Chapter 1 – the beginning (of the end)

PRESENT

S.M.’s studio. Tomorrow 6PM.

It was decided. They would meet up where they worked. Not in their favourite tea shop, not in a cheesy park or a place where couples celebrate their anniversary – not like there was one. That would be too cruel. Meeting after 4 months of separation is usually exciting. These times she often felt her heart pounding hard against her ribcage and her breathing shortened but now everything was different. She was too tired and he was disappointed. They even had a quarrel before the decision was made. Afterwards neither of them said ‘I’m sorry’ like they usually did.

Taeyeon sighed and made a last effort to close her suitcase. She was frustrated and felt like crying but she held back the tears. She had to be strong. Like always. She was the leader of a band, Girl’s Generation, an idol loved by many fans but she was also a woman. At the age of 26, she already had been working for half her life. Her talent at singing was discovered when she was only 13 and after years of training and solo activities, in 2007 she became an idol. It was different because she gained a lot more attention and since then she couldn’t let her guards down. Or else, things got out of hand and the consequences were either beautiful or horrible.

“Tae, are you done?” Tiffany popped into the room happily. She had every reason for it. The tour in Japan went really well. All of them should be proud and pleased but Taeyeon had to force her smile.

“In a minute. Just wait for a little bit more,” she replied and checked once again that everything had been packed. After she lifted her luggage from the bed, something small flew off the sheets. Ah, there it was, Taeyeon gasped for air. She bent down and lifted up the picture. Two people were smiling - truly, honestly, gladly smiling - to the camera. She got all emotional again.

“You will see him again soon,” Tiffany tapped her shoulder warmly and Taeyeon smiled at her friend.

“I know,” she said and slid the picture in her pocket. “We can go now.” she added smiling but inside pain was tearing her apart into small, broken pieces.

They took off and chatted with the other girls about nonsense things. Meanwhile there was only one thing on Taeyeon’s mind: that date in the S.M. Entertainment’s building.

The studio where they first met 4 years ago.

2011

Even after 4 years of being an idol, a leader, a well-trained singer, Taeyeon wasn’t prepared for this.

“Me? As a senior? To a trainee?” she echoed the words their manager just told her. He grabbed her arms to shake her up a little. She was too shocked.

“Yes, Taeyeon. It seems like S.M. has big faith in you. It’s a very honourable offer, you can’t turn them down.”

She wouldn’t. She never planned rejecting something like that but it made her nervous and lots of questions crossed her mind: What is the trainee like? Will she like her? Will they become friends? Could she help her?

“What should I do? When will we start?” Taeyeon asked eagerly because besides her nervousness she was also curious.

“Your job is to teach the trainee how to switch from low notes to high