PHASE 1: WHAT TO WEAR

PHASE 2: MAKEUP

PHASE 3: PEOPLE

PHASE 4: CAMERA + AUDITION

“So far, nothing has gone right,” Dongwoo sulked. “She’s back to her regular clothes, doesn’t even bother with makeup, and definitely failed to make a normal friend.”

“At least she wears her new clothes to school,” Woohyun said as he tried to solve a Rubik’s cube.

Sungjong stood up and took a deep breath. “There’s no use in moping around. We should try to think positive. Let’s move on to the next item on our list.”

Hoya nodded. “He’s right. We should just forget about the… obstacles that we’ve encountered and focus on what can still be done now.”

“Well, the next task is conquering her hatred for cameras and getting her ready for the audition,” Sunggyu said.

Sungjong collapsed onto the chair behind him. “WE’RE DOOMED!”

Sungyeol wiggled his eyebrows. “You’re forgetting about our secret weapon.”

----------

“No!”

“Myungsoo, we need your help!”

Myungsoo tapped his chin. “Aww gee, sorry but I’m awfully busy today.”

“You’re doodling,” Sungyeol angled his head to look at the drawing. “a drowning bear?”

“It’s a self-portrait,” Myungsoo glared.

“Now that you mention it, I can kind of see the resemblance. There’s the... um, the hat and uh, I think that’s supposed to be a plaid shirt,” Sungjong said.

“What are those things coming out of the head?” Hoya asked.

“My ears.”

“But it has to be a bear!” Sungyeol gleefully shouted. “There are fangs!”  

“That’s how I draw teeth! Stop making fun of my picture!” Myungsoo tried to hide the paper behind his back but Sungyeol snatched it away.

“But those are paws!”

“Didn’t I tell you to stop?”

“I’m not entirely wrong. You’re swimming, right?”

“That’s not the ocean! It’s grass!”

“Why are you ? This isn’t very child-friendly.”

“I’m wearing pants!”

“Hey, the sun has fangs too!”

“I told you: THAT’S HOW I DRAW TEETH!”

Soo Min had been reloading up on snacks and was about to go back upstairs when she heard the argument. “What are you guys looking at?”

“Myungsoo’s picture.”

She took a glance at it. “Why is there a gremlin wearing clothes in the middle of the ocean?”

Sungyeol laughed and pointed. “Hah! I told you it was ridiculous!”

“It is ridiculous; gremlins can’t swim. Just change it to grass.” She shook her head and retreated to her room.

Sungyeol cleared his throat. “So Myungsoo, about the offer…”

“No! Today, you mocked my prodigious artistic talents. Yesterday, you stuck wet cotton balls all over my mirror. The day before that, you placed mentos in my ice cubes.”

Dongwoo frowned, “What’s wrong with that?”

“I drink diet coke.”

Sungyeol laughed and clapped his shoulder. “You’re still pissed? Geez, what kind of man are you?”

“A MAN WITH GRUDGES!”

Sunggyu shook his head and pushed Sungyeol away. “Myungsoo, you’re the only one with a professional camera. Plus, you have more experience with auditions. You don’t have to do all of this for that idiot over there,” he jerked his thumb at the choding who was currently chasing after Sungjong with a stapler, “or that other idiot,” he motioned towards the greasy boy who was spread out lazily on the couch, “do it for Soo Min. She needs to be an idol no matter what. She HAS to be one.”

Myungsoo’s shoulders deflated. “Fine, let me go set up the living room. Hoya, can you help carry some things?”

Sunggyu grabbed Woohyun and Dongwoo and dragged them towards Soo Min’s room.

“Wait, hyung, what about me?” Sungjong cried out.

Sunggyu paused to think. “Sungyeol, if I help the maknae, what will happen?”

“I’ll probably get bored and go wreck havoc somewhere else.”

“Then, it’s best to keep you pre-occupied. Sorry, Sungjong.”

Sungjong’s cries diminished as they got closer to the dreaded room.

“It’s been weeks and I still can’t get over that horrifying knocker,” Sunggyu shivered. “Dongwoo, you do it.”

“Nuh-uh, I think I saw the head move once.”

Woohyun pushed through. “Stop acting like such sissies. We’re ghosts, remember?” He barely let go of the knocker when the door opened.

“You little old ladies are so loud. Go die already.”

“Hello to you too, little sister!” Dongwoo grinned and waved.

“Come downstairs. We want to show you something,” Woohyun tugged on her arm but she stayed rooted in place.

“No.”

“No?”

“No.”

Woohyun cocked an eyebrow. “Care to explain?”

She pointed a finger accusingly at him. “You look creepy.”

“Hey! Look who’s talking?”

Soo Min pulled out a mirror.

“What’s that for?”

“You told me to look.”

“It’s a rhetorical question!”

“Come inside. Woohyun, can you close the door for me?

He did the simple task.

“Now can you go on the other side of the door and do the same thing?”

He nodded, opened the door, stepped outside, and closed it.

“Like this?” his voice was muffled.

“Yes, thank you.”

Dongwoo and Sunggyu laughed. “I wonder how long it’s going to take him.”

…

“Oh, I get it now,” he finally floated through. “Very funny.”

“Stop fooling around. Soo Min, come down with us. It’s very important.”

“I’ll take her!” Woohyun offered.

Before anyone could protest, Woohyun grabbed her hand and floated through the door but poor Soo Min smacked right into it.

Dongwoo grabbed Woohyun and pulled him back him, flinging him around like a stuffed animal. “Why didn’t you turn her transparent too?” He slammed Woohyun down on each syllable. “How dare you hurt her!”

“Ow! Ow! Ok, I’m sorry! Ow! Dongwoo, stop it! Oof!”

“Soo Min, are you—” Sunggyu’s words stopped short at the sight of her dark eyes.

“NAM WOOHYUN!”

Sungjong and Sungyeol stopped running. “What’s happening up there?”

Hoya worriedly looked up at the ceiling. “Should we go check up on them?”

Myungsoo shook his head. “Woohyun’s there; she’ll come down eventually.”

Woohyun laughed. “Haha, that tickled.”

“Then why did you keep saying “ow”?

He shrugged. “Just in case.”

“That tickled?” her angry voice was all too familiar to them.

“Uh-oh. Is it too late to play dead?”

Sunggyu and Dongwoo dashed out, closing the door in Woohyun’s face. The latter tried to open it but it wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t even float through. Damn Dongwoo and his dinosaur body.

“Guys, let me out of here!” It was hopeless but he continued to yank on the doorknob.

“No, this is entirely your fault! Take responsibility!”

“Take responsibility? Stop acting like a girl! It’s not like I took away your first kiss or something. Now let me out!”

“Woohyun.”

He shivered at the sound of his name as her icy breath hit his neck. Time to use my “Escape from Soo Min” Emergency Plan.

“Hasta la vista, baby!” he shouted as he jumped out the window.

----------

Heh, she’ll never think to look for me up here.

Woohyun laughed. “Soo Min is an idiot.”

“You’re the idiot!”

His blood froze. How did she find me?

“If you’re going to hide from me, DON’T PICK MY HIDING SPOT!” She pushed herself onto the roof.

Woohyun stuck out his tongue. “I’m never playing hide-and-seek with you. You’re a cheater. Cheater, cheater, fat feet eater.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Dummy, dummy, fat tummy dummy.”

“That’s only half-true! See?” He lifted his shirt up and pointed at his abs.

“Aren’t they chocolatey?” He winked at her.

“They look melted.” She jumped back down.

He leaned over the edge and shouted, “Yah! They’re beautiful! Just touch me!” He jumped and followed her inside, his shirt still raised. “Just feel me and you’ll see! They are perfect!”

The other Infinite members slowly joined them, attracted by all of the commotion—more specifically, Woohyun’s fussing.

He ran in front of her, blocking her, and lifted his shirt up higher. “Soo Min! Touch me!”

“NAM WOOHYUN!” he turned around to face six angry and disturbed faces. Note to self: make an “Escape from Angry Members” plan.

Dongwoo and Sungyeol pulled Soo Min away, while Sunggyu and Hoya smacked him. “Stop ually harassing her!”

“I wasn’t! She said I had a fat stomach!”

“Harasser,” Myungsoo mumbled.

“Am not!”

Sungjong placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Sungjong, you understand me, right?”

He nodded. “I understand,” and then slapped the back of Woohyun’s head, “that you need to grow up. Hmph! Now stop harassing noona!”

Woohyun scoffed. “For the last time, I was doing no such thing!”

Sunggyu shook his head for the millionth time. “Rather than worrying about Soo Min, I think we need to worry about that idiot more.”

Sungyeol shrugged. “But what can we do… Anyways, back to work!” He pulled Soo Min into the living room. “Stand right here. Face forward. Back straight. And uh, try your best to smile.”

She smiled… menacingly.

“Good enough.”

“What’s that table in front for? And that keyboard? And that tripod? And those lights?” Myungsoo walked in. “And why does he have a camera around his neck? And—dammit.” She turned to run but her only exit was barricaded by Dongwoo and Hoya. The rest each stood in front of a window.

“We’re prepared this time. There’s nowhere to escape now. Shall we begin?”

Woohyun clicked his tongue. “Did you forget about your beloved Freddy costume?”

She frowned and reluctantly went back to her spot. Myungsoo, Sunggyu and Sungyeol sat down behind the table. “We’re going to run a mock audition since it’s best that you don’t go in unprepared. Each year, thousands of hopefuls try out for their dream but even the best won’t make it. You only have one chance at this so it has to be perfect. Are you ready?”

She nodded.

“Then, Myungsoo, turn on your camera,” Sunggyu ordered.

She immediately ran and cowered in the corner, shielding her face with her arms.

“Soo Min, there’s a camera at every audition. They use it to record you in case they need to review your performance before making a decision. We couldn’t find a video camera but Myungsoo’s is a close substitution.”

Sungjong cheered her on. “You did well before, remember? We took that pretty picture of you!”

She lowered her arms. “That big picture of that idol that you showed that time,”

“Tiffany?”

“Yeah, could you show me that photo again?”

“Sorry, I think we threw it away.”

“Wait!” Sungyeol reached into his back pocket. “Here, use this!”

She accepted the small SNSD photocard from him and studied the faces.

“I can’t believe you still keep that in your wallet,” Hoya whispered to him.

“Of course! They personally gave it to me when we debuted!”

“Because they thought you were a delusional fanboy and felt sorry for you.”

“But I am a delusional fanboy.”

“That’s not something you should be proud of!”

Soo Min returned the photocard. “I’m ready.”

“Then let the audition begin.”

--------------------

A/N: Happy holidays! Sorry for the long break!

Btw, let me know if the background is annoying. It’s supposed to be Soo Min being her weird and creepy self but I’m afraid that it might be distracting. So let me know if I should delete it and just go back to using a plain background. Any other kinds of suggestions/feedback are also greatly appreciated and accepted! ^^

Sunggyu: Let’s enjoy the last few days of 2011 and look forward to many more happy memories together in 2012!

Hoya: Hope you’re having fun with your friends and family!

Dongwoo: Cherish the time that you have with your loved ones during this holiday season and always.

Myungsoo: Happiness should always be one of your main priorities.

Sungjong: Be happy now and forever, Inspirits!

Sungyeol: YEAH! NEW YEARS!!! Time to celebrate and play!

Woohyun: Yah! You still need to clean up the mess you made in the washing machine and bathroom from last time!

Sunggyu: Ahem, Woohyun, our readers…

Woohyun: Sorry, my lovely flowers. Please stay warm during these cold times with my love. You guys have stolen my heart so please take responsibility for this. <3

Dongwoo: Who’s being a girl now?

Sungyeol: My princesses, your beauty shines through even the Internet.

Myungsoo: Don’t help spread the greasiness!

Soo Min: Shut up, you noisy old ladies!