Tears fell from her big eyes as she read those harsh comments about her. ‘Why…? I didn’t do anything to be hated this much!’ She clenched her fist and resisted herself from throwing her laptop away.

“Namjoo-ah! Aigoo~ This kid.” Eunji came in to Bomi, Eunji, Yookyung and Namjoo’s room. She sat beside Namjoo then wiped her tears. “I told you to not visit that site. Why are you still doing it?” Eunji asked softly as she wiped all of Namjoo’s tears away. “B-but, I want to know what they don’t like about me so I can change it!” She sniffed as more tears fell down.

Eunji felt sad for the latter. Kim Namjoo is one of those people that has been overshadowed by the prettier ones even though she’s one of the most talented. Namjoo thought that she deserved more, not just being loved and supported by a few pink pandas, she wanted more.

“Time to eat!” Bomi shouted from the Dining Room.

“Stop crying, arasso? It will all disappear after eating those beef that unnie cooked for you.” Eunji smiled with her eyes as Namjoo nodded. The older girl stood up and offered her hand. Namjoo held it then stood up. “Thank you, unnie.” The two girls hugged each other.

“Aigoo! What’s taking those two sunshines so long?” The two girls heard Chorong complaining from the Dining Room. “Let’s go before that ahjhumma kills us.” Namjoo chuckled.

___________

“I want to have a solo debut.” Namjoo said as soon as she sat down in front of A Cube’s CEO. “Mwo?” The CEO asked with his raised eyebrow.

“I said I want to have a solo debut. Going solo and leaving Apink isn’t that bad as well. Any of the two. I want your approval now.” Namjoo impatiently tapped the CEO’s black shiny table.

“You have got to be kidding me, Namjoo.” Namjoo raised her eyebrow. “I am not kidding you. I want to go solo. I want to leave Apink.” She said as if it was the easiest thing to say.

“You’re going to leave the girls that had been there for you for almost 2 years? Include those years you spent with them during your trainee days. Why do you want to leave them and go solo?” The CEO asked with a frown. He always loved Apink. Never did they turned him down. They were all hard-working and talented and that’s what he loves about them.

“Yes. I would want to leave them. I want to because I want more exposure. I won’t be respected nor loved this much if those 6 girls are in the way. I want the spotlight to be only mine. Period.” Namjoo leaned back and crossed her arms to her chest.

“What has happened to you?”

“This is the new and improved Namjoo.” She replied with that pokerface of hers.

The CEO rubbed his temples and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could not believe that Namjoo would changed this much in a very short span of time.

“Namjoo. You do understand that you are part of a girl group that consists of 7 girls. You belong in that group. I doubt you will succeed in the industry without those 6 girls to back you up. I’m not doubting your talents, you are pretty and talented, but you’re young and I don’t know if you can survive the industry.” The man explained slowly, trying his best to point out that she could not go solo because Apink needs her.

“But what about Eunji unnie that already made a single with Yoseob sunbaenim?!” She asked rather angry and disappointed.

“She’s-“ Namjoo cut him off. “Don’t even get started on her age and mine! We’re both vocals in this group and whatever she can do, I can do it too! She’s the happy virus while I’m the tireless energizer. I’m taller than her. I have more advantage in acting and I can dance like Bomi unnie which is far more better than Eunji’s dancing! Now make me leave Apink and give me a damn solo debut.” She never left her gaze at him. It become more and more piercing at every second. She intentionally spoke to him in an informal manner.

“No.”

Namjoo took the vase that was displayed at the corner of his office. She threw at the ground and watched it shatter into pieces. The CEO sighed and could not do anything about it.

“Namjoo… please just listen-“ The short-haired girl took the biggest broken piece of the vase and dangerously pointed it at him. “You will regret this. You will regret that you didn’t give me what I want.” She said through her gritted teeth.

Namjoo turned to leave and was about to close the door when the CEO shouted. “Eunji is more prettier than you and has more potential!” She heard it and just vented out her anger on the door, by closing it with full of force.

__________

Namjoo went back to their dorm and on the way, she say their fellow idol and also their neighbor, Lee Sungyeol from Infinite. “Annyeong.” Sungyeol waved at her. Apink and Infinite are really close friends that it came to the extent that they can use informal language at each other and they can cut out the honorifics.

“Annyeong oppa!” Namjoo smiled as widely as she can. Her heart started beating fast that it made Namjoo wonder if Sungyeol can hear it too.

“Is Yookyung there? I want to give her something.” Sungyeol smiled shyly as he took out a crème shaped box with a pink ribbon on it.

“What is it?” Namjoo asked, feeling slightly jealous that her unnie received something from her crush and she doesn’t have any.

Sungyeol opened the pretty looking box, and inside there lies a silver necklace with an infinite symbol as a pendant. It was too beautiful that it made Namjoo’s eyes widen. “Omo. It’s so pretty.” The latter touched the infinite symbol and felt something that was craved on it.

She looked at the back of the pendant and found her heart breaking in pieces. “Sungyeol loves Yookyung?” The caramel haired girl turned to look at Sungyeol who was observing the young lady’s expression. “Yep. Sungyeol loves Yookyung. I wanted it to put Choding loves Yookyung but I’m afraid that people will mistake the ‘choding’ as a different guy.”

“A-are you two dating already?” She asked, trying to stop herself from crying. Her chest already exploded, now is the time for her eyes to explode in tears as well.

“I- Wait. You look like you’re in pain. Are you alright?” Sungyeol curled the strands of hair that was covering her face. Namjoo slapped his hand away.

“I asked you!” She shouted at him, not caring if other people was seeing or hearing this. All she cared about at this moment is her heart. Tears began to stream down her eyes. It was like an endless stream of water from the river, only hers was coming from her eyes.

“Y-ye. We’re dating already.” Subconsciously, he went towards Namjoo to look if she’s alright. The Apink member’s head was facing the floor and her hair was in the way. Namjoo’s fist were clenched and her knuckles were already white. “N-Namjoo…” Sungyeol was about to touch her hair when Namjoo flipped her hair and shouted, “GO AWAY!” like a maniac. Her eyes were big and reddish. Her nostrils flared up at every breath she took.

Sungyeol fell on his because of Namjoo’s breakdown. He can literally see fire in her eyes. He frantically stood up and ran for his life.

Namjoo sat there, with tears continuously falling from her eyes. “W-why can’t I get all the things I want?” She hugged herself then rocked it back and forth.

______________

3:00 am

Everyone in the dorm are sleeping soundly, except for one. Namjoo sat up from her sleeping position then slowly but quietly went down from the second deck. She looked at Bomi whose sleeping peacefully on her bed. Namjoo turned to look at Yookyung who was in the top deck, under the classic idol is the girl from Busan whom everyone loves.

Namjoo eyed the sleeping figure of the girl from San Francisco. She climbed up to Yookyung bed and positioned Yookyung in between her slim legs. The latter took out the strands of hair that was covering her unnie’s face. Namjoo’s eyes, then, landed on her neck.

She positioned her hands on her neck then, held on it. Yookyung felt someone’s hands on her neck so she tried to take it off. Flashbacks of what happened to her and Sungyeol on the hallway flashed to Namjoo’s mind. That did it.

She strangled her with no mercy. Yookyung was struggling under her dongsaengs hands. “Die… slowly…” Namjoo whispered as Yookyung’s eyes widen when she saw Namjoo trying to kill her. “N-Namj-joo.” Namjoo heard Eunji’s voice under Yookyung’s bed. The latter applied much force on Yookyung’s neck, cutting Yookyung’s air supply.

4:12 am – Hong Yookyung – Dead

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Screams were heard inside Apink’s dorm. Chorong, Naeun and Hayoung ran to the 4 girls’ room. “What happened?!” Being the leader, Chorong took the initiative to first ask what happened.

Bomi was seen covering her ear while crying. Eunji was beside her, soothing her back. “Eunji-ah, what happened to her?” Chorong eyed Bomi who look like she was . She looked like she was so scared. Eunji pointed at the double deck on her bed. “Y-yookyung… She’s g-gone.”

Naeun, Yookyung’s closest member ran to Eunji. “U-unnie… Tell me you’re just joking. TELL ME!” She choked back on her tears as she try to surpress the anger and sadness that was building up in her.

Chorong slowly walked to Yookyung’s deck. The latter was pale white and her neck has a shade of red and purple. There was also little wounds on it, probably came from someone’s nails. “Strangled…”

“Unnie! Tell me she’s not dead! Tell me that you’re just pranking us! Unnie! Jebal…” Naeun went down on her knees and begged for Eunji to tell that it was all a joke. “Please unnie!” Eunji cried at the sight of Naeun begging, she took her hands off from Bomi who was in the middle of calming down, and hugged Naeun. “Shhh… Stop crying, Naeun-ah. We’ll get the one who did this. We will let that person pay.” Eunji soothed Naeun’s hair and rubbed her back. Apink’s visual continued on crying as she tightly hugged their main vocal.

Their maknae, Hayoung, stood by the door and watched her unnies who were agonizing. She noticed someone was missing. “Where’s Namjoo unnie?” Hayoung asked. She, then, heard sobs from the back of the door. Hayoung saw Namjoo sobbing while hugging her legs. “Y-yookyung unnie…” Namjoo trailed off. She was choking because of her tears. Her eyes were so red because of nonstop crying. Hayoung quickly went to her and hugged her. “Unnie, do you know who did this?” She asked as she secured her closest member in her arms. Namjoo bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “Stop crying. We’ll find who’s the murderer.”

________________________

“I hope all of you can move on and think that Yookyung is now in a much better place- Naeun, stop tearing up, please.” Their manager said as she looked at Naeun who was struggling to stop her tears from falling. “The CEO said that the investigators are going to come first thing in the morning. Yookyung’s autopsy said that she was choked to death, more like strangled. Nail marks were also found on the side of her neck. The strangulation was no joke. The murderer seems to have a grudge on Yookyung.” Their manager continued. “I hope everybody is okay now. Go to sleep.”

Chorong shook her head and sighed. “Alright everyone, you heard unnie. Go to sleep.” The oldest member rubbed her temples. She looked at her members and saw them looking so weak and sad. “Yah! I’m also sad and angry at what happened but please, just follow unnie or me and everything will be alright. I miss Yookyung, I really do but she’s gone now. We can’t do anything about it. Get a grip, girls. Pull yourself together.” She left them and went inside Naeun, Hayoung and her room.

________________________

10:27 pm

“Naeun-ah, Tell Chorong unnie that I’ll just get my things in the recording studio. I’ll be back before 11.” Eunji told Naeun then exited the room.

Thankfully, their dorm is near A Cube. Eunji went in with the help of the guard who let her in. After getting her things in the recording studio she walked back to her dorm.

“The streets are quiet. Is it already late?” She was about to look at her wrist watch when someone said, “Unnie, let’s go back to the dorm together.” She turned around only to see Namjoo. “Aigoo~ You scared me!” She helped her throbbing chest and let out a sigh.

“Mian.” The latter said without any expression. “It’s alright, Namjoo-ah.” Eunji smiled at her which showed her gums. “You can still smile even with what happened.” Namjoo said with a smirk. “Yah… we need to stay positive.” Eunji said.

They we’re silently climbing up the stairs when Namjoo suddenly held Eunji’s wrist. “What is it?” The older girl looked at Namjoo. She saw Namjoo’s thin line form into a smirk. “Let’s just see if you can still smile after I do this.”

Namjoo took out the kitchen knife from their kitchen and stared walking towards Eunji who was close on the edge of the stairs. “Y-You killed Y-Yookyung?!” Eunji swallowed hard and slowly walked backwards, her eyes on the knife. Namjoo smiled in a creepy way. “You’re smart.”

Namjoo raised her knife, then stabbed Eunji on the neck. “Ugh…” Eunji choked on her own blood. She was struggling to stay alive. Namjoo took out the knife and stabbed her again, this time, on the chest. “N-Namjoo…” Eunji held her neck that was squirting blood. “S-Stop…” Namjoo did stop from stabbing her but the latter wants her dead. She forcefully pushed Eunji off from the staircase. Eunji’s head hit the ground which made her head crack open.

10: 54 pm – Jung Hyerim/ Jung Eunji - Dead

Namjoo’s eyes widen at the sight of the knife she was holding. “E-Eunji unnie’s b-blood?” Her hands has Eunji’s blood on it too. She stared at her shaking hands in horror. She looked at her left then right. “A-ani. I-I didn’t do this to her!” She pulled her hair and ran away.