Author's Notes
Whoa, a lot sure happened since I last finished a chapter. Definitely not pleased with how the quarterfinal went, but I knew as everyone did that Samsung was no picnic and they won fair and square. Also watched the other two quarterfinals so far, but tonight's between H2K and Albus Nox Luna looks like it could be even more entertaining. Meanwhile, I kept thinking I had this one nailed down, but this chapter kept growing and growing and became one of those chapters where I didn't think it'd be as big as it turned out (I certainly didn't predict almost 10,000 words for this pair of chapters!) I also took a stab at making the cover – hope you guys like it! Usual rules apply: Reviews always welcome, but no flaming jsut because you're not a Cloud 9 or North American fan. I've got one more chapter to write before I consider this complete, and it'll involve the aftermath.

We'd seen Girls' Generation wear plenty of attractive things, but we never anticipated what we saw them wearing there. They'd shed the jackets they'd worn in the stands and we could see that they were wearing white and blue C9-themed dresses and skirt/top combos, complete with our sponsors and the GG Crown logo.

"You did it!" They all shouted joyfully as they saw us.

Jubilant chaos ensued as too many hugs were exchanged to count. Everyone was excitedly talking to one another so much that it was hard to hear myself talk and I couldn't make out everything that was said. Gradually, though, I started to hear and see better what was going on.

"Holy crap, you all look even more amazing than usual!" Aurora exclaimed.

"Thank you so much!" Yoona replied. "We all figured that if we're going to be essentially a superteam or super-group, however you want to call it, then we'd better dress like it."

"Hey, you all look damn y in C9 swag." Sneaky said.

"You know you guys have a big hand in that, right? It's because you came through the way you did that we can shine that much." Hyoyeon responded.

Meanwhile, Sooyoung was telling Meteos, "Great Baron steal! Remind me – the next time you and I eat Mexican food together, whether it's Chipotle or somewhere else, it's on me."

"Oh, you're too kind, Sooyoung. I hadn't had that many Smite steals during Worlds, so it was about time I pulled another one off at Baron." Meteos said, smiling a bit bashfully.

"Hey, don't blame yourself – it's just that we haven't given you too many situations where they other team has gone for it and you've had to save the day." Lemon said, clapping him on the back.

"I know – just feels like I'm pulling my weight a lot more when I can do something like that, you know what I'm saying?" Meteos asked. Lemon nodded.

Meanwhile, Hai had found Taeyeon and they were sharing a big hug.

"We made it, Taengoo noona!" Hai cheered.

"You should have seen her, Hai." Jessica said. "She said after she saw your backdoor in Game 2, 'Hai, you magnificent man. Okay, everyone to the World Cup Stadium as soon as they're able. Our other seven members need us there!'"

"Really?" Hai asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Really. I also told Sica that they were going to have to literally kill you to stop you from fighting tonight after Game 1." Taeyeon said proudly.

"You're not wrong about that." Hai said with a smile. "Keep in mind I did have another reason to fight, after all."

Taeyeon blushed and smiled bashfully in response, and she closed her eyes and started to lean closer to him. Hai recognized what was going on and did the same, and time seemed to slow down as they leaned closer to each other and then gently kissed.

Seohyun was the first to see them and got our attention, saying excitedly, "Oh! Look! Hai and Tae unnie!"

We looked at them, gasped and smiled. None of us knew about what had happened at the snack bar between the two of them – we only found out later – so it was a big but pleasant shock to see them holding hands ad chest level and looking as if their faces were gently melting together while attached at the lips.

"Holy crap, Hai!" Balls said, beaming.

Yoona was holding onto Yuri, who had her hands over . Both had stunned but sincere smiles, and I could see Yoona mouth, "Omona..."

I then saw Tiffany clasping her hands and smiling at them. Then she turned towards me, and before I could say anything, she quickly but silently grabbed my wrist and beckoned me to follow her around a corner.

"What is it, Tiffany?" I asked, once we'd stopped.

She looked at me with a look I hadn't yet seen – one that had admiration, affection and guilt all rolled into it. She later told me it was because she was proud of me but also still felt bad at how she'd acted at the lounge even though I'd told her not to accept or reject me right there.

"I owe you an answer to your confession." She said.

"Yes?" I asked, suddenly finding myself holding my breath as I had during the final pick/ban phase.

A smile grew on her face and she motioned for me to come closer. I leaned closer and initially turned my head thinking she wanted to whisper to me...until I saw her lips and realized she didn't want to whisper.

No way, I thought frantically.

Even then, though, I saw her close her eyes as she leaned forward, and I did the same but stopped short, inviting her to go the rest of the way. She closed the distance, and I felt her lips gently but firmly press against mine. I felt a jolt that gave way to a happiness I had never known or imagined as I felt something else pour into my heart...something wonderful that I knew was Tiffany's.

She reached behind my neck to pull me closer, and I responded by hugging her close. Just as Taeyeon and Hai looked as if they were gently melting into each other while they were kissing just minutes beforehand, I felt like Tiffany's kiss was softly melting me – only except I was being made into someone even better and even more whole than before at the same time. Surely they felt that too, because I understand that's what love can do, I thought.

After a minute, she pulled away but kept hold of me, an affectionate light dancing in her eyes as she said,

"I love you too, Carlo. I just wasn't sure if you loved me in return...Would you like to go out with me?"

"I would love to! Thank you so much...man, I feel a little silly, though, because here I was worrying you didn't feel the same way!" I answered, elated and laughing at myself, before I finished sincerely, "I'm new to this and I may not have much as you, but I'll do all I can to make you proud to have me as a boyfriend."

"Aw, you're too kind! But I have a better idea...let's take care of each other. Let's not forget I've got to treat you too, since you're a sweet boy who I've liked for a while and who just won a World Championship." She said, giving the famous eye smile. Knowing that that specific one was meant for me alone gave me chills.

"I would love that." I said wholeheartedly.

She laughed, but then said with a cautionary tone, "I'm fairly certain you know we have to follow that rule – we can't let the public know we're dating each other yet. I don't think they're ready."

"I know. I could handle it if it got out, but I hate to think what people would think of and say to you if they found out." I answered, nodding.

"Thank you." She replied, before adding, "But I would love to tell the others. Shall we rejoin them?"

"Sure, let's tell 'em!" I said, blushing but smiing sincerely and nodding as I took her hand and followed her back.

When we came back over, we found that Jack had also arrived and that everyone was smiling at us – some expectantly and some knowingly.

Taeyeon's smile was a bit of both as she asked, "Did you tell him, Fany?"

"I did!" Tiffany answered brightly, freeing her right arm and use it to hug me closer.

"Oh, s**t!" Sneaky whooped, applauding along with the others.

"Yay!" Seohyun cheered, giving us a congratulatory hug.

"Congratulations, you guys!" Jack told us, before adding pointedly and good-naturedly, "I trust this won't be too much of a distraction?"

"Don't worry, Jack, I think Taengoo noona and Fany noona would give us even more to worry about than you if we started slacking off." Hai said.

"Oh, you know it!" Taeyeon said avidly, nodding and poking him in the side with her elbow.

Jack smiled and laughed. "Okay, now that you're back," He said, turning back to the team at large, "Guys, I want you to meet your new consulting manager. We'll essentially be splitting time with you guys since she's got her own things going on too, but she's worked with you before and loves it – and I know you like her a lot too."

"Who's that?" Aurora asked. She and every C9 player looked around, and we might as well have all had question marks written all over our faces.

"That would be me." Jessica replied.

All seven of our jaws dropped.

"Are you serious?" Hai asked. "Jack, Jessica noona, you had better not be kidding me – us – about this. Is C9 Jessica really going to be an official thing?"

"Well, let's not forget, Hai – the girls consider the seven of you to be part of them and vice versa." Jack said. "But no, I'm not kidding."

"I gave it some thought and talked to him before the semifinal when I realized how much I'd enjoyed being around the team for that week leading up to the quarterfinals." Jessica revealed. "I asked if there was a role I could share, seeing as I won't be there all the time because of my other activities, and ironically, he offered me his as manager."

"I explained to her that that'll allow me to be more of a pure owner and give some more of my energy and time to our other teams and players. Then if she's got a fashion show, concert or such, then I'll be the one managing." Jack explained.

Aurora was the first of us seven to reach Jessica and hugged her as the rest of us all clapped Jessica on the back and gave her high fives.

"Holy crap...welcome aboard officially, Jessica noona!" Hai said, quickly hugging her around the neck and giving her a high-five.

"Sica unnie, I can't believe you'll be working with us again regularly!" Aurora told her.

"Oh, Aurora..." Jessica said warmly, returning the hug. "I'm glad I'll be there again too! Let's make sure we focus this energy and keep working hard, okay? We've got another World Championship to chase now and we need to be ready to support and lend our energy to the girls – I know there'll be times where we'll need their help too, and that's to say nothing of when we all meet up again."

"Let's do it, Jessica noona." Meteos told her.

"I know how amazing she was in that week going into the quarterfinals." Jack said, smiling at how we'd flocked around her like kids who'd been told that a substitute teacher they'd grown to love would be teaching them regularly. "I kept trying to give her some compensation on behalf of the team, but she politely refused every time. I then told her, 'If you want to do it again, at least let me hire you so you get recognized properly for it!' I was laughing as I said it, but I meant every word."

"And we're glad you did, Jack." Sunny said.

"We know she's still one of us because we'll continue to work together and that's great, but please remember what else that means...that's our sister." Sooyoung told us. "If we hear about anything funny, we'll fly over just to beat you up!"

"We know and we understand, Sooyoung." Meteos said reassuringly.

"Oh, I wasn't talking to you, Meteos – I know you've worked well with her in the past." Sooyoung responded kindly, and she added, "I'm just kidding – I know you'll all continue to work with her nicely."

"All right, we really could talk all night and we'll happily do so later, but we do have the performance to worry about, so I've got to pause it right here." Taeyeon said, though she was stil smiling.

We all made sure we got quiet and nodded at her, indicating she had our attention.

"We talked to Imagine Dragons and thankfully, they're allowing us to do that finale performance when you lift the Summoner's Cup." Taeyeon explained to the seven of us, filling us in on what had happened while we had been contesting the final. "They're even giving us a hand via their guitarist."

"Really?" Sneaky asked. "That's great – Wayne Sermons is a good guy and he can play."

"We definitely found out for ourselves." Taeyeon replied with a smile, before she added, "That's not all. We want you to be involved."

All of our mouths fell open as we digested that – Girls' Generation was choosing to have their last performance with their original roster when we would be presented with the Summoner's Cup. They were getting help from Imagine Dragons' guitarist – and they wanted us involved too.

"Now, don't be scared. It's just what you worked on with us individually. Maybe just one little tweak or two after what just happened, if you know what I mean." Taeyeon said.

Sneaky, Meteos and Lemon all looked puzzled until they saw Aurora, Balls, Hai and me suddenly nod in comprehension and start whispering animatedly to at least one Soshi apiece – Hai with Taeyeon, Balls with Sunny, me with Tiffany and Aurora with Jessica and Hyoyeon. All four cases had something in common - they'd been working on dances with us while hanging out in order to keep both themselves and us loose.

"I like how this looks!" Seohyun said, looking around at us nodding at each other as we finished briefly discussing our parts. "Let's get refreshed first, though, because an awful lot of us were crying, so even more of us will need touching up."

We all agreed and headed to the room that the Soshis had used to get ready to get any touch-ups that any of us needed done. While we were there, we also received more jerseys to change into. These were identical to the ones we were already wearing, but they had the GG Crown Girls' Generation emblem across from the C9 emblem in a smiliar way to the Soshi outfits, only these emblems were white, and had our names on the back in Times New Roman to match the Soshi member names on the front of their outfits below the GG Crown.

"In what crazy world do I get my makeup done in the next chair over from Sica unnie before we both go onstage?" Aurora asked. She was getting her makeup updated, as she said, from pro gamer mode to popstar mode, and was having a lot of fun with it.

"A world in which you're a world champion...and our friend." Jessica said happily.

Aurora reached over and gave her hand an affectionate squeeze as she was unable to move her face for the moment since they were still updating her makeup.

After some quick practice, where we entertained each other with what we'd been working on by ourselves and also worked in a new idea that Taeyeon had, we saw that Imagine Dragons was finishing up a great performance of Warriors. Jessica and Tiffany would be the first two out soon and then would bring us out for the performance and for the trophy presentation before MC-ing our winner's interview.

"Ay yo, GG!" Hai whooped in his version of the intro from I Got A Boy, making the Soshis smile as he hold Tiffany and Jessica, "Go get 'em."

"Wow, wasn't that something?" Sjokz was saying onstage. "One more round of applause for Imagine Dragons!"

The crowd cheered promptly, and she then smiled and added, "We do have one more performance for you guys and some of you may have heard about it. You may have seen them watching again tonight, and they've brought the whole group, but let's bring these two out first. Ladies and gentlemen, one more time, it's Girls' Generation's JeTi – Jessica and Tiffany!"

The crowd rose to its feet and roared again as they came out of the tunnel to Talk To Me and then cheered louder as they realized they were wearing what amounted to very pretty SNSD takes on the C9 uniform with the blue and white tops and skirts (blue skirt, white top for Tiffany, white skirt and blue top for Jessica) and blue heels, but with their pink Girls' Generation "GG Crown" emblem along with the C9 emblem and our sponsor labels. They also had those pop-style headsets that had an earpiece and microphone, but it was hard for people to tell they were wearing anything of the sort unless the camera was close in. (Backstage, the other fourteen of us had also been fitted with the same headset.)

As they ascended the stage, smiling and waving to the crowd, they saw that the pedestal holding the Summoner's Cup had been moved on top of a raised platform behind the center of the stage, and the C9 team banner and NA LCS banner were on either side of that platform. It was at this point that the SONEs in the crowd, sensing that the final performance with their original roster intact was imminent, began chanting Jessica's name. WE could see on the broadcast as we waited that some of them were already in tears.

Jessica was visibly touched and said "Thank you" multiple times as Tiffany gave her a supportive hug, but they kept going. Finally, they both said "Jigemun, C9 Shi Dae! Right Now, It's Cloud 9 Generation!"

With one more roar from the crowd, Jessica, now genuinely excited, turned to ask Tiffany, "Let's get to it right away, Fany – can you believe what we saw in that final?"

"Yes and no, Sica." Tiffany said, her eyes sparkling. "I can believe it because it's Cloud 9, but I can't believe the amazing ways they won tonight. I know not all of us saw a backdoor coming or a Baron steal, and I know nobody was expecting a top-lane Ahri with the skin that we inspired getting a penta in the deciding game! I know all of us were going nuts backstage and then in the stands during Game 4."

"You're right – I know even I couldn't contain the hype!" Jessica said, her eyes also lighting up.

"I do know one thing...You got some news just a few hours that makes this win sweeter for you especially. Would you like to tell the people about it?" Tiffany asked, her smile growing.

Jessica nodded, turned back to the crowd and said, "If you remember, when I told everyone I was stepping down, I did say I was going to continue with fashion and music afterwards on my own and that's still true, but I didn't say if I was joining anyone or adding anything else to that."

"Well, you hadn't lined it up by then, so you weren't hiding anything." Tiffany said. "You wanna tell them what's happened since, though?"

"Well, I had a conversation before we came here today with C9's owner, Mr. Jack Etienne, about a gig..." Jessica responded.

"Yes?" Tiffany asked, laying a hand on her shoulder supportively and encouraging her to continue.

Jessica smiled at her, turned back to the crowd and revealed, "I'm joining Cloud 9 as a consulting manager!"

The crowd gasped, but then applauded and then cheered, turning it into a standing ovation. They didn't yet know everything because we'd done a good job of keeping things under wraps when we'd wanted to, but they knew from the announcement of her decision how deeply she felt about us and knew that we had done something great for her in those difficult weeks even if they didn't know what.

Jessica was visibly moved but held her tears, and said, "Thank you all for your support...I need to tell you something more. When I decided to step down, they were one of the first groups of people I told because we'd befriended them at KCON and continued to stay in contact as they arrived for their boot camp ahead of Worlds. And I had barely given them the news when they asked if we could avoid scheduling our last performance with me until after the final if they beat SKT in their quarterfinal. It meant so much to us that they wanted to dedicate their performance, which is now a World Championship-winning performance, not just to their families, their loved ones and their fans, especially in North America, where they've waited and dreamed of this night for a long time, but to us too. And now, we want to dedicate the performance you'll see soon not just to you, our amazing fans who have cheered for us all the way, but to them."

She was smiling again by the end, and the crowd cheered its approval. Tiffany asked them, "Shall we bring them back out?"

They cheered one more time to indicate the answer as a big yes, and Jessica said, "All right! Given what just happened, Tiffany, you should be the one to get us going."

Tiffany smiled and replied, "My pleasure!" Then she turned back towards the crowd and proclaimed, "DJ, put it back on!"

The crowd burst into a renewed roar as they knew what that meant – and at the same time, the introduction to Genie started playing and Jessica announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, your League of Legends Season 4 World Champions: Cloud 9!"

As they joined in the applause, the pathway to the stage from the players' tunnel was illuminated, and the crowd grew even louder in anticipation. As the opening stanza started – the same part Aurora had sung earlier during our Mic Check – the fans got louder still when the screens showed us in the tunnel in two columns, chatting and encouraging each other before we went out. Each of the Girls' Generation members took the arms of one of the guys except for Hyoyeon, who was holding Aurora's hand.

[Taeyeon] Soweoneul malhaebwa
Ni mamsoge inneun jageun kkumeul malhaebwa
[Jessica] Nimeorie inneun isanghyeongeul geuryeo bwa
Geurigo nareul bwa
Nan neoye Genie-ya kkumiya Genie-ya

English
[Taeyeon] Tell me your wish
Tell me that small dream you have within you
[Jessica] Draw that ideal person you have inside your head
And then look at me
I’m your Genie, your dream, your Genie

We then emerged from the tunnel, and the crowd went even louder still. Taeyeon and Hai led us out, followed by (in order) Hyoyeon and Aurora, Yoona and Sneaky, Sooyoung and Meteos, Seohyun and me, Sunny and Balls and finally Yuri and LemonNation.

As we joined Tiffany and Jessica onstage, waving to the fans along the way, we were awestruck at how the atmosphere had morphed. It was if the atmosphere of a Girls' Generation concert had melded with that of the Worlds Grand Final to create something incredibly invigorating. It was like electricity was meeting pixie dust, supercharging the air around us. A big part of that was the fact that it was just the sixteen of us either on or approaching the stage with the Summoner's Cup just before we raised it, with all of us wearing blue and white and both groups' emblems – and the fact that they kept playing one of the perfect songs for the moment in Genie.

[Yoona/Seohyun] Deurimkareul tago dallyeo bwa
 Neon nae yeopjarie anja
Geujeo nae ikkeullim soge modu deonjeo
[Yuri] Gaseum beokcha teojeo beoryeodo
Baramkkyeore nallyeo beoryeodo
Jigeum i sungan sesangeun neoye geot

[All] Geuraeyo nan neol saranghae eonjena mideo
Kkumdo yeoljjeongdo da jugo shipeo
[Yoona] Nan geudae soweoneul irweo jugo shipeun (Shipeun)
Haengune yeoshin

[All] Soweoneul malhaebwa
[Tiffany/Jessica] I’m Genie for you, boy
[Jessica] (Come on)
[All] Soweoneul malhaebwa
[Yoona/Sooyoung] I’m Genie for your wish
[All] Soweoneul malhaebwa
[Tiffany/Jessica] I’m Genie for your dream
[All] Naegeman malhaebwa
[Yoona/Sooyoung] I’m Genie for your world

English
[Yoona/Seohyun] Get in your dream car and speed off
You’re sitting next to me
Just throw everything into my guidance
[Yuri] Even if your overwhelmed heart was to explode
Even if it all flies away in the wind
Right now, this moment, the world is yours

[All] Yes, I love you, you can always believe in me
Dreams, passions, I want to give them all to you
[Yoona] I’m a goddess of fortune
That wants to make your wishes come true

[All] Tell me your wish
[Tiffany/Jessica] I’m Genie for you, boy
[Jessica] (Come on)
[All] Tell me your wish
[Yuri/Sooyoung] I’m Genie for your wish
[All] Tell me your wish
[Tiffany/Jessica] I’m Genie for your dream
[All] Tell it only to me
[Yuri/Sooyoung] I’m Genie for your world