‘Hello everyone and welcome to Star king! Tonight we have some very special guests that we know you’ll have fun watching! On tonights show, we have representatives from three of Korea’s top Hallyu star groups! Please welcome KARA’s Goo Hara and Park Gyuri, Girl’s Generation’s Im Yoona and Kim Hyoyeon, and Super Junior’s Leeteuk and Eunhyuk!” The crowd went crazy, applauding and screaming. Kang Ho Dong laughed heartily and began the show.

Each of the groups had organised a dance piece for their performance on Star King that night. Hyoyeon’s eyes were glued to Eunhyuk for his entire segment with Leeteuk. The pair had turned Eunhyuk’s ‘dangerous’ solo into a duo, which sent the girls on the sidelines into a screaming, fan girling mess. Hyoyeon’s heart was beating fast as Eunhyuk sat down in his spot next to her, and sent a smile her way. His gummy smile gave her all the strength she needed. Hyoyeon’s eyes scanned across his flawless jaw line for a moment, before they snapped back up into his almond shaped eyes. She got up on stage next to Gyuri, and they started their piece. Hyoyeon danced hard to impress, and It seemed like everyone’s eyes were on her. Seeking out that gummy smile again, hoping for the approval of the boy who meant the most to her, Hyoyeon spun around quickly, but was shocked to see that Eunhyuk was staring with wide eyes at Gyuri. When the two girls sat down, rather than congratulating Hyoyeon on her hard work, Eunhyuk instead praised Gyuri loudly. Hyoyeon’s anger rose as Eunhyuk told the crowd that out of the girls on the show that night, Gyuri was his ideal type. Yoona squeezed Hyoyeon’s hand and gave her a knowing look, telling her to keep her cool.

For the rest of the show, Hyoyeon tried to put it behind her. She made an effort to laugh at everyone’s jokes, but the way Eunhyuk and Gyuri were talking to each other made Hyoyeon nearly explode. Hyoyeon barely said anything that night, and she knew for sure that she would get almost completely edited out. But maybe that was for the better… She definitely didn’t want the world to see the disappointment in her eyes as the boy she loved flirted openly with another girl. 

After Star King was finished, Hyoyeon headed backstage, towards her dressing room, her eyes glued to the floor to avoid talking to anyone who passed her by. Hyoyeon opened the door and was shocked to find Eunhyuk already inside.

‘What are you doing here?’ She asked, her voice icy, ‘Shouldn’t you be hanging out with Gyuri? You know, your ‘ideal type’?’ Eunhyuk took a second to process her words, then a sorry look crossed his face. Trying to make the situation lighter, he rubbed his hands together, just like in Sorry Sorry, smiling slightly. But Hyoyeon shook her head and turned around, not being able to look at him any longer. Hyoyeon felt so betrayed… The pair rarely get put on shows together, and when they finally did, he ignores her because someone better comes along? Hyoyeon thought that he shared the same feelings that hyoyeon felt. She thought that Eunhyuk liked her too.

Eunhyuk stood up and mentally kicked himself. ”I don’t know if this will change anything,’ He said, his voice low, his eyes on the back of Hyoyeons head, ‘but i think you should know I said what I said for us.” Hyoyeon spun around, a tear that she had been fighting falling from her eye. 

“For us?” She almost yelled, “How can telling the world that she is your ideal type be benefical for us?’ Eunhyuk winced from her tone. Hyoyeon sounded harsh, completely unlike her usual, happy self. Eunhyuk braced himself and walked up to Hyoyeon, placed his hands on her shoulders, and spun her around to face him. ‘I only wanted to protect you.’ To Hyoyeon’s surprise, Eunhyuk wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders, hugging her into his chest. “I’m not ready for the world to know how I feel about you yet. Its not that I’m scared for my sake…’ He paused and pulled away, using his index finger to make Hyoyeon look up into his eyes, ‘I just don’t want you to bear the negative effects of being my girlfriend.” 

Hyoyeon tilted her head in confusion, her anger long gone. ‘But Hyukjae, I’m not your girlfriend.’ Eunhyuk laughed and grabbed her small hands, and held them in his, gently playing with her fingers. His smooth brown eyes were sparkling when he looked back up at her face. 

‘Not yet.’