Fires raged through the house, mercilessly destroying all they touched as they slowly crept forward towards Skye.  She attempted to tug her stationary mother away from the encroaching blaze, her screams falling on deaf ears as she desperately pulled.  She used all her strength in a single attempt, crying out as she was thrown backwards. In a final desperate action, she reached out, left helpless to watch as her mother was engulfed by the inferno.  She lay, motionless, staring through tear stricken eyes as the blaze continued its rampage. With one final sob for those she had lost, she closed her eyes, and felt the heat overtake her.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Skye…”

“Skye...”

“Skye.”

“Skye!”

Skye’s eyes finally shot open as the voice calling her name resonated in her consciousness, vision blurry through her tears as she attempted to recognize her surroundings.  She felt a soft hand wiping away her tears, finally finding visual clarity as the image of Miyeon’s face formed in front of her. Miyeon’s concerned expression quickly morphed into a comforting smile as Skye’s eyes focused and met her gaze.

“Hey, are you alright?  You were shaking and crying in your sleep,” Miyeon asked, earning a shaky nod in return.

“Yeah, it was … just a nightmare,” Skye whispered in response, attempting to take deep breaths to calm herself.  Miyeon leaned back, settling into a sitting position onto Skye’s bed as she studied the other girl.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Miyeon asked as Skye finally managed to get her rapid breathing to an acceptable level.  Skye shook her head, about to decline the offer, but something in Miyeon’s eyes made her change her mind.

“I have the same nightmare every time I talk about my family’s death,” Skye explained.  “But that time felt … worse, as if I couldn’t tell that it was a dream. I swear, I felt the same feelings of terror I did on the day itself.”

Miyeon nodded, a sympathetic smile gracing her features as she joked, “Maybe since you told the story twice yesterday, your reaction was twice as bad?”  Miyeon’s smile grew a bit for a moment as Skye chuckled in response, but her serious expression shortly returned. 

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t the last two days been the most emotional interaction you’ve had in years?”  Miyeon nodded as Skye voiced her agreement, and the older girl decided to continue. 

“You opened your emotional floodgates, and there’s probably a lot of unaddressed emotions built up.”  Miyeon paused for a moment before taking Skye’s hands into her own, comforting Skye as she whispered, “It’s okay not to be okay.” 

Skye said nothing as she pulled the other girl close, tears falling freely and shamelessly as she rested her head on the other girl’s shoulder, finally acknowledging her emotions.

Skye didn’t know how much time passed in Miyeon’s embrace, but it felt like a lifetime as the repressed feelings of the past seven years finally found their outlet.  Miyeon sat in silence as she consoled and supported the other girl, gently rubbing Skye’s back with her hand as she provided a level of comfort Skye had been lacking for far too long.

Both parties experienced a slight moment of confusion as they both felt the slightest bit of sadness as Skye pulled away, showing her first smile of the day.  “Better?” Miyeon asked, showing a smile of her own.

“More than you know,” Skye responded.

The pair turned as Skye’s alarm began its daily cacophony, both mentally remarking about how grateful they were that the alarm hadn’t interrupted their embrace.  After putting an end to the disruption, Skye turned back, meeting Miyeon’s comforting gaze once again. “Care to share what that surprise is now?” Miyeon asked, expression shifting back to a playful one.

Skye tilted her head, her own sly smirk developing in return.  “Not particularly …” she responded, chuckling as Miyeon displayed her frustration by breaking eye contact and getting up to check her phone.

“Come on …” Skye continued; hints of playfulness still apparent in her tone.  “A little patience won’t kill you.”

“Alright, but it better be worth the wait!” Miyeon declared as she set down her phone and turned back to face Skye.

“I certainly hope it will be,” Skye responded as she reached for her own phone.  After the two confirmed that they both didn’t have a schedule, Skye offered, “Why don’t you shower first, and I’ll get you some clothes that you can borrow for the day?”

Miyeon voiced her gratitude as she made her way into the bathroom, leaving Skye isolated with the sounds of running water.  Skye took a brief moment to lay out outfits for herself and Miyeon before making her way into the kitchen, beginning her preparations.  She ‘decided’ to make the same breakfast that she had made for Kyulkyung the day before, swearing internally that it wasn’t just because it was the only meal she could consistently prepare without major catastrophe ensuing.

Literal seconds after Skye finished placing their meals on the table, Miyeon poked her head out of the bathroom, asking “Hey, could you please hand me the clothes you grabbed for me?”

“Hold on, I’ve got a better idea,” Skye responded, grabbing her own change of clothes and walking over to the bathroom.  “Your clothes are laid out on my bed, and there’s breakfast waiting for you on the table. I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll join you,” she said, arriving outside the door.

Miyeon’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of breakfast, causing an embarrassed smile to flash on Skye’s features.  Miyeon nodded in understanding before opening the door, voicing her thanks as she made her way past Skye. Skye’s breath caught in as the other girl passed by, clad in nothing but a towel.  Skye attempted to respond for a moment before panicking and shutting the door behind herself, feeling a warmth in her cheeks that had nothing to do with the heat of the post shower air.

She quickly made her way under the rushing stream of water, hoping that the torrent would wash away her concerns as it washed her body.  She was pleasantly surprised as her desires were somewhat fulfilled, as she began to mentally review her plans for the day. Every step of the surprise was reviewed as she quickly made her way through her morning routine, finally getting dressed and exiting the bathroom a few short moments later.

Miyeon sat at the table in the outfit that Skye had prepared, comfortably lounging in the chair as she messed around on her phone.  Skye paused for a moment in confusion as she noticed Miyeon’s untouched plate. “Did you not like your breakfast?” Skye asked, confusion and concern very much apparent in her voice as she took her seat across the table from her guest.

“No, that’s not it all!” Miyeon hurriedly explained as she set down her phone, meeting Skye’s gaze.  “I just waited so that we could eat together!”

Skye smiled gratefully, picking up her utensils as an amusing realization struck her.  “Wait, did you just display … patience?”

Miyeon rolled her eyes in frustration at the other’s quip, deciding to stick out her tongue in a childlike manner before taking her first bites of the meal in front of her.  Skye paused, deciding to gauge the other’s reaction before beginning her own meal. Skye exhaled a breath she didn’t even know she was holding as Miyeon exclaimed in satisfaction.  “This is amazing!” Miyeon announced, already in the process of taking another bite.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it, I wasn’t sure how you would like food from another culture,” Skye admitted as she began to enjoy her own meal.  The next few minutes were spent comfortably in silence as the two enjoyed their meals, both entertaining themselves with their own thoughts.

Skye studied Miyeon’s expression the entire time the two continued their breakfast, slowly deciding to speak up.  “What are you thinking about?” Skye asked Miyeon, causing the older girl’s eyes to refocus as she departed from her thoughts and made her way back to reality.

“A better question would be to ask what I’m not thinking about,” Miyeon responded with a dark chuckle.  “I can’t help but be nervous about attempting to debut once more, but my biggest concern is becoming close with people here.  It took me long enough to finally befriend the (G)I-DLE members …”

Skye watched on as Miyeon’s train of thought trailed off, leaving the pair in silence.  Skye studied Miyeon’s expression for a few moments before finally asking, “So what was the first thing you did with them to try to get close?”

Miyeon’s expression shifted to an embarrassed smile as her mind was cast back to the day that felt so long ago, explaining, “I asked them if they wanted to eat with me … but it was so awkward, so I ended up eating alone …”  Miyeon’s smile faded as she finished her explanation and sadness overwhelmed her visage once more.

“If that’s the case, you’re already making steps in the right direction,” Skye offered, causing Miyeon to tilt her head in confusion.

“How so?” Miyeon asked in response.

“You weren’t turned down when you asked someone to eat with you!” Skye joked, smile widening as Miyeon’s own smile returned.  “You actually saved me from potentially being a total outcast on the first night, and I’m super grateful for that!”

“Really?”  Miyeon asked in disbelief.  “You don’t seem like the anxious type.”

Skye nodded, responding, “I get that a lot from the few people I get to know well, but several years of near total isolation will do that to you.”

“How can you say things like that so casually?” Miyeon mumbled, barely loud enough for Skye to hear. 

Skye shrugged, responding, “Honestly, I don’t have some profound solution to share.  I’m just trying to not let my past define who I am today.”

Miyeon simply responded with a warm smile and a shrug of her own, offering her hand to Skye as she set down the dishes, saying, “Then shall we enjoy today, and especially the surprise you have planned?”

Skye gratefully smiled, quickly wiping her hands off before placing one of her own into Miyeon’s, leading her out of the apartment after a quick confirmation that neither were missing anything crucial.

Within a few moments, the pair were in the elevator, comfortably humming along as ‘Error’ by Vixx played softly.

As the lift reached its destination and the doors opened, Skye broke the comfortable silence by asking, “Have you heard anything from Nayoung?”

Miyeon shook her head in response, asking in return, “I haven’t heard anything, have you talked to Kyulkyung?”

“Nope, she hasn’t reached out to me either.  I wonder what they’ve been up to,” Skye murmured thoughtfully.

Flashback – The Previous Night – Nayoung & Miyeon’s Apartment 

Nayoung and Kyulkyung made their way into the apartment, hand in hand as they entered the room.

“Nice place,” Kyulkyung remarked as Nayoung closed the door behind her.  “It’s like … identical to mine.”

Nayoung rolled her eyes at the other’s teasing, taking a seat on her bed as Kyulkyung scanned the room.  “How was your first day?” the older girl asked.

“It was good, just busy,” Kyulkyung responded as she made her way to take a seat on Miyeon’s bed, settling directly across from the other.  “What song did you do for your evaluation?”

 “Run Devil Run,” Nayoung responded, thinking back fondly on the memories associated with the song.  “What about you?”

Kyulkyung responded with a sly smirk, electing to only respond with, “You know which song.”

In that moment, Nayoung felt a familiar recognition in her mind, causing her to return the smile and nod in affirmation.  This … indescribable connection had developed between the two many years ago, and though neither of the pair could properly describe it to anyone else, it had made them closer as a result.

Nayoung reached across the gap, taking Kyulkyung’s hand in her own.  The pair sat in comfortable silence, relishing the warmth of each other.

After a short while, Kyulkyung stood and made her way next to Nayoung on the bed.  The two lay together, faces in close proximity as they basked in the beauty of the tranquil moment.  Both knew that there was much to discuss, many fears to address, but mutually agreed to leave those concerns to another time.  All that mattered was the security found in their bond, and the knowledge that they were willing and able to stare down any impediment, as long as they were together.  As their eyes closed, a message rang out in their minds, a promise made so long ago yet as significant as the day it was first spoken.

‘Forever and always.’

Return to Present Day

A different pair found themselves in silence as Skye led Miyeon to their mysterious destination.  Miyeon felt her confusion growing as the pair traveled towards the center of the island, bewilderment reaching its peak as Skye suddenly stopped in front of a seemingly random and inconspicuous dwelling and unlocked the door.

Amusingly, Miyeon’s perplexed expression was offset by Skye’s elation, as the younger redhead took the older girl by the arm and led her inside.  Skye stepped forwards, plunging the pair into darkness as the door shut behind them.

“Is it time for you to explain what exactly we’re doing yet?” Miyeon asked as she felt Skye’s touch disappear.  “Please?”

“One sec!” Skye called out from a surprising distance, leaving Miyeon in the darkness for a few too many moments before finally locating her objective and bringing the room to light.

“Surprise!” Skye announced as Miyeon’s eyes readjusted to the sudden brightness.  When her vision was fully restored, Miyeon found herself just as, if not more, puzzled than before entering the room as she was met by a quintet of high-end computer setups.

“Remember how we were talking about your D.O.T.A. 3 promotions yesterday, and you mentioned how you used to like video games, but you don’t anymore, and you wanted a teacher?  Well here we go!” Skye rambled as she made her way back over to Miyeon, eyes filled with glee.

As Skye reached Miyeon, her enthusiasm ground to a screeching halt as she was met by a blank countenance on the visage of her companion.  An awkward silence permeated the space between them as the seconds stretched along.

“If you’re not interested, we can do something else, like … uh …” Skye hurriedly said, attempting to break the silence with literally anything else before being interrupted by Miyeon’s joyous laughter.

“Your rambling is absolutely adorable!” Miyeon declared through her mirth, finally meeting the concerned eyes of the other girl.  “I genuinely appreciate the gesture; I was just stunned by how quickly you set this all up! Didn’t we just talk about this yesterday?”

Skye nodded her head, responding, “Maybe, but I could tell that there were some happy memories associated with this kind of pastime, and to be honest …” Skye paused as a blush and sly smirk simultaneously developed, before admitting, “I’m not a patient person either.”

Miyeon affectionately patted the other girl’s shoulder, stating, “I appreciate the kind gesture, regardless of the sudden timing.  But …” Miyeon paused as she looked over at the setups once more. “Aren’t there a few too many computers for just the two of us?”

Less than a second later _{(by the power of the author’s will!)} the door opened behind her, and three somewhat familiar faces entered the room.  Skye took a step forward as Miyeon turned to face the new arrivals, declaring, “Allow me to formally introduce you, and kind of myself because this is the first time we’ve spoken in person, to Yoohyeon of Dreamcatcher, Sakura of IZ*ONE, and Yeeun of CLC!”  The group quickly made introductions all around as Miyeon continued to marvel at the depth of Skye’s quickly constructed ‘surprise’.

“When did you even plan this?” Miyeon demanded as the other three revealed that Skye had invited them late last night.

“Last night, while walking back from my commitment,” Skye explained.  “Gavin himself gave us the invitation to use this room at any time.”

The four listening looked amongst each other at the casual declaration, each of their expressions displaying a mixture of confusion and amazement.

Skye met the other girls’ stares with her signature sly smirk, turning towards the pentagon of setups as she called back to the others, “If you’re able to pick your jaws up off the floor, it’s time to play!”

 Skye took her seat at the head of the pentagon as the others began to follow.  Her gaze met Miyeon’s as she signaled for the older girl to take the seat directly to her right.  Miyeon’s brow furrowed in confusion as she noted the difference in layout. Skye noted the other’s confusion, murmuring “left-handed setup” quietly as Miyeon took her seat.

Miyeon felt feelings of warmth and gratitude spread through her body as the depth of the other girl’s planning astounded her once more.  As she watched Skye stand and converse with the others, confirming that each of the other three guests were comfortable, a realization struck Miyeon.  “She’s really considerate,” she thought as her mind cast back to the previous day, thinking of how Skye had thought to order food for Nayoung so that the older girl wouldn’t have to wait, comforted Cheng Xiao and Eunseo regarding the privacy of their relationship, and even when Skye had fully intended to sleep on the couch to guarantee that Miyeon had a comfortable place to sleep.

A few moments later, Miyeon was brought out of her internal reflection as Skye stopped behind her chair.  “Alright, so have you ever played this game?” Skye asked softly, nodding her head in confirmation of her expectations as Miyeon shook her head in denial.

“Then let’s start from scratch,” Skye said with a smile, earning a smile in return as she kneeled at Miyeon’s side and guided the other girl’s hands onto their proper places on the keyboard.  The pair spent the next few minutes like that, hands layered, as Skye slowly explained the basics of the complicated game, happily answering any and all of Miyeon’s questions in a kind and informative tone that was a stark contrast to the condescending intonation of her relatives so many years ago.

Miyeon noted and very much appreciated the difference, feeling her nervousness give way to a long lost feeling of childlike excitement with every passing moment of explanation.  As Skye’s pseudo-tutorial completed and she took her seat, Miyeon flexed her fingers in anticipation.

After Skye got the others’ attention and reconvened the entire group into a single lobby, a final confirmation was requested.  As each of the players responded that they were ready, Miyeon watched as their monitors faded to black and they were cast into character selection.

Skye leaned over, explaining that she and Miyeon would be sticking together as she selected Miyeon’s character from her K/DA promotions and made all the necessary pre-game preparations.  Miyeon started as her own voice rang out in the speakers of her headset, announcing that the K/DA skin for her character, Kumiho.

Miyeon looked around, desperately hoping that no one had noticed her moment of fright.  As she looked to her right, she sighed in relief that Yeeun hadn’t noticed her outburst.  However, as she looked to her left, her face flushed with embarrassment as she noticed Skye attempting to hide her laughter.

Luckily, Miyeon’s initial panic was quickly forgotten by both as the game began.  Skye kept a constant stream of communication with Miyeon, guiding her through what to do and giving kind words of encouragement throughout the entire game.  Skye utilized her additional experience to act as Miyeon’s teacher and guardian, saving the older girl from death on multiple occasions and guaranteeing a pleasant experience.

Roughly half an hour later, the game concluded in a victory for the group of idols.  Miyeon started once again at the realization (albeit less violently this time), as the enjoyment of the game had caused the time to pass in what felt like mere moments.

Skye took her headset off in celebration as she high-fived Yoohyeon next to her, before turning to meet Miyeon’s own excited gaze.  “So what did you think?” Skye asked, a wide grin on her face as she swiveled her chair around to face Miyeon.

“That was awesome!”  Miyeon responded genuinely, a wide smile of her own gracing her features.  She felt her smile growing as the others voiced their agreement, each of them complimenting her solid performance despite her lack of experience.

Once the praise reached its conclusion, Skye raised her hand to gain the attention of the room once more.  “Alright, how about a game or two more, and then we’ll go get lunch?” The others voiced their agreement, and within a few moments, the quintet were loading into another game.

The remainder of the morning passed in a blur of virtual enjoyment as the group rattled off a series of victories.  As the final victory screen flashed on their screens, Skye rose from her chair in celebration, pumping her fist as she exclaimed in joy.  “We did it, great job guys!” she exclaimed, fist-bumping Yoohyeon on her left before turning to face Miyeon.

“Was the surprise worth waiting for?” Skye asked, signature smug smirk showing once again.

Miyeon paused for a moment, considering denying the girl’s assumption just to , but finally deciding to answer honestly as she responded, “Absolutely.”

Skye’s smirk shifted to a full-fledged grin at Miyeon’s response.  She turned away towards the others momentarily as she announced, “Alright, time for lunch!  Everyone ready?”

As she received another chorus of affirmation, she stood, turning to Miyeon and offering her hand.  “Are you ready?” she asked, waiting hand hovering in front of the only girl remaining seated.

Miyeon readily accepted her invitation, accepting Skye’s assistance as she stood from her seat.  The quintet quickly made their departure from the small building, animatedly chatting amongst themselves as Skye closed and locked the door behind them.

She quickly rejoined the conversation, eagerly to speak of her own gaming experiences as she led the group towards the dining hall.  As Skye shared about her own favorite games of the past few years, she noticed Miyeon’s blank expression, unable to relate to the conversation.  With that realization, she jumped into the conversation as soon as Yeeun finished her point, declaring, “I loved that game too! It reminded me of a game that I used to play when I was young.  Speaking of our childhoods, what did you like to play when you were younger, Miyeon?”

Despite the lack of subtlety, a spark of life flashed through Miyeon’s visage as she was included in the conversation, her smile appearing once more as she drew from her memories and began to share stories of her childhood and the games she enjoyed back then.

Skye succeeded in her personal mission to keep all four of the other members involved in the conversation for the rest of the journey to the dining hall, smiling at their fond memories and laughing along with the others’ jokes.  As they did, the sentiments that she had shared with Gavin the previous night regarding how easily the idols befriended each other rang true in her mind once more.

The quick journey was made to feel even shorter by the enjoyable conversation, causing the group to barely even notice as Skye opened the door and they made their way inside the building.  As everyone took their seats, Skye noticed Cheng Xiao and Eunseo sitting together in the corner of the room, hands intertwined as they rested on the table. Eunseo whispered what assumed Skye was a joke, causing Cheng Xiao to burst into a quiet fit of laughter and a smile to develop on Skye’s visage as well as she took her own seat and turned her attention back to the group.

All five members fell into a momentary silence as they studied their virtual menus, taking a moment to scroll through the extensive variety of available cuisine before submitting their final decisions.  Selections were soon made, and Skye took the lead in the conversation once again, attempting to get to know the idols on a more personal note.

“So, Yoohyeon,” Skye began.  “How is it for you living on an island?  I’m sure that boat ride must have been brutal for you given your known fear of the ocean.”

Yoohyeon nodded, responding, “I’m getting more comfortable with each day that passes.  The ride to get here was admittedly terrifying though, I spent the entire time clutching onto a life preserver, just in case.”

The table chuckled along with Yoohyeon as she animatedly portrayed the terror she felt in the moment, pretending to cower in fear as she held the imaginary flotation device.  As the laughter subsided, Skye continued, asking, “One of your last events before coming to Apex was your debut as a runway model right, how was that experience?”

Yoohyeon nodded, remarking, “You know your stuff!  It was enjoyable to try something new, but the experience was nowhere near as enjoyable as being able to perform and display my personality on stage.”

The others voiced their agreement at the eldest’s words, and Skye turned to the next target of her questions, asking, “And speaking of other types of non-idol promotion, how did you enjoy your time as an actress, Sakura, or should I say Maki?”

A small smile developed on the lips of Sakura at the mention of her former role as she responded, “It’s a bit like what Yoohyeon said.  I enjoyed the experience, and would like to pursue an opportunity in the future …” She paused for a moment, reflecting on her past before declaring, “But so much of my life has been spent as an idol, and it’s what I enjoy most.  Especially when given a permanent opportunity like this.”

Skye nodded, continuing as she asked, “You debuted with such a large group, so you must be one of the most comfortable around the large number of idols here, right?”

Sakura paused for a moment, considering her words before admitting, “It’s still a lot.”

The table found themselves in another round of sympathetic chuckles, fully understanding where Sakura was coming from.

The group soon found themselves in a comfortable silence as their meals arrived.  Each of the meals was different, yet prepared to perfection and fully encapsulated the attention of not only the five members at the table, but of each of the idols that had been delivered their meals at the other tables as well.

Once the quintet had eaten their fill, Skye took the opportunity to continue the conversation from earlier.  She turned to Yeeun, asking, “So Yeeun, I’ve heard that you like to cook in your spare time, right? In your expert opinion, how would you rate the food here?”

Yeeun paused for a moment, tilting her head in confusion before responding, “Is this a trick question?  The food here is amazing!”

Skye’s sly smirk returned at the other girls’ response, admitting, “While I didn’t exactly intend it to be a trick question, I would have been shocked if you said otherwise!”  The group chuckled along with Skye at the declaration, each enjoying the satisfaction of their meal as they conversed.

Skye continued as a random tidbit of fan knowledge resurfaced, asking Yeeun, this time in Mandarin, “I know you’re referred to as the flirty one in CLC, so what do you think of Yoohyeon?  Thinking of putting the moves on her?”

As Skye predicted, Yeeun kept true to her familiar habit, covering & looking to her right, causing her eyes to meet directly with Yoohyeon’s.  Right as twin blushes developed on both girl’s cheeks, simultaneously as if they were staring into a mirror, Skye leaned forward, whispering, “Yoohyeon speaks Mandarin too.”

As Yeeun realized the extent of Skye’s teasing, her blush deepened, becoming a brighter shade of crimson than Skye’s hair.  Skye leaned back, overcome with mirth as she burst into laughter at the pair’s misfortune.

A few moments passed and Miyeon and Sakura were left watching on in confusion as the other three girls attempted to compose themselves.  Once her laughter subsided, Skye explained her scheme to the group, almost bursting into laughter once again as Yeeun fanned her face, attempting to get the embarrassment to stop showing.

“You’re so weird …” Miyeon remarked, causing Skye to shrug in response.

“Can’t deny that …” Skye said in return, smirk turning even more devious as another tidbit of information reentered the forefront of her mind.  With that, she leaned forward, reducing the gap between herself and Miyeon as she teased, “Why do you mention it? Trying to hide the fact that you’re jealous that you're not the one getting flirted with?”

Once again, the multi-fan’s memory did not disappoint as Miyeon exclaimed in shock and leaned away as expected, panicked expression displaying how incredibly flustered she was.

Skye’s laughter returned at Miyeon’s reaction, mirth growing as she overheard the others joining her in the enjoyment.  As she pulled away, her smile shifted to a more genuine and calming one, causing Miyeon to visibly relax after her panicked outburst.

“Alright, I’m done teasing, I promise,” Skye declared.  She leaned back, gaze holding Miyeon’s own as she asked, “What kind of things do you do for fun?”

Miyeon took no time to respond, sharing, “I’ve actually been working a lot with Soyeon and Minnie to improve my song composition and lyricism.  In addition, I’ve always loved doing nail arts, as well as practicing piano and violin.”

Yeeun spoke up, remarking, “It must be nice being able to work with Soyeon so closely.  I write my own rap verses like she does, and I’d love the chance to learn from her like you have.”

Skye nodded in agreement, adding, “Seriously!  The opportunity to work with so many talented individuals must be nice …”  She trailed off, lost in her memories before Miyeon’s hand on her own brought her back to reality.

“Don’t forget that you also now have that opportunity,” Miyeon remarked, her warm smile causing Skye to return one of her own.  Skye looked down, murmuring something as she pulled her hand away, placing it in her lap.

“Hmm, what was that?” Miyeon asked, leaning closer to hear better.

“…You play my favorite instruments,” Skye answered timidly.

Her admission hung in the silence for a moment, until suddenly Sakura leaned forward, whispering, “Now who’s embarrassed?”

For the first time of the day, Skye felt herself as the recipient of the joke rather than the initiator.  She shyly looked around at the other girls as they burst into laughter, but her embarrassment faded as she noticed harmless amusement rather than malice.  She found herself joining in, enjoying herself with some of her first friends in a long while.

The laughter came to a swift halt as the clock struck 2 PM and a notification rang out from each of the girls’ phones.  Skye took hers out and read the notification aloud as the others followed suit, “Major announcement at 8 PM. Please do your best to attend.”

As Skye finished reading out the announcement, she looked around the table, meeting the eyes of the others, who all shared the same puzzled expression that was apparent on her own.  As her eyes finally locked with Yoohyeon at the end of the table, Yoohyeon spoke the thought that was on the minds of all the idols, “What could it possibly be?”

Six Hours Later – Outdoor Amphitheater

As dusk fell over the island, Skye found herself in the same seat as a few days ago, chatting with Sohye about the gaming surprise she had planned for Miyeon and how the quintet spent the rest of the day chatting, exploring the island, and getting to know each other better.  Skye found herself surprised that she wasn’t aware of Sohye’s own love for games, and eagerly promised to extend an invitation to the younger girl if she arranged another event in the future.

Skye’s attempt to get Sohye to share about her own day was unfortunately cut short by Gavin’s arrival onto the stage.  The noise of the crowd quickly died down as Gavin made his way behind the podium, clearing his throat and addressing the audience.

“Good evening everyone, thank you for coming on such short notice, especially on a vacation day.  I wouldn’t be calling you here if it wasn’t important, but a behind the scenes legal matter was resolved quicker than expected and allowed us to move forward sooner than predicted.”  As Gavin addressed the audience, Skye’s mind began to run wild with possible ideas of what the crucial declaration could be. However, she found her train of thought cut off by Gavin once again as he proceeded with his speech.

“Each of you was invited here with the intention of debuting you in a new group that best showcases your skills and personalities.  However, before we look to tomorrow, I want to celebrate yesterday’s accomplishments. The first public event organized by Apex will be a weekend-long concert and convention where you will be able to perform your greatest hits with your current groups, as well as interact with your fans and promote yourselves as individuals.”

Skye looked over to Sohye, where she was met by a confused and slightly sad expression that perfectly mirrored her own feelings.  Rather than the comfort offered by her growing friend group, Skye felt isolated and alone, as she feared that she would when first arriving here.  Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Gavin attempting to gain back the attention of the audience, so she turned to hear his conclusion.

“We’ll be sharing further specifics at a later date, but know that this convention will be hosted next weekend, January 11th-13th.”  Gavin paused, resolute expression on his face as he made his declaration.  Moments later, his expression shifted to one of genuine excitement, and he leaned forward towards the microphone for the final declaration of the night.

 “This is supposed to be a celebration of positive memories.  So to accomplish that, as well as transition to a more … complete future, I’d like to introduce the first addition to the Apex program, the final member of I.O.I., Jung Chaeyeon!”

Skye felt herself and Sohye gasp simultaneously as the beautiful actress / idol made her way onto the stage, shyly waving to the other idols.  Skye felt herself relating to the older girl standing isolated on the stage, afraid of being crushed under the weight of the spotlight.

Without even a conscious thought, she rose to her feet, giving the girl a standing ovation.  She stood alone for a few moments, but stayed committed to her decision, applauding Chaeyeon’s arrival.  She found herself quickly rewarded as the sea of idols began to join her, and the single pair of hands quickly turned into a deafening roar of applause.

Skye felt her gaze lock with Chaeyeon’s as the older girl mouthed a simple, “Thank you.”  Despite the distance, Skye felt the emotion. She knew the struggles of the last three plus years for the girl on stage, and felt the warmth of assisting another fill her body.  At least, she did … until she looked to the side and saw Gavin. In an instant, she went from riding a high to plummeting back to reality.

Gavin turned, locking eyes with Skye.  His typically reassuring visage did nothing for her as she whispered out her fears, “… What about me?”

Author’s Note:  Quick thing to mention, assume the spoken language is Korean unless clarified otherwise.  The Apex in Seoul convention is the first of what I’m going to be referring to as “Arcs”. These arcs will be a couple of chapters that tell the story of a specific pairing or important plot event, and how that is tied into the story as a whole.  Please don’t hesitate to let me know what pairings or events you want to see! Your subscriptions and comments absolutely speed up my writing process, as I genuinely feel terrible whenever I see a notification and I haven’t been working on this story.  That being said, there’s more coming, so I’ll see you soon, I promise!