Eunhyuk looked the new kid up and down. She was totally his type. The way she danced was magical, totally unexpected from someone who excels in the graceful arts. It was not just the dance that captivated him though (although it did play a big role, he was always on the lookout for girls who dance well), it was the way she spoke, the way she sang her heart out, as if she sincerely believed in the lyrics of the song she sang. Not only that, her features were unique and, with her black lace-patched crop top, she looked like the daughter of the devil: enticing. I can’t believe I didn’t go talk to her just now. She looks like a challenge, but I bet I could have picked her up if I tried.

Too late. Now that she has been identified as Jonghyun’s sister, they can’t be anything more than friends. Eunhyuk may be a player, but he knows the rules of the game. No going out with your friends’ sisters. Doing so will result in severe consequences. He should know. Once, not too long ago, he tried bending the rules. Just a little, he had told himself. It didn’t turn out the way he had expected.  His relationship with Changmin had broken into a million sharp shards ever since the breakup with Jung Mi. He doesn’t want the same thing to happen between Jonghyun and him. That relationship is precious to him. Testing its limits is simply too dangerous.

But nobody said anything about friendship. They could be friends. Even though he hadn’t gotten into any feuds with the other trainees in SM, he does not have a single close friend, someone he would trust with his deepest secrets. He yearned for someone he could confide in, someone to share his feelings, someone who wouldn’t judge him but someone not too serious, someone who knows how to have some fun.  Based solely on first impressions, Hyoyeon seemed like a likely candidate for this important job. The fact that she is nice guy Jonghyun’s sister only confirms it.

Now, if only he could figure out the connection between his to-be friend and Heechul.

*********************

Onew never, ever went after girls. Sure, he has got admirers every now and then, but he found most of them extremely distasteful. He knew exactly what he wanted, or so he thought. He had already conjured up the image of his ideal girl in his mind and he was not going to settle for anything less. He hated having to peel the desperate girls who would fling themselves at him off and disliked getting teased for doing so even more. But, no matter how he expressed these frustrations, his actions did not deter the girls. If anything, this bad-boy image of his made them come back again and again.

But Hyoyeon was different. She seemed down to earth, sincerely passionate about dance; not at all like another y attention seeker who joined the company just so they can become “popular” and “famous”. Ever since he heard her voice, Onew knew that she was the one for him. Her voice was like that of an angel, and her fleeting glances penetrated right into his heart, making him reel over with emotion. This feeling is foreign to him, yet he couldn’t possibly ask anyone about it - it was too abstract. He wouldn’t know how to put it in words. This is something he’ll have to deal with on his own.

And you bet he will. Onew sat around, eavesdropping, trying to find out more about the gift from heaven that has entered their midst and was mingling with them. He didn’t have much luck though. The people at the company seldom immersed themselves in ballet or jazz – in fact most of them couldn’t differentiate one from the other – and were thus not up to date with the gossip in that realm. The pointless speculation by his fellow trainees were just, well, pointless speculation. Everyone passed nuggets of gossip about the new girl around, but nothing concrete.

 After checking that no one was watching him, he whipped out his phone and typed the precious name into the handy search engine.Immediately, links filled the screen and Jonghyun conscientiously scrolled through them, clicking on links that screamed out information about her. In less than ten minutes, he had gathered her birthday, likes and dislikes and read articles about her. He was amazed by what he found out. Hyoyeon has performed in many different theatres, locally and overseas and won many awards for her outstanding performances. This girl has, at the tender age of 17, achieved way more than most people would have in their entire lifetimes.

Further tapping into the company’s internet, he did an image search and saved almost every single photo of her he could find. He smiled a little at the first search result. It was a collage of Hyoyeon with different colored hair. So, not only is this girl talented, but she knows how to have fun too. Onew couldn’t believe how close Hyoyeon was to his ideal type. He continued looking through the hundreds of pictures the search engine had dug up for him. Hyoyeon in Swan Lake, Hyoyeon in Coppélia, Hyoyeon in Sleeping Beauty, Hyoyeon at parties, Hyoyeon with friends, Hyoyeon with a guy…

Wait a minute. Hyoyeon with a guy?! No way. She can’t already be taken. A shocked Jonghyun stopped scrolling and his thumb hovered in midair. Hesitantly, he clicked on the photo, which instantaneously brought him to a fan-made tabloid site. The site was filled with many similar pictures. His dainty, graceful goddess with this sharp-nosed man, looking in each other’s eyes, holding hands, attending formal functions in suits and gowns… Onew felt his heart crumple into a melted mess. The first time he has even a hint of interest in a girl and she’s attached? He quickly skimmed through the posts one by one, each one more detailed than the previous in reporting the pair’s interactions.

Lee Joon. That’s his name. The name of the enemy. Onew quickly pulled information from various sites and collated a profile of this mysterious rival. He soon learnt that the pair had been childhood friends, having done ballet together since the tender age of four and have often been spotted going out together in recent years. But wait. What’s this? The reports and photos were last dated 4 months ago. Maybe they fought. Maybe they got tired of each other. Maybe they broke up. Maybe Onew still had a chance.

He’ll have to get closer to her to find out.

But how?