Above the darkest skies, lies the darkest orbit. Below the deepest forest, lies the deepest secrets. When people ponder into these places, they do not know what lies beyond that unless they take a step. Consciousness keeps us aware of these occurrences. Ventures sometimes turn into disappointment due to people’s wavering focus in what they are doing.

**

August 2014.
Seoul, South Korea.

Kim Taeyeon. 25 years old.

Stretching her arms high up, she turns her head and looks at the clock on her bedside table. 03: 09 a.m. Her insomnia is here again. Donned in her old pyjamas outfit which has accompanied her for the last 8 years since the debut of Girls’ Generation, she had kept the pyjamas with her. Always reminding. Reminding her origins; her true self; her family; her dream. She rolls over to the side of her bed and grabs her phone from the charging dock. She groans and lies on her tummy, her phone propped on her pillow. Unlocking her phone, she opens up the only social media account she has and scrolls through comments left for her. Instagram. For the fans. Or at least, that was what she had suggested for people in the industry. Little did the people know that Taeyeon had also used the account for others. Others who truly cares for her. Others who could console her. Out of her window, the rain trickles on, down her window panes, into the pipes, and down into the drainage system. She wished that she too, could flow out of here, even if bounded by the pipes, they could take her far.

--

Jung Sooyeon. 25 years old.

She pulls up her covers closer to her chin. Frowning her eyebrows, she seems to struggle between sleep and consciousness. Before the needle of the clock could even tick to the next second, her eyes flies open. Sweat was wetting her wide forehead. It has to be a dream. But no, it is not. The scream in her dream still ringing in her ears. She reachs for her phone and looks at the time. 4: 18 a.m. It was easy for her to sleep, but it would not exactly be the case, when she have the nightmares. She would wake up, feel tired, and get back to sleep, only to get the same nightmare over and over again. Then, here comes a thunderclap. Clapping for her to be awake. Yet, only to calm her back to sleep as rain falls upon the ground yet again.

--

Lee Sunkyu. 25 years old.

5:15 am. Soundly asleep, she is in her own dreamland. The land where everything really means something. Even when it deepens into another layer of illusions under the skies of reality. Bending her body in an infant-like manner, she lets out whimpers as the heavens start to water the ground. Some people get stronger, some people gain phobias from the endless lightning rays hitting the innocent trees far away from her. Before her blanket on her cover gets pulled down by gravity, she unconsciously grabs the sides and lifts it up to her waist. The sun is not yet up, and so, she continues to dream on. Into the wonders of illuminated realism.

**

Beep beep. Beep beep.

At 6 a.m., all nine girls on the floor was forced to wake up. It was not their choice to set the alarm at this time. It was the organisation who offered them this place to stay.

With a simple and sleek interior design in an L-shape, the girls’ dwelling has 9 small rooms for each of them and 2 bathrooms for them to share on the longer end. For 9 girls, it was just enough for them to move about without clashing or colliding into each other. With 4 rooms in a row, the living room and lounge are situated between the 9 rooms. The kitchen is made up of a long rectangular dining table, 9 chairs, and two sinks with overhead cupboards and drawers. The kitchen is located on the corner of the L-shape, and the shorter end is the entry, with ceiling to floor cupboards all filled with their shoes and name stickers pasted on the outside. All the rooms and shared spaces has underfloor heating for the current season – winter.

On one of the walls between the rooms, a large mirror covers the wall. Convenient for choreography practice. On the opposite end was a door to the balcony. A potted plant sits on the corner as a decoration. Not that there is anything much to decorate now that snow lies on top of it. Looking down the balcony, a park with a frozen lake and a fountain spouting nothing in the cold weather could be seen.

Back at the dormitory, or studio, or apartment, whichever term deemed appropriate for the place where the girls stayed and lived in for the past 8 years; they got in no special order. The first to come out of her room was undeniably, the youngest of them all.

Seo Juhyun. 23 years old.

She entered the bathroom and brushed her teeth for a full 5 minutes, just like she always had. She had a light sleep, all this shown in her heavy eye bags. Nonetheless, she smiled into the mirror, trying to cheer herself up, for the bright day ahead. She heard the tap open, and water running from the bathroom next to hers. Someone has awaken too. It was hard for them to get good sleep these days. Not that they ever had since the day of their debut. 5th of August in 2007. She came out of the bathroom and headed to the kitchen.

Kim Hyoyeon. 25 years old.

Skipping a step or two, she joyfully joined in Juhyun at the kitchen. She was happy, not for herself, but for others. It is the same for all of them. They are happy because they made others happy, which may not be true happiness, yet all the same, it is happiness. Therefore, they do not complain. It was what they thrived for from the start anyways – others to be happy and living in peace, not selfishly for themselves. They do get their own happiness, when they are performing on stage. When they shine the most. And that is what she can do best too, dancing.

Kwon Yuri. 25 years old.

Coming out of her bed room with her eyes half-opened, she stretched her arms high up unconsciously. Before she got into the bathroom to wash herself up, she was already squatting down in a Spiderman-pose, stretching her legs from one side to another. It has always been a good morning warm-up exercise for her and she would not miss her daily routine. Stretching and loosening up her whole body makes her calm and prepared for the day ahead. Be it a performance or on a variety show, she like to be composed for their schedules and show her professionalism in the industry.

Stephanie Hwang. 25 years old.

Time for breakfast. She quickly jump off her bed and get on her feet. It was a brand new day and her motto for motivation is interestingly, “Every day is my day!” Which of course, isn’t literally valid for every day is every living person’s day. And every living person has a different day. Even if they live under the same roof, go to the same school, work with the same colleagues, it would be different. Everyone has a different role to everyone they know. Child to their parents. Sister to their siblings. Acquaintance to their managers. Idol to their fans. And so forth, in such a way that everyone’s day itself would be unique, like a fingerprint. In Stephanie’s case, she gained another identity ever since her debut. The name Tiffany itself, brings much significance to her. The name her mother initially named her. The name her fans address her. The name that marks her fame. Always reminding her, that one day, this identity would prevail.

Im Yoona. 24 years old.

Hearing the clanking of cutlery for breakfast, her eyes flew open and she quickly made her bed. She would not want to miss breakfast at any cost. Even if she hasn’t brushed her teeth. Before the housekeeper who cooked them breakfast could call out for her name, she was already at the table, quite awake to look at all the delicious food waiting on the table. Even though the girls were looking at her oddly for not brushing her teeth yet, she did not mind that as she have got used to it and she would always brush her teeth after. Her logic was: If I brush my teeth before eating, I would have to brush my teeth again after eating. I’ll do it in one go. And so, she clasped her two hands together, and closed her eyes. Praying to God and thanking Him for the life of having food to eat, friends to share, and made all her life a bliss.

Choi Sooyoung. 24 years old.

Kimchi. Seafood soup. Omelette. White rice. Her eyes was still closed as she smelt the different kinds of food the dining table have in place. Half dreaming and half awake, she opened as if seeing the food in front of her and all of a sudden, she was aware of the situation and could not believe what she heard next. The clanking of cutlery, signifying that the girls have started eating without waiting for her.  Oh my… Those… Stop, I don’t curse nor swear. Calm down. Taking a deep breath, she opened her bedroom door and calmly head towards the dining table. Putting on a fake smile, she asked, “So, why are we all EATING so early today?” Food is important to her. Not just important, but essential. Critical. Without food, she believed, it would be like fish without water. Or, mobile phones without batteries. Only because of the reason that she once had not have breakfast in the morning. Causing low blood sugar and fainted in middle school. It was a bad experience for her, and she did not ever want to go through that again so she would have more meals than her companions did. Without waiting for an answer to her question, she pulled her chair and prayed like Yoona did, before eating her breakfast.