March 23 2013

“TaeTiSeo, standby in fifteen minutes!” a Music Core staff hollers into the girls’ waiting room before unceremoniously shutting the door with a bang. The three girls who were in the midst of their girl talk session stayed frozen in their seats, heads snapped towards the direction of the door. They should have been used to it by now but it always surprised them whenever the ever frantic staff would pop into their rooms to shout random instructions without so much as a glance at them. “Girls, you heard the man. Take out all the hair clips and touch up on the make up and to those who need to use the ladies’ room, please go quickly” SNSD’s manager calls out the usual last minute preparation instructions. “Joo Hyun, you better stop sipping your water and visit the ladies room before we go on stage. I swear you’re drowning your cells instead of hydrating it at the rate you’re always drinking water!” Tae Yeon nagged like the mother hen that she is. “Unnie! You know that’s not true!” Seo Hyun replied good naturedly with a chuckle, getting up to make her way to the ladies’ room down the corridor. “Wait! I’ll come with you!” Tiffany offered, rushing out the door after Seo Hyun.

Hand in hand, Seo Hyun and Tiffany skipped to the ladies’ room, bowing to the myriad of people littering the hallway, from hoobaes to sunbaes to MBC staff. “How’s Jung seobang? Haven’t seen him in awhile” Tiffany asked in a low voice. “Oppa is good! He’s having a much needed rest out of the spot light but he’s still busy with the back end work. He’s finishing the production of their latest Japanese single. Also, they’re finalizing the details for their world tours. But at least he’s home and resting more” Seo Hyun replied in an equally low voice tinged with excitement. “That’s good. CNBLUE has come a long way and they deserve the recognition that they’re getting now. It’s great that they all have a say in their music and schedule too. You’re lucky to have him, Joo Hyun-ah” Tiffany said as she turned to look Seo Hyun square in the eyes. Seo Hyun held the gaze longer than necessary then dropped her eyes and nodded, a smile on her lips.

“Joo Hyunnie, you’re happy, right?” Tiffany asked. Her big, clear eyes caught Tiffany’s, and like a window to her heart, Tiffany could see her answer in the depths of her eyes. “Yes, unnie. I am very happy. So happy that sometimes I wonder if I’m just dreaming. Sometimes I worry that it’s just too good to be true. It seems surreal that I’m with a man who’s very capable, incredibly good looking, immensely talented, good natured, kind, responsible, and every bit the perfect man, including his choding-ness. And the best part is, a man who loves me with all his heart and treats me insanely well. I can’t even remember the last time we argued, if we ever did at all. It’s so different from what I see in dramas or movies or even in people around us. It scares me to think that maybe one day reality will finally kick in and we’ll fight all the time or he’ll start loving me less or…” Seo Hyun trailed off, turning to look at Tiffany with a hint of fear in her eyes.

Snaking her arm around Seo Hyun’s waist, Tiffany pulled Seo Hyun closer and whispered, “Pabo… Be thankful for what you have. What you have is real. It’s rare for people to find their one true love, without much fuss. Heck, you might be the only one I know who doesn’t have explosive arguments and fights with their significant other. Just because it’s perfect doesn’t mean it’s going to go wrong, maknae-ya…” Tiffany said, Seo Hyun’s back to reassure her. “I know… I’m usually optimistic. Just sometimes…sometimes I worry. That’s all.” Seo Hyun smiled shyly. “Maybe when you get married and live together. Maybe then, you’ll have your conflicts” Tiffany teased. “Unnie!!” Seo Hyun squirmed at the mention of marriage. “Wae?? You’ve been together for so long! Besides, don’t you want to marry him??” Tiffany prodded. “I’m still too young to get married!” Seo Hyun rebutted. “But you want to marry him someday, right?” Tiffany asked coyly. Seo Hyun giggled and then nodded, before pushing the door to the ladies room and running in quickly.

“TaeTiSeo, please make your way to the backstage area for standby” another MBC staff poked their head through the door to instruct the girls. “Let’s go girls… Good luck out there!” SNSD manager wishes them as they head out the door. Pulling Tae Yeon back, Tiffany whispered to her “I spoke to Joo Hyun on the way to the ladies’ room.” Tae Yeon shot Tiffany a puzzled look, “What about??” “I had to know what she felt about Jung seobang and his probable marriage proposal. Anyway, I think she’ll say yes!” Tiffany squealed as quietly as she can, keeping her eye on Seo Hyun who was talking animatedly to their manager in front of them. “Did you tell her??” Tae Yeon almost shrieked, grabbing Tiffany to walk at a slower pace, leaving a bigger gap between Seo Hyun and themselves. “What?! No! Of course not. I have my ways.. Don’t worry! It’s not likely that she’ll know about it!” Tiffany appeased their kid leader and dragged her, closing the gap again. “She better not have clued in on it!” Tae Yeon growled.

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“Seo Hyun-ah… I think you owe Tae Yeon an apology” SNSD manager said as he greeted the girls backstage after the end of their hosting gig on Music Core. “Ne?? Why oppa? Did I do something wrong unnie?” Seo Hyun quickly asks Tae Yeon who was standing beside her, removing the microphones to hand back to the staff. “Ne? Why oppa? Why does Joo Hyunnie owe me an apology?” Tae Yeon frowned. SNSD’s manager chuckled, “When you and Fany were teasing Seo Hyun about her getting married first, she cut you off and asked you to keep quiet, remember? You should have seen your own expression! You were taken aback and couldn’t talk until Fany prodded you!! Have you forgotten already?” Tae Yeon remembered that moment and turned to Seo Hyun, “Yah!! You’re getting really bold lately, aren’t you? You used to be so polite and respectful that you wouldn’t even speak banmal to us or disrespect us in any way. And you’ve never once interrupted me when I speak. That’s why I was so shocked when you asked me to keep quiet earlier. I will have words with Jung seobang! It’s all his fault!” Tae Yeon fumed and then burst out laughing when she saw the aghast expression on Seo Hyun’s face.

Hugging her, Tae Yeon aegyoed to Seo Hyun, “Aigoo Hyunnie… Don’t worry Hyunnie-ya… I was just kidding!! But you really did give me a shock though!” Recovering from her own shock, Seo Hyun bowed profusely at Tae Yeon “Unnie!! I’m so sorry!!! Really! I’m so sorry!!! Please forgive me!!” Hugging Seo Hyun and dragging her back to their changing room, Tae Yeon ponders for a moment and then announces “Sure! I’ll forgive you if you agree with me that you’ll be the first to get married out of the nine of us.” Again, Seo Hyun’s face contorts and she pouts “Unnie!! I already told Fany-unnie that I’m still too young!” Tiffany headlocks Tae Yeon and drags her away and hisses “Subtle much, Taeng??!! Stop it before she gets suspicious!!” “Okay girls!! Enough!! Gosh… And you girls are supposed to be the Goddesses of South Korea!” SNSD manager rolls his eyes at the unfeminine antics of his girls and then continues, “Get changed! We need to hurry to SuJu’s concert! Chop chop!!”

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“Wouldn’t it be more suspicious if we cover ourselves up so much? It’s not even that cold outside! I think we should just go and show ourselves naturally. Besides, we got invited. I look like a ninja…” Jung Shin muses, looking at himself in the mirror only to be greeted by his two eyes staring back at him. Everything else was a mass of black; black jeans, black jacket, black beanie and black mouth muffle. “You can always not go, you know…” Jong Hyun deadpans, pulling on a dark blue jacket. “And miss SuJu? No way!” Jung Shin side steps Min Hyuk’s attempt to swat him in the head. “You do know why we have to do all this right? If pictures of us leak out that we’re in the same place as Hyungsoonim, the netizens will have a field day. And by that, I mean the antis. There’s also the growing interest in Jong Hyun-hyung and Yoona too” Min Hyuk explains as he tries again to swat Jung Shin in the head, which Jung Shin dodges expertly. Laughing, Yong Hwa grabs both Min Hyuk and Jung Shin and forces both of them into a hug. “Min Hyukie… Jung Shinnie… Thank you for enduring this ridiculous get up for me” Yong Hwa says as he crushes his two dongsaengs as tight as he could.

“Hyung, I think you should wear a cap instead of a beanie. Anyone can tell it’s you by just looking at your eyes. It’s a dead giveaway” Jong Hyun interrupts the blooming bromance. “Then Min Hyuk should wear a cap too. His eyes are even more obvious!” Jung Shin quips, reaching over to pull off Min Hyuk’s beanie. “Argh!! You’re lucky you’re the tallest, Jung Shinnie!” Min Hyuk yells, failing at his latest attempt to swat Jung Shin’s head. “Ahhh.. The difference a few centimeters make!!” Jung Shin marvels as he messes with Min Hyuk’s hair. “Hyung, let’s go play basketball some time soon! I need to grow a few more centimeters!” Min Hyuk calls out as he runs back to his room to grab a cap. Chortling, Yong Hwa just nods his head, arms slung across Jong Hyun’s shoulders. “Yah!! If that worked, I should be the tallest around here!” Yong Hwa shouts back belatedly. Giving Yong Hwa a consolation pat on his shoulder, Jung Shin grins “Give it up, hyung… Life’s fair like that. You can’t have everything. Mehrong!!!”

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Since they finished Music Core recording late, by the time the girls arrived at the concert venue, the concert was already well on the way. Escorted by their manager and concert staff, they finally managed to get to their seats without much hassle. But of course, as customs dictates, the girls went to pay their respects to Lee Soo Man sajangnim and other important people from their company as well as their seniors before they could settle into their seats. “Lee sajangnim!! Annyeonghashibnikka!” the three girls bowed. “Ohh! TaeTiSeo is here! Annyeong! You came straight from Music Core?” Lee Soo Man sajangnim enquired, happy to see his girls. “Ne, Lee sajangnim! Sorry that we’re late” Tae Yeon bowed again. “Aniya, thank you girls for the hard work. And thank you for rushing straight here immediately to show your support for your sunbaes!” Lee Soo Man sajangnim chuckled cheerfully. “Lee sajangnim, I hope you’re enjoying the show so far” Tiffany smiled. “Of course, Tiffany-ah! Too bad you girls couldn’t watch it from the beginning” Lee Soo Man sajangnim said. “It’s ok Sajangnim, but we should let you enjoy the rest of the show. Please have fun!” Seo Hyun wished him sincerely. “Ahh.. Seo Hyun-ah, CNBLUE is seated over there on the extreme right, in the first section. I think they’re on the last row of that section…” Lee Soo Man sajangnim pointed out, squinting into the distance. “They came by to say hello when they arrived. I like their manners! Sorry we had to put them so far away. I hope you will understand, Seo Hyun-ah” Lee Soo Man sajangnim chuckled at the thought of the ninja clad boys. “Aniyo Sajangnim! Of course I understand. Please don’t worry about it” Seo Hyun blushed, bowing her head low. “Okay okay… I should let you girls sit and enjoy the show too. Quick, go to your seats” Lee Soo Man sajangnim chuckled, gesturing for the girls to take their seats. Bowing low, the three girls quickly strut back to their seats.

Oppa, I just arrived. We’re two rows in front of Lee Sajangnim. Are you enjoying the show so far? ~Hyun

Hyu~n!! You’re here! I think I can see you. Kekeke… The concert is great! But I’m here for you, you know. ~Yong

Aigoo Oppa! Pay attention to the concert. I’ll see you later. ~Hyun

Kekeke… Araseo Hyu~n!! See you backstage!! Mehrong! ~Yong

Yong choding!!! ~Hyun

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“Hyung, the usher is here to us backstage!” Jong Hyun yelled into Yong Hwa’s ear and shook his arm to get his attention amidst the loud music and screaming fans. Nodding, Yong Hwa stood up and bowed to the usher. “Yong Hwa-ssi??” the usher yelled. Yong Hwa nodded, he felt it was useless to attempt a conversation in the middle of a sea of screaming fans. “I’m sorry to interrupt but we better go backstage while we still can. This is the last song before the encore!!” the usher yelled into Yong Hwa’s ear. Yong Hwa again nodded and gestured for him to lead the way, his dongsaengs already standing behind him. Keeping their head down, the four boys followed the usher into the hallways leading to the backstage. Walking briskly, the boys didn’t look up until they arrived backstage. Sighing in relief, they started to remove their caps and mouth muffles. “Ahhh… Finally!” Jung Shin breathed. “The rest of the people will arrive shortly. All the ushers have been sent out to retrieve all the family members and invited guests. I guess you guys are the first to arrive since you sat nearer to the exits than everybody else. Please, make yourself comfortable in the meantime” the usher said with a bow.

“Jung seobang!!!” Tiffany and Tae Yeon bellowed from the door, startling the four boys and their usher. “Annyeonghaseyo!! CNBLUE ibnida!!” the four boys quickly turned and bowed playfully. “Annyeonghaseyo!! Seo Nyo Shi Dae, TaeTiSeo ibnida!!” the three girls bowed in return, before breaking into fits of giggles. The three girls quickly crossed the room to join the boys and together began to formally greet the other guests that had started to fill the room. The last to arrive was Lee Soo Man sajangnim and his entourage of SM Entertainment’s senior. Everybody bowed the customary greetings and stood obediently as Lee Soo Man sajangnim went round and greeted each person personally. Stopping at CNBLUE, Lee Soo Man sajangnim greeted them again, “CNBLUE… How did you like the concert? I hope you boys had fun. I would love to attend your concert one day. I should speak to Seung Ho about it soon!” “Ahh… Lee sajangnim, SM has a reputation of putting up the best concerts. Our concerts will pale in comparison. We aren’t really performers, sir. We are just musicians” Yong Hwa replied sheepishly. “Nonsense! You boys are exceptional musicians and songwriters! I still can’t believe you boys are barely in your mid twenties!! So much talent in four young boys. I can’t wait to hear your music as you grow older. I will be anticipating much more from all of you” Lee Soo Man sajangnim chuckled cheerfully. The four boys bowed profusely at Lee Soo Man sajangnim’s praise, “Thank you Lee sajangnim!!” Just then, Super Junior members started to trickle in one by one. “Ahhh… There they are, the stars of the night” Lee Soo Man sajangnim said when he noticed Ryu Weok and Kyu Hyun at the door, bowing at everybody as they entered.

With everybody’s attention off of them, CNBLUE and TaeTiSeo relaxed visibly. Since Min Hyuk was standing next to Seo Hyun, he quietly whispered, “Hyunsoonim, annyeong!” He had a small cheeky grin on his face. Giggling quietly, Seo Hyun responded, “Ahh…Min Hyuk duryonim, annyeong! Did you enjoy the concert?” “Of course!! Who would not enjoy SuJu’s concert? Too bad we can’t ever attend SoShi’s concert” Min Hyuk pouted, giving Seo Hyun an apologetic look. “Mmm… If you ninjas could pull it off today, I’m sure you’ll be able to master the art of stealth and come to one of our concerts one day” Seo Hyun teased. “Yah Min Hyuk-ah, are you flirting with your Hyungsoonim??” Yong Hwa demanded, closing in on the two of them. “Ah cham!! Yong choding!!” Seo Hyun reprimanded Yong Hwa. Chuckling, Jong Hyun slung his arm around Yong Hwa’s shoulders, dragged him backwards and joked “Min Hyuk-ah, take Hyungsoonim and run! I’ll hold him back!” Yong Hwa played along by flailing his arms, and pretending to try to fight off Jong Hyun which then evolved into this slow-mo kungfu fighting sequence between the two. “Aigoo! Cham!! We’ve got three pretty girls standing here but the boys are more interested to play on their own. Taeng, Hyunnie, let’s go!” Tiffany huffed and grabbed the girls, pretending to walk off. Snapping out of their little game, Yong Hwa chased after them, grabs Seo Hyun’s hand and practically begs “Don’t go, please!!! We’ll stop playing. I promise! Just don’t go…” Tae Yeon grabs Seo Hyun’s other hand and imitates Yong Hwa’s plea, earning a glare from Yong Hwa. “She’s mine, hands off!” he barked, tugging Seo Hyun to him. “Ani!! She’s ours!!” Tae Yeon barked back, tugging Seo Hyun her way. “Kids! Help me!!” Yong Hwa beckons to the boys as he tugged Seo Hyun his way again. “I’ll help you!!” Tiffany jumped forward to anchor Tae Yeon in a hug. And stuck in the centre feeling like a rag doll is poor Seo Hyun, although none of them actually tugged at her too forcefully.

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The seven of them spent the rest of the night goofing around with the other guests, mainly fellow artists from SM. After Tiffany, Tae Yeon and Seo Hyun took photos with Siwon, they decided to grab some food and left with the four CNBLUE boys.