It turned out that Hayoung had eaten the last pancake and even though I was in no mood to cook again, I made two more for Chorong and myself. She scarfed them down happily and when she was finished, we all went to the living room to watch reruns of SNL Korea.

     The girls laugh and I laugh along with them even though my heart is aching. I really just want to cry like everyone else has already. Cry while someone hugs me tells me it'll be okay. When Yookyung left, my heart was shattered for months on end. It was like a mother loosing her child; you miss them everyday even if you try to hide it. That's how I felt—that's how I feel right now. I have lost my baby girl, my closet friend and I don't know what to do. If I cry, the other girls will surely begin to cry again too and I cannot have anymore heartbreak.

     I swallow the lump in my throat and fake a yawn to make the tears welling in my eyes seem more normal. I turn my attention back to the TV and try my best to not think of her.

     "Rongrong?" Hayoung whispers hoarsely, lying her head on my shoulder.

     "Hmm?" Chorong replies.

     "Could you--" she clears , "could you talk to manager-oppa about us seeing Yookyung again?"

     I don't even have to look at Chorong to know that her face is as white as a sheet. "Um, I don't think I can do that, Hayoung-ah. Uh, I think," she breathes in shakily. "I think that'd be too much to, uh-mm, ask."

     Hayoung sighs deeply. "You're probably right."

     "Hey, don't look so glum, chums!" I say cheerfully, looking at Hayoung then Chorong. "I'll ask oppa."

     Suddenly everyone is sitting up from their slouching positions on the couch, staring at me with wide, surprised eyes.

     "R-really?!" Eunji shouts, jumping to her feet.

     I smile, "yeah! It would be so great to see her again. I think my heart would burst." My voice cracks a bit at the last word, but Eunji and the others don't seem to notice.

     "Oh, Bomi, thank you, thank you!"

     They jump on me, hugging tightly as they thank me over and over again. "Guys," I chuckle, "I can't breath."

~

     An hour or two later, our manager comes to our dorm with the brightest smile in the entire world. I have never seen him look so happy or proud of us before. "Girls, congratulations!" He exclaims, clapping his hands. "You've been through some hard times, but look at where you are now!"

     We all bow, thanking him again and again for the amazing experience and chances he has given us. And for a while, we just chat