunny gently pokes Hyomin’s shoulder.

“W-well, I asked Sooyoung to … promise you won’t laugh, okay?” Hyomin fidgets nervously in her seat.

“I promise!” Sunny quickly nods, wanting Hyomin to hurry up with the explanation.

“I asked Sooyoung to … pretend that she and I were dating … to make you jealous … the scene in the dressing room was an act.” Hyomin shyly steal glances at Sunny. “I was crying because I thought you weren’t coming after me.” She hopes the sunshine will not get mad at her or laugh at her pathetic attempt.

“So let me get this straight … you and Sooyoung … have been parading around to try to make me jealous?” Sunny asks slowly.

Hyomin nods.

“HAHAHAHA!” Sunny doubles over and laughs, even slapping her knee.

Hyomin’s eyes widen, “What? What’s so funny?”

It takes a good minute for Sunny stop laughing and another thirty seconds for her to wipe the tears of laughter from her eyes.

“You didn’t have to do that … I was already jealous.” Sunny sighs.

“You were? How? Why?” It is Hyomin’s turn to be surprised.

“You know … I watch all your variety show appearances …” In a reversal of roles, it is Sunny’s turn to blush deeply while explaining, “You called Eunjung ‘yeobo’ in Hello Baby. And then she event fed you food! Then you were acting all ‘couply’ with each other on the other shows!” Sunny’s voice slowly rise in pitch as she goes on with her explanation.

“You kno-” Hyomin starts, but is interrupted.

“I’m not done. You played in the water with Victoria in Invincible Youth … plus Jooyeon became your byungpoong! What was all that friendliness, huh? I thought you needed me … but you went on your business just fine …” Sunny takes a deep breath, to calm herself and because her voice cannot get any higher.

“…” Hyomin waits for her love interest to stop before she smiles and scoots over. She drapes her arm over Sunny’s shoulders. “Don’t be silly, Sunny-ah~ I only like you, there is no one else. Eunjung and I are in the same group. I’m sure you act all ‘couply’ with your members, too.”

Hyomin lifts Sunny’s face toward her. “With Victoria and Jooyeon, it was only for entertainment’s sake. The feelings that I have for you cannot be duplicated or compared to …”

Sunny blushes deeply as she stares into those dark orbs that shine so brightly with love.

“You sweettalker, where did you learn to say all this?” Sunny smiles and leans against Hyomin. She rests her head on the other girl’s shoulder.

“Sooyoung taught me.” Hyomin nuzzles her cheek against Sunny’s hair.

“That shikshin, I’m going to hurt her for faking a relationship with my Hyomin.” Sunny shakes her fist threatingly at an imaginary Sooyoung.

“Don’t hurt her too bad, she was just trying to help us.” Hyomin giggles and kisses Sunny’s hair.

“Fine, I won’t … though I feel bad that her relationship with Hara is endangered because she was trying to help us.” Sunny sighs.

“… they’re not in a relationship … Hara is like me …” Hyomin slowly says.

“WHAT?!” Sunny leans away from Hyomin. “Who is she trying to make jealous?”

Hyomin scratches her head, not wanting to tell Hara’s secret.

“Tell me now! NOW! N.O.W!” Sunny channels her inner Hellsica.

“Y-Yuri!” Hyomin stutters out of fear.

Hello, everyone!

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to update in a while due to school. Plus, I had writer's block ... since I'm a science person and writing is not my strong point! If you are still reading this story, I am very happy and grateful. I will try harder to write better! Thanks for all your support!

I got to Sunbyung ^_^ I ship they so hard! I heard that Sunny and Hyoyeon will be in Invincible Youth Season 2. Help me pray that Sunbyung will be reunited!

Have fun reading!