chapter 8 : first love

Hanbin took a deep breath and knocked the door before pushing it open. Jinhwan and Bobby followed behind, all of them carrying a cup of coffee each, bought from the cafe near the HIGHGROUND building. "What are you guys doing here?" both Tablo and Tukutz sounded surprised. Lee Hayi who was in the opposite room showed a shocked expression as well, Hanbin could clearly see it through the glass window. With all his might, he suppressed his laughter and proceeded to talk with Tablo. "Showing support for Hayi. Please take care of her well, hyungnims."

"Uh...are you guys her managers now or something?" Tukutz was starting to laugh at the situation. Whatever was happening did not make any sense to him. Hanbin was busy squeezing his brain for another excuse when Bobby already stepped forward to offer Tablo his cup of coffee. "Your favourite hyung, dark and creamy," he flashed his bunny teeth smile to which the latter accepted the cup of coffee with scrutinizing eyes. "Oh, now I get it. You're doing this because you like Hayi or something?"

Bobby froze, he could only imagine Hanbin's furious face behind his back. "What the hell? It's true then?" Tukutz was starting to find the boys cute for doing this for Hayi. Sensing the ticking time bomb, Jinhwan quickly offered coffee to Tukutz while clarifying, "Ey, that's not it hyung. Hayi's like our baby sister. YG family, remember?"

"Y-yeah, YG family," Bobby tried saying it again to make a point but it didn't seem to work really. "But giving us a coffee seems like a bribe. I guess you want something in return?" Tukutz arched his eyebrow. "5 minutes?" Jinhwan asked. Tablo immediately pressed the button to the microphone and said, "Alright, take five Hayi." She got out of the recording room while mouthing "Are you crazy?" to Hanbin but he just ended up dragging her outside.

"You're crazy? Or are you crazy? Tell me again why you guys came here because I think you're crazy," she already was prepared to give Hanbin a long lecture on not coming here ever again. "Coffee?" he handed hers with a small smile, hoping to ease her a bit. Thankfully, she accepted it but it with a slight sigh. "But we just haven't seen each other in so long! You with your preparations and me with the concerts. I couldn't help it," he tried pulling the pitiful aegyo card by lowering his head down. "Just don't do it again, okay?" and just like that, Hayi melted.

"Can I pick you up after you're done today, though?" Hanbin actually had the whole day planned already. "What's this time? What did you give to manager oppa that he let you walk me back?" clearly this was not the first time Hanbin did something like that. "GFriend's signed CD. Apparently that Junhoe kid has some skills in getting what you ask him to, of course, not for free." "Fine, but what if someone sees us?" she inquired. "That's what these hyungs are for," Hanbin grinned.

Jinhwan and Bobby who had been sitting on a couch behind them while pretending to read magazines finally made their way to the two. "Five minute's up," Bobby said. "How'd you get them into this?" Hayi was amazed at how loyal the members were. "He freaking threatened me that if I..." Hanbin already covered Bobby's mouth before he could finish explaining. Jinhwan continued though, "Be careful, Hayi. You're dating a dangerous, dangerous man." Hayi just laughed at their three antics. At times like these, they seemed like three idiotic neighbourhood friends rather than idols.

"We'll get going first, text me when you're done, okay?" Hanbin's hand was still covering Bobby's mouth and he ended up getting dragged out by the younger with Jinhwan following behind, shaking his head in embarassment.

Hayi hugged her winter coat tighter as she waited right outside the building. Thankfully, Tablo decided to stay in for the night in the studio a little bit longer, or else he would probably have another round of interrogation as to why the boys would pick her up. It was like she was his daughter or something. Hayi laughed at this, more like a nosy dad than an overprotective dad, she thought.

"Lee Hayi?" a voice called out for her name and she couldn't help but to notice that it was his voice. A voice she hadn't heard in a while, someone she thought she wouldn't need to meet ever again.

Slowly looking up, she met eyes with him. It was him. Only his hair was a lighter shade of brown and he probably had grown taller by a few centimetres. "Yah, what are you doing here in the cold? Do you still remember me? It's me! Lee Haejoon!"

She suppressed herself from scoffing, how could she ever forget? He was practically like the most important existence in her life, well at one time he was. She had fallen for his flower-boy looks, cool manner and sweet smile, just like any other girl at school. He was her first love. Something you just don't erase from your head even if some time had passed since she left school and joined YG.

"Oh, annyeong," she blurted. The truth was, she felt awkward because it just had been so long. But it was obviously a one-sided thing since he never knew about her little crush on him. They were just classmates who barely talked anyways.

He stepped closer to get a better look of her and just sigh in amazement. "You really have gotten prettier, Hayi-yah," she froze. Why would he say that? She prayed that no butterflies would make any entrance anytime soon. "Do you remember when you're back in school? Like I never knew that chubby girl would have such amazing voice!" he laughed as if what he was reminiscing was some good memory. Probably to him, to Hayi, it was the worst.

She remembered getting ignored by him just because she wasn't one of the popular, typical pretty girls who had to-die-for bodies and perfect facial features. She remembered he didn't even knew she existed until the day her audition at Kpop Star came out on television. She remembered every little thing that made her think first love hurts, and here he was, standing here as if nothing happened. As if they had been the best of friends. As if everything was alright.

"Hey, you wanna exchange numbers?" before she could respond, he was already pulling out his and grabbing hers, calling and saving, without anyone's demand. "There, just so you know, we can keep in touch. I really hope you don't mind. Do you?" she shook her head slowly. What she was supposed to say when he asked a question in that kind of tone? She didn't want him to think she was all arrogant now that she's an artist.

"Ay, what do you think you're doing to her?" Hanbin showed up finally and Hayi was slightly thankful for it. She was hoping to get out of this situation fast. He walked up towards her with Bobby and Jinhwan behind him. "I'm sorry but I need to see some ID," Bobby was taking this bodyguard job (for the Hanbin Hayi couple) too seriously.

Haejoon chuckled at this. "I didn't know you're friends with gangsters now, Hayi."

"Gangsters? Yah, before your pretty face gets damaged, I suggest you to get the hell out of here and don't ever get close to her ever again," Hanbin retorted, his gaze menacing and his fist all balled up.

"What? Are you her boyfriend or something?"

Hanbin was about to answer when his girlfriend managed to cover his mouth just in time. Hayi was already sensing this coming. Hanbin would just blurt stuff like that because he was all fuelled up right now, his rational thinking was off in times like this.

"Doesn't matter. Beat it, dude," Jinhwan stepped forward with Bobby beside him, as if threatening the guy. "O-okay. Chill, geez. Hayi-yah, I'll call you!" he shouted one last sentence before fledding the scene.

It was one of those rare days when Hayi was not at HIGHGROUND but at her beloved company, YG Entertainment. She was telling about her experiences about the song camp she went to, to Hanbin and Soohyun. She decided to spend time with her boyfriend and best friend because she needed to go for another round of recording that night. Her new comeback album needed to be perfect, and so she was willing to work with all her effort to deliver so.

"I'm gonna go to the ladies for a sec, Soohyun, you're coming?" Hayi asked but she just refused. Soohyun already had something in her mind to ask Hanbin about but she kept it a secret from Hayi.

"Oppa, I heard from Jinhwan oppa that you guys met someone from Hayi unnie's past?" she was ready to dig the dirt. Curious Soohyun coming through. "Well, he acted all friendly with her but the truth was, she looked uncomfortable. That's why we all decided to shoo him away," Hanbin clarified. She already had a hunch of who the guy might be, but just to be sure, she inquired. "Hurm, any idea who he is?"

"You should tell me that, Hayi's most trusted and beloved dongsaeng!" Hanbin exasperated because Hayi didn't say a word of who the guy was after that night, during the whole walk back to her dorm even. She kept on saying "an acquaintance" but he was not buying it of course. They have been dating for quite some time, it would be kind of obvious when Hayi seemed like she didn't want to talk about something or in this case, someone.

With a sigh, Soohyun let the cat out of the bag. "Alright, but you didn't hear this from me."

Hayi returned the same time her phone was ringing. Hanbin who was the nearest to the sound saw a name popped on the screen; Haejoon. Without any hesitation, he picked up the phone as Hayi's eyes widened when she realized what her boyfriend was doing.

"I told you to stay away from Hayi," Hanbin growled as Haejoon put his phone away from his ear to check if he misdialled. "Ah, still the gangster is it? Are you like her brother? Dad? Boyfriend? Because if you're none of the above then I suggest you give the phone to Hayi now."

Hayi was now busy trying to reach for the phone but curse her petite figure and Hanbin's height as he just simply tip-toed while trying to shove her away. "I'm her boyfriend! So I'm warning you now to stop calling or see her ever again!" Hayi's eyes widen for the second time when he screamed the word 'boyfriend.' Was he out of his mind? She knew Hanbin had this tendency in him to blurt out their relationship whenever he felt jealous or overprotective but it never really was blurted out before because she always managed to stop him. Not this time.

With a press of the red button on the screen, the call was ended abruptly and Hayi immediately snatched her phone back. "WHAT DID YOU THAT FOR?!" she yelled which startled both Hanbin and Soohyun who had been silently observing the whole scene. Soohyun felt that her presence was not needed and immediately exited the scene before she could feel more of Hayi's wrath. 

"Why didn't you tell me who he is?" Hanbin shot back. She was taken aback but calmed herself down by convincing she was not at guilt here. "Because you obviously would've reacted like this! Are you insane? What if he goes and run off to tell a reporter about this? I'm dead, you're dead, my whole career would be gone!"

"He needs to know you're taken already so he just doesn't casually come back and act like the best of friends with you!" his shouting had just gone a pitch higher. "You don't know anything, Kim Hanbin," she muttered darkly. The air felt tensed as Hanbin realized that they were probably having the biggest fight they ever had. "And stop invading my privacy by picking up phone calls like that," she started to walk away with an obvious angered face.

"I'm your boyfriend, I have the right to protect you from jerks like him," he said still trying to say that he was doing the right thing when deep down, Hanbin knew he already screwed it up, badly. "That's not the point. Just...." she shook her head and sighed heavily. "Just don't appear in front of me for now, okay. I think that's the best for now."

"Lee Hayi! Yah!" it was then he realized he might had cross a line he never should have but it was too late. She stormed out of the room, leaving a frustrated Hanbin alone in the practice room.

A week passed and their friends around them (obviously the other iKon members and Soohyun) were getting worried that the fight might be more serious than they thought. Hanbin and Hayi fought before over the most ridiculous things like Hanbin with his unbelievable jealousy or Hayi with her sensitive attitude when dealing with over-the-top surprises Hanbin would organize for her (it happened only two times because she made it clear they are officially over if he ever dared doing it again). But it was all okay because one party would yield for the other, not this time though. 

Bobby accused Hanbin of being too egoistic and asked him to just lower his pride and apologize since he knew he did something wrong. Soohyun said Hayi was being too dramatic and it wasn't wrong that Hanbin was trying to protect her from other guys. But all of these were making Hayi so stressed along with the album in the making that she could not focus on her work lately.

Hayi pushed the doors to the cafe near HIGHGROUND in hopes of getting an iced latte that could hopefully get rid of thoughts regarding Hanbin. To her dismay, there was a short line and she was forced to queue. The moment she stood behind two guys, she noticed that Haejoon was one of them and immediately turned around despite that she was already wearing a mask and a cap.

"I heard you met Lee Hayi," she paused in her tracks hearing her name. "Yeah," Haejoon answered. "Yahhh, so? Is she pretty now?" the other responded. Haejoon nodded eagerly while commenting, "Oh she's definitely way hotter than before. It's a shame she wasn't like that since middle school. I'd say yes to her confession any day then."

"You knew she had a one-sided love towards you?"

"Who doesn't? She was a little bit obvious don't you think," Haejoon laughed which only curdled Hayi's blood even more. This was the first time she heard such a thing. He knew and just ignored me like that? Jerk.

"I bet you're regretting it now?"

"No worries. Just got her number the other time. I'll make her come back to me like before."

Hayi gritted the teeth as the two laughed again as if playing with her heart was the most fun thing ever. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't believe herself even more for falling for such a douchebag like him. She knew her place in high school, that she was chubby and not exactly up to his level of visual but he could at least be more humane about it. Like not giving any false hopes by thanking her when she helped him with his homework, or at least acknowledge her presence whenever she tried to approach him. But no, he just had to ignore her most of the time and only talked to her when he needed her.

"I don't think that will happen," she blurted as the two turned around towards her. She could see the nervousness in Haejoon's eyes as if he had seen a ghost. "H-hayi, what are you doing here?" he smiled sheepishly. "Oh, Hayi-yah, do you remember me? Yah, it's me, Min..." the other was half anxious, half excited to see her but Hayi cut him off.

"Don't bother calling me again, . Or I'll have my gangster boyfriend beat you up," with one short answer, she bursted out of the cafe feeling overwhelmed with anger and frustration.

Hanbin ran as fast as he could, as if his life depended on it. He got to the elevator only to find that it just closed and was going down. Damn it, he cursed. He needed to go up, not down, and waiting for another elevator would take up more time. He had no choice and bolted towards the stairs. He ran and ran till his breath hitched but he made it. Bursting the door open, he found her there just as Soohyun informed him. The minute he heard her eyes were all red and puffy and that she was heading to the rooftop, he immediately dashed towards her.

Her back showed no expressions but he could feel her sadness. Walking slowly towards the petite girl, he suddenly regretted fighting with her and regretted even more for not apologizing immediately. They had fights before but it wasn't this long before. It was killing him and it did cross his mind as to whether Hayi was feeling the same torture as he was but he brushed it off. His stupid ego won again but he certainly lost.

The sensation she felt the moment his arms were wrapped up around her from behind was undeniable. "I'm sorry," he uttered. "It's my fault. I'm sorry. Don't cry, please." She sighed as she relished in the comfort and warmth he provided. It was nice and she just realized how much she missed him during their fight. "No, you did nothing wrong," she untangled his arms and met his eyes. "Apparently, I was the idiot when I've been saying that you were."

Hanbin showed a confused expression and so she continued, "I said in an interview that I've had my first love but it was a one-sided one. That jerk knew he was the main character and acted like he didn't. Aish, hurts my pride." Hanbin glanced at her who had stopped crying now. He finally began to understand that jerk as in that jerk. The awfully rude one. How dare he messed with Hayi, he thought.

"If this will make you feel any better, my first love was an awfully bad person too. She shot me down before I could even confess, actually on the day I was planning too, in front of everyone we knew even," he did an exaggerated expression and she laughed. Hanbin smiled then, her laugh made him feel at ease. It felt good that he was the one to make her laugh. "Were you friend-zoned or something?" she asked and he gaped. "How did you know?!" She laughed again and this time he joined her. "Well, serve them right. Look who's hot and famous now?" Hanbin kept on rambling. Hayi smiled before joining in, "Yeah, screw you Lee Haejoon!"

Another round of laughter followed before Hayi grabbed his hand and smiled. "Thank you, Hanbin." She didn't need to say it but he knew that she was thankful for taking away her tears and replacing it with a smile. "Me too," he replied.

First love never dies,

but true love buries it alive.