The performance will start in 2 minutes. It takes 3 to get to the stage but only half that time if a person runs for it. 1 minute and 30 seconds. That means 30 seconds to get up, grab her ear-piece, the letter, and bolt out the door. This is what Taeyeon thought as she was pinned down by her old love and Jessica's former boyfriend. Even after so long, a girl should feel her heart beat louder in her chest, but Taeyeon's pulsed for a very different reason – fear.

Just a minute or two ago she had found him with Jessica's ear-piece and her red letter. Maybe it was out of curiosity rather than mischief, or maybe because the striking colour attracted him, or maybe he still had lingering feelings but is still being a jerk about it, whatever the case may be, he chose to stuff it into his jacket pocket. It would have been no problem if it was just any other fanmail, but her's was different. Nothing in her note mentioned ever being a fan.

At first she decided to play it cool – opened the door and with a casual greeting asked him what he was doing in their dressing room.

“Jessica asked me to bring her the ear-piece she forgot,” he said. Taeyeon eyeballed his pocket where his hand held the note. A little bit of red was peeking out.

“Is that so?” she remarked and then pointed with a nod. “I see you've got something. What is it you got there?”

“Oh this?” He looked down and lifted his forearm up, his hand still in the jacket. “It's nothing. Jessica does this sometimes – putting a bad fan-letter in her bag. She used to give it to me and we'd laugh it off together.” He tried to give a benevolent chuckle but she could hear an undertone of nervousness. “I'm guessing it bothered her and so she took it with her or something. Anyway, I'll get rid of it myself. Oh, I guess we better get going! Girls' Generation can't disappoint their fans by being late, can they?” Again with the chuckle, but Taeyeon found nothing funny. It was bullsh*t.

He was right, those two have done it before with previous letters. Whenever she felt bad about the things people assume about her, she would go to him for comfort. But Taeyeon was quick to sense something off. A sort of malevolence seemed to hover over his head as he pushed the red paper deeper into his pocket. He was lying but why? She decided to take a chance.

“And what exactly is your friend's name?” she inquired. There was a pause and look of being taken back a little on his face. He cleared his throat and looked away.

“I can't tell you because you know him.”

“Then I guess I can't let you leave the room,” she retorted. He was surprised now and glanced at the clock right above her head.

“But you have to- Why do you care so much?” he asked as he moved his hand through the side of his head, clearly bothered.

“Why are you lying?” she finally said.

She thought his voice went up some 2 octaves as he cried irately, “What? I'm not lying.”

“Oh please,” she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “You're fiddling with the letter, avoiding eye contact, touching your face, and talking like your on helium. I wouldn't be surprised if your nose grew 20 ft across this room.” She put her arm out in front of her and demanded, clearly emphasizing each word, “Give. Me. The Letter.” There was a moment of hesitation in him. She could see his gaze falter and intuitively know that the hair behind his neck was standing up in frustration. He wanted to get out, now, get that letter somewhere she didn't know where. She wouldn't be taking any chances and continued, “It's a good thing you broke up with her after all. She deserves better. And your just a crook who can't talk straight.” Taeyeon could see it. Something changed in his eyes, as if a dark flame ignited behind glass. His face took on an expression almost sinister and conniving. She didn't know this person.

“What did you say?” The 2 octaves were definitely gone. Then as if he realized something, he smiled and suddenly Taeyeon could feel the hairs at the back of her neck stand. “Oh, I get it... You must be the one who wrote the letter. Otherwise you wouldn't have cared so much, nor seen through my lie that fast.” Taeyeon couldn't hide her startlement and her face gave her away. Bullseye. She tried to gulp her apprehension down her stomach.

“My gut made leader. I knew you lied from the first syllable that came out of your mouth. I only took a chance and I was right. And I care because I am the leader. Besides, it doesn't matter who wrote the letter. What are you going to do with it?”

“Well, if it's coming from you it must be bitter. I'm going to savour it.” He waved it in front of her, all his teeth showed as he smiled. Taeyeon felt like a mouse looking at a panther's grin. “All this talk about being a leader with guts maybe true for everyone else, but with Jessica it's different isn't it?” Taeyeon's eyes widened. She felt an urge to strangle him before he finished talking but also a certain inhibition she couldn't explain. It was true, for a while now she hasn't been able to understand her like she does everyone else. There's just something that's blocking her thoughts, from going any further than the shallow understanding she has of Jessica. But now wasn't the time for thinking. He had something up his sleeve and it wasn't milk and bananas.

“You reek of rotten filth. What happened to you?” Her eyes narrowed as she said this, trying to stare him down, but he was oblivious. He had become lax, almost as if the situation became a sort of bore to him and he just wanted to leave. Instead he replied,

“Nothing. You just didn't know me.” Then with a deprecating smile and undermining tone he continued, “I guess your little intuition trick just doesn't work when you're in love.” He gave a belittling laugh, bending his head back, voice to the ceiling, and Taeyeon just went on autopilot. She was furious at the twit and tried to snatch the letter while he was too busy being satisfied at his comment. But he evaded her and instead of leaving when he could, he pushed her over, pinning her to the floor.

“I wonder what'll happen when Girls' Generation's two lead singers are silenced; one of them turning up MIA. That'll be something to watch for in the morning papers, don't you agree?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because it's fun to watch my beloved person squirm in my hate!” All the while, he's been smiling that dreadful smile. Taeyeon couldn't believe what she was hearing. She didn't understand, but all she knew that he was full of ill intentions. In vexation she exclaimed,

“You idiot!” Just then they heard a loud booming noise a few feet away. Someone had seen them and shut the door in shock. The boy looked up, giving Taeyeon a chance to escape. She kicked him in the balls and tossed him to the side. Quickly, she snatched the letter and Jessica's ear-piece that fell on the floor when he pushed her down. Still in agony, with his hands between his legs, he writhed on the floor while Taeyeon grabbed her ear-piece from the table. She bolted out the door, uncaring about the humiliated man and the possibility of someone finding him like that.

10 seconds till showtime.