Two months later –

I hastily ate when I got pushed. Sangmin looked down at me, still holding my shoulder. “Girl, you still don’t listen when you’re called ‘Yura’. Siyeon will be super angry, actually, she already is.”

Sighing I put the ordered food down. “I may behave like her by now yet I can’t seem to listen to her name. Whatever – what are you guys up tonight? Want to hang out at Hongdae?”

Donghyun joined and I unlocked my tablet, checking out For Goods’ website. He was the second one to speak up. “We’re going to be followed, princess.”

“Don’t talk .” I laughed and got hit by Sangmin again. “Watch your tongue, Yura!” I squinted at him before laying my eyes on the tablet again and skimming the hash tags. “Alright...Pet peeves are asked a lot and the past as well – pre-debut.”

“Princess, how is your English now, by the way?” Donghyun asked and I smiled happily. “It got better, way better. A real wonder what two months and a professional teacher can do.”

“The only wonder here is how you survived your previous English lessons. You were terrible.” Donghyun put on some music and took quick steps to get away from me; I still managed to hit his leg. “Brat!”

Both of them snickered and I continued to eat, rolling my eyes. I started to speak with a full mouth. “I’m so glad our first guests will be B2ST, so we won’t be speaking too much English. But hey, Arirang is going to air this, too, as promised; this will be big.” I paused eating and stared into the air lifelessly. The boys seemed to notice me and also stopped dancing and laughing.

“Hey, princess, what is wrong?” Donghyun looked at me and I almost dropped my food. “Arirang is going to air this, and it’s going to be big...”

Sangmin nodded eagerly and jumped around in a hyper manner. “Ain’t that something?! The world just has to notice Goody then! – “

I turned around and exhaled after a long time again. “I’m not really ready for this!” They became quiet before Sangmin plumped down on the floor right next to me and locked my tablet. “For God’s sake! You’re just like Yura, you are practically her!”

“I’m still scared!” I ran my hands through my hair tips, yet just sighed in the end. “And today I have to attend a small party, that one after M!Countdown. It’s going to be the first time ‘I’ will be seen. I’m pretty afraid of ruining it.”

Donghyun shook his head as he pulled out his cell phone to change to another song. “Listen here, girl. You even fooled a staff member two days ago when you told him that you were the real Yura. And seriously, he was someone who is very close to Yura. Believe me, honey, you will definitely manage that.”

I heaved a sigh with a grateful smile. “Hey, thanks, Donghyun. Well, Sangmin?” he turned around and gave me a hasty nod before facing the huge mirrors in front of him again, I plainly continued eating and talking, “Will you be at the party after M!Countdown actually?”

He stopped shuffling and swirled around. “Siyeon said I could join, but just the usual ‘maybe’ was what I heard from her again.” I shook my head and stood up. “I find this kind of sick; you are very much something of an idol to me. You, sweet boy, are gifted with the voice and the accurate moves of an angel!”

Sangmin just blushed and turned around once more. “Yura noona tells me this, too.”

“Excuse me, I am Joo Yura, and Joo Yura will leave this scene to get her freaking face and hair straight for the party. I’m out.” I held up a cute V-sign with a kiss mouth and left the practice room with loud laughter and a sassy walk.

□ □ ■ □ □

My cell phone rang and the make-up artist just finished my eyeliner. I picked it up without looking. “Bruh?” I greeted the person with a deep voice and brief breath like I was used to with friends and family when my favorite dumb and addlebrained voice spoke up. “Guess who got a new car, .”

I gasped loudly and smiled brightly. “Sungah, don’t tell me...”

“My mom’s old car! You know, VW Jetta, the one she bought 2011, my dad and her got a new car for her and they were like, here daughter, have if for the rest of your life or until it breaks. I’m so freaking happy, can I, like, pick you up and we do some ten-miles-road trip?!”

I breathed through my gritted teeth. Once, because the make-up artist just decreed on ripping out my hair while curling it. Two, I haven’t really explained anything to Sungah yet.

“Hey, baby, listen.” I coughed and inhaled loudly. “Okay, I’m in a hurry at some place, yeah, are you free tonight? Duh, it’s Friday, come on. I’ll be home by then again!”

Sungah seemed to think deeply, she was quite silent. “Well, yes, I’m free. Could you come up to my house at ten? I have my shift ending by then. Are you actually lying to me? I haven’t seen you in, so long – “

“Sungah, I just – I’ll see later bro!” I hung up and Jang Gyuri, the make-up artist, just smiled at me through the mirror. “A second life to handle is hard, right?”

“You don’t have any idea, Gyuri.” I shook my head and continued small talk with a new owned friend in the company.

□ □ ■ □ □

After Gyuri was done I thanked her and disappeared when Siyeon came to an abrupt halt next to me. “Sweet Lord of the skies, I haven’t seen you all dolled up, like, that much!” I paused before gulping. “And hopefully it’s a good thing.” It sounded more like a question, but my manager just nodded eagerly and hugged me. “You are so beautiful, my sweetheart, you really are. And if it’s okay for you, I’ll just treat you like I’d treat Yura.”

“Excuse me, I am Yura.” I blinked and imitated her voice, while trying to aim for her significant smile I have studied as well. Siyeon just shook her head and started to walk gracefully ahead to an elevator. “So freaking ready, sweetheart. There’s almost no difference anymore.”

I shrugged and pressed the right button before the doors closed; I simply glanced at my boss. “If there weren’t my English skills, just stating the truth.” Siyeon stared at me, frowning slowly, but then she just spoke up again, the elevator stopping by then. “But look, you were so horrible at English, sorry,” I just held up a hand and smiled to signal it was alright what she said before I let her continue, “but look at you now. After just two months you’ve learned so much, thanks to the intensive English lessons.”

I let out a brief chuckle and we headed towards a big room where my bag with my belongings where placed. I picked it up and looked at Siyeon who stood in the door frame. “What?”

A small break followed before I exhaled, walking towards her. “Hey, uhm, Siyeon, there’s this thing – about Sangmin.”

Her pupils shifted slightly and she pushed herself off the frame. “I-is something wrong with him? Don’t tell me you and him – “

I held up my palms and shook them crazily. “No, no, no! Nothing like that! He’s uh, cute though...But that’s not what I was going for. I just wanted to know – could he join us on M!Countdown?”

Siyeon’s mouth escaped a small “uhm” and I tip-toed over to her, turning off the lights and we left this part of the building, going back to the main building. “No – wow, how to say it – haven’t you seen his dancing and singing skills? Couldn’t he accompany us and talk to some idols or, I don’t even know, just get to know some people? He has this great potential and all he’s doing is coming here and practice or he goes to some diner and works there for the small amount of money he’s earning.”

corners fell and she heaved a deep sigh. “Listen, honey. It’s all I can do for him now, he’s not here to just practice, all of Goody Entertainment’s trainees became very successful, but just now, it’s not the right time.”

“He feels like he doesn’t belong here if you hide him, he’s such a nice and sensitive boy, he feels genuinely bad. Sangmin supposes already that he got worse after signing in and now you just don’t want to chuck him out and let him suffer instead.” Siyeon just shook her head at my heart-wrenching speech. “Yura tells me this every single day ever since he had saw him dancing and singing. You pretty much told me after two months, but really – I know the key to success. And yes, he is phenomenal.”

I smiled brightly, Siyeon looking at her wrist watch. “We’ll leave in about ten minutes. Get ready, Yura.”

“Please, I was born ready.” I winked at her and she looked at me. “And?”

I thought for some seconds, I then knew what she wanted to hear and tugged my hair behind my ear. “My calves are hurting and I can’t stand for too long. My right one hurts a bit more and I shall walk in a light manner, I don’t want to get hurt, no?”

She gave me a satisfied grin. “So ready.”

After some small talk we saw a car parking in front of the building and Siyeon held out her arm for me to hook mine in. “Showtime, sweetheart. Just smile all along the way.”

I nodded and gave her a warm, gummy smile before we left the small corridor that led to the entrance floor, our exit for today.

As soon as the door opened I was bombarded with flashlight, but I stayed as neutral and happy as possible before we entered the car. “Let’s go!” she smiled at the driver who just nodded, a smile flashed back. I turned to Siyeon warily. “Wait, one thing beforehand! I really got no friends outside of Goody?!”

“Actually, that's kind of wrong.” Siyeon blinked, she then hit her forehead minimally, “How could I forget about that? You’re pretty good friends with most of the JYP artists, GOT7 included, mostly with the girls of miss A. You’re also good with Ailee, Girl’s Day, Big Bang and some others; we can talk about that sometime later. I’ll scan the scene today, although I know who is going to be at M!Countdown. Like us, there could be some others who are just joining the party afterwards.” I nodded as a response and just waited for the car ride to end.

□ □ ■ □ □

“Have you even been on a show like this?” Siyeon asked me, her eyes starting to sparkle and I shook my head. “I couldn’t even effort going – or I was just being too busy. Anyways, I feel pretty excited!”

She caressed my long hair motherly and laid it back down on my shoulder with utmost care. “I’ll watch over you. You won’t be alone.” I smiled and the car stopped suddenly. “Thank you.”

I gulped a last time before putting on a brave smile, walking ahead, being directly followed by Siyeon. We took the way that was behind the huge building. Some fans have gathered there as well, but Siyeon assured that at the front part hell broke loose. I just shook my head and started to breathe normally again when we were inside the building.

It was neat and organized inside, and we were led to a big hall, idols all over it. I cleared my throat and leaned over to Siyeon. “Is there always an ‘after-show party’ on M!Countdown or – ?“

Siyeon shook her head. “Once or twice in one or two months they do it, it’s just to gather some idols and have some social fun and – well, I’ll be just looking around for people you should be knowing, just stick to me and hold onto me if you need something.”

I breathed loudly and literally clung to Siyeon like a magnet.

□ □ ■ □ □

I smiled a last time to a random idol when I turned around. Nobody was there, no Siyeon, no staff member, no one. Inside of my head I started to panic and cautiously I scanned everything.

I looked around, trying not look lost, what I obviously was, but thankfully Siyeon just passed by. “Hey sweetheart.” She laid her arm around my torso, looking at a staff member, “Her legs are still not allowed to bear her own weight for so long, please bring her to the back, thank you.”

“Alright!” the young lady bowed quickly, motioning to follow her. I did so and she pointed to a small couch on the wall to our left when we entered a new room. “Be careful when sitting down, Yura. If you need something, staff members are all around you. Just speak up; food is on the other site of the room.”

I nodded with a smile and she left quickly. The room was filled with loud conversations since it was a pile of Korean idols talking freely. I let myself sink into the comfy couch and exhaled loudly.

Girls and boys passed by me and greeted me with a very low bow to show their respect due to my “accident” and I said hello and big goodbyes just as politely.

Suddenly GOT7’s Mark came my way and waved at me before he was close enough to greet me. “Hey, how are you feeling? You seem to shine just like before!” he grinned and sat down right next to me. I was overly busy checking out a world-wide idol, but I quickly shook it off.

“H-how I’m doing? I’m doing just fine. Yes, make-up could save lives. Well, how’s your life doing? How is GOT7...and all?” I closed my eyes for split second to give myself a mental facewall that I asked such weird things. Mark just continued to smile eagerly. “We’re doing perfectly fine! Oh by the way, Jaebum is right, like, behind this room. He’s busy, but when I tell him his girlfriend is h – “

“No need to, Mark! I mean – uh, if he’s busy I’ll look after him later or just call him. I can’t be moving a lot anyway.” I chuckled and laid my hands softly down on my thighs, Mark just nodded. “How long would it take to heal completely? In the show you’d sit and almost don’t do anything, but – “

I shrugged carelessly and bit the inner side of my lower lip. “The doctors said it depends. If I go easy on it or if I push myself too much and, yeah.”

There was a short, but pretty awkward silence. Fortunately Mark broke it. “Well, shall we continue? That’s why I actually came here.”

“To talk?”

“To discuss.”

“To discuss.” I repeated and Mark nodded his head and smiled as he suddenly shouted out Siyeon’s name. I glanced the door’s way and she walked over to us with grace. “I just wanted to look after Yura, are you doing well? Does it hurt somewhere?” she asked worriedly and I shook my head. “I sat down and it got better after some minutes, thank you.”

Siyeon then beamed Mark’s way. “Were you here to discuss the show again?” he simply nodded and Siyeon smiled brightly. “Yura had some things prepared at her apartment, maybe you could meet up sometime later this week. My angel will get a personal check-up at home and we have to go again.

Mark stood up as well, helping me, and I inhaled slowly. “Well, I guess we’re going to meet sometime later again.”

“Just text me whenever you can, I’ll try to be right there.” Mark smiled sweetly and all of us heard someone calling from behind.

“Uh, Mark?! I dropped your coke! And got socks on only!”

We looked at Mark who just inhaled slowly. “I shouldn’t have bought a coke in a glass bottle and give it to Jackson. Well, I have to go now, just send me a message and I’ll come over in n – “

“Mark, seriously, like, the others don’t want to help me and my feet smell like coke!”

Mark groaned, swearing in Chinese and English over and over again, leaving with a small wave. “Mandu, what in the world is your problem?!” he laughed loudly before he slammed the door shut.

“Wow, nice guys. Jackson the usual.” I chuckled and out of sight of other idols she ducked to whisper into my ear. “You know them very well, I suppose.”

Shrugging I just folded my arms. “Pretty hard job to be a fangirl.” She laughed and we bid goodbyes to whoever we felt the urge to do so.

Without making too much trouble we left the scene and back in the car she exhaled. “Went quite smoothly, right?” I bit the inner side of my lower lip and shook my head from left to right. “I felt out of place and it was really awkward. And all those celebrities on just one spot, I have never seen anything I could compare this with.”

“Of course, but that’s what you are, Yura.” Siyeon winked at me before looking out of the window, her attention went back to me though. “So, sweetheart, what is your aim tonight? Your house or maybe sleep at Yura’s apartment? You are allowed to do so. It would be pretty suspicious to not go there from time to time.” I just nodded and shifted in my seat uncomfortably. “I have to go and see my best friend. I haven’t met her in these two months. Don’t worry, she’s very trustworthy.”

“It’s alright. I mean, it’s your best friend. Just don’t make her tell it someone else.” Siyeon warned and I groaned in response. “I am aware of that fact. I’m still scared to see her, she must be kind of angry. I ditched her for whatever she asked me or I just cut the line and hung up because I had no time. I haven’t been separated from her in such a long period of time.” Siyeon patted my back. “Wow, way to go. But this will go on for about a year, I hope you know that.”

I nodded painfully. “I know, but I really have to tell her.”

□ □ ■ □ □

My cell phone flashed shortly and I checked the time, 9:59PM. Inhaling I pressed the doorbell and soon my best friend opened it. She stood there awkwardly before clearing . “I didn’t think that you would actually come.” Her voice was hurt and I inhaled deeply. “Hey, Sungah, please listen to me.” She folded her arms and leaned against the door frame. “You really must have prepared a good excuse for me.”

I looked behind me, then looked back at Sungah. “Can I come inside?” she shrugged and let the door remain open while I stepped in. My hood was still halfway pulled into my face and I sniffed from the cold outside. “Have you heard some news about Joo Yura?”

Sungah nodded. “Yes, I checked some sites for fun and I read that she was seen at M!Countdown’s after-show party.”

I carefully pulled my hood back and put off my long, expensive coat, hanging it onto the chair next to me. I lifted my arms halfway into the air before dropping them again. “I’m officially Joo Yura, for a certain time though.”

Her jaw fell and she chuckled. “Don’t try to kid me, Hwasoo.” I shook my head. “I ain’t kidding, I’m serious. I was asked on the streets to act as a double for her and...I’m doing this since October 1st.”

“It’s December by now, sweetie.” She remarked and I nodded. “Yes, I’m at Goody Entertainment’s building and learning to be like her. I even have to stand in for Yura in her new show.”

“For Goods?! Really?! Dude, I’ll just be watching this because of Mark, eye candy, you know – “

“You have a boyfriend, Madame.” I coughed and she smiled at me. “I – I was all done without you, you even had an excuse not to go to school. I’ve visited the principal and – “

I sighed loudly and pointed at her living room. “Shall we continue? I have to tell you a lot of things.” I smiled as a light flashback hit me, but shook it off.