Long, bumbling lines waited outside the Asia World Expo the next night.  Excitement buzzed all around the bay as fans waited to see their favorite Korean girl group.  They had waited a long time to finally see Girls’ Generation in the flesh, and now their wishes would be fulfilled by the Girls’ Generation First Asian Tour.

            Meanwhile, Hurricane Pop met with the team in a conference room of the Skycity Marriot Hotel.  Minseon had returned to Korea earlier this morning, and Choa was visibly glum, but the business of protecting Girls’ Generation still remained before they could be reunited again.

            “The Nine will be leaving their hotel room in a few minutes in order to go to the Expo and sound check,” the Captain explained, pacing back and forth at one end of the table.  “I have assigned personas for you so you can be stationed all across the Expo, ready to act if there’s an emergency.

            “Jina, you’ll be here at the hotel,” the Captain continued.  “There’s no need to put you in danger.  We’ll be in contact with you in case we need you to do something.  Kim, Jung, and I will be underneath the stage posing as stage crew.      “Serang and Ellin, you’ll be personal assistants to the girls.  Just stick close to them and do whatever they ask of you.  During the performance, you can stay backstage, ready to give them water and help with their costume changes.

            “Geummi and Soyul, you’ll be at the very front of the crowd, posing as fans.”  Geummi smiled brightly at the Captain’s words.  “I’ll arrange for you to enter the standing room area just before the doors open.  Try to spread out a little bit.

            “Choa, you’ll be a concert reviewer in the upper concourse.  Dohyun will join you as a reporter.”

            Choa kept her eyes on the Captain, though she desperately wanted to check Dohyun’s reaction to this news.  Furthermore, she wondered if Ellin was irritated with this setup.  What an incredibly inconvenient, yet exciting, manifestation of fate.

            “Your jobs are to keep a watch over the entire Expo,” the Captain explained.  “If you see anything suspicious, let everyone know.”

            “How will we be able to keep track of each other?” Ellin asked suddenly with a sharp tone of frustration.

            “We have these ear pieces.”  Earman Kim took a handful of small electronic devices from his backpack and placed them on the table.  “You stick them in your ear.  They’re not very noticeable, especially in the dark lighting that the concert will have.”  He took out a bunch of wristwatches as well, each a different brand.  “The microphones are inside these watches.  You just hold them up to your mouth and press the silver button.”

            “When someone uses the microphone, all of us will hear what you’re saying,” the Captain informed.  “Just keep that in mind.”

            After the Captain went over a few other details of their assignment, he handed them each small additions to their appearance to keep them unrecognizable even if Hurricane Pop were to become famous later.  Soyul wore a long-haired wig, as well as a large hat that made her tiny face look even smaller.  Geummi received a wig similar to her own hair in color, yet its synthetic hair was voluminous and overbearing.  Her striking cheeks were almost hidden within the mess of hair.  Ellin received a long blonde wig, while Serang received a short, chic black wig.  She looked quite obviously like the exciting government agent that she was.

            “Alright, everyone!” the Captain exclaimed after everyone had adjusted their disguises.  “Ellin, follow Serang; she knows where to go.  Soyul-ah and Geummi-yah, follow Kim.  Choa-yah, Dohyun knows where to go.  Good luck, everyone.”

*          *          *

            “Earman Kim will tell us when to enter the main room.”

            Soyul listened carefully to Geummi’s words as they waited in an unoccupied dressing room.  Kim had given them staff identification badges in case they were caught before they could make it to the stage.  For now, they waited very nearby Girls’ Generation, waiting to hear anything threatening or unexpected.

            Soyul sat in one of the makeup chairs, helplessly adjusting her oversized hat.  Geummi stood in front of her, gladly helping to fiddle with the hat and wig.  She smiled at her small friend, finally patting her tiny cheeks excitedly.

            “I’m so glad we get to work together, Soyul-ah,” Geummi smiled brightly.

            “Yeah, I just wish we knew what we were doing,” Soyul sighed, taking one of Geummi’s hands and observing her shiny, painted nails.  “I still think the Captain’s a little crazy.”

            “Even if there’s no one who will actually harm Girls’ Generation, at least we’ve been hired to help take care of them.”  Geummi sat in the seat next to Soyul.  “I’m sure their life is very difficult, no matter how many managers are assigned to them.”

            “And we get to pursue our own musical career in the process,” Soyul grinned optimistically.  “I guess it’s not bad.  I don’t know if I would have ever come to Hong Kong without the Captain.”

            “See, that’s the way to see it,” Geummi beamed.

            “I’ll see you in just a few days,” a gentle, airy voice said from outside.

            “Who is that?” Soyul whispered, jumping up from her seat.

            “It sounds like she’s coming toward this room.”  Geummi took the staff ID badges from her purse as she spoke.  “It’s okay.  We have these.”

            Before Geummi could hand Soyul her badge, Soyul grabbed her hand and quickly led her into the small bathroom in the corner of the room.  Once Soyul had rushed them both into the room, she slammed the door behind them, obvious tension in her eyes.

            “Hyekyeong-ah, calm down!” Geummi urged.  “We have these badges-”

            Both Geummi and Soyul became silent as it was apparent the owner of the voice outside had entered the dressing room.  Soyul leaned closely to the door, eager to hear more of the conversation.

            “At the Golden Disk Awards,” the voice said with a quiet laugh.  “Next Thursday…Yeah, I can’t wait either.”

            Carefully opening the door, Soyul made a very small, thin view of Seohyun in the dressing room.  Girls’ Generation’s youngest member faced away from the bathroom with her cell phone up to her ear.  Though her face couldn’t be seen, Soyul and Geummi could sense a lighthearted smile on her lips.

            “Who is she talking to?” Soyul whispered urgently.

            “Yah, Hyekyeong-ah, don’t be so nosy,” Geummi pleaded with a trembling voice.

            “How long will you guys be there?” Seohyun asked.  “Ah, you’re there now?  You have a single releasing soon, right?  I should have put it together.  Yes, we’ll be there a few days.  Maybe we can make time to have a late dinner at some point.  Sunny unnie will cover for me…You make it sound so scandalous, oppa.”

            Soyul grasped Geummi’s hand tightly as a mischievous smile appeared on her face.  The secret, scandalous dating life of a Girls’ Generation member was obviously something that excited her impish personality.  “Seohyun-ssi has a boyfriend,” she whispered eagerly.

            “Be quiet, Soyul-ah,” Geummi begged.

            “You’ll be promoting in Japan for a while, right?  And we’ll be heading to the U.S. and Europe next month…”  Seohyun struggled to produce a cheery laugh, but her voice shook with sadness.  “We’re always in different countries…Sometimes it’s too much.”

            As Seohyun began to sniffle, the male voice on her phone was suddenly loud and earnest.  “Seohyun-ah, don’t cry.  You’ll ruin your makeup for tonight’s show.”

            “Oppa, I just miss you a lot,” Seohyun breathed.  “You’d better make time to see me next week, okay?”

            The man on the phone was quieter and sweeter now, but Soyul and Geummi struggled to hear what he was saying.  But they couldn’t help but smile when noticing Seohyun’s visibly more cheerful posture. 

            “Okay…Yeah, Sunny unnie will cover for me.  She’s the only one who knows right now, so please keep that in mind.  Of course I trust the rest of them, but…I’ll tell them all eventually.  Yes, I’m just really ashamed of you, oppa.  They can’t know I’m dating such a troll of a man.”

            At Seohyun’s sassy comment, Soyul squeezed Geummi’s hand again, attempting to control her composure.  Even Geummi, amidst her overwhelming anxiety, gave an amused grin.

            “I love you too, oppa.  Please eat well.  And get enough sleep.  I know how terribly you take care of yourself.  I’ll have a lot of work to do when we meet.  Goodbye, oppa.”

            Seohyun swiftly put her phone into her pocket, and then stood still for a moment.  Geummi and Soyul could hear her breathing deeply, attempting to calm down before seeing her members again.  As the two secret bodyguards stood inside the bathroom, they wished they could simply rush out and comfort the lovesick maknae.  After a few minutes, Seohyun finally left the room, and the two hurried to discuss everything that had happened.

            “Who in the world was she talking to?” Soyul asked.  “Not even her members know!”

            “Sunny does, so remember that for the future,” Geummi insisted suddenly.  “But besides that…I really don’t know who it could be…”

            “Who else will be at the Golden Disk Awards?”

            Geummi sighed and patted Soyul on the head.  “Soyul-ah, the Golden Disk Awards is home to tons of pop groups.  Several boy groups will be there.  Not to mention male solo artists.”

            “Okay, so let’s narrow it down just a little more,” Soyul continued.  “Who will be releasing a Japanese song soon?”

            “I don’t really keep up with all that stuff, to be honest,” Geummi admitted.

            “I’m going to figure this out…” Soyul promised impishly.

            “Go ahead and do that in your free time,” Geummi chuckled.  “But we’re on the job right now.  Practice your kung-fu, Soyul-ah.”

*          *          *

            The lights and sound were all setup, and the members of Girls’ Generation had already completed their sound check.   The members of Hurricane Pop had been at the Asia World Expo for nearly an hour, experiencing various moments with SM Entertainment’s top girl group.

            Serang and Ellin had already assisted The Nine in many ways, providing water and other snacks.  A rather dreary expression remained on Serang’s face even as she stood before the members, while Ellin’s whole body became tense at even the sight of one of The Nine. 

            Finally, in a moment of peace and silence just outside one of the dressing rooms, Serang tapped Ellin on the shoulder.  “Ellin-ah, loosen up.  It’s physically painful to look at your worried face.”

            “O-Okay.”  Ellin seemed to speak with half her lung capacity.  She attempted to take a deep breath, but gave a violent hiccup as Seohyun abruptly passed by.  Sunny met with her a few feet down the hall, and Ellin simply held her breath all together.

            “Ah, Seohyun-ah, you were crying,” Sunny sighed, pushing Seohyun’s hair out of her face.  “I knew it wasn’t a good idea for you to talk to him right now.”

            “I just miss him, unnie.”

            “I know, Seohyun-ah,” Sunny grinned, giving her maknae a hug.  “Go into the dressing room.  I’ll fix your makeup.”

            As Seohyun left to enter a dressing room, Sunny approached Ellin, basically paralyzing Hurricane Pop’s nervous visual.  “Ellin-yah…that was your name, right?”

            Ellin attempted to give a nod, but merely bowed her head instead.  Giving a sigh, Serang spoke for her.

            “Yes, her name is Ellin,” Serang told, breaking her lackluster expression to offer a Sunny a bright smile.

            “Ah, good.”  Sunny’s eyes darted between Serang and Ellin as she wondered if Ellin was able to complete her task.  “Um, Ellin-ah.  Could you bring a bottle of water for Seohyun?  We’ll be in the dressing room at the end of the hall.”

            “Yes, Sunny-ssi,” Ellin finally answered, barely looking up from the floor.

            “Thank you,” Sunny told gratefully before following Seohyun down the hall.

            “Ellin-ah, are you seriously starstruck by Girls’ Generation?” Serang asked with a small laugh.  “Don’t you know that you’re now a pop idol as well?”

            “They’re just so…perfect,” Ellin sighed.

            “Why is our visual talking like this?” Serang questioned with a swift anger.  “Ah, come on.  Let’s go get that water.  Don’t compare yourself to them, Ellin-ah.  I won’t hear those words anymore.”

            Ellin humbly followed Serang to the supply closet full of snacks.  The beautiful faces of Girls’ Generation danced around in her head, placing her insecurities in the forefront of her mind.

*          *          *

            “It looks like they’re finally letting people in.”

            Choa heard Dohyun’s voice, but she didn’t want to look at him.  They sat next to each other on a secluded balcony reserved for media and VIPs.  As he leaned forward to check on the growing crowd, his arm brushed against hers, and she shifted awkwardly in her chair.

            “The concert hasn’t even started yet, but they’re already screaming,” she finally replied, looking down at the fans.  “I supposed they’ve waited a while for them to come to Hong Kong.”

            “Soon these crowds will gather for Hurricane Pop,” Dohyun insisted with a smirk.

            A few members of the media entered the balcony and sat in the seats around them.  They were rich and rigid elderly people who seemed to have little interest in Girls’ Generation.  Choa observed them and wondered why they had even come.

            Younger, more excited journalists trickled in as well with cameras and notebooks.  They were all dressed very well with clothes that they probably couldn’t afford without their company’s help.  Choa and Dohyun weren’t quite as flashy as them, but they looked professional nonetheless.

            As she sat there with Dohyun, Choa couldn’t help but think of Ellin.  Was it really right to give up Dohyun’s affection just because of Ellin’s insecurities?  Her heart felt torn in two, and she couldn’t bear to look at him.

            “Minjin-ah.”

            Hearing her real name, she finally made eye contact with him.  Park Dohyun, the military man who had studied her case, who knew every detail about her life, was smiling at her happily.  He tilted his head to the side and raised his eyebrows.

            “Yes, Dohyun-ssi?”

            “Is everything alright?”

            She took a deep breath and grinned shyly.  “How was it working with Ellin this morning?”

            “She seemed really nervous, but it was one of her first real missions, so I understand.”

            “I understand…”

            “But…I sort of wish you had been my bride,” he said quietly, looking up with a shaky smile.  “I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

            Choa’s heart misunderstood his words in a number of waves, be she used all her energy to quiet her mind and look out at the stage.  “I think…I think I’ve misunderstood a lot of things.  Or maybe I haven’t.  I suppose I’d like some clarity.”

            “Would this provide you some?”

            He leaned over like a shadow, sheltering her from every thought in her mind, from every person around them.  She couldn’t move a muscle, but her skin shivered violently.  He stopped and looked into her eyes for a moment, as if he attempted to read her very thoughts.  But soon enough, he kissed her brazenly, and their mission was momentarily forgotten.  They were alone in that balcony, high above the crowds, high above even the sky.

            “I knew it!  I knew they were dating!”

            Soyul’s excited voice interrupted them, and Choa leapt back with wide eyes.  Even the ever confident and suave Dohyun appeared flustered as he reached for his earpiece.  They both looked out into the concert hall, almost expecting Soyul to be hovering above them, witnessing their intimate moment.

            “So-Soyul,” Choa called, activating the microphone on her watch.  “Who are you talking about?”

            “Who’s dating?” Ellin’s voice asked curiously.

            “Seohyun and Yonghwa!” Soyul exclaimed.  Choa’s ears were ringing, but Soyul’s voice was only half the cause for her frantically beating heart.  “It’s Yonghwa! She’s dating Yonghwa!”

            “From CNBLUE?” Ellin questioned.

            “We’ve been aware of this for some time,” Serang sighed into their ears.  “Please calm down.  Focus on the stage.”

            As the excitement around the stage calmed down, the thrill in the balcony still remained.  Choa and Dohyun looked at each other in amazement, their hearts barely slowing down.  Finally, Dohyun let out a loud laugh, and Choa was able to relax.  She could hardly believe that they had become so close, that he had kissed her in this balcony.  

            Without another word, Dohyun reached out and brushed his fingers across her cheek.  He leaned over again and kissed her on the forehead.  His affection was surprising and almost terrifying, but Choa adored it.  As the concert began, she shyly reached over to hold his hand, and interlocked their fingers as if they would never be separated.  She couldn’t think of Ellin, she could hardly think of Girls’ Generation.  Her only thoughts and feelings were for Dohyun.