June 2008

“Alright girls are you ready?” We were standing to the side as the director made sure the cameras were rolling. Today was day one of filming the music video for Rock U.

“Of course,” Seungyeon told him, me and Jiyoung had learned that Gyuri was pretty quiet most of the time around other people that she didn’t know. Though we’d been living and practicing together for six months it was still awkward to a degree.

“Ok get into positions,” we went to the set to film the start of the group choreography. The five of us stood in a line, Seungyeon in her yellow shirt tucked into an orange skirt was first to start lip synching. The music began to play and we moved according to the choreography. Gyuri was next in the shirt, shorts, vest and the hat. For this video she had gotten her hair cut. Jiyoung and I moved into the front for the first part of the chorus. Jiyoung had blue shorts, a pink t-shirt with a white vest over the top. I on the other hand was in a yellow playsuit with a green belt. All of our shoes were doc martins of different colors.

***

After we had filmed part of it in the one costume it was then time for a costume change.

“Unnie, have you seen the skirt?” Jiyoung came up to me anxiously.

“Isn’t it with the rest of the costume?” I asked as I sat patiently while the hair dresser finished putting waves in it.

“I looked there twice but it still isn’t there,” poor Jiyoung. She tended to worry like crazy if something wasn’t right. “Hmm, I like this,” we both turned to Gyuri. She was wearing the skirt with a blue singlet. That wasn’t her costume. “Unnie,” Jiyoung was surprised, “you’re wearing the skirt I was looking for.”

“Oh this,” she did a twirl, “I liked it better than the other one so I did a swap.” Both of us ended up gaping.

“You took the skirt?” I asked.

“What’s the matter with that?” Gyuri frowned, “I gave her a pair of bottoms didn’t I?”

“Yes but that’s to go with the costume for a reason,” I emphasized the word ‘reason’ in case she didn’t get the picture.

“But what if someone has a better reason for changing?” I started to rise.

“Unnie,” Jiyoung pushed down on my shoulder, “it’s fine really. I will just wear the—“

“—Unnie you’re wearing the wrong thing!” Congratulations Seungyeon, twenty points for you!

“I just changed the skirt that’s all,” Gyuri told her, “it’s not like I was committing a crime.

“But then what will Jiyoung-ah wear?” Nicole asked putting her arm around the maknae, “won’t it look funny?”

“She can get another skirt surely.” Gyuri scoffed. “I bet the stylist has more in her collection…”

“—Unnie,” Seungyeon had a stern look, “please give back the skirt.”

“Fine! I like the dress better anyway,” she spun on her heels and stomped back to the changing rooms. Nicole and Seungyeon turned to us.

“When she’s stressed…” Nicole began, “she tends to—“

“—It’s fine,” I assured them, “we’ve been flat out these past six months.”

“Yeah, once we’ve had a break she will be easier to get along with.” Seungyeon added helpfully. I hoped that was the case.

***

July 2008

Time passed, the video was finished and now the most important part was getting ready for our first live performance which was on Music Bank.

“I’m so nervous,” Jiyoung sat as we all sat in the dressing room in our costumes with our hair and makeup done. “Me too,” I agreed.

“Just relax,” Nicole assured us as Gyuri paced back and forth, quietly singing her lines over and over again. There was a knock on the door as the stage director poked his head around. “Girls come with me to get your mics. Your turn is one performance away.” We all went to door and followed him backstage. Each one of us was handed a microphone which we were shown how to turn on. Then he led us to the stage where we stood in position as rehearsed.

“Ready?” Gyuri whispered to us as the countdown began. Then it was show time. Everything ran smoothly, we all sang the right lines and the fans screamed for all five of us. However it didn’t mean that we weren’t going to be under scrutiny.

“Yah, who was it sang out of tune?!” Gyuri demanded as we were back in the dressing room.

“Nobody did,” Nicole pointed out.

“Yes they did! I heard it, someone didn’t hold their note properly!”

“Wasn’t that you?” Oh no, Jiyoung had done it. Gyuri went straight for her.

“Hold on…” Seungyeons’ voice trailed off. I couldn’t stand it so I stood up, blocking Gyuri’s path. “Step aside,” she snapped. “The maknae has no respect for anyone!”

“You’re getting carried away,” I calmly told her, “today went fine. Nobody even noticed.”

“Yes they did! I noticed.” Was she trying to spray me with her spit or something?

“But do you think it’s fair?”

“What is fair?”

“You bullying us like this?” Gyuri’s face changed as I continued. “These past few months haven’t been easy. I know I’m a new face and so is Jiyoung and we are having a lot to make up for because of that,” the other two shifted in their chairs.

“I was bullied in high school. For whatever the reason the girls didn’t like me. I had only a few close friends, one of them you would know as the maknae in Big Bang and the other is fulfilling her dream to become a singer too.” I breathed out, “If you let us have a chance, instead of putting us down or ordering us around then you would see that we are not bad people. We are rookies; you use to be too if I remember.” No one spoke for a minute. Seungyeon was next to Jiyoung patting her on the back with Nicole while they studied our leader’s face.

“Unnie,” Nicole asked worried.

“Are you going to leave us soon if I don’t?” In that moment it all made sense. Why she was like that to me and Jiyoung. She didn’t say anymore, so she left in silence. The other three looked at me.

“You’re right,” Seungyeon said quietly, “I didn’t see it before but now I do.” She wiped her eyes. “Will she be ok?” The maknae was as caring as she normally was.

“I hope so,” I said uncertain about how deeply the wound of the past may affect her from now on.

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Alright, so without having to spell it out to you we now have a plausible reason as to why Gyuri is the way she is. I’m not going to write anymore today cos my mum needs me off -___- hate and love that woman at the same time. If I get another subscriber by the end of the week then I will be allowing a Q&A section for the fanfic where you can ask me anything.