“I can’t believe this!” Tiffany said, “This is stupid!”

“Of course! Sooman-songsaegnim is planning something!” Kangin said in frustration, “How come we don’t know any of that plan?!”

They were all at their hang-out place in the restaurant.

“This is unfair! Why everyone does kept everything away from us!” Heechul exclaimed, “No one dares to tell us anything, NOT EVEN A BIT!!!”

“Definitely, something’s wrong!” Kyuhyun said with his right hand placed on his chin

“Certainly!” Heechul agreed right away

“No! I mean, something is wrong.” Kyuhyun said, “She said she’s not the right person to tell us everything but Lee Sooman, then it means he was the one who’s behind of all Soo’s actions. If then, when did he start asking Sooyoung? Was it when Soo was in Japan? If he had asked her something, then he knows what’s happening”

“You’re right!” Siwon said, “I’ve been noticing it since Sooyoung came back. There are times that Sooyoung doesn’t act like she is the Sooyoung I know but most of the time, Sooyoung is Sooyoung”

“That’s right!” Yoona said, “One time, I saw Unnie talk to the board member and she seem like a different person. Afterwards, when they finally got through, I followed her and saw her shaking”

“That must be!” Kibum said, “but now, the real question is: What is the real plan? And why is Lee Sooman-songsaegnim not telling us anything? and... Why Soo? Why not other people?”

“We have so many questions” Jessica said, “but we don’t have any answers to it.”

“We will. And there’s only one person who can answer our questions” Sunny said standing up.

Meanwhile, Sooyoung was left at the practice room all by herself. She keeps thinking what happened again and again. She felt so guilty of what she had done. She never wanted to keep things from them but she has no choice. She has to obey or else everyone will pay.

The door went open to which Sooyoung didn’t notice. It was Donghae. He was there when Sooyoung talked with Mr. Kim Youngmin so he knew what had happened.

Sooyoung finally stood up. And as she did, she saw Donghae. “Hey”

“Donghae-ssi” Sooyoung uttered

“Where did they go?” Donghae asked coming near to her

“Um… I don’t know. They probably go back to the dorm”

Sooyoung fix all her things. Donghae could only watch her. He didn’t know how to approach her. He didn’t know what to say to her so he could comfort her. He knew too well that she was hurt and afraid.

“Um… Sooyoung?” Donghae called

“Why?” Sooyoung asked as she was to go

“You have a lot of choices. You don’t have to choose the hard way.”

Sooyoung only smiled, “Yeah? Then what do you want me to choose? You?”

Sooyoung then left.

“Why not! I really want you do so” Donghae uttered to himself

Now at the dorm, Sooyoung was with Yoona. Yoona was talking non-stop when they had arrived at the dorm. Tonight will be the first night Sooyoung will sleep again at the girls’ dorm.

“Welcome back!” Jessica said as she welcomes Sooyoung to the dorm. All of them were present and are at the living room though some of them are still mad at Sooyoung for signing at the AVEX without them knowing.

“Thank You!” Sooyoung thanked happily. She never expects they will make a welcome party for her at the dorm.

They all sat down at the sofa. For the first time again, they were complete. However, an awkward silence passes by them. Nobody wants to speak. Finally, Yoona took the courage.

“So” Yoona gulped, “We were finally complete. Isn’t that fun?”

“It should be” Hyoyeon said, “but only for a short moment. SOMEONE has abandoned all of us in Hell”

Sooyoung only looked down, not saying a word.

“But Sooyoung-unnie promised me she’ll stay here in Korea” Yoona tried to lift the mood.

“Yoona, are you stupid? Why would she stay here? Her NEW company is in Japan. It’s only right that she go back to Japan.” Tiffany said in a harsh tone, “I don’t see any reason why we were doing this. Why give her a welcome party? She’s going anyway.”

“Yeah! I agree! No need to do this crap!” Yuri said standing up, “We’re only wasting our time”

“Sorry girls. But I have to sleep now. I have a practice early morning” Sunny said going back to her room.

“Right! We should stop this. To be honest, this doesn’t really mean anything. It has no significance” Sooyoung said still sitting at her place, “Why bother make a welcome back party, right?”

“Unnie” Seohyun said

“I didn’t really expect you would understand. I know because I have never told you a thing from the start. And even if I do…”

“If you did, we could have understood” Hyoyeon exclaimed

“If I did, you’d probably choose not to have known at all. It’ll make no difference. If you know, you’d ignore it”

“How did you know? How can you say so? You think you know us that well???” Tiffany asked angrily

“I’m not saying I do know you all to the extent that i can figure out what would your opinions be.” Sooyoung said, “But you see, I’ve seen a lot of people do that everytime I tell them what I know. At first they will console you but eventually, they’ll act as if they didn’t know.”

“How sure are you that we’ll be the same?” Sunny asked

“Not much but good enough to not tell you anything.” Sooyoung answered, “Those people, smart enough to know what is wrong and right, they’re considerate, an advocate of peace, justful, kind, brave but they all end up choosing one thing.”

“So you planned not to tell us anything?” Yuri asked

“There’s no  second I haven’t wished that I should have said it. I should have told you everything. But whenever I do think of it, I felt guilty. The truth is too daunting for me to tell you.”

“But Sooyoung, don’t you think we also have the right to know about it?” Taeyeon asked

“I have always understood you. Never, I have doubt in each of you. But if you can’t understand why I’m not telling you anything, how am I going to say it? How do you suppose me to tell you everything if you can’t even understand the situation?”

Sooyoung walked away and went to her room leaving them all.

Jessica slowly opened the door to their room. She then locked the door and saw Sooyoung sitting at her bed while unpacking her luggage. She went to her and sits at her bed, just watching Sooyoung unpack her things.

“Soo” Jessica said, “I don’t want to force you to tell me what you know or why are you doing all of these, I just wanted to understand and I will never understand if you don’t tell what’s really happening”

Sooyoung then stopped from unpacking and look at Jessica.

“Do you remember when we stayed at the mansion? At that time, Halmuhni said something to me” Sooyoung said, “Kim Youngmin had prepared all of this from the start”

“What do you mean?” Jessica is starting to grew curious

“Kim Youngmin was one of the first employees of SM. He had started working at the company from the start it was founded. He eventually becomes part of the board as the time goes by.”

“So, what’s the connection?” Jessica asked impatiently

“When the company faced a lot of problems, there was a time that all of the staffs were not paid. Kim Youngmin was one of the staffs that were not paid and at that time, Youngmin’s wife was pregnant. Kim Youngmin tried his very best to get even more investors to invest so they could have money to give to the staffs. And finally, when he got some investors to invest to the company, his wife called. She was going to give birth but Kim youngmin was not able to answer the phone. His wife went to the hospital on her own. However…”

“Why? What happened?”

Sooyoung breathe heavily, “She got into an accident. And the day he finally had money, the day their child was supposed to be born, was the most unfortunate day. He loses his child and his wife at the accident”

“Oh my god!” Jessica covers with both hands, “So…that is the reason why he wanted to get reveange to Lee Sooman-sogsaegnim?”

“Yes! He blames Sooman-songsaegnim and he wanted to be the CEO of the company because he believes it was his.”

“But why did you not tell it to us before?”

“Because Songsaegnim doesn’t want you guys to be involved in the fight. If you know about it, he believes that Kim Youngmin will eventually hurt you” Sooyoung said crying, “Sica, i'm not expecting you girls will do an action but at least understand! I'm sorry for not telling you about it. I’m really sorry but you have to understand!”

“I got it! Dont worry, I do understand you. You’re only thinking of what’s good for everyone. It’s ok. I understand now. Don’t cry~” Jessica said as she hugged Sooyoung. “This will eventually end. I know it will.”

At the next day, Sooyoung, Yoona and Donghae went again for their filming. For their filming, they went to the field. They were going to film in a wide field with a windmill. As soon as Donghae step out of the van, he immediately smell the fresh cold air that breezes under the sun. He then saw the windmill and remember something.

“Ya! Bwaya?” He was sketching a house with a windmill at the side

“I told you that one day, we’ll live in a house with a big barn and a windmill”

“A windmill?”

“Ne! Because you love windmills!”

"Chincha?" She asked happily but suddenly it fades away, "But definitely we can’t live in Seoul! What if we were now idols? We have to live in Seoul!”

“Then we are going to have 2 houses. One will be in Seoul and the other will be here in Gwangju, what do you think?”

“Choa!” She hugged him happily

Suddenly, he felt someone went beside him. It was Sooyoung

“Oh?” Donghae looked at Sooyoung.

“Why are you looking there?” Sooyoung pointed the windmill

“Aniyo. I just remembered something” Donghae said

“Well you better hurry up because it’s seriously cold here!” Yoona said leaving before Sooyoung

Donghae and Yoona were the first one to film their scene. Their scene was Donghae was listening to the music while resting under the tree and Yoona at the opposite side of the tree. She was happily writing something at her notebook.

It took them several takes before they finished the scene because of the wind that starts to blow strongly. As they were filming, Donghae was only listening to one song, the first song that he ever composed of. While listening to it, he kept thinking the days when he was the happiest. He’s not supposed to feel that as they were still filming but he can’t help it and since his expression is very real, the director just let it.

“CUT!” The director shouted, “Good Take!”

Finally, it will be Sooyoung and Donghae’s scene. Their scene will be both of them under the tree, leaning their backs together against the tree and happily plays. The director decided to let them take some break to prepare for the next scene.

Donghae still didn’t go away from his spot and remain sitting at the grass when Sooyoung came. She sat next to him, preparing herself for their part.

“What are you doing?” Sooyoung asked in the air trying to sound as if she didn’t care

Donghae suddenly put the other earphone to her ear and went back to his position. She was about to protest but he already put it in her ear.

“Bwaya? What kind of song-??” Sooyoung stopped when she finally heard the song

“It’s my favorite song” Donghae said looking at Sooyoung, “And it is also my first song composed”’

Upon hearing the song, Sooyoung couldn’t help but feel somewhat emotional. Although, the voice in the song is too young but the emotions are felt by anyone who listens into it.

“Did you like it?”

“What’s the title?”

Donghae smiled, “Promise”

After a while, the song repeated again. “Mianhae, it was the only song in my playlist”

Sooyoung shook her head, “Aniyo. Keep it playing"

Donghae watched Sooyoung as she listens to the song. He feels so happy seeing her next to him. It’s exactly what he thought of when he was listening to the song.

“I love you, Choi Sooyoung” Donghae uttered making Sooyoung shocked

She looked at him. “As a co-star and a labelmate, right?” Sooyoung turned away, avoiding his eyes.

“Aniyo! I do really love you, Sooyoung. And I’ll always love you” Donghae said confidently

“You’re kidding! You already have a girlfriend and we all know you love her”

“I don’t! I don’t love her as much as I have loved you and probably won’t” Donghae immediately said, “I have only loved one girl in my entire life!”

Seeing Sooyoung did not respond, Donghae goes on.

“I have always wanted to tell you how much I love you but the fear that I might lose you keeps me from going to you. I couldn’t even tell you how difficult it is for me to act like I didn’t know what’s between us.” Donghae said emotionally, “If only- if only I could tell the whole world what I truly feels, if only I could show you how much I love you without worrying of what other people might say, if I could do everything freely without other people stopping me, Sooyoung, I’d show you how much I love you”

Tears started to fall in Sooyoung’s eyes but she quickly wipes it away. “Then tell me” Sooyoung finally looked at him in his eyes, “What is it that you wanted to tell me?”

“I-“ Donghae tries to compose himself. He again looked at her in her eyes and started, “I never loved anyone else as much as I have loved you, Sooyoung. When I found out that we were going to China, I told myself that after we come back, I would propose to you. I will tell to the whole world how much I love you”

“But--??”

“After a week since we get there, Kim Youngmin went to me, in person, just right after my schedule. He talked to me. And he told me to forget whatever I am planning to after we come back to Korea. He wanted me to pick between you and my job.”

“And you choose your job, of course!” Sooyoung’s voice was trembling

“No! I chose you!” Donghae said, “But he told me that if I didn’t stop my relationship with you he’ll make you suffer along with the others. It was tough for me. I still wanted to choose you but I felt guilty for the others. I don’t want to ruin their dreams. Sooyoung, I have waited so long to finally tell you all of this”

Silence passes by. Finally, Sooyoung spoke, “I know!”

“You know?” Donghae asked

“You asked me to trust you and I can’t help myself thinking of possibilities why you did that. I was starting to give up, being far away from you and the rest and completely isolated in Japan with no one to talk to, it kills me. If you only know how I felt during those times you could never blame me for my actions. But after coming back here, and realized that everyone else knew about you and Bianca, I couldn’t-" Sooyoung breathe deeply, "I don’t know what to do and then, I saw Bianca with Kim Youngmin. They were both talking in a low voice as if they were talking of something private then I figured out that he could be using Bianca to blackmail you. I feel so stupid!”

“I’m so sorry, Sooyoung”

“Don’t be! I’m just- I’m just glad we finally talked this through”