Daesung had tried when she was younger, fifteen and moved into Seoul from rural Korea to try and get a music career. She tried at every company - well-established to brand new alike - and they all had the same response: you're too ugly. It had really hurt initially, her fragile teenage self-esteem taking a beating, but she had perservered until the YG auditions. 

"Your have amazing vocal talent, that's not the question." The judge had told her. "You can even dance. But you're just not pretty enough to be in any girl group, you'd stick out too much. If no one's told you yet, that's the real reason you're not getting accepted."

She had called her parents that night, silently weathering her father's "I told you so" and her mother's sympathy. She informed them then that she was staying in Seoul - it wasn't like there were any jobs back home, aside from farm work and she couldn't be less willing to do that for the rest of her life. She had very quickly said goodbye before they could protest and hung up. 

She had cried that night, good and hard. She allowed herself that much - she had dreamed of being an idol since she was very little and had taken vocal classes from the time she was small. Even when her parents had run out of money for them, she and her vocal teacher had continued anyway and she had blown the woman away with her talent. So, yes, having that dream taken away hurt a great deal. She would never be signed by anyone and that was hard to swallow down. She slept through most of the next day and on her third, she cleaned up her tiny apartment and went looking for a job. 

---

Being let down had never taken away her passion for music and singing, so sing she did. She followed idol groups and independant bands, older musicians and singers. She took the time to learn Japanese, expanding into Japanese music and culture. But her favourite group was Bigbang and of them, Taeyang. 

She had adored them since they had first debuted, buying every album and attending as many concerts as she could, trying for at least one an album. Her salary was minimal and she definitely couldn't keep up with the merchandise, but she would do her part as a VIP and show her favourite group she loved them. 

When she had heard that Taeyang was getting a solo career, she had squealed so hard that her neighbours knocked on her door, worried. She had assauged her neighbour's fear, then went and immediately bought the album. She was one of the first to buy tickets to his Seoul performance and had slurged on front row seats. 

Needless to say, when rumours circulated about the upcoming Fantastic Duo competition, Daesung had been one of the first to look into it. She had even gone so far as to find the audition application, but had gotten cold feet and closed the page, meeting with her best friend in a coffee shop not too far from her apartment. 

"Just do it." Hyori moaned. 

"I don't know if I can! What if they only choose pretty fans?"

"You said they said it was a singing competition. That means they want people with some talent who know their idol's songs backwards and forwards. You're definitely one of those fans, Dae, beautiful or not."

"Sure, but they do have to think of the ratings. If I'm not pretty, they won't put me on tv because I won't attract an audience."

"Then explain how the guys in Super Junior get past." Hyori levelled her with a judgemental stare. "if you don't audition for this thing, I'll make you and we both know you don't want that."

The last time Daesung had chickened out was in the high school talent show and Hyori - who followed her to downtown Seoul in her early twenties - had made up for it by convincing the teachers to make Daesung sing at prom. Needless to say, she'd learned her lesson in dealing with Hyori's threats. 

"Okay, okay. Geez, you're such a hard friend."

"Well, someone has to keep that soft head of yours in line and it may as well be me."

Daesung pouted at her. "I hate you."

"Love you too, sweetheart."

---

Even when she passed the auditions thoroughly enough to make it to the recorded segments of the show and won her first round, Daesung had a hard time believing it was actually real. She was in a competition to do a duet with Taeyang, her one true idol. 

"I told you!" Hyori squealed over the phone, watching the airing episode at the same time Daesung was, though she was doing so in a daze rather than with the same investment Hyori poured into it. 

"I guess you did." She murmured back. 

"You just blew through that round! You're going to do so good and you will definitely owe me dinner when you win this thing and are in a Taeyang coma."

"If I win, I'll give you my wallet."

She knew Hyori well enough to know that the other woman was making suggestive faces. "Even if you get Taeyang's number in there?"

"I might be able to win the competition, maybe even have some time to speak with the man, but what are the real likely chances that I'll wind up his girlfriend? Honestly, that's just daydreaming."

"Dae, you left home to become an idol because you were daydreaming and now you get the chance to sing on camera, thousands of people watching, even if only from home. This is what you wanted to achieve and you've done it. Maybe not all of it, like the fame and fortune, but your name will be known and you'll get to duet with someone from Bigbang. I say you hold onto that daydream."

"If you say so."

"I'm telling you so. I've never been wrong about anything like this before and I don't intend to start now- Oh! Oh my, what a high note! I didn't even know you could do that!"

---

Daesung had no problem demolishing her competition and every match she was in, she dominated. It didn't seem to matter that these other fans were tent imes more attractive than her, because they couldn't touch her ability nor how well she knew the songs. 

"I'm telling you, you're gonna win!" Hyori exclaimed, again, as they watched the finished episode air. 

"Okay, okay. Look, I have to go and prepare my voice for tomorrow, okay?"

Hyori made an affirmative sound in the back of , obviously engrossed in the performance. "Okay. But if you win and you know before the episode airs, I expect to be called first."

"Okay, Hyori, okay. Calm down. I promise."

"Good. Get some rest - there's a lot riding on tomorrow. Good night, sweetie!"

"Good night RiRi."

Even after she hung up with her best friend, the episode airing idly in the background, she was only staring up at the ceiling, mouthing along with the words to Loser. She knew them as well as anyone could, having sung them passionately in her car while wading though Seoul traffic. 

"I might actually be doing this duet wiwht Taeynag." She murmured to herself, just once, aloud. It was a startling realizeation that if she sang her heart out tomorrow, she would be able to do this - to sing with her favourite idol and personal wet dream come to life. "Wow."

---

She felt oddly numb when she went up on stage, almost absent as she pushed her voice to its limits during Loser and vacant when they were sitting through the results. She had almost no reaction when she was told that she won other than a little gasp, as if she didn't truly believe what was happening and on some level, she didn't. The stage lights were too bright, the small audience behind the cameras was too loud and it felt like she was wearing too much clothing. It didn't feel real at all and she almost dismissed it as being a dream, save for the strange look the host was giving her, as if waiting for a stronger reaction. 

"Really?"

The studio went silent for a minute before they started laughing and the host, a short, rotund man, wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 

"Such a modest young woman! Yes, darling, you've won! You get to do the duet with Bigbang's Taeyang!"

She looked up at the cameras, still a little in shock. "Wow."

The host laughed once more, good-natured, and let her off theq hook, doing the intro for the commercials. When it was done, she blindly followed him backstage to a dressing room where he instructed her to sit down and wait.

She chose a small, rectangular chaise lounge and seated herself on the edge of it just so far in so that it didn't look like she was going to bolt. She then pulled out her phone and dialled Hyori's number.

"What'd the scoop, Dae?"

"I did it."

Hyori was quiet on the other end of the line for a moment before she cheered so loud Daesung had to pull the phone away from her ear. "WOO! I told you! I absolutely told you! You've got the duet with Taeyang, right?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, I will definitely ahve to make sure to watch and record this because I will play this at your funeral."

"I don't know how good it will be, mind."

"Oh, come on. You did this with ease. You'll be fine."

"Yes, but they were fans. This is a man who is paid to sing for a living. I don't know if I can compare to that."

"Maybe, maybe not. Now, I'm sure the last thing you should be doing is being on the phone with me right now when you have a y idol to wait for and a few precious minutes to make yourself look good. Take deep breaths, try to look him in the eye without fainting or ing and you'll be fine, okay? Pretend he's me with a way better signing voice if that helps. Good luck! Fighting!"

The line went dead before Daesung had a chance to respond, so she pocketed her phone and sat with her hands between her thighs, looking down at them and idly observing the calluses she'd gotten on them from hours at the gym and working out at home.

"Kang Daesung, right?"

She looked up, auburn hair falling out of her face as she looked up at Taeyang. He smiled and sat down beside her before she could get up and do a formal greeting. "Um, yes. That's me."

Taeyang smiled generously, extending a hand. "It's good to meet you. Your voice is so beautiful. I hoped you would win the first time I seen you on stage."

"She blinked. "You were watching?"

"Of course. I'm the one doing the duet, so I would like to keep int eh loop on who I'm doing it with." His smile broadened and his eyes got lost in adorable crescents. "You were everybody's favourite, actually."

"Everybody?"

"Bigbang. All of Bigbang liked you the most." He winked. "Don't tell the other contestants that, though. Not really fair to them just because you're so talented and swept the competition."

"Well, thank you. It's very flattering to know that BIgbang thinks so highly of me." She flushed a little. "I've been a VIP for a long time. I have your debut album up on my music shelf back home."

He blinked, eyes widening. "Really?"

"Yeah. I've followed you guys the whole way through."

"You really are a dedicated fan. I'm glad we have people like you as VIPs."

She nodded, looking down at her hands. One of the producer noonas handed Taeyang two pieces of paper, their different parts highlighted. 

"You should practise now." She instructed. "There's a two hour intermission until the filming resumes, so take your time to work out your harmony then go for lunch."

They both just nodded at her and she left, rushing away so do some other work. 

"Would you like to start now or eat first, Daesung?" He asked. 

"Whatever suits you best, Taeyang. I have no preference."

Taeyang smiled gently at her. "Yongbae is fine, I don't mind."

"I don't want to cross any boundaries or anything. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay then . . .Yongbae."

He smiled at her, true and big, before he looked down at the paper and cleared his throat, beginning to sing his lines.

---

Hyori watched Daesung's final episode air with a smirk on her face. 

Taeyang was a good singer - he'd grown on her more through Daesung's worship than anything else - and his voice complimented the music well. She'd heard Eyes Nose Lips many times in the past, almost always with Daesung, and she knew the song by heart. She wasn't expecting how well Daesung harmonized with Taeyang, putting soul and tragedy into her voice, the true depth of her talent so strong that she had to hold the microphone away from at quite a distance. Taeyang beside her seemed almost floored with the true emphasis her voice lent the lyrics. There was also a kind of chemistry in the way they looked at each other, some kind of instant attraction that gave itself over to the heartbreak of the song.

"Pssh. Not going to win the competition my ." Hyori snorted. "And who told you that you were ugly? You look pretty damn good up there next to Taeyang, though I didn't expect him to be that short compared to you." She pulled out come chocolate covered almonds and munched on them as the last tearful notes drifted from their mouths. "If you two don't wind up getting together, something is seriously wrong with the entirety of the universe. I mean, look at the way you two weirdoes are looking at each other! He keeps having to will himself away, so it doesn't look like he's orbiting you. You better make a move on this Daesung or so help me . . . "

---

When they went backstage together, Daesung was planning on just getting her things and leaving, going home to watch the episode as it aired and see how they looked together, maybe tape it if she had the confidence. 

"Hey, Daesung!"

She stopped, turning to look back at Yongbae. "What's up?"

He gave her an awkward, sheepish smile. "I know we missed going out for lunch because we were practising and Jiyong interrupted. COuld I make that up to you with a dinner?"

"You want to go to dinner with me?"

He chuckled. "Don't make it sound like it's completely ridiculous."

"Wel, it kind of is. I mean, someone like me doesn't usually get the chance to meet you, let alone have dinner with you."

"Maybe not." He admitted. "But it's not impossible. So, would you like to go?"

She couldn't help it, her ugly smile rearing its head and her gross teeth catching the backstage lighting. "I'd love to."

---

"So that's when I threw her into the pool."

Yongbae was in tears, making some adorable high-pitched giggling noise. Daesung smiled down at him, laughing aloud too because no matter how many years had passed, remembering that never got old. 

"I don't believe you actually did that!" Yongbae finally managed to wheeze out, standing up properly and dabbing away the tears. "What'd she do next?"

"She came up glowering and sputtering, but she left me alone after that." Daesung finished triumphantly, pride etching into her smile. 

They were both smiling when they stopped by their cars, back in the studio parking lot. The look on Yongbae face said that he didn't want to go and honestly, the emptiness of her apartment - no matter how small it was - didn't seem particularly inviting tonight. 

"This has been a lot of fun, Daesung. I'm glad you won and that Jiyong pushed me to ask you out to dinner." He flushed some, looking down. "You'd think after all this time that I would get better with girls, but I just seem to get more shy."

"It's okay. I'm always shy and I work retail." Daesung admitted, pushing some hair of her eyes. 

"Could I- Would you give me your number? I'd like to keep in touch with you, if you want."

She stifled her gasp and nodded. "Sure."

He gave a little relieved huff and pulled his phone out of his back pocket, opening up a new contact page and handing the small thing to her. She filled it out, noticing when she was done that the contacts list was actually a lot sparser than she would have thought. She handed him back the phone and he double checked her contact information. "Thank you. I'll text you soon, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Whenver you have the chance. I understand that you must be busy." She smiled at him and he smiled back. 

"Hopefully I'll see you around. Have a good night, Daesung."

"You too . . . Yongbae."

---

For the next two months, Daesung's coworkers regarded her with a kind of strange awe. One night when they were doing stock, the manager had put the radio on and when Bigbang came on, they all looked at her immediately. 

"What?" She asked them, blinking. 

"Don't you want to sing? I mean, you were so good at it." One of her closer friends said, handing her a box of clothes. 

"I don't . . . usually sing in front of other people."

Her friend raised an eyebrow. "But you can sing face to face with Taeyang no problem."

"Yongbae made me feel really comfortable."

"Did you just call him 'Yongbae'?"

Daesung froze up at her mistake. "Uh . . ."

"Hey Dae, your phone is ringing." One of the young part-time staffers came out, holding up her phone, a selfie Yongbae had taken on her phone as the caller ID picture. "This can't be the Dong Yongbae I'm thinking of, can it?"

Daesung snatched her phone and ducked into the bathroom. She clicked the answer button and locked the door. 

"Hello?"

"Hey Daesung. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"I'm doing a stock shift right now, but I'm on break. What's up?"

"I was wondering what your scheudle was this week? Believe it or not, I actually have some time to myself."

"I'm off Tuesday and Thursday, got another stock shift on Friday and Wednesday and Saturday are early shifts."

"I see. Do you want to meet up on Thursday and hang out for the day?"

"I would love to. What time should I be ready for?"

"Ten? I've got some places I'd like to take you."

"Oh my. How well should I dress?"

He chuckled. "As well as you uusally go. I'm coming in jeans and a leather jacket. Can I pick you up?"

"Okay. That's fine. Do you still have my address?"

"Yeah, it's in my phone and GPS."

"Okay then. So, Thursday?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll see you then."

"You too. Have a good shift."

"Thanks." She hung up, resting her back against the door and taking a few deep breaths, trying to steady her heart through the cage of her ribs. "My my, Dae. What do you keep getting yourself into?"

There was a knock on the bathroom door. "I know you're talking to your secret boyfriend, but you are at work."

She unlocked the door and stuffed her phone into her pocket so that her coworkers couldn't get at it again. "Yes, yes. Sorry. I didn't mean to."

Her manager, a saucy older woman, gave her a cheeky wink. "Don't worry too much about it. My daughter loves that stud too."

Daesung flushed furiously, ducking her head as her manager walked away laughing.

---

Daesung had purposely been avoiding talking to Hyori about the change of events with Yongbae. Since she'd won the show, Yongbae had taken her on several lunch or dinner dates and they'd spent hours talking to each other and laughing. Each time he looked better and better - wearing less and less clothing as the month of July started to hit her stride - and it made Daesung's teeth hurt with how much she wanted to bite him, leave that wonderful neck covered in her bruises. But, she was lucky enough just to have him as a friend and she didn't want to screw anything up by trying to get something she wasn't owed from the singer. 

But not talking to Hyori came with its dowmfalls. For instance, she couldn't ask the other owman for advice on what to wear out of her incredibly sparse closet to get ready for this outing without questions coming up. Daesung was hopeless with fashion, often wearing the same outfits in different colours. She had no skirts, no cute shorts, no nice dresses and definitely no nice shoes. Running trainers or leather boots were all she had and both were black. 

He said he was wearing jeans and a simple jacket. Try to fin something to compliment that. Can't be hard because our whole closet is denim, cotton and leather.

In the end, she settled for ripped black jeans, a simple black t-shirt and her leather boots. At the last second, she added a black casual blazer, brushing out her hair to try and tame the waves in it some. It didn't work, so she decided to fluff them a bit, make it look like her disasterous ahir was on purpose. She did like how the red and gold highlights caught in the sun, though. Maybe Yongbae would like them too. They didn't show well under artificial light and it just looked a drab brown. It definitely popped against her black outfit. Should she do makeup too?

She opted on a simple look, going with black liner and brown-gold eyeshadow around the edges, making her eyes look more exotic and less miniscule and a vague mineral-infused BB cream as a subsitute for foundation. It was enough to make her look less ugly while not looking like she was trying too hard. 

There was a knock at her apartmetn door and she almost tripped going over to open it. 

Yongbae was standing there, already smiling, but his mouth dropped open when he saw her. 

"Wow. I said it was okay to dress down a little, Dae. You don't always have to look so good."

She cocked her head, confused. "What do you mean?"

He blushed and averted his eyes. "Erhm, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Just elt me grab my wallet."

"You won't need it."

"Sure I will. I can't let you pay for everything."

He gave a bright, incredulous laugh. "You're the first woman I've ever taken out that's said that to me. Maybe next time you can buy lunch, but today is on me, okay?"

She hovered, torn with indecision. Her phone and keys were already in her pockets, her small wallet in her hand. Yongbae stepped in and took it from her, leaving it on the table by the door. "Come on. You won't need it."

"What do you even have planned for today, anyway?" She asked idly as he locked her door and took her hand, leading her downstairs to his Porche.

"It's a surprise." He grinned back. 

---

What Yongbae meant by surprise was a five hour excursion through the most expensive mall in Seoul where he tried to buy anything she even faintly looked at with interest. She had to keep shutting him down, telling him that she ddin't like it enough to actually want to wear it and that if he bought it, it would either sit in her closet until she died (because the clothes were worth her salary) or Hyori would get them and she would never see them again. She felt bad or having to do it, because Yongbae looked more and more put out, but she just couldn't let him waste his money like that.

"I'm not wasting money." He argued as they stood over a rack with a shirt Daesung genuinely liked and probably would wear, but there were far too many zeroes in the price tag and she had promptly moved on. Yongbae had picke dit up and told her to try on a couple of different sizes (because her musclebound shoulders were far from feminine and what her size should be isn't close to what it is. 

"I can get somethng similar at a boutique close to where I love for four thousand won and not clearly four million. that's just insane for a shirt."

"But you like it."

"It's too much money."

He almost wanted to be aangry, but he laughed instead. "You make this nearly impossible."

"What am I making impossible?"

He shook his head. "I wanted to warm you up by buying you some nice things and getting to know your taste and then, at dinner, I wanted to ask you to be my girlfriend."

"You- You- - What?" 

Complete nervousness overtook the irritation that had prompted him to blurt out his plans. "Can we talk about this somewhere else?"

"Sure. Lead on."

He took her back out to his car and they sat in silence for a moment before he turned in his seat and took one of her hands. "I've never had such a connection with someone before, not to mention how breathtaking you are. I mean, your eyes are so gorgeous. I know you said people make fun of your nose, but its such a unique feature on you that suits you so well. Your lips are luscious all the time and I've fantasized about spending hours just kissing you. And your body is rock solid. You dress so well and I want to tangle my hands in your hair. I've never, ever had a girl tell me not to buy her something before, especially when I'm blatantly offering to do so. You never have any problems with how busy I am, you're willing to talk to me in the strange hours I keep and you're interesting. I know you're a fan, but fan's don't talk to us. They talk about our music and how wonderful they think we are or ask us to do things for them. I had a two hour conversation about rice and kimchi and the different ways you can make them over Skype because you were low on money and had those two things in your apartment. I can't do that with anyone else and still laugh, happy when you succeeded. I don't have that kind of relationship with anyone else, honestly, bandmates and siblings aside, of course. I don't know if this is too early or even if you already have a boyfriend, but I want you to know that if you're open to it, I really want to date you."

She met his gaze, nervousness fluttering through her stomach. "Three dates."

"What?"

"Take me on three dates and I'll tell you whether or not I think we're compatible enough to date. I really like you, but I don't want to jump into something and have it end badly when we could stay friends. So, three dates."

A grin split his face that could light up the night sky. "Deal. Do you want to choose the locations, or . . . ?"

"I'll pick the first two and you can pick the last one, how about that?"

HIs smile got bigger and his eyes disappeared into adorable little crescents. "Sure."

---

"I can't believe you turned down a date with Taeyang!" Hyori practically yelled.

"We're int eh ing foodcourt! Quiet down!" Daesung whisper-yelled, slapping a hand over her friend's mouth. "Can't I take you anywhere?"

"Obviously you can, there's just no guarantee on how I'll act."

"Yeah, no ."

"So, he wanted to date you and you said no."

Daesung sighed, at her slushie. "Look, I really like him and he said he really likes me, but you and I both know that I can't enter this lightly."

Hyori got serious. "So are you planning on telling him?"

"I have to. What am I going to do if we have ? Not kiss him? When he wants to makeout on his couch what am I going to say? No?"

"Okay, okay. No need to get so aggressive. So, how are you planning on telling him that?"

"I have three dates to decide whether or not we should date and the first two are up to me."

"What were you thinking?"

"I want to take him to that backstreet behind my apartment, you know, where all those little shops are? I want us to spend a couple of hours there, but I don't know how the people will react and I don't want to warn them in case it gets out, you know?"

"Yeah, I do." Hyori considered her predicament. "Okay, what are your other options?"

"I was thinking an arcade? There's a nice one down by the mall with DDR and I kinda want to know if actual dancing skill can win that game."

Hyori giggled. "Alright. Do you have a third? You know, in case one of them is too full or it rains?"

"Horror movie?"

Hyori leveled her with a judgemental look. "You. In a horror movie. With a theatre full of people. You are aware that you are loud during those things."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah, but he might enjoy them plus he'll know never to take me to one unless he really wants to cuddle."

Hyori chuckled. "Thinking ahead, are we? Okay. How about- Oh! The butterfly conservatory! Take him there!"

"I didn't even think of that. Hyori, you're a genius!"

"I know, I know. Now, take me to that dinner you owe me."

"Fine, but no alcohol."

"Spoilsport."

---

"This was hidden behind your apartment complex?"

Daesung nodded, hands in her jeans pockets. "It's not something widely known outside the neighbourhood. There's a little park at the end where the daycare brings the little ones out to play. There are benches where you can watch them or just enjoy the garden."

"Wow." He grinned, looking around and admiring the kitchy little area. "This is so nice."

"I thought you might like it. There are a couple of food trucks that pass by here. We can eat at one." She took a second to think about her offer. "Er, you can't eat food like that, can you?"

"I've been around a while. I can choose my own food." He smiled, nudging her shoulder playfully.

"See anything that catches your eye? I've been here hundreds of times, so I think it would be nice to follow you as you explore."

He gave a delighted giggle. "This is so different from everything I've ever done on a date wiht a girl."

"Well, I am different." She giggled back. "See anything you want to do?"

---

"We're leaving Seoul?"

She shook her head, riding out the end of the inner city expressway. "Just the outskirts. Something like this wouldn't fit downtown."

His interest was definitely piqued and he raptly watched as city turned into industrial and then became wilds. She took a left onto a small paved road and his eyes flickered to her, questioningly. But he said nothing, just observing and relaxing as she drove. He was nearly lulled into a doze when the trees turned into a clean white wall with a small toll gate. 

Daesung fed the machine a ten thousand won note and the gate opened. She drove into a small parking lot and parked close to the front, shutting off the car. 

"Where are we?"

"It'll be better if I don't tell you."

He nodded, slowly getting out of the car and following her into the white concrete and glass-domed building. She gave another two thousand won note to the receptionist, who stamped their hands and directed them al a small door down the hall. Once inside, they moved past another door and the facility expanded into a sprawling botanical labyrinth. Specific types of flowers were grouped together, little concrete walkways separating them, some gardens suspended from the ceiling over the walkways. And all around, there were hundreds of thousands of butterflies who took to the air in a spectacular array of colour, cycling around the huge dome above and blotting out some of the noon sun.

"This is what I wanted to show you." Daesung whispered, taking his hand and leading him over to a small patch of grass surrounded by various flowers. "It's Seoul's butterfly conservatory. I used to live out in the country, but when I came to Seoul, I rented an apartment from this elderly lady who had grandkids my age. She told me abotu this place and the high school I enrolled in took us here as a graduation gift. I come here sometimes in August to see them at full liveliness and calm my mind. Its never busy, so maybe you could find some quality relaxation time yourself here."

Yongbae's mouth was hung low and his eyes were blown wide with wonder, silently observing as the butterflies slowly calmed once more and settled back to their flowers, fluttering about and dancing around at their own whim. "I've been in Seoul since I was nine years old and I never knew this was here."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad I could show you something new."

"You're just full of surprises, really."

She bit her lip uncomfortably, but managed to avoid it showing in her body language. "I like to think I just notice things other people don't."

"Absolutely. Now I feel bad about the date I have planned."

"Don't." She nudged his chin with the top of her head. "I'll get to learn something about you from it and that's what I want."

Cautiously, his head came to rest on hers and his arm wapped around her waist. She let herself move closer, comfortable in his embrace and knowing she was sorely going to miss it when she had to go home alone tongiht.

---

Yongbae got unexpectedly caught up in scheduling over the course of the next month, not that it ever stopped him from texting her, calling her, Skyping her or emailing her. The more the time passed, the more she realized that she really misse dhim, that she wanted him around all the time and that she was more than willing to date him, having learned so much about him just from the little bit of time they'd spent together. 

Their final date happened six months after their Fantastic Duo performance. 

Yongbae asked her to wear a blindfold and she wasn't going to lie, she was nervous putting it on. She felt jittery and feverish, the excitement building slowly but steadily and overwhelming her. She jumped when she felt a hand on her thigh, which moved up and tenderly tangled their fingers together. She squeezed the thicker appendages, quietly thrilled that he didn't bauk at the calluses on her skin. 

It didn't take them long to get to wherever they were going and when they did, he didn't take off her blindfold, helping her out of the car and leading her effortlessly through what sounded like a lobby. There was the slide of doors and then the sound cut out and she felt the jarring movement of an elevator lurching to life. She pressed close to him, hand squeezing his. 

The feeling of his lips and breath on her neck made her shiver and jump. "Almost there."

"Ah-ah. I see." She replied, ducking her head. 

"Don't look down. I can\t see your wonderful face then."

She thought she was flushing under the mask, but there was no way to be sure. 

The elevator stopped at some floor and he gently tugged her forward. The first thing she registered was the wind that hit her face. "Are we on a roof?"

"Not quite." He replied. 

He lead her deeper into what was assumably a room and gently commanded her to sit down. She did as commanded and after that, he moved away. A few seconds later, the blindfold came off. 

She was on a simple steel blue rectangular couch. The floor was laquered grey tile with grey-black grout. All around, there were matte grey ceramic pots housing small trees and shurbbery. The room was bordered with concrete troughs for tall flowers, one wall even made for the creeping vines which had ascended about half of it. There were tables, lower couches, Japanese dining tables, narrow and high end tables with many different and colourful bonzai trees. The far wall, facing the city, was made entirely of glass, with a decently large balcony with patio furniture tastefully dotting it. The glass walls were actually, apparently, doors, which were all open with white linen curtains flowing all around. 

"Oh my." She whispered, awestruck. "Where are we?"

"The YG building used to be an apartment complex. This was the penthouse but it was too big and open to be YG's office. Instead, he turned it into a decompression lounge for his gorups."

She jolted. "Am I allowed up here, even?"

He laughed. "Well, seeing as I brought you up, anything you break is on me."

"I'll be on my best behaviour."

He giggled and brought her attention to the table in front of her. Laid out was a whle picnic's worth of homemade food. Yongbae was still smiling, but also nervously wringing his hands. 

"Did you make all of this?" She breathed.

"I . . . I did."

She covered her face, trying to fan away her blushes. "You're so wonderful, Bae."

He sat down beside her, laying a hand on her thigh. "Dae?"

She cupped his hand, squeezing it tightly. "I want to date you."

He laughed, surprised. "The date hasn't even begun."

She shook her head. "No, I really do."

He started giggling, pulling her into a fierce hug. "Wonderful! So, are we dating? Boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"I've got something to tell you first, though."

Yongbae pulled back, face falling a little. "What do you mean?"

"I'm, um . . . " She pursed her lips, looking down at her lap. "I've got an oral fixation. It's really strong."

Breath rushed out of him adn he looked terribly relieved. "Okay then. How about we start eating and you can tell me what this entails."

---

Hyori threw the door to Daesung's apartment open with the spare key her best friend had given her.

"Daesung! I brought that Bigbang Taeyang shirt back that I borrowed!"

Daesung suddenly appeared over the edge of her couch, her shirt missing, hair messed and spit-slicked lips. She picked up the closest book and threw it at Hyori. "Get the out! Can't you knock?!"

"What the hell are you even doing?!"

Taeyang's eyes appeared over the edge of the couch and he gave a little wave.

"Oh. Oh! OH!" Hyori threw the shirt their direction. "OH! YOU'RE DOING TAEYANG!"

"Yes! Now leave!"

"I ing called it!" Hyori called back as she slammed the door. 

Yongbae collapsed back on the couch, looking up at his girlfriend with swollen lips and a digging into her thigh. "Who was that?"

"My idiot best friend who doesn't understand how locks work. I'll get a deadbolt soon." She flipped her hair back over her shoulders, tongue darting out to soothe across her lips and Yongbae groaned underneath her. 

"What do you want to do now?"

"Oh no. You got me started. Don't expect to be able to walk tomorrow."

His eyes grew wide, but the way his hips twitched under her made her grin.