It was the umpteenth time that Daphne tossed and turned in her bed, hoping for any little bit of sleep, but her attempts were shown to be futile as she glanced at her alarm clock, noting that it was five in the morning. Sleep was probably the most important thing that she needed, for the day was going to be a long one. After months of grueling practice and awkward moments, it was finally time for her hard work to be acknowledged. Today was the day of BEAST’s first concert--a day that Daphne had been looking forward to since the first day that Jihee had announced it, which only fueled her increasing anxiety.

She groaned loudly in her bed, knowing too well that by the time her body would comply with her to sleep, it would already be too late into the morning. With that mindset, Daphne promptly sat up and trudged out of bed, taking her time to the bathroom.

“You’re up early,” Scarlett stated as she came out of her room, approaching the bathroom door the same time that Daphne did.

“So are you.”

“I’m always up this early though,” Scarlett remarked with a smile, prodding Daphne in the arm. “I run every morning, remember? What’s up with you?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Daphne yawned, scratching the back of her head lazily. “Plus, today’s the concert. Jihee said we have to come to practice at nine in the morning today.”

“Nine in the morning? But it’s only five right now. You still have four hours to get ready!”

Daphne chuckled, walking into the bathroom, noticing that Scarlett was following after her. “Like I said, I couldn’t sleep.” She handed Scarlett her toothbrush while getting her own, spreading toothpaste on both of theirs.

“Tell Kikwang I said hi,” Scarlett giggled as she brushed, foam peeking at the corners of .

“Ew.” Daphne immediately scowled, pretending to gag. “Don’t you think he’s a bit...I don’t know, short for you?”

“It’s only a two inch height difference! Nothing noticeable...”

Snorting, Daphne rinsed quickly, washing her face as she strolled towards the door. “Sure, Scarlett. Whatever makes you happy. I’m gonna go get ready now. Are you sure you can’t make it tonight?”

“Sorry, honey,” Scarlett replied, frowning as she ran her finger down her cheek, pretending to cry, “but I’ve got work. My stupid boss won’t let me take the day off.” She sighed heavily, her eyes looking up towards the ceiling. “Man, I really wanted to see Kikwang too...”

Daphne sent Scarlett a glare, throwing a towel at her playfully as she exited the bathroom, sticking her tongue out. “You jerk.”

“Just kidding!” Scarlett yelled from inside the bathroom, sticking her head out to look at Daphne, who was walking back to her room. “Good luck tonight! I’m sure you’ll be wonderful on stage. What is it that you guys do again?” As Daphne reached her bedroom door, she looked back at Scarlett, a smile wide on her face, amused at Scarlett’s antics.

“Oh, right,” Scarlett continued after a moment of contemplation. She raised her fist up in the air, a large grin plastered on. “Fighting! Did I do it right?”

Nodding slowly, Daphne laughed merrily with Scarlett before heading into her room, thankful for Scarlett slightly alleviating the panic that was boiling inside of her. There was a twinge of excitement hidden somewhere in the midst of her anxiety, but she couldn’t help but feel so distressed about the concert. Whatever it was, Daphne could only hope that her unnerving feelings would vanish once she needed to perform.

Instead of getting ready like she had initially planned, Daphne plopped herself upon the bed, burying her head into her pillow in a futile attempt to ease her distressing anticipation, but the only thoughts that ran through her head consisted of Yoseob, which only further escalated her nerves.

Though Daphne was relieved to know that practicing with BEAST would come to an end after the concert, a feeling of disappointment laid in the pits of her stomach, reminding her that she had not yet made amends with Yoseob. She was sure that he would want nothing to do with her now, especially after their heated conversation at Lotte World.

Once Daphne had seen the touch of disappointment in Yoseob’s eyes when she proclaimed that she never had feelings for him, she immediately regretted it, wishing she could take back the harsh words that she had said that night, but she knew nothing would be able to fix her wrong. Yoseob had merely nodded knowingly at her answer and hastily left the ride once it had concluded, avoiding her for the entire night.

“Everything happens for a reason, right?” Daphne mused as she laid on her bed, flipping her body so she was laying on her back now. She stared at the ceiling broodingly with glazed eyes, the feeling of regret escalating.

Maybe she should had told Yoseob that she harbored feelings for him. After all, he had confessed to her, and it was unfair for Yoseob to lie to him, especially after all that he had done for her.

 “No,” Daphne mumbled, getting up from her bed and rummaging through her closet as she shook her head persistently. “No, this is the right choice.” She paused her movements, her hands gripping a pair of sweats tightly as she contemplated, trying to reaffirm herself, but although she overlooked the situation in various views, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was wrong. She was wrong to lie to Yoseob.

Shrugging off her emotions, Daphne continued to prepare herself for the long day, closing her eyes for a moment of solace.

“There’s nothing you can do now, Daphne,” she told herself sternly, breathing in deeply to rid herself of the negative thoughts that floated freely in her head. “After today, it will be all over. This will just be a distant memory that I’ll laugh at in a few months...”

Chaos and panic were heavily sensed in the dressing room as many ran around, holding bundles of clothes with multiple pins and clips in their hair, half-finished. There were now only one and a half more hours until BEAST’s first concert and to say that everyone was nervous was a gross understatement.

Hairstylists rushed around the room, preparing the back-up dancers as the dancers attempted to dress, rushing to get done. Although it was still slightly early, Jihee wanted everyone to be finished in twenty minutes for a dress rehearsal, ensuring that we all had perfected every single dance routine.

“Ouch!” Daphne yelled in distress as the hair curler skimmed across her ear, sending a jolting sensation coursing throughout her nerves. The burn shocked her, causing her to drop the blouse that she was attempting to put on.

“Sorry, sorry!” the hairstylist, Miyoung, profusely apologized, carefully holding tightly on the curler as Daphne carefully bent down to pick up her blouse. “Stop moving so much!”

“I have to get ready!” Daphne defended herself as she struggled to slip into the blouse, her arms getting caught in the sleeves. “Goddamn it, this is so hard.”

“Here, let me help you,” Jihee chuckled as she pulled Daphne’s arms through. Her eyes grazed across the room, observing the atmosphere around her. “Geez, it’s hectic here.”

Daphne gawked at Jihee, who was entirely ready, her long hair curled into perfect spirals, laying on her shoulders gracefully as her form fitting clothes showed off her almost flawless body. “How did you get ready so fast?”

“It’s not rocket science!” Jihee smiled, grabbing a pair of heels for Daphne to slip in. “I don’t understand why everyone is taking so long.” Sighing, Jihee lifted her head up, stretching her already long neck, bellowing loudly, “Fifteen minutes, guys! Hurry up!” Winking mischievously, Jihee nudged Daphne softly. “That goes for you, too.” With a bright smile, Jihee walked away, heading out of the dressing room.

Daphne watched as Jihee exited, a grin lad on her face. It had taken Daphne a bit of time, but she had finally mustered up the courage to formally apologize to Jihee for her outburst at her. Amusingly, Jihee had almost forgotten she was upset at Daphne in the first place, laughing as she teased Daphne, stating that Daphne worried too much.

“Done!” Miyoung announced loudly as she pulled the curler away from Daphne’s hair for the last time, a wide smile plastered on her face as she marveled at her work. “You look so beautiful, Daphne! Okay, now hurry along to Sunhae for makeup. We don’t have time to waste!”

Groaning softly, Daphne obeyed, thanking Miyoung for her contribution. She hastily scurried through the dressing room, spotting Sunhae with an anxious expression.

Sunhae seized Daphne’s arm and pulled her into the chair in front of Sunhae, promptly getting to work as she took out a brush. “How the hell am I going to do this in only ten minutes?!”

“I trust you whole-heartedly,” Daphne said with a smirk as Sunhae lathered her face with foundation.

“Good,” Sunhae replied, a small grin peeking at the corner of her lips, “because you should. I’m damn good at what I do.”

“I know.” Daphne returned the smile. “All of the other girls have told me about your work.”

Sunhae heartily laughed, entirely pleased at Daphne’s statement. However, it seemed like something else was occupying Sunhae’s mind, her lips begging for her thoughts to be vocalized. “So...Jihee told me something.”

“Oh, God,” Daphne muttered, preparing herself for the load of gossip and questions that Sunhae was about to unfold. Jihee was a respectable dance leader, but she loved to talk, always dishing out the latest gossip as she attempted to play the role of Cupid in others’ love lives. “What is it?”

“Something between...you and Dongwoon?” Sunhae smirked as she meticulously applied a bit of eyeshadow on Daphne. “Or Yoseob? Both?”

Sighing deeply, Daphne restrained herself from shaking her head, a small smile on her lips as she thought of Jihee’s antics. “No, there was never anything between Dongwoon and me,” Daphne glossed over, fibbing to avoid any further persistent questions. “Our relationship is firmly platonic.”

The last statement was indeed truth, surprisingly. They had officially made amends a few practices before the concert, knowing that it was best to solely move on. Dongwoon discontinued his random touches, a sign that he had matured, which greatly pleased Daphne.
 
“I’m sorry,” Daphne had expressed one night after practice, sensing Dongwoon’s sullen mood. The guilt had occupied too much of her thoughts and she figured it was best to bury the hatchet before it was too late.“It’s not entirely your fault, you know. I had some attraction towards you, too, and I never bothered to stop it.”

Looking up to face Daphne, Dongwoon had no idea how to respond. It had been true that he was not entirely happy about his prospects of pursuing her had been destroyed, but he had never expected her to apologize for it. He had always assumed the responsibility pointed to him and him only. It was his own fault that he was feeling this way, setting himself only for disaster, he had thought.

“What?”

“I’m sorry,” Daphne had repeated, approaching Dongwoon with solemn eyes. “I’ve noticed how sad you look now, but whenever you talk to me, you cover it up. I can see through it though.” She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Even though I don’t have any romantic feelings towards you, I’m still your friend.”

A small smile had graced Dongwoon’s lips, the first genuine smile that had appeared the entire day. His dampened attitude had began alleviating almost immediately, Daphne’s words healing his open wound slowly.

“I’m sorry, too, noona,” was all that he could muster up as he had embraced Daphne with a grateful hug, glad that she didn’t hate him for everything that he had done.

Noticing Daphne’s subtle smile, Sunhae nudged her playfully as she placed the finishing touches on Daphne’s lips. “Yah...don’t lie to me.”

“I’m serious!” Daphne exclaimed, trying her best to keep still. “Trust me, a boyfriend is the last thing that I need right now...” Her words trailed off as she lost her train of thought, her head immediately running towards Yoseob. She told herself countless times before that a boyfriend was the furthest thing from her list of priorities, but why was she so attached to Yoseob still?

As if Sunhae could read her mind, she remarked with a growing grin, “You never said anything about Yoseob.”

Taken aback, Daphne began stuttering, losing her entire sense of cohesiveness. A large mixture of emotions took over her as countless thoughts ran through her head, making it hard for Daphne to piece everything together. “T-t-there’s nothing between us either.” Repressing a disappointed sigh, Daphne pushed thoughts of Yoseob away, knowing full well that he should be the last things to think of at the moment. She couldn’t allow herself to become entirely wrapped around him again just hours before the concert.

“Whatever you say, girlfriend,” Sunhae replied, skeptical, but she pressed no further. Finishing, she pulled Daphne out of her seat, pushing her towards the door. “There, all done! Now go before Jihee kills you.”

Stumbling in her heels, Daphne managed to refrain from falling as she glanced at the clock. “Three minutes before the deadline. Damn, you’re good.”

“I know.” Sunhae laughed knowingly. “Now go out there and do well!” Winking mischievously, Sunhae added, “And tell Yoseob he’s a lucky guy.”

“What?” Daphne blurted out disbelievingly, Sunhae’s words stopping Daphne’s tracks. What did Sunhae mean by that?

“I can tell, Daphne,” Sunhae elaborated, her words slow to add an anxious effect. “You’re in love with him.”

Daphne stood near the door for quite some time, staring at Sunhae as she attempted to conjure a reply, but no such idea ever came to her. She was entirely speechless, but for some odd reason, Sunhae’s statement struck a chord in Daphne, as if it was something that Daphne knew all along, only it was never expressed out loud.

“Come on, Daphne, we have to go,” one of the back-up dancers said, noticing Daphne’s rigid stance, dragging her out of the room, breaking Daphne’s train of thought.

“In love?” Daphne pondered as she was forcibly pulled by the arm. “I’m not in love. How can I be?” She tore her arm away from her friend’s grip, her mind coming back to reality as she shook her head profusely, attempting to rid herself of the clouded thoughts of her love life.

“We have five minutes! Five minutes before we go on stage!”

“Oh, God, is my hair okay? Oh, God. Oh, God.”

“Get in position! What are you doing there?”

“Shh, be quiet!”

A plethora amount of nerves and emotions were coursing through every single person’s body as they anxiously waited backstage, the sounds of cheering and screaming softly buzzing through their ears as the fans patiently filed into the concert arena, their expectations high.

“Are you ready?” Jihee whispered to Daphne, nudging her softly as they both stood next to each other.

Butterflies fluttered inside Daphne’s uncomfortably as they collided against the walls of her stomach. Her heartbeat was steadily increasing as the seconds ticked down, the nervousness inside her clearly shown in her shaking body.

“I-I think so,” Daphne stammered, the pitch of her voice high from the anxiety.

“You’ll do fine,” Jihee reassured as she smiled, grabbing Daphne’s hand and squeezing it gently. “We’ll all do fine. If we do what we did during practice earlier, everything will be perfect.” Seeing Daphne’s tense shoulders finally relax a little, Jihee chuckled. “Just have fun!”

“Right,” was all Daphne could say as she nodded in comprehension. “Thanks, Jihee.”

As if on cue, the crowd let out a huge roar, the lights dimming down to focus entirely on the stage. Within a few minutes, there was a loud explosion of sound, the signal that the members of BEAST had made their appearance on stage, the screams coming from the fans increasing tenfold. Promptly, the music creeped through the speakers, engulfing the entire stadium with the introduction of the first song to be performed.

“I can do this,” Daphne thought to herself as she briefly closed her eyes for some hope of solitude. The back-up dancers began gracefully filing out from the back and onto the main stage, preparing for their first performance.

The lights almost blinded Daphne as she made her way towards her position behind BEAST, the combination of the blaring music and the audience’s constant screaming filling her ear drums, but despite the uncomfortable circumstances, Daphne knew that this was what she was meant for. She knew that the sense of accomplishment and pride that would soon follow after this performance would justify the numerous hours spent on practices. And with a hidden smile, Daphne threw all of her insecurities away and showed the crowd what her passion was all about.

“That wasn’t so bad, right?” Jihee panted as they left the main stage, slightly running towards the dressing room once more to change into different outfits.

After almost thirty minutes of constant dancing under the bright lights, Daphne was more than relieved to receive a short break as the BEAST members spoke to their fans, their happiness and excitement clearly etched on each of the members’ faces.

“What’s up next?” Daphne asked, sitting down in a chair to catch her breath.

“I think 4Minute and G.NA? And then BEAST will do one or two more songs and following that will be the pairing performance.”

“Thank God we don’t have to be in 4Minute’s choreography. I’m exhausted.”

“You’re gonna need a lot more energy than that!”

Just as Daphne opened to reply, a cell phone on one of the desks rang shrilly, disturbing her thoughts. Daphne was about to dismiss the call, but she noticed that it was in fact her phone that was ringing.

Curious, Daphne seized the phone only to be met by a terrible lurch caused by her stomach, the words “Dad” flashing on the screen of her cell phone.

“...” Daphne cursed under her breath, apprehensive. She looked at Jihee despairingly. “I have to take this call.”

“Fine with me,” Jihee said nonchalantly. “We have time, anyway. Make sure you come back on time.”

Daphne rushed to a random empty room, hoping that her father would not be able to hear the loud atmosphere in the background as she closed the door behind her. Reluctantly, she pressed “Accept” and placed the phone on her ear cautiously.


“Hello?”

“Daphne? Where have you been? I’ve called you at least ten times now!”

“Sorry, Dad.” Daphne cringed. “My phone was on silent.”

“Don’t you know what today is?” Daphne’s father asked, his scolding tone resonating through Daphne’s ears. “You haven’t called all day.”

“What?” Daphne replied as she racked her brain for any sort of important event that was supposed to come up. “What’s today?”

“Daphne, today’s--”

“Daphne, we have to go!” Jihee tapped on the door aggressively, alerting Daphne of their time-restraining situation.

“Sorry, Dad,” Daphne said quickly, her distress only increasing, “but I really have to go. I’ll call you when--”

“What in the world are you doing?! Daphne, your mother just got surgery and you haven’t called once to check up on her!”

“Wh-what?” Daphne let out, her body freezing up to prepare herself for the emotional roller coaster that was bound to happen. “That’s...it’s...today?”

“Was. Your mother just--”

“Daphne! We have to go now!” Jihee yelled, a sense of panic in her tone.

“I...I...Dad, I really have to go. I’ll call you back when I have time, okay?”

Before her father could say anything further, Daphne hastily hung up, dashing out of the room and following Jihee backstage, tossing the phone on a random desk as she did so. 


“What took so long?”

“Nothing,” Daphne replied robotically as she forced the tears that were dying to pour out of her eyes. “Don’t worry about it.”

There were simply no words to describe how horrible she felt. The anticipation that spurred from the concert was now demolished, replaced by guilt with a hint of self-hatred. She was a terrible daughter for forgetting such an important event in her mother’s life, but she could do nothing about it, fate playing against her.

Jihee and Daphne lined up behind the members of BEAST as 4Minute proceeded to end their last song. Doojoon looked behind him and sent Jihee a smile, the other members doing the same to give the back-up dancers a sense of comfort.

Yoseob turned around and was surprised to see Daphne so close behind him, but there was something entirely off about her. There was no sense of happiness around her face, the ends of her lips pulled down with her head hung low. The wrinkles in her forehead and heavy sighs that she exhausted were sure signs that something was wrong.

“Hey...” Yoseob said before he could stop himself. His compassion had always ruled out his rationality, but he didn’t care. He was supposed to be upset at her, angry even, but how could he let this go when she looked so miserable? “You okay?”

Daphne looked up to face Yoseob, not expecting to hear anything from him. All she could do was nod, a quiet “yeah” escaping her lips as she continued to look at the ground, mentally beating herself up.

It only took a short glimpse for Yoseob to notice that Daphne was holding back tears, her eyes entirely glossy when she had looked up at him. He wanted so desperately to lure her out of the chaotic environment and pull her into a hug, but the situation left him with no choice.

“It’ll be okay,” Yoseob said to Daphne as he reached out to grab her hand. “Everything will be okay.”

Although those were the same words that Yoseob had told her a few months ago when they had first gotten to know each other, the amount of security and comfort that were placed in the words was still the same. Those simple words were enunciated and spoken with so much power and solace that it was almost impossible to continue sulking.

Daphne felt her worries alleviate only slightly, but it was enough to keep her going as she nodded in reply, the warmth of his hand easing her. The lights dimmed down once more and Yoseob reluctantly let go of Daphne’s hand, giving her a small smile. He turned back around to head towards the main stage, hoping that he gave her some little bit of hope. Whatever it was that happened, he knew that he was going to be there for her, whether he was angry at her or not.

A/N: Hi, everyone! Surprise, surprise, I actually updated quite early this time, haha. My friend bugged me a lot about it so I decided to udpate just for her. :3. However, this time, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to update any time soon again. Like I said in my A/N from before, I'll be going to Sea World in San Diego for my birthday this weekend. ^^. Then after that, I have to bust my to study for my Physics midterm and Chem midterm respectively. However, if I get ahead in my studies, hopefully I'll be able to update at least once more next week ish. Yup, that's it for now. Have a good day, everyone! :) Oh and if anyone was wondering, KMF was so fun and great! I loved everything about it, hehe. ^^.