“What are they doing here?!!” Chaerin said with minimal lip movements, hoping that neither the boys nor her Teddy oppa would find out.

“I don’t know! I was going to warn you but someone refuses to pick up her phone.” Bom said quietly as she gave Chaerin a glare.

“My phone’s dead. How coincidental huh?” Chaerin said sarcastically.

“And you can still stay so calm about this?!!” Bom replied.

“What do you want me to do then unnie? Run out like I’ve seen ghost?”

“Is something wrong?” Teddy said shocking the girls so much that both of them jumped and their left the sofa for a second.

“Aniya oppa it’s nothing. But erm…they are?” Chaerin ask, trying to act as natural as possible.

“Oh right where are my manners. They are BIGBANG, close dongsaengs of mine from Korea. Leader G-Dragon, maknae Seungri, Taeyang, TOP and Daesung. Guys they are my close dongsaengs in Japan, Dara, Chaerin, Bom and Minzy inside the booth.” Teddy introduced as both groups greeted one another as if they do not know one another prior to this meeting. “I hope you guys don’t mind them sitting in. They just arrive from Korea and decided to drop by for a visit.”

-Chaerin’s POV-

“I see…” was all I could say at this point of time.

The boys’ appearance was so overwhelming that I’m starting to feel a little giddy. I would be lying if I were to say that I have never expected that one day we would be seeing one another again, especially when we’re “hiding” in a country so close to Korea and being multi-generation chaebols, they could easily hire someone to look for us within days.

During the past two years, I have been thinking of how and under what circumstances would we meet again, how would each of us react to it; would we talk it out and continue as friends? Would we end up becoming strangers? There are just so many possibilities, and sometimes these thoughts make me shiver, sometimes excited.

Now that they are sitting in the same room as us, it’s surprising that I’m not feeling any emotions. Maybe I was too shock upon seeing them, but there was no excitement, no fear, nothing. Bommie unnie look surprisingly calm and received this situation well too, and I came to the conclusion that the reason was due to time. It has been 2 years since those bad incidents happen to the both of us. Time healed us and the hate we have for the boys has dissolve, maybe not completely but at least we hated them lesser now compared to 2 years back.

As for Dara unnie, it’s all written in her face. 2 years back she made a huge decision to leave with us. To ensure my safety from Jiyong oppa who found out that I was lying, as well as to keep out runaway a secret, she had no choice but to disappear with us without saying a proper goodbye to Youngbae oppa, and it has been barely a week since they started dating. For the first week, it seems like Youngbae oppa has Dara unnie’s number on auto redial for Dara unnie’s phone was ringing non-stop. It was till the point whereby Dara unnie had to charge her phone trice a day for the calls drained her phone battery.

On the 6^th day of our departure, Dara unnie couldn’t take it anymore and was so tempted to answer Youngbae’s call. Knowing that this might put me into danger since it would expose our location, she called us together and told us that she would like to answer his call so that at least she could say a proper goodbye. Seeing Dara unnie going through all this just because of my decision to leave Korea, I agreed immediately for it was the least I could do for the both of them, and we told her that if Youngbae oppa was to call again, she should pick it up.

However it seems like fate was playing with her when Youngbae oppa stop all calls following our meeting and I found out that his phone was switched off when I tried calling him from the public phone. Because of this, Dara unnie locked herself in her room for almost a week; drown in depression and feeling guilty. It took me quite some time to convince Minzy into accompanying Dara unnie back to Korea and even had the tickets ready for their departure but was turned down by Dara unnie, saying that Youngbae oppa and her was not meant to be and that she would like to stay with us through thick and thin regardless of what would happen.

Now that Youngbae oppa is in this room, seating there with a poker face, I knew time didn’t work for her like to Bommie unnie and I, and that she still missed him. I turn to her and whispered in her ears, asking if she would like to leave the room with me but she shook her head as she stole glances at Youngbae oppa. I turn around to Bommie unnie who signal with her eyes to let it be before I took out the lyrics that was previously distributed to us for our demo recording today and prepared myself.

“Dara ah would you like to go next?” Teddy oppa ask as he got Minzy out of the recording studio.

“Neh~” Dara unnie said as she drag her body into the studio.

Being worried, as well as noticing that she would be facing the boys when recording, I made my way to sit beside Teddy oppa beside the console hoping that she would feel comfortable to record seeing me there and at the same time concentrate on me and Teddy oppa when recording rather than the boys.

“Darong’s not feeling well today?” Teddy oppa ask me amidst the recording.

Unlike us, Dara unnie big time at hiding her emotions and it’s totally showing right now. We were recording this song called ‘Be Mine’, a confession song that is suppose to be sweet and lovely asking your crush to be ‘Be Mine’ but unnie was unable to sing with glee due to Youngbae oppa’s presence in the room.

I left my seat to where Minzy and Bommie unnie was and we got into a little private discussion that left Bommie unnie so excited I had to shush her down before we got into action. I went over to Teddy oppa and whispered something into his ears, and upon getting his approval, we waited for Dara unnie to finish up with her current recordings and dashed into the recording booth to tackle Dara unnie down on the floor and tickled her mercilessly.

Before she die of laughter, we stop and told her that we would be recording together with her to give her strength and that we shouldn’t worry about the boys. In fact I whispered into her ears, telling her that if Youngbae oppa still has her in his heart, she should take this chance to make him hers again and if not, at least show him that she was going to do fine without him and let him drown in regrets for missing this chance to get her back. Luckily, Dara unnie was in line with my words and decided to let everything go. When all of us were ready for recording, we stood up to face 6 pairs of eyes.

“Seriously Chae?” Teddy oppa ask looking at us weirdly as he said through the intercom.

“It worked! See!” I said as I ‘showcase’ Dara unnie’s face.

“Seriously~” He said with disbelieve but I could see his smile too. “Shall we?” He asked and with a nod from us inside the booth we began recording. It took us only two takes to receive a thumbs up from Teddy oppa before we shifted out of the recording booth.

“Dara ah what was bothering you before? Boys problem?” Teddy oppa ask making me smack him in the arm as I settle beside him. “Yah! Why did you hit me?”

“Just.”

“You don’t just “Just” me after whacking me so hard!” Teddy oppa said staring at me while he rubs his arm to ease the pain and earned a stare that says “Later, not in front of the boys” from me. “Actually you can.” He said making me smile as we both stick our tongues out at each other. There seems no end in the childish bickering between Teddy oppa and I when suddenly we heard a thunder-like rumbling sound.

“What? It’s almost 10pm. I thought we would be done by 8pm” an embarrassed Bom unnie said making all of our faces red as we tried our best to keep that laughter in. “It’s all your fault!!” Bom unnie directed her frustrations and embarrassments at me making me approach her and she immediately hug me by the waist and hide her face against my belly.

“I’m such a bad dongsaeng for starving my unnie. May I treat my girls to dinner after this for being late?”

“Really? Do I get to choose the restaurant?” Bom unnie’s face immediately lit up making me laugh.

“Neh~”

“Asa!!!!” Bommie unnie cheered and immediately pick up her phone to look for a good restaurant nearby.

“She planned this didn’t she?” I ask the other girls who just gave me a you-know-her smile before joining Bom unnie in the food search.

“Miss Spring we’re not done with you.” Teddy oppa announced making Bom unnie look up with her eyes so wide.

“We’re not?!!”

“Nope. Darong and Mingkki can go but you two aren’t done yet.”

“Ahhhhhhhh~” Bommie unnie whined as she beg Teddy oppa to let her eat.

“Nope ain’t working. Between you four the two of you have the tightest schedule and I have a deadline to meet so get your in there.” He said as he pushes unnie into the recording booth.

“Oppa~” I said as I handed Teddy oppa few pieces of paper upon noticing that Bommie unnie is busy preparing herself for the recording.

“Oh for Bommie?” He asked as I took the seat beside him behind the console once again and kept my fingers cross while Teddy oppa assess the scores.

“How is it?” I asked as I bit my lips.

“I can see the amount of sleepless nights you had.” He said with a smirk.

“Ya what’s going on outside? Can we start already? I’m so hungry.” Bommie unnie said with a sad face reminding us that she is still in the booth as she continues to chant that she’s hungry.

“Ah neh mianhe Bommie. Let’s do the chorus neh?” Teddy oppa said as he started recording Bom unnie’s part. “This song screams Bommie.” Teddy oppa said directing to me.

“Really?”

“She definitely need to give this song a shot but not today.”

“Unless you want to unleash the monster in her.” I agreed.

“Once more Bommie.” Teddy oppa said to Bommie unnie who immediately got into the song again.

“Are you even listening to her sing oppa?” I ask curiously.

“Isn’t the first recording warm ups?” He asks innocently making the both of us laugh as we shared a high five.

“Hyung I’ll be back.” Youngbae oppa said and with a nod from Teddy oppa he left the room.

“Unnie could you do me a favor and get some roasted corn from downstairs? For Bommie unnie?” I asked, sending a message with my eyes to tell her that this is a great opportunity to clear any misunderstandings between the two of them and that she should master up her courage.

“Shall we?” Minzy ask, noticing my intentions.

“It’s alright Minzy. I’ll be right back.” She said as Dara unnie and I both share a smile.

-Dara’s POV-

Grabbing my wallet, I quickly made my way out of the studio, hoping to catch up with Youngbae who just left. Noticing that he wasn’t in the living area outside the studio, I made my way out and down the stairs. Once at ground level and on the streets, I frantically look to my left and then my right, hoping to spot the familiar Mohawk but to no avail.

“Obasan (aunt in Japanese) can I have 5 corns to go? Oh wait make that 10.” I ordered, remembering that we had guest and it wouldn’t be polite to just get enough for us.

“10? Bommie-san must be really hungry.” The corn lady said as I gave a small smile.

“Actually we’re expecting guest.” I explained.

“Is something bothering our Dara-san today?” She asked worriedly.

Because it’s the only snack cart nearby and just so happen to be selling Bommie’s favorite food, we’ll get corns from obasan every time we’re at Teddy’s for a recording session. Because we drop by so often, we got close to obasan and we see each other as mother and daughters.

“Eh?” I ask back since I didn’t really catch her question.

“What’s causing that frown on such a bubbly girl’s face? Boy problems?” She asked and I felt my heart contract in pain like an arrow struck.

“Nothing is bothering me.” I said, trying to give my best smile not wanting her to worry about me.

“Pretty girl, learn how to lie before you do.” She teases me as the both of us giggled.

“Just that…there’s this friend of mine…this friend of mine who chose friendship over love and left someone she love without saying goodbye to him. Recently she unexpectedly met the guy she left years back again. She feels really sorry and guilty to the guy but doesn’t know what to do.”

“Do you still love him?” She asked but I was so caught up that I thought she was asking "Does your friend still love him?" instead.

“Maybe?”

“So a boy is making our Dara-san lose her smile.” She said and it was then did I notice that she tricked me in confessing that the ‘friend’ is actually referring to myself.

“Neh? That’s not it obasan! It’s my friend not me. She just…came to me for advice and I really want to help her since…since she’s a really good friend of mine.”

“Well your ‘friend’ should just go up to him and clear the misunderstanding. For all we know the boy might still have feelings for your ‘friend’ too.” She said with a teasing smile.

“Actually she have already done that, She mastered her courage and went after him but was kinda thankful that she didn’t find him cause she’s sure that she would be at loss of words if he were to stand in front of her.”

“Sometimes one should just go for it without thinking too much. Impromptu response is the most natural and sincere so don’t think too much and let your heart do the talking. If things don’t go the way it is, at least smile to show him that you would be fine.” She said as she gave me a light pat on my bum.

“Obasan~ I already told you that it’s my friend who’s having boys problem.” I whined before the both of us break into laughter.

“Alright alright no more teasing. Here’s your corn. 1,500yen.” She said and handed me the corns. While I open my wallet preparing to pay for the corn, a hand from behind passed obasan some bills.

“Y…Youngbae?” I said turning around to see that the owner of the hand was actually the person I’m looking for. Without a word, he took the 10 cobs of corn from my hands and started to make his way back to the studio.

“What are you waiting for? Go for the handsome boy before you lose him again!” Obasan said shooing me with her hands and before I knew it my legs were on the move.