Song through the Silence

By: pnaixrose

Summary: Even through the moments of silence, as long as he's with her, he'll always have a song.
(Hye Mi & Sam Dong)

Disclaimer: I do not own Dream High or any of its characters.

"Oy!" an excited Jason called, plopping on the couch in front of his dormitory's television. Cheekily, he grabbed Jin Guk's bowl of popcorn straight from his fellow Dream High member's hands, eliciting a scowl from the other boy's face. "Guk-ah, call the girls! It's about to start!"

Quickly, the taller boy picked the bowl of popcorn from Jason's hands just as he was about to stuff himself. Jin Guk gave a smirk before popping a few into his own mouth. "They're already on their way. You think Hye Mi would miss this?"

"Ah, Guk-ah! No fair! I want some too!"

Before Jason could swipe the bowl back, another pair of hands had already taken it, much to their surprise. Baek Hee grinned at them, taking the bowl with her as she sat on the lone sofa chair. Pil Suk followed close behind and took a seat next to Jason who promptly forgot his hunger for popcorn and instead welcomed the pigtailed girl with a kiss to the cheek.

"Where's Hye Mi?" Jin Guk asked Baek Hee as he leaned on the back of the sofa. Everyone knew that as much as they were excited for the upcoming television broadcast, Hye Mi had been the most excited. Well, as "excited" as the usually stoic Hye Mi could get. However, her fellow members knew her well enough to know that her more recurrent small grins and higher tolerance for things that usually annoyed her were signs of her enthusiasm.

Baek Hee and Pil Suk glanced at each other quietly before giving the boys a warning look. "Apparently Sam Dong hasn't called in quite a while," Pil Suk stated quickly, her voice just above a whisper. "She's grouchier than usual, so just—OW!"

A pair of hands had pulled on her pigtails, interrupting her whisper. Scowling, the straight-banged Hye Mi stood behind Pil Suk, bringing a gloomy aura into the room. "Who's grouchy, Pil Suk?"

"N-No one!" the poor girl chirped quickly before her hair was finally released. Jason gave her a sympathetic yet amused look before massaging the sides of her scalp as she frowned.

"Hye Mi-ah! We were waiting for you," Baek Hee said, trying to sound enthused. She got up from her spot to force her best friend to plop down and get the front row seat in front of the TV, placing the coveted bowl of popcorn on her lap. "It's an important moment!"

Hye Mi looked ahead at the screen which was currently playing some mundane commercials, her emotionless face unchanged. It had been about six months since Sam Dong had left for America. Since then, Dream High had risen to quite some fame in Korean entertainment and Manager Ma's small and novice White Entertainment Company was receiving much praise for putting together such a talented, young group of teenagers. They had already begun to branch out into variety shows, commercials, and even some acting, showing just how talented they were as individuals. They had also become closer, not only because their dormitories were across the hall from the each other's now, but also because they had close ties with each other even before debuting as a group. But Sam Dong's departure from the group at its early stages was still a bittersweet topic for them, for Hye Mi in particular.

But dreams – even if they are reaching for the same ultimate goal – lead people in different directions in life. And Hye Mi had insisted Sam Dong that he should take the amazing opportunity with the EMG company in New York and follow his own dream. She had known before that fateful day of their solo performances for EMG that she would have to let him go. She had already known the outcome before the winners had been announced, knew that EMG wouldn't be blind to the raw talent and genius Sam Dong had. And even though he had pleaded with her, insisted on staying with her – after all, she was his true music, his real reason for falling so much in love with music – he wanted to show her that he was worthy of her. Since then, they had kept somewhat loose ties with each other, calling each other only once in a while. After all, they both had busy schedules, especially Sam Dong. He had told her before that he had undergone intense training as a solo artist for the past six months with EMG Entertainment, especially with his hearing impairment. Apparently – and luckily – the company was impressed with him all the more once he had admitted his hearing flaws. However, it took longer for him to officially debut, be revealed to the public, have any type of interview, or have any promotions other than pictures and audio done.

Hye Mi knew that the other members didn't know the true reasons behind the long awaited reveal of their ex-member/close friend and were probably confused, especially when in such short a time, Dream High was exposed to the public so many times. They had probably figured that Sam Dong needed extra time to learn English, train, and adjust to life over in America. So they were excited to finally see him in his first official TV interview on an American television network called MTV which was doing a short documentary on EMG Entertainment.

She had been excited about the news too when she had found out a few weeks ago. But since then, she hadn't heard from him. No phone call. No text message. Not even an email. And granted, she did know that he was busy, that they were both busy. They didn't contact each other too often anyway after all. But still…she thought that Sam Dong would've at least wanted to talk to her before his interview aired.

She was – as Pil Suk described – "grouchy." Hye Mi knew that she was being petty. But she didn't care.

She missed him.

"Oh! It's starting!" Pil Suk exclaimed, clapping her hands lightly. "Sam Dong's part is coming up soon!"

A brief, catchy tune played and they all watched the screen intently as the documentary host gave a short introduction, returning from a commercial break. "EMG Entertainment was also proud to welcome the newest addition to the company earlier this year. As mentioned before, EMG Entertainment is known for making conscious efforts to introduce diversity and different cultures into the music world, thus prompting them to have such a contest. EMG Entertainment wants to emphasize that despite the color of our skin and the languages from our tongue, we can all be enthralled and united by music." Pictures of young people on the stage, singing their hearts out flashed and faded on the screen as the introduction continued. "The extensive contest spanned across thirteen different countries in Asia, trying to find the most talented and most capable individual. There were two finalists from each of the thirteen countries, all of whom were extremely talented and well-liked. However, the ultimate winner from those twenty-three finalists is the one from South Korea that blew everyone else out of the equation with his powerful vocals, optimism, and humble beginnings." The Dream High members smiled, remembering the out-of-place "country bumpkin" at the mention of "humble beginnings." Even Hye Mi let her lips curve into a small grin. "Let me introduce…Sam Dong Song! Or Song Sam Dong, as it's appropriately ordered in Korean. Better known as 'K!'"

The five friends held their breath as the host stood from his seat and clapped to welcome a familiar tall figure. Clad in a pair of dark jeans, some brown boots, a white V-neck shirt, and a black suit jacket, Sam Dong looked more mature than he had ever looked before. His hair was still similar to how it looked six months ago, slightly short yet long enough to have a textured and ruffled feel to it. And he still wore his signature black earring from the time of his second transformation.

Hye Mi was speechless. He looked so different…so mature…so…attractive. Talk about a complete change from the time she first saw him dressed in some outfit made out of fertilizer bags.

"Daebak!" Pil Suk exclaimed with glee, her round rimmed glasses falling slightly from her nose in excitement. "He looks so handsome!" Jason gave her a slight playful glare which she returned with a grin.

Baek Hee grabbed Hye Mi's hand, her eyes alight. "Sam Dong looks great, Hye Mi!"

They watched as Sam Dong shyly walked up to the host and bowed slightly, confusing the American who awkwardly bowed back. Sam Dong grinned cheekily and embarrassedly before putting his hand out for a hand shake, his other hand scratching the back of his head sheepishly. However, the host was laughing good-naturedly, seemingly pleased at being shown some traditional South Korean respect and culture.

Jin Guk chuckled as he watched his friend's actions. "Still acts the same though," he commented with satisfaction.

And it was at this that made Hye Mi's heart swell despite being angry with him. Seeing first-hand that Sam Dong was so far still the same, slightly awkward bumpkin made her happy.

Once the Sam Dong and the host settled into their seats, still slightly chuckling with their meeting, the host continued with the program. "It's great to have you with us today!"

Sam Dong smiled widely, his dimples showing. "It's great to be here. It's my pleasure."

"Whoa!" Jason commented, wide-eyed. "His English got so good!" The others had to agree. Although his Korean accent was still present, it was no longer thick and choppy. Thank goodness for subtitles or else they wouldn't have been able to understand at all.

The host also seemed to notice his skilled English. "Your English is very good! I'm guessing that for the past six months you've been honing your English skills as well as your singing skills?"

"Yes, I've been practicing a lot." Sam Dong laughed sheepishly. "I'm afraid my pronunciation isn't that great yet. But I'm trying! My friend Jason back home is actually originally from America so I picked up some phrases from him and he's been helping me."

Jason pumped his fist in the air at being mentioned on-air and he let out an excited "Yes!" in English. The others laughed and Jin Guk gave him a high five.

"What kind of phrases?"

"Oh, like…" Sam Dong attempted to look smooth, which although it matched his attire, did not match his dorky personality. "'Cool, man. I'll catch ya later.'"He did a slight head nod with the phrase. "And then there's… 'You really…'" Sam Dong hesitated mid-phrase, looking into the air in confusion. "Jam kahn mahn*…I know it had something to do with insects..." A light of realization crossed his face. "Ah! Bug! 'You really bug me!'"

The host was having a ball as he and his guest hollered in laughter together. Jason was laughing so hard that he was almost in tears. The others were laughing too, albeit it was more at Sam Dong's silliness and for his slight use of Hangul in mid-sentence.

When the laughter subsided, the host continued. "So you haven't done much yet in terms of putting yourself out there in the media because you've had to spend time learning the language and training under the company still, right? This is your first official interview?"

Sam Dong nodded. "Yes, but I'm currently working on my album which will hopefully be released in the next couple of months. I've completed most of my training and they've said that they think my English is good enough so I think they'll start putting me to work pretty soon."

"Tell us a little about your album! We're excited to hear it. I hear it's all self-composed? Where did you draw your inspiration from?"

Sam Dong nodded again, shyly but proudly. "It will have thirteen songs and yes, they were all written by me. As for inspiration…" he paused, looking flustered and kind of red.

"Was it drawn from a girl back home? Or experiences of love?" the host goaded playfully with a laugh. Hye Mi straightened at the mention as her friends around her chuckled.

"A-Ah," Sam Dong stuttered, forcing a laugh. "Well mostly it's from my experiences with everything I've encountered so far, especially in the past two years or so. From my mother back at home. From my teachers at Kirin High. From my friends on Dream High…"

"Ah yes I've heard that you initially debuted on another group in South Korea in a six-member group. Do you miss them? And your mother?"

He looked down momentarily, a sad yet content grin on his face. "Yes. I think about them all every day. I try to contact them as much as I can. My mother still scolds me for not contacting her enough. As for Dream High, I go on the internet and make sure they're doing alright all the time." A satisfied, familiar, cheeky smile appeared on screen. "I'm glad to know they're doing well. I…miss them."

A comfortable silence settled upon the living room where the five members of Dream High sat. They glanced at each other with smiles on their faces. No words were said. After all, no words were needed. Despite being a whole group for a short time and despite breaking up as a group of six, they still had a bond with each other.

"It's always hard trying to pursue your dream especially when you have to leave everything behind," the host said in understanding, nodding his head in sympathy. "Tell me, why are you pursuing your dream? Or rather, what does your dream actually mean to you?"

Sam Dong took a long, pensive pause before he answered. "I grew up in a very rural town where popular music and music in general, was pretty much nonexistent." A wide grin appeared on his face. "But I loved music. Just hearing the crickets' at night and catching a tune on the radio of a car passing by were things that really brightened my day. I liked to sing. And I think I have a pretty good feel for sounds. But I was more concerned with protecting and helping my mother who was raising me on her own to really pursue any of it." He paused and reached for his K pendant from under his shirt. "I'm sure everyone knows why I picked 'K' as my stage name. I said before that I've kept this pendant as a good luck charm with me since debuting with EMG. But it's more than just a necklace. It's actually gone through so much, being in the hands of different people and helping them in their times of struggle. I know it has helped them. And I like to think that it ended up with me because they want to see me succeed as well. Helps me think and remember where I'm from and who I've met." His friends all the way across the world in Seoul were smiling silently to themselves, knowing how he felt. Three of them, after all, had the pendant within their own hands at one point. "The last person who had this pendant before me…is the person who really introduced me into this world of music which I've grown to love so much…who became my music. I want to show that person what I'm made of. Because…I think that person really believed in me..." He smiled. "That's what my dream means to me."

Hye Mi's eyes softened at the sight of him saying those words, her bitterness and petty anger towards him melting away suddenly. Baek Hee smiled knowingly and rubbed her best friend's back in an "I-told-you-so" way. The others smiled, knowing that Sam Dong would always be the honest, carefree guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. There was some assurance in knowing this. That despite rising to fame, one can always be his own self by choice.

"That's really great…really inspiring," the host commented before grinning slyly. "I noticed you didn't add a gender to this mysterious person. Is it your crush back home? I'm guessing there is a girl then?"

Sam Dong's ears turned red before he sheepishly scratched the back of his head and laughed, not really answering the ultimate question in embarrassment.

After laughing, the host clapped his hands. "Well, we're almost done with your interview and then we'll get to hear you sing at the end of the program. But one last thing! I hear you have your first commercial photo shoot in a few days. Do you know who it's with?"

"I hear it's one of the members of Miss A from the really established South Korean JYPE Company. JYPE apparently has close ties with EMG since the start of the contest. They didn't tell me who exactly though," Sam Dong admitted.

"Well, we happened to invite her over so let's bring her out!" The host began to clap as a young girl appeared on the screen, walking demurely over to the couch where Sam Dong was sitting.

"Hey…" Jin Guk said slowly as the camera focused on the new female guest. "That's Suzy from Miss A…I didn't realize she looked so much like you, Hye Mi."

"Oh yeah, that is Suzy," Baek Hee commented. "She really does look like you. Just without the straight bangs across her forehead."

Hye Mi brushed their comments away with a huff as she examined the said clone. "What are you talking about? I look nothing like her!"

"Yeah," Jason added, assessing Suzy's short dress, made up face, and long straight hair. "Suzy's hotter." He braced himself while laughing as multiple pillows were thrown in his direction from both Hye Mi and Pil Suk.

"Sam Dong seems to think so too," Jin Guk remarked playfully. At this, Hye Mi stopped attacking Jason and quickly turned back to the screen.

As Sam Dong had caught sight of the new guest, his eyes widened and he stood from his seat in apparent shock. The long haired, milky-skinned girl stopped in front of him to give him a slight bow before turning to the camera and giving a sheepish wave. Sam Dong was still standing, staring at her unabashedly.

"Hello, I'm Suzy from Miss A. Nice to meet you," the girl said to the camera with a thick Hangul accent.

"Miss A is currently on tour and just arrived in the U.S. a few days ago. You'll be doing the photo shoot with Suzy-" The host stopped mid-sentence to assess a shocked Sam Dong.

"H-Hye Mi?" whispered Sam Dong.

Suzy blinked in confusion, tilting her head while maintaining an amused smile.

The host laughed good-naturedly and slapped the back of Sam Dong's back. "Well then, K! Seems you're a lucky one and got paired with a beautiful girl for your first photo shoot!"

Sam Dong turned red and shook his head in his fluster. "W-What! No! I-I mean yes, but-" He turned to Suzy who gave him a sheepish smile which silenced him and made him turn all the more red.

The host nudged Sam Dong in the arm playfully. "And do you remember the theme of the photo shoot?"

At this, Sam Dong seemed to remember and grew stiff.

"Fun at the beach!"

Everyone in the dormitory started to howl with laughter at the look of mixed mortification, embarrassment, and slight anticipation on Sam Dong's face. It had grown so loud in the living room that the television couldn't even be heard anymore. Everyone was in on the fun except of course, Hye Mi, who had grown deathly silent ever since seeing Sam Dong's expression when seeing…that false look-a-like.

Seething, she stood from her place and walked towards the front door in a huff, jealousy spreading throughout her veins.

"Aw, Hye Mi! Don't be jealous! It's just a photoshoot!" Pil Suk called after her.

"Aren't you going to at least watch his first singing performance?" Baek Hee added.

But the only answer they received was the slam of the door. The four looked at each other, shaking their heads and watched as their good friend continued to be the awkward, dorky guy they always knew.

Sam Dong gulped nervously as he held his prop beach towel tightly around the top half of his body. Clad in only some black swimming trunks – from the brand he would be promoting today – and some flip flops, he sat in front of a makeup mirror as his hair was fiddled with and his face was painted on. From his periphery, he saw his manager speaking with the director and photographer of the shoot.

"You're so lucky, K," his makeup artist said with a smile. "I hear Suzy is very popular in South Korea."

He simply nodded in return. He hadn't spotted his female counterpart in this photo shoot yet and was actually glad he hadn't. He wasn't familiar with Suzy or Miss A, to be honest. He figured they were beyond his scope of popular music as he came from such a remote, small town. He was sure that they were indeed talented and that Suzy would make the shoot go by smoothly, seeing as she seemed experienced in the art of modeling. What he was nervous about was the fact that the model he would be working with was the splitting image of her. Go Hye Mi.

It was almost uncanny. The same built. The same figure. The same facial features. The same long hair. The same smooth skin. It made him feel anxious. He had never been one to be unprofessional when it came to business…but…

…how was he supposed to pose half-naked next to someone who looked exactly like Go Hye Mi!

He subconsciously grew red at the thought.

Sam Dong suddenly felt immensely homesick, just thinking of the Hye Mi lookalike. He missed the real Hye Mi. He always missed her. But he was sure that being near Bae Suzy would exacerbate that all the more. He sighed tiredly before his manager came up to him, bringing the said Hye Mi lookalike in tow. She was already made up and dressed in the attire (or lack thereof?) for the day's shoot, a modest beach towel covering her body.

Sam Dong stood quickly and bowed, as skittish as ever. "I-It's an honor to work with you," he said in fluent Hangul, trying to avoid her Hye Mi-like eyes. They were just as big and round and cute as Hye Mi's. Damn it.

She returned the bow with a bright smile on her face. Now there was something that was more or less absent from Hye Mi's face – a bright smile. Although, Sam Dong noted in the back of his head that the real Hye Mi's smile was more radiant, more meaningful. Probably because her smiles were reserved for when she meant them the most. He relaxed slightly, slowly picking out the differences between the two women. "Ah, thank you!" she quipped happily. "I'm such a big fan of yours. It's a pleasure!"

Smiling, his manager clapped his hands. "Well then! Let's start with the shoot!"

"K! Your arm is a little awkward there! Can you move it slightly?"

Flash after flash of light blinded him. He could barely even see the crew people who were riddled all over the room.

"K, move a little closer to her!"

Everything felt so hurried, yet he was expected to pose perfectly still to get a good shot. Was that even possible?

"You're looking a little stiff, K!"

Well, how the hell was he supposed to be relaxed while posing half naked when fake Hye Mi was drawled against him…in a bikini!

He glanced over to his counterpart who was relaxed and poised as she rested her arm on his shoulder, looking over to the camera with ease. Redness came to his cheeks as he began to replace this imposter with the real Hye Mi in his mind.

Ugh! Stop it, Sam Dong! Bad Song Sam Dong!

This is what is got for being so alienated from the female population other than his mother for more than half his life.

And furthermore, he felt so exposed. He was never one to show off his body like this. He began realizing that there were things about being an entertainer that he would never really be ready for, despite trying to prep for them. Modeling half naked was one of them.

Modeling with a half-naked girl who looked like Hye Mi was another.

"K! Tilt your head up a little bit more!"

It was all too overwhelming. The lights. The commands. The hurriedness. The knowledge that Hye Mi's lookalike was pressed up against his body.

So much pressure. He didn't know if he could stand it.

His ears started to ring deafeningly. He willed it to stop before all noise would cease. But of course, it didn't. And suddenly, as he looked around, feeling disoriented and off balance, he felt as if he was lost in a sea of silence. The clicks from the camera shutters had become mute, with only the flashes of light to barrage at him. People's mouths were moving, including his manager's who was hurriedly speaking to the photographer. Suzy was at his side, looking concerned and moving her mouth but not saying any words.

His head felt heavy. And finally, his manager had stepped into the frame, gently pushing him away from the shoot to the side where he could rest.

Sam Dong was slumped over a table situated near the makeup area, his head laying on top of it. The sound was slowly coming back to his ears. There dull and hushed and stifled. But slowly, it was coming back as it always does…as he hoped it always will.

This dream of becoming a singer was just so taxing, so trying on his body. His tinnitus had come more frequently in the past six months because of it. And although he had grown somewhat accustomed to these episodes, they still scared him. He was scared that one day the sound just wouldn't return. Although, he had come to terms with this possibility back while he was at Kirin Arts and had learned to find the perfect pitch because of it, it was just one more obstacle to add to the list.

During his episodes of deafness, one thing always comes to mind. Hye Mi. Whenever he had been with her, around her during these episodes…he had always felt more or less secure. Even with the deafness, as long as she was in his line of sight, his heart would automatically calm itself. He was able to perform on stage because he saw her because he was able to find his strength because of her.

But without her…there was no strength in his body when these episodes came. They were the moments of complete emptiness. They were the moments where he didn't believe he could accomplish his dream.

They were not only his quietest moments…they were his darkest moments too. Because Hye Mi wasn't there to brighten them, to liven them.

"Are you okay, Sam Dong-shi?" he heard faintly.

He picked up his head and turned to his model counterpart and gave an apologetic look. He knew that his inaptness for modeling was putting a damper on this shoot. "I-I'm fine," he said, trying to avoid looking at her. "I'm…sorry."

She only smiled politely, disregarding his apology. "Oh, don't apologize. It's understandable if it's your first photo shoot!" Suzy explained, thinking that it was simply his nervousness that was bothering him. "Do you want some advice?"

"S-Sure."

"Depending on the theme of the shoot, just think of a close friend or family member who you would most likely want to share the feeling of the shoot. So for example, for this 'fun in the sun' themed shoot, think about the person who'd you want to spend time having fun in the sun! Simple enough right?"

He nodded absentmindedly, thankful for her concern. If it had simply been his nerves bothering him, her advice would have be easy for him to do considering that the person he wanted to spend time at the beach looked exactly like his modeling partner. He smile, sincerely grateful. "Thanks."

And suddenly, as he looked at her smiling back at him, Bae Suzy no longer reminded him of Go Hye Mi at all. Though they were exteriorly similar, there was something about Suzy where Sam Dong just couldn't feel the essence and familiarity of Hye Mi.

Hye Mi would've probably scolded him for acting like such a baby while in the middle of doing business, would've given him straightforward pointers on angles and finding the light instead of something sentimental and vague like Suzy did.

And lastly…Suzy was just too…well…

…nice.

Sam Dong's smile widened at the thought and the bittersweet-ness of the entire situation rushed over him all at once. He must have thought about his decision of accepting EMG's contract a million times in the past six months and it was a strange feeling every time he did so. He never once regretted coming to New York to follow his dreams. And yet…this path has already been so difficult, so lonely. He had been thrown into a new world, so different from his little rural town, and even different from Kirin Arts in Seoul. In a country where he is still learning the customs and language, surrounded by new people he would have to work with, forced to deal with his tinnitus alone…he had never felt so trapped. How ironic it is to feel trapped while striving for the only thing you've ever wanted.

Well…this dream of becoming a famous singer wasn't the only thing he'd ever wanted. Go Hye Mi was the other. His silly infatuation with her from the moment he laid eyes on her had only grown and even when she had had her eyes on another – a good friend of his in fact – he didn't care. As long as those eyes of hers were happy, he didn't care who she laid them on. He was just lucky that in the end they lay upon him.

It had been a hard decision to leave South Korea…to leave her. Although his feelings for her had always been known, her newfound feelings had just come out just prior to leaving the country. He had been willing to put his dream on hold just to spend a little bit more time with her. But…at the same time, he wanted to show her that choosing him had been the right decision, that he wasn't the type of man to throw everything away so easily like that. Hye Mi wasn't as into those sappy things as much as she was into hard work, determination, and passion. If he had given up this opportunity, she would've scolded him, possibly changed her mind about him. She wanted the best for him. And pushing him to leave was her way of showing that. Hye Mi had a tendency to show her affection in strange, uncover ways. But that's just one of the things he liked about her.

But the last six months had been trying times for them. They barely spoke. And granted they hadn't established that they were "officially together" or anything, he wanted to speak to her every day. He wanted to see her every day. But most days, he'd be so busy and tired that he would only get minutes worth of sleep. With all the schedules, working on the album, honing his singing skills when his tinnitus kicks in, English classes and such, this dream of his has proved to be more trying than satisfying thus far. Especially when it has prevented him from his other dream…being with Hye Mi. The longing for her had never been this severe before…

He glanced at the Hye Mi lookalike. "What do you do when you miss someone back home?" he asked. "Like…our dreams are so big, you know? What if it gets in the way of someone who's important to you?" He was fingering the K pendant that was dangling off of his neck.

She seemed startled at the question and at the intense and honest look in his eye. "Well…" she began. "As idols, it's impossible to have everything. Not all people like and support you. You get criticism. People start rumors. Another part of the bad things that come with chasing your dream is that you have to make decisions that will place some things more important than others."

Sam Dong looked at the floor sadly, sighing. "I know what you mean."

She looked at his long face and lightly touched his arm. "But," she said, sounding encouraging. "We're all human. And as humans…I think it's possible to have more than one dream, with no single dream being more important than the other. And I think it's also possible to achieve them all, possibly balance them all. If they're that important to you." She smiled. "So Sam Dong-shi, just because you chose your dream of singing…it doesn't mean you have to give up someone who is important to you. Besides, since that person obviously understood when you went to follow your dream of becoming a singer…don't you think your dream of becoming a singer should understand if you had to be with that person too?"

The words were encouraging and immediately brightened his face. His dreams didn't have to combat each other. He should be allowed to strive towards them both…equally. The thought gave him renewed energy and hope. And most importantly, he made up his mind right then and there that he had to start chasing his other dream for a bit for now.

"Okay!" the photographer called, recalling the crew back to work. "Is everyone ready?"

Sam Dong, feeling rejuvenated and unafraid, nodded as everyone prepped for the next round of photos after their few minutes of a break.

Hye Mi's eyebrow twitched and she felt her ears flame as she looked down intently at her phone, scrolling down through picture after picture. Her old phone charm which had been in Sam Dong's possession for over a year hung from it.

"-you kids have been doing great things! We've really been emphasizing your strength as a group so I think we can-"

Her eyes boggled as she stared at the photos. There he was. Playfully aiming a small water gun at Bae Suzy with that goofy smile on his face.

"-more individual projects will help differentiate you guys as talented-"

There he was again. Placing a large red sun hat on Bae Suzy's head while her hands were carelessly on his nude chest, his K medallion still dangling from his neck.

Was he always that muscular? Or did they train him physically too? Hmph.

"-Pil suk should focus on song writing while Baek Hee and Jin Guk focus more on variety shows and such since-"

Hye Mi's eyes widened even more and without realizing it, her hand which was holding the phone began to shake. If she gripped it any harder, it probably would have shattered into pieces.

There he was, a gentle small grin on his face, looking down at Bae Suzy whose head was resting on his shoulder as they sat on a beach.

Oh no. This was too far now.

That look on his face was reserved for her and her alone.

"Hye Mi!"

She looked up, totally oblivious to the weekly Dream High meeting they were currently having. The other members were staring at her quietly from around the table. Her eyes were still red with jealousy. "What!" she snapped.

Her ex-loan shark enemy turned manager gave her a stern look as he placed his hips on his hands. He was standing next to a screen which was projecting their plans from his laptop. "Go Hye Mi, would you like to share what seems to be more important than you possibly getting a chance at a solo album?" Manager Ma sighed, his face as comical as always. "Aish…I knew I shouldn't have let that darn teacher sucker me into adding you to the group…"

She huffed and crossed her arms, sinking into her seat. "It's nothing!"

"Lemme see!"

And before she knew it, Pil Suk had somehow snatched it from her hands. "Hey!"

Looking through the pictures, Pil Suk's eyes also boggled from their sockets and her face turned red. "O-Omo! I-Is that…."

"I want to see!"

"What is it?"

And quite suddenly, the Dream High group had gathered behind Pil Suk, curiously intent at seeing what had captured Hye Mi's attention. Manager Ma sighed in exasperation, flopping into his seat in defeat. Jaws dropped and gasps were quickly heard around the room.

"S-Sam Dong-ah!" Baek Hee exclaimed excitedly. "He…looks so…!"

"Hot!" Pil Suk squealed, earning a slight frown from Jason.

"He ain't all that," Jason mumbled in English as he crossed his arms and looked at the photos warily.

Meanwhile, Jin Guk was smirking, glancing at Hye Mi. "He looks like quite the natural at modeling. They look good together," he teased, being rewarded with a signature Hye Mi glare.

"Look! There are comments from fans!" Baek Hee noted. " 'Cutest new couple!' 'K oppa is so handsome!' 'K oppa, come back to Korea!' 'Marry me, K oppa!'"

Pil Suk laughed out loud at the next one. "'Sam-zy forever! Fighting!'" She and Baek Hee started bursting out in giggles as they scrolled through the comments.

"Ah! They're going on a talk show together and it'll air in Korea tomorrow!" Baek Hee said. She looked at the other members in anticipation. "Let's watch it at the girls' dormi-" Suddenly, she was silenced as she caught eyes with Hye Mi who looked like she was just about to smack them all across the face.

"Aw, c'mon!" Jin Guk goaded with a grin. "He's just enjoying a bit of the perks of being a celebrity!"

Her fist held high, Hye Mi started towards him with a dangerous look on his face. "I'll show you the perks of being a celebrity!"

Her victim only laughed as she was held back by the quick actions of Jason and Baek Hee. Pil Suk continued to giggle over the comments from the fans, particularly laughing over the different name combinations of Suzy and Sam Dong. Manager Ma continued to sulk over his teenage group and wondered just why he gave up that night club not too long ago.

"How did you convince her to stay?" Jason whispered as he scooted close to Pil Suk and Baek Hee the next night. Jin Guk was flipping through the channels, trying to find the correct one, while Hye Mi was sulking in the adjoining kitchen, reluctantly preparing snack for them.

Baek Hee grinned victoriously, "Oh, you know, just guilted her in with the 'We should be supporting him every chance we get' talk."

Jin Guk chuckled. "Plus, do you really think she wants to miss a chance seeing him?" he said. "Underneath all her jealousy, she's still happy for him."

"I'm not jealous," a voice defiantly said behind them. Hye Mi stood with a scowl on her lips and a bowl of chips in her hands which she set with a loud bang on the coffee table.

"Yeah, you shouldn't be jealous anyway because he essentially had a photo shoot with you," Jason snorted. "Or…a hotter version of you…" he mumbled. Hye Mi immediately threw a pillow in his direction which he easily deflected.

She wasn't jealous. She just thought the whole idea of doing a photo shoot while half-naked was stupid, that's all. And hearing that Bae Suzy looked like her made her all the more irritated.

…The fact that Sam Dong looked way too comfortable around that girl had nothing to do with her annoyance.

"Hey, it's starting!"

A series of the photos from the beach photo shoot flashed on the screen as the host introduced the next guest. Hye Mi felt sick to her stomach just looking at them again and scowled.

"The release of this photo shoot of K and Suzy is all the rage right now! We couldn't miss an opportunity to speak with them! So let's introduce our next guest! Bae Suzy!"

"Huh? Sam Dong-ah isn't with her? I thought they were being interviewed together," Pil Suk said in confusion.

Hye Mi felt her heart drop knowing that she couldn't see him. But at the same time, she was relieved that she wouldn't have to see and hear him talk about the half-naked photo shoot with Bae Suzy. She knew that she would flip a lid if she had to hear him say how much he enjoyed it. That idiot.

"So K couldn't join us today?"

"No, he said that something came up last minute and he extends his apologies," Suzy said with an apologetic smile. Her translator relayed the message to the English-speaking host who gave a nod and a sad sigh.

"That's such a shame! The fans have been raving about you two, wanting to know the details of K's first photo shoot! They were all enthralled at how comfortable you two looked!" the host said. "Now tell me, K certainly fancied you, eh? He seemed pretty captivated by the beautiful Suzy the first time he met you!"

"Captivated my butt…" Hye Mi muttered bitterly. She was promptly shushed by her members who she glared at. Whose side were they on anyway?

Suzy laughed. Even the tinkle of her laugh sounded beautiful. "Ah no. Thank you, but I don't think so."

"I heard that you asked him to dinner a few days after the shoot?"

At this, all six pairs of Dream High's ears perked. Hye Mi noticeably grew closer to the television screen, feeling her heart start to sink.

They watched as Suzy looked alarmed that the host knew this information but she played it off well with a laugh and a smile. "Ah well it was dinner with the entire crew as well!"

"So was it a fun dinner party? Is K as smooth and smoky as he looks on camera or more of the charming type that he showed at his first television appearance?"

"Actually…" Suzy chuckled. "He didn't go."

The host looked rightfully surprised. "What? He turned you, the beautiful Suzy, down?!"

She only laughed good-naturedly. "I guess he did!"

A small smile appeared on Hye Mi's lips and she felt relieved. Meanwhile Jason mumbled a quiet, "What an idiot…" which was promptly ignored. She was feeling too relieved to even bother throwing another pillow at him.

Baek Hee knowingly nudged her best friend's shoulder, knowing that she was elated. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"So tell me then, why did K seem so shocked to see you when he first met you?"

Suzy laughed. "Well, I actually asked him about that during the shoot. It turns out, I reminded him of his good friend."

"Oh! A girlfriend back home perhaps?" the host insinuated with a playful smirk.

Hye Mi turned bright red. They were all so engrossed in the interview that they hadn't noticed that Jin Guk had slipped away from the group for a moment, a grin on his face after he received a text message.

Suzy shrugged, a bright smile on her face. "The person who gave him the K pendant. He talked about her a lot." She laughed aloud. "Nonstop, actually."

The host let out an exaggerated gasp as murmuring from the live audience erupted. The interview was at its peak now and the Dream High members were silent as they watched intently. They even ignored Jin Guk as he tried to get their attention.

He cleared his throat, a strange, satisfied tone to his voice. "Hey guys, I have a surprise-"

"Hush Guk-ah!" Pil Suk said, swatting at him with her hand while not even turning towards him. All their eyes were trained on the host who was currently pressuring Suzy to talk more about K and what happened during the photo shoot. It was ironic in a way. They were all so intent on learning about K when they'd actually personally known him for the past two years.

"Guys, seriously-"

Jason turned to his friend to try to shut him up. "Guk-ah, will you-" He stopped mid-sentence. Pil Suk and Baek Hee followed in suit, alarmed by his sudden change in tone. The three stared in shock at what they saw.

However, Hye Mi was still intently watching, almost sitting directly in front of the screen now.

"Did K tell you the person's name?"

All previous irritation with him because of the photo shoot momentarily flew out the window. Did he say her name? Did Sam Dong really talk about her? Did he introduce her as his girlfriend?

"Hye Mi-ah."

Great. Now she was hearing his voice through the television screen.

Was that how badly she wanted to see him?

"Ya. Hye Mi-ah."

Her back straightened as she realized that the voice was coming from behind her. She whipped around and saw just who her friends were staring awe-struck at.

And there he was. Tall. Firmly built. Messy, short haired. Clad in a simple black shirt underneath a black leather jacket, complete with a pair of jeans and boots. He was short of breath as he held his backpack off of his shoulder lazily, as if he had rushed there.

He was there. Right in her dormitory living room.

And before she knew it, she had buried her head into his chest, noting the K medallion tucked away safely under his shirt. She felt the tears running down her face as she was enveloped by his fresh, clean scent. It hadn't changed. He hadn't changed.

For once, she didn't bother to hide the tears. She didn't bother to try to look strong. She continued to cry tears of both happiness and shock as sobs escaped her throat. His arms were wrapped around her as he held her close and she welcomed it. She knew that his familiar goofy, smug smirk of his was on his face, probably elated that she was showing this much affection. She wanted to smack it off of his face.

What an idiot.

And quite suddenly, as if a total change of personality took over her, she weakly punched him in the chest, the tears still streaming down her face. "Babo*!"

He was laughing. Damn him. She tried to hit him harder. "Hye Mi-ah," he said with his familiar deep, raspy voice as he chuckled. Oh, how she missed hearing it. "what's wrong?"

"How dare you pose half-naked with Bae Suzy!" she shouted irritably. "How dare you!"

He was still laughing. Finally, he somehow grabbed her arms, stopping her weak tirade, before gently laying his hands on the sides of her cheeks. He lifted her face up as his thumbs brushed her tears away. It was the first time he got a good look of her. The real Hye Mi. His Hye Mi. This tearful, irrational, silly girl was the real deal. The only one who got his heart beating. The only music when there was no sound.

"I can't hear you…" he said quietly, a small smile on his face. She noticed that he was focusing on her lips and she realized that he really couldn't hear, that his tinnitus had taken effect at the moment. His smile grew. "But maybe it's a good thing just this one time, huh?"

She frowned, her temper flaring slightly. Hmph! Using his disability to ignore her! What a–

And it was at that moment that he had captured her lips with his, silencing her thoughts. And suddenly, the past six months without him didn't seem to matter. Because she felt the same as before. The way her heart felt anxious and sure at the same time about him. The way his gentleness and innocence broke through her hard exterior. The way that no matter how idiotic and irrational she was being, he would always be there for her…even if he physically wasn't.

She forgot that the others were in the room and their whoops and squeals were ignored. For once, she was the one who couldn't hear. She couldn't see, couldn't smell, couldn't taste, and couldn't touch anything other than him either. He was the object of all her senses. He was only thing that mattered.

As for him…he still couldn't believe it. That yet again, Go Hye Mi, has surprised him with her hidden passion and care. And how lucky was he that it was all still aimed towards him? For the first time in a long time, he wasn't scared as he stood there in the total silence, as the world's orchestra disappeared. The silence didn't matter if she was there with him. Hye Mi would always fill it with song. And even when they were apart as they both chased after their dreams, just the mere memory of her smile would help fill the loneliness of the tumultuous path he had chosen.

And yes, the years to come would be long and there would be moments of deadly silence, of times when just remembering her smile wouldn't be enough, of needing and wanting to see her when he couldn't. His dream of becoming a renowned singer and his dream of being with Hye Mi would always combat each other, however he would just have to balance them, make them work out.

But just wait until the day when both his and Hye Mi's dreams of singing are realized, the day when they can finally indulge in their ultimate, final dream…being together.

On that day and all days thereafter…the deadly moments of silence would end.

All his days would be filled with symphonies.

THE END.

So I recently watched Dream High (I know…I'm years late) and fell in love with the story and the characters! I didn't want it to end so I decided to start this compilation. Hope you guys liked the first one-shot! I have a lot of ideas in mind so stay tuned!

Notes:
- EMG: I made up the background of the EMG concert and such to better suit my story and plus I personally think that such a concert would be a great idea too.
- Miss A/Suzy/JYPE: I added the bit about JYPE, Suzy, Miss A(who are real by the way) because I thought it would be sort of a cute spin on things, considering Suzy played Hye Mi on Dream High. Just in case it wasn't clear, I don't claim ownership over any of them and nothing said or done by Suzy in this fanfic was quoted or done by the real Suzy!

*jam kahn mahn: wait

*babo: idiot