~Moments after YoonSic Fight~

Yoona and Yuri were walking down the corridor and away from the arena to go to the infirmary to check for any injury from the fight, but their journey to the nurse was put to a halt as a shorter girl ran up to them and grabbed Yoona’s wrist before landing a hard punch on Yoona’s face. The taller girl fell backwards hitting her head on the wall while Yuri looked at the shorter girl speechless because she knew better than to inflict on this matter.

“Yoona...if we weren’t friends and I didn’t know why you did all that...you wouldn’t be getting away with just one punch. Don’t ing ever come near Jessica again.” The shorter girl yelled before giving a side glance at Yuri and walking away.

Yuri sighed as she helped Yoona to her feet, “I am honestly surprised she values you enough to only give you one punch. Maybe 3 or 4 and a broken arm...”

“Yuri shut up...I don’t regret what I did to Jessica and if Tae wants to beat the out of me for it, I don’t care.” Breaking her arm away from Yuri, “I also don’t need your help...as far as I can see, you and Tae are just as bad as her.”

Yuri huffed in frustration, “And I thought you changed when you let go of that knife, but you seem to be the same bitter and sad girl I first saw when I first met you.”

Yoona snickered, “I only placed the knife down because you and Tae have some strange attachment to this girl. You said that you can’t bear to see one more death...that is the only thing that made me stop. I won’t go down to their level...I won’t let the Party win and make me like them.”

“For God’s sakes open your eyes Yoona! Jessica isn’t like them!”

“How do you know! Did you look into her past for even a second? Her whole family was a bunch of Party rats!” A sharp slap came upon Yoona’s face causing the area to burn from the sharp sting.

“Go to the infirmary by yourself. If you are going to continue to close your mind to the fact that people can change...then you can be happy alone. Taeyeon and I won’t be by your side anymore. I can’t believe your ing ideologies are more important than believing in your friends.” Yuri said before she also walked back the direction Taeyeon left, leaving Yoona standing in the hallway alone.

Rubbing her face that was still throbbing from the punch and slap combo, Yoona stood like a statue until hot tears dripped from her eyes, “Can’t you all see that you are blind?”

~16 Years Ago~

Yoona was7 years old when she last saw her family. The final memories are always the ones that bring you back to the times you wish you had with them before. Yet the final memory of her family, was also the one memory she wanted to forget.

Yoona was not from an affluent family. Her family was also not part of the Party. They were outcasts that lived outside of the government area due to her uncle being tried as a traitor due to an accidental leak of information to the Resistance. As punishment, his entire family was casted out and were forced to forge for themselves.

Yoona had lived her whole life as an outcast and didn’t know differently, however, her mother would often show bitterness for her life and would continue to damn her bother for his careless actions. With constant fighting and family disputes, Yoona would find herself running off with other children to escape the bickering. Unlike her mother, who blamed her brother for their current life, Yoona blamed the Party. She thought they were ‘stupid’ for not seeing the good in their family or that her uncle was an honest man. It was them that made her mother turn against her own family.

Although she was young, the girl was forced to think and act mature for her age as her mother was constantly depressed and it showed with her laziness around the household. Yoona and her sister were always the ones cleaning up the mess or food or broken items her mother threw at her uncle from time to time.

Yoona’s elder sister would often tell Yoona of the ‘happier times.’ When their family was not fighting and when they didn’t have to spend long hours to get enough items to put on the table for food. As a little girl, Yoona would often imagine she was living the life her family had 10 years ago. She would imagine that her dress was new, and not from her sister, or that her shoes were not scuffed from years of wear. This imaginary world would help her blur the lines of reality and make her remember the few times of happiness her family had.

Whatever little happiness that she held onto for her family was ripped away one winter. A notice came that the government was going to expand a section of the Party which affected the area that Yoona and her family were living. The people that lived in the area would be evacuated and relocated.

When the day came for the ‘move’ of all citizens in the area, trucks pulled up and soldiers blocked off the section. Families held onto their bundles of goods and prepared to be boarded to their new location. Yet this is not what happened. The soldiers held up their guns and open fired. Crowds of people fell and the snow was soon covered red. Within several hours, women, children and men were bathed in blood and their bodies as cold as the bitter winter.

Yoona was with her family when she saw the trucks pulling up. Her uncle looked shocked as he saw what the Party was planning. Quickly pulling his son over, Yoona’s uncle whispered something in his ears before the boy took the hands of Yoona and her sister. Seeing a certain look in her uncle’s eyes, Yoona knew that she should follow her cousin.

The three children ran past families and made their way to the edge of the community. Normally, it is forbidden for anyone to leave past a certain point, but with the amount of soldiers locking in the community, certain areas were not guarded. The three children slid under the barbed wire and went into the outskirts, away from their community and the Party. Thinking they were safe, the three ran through the open field of white snow towards the woods.

Then one shot rang and Yoona looked back to see her sister under red snow, pulling her along, Yoona’s cousin told her to “run.” Then another shot came and her cousin fell to the ground. Looking back up at Yoona one more time, he told her to “run.”

Three days after the events, Yoona was alone in the woods without food or water. Knowing she couldn’t survive in the wild like this, Yoona braved herself to make it back into the community. With the knowledge that everyone she knew was dead, Yoona snuck into another community and sought to scrape for food.

The first few days, Yoona was a successful thief but she was soon caught. The punishment for thievery was up to the owner that was being stolen from.

Yoona was already suffering from some very bad luck and her luck grew even worse as the man threatened to cut off her hand. The girl was shaken and crying that she didn’t want to lose her hand however the man took out a cleaver and was ready to serve his punishment. That was until a boy about 12 years old came to save her. He pushed the man aside and grabbed Yoona for an escape.

With the two safely away from the crazed shop owner, Yoona looked up to the boy, “T-thank you.”

With a soft smile, the boy only offered his name, “I am Jaejoong.”

“Y-Yoona...”

“Are you alone?”

Looking down sorrowfully, “Yes.”

“Girls shouldn’t be left alone. Do you want to come with me?”

“Where?”

“To a safe place. They will give you clothes, food and a warm place to sleep.”

“There is such a place?”

The boy leaned down to look Yoona in the eyes, “There is...it is called the Resistance but that is a secret. Don’t tell anyone okay?”

Yoona nodded quickly as she held out her hand for the boy to take. She went to find her warm and safe place.

Yoona sat on her bed holding the ice to her face as she thought about certain things in her past until the opening of the door caused her to jolt her head up. Seeing who it was, Yoona put her head back down and mumbled, “I was just getting my stuff...”

The girl that walked in took a seat next to Yoona on her bed, “Does it hurt?”

Surprised, Yoona looked up at her friend, “It is nothing.”

Leaning back on her arms, the other girl looked up at the ceiling, “You know, I feel like the past is repeating itself.”

Cocking her head to the side, Yoona looked at her friend with curiosity, “How do you mean?”

“When Yuri first came here. Do you remember the day she took the final exam?”

Yoona gave a sad smile as she thought of her friend nearly killing Yuri, “Are you saying you see a bit of me in you?”

“I am saying that...after cooling my head...I thought I should return that favor now.”

Yoona tried to hold back the grin that wanted to creep up on her face, “Taeyeon...”

“No. I should. I mean we have been friends for over 15 years. I almost killed the girl you like and you...umm well, I think I should give you the same advice you gave me like 10 years ago instead of just punching you in the face.” Taeyeon sat up so she could look into Yoona’s eyes, “That was your past. The past is only there to teach you lessons about how not to repeat the future.  Although someone else’s past is different, it is also the same that they also don’t want to repeat their mistakes. If you know what mistake they made, then you should know what they won’t do in the future.”

Yoona looked up at Taeyeon in surprise, “You still remember that word for word?”

Taeyeon laughed, “Probably because I think about it every day.”

“I see...”

Reaching over to pat Yoona on the shoulder, “I believe you won’t make the same mistake twice just like I believe Jessica won’t go back to the Party.” Standing back up Taeyeon looked back down at Yoona, “I also won’t make the mistake of abandoning a friend, but you have to promise me to make amends with Jessica...until then, I will be watching you carefully.”

Yoona nodded before Taeyeon gave her a quick smile and walked out of the room. Finding herself very tired all of a sudden, Yoona laid back on her bed to get some much needed sleep.

After a few days of reflection, Yoona found herself outside of an administrative room. Sighing, she took the door handle and slid it open causing a few eyes to look up at her before they went back to work. Seeing the secretary, Yoona walked up to him, “I need to talk to the head examiner.”

The secretary pointed back to the door, “In there.”

Yoona nodded before knocking on the door and entering, “Oh Yoona. You are here.”

Bowing, Yoona walked in and greeted the man, “Jaejoong...I need to ask for a favor.”

Jaejoong stopped looking at his papers to meet Yoona’s eyes, “Really? I would do anything to help you.”

“I wanted to call a defeat on my behalf for the final exam. Jessica should win.”

The man laughed, “Yoona you can’t just come here days after the exam and say I lose. You would have to say it before leaving the arena that day. I am sorry but I can’t help you bend the rules that much.”

Dropping her knees, Yoona looked up at the man helpless, “I need you to. Please.”

Jaejoong quickly went to help Yoona back up to her feet, “Yoona this could put me in some hot water as a judge. I can’t allow it. Jessica will just have to wait until the next time comes to take the exam again. It isn’t the end of the world. She can still get in.”

“Jaejoong, I am not really asking this, I need this done. I made a mistake and I want to make up for it. This is the only way.”

Jaejoong sighed before handing Yoona a piece of paper, “This decision can’t just be made by me. I need to talk to the other people that judge. Write down that you claim defeat and why you think it is okay for her to pass. I will show the others and we will come to a final decision by today.”

Yoona only nodded as she took the paper and started writing.

“Don’t mention this to anyone...if you weren’t Im Yoona...I wouldn’t be doing this.”

“I know.”

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

~2 weeks after exam~

Jessica finished packing the things in her room and wiped her hand across her new uniforms, “Done?”

Looking up at the girl joining her, Jessica smiled, “Yes.”

Taeyeon saw only a small bag that had all of Jessica’s belongings but she took it anyways, “I will show you to your new room. Only for level 6 and a lot fewer people than here. I won’t be your mentor anymore but you can always come to me for help...I used to work in level 6 before myself.”

Jessica nodded along as she followed the shorter girl to her new accommodations. The sleeping arrangements were not far from each other, so they arrived quickly and Taeyeon looked for Jessica’s name to find the bed she would be taking. Finding she was bed 5, Taeyeon and Jessica put Jessica’s belongings in her new chest, “Thanks.”

Taeyeon smiled, “No problem. We will see each other around...don’t look at me like we are saying goodbye.”

Jessica gave her a sad smile back, “I won’t see you as much. We will be on different time schedules and...”

“Then we can make time to see each other.”

A woman came up to the two girls, “Are you Jessica?”

Jessica nodded, “Yes.”

“The team leader wants to see you.”

“Oh ok.”

“You can just get changed and follow me.”

Looking back at Taeyeon, “When will I see you again?”

“Umm I don’t think you have much today. I will come find you for dinner okay?”

“Promise?”

Taeyeon let out a small giggle, “Of course. Now go meet your new team.”

Leaving Taeyeon behind, Jessica followed the girl out and into an area of the Resistance she never knew existed before. The area was a bit dim and very little people seemed to be in this area but she continued to follow the girl closely, hoping she could find her way back. Once they made their way away from the main sections of the Resistance, Jessica could hear the roar of several machines behind closed doors. She wondered what could be in those rooms but there wasn’t time for questioning as the girl stopped and knocked on a door, “Come in.”

Jessica entered with the girl where she noticed a man maybe in his late 30s, “This is Jessica Jung. She has just been positioned here.”

“Ah thank you. I would like some time alone with Jessica.”

The girl politely bowed to the man before taking her leave.

The man slowly stood up from his desk and made his way around before leaning on it, “So Jessica, you came here with some great letters of recommendation...one from a former apprentice. I expect great things.”

Jessica looked at the man curiously, “Umm who are you and what exactly am I going to be doing in level 6?”

The man laughed, “Of course you haven’t been here long enough to know me I guess. I am Won Bin and I am the Editor and Chief of the newspaper for the Resistance. You might hear the words SOS floating around and that is for our paper, the Sunday Only Sentinel which I am in charge of.”

Jessica raised her eyebrow in curiosity, “You are the man behind it?”

“I sure am. Keeping folks in the Resistance with up to date reports on Party activities because life around the Resistance can get pretty dull if you don’t know what is happening above ground.”

“Do you actually go up to the Party for your reports?”

“Of course. Our teams are split into threes: Field worker to gather intel, Reporter to write the report, and mechanic to run the machines.” The man walked up to the girl circling her, “I don’t see you as a mechanic...I might start you at reporter if your writing skills are okay.”

“I want to be a field worker.”

The man laughed, “Well you are a girl who knows what she wants and...a little brave are we? Going up is very dangerous.”

“I want to see it firsthand...what they are doing.”

Won Bin walked behind his desk to get a piece of paper so he could hand it to her, “I am assigning you to work with Seohyun. She is a bit younger than you but she is one of our ace reporters. You will learn a lot.”

“What about field work?”

“You will work your way up. Don’t jump the gun and learn the basics okay?”

Jessica took the paper that had a profile of the worker she would be with, “Should I go meet her now?”

Sitting back down at his desk the man shooed Jessica off and told her which room the reporters were at.

Making her way to a few doors down, Jessica could hear the hustle and bustle of the reporters room. Looking around, Jessica finally spotted the girl she was looking for, “Seohyun?”

The girl looked up at Jessica, “And you are?”

“Jessica Jung. I was assigned to you.”

“I see. I have a deadline I am behind on.” Opening a drawer, the girl pulled out several stacks of newspapers, “I have more time tomorrow. Read these for now and then you can go. I want a report on how these paper differ in style and content. I have two papers from the past 10 years. Have that ready by tomorrow so we can start on time with your training.”

Jessica huffed as the stacks of papers were placed in her hands. Seohyun showed Jessica to the empty meeting room so she could work the rest of the day. Looking at the stack of papers, Jessica just sat down and got to work.

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

Taeyeon was whistling down the hallway that were filled with so many past memories. Almost lost in her thoughts, Taeyeon nearly bumped into a man, “Sorry.”

The man bowed back but stopped for a second, “Taeyeon!”

Seeing who the man was, Taeyeon smiled, “Won Bin!”

The two were grinning at their reunion, “Oh it is has been a while. You are a growing up to be a fine woman.”

Taeyeon slapped the man’s arm playfully, “Keep your eyes on your wife. She just had a baby from what I hear...also your fault for not seeing me around. You are always locked up in this place.”

“It is a busy operation to get something out every week for you folks.”

“Well you are the one who knows how to do it best. The stories are always captivating.”

“I have a good group of reporters...speaking of which, Jessica looks to be doing well already. I put Seohyun in charge of her.”

Taeyeon crinkled her nose, “That girl is going to work her to the bone. She is always work work work.”

“Yea but she is proficient and get Jessica adapted fast. Are you here to fetch Jessica?”

Taeyeon nodded happily, “I thought she might get lost. Why you requested this place to be so far away from everything else, is beyond me.”

“It is those damn printing presses that make a lot of noise. I don’t want to disturb anyone.”

With a hint of sarcasm, “Ah yea, sure it is. I think you just don’t want anyone to disturb you and your workers.”

The man let out a huge laugh, “You know me too well but I am off to see the family. Go get your girl and feed her. I am sure she is close to brain dead doing whatever Seohyun has her doing locked up in the meeting room.

Taeyeon bowed back at the man to say their goodbyes before Taeyeon went further down the hall to the reporter’s room. It was like she was walking down memory lane. The cubical still had the same beige tint, the concrete floor was still painted black as she saw people talking to each other still wearing the same uniforms with the number 6 on their arm. Even with her years away from this place, Taeyeon saw that nothing changed, even the smell of new ink and freshly printed paper lingered in the air.

Seeing a girl locked up in the meeting room, Taeyeon made her way over and opened the door. When the girl looked up, Taeyeon thought she was seeing things as she saw the girl looking back at her, “Hyomin?” Without a second thought, Taeyeon engulfed the girl in a hug, “I missed you....” Trying to get a better look at the shocked girl, Taeyeon cupped her face, “You are still so pretty.” And without a second thought, Taeyeon kissed those luscious lips that felt a bit different than she last remembered.

When a higher pitched voice answered her back, “T-Taeyeon?” Taeyeon opened her eyes again but this time, her heart froze in shock.

“J-J-Jessica?”

Just as shocked to why Taeyeon just kissed her and called her by another name, “Why...did you.”

Backing away slowly Taeyeon held her head, “I thought...Oh my God...I am sorry...I really thought.”

Jessica slowly approached Taeyeon who was still holding her head, trying to make sense out of everything, “Taeyeon...who is Hyomin?”

Looking up at Jessica with teary eyes, “She is...dead.”

Author's Note

A longer wait to give you a longer chapter. I had so much to cover because I thought there might be a riot if I made the readers wait another chapter for a Taengsic kiss....although I dont think that was what you wanted me to do for their first kiss (evil author is back)

So I was reading and there are some past pictures of Hyomin and Jessica...I swear they really look the same!

Well, waiting for comments on this...I covered quite a bit of things here with Yoona, the Party, level 6 and the mysterious Hyomin