#because from Alyssa's POV Shinae is kind of the reason everything in middle school went south for her right?

[trashlie]

I've thought about that group member being Amy and what it would mean for Alyssa. Both girls were first introduced in the same flashback.

They were pressured to do other's homework, specifically English, in exchange for popularity. Neither girl seems confrontational and able to stand up for themselves. They also avoid being associated with Shinae when she tries to stop the bullies.

Imagine she recognizes Shinae and is friendly, grateful for her actions back then, all in front of Alyssa whom she ostracizes.

It would be an interesting foil, if the girls took a liking to Shinae over Alyssa. Just pouring more salt into the wound for her 😢

I never did take note that they were both pressured with English homework - that's a really interesting similarity, right?

To be fair, I don't think we're going to see a lot between Shinae and Alyssa's groupmates - especially with what we're seeing in ep 234 and what I think it means for Alyssa's future. But that said - the fact that Amy was given a name and her note said she'll never forget Shinae's help.... I can't help but wonder what role she'll have. Much like quimchee doesn't put a lot of detail into background characters, she definitely doesn't give them names if they don't have a reason, right? It's why I can't shake the similarity to how Amy looks to one of Alyssa's group mates.

But also.... it's difficult to guess what I think they'll have to do with Shinae, too, at this point. While we know the names of 2 out of 3 of Alyssa's group mates only one has been shown to us with face AND name AND details and it makes me wonder.... like they've got to reappear somewhere, right? Maybe????

I think we're going to see Alyssa follow a trajectory where she gets a solo career, whether she does it by leaving the group or still as a member of the group, so will we see more of her groupmates and how they react to that? AAAHHHHHH idk!

But if Amy IS a member of the group - a. what a wild coincidence lmao in a story where nothing is really a coincidence lmao and b. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT?

But you have an interesting point because something I've been talking with my friends about a lot is how we are very likely going to see Shinae becoming everything Alyssa wishes she could, similar to how we are probably going to watch Nol become everything Kousuke feared. To some degree, Alyssa has been spending her life trying to become Shinae, possibly without realizing it. She puts on a fake smile, much like Shinae's bright smile she wore when she told Alyssa how she deals with bullies. She tries to fake it, to emulate this long lost friend without remembering the rest of what Shinae told her. It's a lot like how Kousuke heard what Nol told him his mom said about Rand, but never really took in the part that Nol had never met that version of Rand. They're both so caught up on something about their foil and they never really get to grow because of it.

Shinae has a light that shines so bright, and it draws people to her. Her strong convictions, her sense of empathy, and her courage to do what she believes is right rather than what is easy attracts people to her. She has Nol's attention, Kousuke's attention, even Yui's attention. Shinae will continue to attract the attention of the people Alyssa is trying to attract, will continue to find a sense of self by being authentic in a way Alyssa is yet afraid to be. So while I'm unsure what kind of interactions Shinae might have with possibly-Amy-Alyssa's-group-member, you definitely bring up something that heavily relates to the dynamic I anticipate we'll be seeing: that even the group members Alyssa is unable to win over might be drawn to Shinae instead.

And god, that must feel SO bitter ;________;