Haebyeol stormed into the dorm room, disregarding Lu Han's persistent calls to her, and neglecting the awkward glances she received from her subordinates. She huffed, yanking the door to her room open, and slamming it shut, being sure to lock it. Ava blinked curiously back and forth from the door, and to Lu Han, frowning with disappointment. "So where am I supposed to sleep tonight?"
Anna nudged her disapprovingly, a scornful grimace lining her red lips. Lu Han sighed exasperatedly, blinking his doe-like eyes curiously at the girls before him. "You guys saw it, I'm assuming?" he whispered. The girls nodded in response; at this point, even Hannie was silenced. Words clung to the tip of the girls' tongues, unable to produce coherent words. Shock overspread their systems, preventing their minds from producing any sane thoughts. Lu Han groaned, tossling his blondish hair with frenetic hands. 

"What happened?" Anna spluttered, biting down on her lip worriedly. She kept glancing back to Haebyeol's door, debating mentally whether or not to get up to see how her younger was doing. "Who's Celebrity A? Who's the anonymous reporter? Is it because you guys told someone at the party?" Questions rambled furiously out of the eldest's mouth, stocking overwhelming stress upon Lu Han's delicate shoulders.
"She hasn't talked to me at all," he admitted defeatedly. "The entire ride home, she would just stare out the window and glare at me every time I tried to get something out of her --"
"Well, go talk to her!" Kyo Jin argued persistently. "You're her man; go do something!"
Lu Han shook his head. "I have to give her space," he demurred gently. He beamed apologetically to the girls, bowing his head shamefully; his lips then fell into a distasteful scowl, pursed together tautly. "If she comes out," he whispered, "please give me a call.. I'd go in there, but she needs space to herself. Please understand -- I advise you give her a couple of hours, as well."

"Lu Han-hyung!"

Lu Han shot a sympathetic smile towards Hannie, but waving awkwardly, slipping out the front door in a heaving mess. Hannie pouted childishly, narrowing her eyes immaturely at the shut front door. "That jerk.. he didn't even listen to my wise words of wisdom."
"Hannie," Kisa drawled chidingly. "Don't --"
"Unnie needs him the most, doesn't she?" Hannie objected rudely.
"She needs herself the most," Kisa argued.

"I wonder if Vivien knows --"
"If I know," Kisa replied, cutting Kyo Jin off, "then she probably knows."

"That's not important, though," Ava remarked briskly. "What is Abeoji going to say?"

Haebyeol leaned up against her door, back pressed up against the hard wooden surface. Her breath wavered as she slid down, bringing her knees up to her chest; she hugged herself tightly, biting down on her knee caps with apprehensive thoughts swiveling around her frustrated mind. Goo Hara, Bae Suzy, Hyoyeon-unnie, Sunny-unnie... Names coveted her brain; none of them made sense -- either irrelevant, or too loyal -- all but one. "Goo Hara," Haebyeol seethed remorsefully. "Who taught you to be such a ?"

Her phone buzzed repeatedly in her pocket. Fishing it out, she was about to ignore it, figuring it was just Lu Han trying to check up on her. She furrowed her brows though, when her eyes did meet her phone screen.

Papa YG.

She in a cold hiss, her breath bated as she exhaled deeply. "Yobosaeyo?" Her voice was just barely above a murmur, hushed and breathless as she fought the irate tears threatening to pool from her glimmering eyes.
"...Byeol.. gwaenchahna?"

Her eyes widened slightly, hearing the familiar voice laced with such a concern -- it was so foreign to her, so distinct. From him, through all her years of training and through the months after her debut, all she's heard from Hyun Suk was a stern, firm tone that lectured the girls constantly about their potential and future; his worried timbre was almost alien-like. "N-ne," she stammered nervously. She bit down on her lip to suppress the cries of agitation clawing at . Aggravated, Haebyeol let out a quick sigh, running a frenetic hand through the locks of her bright, auburn hair. "Gwaechahna," she confirmed weakly.

He was silent; only his breathing could be heard. And like the father-figure he was, Haebyeol could detect his swirling thoughts; she could almost hear them. "..Who?"

Goo Hara, she wanted to say. But what would that make her? A tattle-tale? A coward?

So instead.. instead of bringing herself justice to claim back her dignity, she replied with a meek, "I don't know."

I'm not even sure if it was Goo Hara anyways, she assured herself painfully.

"Come down to my office; let's discuss it face to face."

Vivien ran down back to the dorm as fast as she could, panting as she made her way in. "Byeollie.. where... where is she?"
"She went down to Abeoji's office," Kisa retorted bitterly.
"What?"

"What do you think he's going to do?" Vivien demanded frantically.
Anna sighed. "Calm down; he's not going to do anything drastic.. you know how he is. He's a softie for his kids."
Ava and Kyo Jin nodded assuringly at Vivien, patting the younger on the back softly. "Don't worry so much," Kisa furthered, smirking wistfully. "Byeol's a big girl. She can handle her personal affairs. She's come this far, having kept it a secret. So what if it's leaked? Abeoji knows how to deal with this stuff; we either be confident and admit to it, or be sneaky and cover it up like pro's. Either way, we're safe, so what does it matter?"

"Let's just consider ourselves lucky that we have other rumours floating around on allkpop," Hannie remarked. "Compared to everything else, Byeollie-unnie's situation isn't all that bad."
Anna nodded. "Hannie's right," she confirmed. "Let's not worry ourselves over it. She's a bandmate, but it's her own personal situation to handle. Let's just have her fix it with Lu Han and Abeoji themselves and concern ourselves with relevant matters."

"Let's put you on a different project."

"N-ne?!"

Haebyeol's eyes widened profusely as Hyun Suk stared back with a blatant expression. He had his hand folded neatly across his desk, eyes wary with a hint of disappointment. "Abeoji, I did nothing wrong -- there's no -- no need for you to... There's no need to halt my activities with the girls!" Haebyeol leaned over, resting both her palms on the face of the table; by now, she was on her feet, standing abruptly, her chair falling back slightly. She stumbled over her own feet, eyes pleading the elder before her. "Abeoji, please.. seonsaengnim.. Dr. Feel Good promotions are ending -- we have a comeback album planned... what am I supposed to do?"

"I got an offer for one of my kids to do a drama," Hyun Suk offered plainly, handing her a thick manilla portfolio. "If you accept and do as I say, I'll send you to Japan to meet the filming crew by the end of this week --"
"Abeoji!" Haebyeol declared fiercely.
"You're fluent in Japanese, so why not?"
"Because the girls will be coming back with 'Style' without me!" Haebyeol argued ferociously. "Abeoji, you worked so hard on this piece; all the girls, including me, worked our blood, sweat, and tears into the choreo and into learning the music.. and you're just going to pull me out to promote myself in a Japanese drama?"

Hyun Suk sighed. "Isn't the only way? If you promote 'Style' with the other girls, with your alleged scandal floating around, it will be bad face not only for you, but for the girls. Sacrifice a little, Byeol --"
"Don't you think I sacrificed enough, to just audition to be here?" Haebyeol argued.
"If you want the best, Haebyeol," Hyun Suk remarked sternly, "you will go film this drama. You should just take a break; let us handle this situation. We can't have anymore scandals with you girls. You girls will be seen as incompetent; you won't be taken seriously. First you and Lu Han; who's next? Hannie and her drinking problem? And not to mention this isn't the first time with you, Haebyeol," Hyun Suk stated firmly. "My decision is immutable; you're going to Japan --"

"Abeoji!"

"Pack your bags; I'm scheduling your flight for Friday. I'll also contact the PDs over there and have your script handed to you for your audition. If not a main role, you'll be guranteed at least a minor one. So get yourself ready and make sure you're brushed up on your Japanese."

Haebyeol gaped at Hyun Suk furiously, a painful stab taking place in her heart. She sighed defeatedly, hanging her head, and shielding her reddened visage behind the veil of her dark hair to hide her b tears. "Araseo," she chorused tiredly. "Is that all?"
"That is all; I'll notify the girls myself, so don't tell them."
"Ne.. seonsaengnim."