*Snap*

“Running an errand again?” Hitomi asked her friend Minju, who was part of the photography club in their school.

“Yeah, the seniors couldn’t go again since it’s the last 3 months of the year, they have alot to do, which leaves us juniors handling almost every event since.” Minju could only look down at her camera and sigh.

Minju has been part of the photography club ever since her first year in high school when Yujin, also her younger friend but from a different class made her join since the latter said ‘Unnie, are you gonna leave your favorite dongsaeng alone with many people she doesn’t know?’.

And also Yujin figured that Minju should join, since Minju has a camera of her own that she got from her parents on her 14th birthday.

Minju, being bored in school, decided to join instead of not being able to put at least something in her college application.

“Hang in there, next year, it won’t be you who's walking around taking pictures of everything you see almost everyday.” Hitomi told Minju to not think about being ordered around by her seniors too much.

“But the price is too much, I mean- doing research and handling the club at the same time seems a bit too much for me to endure.” Minju couldn’t deny that she preferred not staying in her classroom right now unlike her first year before Yujin made her join the photography club, but she wasn’t ecstatic either with the thought of possibly burning herself out with schoolwork.

While they were walking, going to the cafeteria hoping to get some food before continuing on Minju’s task, her phone rang.

Seeing the caller id is one of her seniors in the club she answers it, thinking that she’s being called back to the room and they tell her she’s done for the day.

“Hello Minhyun-oppa, what is it?” Minju was close enough with some of her club seniors that they told her that she can call them oppa or unnie instead of the usual sunbae.

“Hey Minju, are you free tomorrow?” Minhyun asked her.

Minju got a little gloomy by the question as she anticipated that she’ll be left off the hook after today but regardless, she still answered the question.

“I have no plans for tomorrow as of now oppa, can i ask why?” Minju replied.

“The finals of singing contest will be tomorrow for the lower years and there’s also a theatre play as well two days after, only me and Hyewon are free as of now. I was hoping you’d wanna join me and Hyewon for tomorrow” Minhyun wished that Minju would agree because there will be more students than they initially thought and everyone including them will be made to watch the event tomorrow.

Minju isn’t agreeing in a heartbeat which was scaring Minhyun, since the girl usually agrees even before the project or event was relayed to them every meeting they have.

“If you don’t want to, it’s okay, I understand, we’re sorry that we’re putting everything in your juniors’ hands.” Minhyun told her before she could answer.

“It’s not that oppa, I’ll think about it and I’ll let you know by tonight.” Minju didn’t want to promise because if she promises something, it’s programmed in her to come through with it, but she’s a little tired now so she doesn’t want to do anything yet.

“Okay, thanks Minju, by the way, you can go home now, we’re done here anyway so we can take over.” Minhyun told her.

“Yeah, I’ll see you all tomorrow after school, bye.” Minju said before ending the call.

“Here’s your burger and coke.” Hitomi put the tray on their table, they found a seat in the cafeteria while Minju was on the phone and Hitomi told her to just continue and made her sit so they won’t get their spot stolen and she ordered for the two.

“Thanks for the treat.” Minju thanked her.

“Yeah, thanks for the treat.” Hitomi thanked Minju.

Minju looked at Hitomi wide-eyed, ‘Why the hell is this girl thanking me? Isn’t she the one who treated me?’

She just let it go for today and will ask her friend someday before digging into the food in front of her.

“What was the call about?” Hitomi asked her, being curious about the call from earlier.

“Ahh, Minhyun-oppa just told me that there are two events happening tomorrow and later this week and wants me to cover some parts of each event.” Minju answered her curious friend.

“Are you gonna go then?” Hitomi asked her.

“I’m not sure yet, I told him that I’ll confirm if I’m going or not later tonight when I get home.” Minju replied.

“Make sure to get enough rest though, you’ve been doing these events for the whole year already.” Hitomi told her friend.

“Yeah yeah, I will. Comeon let’s eat.” Minju ate away at her food, reciprocated by Hitomi and they talked about school and life.

--------

Minju got home after she went to the mall with Hitomi and Nako, whom they met along the way after she was done with her work at the cafe.

“Mom! I’m home!” Minju called out in the house letting her mother know she’s home, although late.

“I’m going to my room, I ate with Nako and Tomi already so no need to call me to eat.” Minju went to her room.

Minju put her bag on her bed and just crashed down, face first on her bed and groaned.

She flipped herself and now she was facing the ceiling then she took her phone and texted Wonyoung.

“Nyoung-ah!”

“Yeah unnie? Need something?” 

“Yeah, I kinda do, do you know who’s joining the singing contest tomorrow and the theatre play?”

“Ummmm, Yujin-unnie told me she’s one of the finalists for tomorrow, also Hweseung and Jongho-oppa then Eunbi-unnie are the names that I know for now.”

The reason why Minju asked Wonyoung was because, Wonyoung almost knows what’s going on with the school, from who’s joining what, she knows what’s up even before anyone, even the cat that roams around knows what happened on who knows where.

“How about the play?”

“I have no idea on who’s gonna join that except Sakura-unnie and someone else. I forgot what her name was but I heard she was in the same year as us.”

“Why ask suddenly unnie? Are you in the finals already? How have I not heard of this” 

“Nothing, it’s just I was asked to cover both events and I’m thinking of doing only one and I figured I’ll cover the one where I know someone.”

“So you’ll do the singing one?”

“Maybe, we’ll see.”

“Well, if you wanna join me I'll be watching the play instead of the singing contest. Bye unnie see you tomorrow, I have some homework to finish.”

“Bye Wonnie, take care.”

Minju contemplates if she really wants to join her clubmates in covering for the event, part of her tells her that she should just enjoy the events and not think about taking pictures and her camera for once. The other, well, she does it, she would cover one or both events and also have fun while doing it.

After 5 minutes of internally debating with herself, she dialed in her phone and called someone.

“Oppa, are you busy now?” Minju called Minhyun to confirm something.

“Not at the moment, why’d you call?”

“It’s about the events you told me about earlier.”

“Ahh okay, so… have you thought about it?” Minhyun asked her, silently hoping that she’ll at least cover one.

“Yeah, I think I’ll cover the theatre play for now, but I’ll try to join you guys at the singing contest when I can.” Minju told him.

‘Phew!’ “Thanks Minju, just go to the auditorium when you’re free, you know what you need to bring right?”

“Yeah oppa, I’ll get them ready later, bye.”

“Bye Minju take care.” Minhyun replied back before ending the call.

--------

“! I can’t do this.” A hamster told a duck.

“What do you mean you can’t do this? You already dressed up and everything and now you wanna back out?” asks the duck.

“Jo Yuri? Yuri-yah! You’re 2nd up, prepare yourself, good luck.” Yeji told her.

“Got it! Thanks, Yeji-yah!” The duck thanked Yeji.

Yuri felt a soft slap on her cheek as if to tell her to get her head right and forget about everything and just sing on stage.

“Ouch! That hurt Yena-unnie.” Yuri caressed her cheek that was slapped not that hard by Yena.

“Yah, I didn't even do it that hard, chill out, it’s just a contest, you won’t get money or be the crown princess if you win this, so just do it with your style and touch and don’t mind the judges and their useless scoring thing.” Yena gave Yuri a little pep talk.

“Look at me, look at me Yuri.” Yena lifted Yuri’s chin up so the girl was looking at her.

“Go out there and dominate everyone in this competition.” 

“Wow! That was quite a performance I may say so myself, right folks?” The MC went up the stage to congratulate the contestant on the elegant performance.

“And next up we have the representative voice of the 3rd Year, everyone, I present to you all, JO YURI!!!”

“Show them what you’re made of Yuri, good luck!” Yena went out of the booth and joined Chaeyeon and the others cheering for Yuri.

Minju was sprinting to the auditorium to try and cover the singing finals and rang Minhyun through her phone to ask if she was late or not.

“Very, but you can make it to the last performer for today so hurry up.” Minhyun told her.

Minju made it in time to not miss the contest but not exactly on time to not be late, managed to snap some pictures of the performance before Yuri’s and to say she was amazed by it was an understatement.

Not long after the MC left the stage, Yuri prepared herself to sing, while Minju was getting her camera ready, settings set in their perfect places, she also positioned herself near the judge’s table, although she doesn’t like her spot now, it’s the only free spot she can find for now and she wants the best picture possible for her batchmates.

“Goodmorning everyone, I’m Jo Yuri from Class 3-2, I hope you enjoy my performance!” Yuri bowed and introduced herself first before starting her performance.

Minju looked up, getting ready to take pictures, suddenly froze in her position, laying her eyes on possibly the most mesmerizing being she has ever seen in her life.

*Snap*

Minju clicked her camera, unknowingly snapping a picture of the person on the stage that is named Jo Yuri.
 
“Yah, frog, don’t stare too much.” She was snapped out of her trance when her in-ear suddenly talked, probably Minhyun or Hyewon was radioing her, noticing that she was staring too long and too much at the person on the stage.

“Sorry, I’ll focus now, sorry again.” Minju apologized on the line.

While that was happening, Yuri was starting her song.

‘You make me much better when you’re here

I’m lucky when I’m in your atmosphere

Every little move you do

Every little thing you say

It saves me from falling much deeper’

“She’s good isn’t she Minhyun-ah?” Hyewon whispered to her companion while they were beside the doors of the auditorium.

“How come we’ve never heard of her before?” Minhyun asked Hyewon.

“I heard she doesn’t like that much of a spotlight and this is her first time joining the contest.” Hyewon replied, looking up at the stage once again.

‘Just listen here we are again

Through the fire, through the rain

The roads we crossed, they built the story of us

Here we are again and I still feel the same~

You and I, we write the story of us

‘Sway with me like a firefly

Stay with me ‘til the day I die

Write the story of us

Sway with me like a firefly

Stay with me ‘til the day I die

Write the story of us’

As Yuri finished the first verse and chorus, there were cheers and a whistle, telling her that she’s doing okay for now.

“YEAH YURI-UNNIE!!! WHOOOO!!!” Some student was hyping her up, when Minju looked where it came from she saw Wonyoung and Yujin cheering joyfully and swaying along with the music, like fireflies.

‘Hold me, don’t let go

We’ve been scarred, broken hearts

But they made us much stronger

You and I~~’

“WHOOO!!!” There was alot of cheering as Yuri sang and sang.

‘Sway with me like a firefly

“Stay with me” ‘til the day I die

“Write the story of us” 

Almost everyone was harmonizing with Yuri, they couldn’t hold in their excitement so they decided to join in with the performance.

Even the two time champion, Jongho, could not help and sing along, also the judges were getting into the movement as well

Just listen here we are again “Here we are again!”

Through the fire, through the rain “fire through the rain!”

The roads we crossed, the built the story of us

Here we are again “Here we are again!” and I still feel the same

You and I, we write the story of us’

The music then calmed down to a slightly mellow vibe as Yuri was ending the song.

‘Sway with me like a firefly

Stay with me ‘til the day I die

Write the story of…. Us’

Yuri ended her performance elegantly and powerfully, waiting for the crowd’s reaction, as it passed that no one was reacting, she was getting anxious but still had her cool.

Two seconds were like 2 years for her on stage but thankfully for her she heard cheers and whistle’s and her name being called telling she did great and she’ll definitely be giving Jongho a run for his money this year in the final.

“YURI-YAH! YOU DID GREAT!”

“Jongho’s gonna get beaten this year I know it.” One of the students said out loud, earning a respectful nod from Jongho who heard it as the booth was not far from that student’s class.

Yuri beamed with happiness and relief, knowing that she had her practice sessions pay off, she was not aiming for a win, but to enjoy the performance and give the audience a good time.

Minju on the other hand, had agape for the last 10 seconds, still taking in the most impressive and mesmerizing performance she ever witnessed, far exceeding on the concerts she and her friends went on before and the other events she covered that have these types of atmospheres.

Minju has never met or heard of Yuri before, not even from Wonyoung or anyone in her year so she didn’t know what she was going to expect from Yuri’s performance but she was blown away, like she couldn’t imagine not hearing that voice again, and one thing is for sure in her mind, Yuri has a cute smile.

“Minju, don’t tell me you just watched and didn’t take any photos.” Hyewon grinned at her when she radioed Minju in.

“I did take photos unnie, I’ll send them later on.” Minju replied back.

“You’re on backstage duty today too, Yujin isn’t here she’s… still dancing with Wonyoung and Yena? Huh, never thought I’d see that.”

“Why can’t Minhyun-oppa do it?” Minju whined in her earpiece.

“I got an errand to do, Eunbi just sent me a task right after Yuri’s performance, so I'm not available.” Minhyun said on Hyewon’s line before disappearing from the auditorium.

“Goodluck Minju, I’ll try to accompany you later after I’m done taking pictures of the awarding.” Hyewon bid farewell to her friend.

“Yeah unnie, take care.” Minju ended the call and jumped up to her feet and went to the backstage booth area where she saw the finalists of the contest.

The likes of Kwon Eunbi, who was the photography club’s head(although she isn’t the one behind the camera and instead has Hyewon taking photos for her), Choi Jongho, the defending champion and Yoo Hweseung, one of the best voices of the school but suprisingly did not get to be in the running for the chip, those were the few names Minju knew of from the top of her head and one glance.

Minju then waited until the awarding was done and needless to say, she was nervous in the whole ordeal, she wanted Jongho to have the first 3-peat since Kim Jongdae, who graduated 7 years ago and was one of the judges for today, but she also wanted Yuri to win, not because she did not know her and wanted to witness a underdog story, but she was sure that it was the best performance of the whole event and she had the best voice she heard in her life.

“Okay everyone, I have the winner of this year’s Golden Voice in my hands right now. Would you all like to know who it is?” Kang Chanhee, the MC, knowing how to work crowds started to roll the ball.

“YES!”

“SAY IT NOW PLEASE!”

“DON’T TAKE TOO LONG!” Were some of the words from the crowd.

“I will announce the winner first, so, whoever does not get their name called first, is not this year’s Golden Voice, got it fellas?” Chanhee looked at both Jongho and the dark horse contender that was Jo Yuri, talking with them through eye contact if they understood him.

“Yes.” Two silent yes’s from the two and Chanhee then opened his envelope containing the winner of the competition.

The wide-eyed expression Chanhee had for a split second scared the crowd, they didn’t know if he was acting or genuinely surprised with the result.

“Everyone, the winner of this year’s Golden Voice is.....”

“YURI!” “JONGHO!!!!!” people were shouting who they think is the winner and those who put their bet on one of the two were feeling anxious.

“Yena, prepare to lose your money.” Chaeyeon told Yena, who was slightly sweating right now.

“Shut up Lee. God! Why is Chanhee taking so much time?” Yena complained about Chanhee's way of MC-ing.

“This year’s Golden Voice is...... JO YURI!!!” 

Everyone erupted in joy, feeling happy and proud for Yuri for not only managing to oust Jongho but to win it all the way through on her first attempt at the Golden Voice.

“YES!!!! LET’S GO YURI!!! Pay up Lee Chaeyeon, your loss.” Yena mocked Chaeyeon to the core until the latter paid Yena her bet of 100 bucks.

“Sweet old money! Mwah!” Yena kissed the bill, feeling proud that she voted fot Yuri when they were making bets on who was going to win yesterday.

Nako, who was with them along with Hitomi, ran backstage with Yena to congratulate Yuri first before anyone.

Jongho congratulated Yuri and wished her luck for her music career and they started a little friendly rivalry of theirs on the Golden Voice last year.

Yena and Nako engulfed Yuri into a hug right after Jongho left the booth after talking to her.

“Ow! Stop hugging me, I can’t breathe.” Yuri patted both of their backs.

“Yahhhh, you were freking phenomenal out there.” Yena praised Yuri after letting go of her.

While Yena and Nako were peppering Yuri praises and good things, someone who was waiting by the side to ask Yuri questions was spacing out in her own micro world(who wouldn’t after waiting for almost five minutes?)

Nako noticed something or someone on her peripheral and glanced at that person.

“Oh, Minju, didn’t notice you here.” Nako called out to her friend.

“Oh, hey Nako, fancy seeing you here.”

“You on backstage duty today?” Nako asked her.

“Yeah, I am, Minhyun oppa got a new task from Eunbi unnie right after Yuri’s performance.” Minju replied.

“You know Yuri?”

“Well- no… I have not even heard of her before, but I do now thanks to that remarkable performance earlier and her getting the win over Jongho.” Minju cleared.

She does not truely know who Yuri was before today, with that addicting voice, she surely should’ve heard Yuri’s name once or twice at least in her classroom or from Wonyoung.

“She doesn't like being known around school, she prefers just being in the sidelines, I don’t know what got her to join the Golden Voice this year but I heard she was on a high after her trip to the dentist a month ago.” Nako explained to Minju.

“That’s some anesthesia to get her to join in the contest this year huh?” Minju grinned.

“She won it anyway, so her being high is the least of everyone’s worries.”

“Wanna talk to her? For the school paper of course.” Nako looked Minju in the eye, the latter’s eyes were showing her hesitance since this is her first time in over a year doing an interview of some sort for the school paper.

“I got you, so no need to worry.” Nako then dragged Minju along with her, going back to Yena and Yuri.

“Hey, have you met Minju?” Nako said behind Yuri, doing her imitation of a character she saw on a sit-com she was watching while at the dorm with Hitomi two weeks ago in the process.

Yuri got startled because of Nako

“What the hell, Nako you scared me!”

“Just getting back at you, you scared me last month after your trip to the dentist.”

“How? What did I do besides joining this contest?” Yuri had her hands in her hair right now, imagining the other things she did when she was on a high.

“Nothing much, except eating almost all the chocolate me and Tomi had in our fridge after you broke into our room apparently.”

“You scaring Yuri isn’t that much of a payback Nako.” Yena told Nako.

“Trust me, I’m just getting started.”

“Anyway, where have you been for the past 5 minutes?”

“Just saw a friend in here, yah! Kim Minju, come here.”

“As I said earlier, have you met Minju?” Nako repeated herself again knowing that her friend forgot her question.

“I haven't, but I may have heard of her.” Yuri told Nako.

Minju walked over to their area, taking small steps, not really getting used to the environment yet.

“Uhhhh……. H-hi?” Minju smiled awkwardly while looking at the other girl that weirdly looked like Yuri before giving a small wave.

“Minju, Yuri, Yuri, Minju. Also Yena, Minju, Minju, Yena” Nako introduced her mutual friends to each other. She was surprised to know, because she remembers making sure her mutual friends knew each other or had heard of the other.

“Hi Minju, I’m Yuri!” Yuri extended her hand, wearing a bright beaming smile.

“H-hi, hi, I’m Minju, n-nice to m-meet you.” Minju was a stuttering mess, but still shook Yuri’s hand.

“I don’t want to sound rude but, what are you doing here?” Yuri asked Minju.

“Oh right, you didn’t know her.” Nako butted in. “She’s part of the photography club, the club under the school paper? Yeah, she’s one of the photographers for today and they had her do backstage duty today since one of her seniors isn’t available.”

“What's backstage duty?” Yena asked, looking at Minju.

“Oh, it’s just like an interview for the papers, we do this every year and I was suddenly assigned today.” Minju explained.

“Why does it seem like you’re pressured? It’s not like I’ll ask you out or something.” Yuri chuckled at her remark.

Minju meanwhile, well, was being Minju, her mind in a frenzy, her face showing a tint of red that one more remark like that from Yuri will surely make her a strawberry carrying a camera bag on her shoulder.

“Uhmm, n-no, it’s just that i-it’s my fi-first time doing this and I don’t really know what to ask you.” Thankfully she regained her cool mid sentence or she would’ve really turned into a strawberry carrying a camera bag.

Noticing the blatant stutters, Yuri didn’t pay no mind and just tried her best to ease the photographer.

“Don’t worry, I won’t confuse you with my answers, ask away Minju-ssi.” Using an honorific, the photographer started her questions.

The questions were the usual ones, ‘what made you participate?’ ‘How did you feel when you won?’ and all that stuff, until.

“Are you free this weekend?”