---x;;

“But the closer you get, the more I’ll hurt you.”

Smirking, Saebyul jerked her head to the side as Shiyeon belted out her last verse. Taking the signal, the group retreated to surround Shiyeon whom stood tall in the middle.

After holding their poses for several seconds, Luhan whooped and jumped up and down excitedly, “Yes! Yes! The choreography is finally perfect! Yeonie, you sang really well!” Lay grinned in agreement, Xiumin and Chen cheering loudly in the background as Tao bothered Kris.

“Thanks,” Shiyeon smiled, “Thank god all the practicing is over. I swear, I’m going to sleep until then.”

“Nu-uh, baby girl,” a high-pitched yet masculine voice cut through, interrupting the celebration when an extravagantly dressed male stepped in, “You need to get your makeup and clothing figured out for the occasion. Have you forgotten that you still have to attend the actual dance itself after the performance, so you need a dress in addition to the stage outfit?”

Saebyul winced, averting her gaze, “,” she muttered under her breath.

Curiously, Kris bent down to her level whereas everyone else stared at the new arrival with questioning eyes, “Who the hell is that?”

Byul groaned, clutching her head as she crouched down in a corner, “That’s Taewoo. Shiyeon and I knew him since we were little, and he’s…used us as Barbie dolls.”

“He sounds gay,”

“He is gay!” Saebyul hissed, “And he’s got evil stylist instincts, so we’re all trapped!”

Shiyeon’s  low scream broke the conversation,