Yo! It's been over two months since my last update, and I am very sorry to all my subscribers who had to wait. That is why I give you this chapter to compensate for my absence. A great gift for you all! ENJOY!! ^_^

 

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No One’s POV

(January 24, 2018)

He sat in front of his desk. His hands clasped, supporting his chin as he simply stared blankly at his computer. He had been doing so for the past hour, not able to figure out what he wanted to change in the track exactly. His headphones plugged in and at full blast, he listened to his creation for the 26^th time in a row. Every time he replayed the song he could not help thinking that it sounded more and more like another song he had already heard, whether it was one of his own unreleased songs or someone else’s song.

“Just come back to it after you refresh your mind, hyung,” P.O spoke up closing a magazine he had been reading. “You have been stuck in this office for the past THREE months. Have you even eaten today?”

“I’m fine,” was all Zico said. He stood up from his chair and started pacing the small room.

Why am I like this? Zico questioned himself. I have never thought so much about anyone like this… maybe it’s because it has to do with Mino, Zico tried to convince himself. So they are going out? I told him NOT to, this could ruin his career at YG. That idiot, of course, they would eventually go out….it was only a matter of time. They are always together after all.

“Hyung, why are you pacing so much? You are making me dizzy,” P.O asked as he saw Zico deep in thought. “Is something bothering you? Can I help you out?”

“No, no…. it’s nothing,” Zico spoke to only go back to pacing and thinking. Why did he not tell me, though? “And why did it have to be her?” he though furiously.

“What was that, hyung?” P.O asked. He clearly heard Zico whisper loudly something about “HER.” “Are you trying to make a follow up song for ‘Her’? After all these years, hyung, really?”

“What?” Zico stopped pacing and looked at P.O confused.

“You said, ‘why did it have to be ‘Her’?” P.O tried to explain. “Are you going to have a follow up for ‘Her’? If it is bothering you, I could help you out,” he said hopefully. “But I still don’t understand why you would do a follow up song to ‘Her’ after all this time…” P.O continued talking manly to himself.

“Uhh…yeah…” Zico was still confused. “Wait, what?”

“Hyung,” P.O began exasperatedly, “you are so distracted lately, even more distracted since the Christmas Special on Inkigayo.”

“Oh! No, I was just thinking of something else,” Zico cleared his throat and sat down at his desk again. “Don’t worry about it, Jihoon, it’s nothing important.”

“Hyung,” P.O spoke up again. “What do you think about Ivy?”

“Ivy?” Zico instantly stiffened. “Why? Why do you care about my opinion of her? Why are you asking about her?”

“Hyung, are you ok?” P.O chuckled awkwardly. “I was just asking…. You know, she is cool. At first I was just a fan as you already know, since she is an amazing actress and beautiful and polite and—”

“Get to the point, Jihoon.”

“Well, I only thought she was very elegant and unapproachable because of how high class she looks, but when I met her personally, turns out she is very friendly and talkative. It was as if we had known each other for ages. She was so relaxed around me and she gave me the impression that she was a really cool person!” P.O was out of breath when he finished talking enthusiastically. “But, since you have not met her you wouldn’t know her very well….”

“I did me—” Zico abruptly stopped himself. Nobody is supposed to know that he had met Erika before her debut.

“What did you say, hyung? Have you met her before?”

“Uhh…Umm…. Well, I did see her as the Inkigayo Special while she was MCing.”

“That was not what I meant, hyung. You are supposed to personally meet her to know her. Seeing her from afar, you will not understand what I mean by how cool she is.” P.O tried to explain to Zico about his experience meeting Ivy, blushing slightly.

“You look like a fanboy. Is she really that cool?” Zico asked. She definitely was not very talkative when I met her, he thought.

“Yeah! You have to meet her, hyung,” P.O continued enthusiastically. “You know what is even better? She told me she was a BBC, hyung! She is also a fan of mine!”

A fan? Zico thought. She looked like a strange weirdo when I met her. “So what? We have many fans, what makes her different?”

“That I am also her fan, that is the difference!” P.O defended himself. “Too bad Mino already has his eyes on her….” P.O pouted.

“So they are going out?” Zico sounded more upset than indifferent.

“No, Mino explained that it was just a joke between the members, nothing more, nothing less,” P.O stated without enthusiasm.

“Then why do you say Mino has his eyes on her?” Zico was a bit lost.

“That’s a secret!”

“Ha! I can read right through the lines, Jihoon, I’m not stupid,” Zico began to lose his patience. “Just… forget it.”

“Hyung, why are you so upset?” P.O looked ahis leader with concern. “Wah! Hyung!!” P.O exclaimed.

“What?” Zico asked taken aback by the sudden outburst.

“You like her, too, don’t you?” P.O mouth set as a smirk began to turn into a toothy grin. “Zico likes Ivy! Zico likes Ivy!” he began to taunt Zico like a preschooler.

“Yah, Jiho-ya, you like Ivy?” A deep voice intruded into the room without the notice of Zico and P.O.

“Hyung,” Zico recoiled in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“Hyung, Zico likes Ivy!” P.O shouted as Zico tried to shut his mouth shut.

“Oh, really? Who is this unfortunate Ivy? I need to go give her my deepest condolences for having someone like Zico to like her.”

“Hyung, it—it’s not what you thin—think,” Zico stuttered.

“Wah…. The first thing I find out after coming back from LA is that ICKLE JIHO likes some girl….” He sighed as he shook his inclined head.

“I’m NOT ‘ickle Jiho,’ Jiseok hyung!” Zico exclaimed. “Jihoon is just joking around.”

“Arraseo, arraseo, I’ll believe you.” Taewoon smiled and bro hugged P.O and Zico. “And don’t call me ‘Jiseok’!” he playfully shoved Zico on the shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re back, hyung,” Zico said softly it was almost impossible to catch what he said. “Well, I better get back to work.”

“Yah! I just got back! You are not going to ignore your favorite older brother for anything, it’s been too long since I last saw you! Come on, let’s go eat.” Taewoon pulled on Zico’s arm to drag him out of the studio, P.O right behind them.

“Jiho hyung, I forgot, I have something to do at the agency. I will have to leave you,” P.O looked crestfallen. “Enjoy the food….” which I cannot eat….

The brothers parted from P.O and headed to Zico’s car. Zico unlocked the car and got in.

“Where are your things?”

“At mom’s. She picked me up at the airport.”

“Mm…” Zico nodded, absentmindedly turning on the car. “Where are we going?”

“Uhh… anywhere, really. I’m just hungry.” Taewoon’s stomach growled right on cue.

Zico chuckled and started off to the best galbi restaurant they know in Hongdae.

Once they arrived they sat in the far end of the restaurant to have some privacy, if that was even possible in such packed place with only the table beside then empty. They ordered quickly and then started to talk about Wuno’s stay in California and about what he did there. Then they talked about Zico and what has been happening at home while Wuno had been gone. Soon the food arrived and they started to cook the meat in the grill and ate it as it came out.

“So…” Wuno spoke at last. “Who is this Ivy Jihoon was talking about?”

“Ivy?” Zico asked confused. He was too busy eating; he had forgotten how hungry he was earlier. “Oh! Erika? She’s an actress at YG. She’s new here in Korea.”

“What do you mean ‘new here’? Is she not from here?” Wuno was eating and talking at the same time.

“She from America.”

“Is she Korean?” Wuno asked but Zico shook his head. “Chinese?” He asked again to receive another shake of Zico’s head. “Asian?” Again a negative. “Then….?” Wuno left the question open.

“She was born and raised in America, but her parents are Mexican. She’s Hispanic.”

Wuno was a bit speechless. “But, but… what? That’s a first. I haven’t heard of any Hispanic person coming to work directly under a Korean label. What label is she under in America?”

“That’s the thing, she is not signed anywhere in America. She literally came her to sign under a Korean label to become an actress.” Zico explained.

“Wow! That must have been tough,” Wuno said a bit mesmerized. “How did the public receive her?”

“Mm…at first there was a lot of negative feedback from news outlets and so the people were not very happy to hear about a Hispanic actress to take a lead role on a drama—”

“Woah! Hold up! She got a lead role in drama?!” Wuno was rather shocked.

“Yeah, and apparently her acting skills are so good that the public accepted her and the drama became very popular. Even mom became a fan.”

“But, how did she get the LEAD role? I mean, she also has to know Korean in order to act out her role, right?”

“You know Lee Seunggi?” Zico asked.

“Umm? The singer/actor? Yeah,” Wuno said a bit confused.

“Well, he was the main producer of the drama she was in. When he went scouting for a lead for the drama he found her and cast he.” Zico explained.

“Woah! Really?” Wuno’s mouth slightly open. “But then, she was not an actress before coming to Korea, right? How did she do it?”

“She didn’t know much Korean either, actually.” Zico went on further. “She was signed under YG and she went through an intense work load where she had to study Korean, learn about acting, take courses about how to act in front of a camera, she had to work out for hours each day. To put it simply, she basically had a similar life as a trainee, but all of it was squeezed in two months.” Zico explained solemnly.

Wuno sat for a moment in shock, with his mouth wide open. “Poor girl…”

“Yeah, but in the end her hard work paid off.”

“So, do you like her?” Wuno genuinely asked.

“I respect her hard work, but no, I don’t like her.”

“Hmm… Alright, I’ll believe you, little bro.”

The brothers finished eating and Zico dropped off his brother at their mother’s house and headed back to his working studio.

Ring, ring, ring.

Zico’s phone began to ring.

“Yeoboseyo?” He answered.

Hyung, what you doing?

“Mino-ya! Nothing, I’m driving back to the studio. I was out with my brother.”

Taewoon hyung is back?

“Yeah, he got back today. Anyways, why did you call?”

Oh! I was going to ask if you could do me a HUGE favor that I could not be able to ask from anyone else but my favorite hyung!

“Yah! Who do you think I am? I—”

My favorite hyung!

“Don’t interrupt me!” Zico laughed. “Fine, what is this HUGE favor?”

                                             AH! Thanks, hyung! You are the best!
I was supposed to pick her up, but I was just given a schedule for the whole night. And trust me, I would not ask anyone else with this….
Could you pick up Erika from the SBS building where we did the Christmas Special for Inkigayo.

“What about her manager?”

He had to leave to his hometown for a week because of some family problems.
Hyung, can I count on you?

“Yeah, I’ll do it. At what time do I have to pick her up?”

You are the best, hyung!!
She told me she should be done at around 6pm, so in about an hour. I’ll send you her phone number in a bit so that you can tell her when you arrive to pick her up.

“Alright,” Zico sighed and hung up.

Once Zico got back to his studio he saved Erika’s phone number in his phone and began to work on the track he had not been able to figure out. For the first time in three months he was able to concentrate completely on the task and finally was able to figure out what he needed to change and finished the track within 30 minutes.

“I can’t believe it was that easy to fix the track!” Zico exclaimed out loud. “I should get on working on the next track.”

Before Zico knew it, an hour passed by. It was now six thirty and he was completely immersed in composing the second track. He had his head phones on and the volume was at full blast. After another thirty minutes he had to go to the restroom, so he got up and took his phone and headed to the restroom.

 

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After Erika finished recording for Inkigayo she decided to sit by the entrance of the SBS building to wait for Mino. She had told him that she would be out by this time. It is six and so she waited patiently; if there was something Erika knew best was being patient.

“Oh! Ivy, are you done for today?” One of the staff members at SBS neared Erika.

“Ne!” Erika smiled widely.

“That’s good,” the staff member told her. “Well, get home safely.”

“Ne! Thank you!” Erika stood up from her seat and bowed to the staff member as he left the building.

Some more time passed by and Erika refrained from looking at her watch. She knows that Mino is going to pick her up, but she also knows that he must be busy so she was not about to rush him just so that she can get home faster. She was in no rush after all. No more schedules were awaiting her and all she wanted right now was a nice, hot meal. It is freezing outside and it did not help much that people kept going in and out of the building letting in the cold air from outside. After what felt like an hour she checked her watch and was disappointed to see that only ten minutes had passed since she finished recording.

Maybe he forgot his phone and can’t tell me that he is already here, Erika thought to herself. Ahaha! As if! The first thing Mino would forget would be his car before he left his phone his phone.

“Ivy, you’re still here?”

“Oh! Chanyeol oppa,” Erika smiled brightly automatically. “Yeah, I’m still here. Hahaha!”

“Hehehe! I can tell,” Chanyeol smiled brightly as well. “What are you still doing here, though? We finished recording half an hour ago.”

“I’m waiting for my ride.”

“Where is your manager? He is always here with you…,” Chanyeol asked curiously.

“He had to go to his hometown, something came up,” Erika explained.

“Oh…. It’s cold here, I could take you home if you’d like, I don’t mind,” he offered.

“Thank you very much, oppa, but I’m fine,” Erika declined. “It shouldn’t be long before he gets here!” she smiled positively.

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s no big deal,” he kept smiling. “Or I could stay and wait with you!”

“Hahaha! Really, it’s no big deal. I can wait a little longer.”

“Arraseo, but who is coming for you?” his curiosity got to him.

“Mino oppa,” Erika replied. “He offered to give me a ride wherever I need, but maybe he is a bit busy, that’s why he is a little late.”

“Aah…,” Chanyeol nodded in understanding. “You two are close right?”

“Somewhat,” Erika nodded.

“I heard you have been his fan for a long time, is it true?”

“Mhmm,” she nodded again. “I’ve been his fan for a bit over six years now…. Wow! It’s been a long time!”

“Ne…, when did you get into KPop, though?”

“A bit over six years, too.”

“Really? I would have guessed you have been a fan for more than eight years! Hahaha!” Chanyeol laughed.

“I wish! I would not feel too bad about the thing I used to like at the time… hahaha!”

Chanyeol shivered, “It’s getting really chilly out there. Are you sure you don’t want a ride home?”

“I’m fine, really, oppa!” Erika smiled widely.

“Alright, well see you tomorrow! I’ll be leaving now!” Chanyeol waved as we walked out the building to his car.

Chanyeol had been Erika’s co-host at SBS Inkigayo for the past two weeks and they had gotten friendly in a matter of minutes, what with Chanyeol’s amazing personality and Erika’s outgoing side to her that she rarely shows.

Erika shivered quite violently. She has never been the type to complain about cold weather, on the contrary, she loves the cold winter, but she did feel like the temperature was lowering as every minute passed. She tightened her khaki knee length coat around her and wrapped her long purple scarf around her neck. She was glad that she was at least allowed to wear tights under her dress along with boot or else she would be frozen by now. She checked the time and it was already seven fifteen and Mino still had not called her.

She took her phone out and was about to call Mino when she received a message from Mino.

 

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Zico came back from the restroom into his studio after about 15 minutes of scrolling through his social media accounts. He sat back down at his desk and started to work on his track, but he felt awfully uncomfortable and guilty. He pushed the feeling aside, not giving it much thought, and continued on his work.

He was so focused on his work that he almost didn’t see his phone screen brighten up on his right. He looked at it and saw it was a message.

From Mino
Hyung, thank you for picking up Erika! I’ll repay you back soon!

Zico sat silently reading and rereading the message until, “SH*T!”

He jumped off his chair and hurriedly put on his coat, keys and phone in hand. He rushed out the office, down the stairs, out the building, into his car.

“Sh*t! How could I forget?!” Zico revved his car on and drove out to the SBS building.

A drive that would normally take about twenty minutes to get to the SBS building took Zico fifteen in his rush. He was more than an hour late.

He arrived in the front of the building and took his phone to send Erika a message that he was there at the front entrance. There were only three cars parked outside the front entrance including Zico and the block was rather deserted. A minute later he saw a figure come out from the building gates and stopped to look around. He saw that it was a tall woman in a knee length coat with a dark scarf covering her neck and mouth, she put her hand to where should be, and seeing from the light fog that came out next, she had blown air into her hands to warm them up. He looked at his phone and checked the message he had sent her: Erika, I’m outside of the front entrance.

He looked up again to see the woman at the entrance and she was looking at her phone, too. With the light of the phone illuminating her face better he saw that it was Erika.

He lowered the passenger side window of his car and leaned over to call her, “Erika! Over here!”

She looked up from her phone and walked to the car. She leaned down to peek through the passenger window into the car and locked eyesight with Zico.

“Annyeonghaseyo!” She greeted with a slight bow and Zico unlocked the car for her to get in.

Once she was settled in, buckled up and everything, Zico began to drive. Both Erika and Zico were quiet, and the fact that there was no music playing at all made the silence more suffocating.

“Did you wait long?” Zico broke the silence first. He quickly glanced at Erika and then back to the front.

“No, I just finished recording,” Erika smiled warmly. She did not want to make Zico feel guilty that she had waited for an hour. After all, an hour was not that long.

“Really?” Zico raised an eyebrow. “Mino said you would be out earlier.”

Erika looked at Zico’s doubtful profile, “I didn’t wait too long, though. It’s alright.” She looked down at her lap.

“Did you ate?” Zico asked just to make conversation.

“Mm… earlier in the day,” Erika tried to get rid of her giddiness.

“Are you hungry?” Zico asked a bit concerned.

“Not really—” Right on cue Erika’s stomach growled. She turned to look out the window to hide her embarrassed face and tightened her arms around her stomach.

“Yah,” Zico glanced at her. “Are you lying to me? What do you want to eat? I’ll take you.”

“It’s ok, I have some food at home,” Erika refused, not wanting to inconvenience Zico.

“Fine,” Zico spoke up. “If you don’t pick, I’ll pick.”

Erika looked over at Zico slightly shocked. Thump-thump. She felt like she was losing her breath. Stop! Calm down, idiot! Erika scowled herself. This is no time to fangirl! Act like a normal person.

Erika managed to compose herself before Zico pulled over into a parking spot. They got out of the car and walked to the entrance of the restaurant he took them to. Erika read the name of the restaurant and saw that they were at an Italian restaurant.

“Hello, welcome!” a headwaiter greeted Erika and Zico as they entered.

“Hello, table for two, please,” Zico spoke to the headwaiter. He then leaned closer to the waiter and whispered so soft that Erika did not even hear him ask, “And please, give us an isolated table.”

“Ne,” the headwaiter nodded with a smile. “Please follow me.”

Erika followed behind Zico as they were led to a private room with a small table and four chairs around it. There were four wine glasses already set at the table. The restaurant was rather warm that Erika took off her coat and scarf which the headwaiter took from her to hang them on the coat hanger on the left side of the room. Zico also took his coat and hung it along with Erika’s. Erika was about to sit down when the headwaiter pulled out the chair for her and then pushed back in as she sat. Zico sat across from Erika and took the menu from the headwaiter as she was handed hers as well.

“Your waiter will be with you in a minute,” the headwaiter said, then left the room.

Erika turned over her menu and looked at the list of beverages. Let’s see, there is coffee—won’t be able to sleep. Carbonated drinks—prohibited by Hwang ssabunim. Tea—it's too hot. Beer—nah… this is too nice of a place to have beer. Wine—now were talking! Wait, but who’s paying? I can’t let Zico pay for this…. Uhuhuh… I wanted some wine….

“Excuse me, I will be your waiter for tonight,” a young man in nice black clothes walked into the room. “Would you like to try our newest red wine?” The young man showed then a dark bottle with a black label with white writing.

“Do you drink?” Zico looked at Erika.

“Yes, bu—”

“Yes, we’ll try it,” Zico interrupted Erika to reply to the waiter.

The young man filled the wine glasses about one fourth, and Zico and Erika sipped on the wine. Erika was no expert on wines, but she knew what type her wine taste she likes and that wine very similar to one of the wines she likes: not too sweet, but not too dry.

“Would you like to have more, miss?” the young waiter asked Erika after she set her wine glass on the table, empty.

Erika was about to shake her head when Zico spoke, “Please bring us a bottle.”

“Yes, sir,” the waiter bowed slightly. “Is there anything else you would like to drink?”

“That’s fine for now,” Zico spoke again as he saw that Erika was about to object once more.

“Alright, sir, I’ll be right back.”

The waiter left the room and Erika just started at Zico as he silently sipped on the rest of his wine.

Zico noticed the way Erika was looking at him and chuckled, putting down his wine glass, now empty as well and looked right back into Erika’s eyes. “You know, you don’t have to be so modest all the time.”

“I wasn’t being modest,” Erika spoke up, but with a hint of doubt. “Was I?

“Well, you won’t accept anything I am trying to give you.”

“I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“I told you it was fine. I am paying, by the way,” Zico chuckled when he saw Erika straighten up. “And you cannot decline.”

“Ok,” Erika settled back in her chair.

“You know,” Zico spoke directly to Erika. “If someone offers to give you something, you should always take it. No matter what.”

“But then I’ll feel like I’m taking advantage of people’s generosity.”

“It is not ‘taking advantage’ when someone is willing to give,” Zico expressed his believe.

“Really?” Erika asked surprised at Zico’s words. “Then, I will gladly accept everything you offer me!”

“Cham,” Zico looked at Erika’s huge smile. “You sure get comfortable quickly,” Zico smiled back.

“Are you ready to order, sir, ma’am?” the young waiter came back.

“Yes, I will have the ‘Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini’,” Zico ordered. “And you, Erika?”

“I’ll have the ‘Bolognese Lasagna with Porcini-Ricotta Cheese Filling’, please,” Erika also ordered.

“Will do,” the young waiter nodded as he took note of the orders. “And, would you like something for appetizer?”

“Do you want an appetizer?” Zico asked Erika as he handed his menu to the waiter.

Erika quickly looked through the list of appetizers. “How about the ‘Tuscan Sausage Cheese Dip’?”

“Alright, your food will be right up,” the waiter left again.

Erika was still busy looking through the menu the waiter left. She looked up after a minute of browsing to be met with a bemused expression on Zico’s face, staring right at her.

“What?” Erika asked consciously.

“Nothing. Like I said, you seem to get comfortable very easily,” Zico was quite amused.

“Ah… Hehehe!” Erika laughed shyly.

“Did Mino tell or ask you something while you were waiting today?” Zico finally asked the question that was bothering him since he was on his way to pick Erika up.

“Ne, he just asked if you had picked me up already and if I was home,” Erika confessed.

“What did you tell him?” Zico listened closely.

“That I was already home,” Erika looked down at her hands on her lap. “I lied a bit. I didn’t want him to worry about me.”

“So that’s why…,” Zico whispered more to himself then to Erika, feeling slightly guilty. “But, what would you have done if I had not arrived?”

“Wait,” Erika said calmly, looking straight at Zico.

Zico was left speechless. What kind of per—no, being is she? “You would have waited?” Zico asked doubtfully. “Then what if I didn’t come for you at all?”

“But you did,” Erika responded. “And you wouldn’t do that, not if it was a favor from someone you care about. It would drive you insane if you were to fight with him over something so unimportant as me.”

“What?” Zico began to feel angry. “You think you know me?”

“I didn’t say that,” Erika’s voice calm as ever. “And I am not trying to know you. But, what I do know is that if I were in a situation like you were, I would not want to let my friend down.”

“And, do you really think that you are ‘unimportant’?” Zico controlled his temper. “You think that if you were not important Mino would be asking me to pick you up?”

Erika did not speak; she had no words.

“Don’t you think that if you were not important to Mino he would have cared about your wellbeing?” Zico continued. “Don’t ever dare say that you are insignificant in front of Mino, because he is risking his career in simply being close to you. I know you are a special actress to Yang sajangnim and I don’t doubt that if anything happened between Mino and you, Mino would be the one kicked out.”

“You are wrong,” Erika finally spoke. “Yang sajangnim is a very nice person to me, but Mino will not be the one kicked out if something happens—which will NOT—I assure you, because I would voluntarily leave before I ruin Mino’s life. And, I am not stupid enough to believe myself of higher importance than others, that is what I meant by ‘something unimportant as me,’ simply that I should not be the reason to get someone as important as you are to Mino to fight with him,” Erika slightly lost her cool. “I am thankful that you arrived before I froze to death, though, and for this food,” Erika spoke with a lighter tone.

“Well,” Zico stared straight into Erika’s eyes. “You are welcome.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” the young waiter came back. “Here is the bottle of wine,” he placed the bucket with ice and the wine on a little stool from the front of the room beside Zico and took the wine bottle and refilled both of their wine glasses. “And here is your appetizer and baguette,” he placed the small hot plate full of cheesy deliciousness and the bread beside it in the middle of the table and small plates in front of Zico and Erika. “Your main dishes will be here soon. Enjoy.”

The waiter left once again and Erika took a piece of warm bread and scooped some of the dip onto her bread with a spoon. Zico followed suit. They took sips of their wine once in a while and finished the cheese dip in no time. Soon their food arrived and they devoured it. Erika loves lasagna so it did not last long enough on her plate to cool down before she was finished. Zico was not very hungry when they arrived at the restaurant, but amazingly enough, he finished his soup before Erika finished her lasagna.

Erika sighed as she leaned back in her chair. “What’s for dessert?” she asked jokingly with a smile.

“Let me see the menu,” Zico surprised both of them. He was not the type to eat a lot. “Umm… you mind sharing? I don’t want much.”

“Sure, what are you getting?”

“I was thinking something like a gelato…,” Zico suggested. “Do you have something you like?”

“Let me see,” Erika took the menu from Zico and quickly looked through the list of desserts to find the one she wants. “Ah! Here it is, tiramisu.”

“Alright,” Zico nodded.

When the waiter came back Zico ordered the tiramisu and it was brought to them within minutes. The tiramisu was a small piece of deliciousness that seemed like it would be too little for two persons to share, but it ended up being just right. The waiter came back to leave the receipt and Zico payed.

“Ah…,” Zico sighed as he patted his stomach after the waiter left. “I am so full! Hahaha!”

“Me too,” Erika leaned back in her chair. “I don’t think I will need to eat until the day after tomorrow! Hahaha! Thank you so much, Zico-sshi.”

“‘Zico-sshi’?” Zico raised his eyebrow. “Why so formal?”

“I’ve only met you two times,” Erika raised her eyebrow back at him. “Then what should I call you? ‘Zico,’ ‘Jiho,’ ‘Mino appa’ or ‘Oppa’?”

 Zico sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I see you have been making some thinking. Well, ‘Zico’ is a bit too informal, and where did you get ‘Mino appa’ from? Just call me ‘Zico oppa’. But, don’t call me ‘Jiho,’ it is still too early for that.”

“Alright, Zico oppa, I’ll keep that in mind,” Erika smiled down at her lap. “And there are many people who call you ‘Mino appa,’ especially after SMTM4. I also know that Kyung-sshi is Mino's omma.”

“Right,” Zico nodded in understanding. “I have heard that you are a BBC.”

Erika blushed deeply. “I—I didn’t know you knew…. W—who told you?” Erika stuttered.

“Cham!” Zico rolled his eyes. “You think I didn’t notice the way you acted the day we first met? It was obvious you were a fan of mine.”

“Exactly, you just said it,” Erika pointed out. “I acted like a complete fool, I will admit, because I am a huge fan of yours. That didn’t mean that I was a BBC, it only meant that I am Your fan, not Block-B’s (though I am). So, who told you?”

“You’re annoying you know?” Zico looked straight into Erika’s eyes. “Even when you are not in front of me.”

Erika was shocked to hear this from Zico. What have I done to get him annoyed? Erika thought desperately.

“Jihoon told me,” Zico informed her. “He won’t stop talking about you. It’s rather annoying.”

“I’m sorry,” Erika did not know what else to say.

“Why are you apologizing?” Zico leaned forward in his chair, staring right into Erika’s eyes. “You have no idea how incommoding it was for me when you acted so weirdly that night at the movies. You have no idea how annoying it is to find out that you are so close to one of the friends I care most about, being a potential threat to his career. You have no idea how annoying it is to listen to Jihoon, Kyung and Jaehyo hyung talking about you. But overall, you have NO idea how irritating it is to not be able to work in peace because of you. Why will you not leave me alone in my own head?”

Erika was beyond speechless. She simply stared back at Zico who had leaned further forward in his chair after every sentence he had said. But, what puzzled her most was that he was not speaking as if he were upset or mad, on the contrary, he was calm on the surface.

“When I first met you I did not think I would lose my concentration because of you,” Zico continued. “Who are you exactly?”

Erika opened to say something but Zico continued talking.

“Right before I met you that night Mino told me you were an actress, but when I saw you I thought there was no way you were one because of the way you were so carelessly dressed, so shy and awkward you could barely speak to me. The next time I saw you it was on a newspaper, you looked completely different from the tomboy girl I met, you were much better dress, yet you could not speak up for yourself against the reporters. But, when I heard Jihoon talk about you, you were yet again a completely different person, it sounded as if you were so friendly and relaxed around the other idols; that you looked like if you had known everyone since forever,” Zico spoke out his mind. “So tell me. Who are you exactly? A shy and introverted tomboy? A weak actress who can’t defend herself? Or a girl who plays around with guys?”

Erika finally had enough. “You speak as if you are a perfect person and as if I am changing my personalities every so often that I am not even considered human,” Erika started at Zico. In reality she was completely lost and didn’t know what Zico was talking about exactly. “Should I introduce myself for you to know who I am?” Erika raised her hand toward Zico, “Hello, my name is Erika Virgen, also known as Ivy. I am a shy, introverted tomboyish girl that is afraid of troubling others so I cannot speak for myself because I lack confidence, but I also have a friendly side to myself when I want to get closer to someone. I am NOT, however, a girl who tries to get into other people’s lives let alone 'play with guys'. Nice to meet you, perfect Zico-sshi.”

Zico looked from Erika’s extended hand to her and back. “You think I don’t know who you are?”

“Do you?” Erika retorted. “You were just asking me to tell you who I was, so I told you.”

Zico smirked, “I am not someone that gets agitated by something or someone easily, but you manage to disturb me somehow. And don’t misunderstand my words. I don’t like you. At all.”

“Good, then we are on common ground,” Erika stared back at Zico.

Zico cynically laughed, “You just told me you were my fan.”

“I AM your fan,” Erika confirmed. “But I also can’t stand you. At all.”

“I see,” Zico nodded. “Well, if we are done here, let’s go drop you off.”

Erika nodded and stood up to grab her coat and scarf. Zico also stood up and put on his coat. They left the restaurant and got in the car. The ride to Erika’s home was completely silent, but this time Zico had at least the radio. Soon they arrived at Erika’s.

“Thank you for the ride, and food,” Erika thanked Zico.

“You’re welcome,” Zico looked at Erika. “Get home safely.”

“You, too,” Erika smiled. “Bye, oppa.”

Erika got out of the car and headed up to her apartment and went directly into her room and slumped into her bed. He couldn't stop thinking about me, she thought with a smile on her face. She was really tired and fell asleep almost instantly.

Zico drove back to his own apartment and went into his own room and fell face down on his bed. 'Bye, oppa' she said, Zico scoffed, and then smiled. And for the first in months he was able to fall asleep peacefully the entire night.

 

_________________________________________

SOOOOO??? How was it? You Like??

I enjoyed myself writting this chaper, and I hope you enjoyed reading it, too.

WINNER IS FINALLY BACK!!!! So happy! Too bad Mino had a schedule today in my story... Oh well! Hahaha!

MINO has been getting stronger in my bias list, so it is VERY UNPREDICTABLE who Erika will end up with as of right now. 

OH MY GAWD!! I am so excited for Block-B's comeback!! I am expecting something amazing, and I know I cannot be disappointed with anything they put out!! They are simply awesome!

If there are any questions, comments, remarks, ANYTHING, then leave a comment below! All feedback is welcome!

Also, I would like to thank my subscribers for giving this story a chance! With the simple act of subscribing I am encouraged to write more!

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