Jieun was lying on her bed. She was somehow nervous for the night. She had been looking at the clock several times in between 5 minutes. It was only 4:00 P.M. He must be prepared for all the performances. She would ask herself why would she be this nervous when it was his concert. She was just going to sing two songs compared to him, and she would also not expect to have stayed after that performances. No stress at all. Then, why would she?

Jieun remembered her days when she had still kept an eye on Taeyang. He was, indeed, a sun to her. He inspired her to be a singer, and he inspired her to aim for her achievements. Of course, there was also inspiration from Corinne Bailey Rae, who was truly her ultimate favourite. Still, he had those affection on her in the old days. She had been such a long-term BigBang’s fan since they were still new and refreshing. She was proud for being that kind of fan too. No one really knew what had happened during Heroes when she got the chance to perform with Taeyang. She was happy at the most of her entire life. But, nothing really had happened anyway. She got his number, of course. Yet, she would never have the courage to text him. Eventually, they just became some kind of junior and senior who would pass by each other and release a smile with a polite bow.

She got her chance, but she did not take it. Yes, Jieun was not that risky until she met him. Kwon Jiyong, that particular him.

She kept recalling the time when she first had a very brief conversation with Jiyong.

KCON 2014 at Los Angeles.

“Hello sunbaenim.” She bowed as she saw him.

“Oh IU-sshi. Hello.” He smiled.

They were rehearsing for the first day of KCON 2014. America had been great for Jieun; it was her first time being here. Everything seemed new yet interesting to her. She would look around the stage and start to fascinate about new things. Her curiosity would cover all of her face and that made Jiyong grin. Noticing that, Jiyong would think if he should be more opened to this refreshing girl.

“Is it IU(-sshi)’s first visiting the States?”

Jieun frozenly startled and turned all over her face toward him.

“Yea? Sorry I wasn’t listening sunbaenim.”

“Is it your first time here?” He would grin while saying that again. She was cute. She was indeed. She was the Nation’s Little Sister.

“Yea sunbaenim.”

“Do you like it? Which one is better? Korea or America?” He was not looking at her. He felt weird. He always looked at people’s face when he was talking.

“I think America is great. But I would say I like Korea best. It’s my home anyway.”

Jieun was always that honest. And Jiyong liked that.

“Me too IU-sshi.”

She would smile thinking that they were so awkward at that time. At the end of that conversation, they were just standing there silently until their turns of rehearsal.

When exactly did they start to get closer? Jieun always remembered. She would never forget that.

Infinity Challenge Music Festival 2015.

He was the only one she would not expect to see. She would not think he was going to participate for the third time. But hearing Taeyang’s voice during the performance, she was sure that he was going to be here. Meeting either Taeyang or Jiyong would be awkward enough for her; one of them was her early-day crush and one of them had a very awkward conversation with her until the very end. She now had to be around the both of guys and she felt like dying already.

Taeyang would act normally to Jieun and ask Jieun about random things; he had no idea that Jieun was feeling so uncomfortable. Not until Jiyong started to say something to Jieun, she would think she should get out of here to get some fresh air.

“Hello IU-sshi.”

“Oh hello sunbaenim.” She felt uncomfortable again.

Taeyang suddenly had a phone call and went away. She did not know if that could help more or less to this situation. But, she found herself more relaxed than before.

“I think it’s been a while since our last meeting.”

“Oh yea sunbaenim. At that time, in America, right?”

“You remembered.”

“Of course. That was my first time being in America and speaking English too.”

“IU(-sshi)’s English is not bad though.”

“What? No way sunbaenim. My English is not that good. I was shaking just by giving a simple speech. You are good sunbaenim. You speak English really well.” She waved her hand away, started to do the ‘thumb-up’ sign with her tiny hands and giggled. That would make him laugh too. No one really knew that there was something inside his mind wishing that this conversation would never stop, even himself.

As soon as they were laughing, she felt somehow weird. Were they supposed to be junior and senior? They seemed like friends right now.

“Sorry sunbaenim. Did I go too far?” She did not want to look at his face. She was embarrassed.

“No. Why?”

“I’m afraid I make you feel uncomfortable. Do I?”

“No IU-sshi. You are fine. I’ll be more pleased if you do so.”

“Huh?” She widened her eyes.

She would thought. “What did he mean?”

“It’s better if we get closer like this. I like that.”

Her eyes was still opened. She was stony.

Jiyong just thought “She is cute. Let’s more.” In that particular time, he had thought that he was going to play games with this girl. Though he thought it was only a game in the beginning, he soon realized that it was not a game but more than a new chapter of him within Jieun.

After his defense for her music, she just thought she should at least say something to him.

“Sunbaenim.” She tried to stop him before his leaving.

“Hm? IU-sshi?”

“I just want to say thank you.”

“Me? For what?”

“You… you appreciate my music. I’m grateful for that. You always take my side. I’m so touched. So I just want to say thank you.”

He looked at her. Her words were so sincere that he could feel his mind went blank for a second. He took a look at her face. Jieun looks so pure and innocent that he somehow felt guity over his thought of playing a game with her. He wondered why would this whole new thing have anything to do with him. He also questioned himself that if he should just shut her down and walk away, in case this was also another trap that he would fall hard. Wait, did he think of falling for her. No, he should not think that way. Jieun would never be his type. But because it was too late to say that, he already felt something inside his heart. Is it a spark or a light? He did not know either.

“IU-sshi.” He finally spoke up.

“Yea sunbaenim?”

He still looked at her. He could not think of anything to say. Every words seemed to diminish the moment he looked into her eyes. “Why am I like this?” He would ask. He had never been like this around women before.

“See you later.” He then turned his back against her and walked away.

“Youngbae ah…”

“What Ji?” His friend always called him like that.

“Have you ever thought of liking IU-sshi?”