2010
(within January to December)

He witnessed how she smiled when she and YB had collaboration.

He watched as 2NE1 soared even higher, bringing her away from him even more.

He saw how she got closer to YB with their acting exercises. They were also joined by TOP.

He listened as she is now growing comfortable with TOP, again, because of their acting training.

He witnessed how happy she was when she found out that 2NE1’s album is set to release in the Philippines.

He smiled as he saw her becoming teary-eyed upon learning that finally, they’re going to have their own solo concert in Korea, and to be followed by a show in the Philippines.

Again, he saw how she and YB got even closer as the days passed by; he even saw the exchange of messages in their SNS accounts.

Again, he silently leaned his ears as he hears YB talking to her on the phone.

2011
(within January to December)

He watched at how she starred and did well in movies and dramas alongside TOP, Seungri and other actors, thus gaining her tons of fanboys even more.

He listened as another Dara-TOP collaboration happened, this time, in the field of music.

He sigh everytime he sees Dara and YB together, either sitting in a corner, laughing, going to the gym, jogging, eating together.

Then, the girls went to Japan and debuted there. Still, he silently monitored her activities closely eventhough she’s far away.

And again, she grew A LOT closer to Taeyang, who would visit the “girls” when he has time.

Rumors started spreading about her and a certain popular Japanese artist going out, evidenced by some photos of them seen together. But both denied, saying they’re merely acquaintances.

He watched at how YB’s face brightened up after receiving a call from her, reassuring him about the issue.

2012
(within January to May)

They were now considered as on of the fast-rising group in Japan. He saw how happy she seemed to be with all the success they were having right now.

He was happy for her, too. He made the right decision by saying “yes” to Jina. If he said “no” before, she wouldn’t be this happy right now.

Her world seemed to revolve endlessly, while his seemed to have stopped a long time ago. It was like he was just sitting in his chair and watched the world around him continue revolving. It was like he was just sitting in a cinema and was watching a movie: he can see but he cannot touch it.

------>

And now talks about the girls coming back to Korea were spreading like termites.

His phone rang. He answered it. “Hello?”

“Yo! GD!”

Teddy hyung! What is it?”

“Sajang-nim called for a meeting at his office at 4pm”

“Oh, okay”

PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
4pm

“I know you’ve been hearing about the girls coming home, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“Wow! Finally! I’ll be able to spend some more time with MY Dara noona!” Seungri excitedly chirped.

“I’m actually thinking of throwing a party for them, in part of their success and their third anniversary three weeks ago. And of course, as a homecoming greeting. Any ideas?”

“Why don’t we hold the party at the beach? They haven’t that much beach exposure, right?” Teddy suggested.

“Sandara noona would love that” YB smiled.

“I bet she will” Mr. YG smiled back. “But I have one condition, though” the President paused and all of them straightened up. The boss looked at everyone but his gaze stayed longer on GD. “The party will be only exclusive to YGE family”

GD immediately understood what that meant. He’s not allowed to bring Jina along. He sighed because he knew this would cause another fight between them. They’ve been arguing a lot lately, plus, she’s been hinting that she wants to go public already.

-------->

He heard the girls arrived yesterday. But he hasn’t seen any of them yet. He closed his phone. He just received a message from Jina asking him to meet her in a restaurant. He was now walking out of the studio. He turned in the corner then stopped as his breath came in as a sharp gasp. Seeing this hallway made him remember an event that happened years back. For the past years, he’s actually not that bothered to walk here, but maybe because knowing that she’s back brings the memory back as something very vivid. He forced his feet to move. He was in the middle of the hallway, the very same spot where she tried to stop him from going to Jina, when he stopped again. In the far end of the hallway, a figure of a small, fragile-looking girl was walking towards him. And there’s no mistaking that cute apple hairstyle that she’s wearing. Her head was bowed as she fiddled through the iPod she’s holding while she was wearing pink headphones.

‘I-it’s her!’ his mind stuttered.

For some unknown reason, his heart jumped back to life like it’s been dead for a very long time. He froze in his place as he waited for her to look up. But she didn’t look up and continued walking, even passing by him without a hello nor a hi nor any kind of greetings. Na-da. Not even a glance or a smile. Not even a sign that she’s aware that he was there, standing, frozen in his place. She seemed so near but so out of reach. When she passed by him, he turned around and was about to call her when he suddenly heard her speak.

“Hello, Youngbae-ah? Neh. . .”

------->

“That was a pretty romantic movie” YB yawned as the movie ended. He’s at his dorm, watching movies with Dara. Her head was lying atop his lap the whole time they were watching.

“Insert the next movie” she cutely ordered.

“You’re really bossy”

“Dongsaeng-ah, why don’t you just follow your noona? You don’t want to get a taste of her wrath, do you?”

He chuckled then lifted her head off his lap as he went to put another movie on play. As he was done, he went back to the sofa. Dara laid her head on his lap again.

“I’m not a pillow, you know”

“I know” she answered. “Now, be quiet, the movie’s about to start” she ordered again.

A while later. . .

“Noona?”

“Hmmm?”

“You’re now allowed to have a boyfriend, right?”

“Neh” she answered. “Why?”

“Nothing. Just asking” he answered quietly.

Upon hearing YB’s indifferent tone, Dara sat up and looked at him closely. He wasn’t looking at her as his eyes were focused on the television.

“Ya” she said, but he avoided looking at her.

She scooted closer and takes a look at YB’s eyes closely. When YB looked at her, she saw something flashed across his eyes. It was too quick that she didn’t have the time to know what it was.

They stared at each other. She was frowning a little as she’s trying to see through YB’s eyes. Then, that “something” flashed again. Her breath started to come in short gasps. Then, she saw his head dropping. Her mind went blank while he never borke eye contact with her, as if asking something. Her breath hitched as YB’s face drew nearer. He was nearing so much that she can feel his breath blowing against her lips. Just half an inch and their lips would touch. She closed her eyes, then, GD’s face suddenly popped into her mind. She gasped and pulled back.

Awkward silence.

She laughed awkwardly as she can never take the silence anymore. “I think that’s what we get from watching romantic movies too much. Why don’t we watch something funny instead?”

“I’m sorry, noona, I-“

“No, you don’t have to. Like I said, that’s the effect of watching too much romantic movies. Let’s just forget about it, okay?”

BEACH. . .

Dara was excited. It’s been a long time since she went to the beach. She was really grateful to Mr. YG for throwing a beach party for them. Almost all of YGE artists went with them. To name a few, there’s Se7en, Hye Sun, Gummy, Bigbang, Kush, Teddy, Yanggaeng and many more. Of course the staff and crew also went with them. It’s actually her first time to see the President in his, err, beach clothes: dark shirt, pants and a cap. It was really weird for her since all of them were wearing sunny clothes. Some of the boys are even showing off their “muscled bodies” by being shirtless and she had a great laugh at Kush.

Meanwhile, GD saw the others starting to attack the waters. Seungri and Daesung took of their shirts and went to YB, who was talking to Dara. The two forcefully took off YB’s shirt and dragged him to the water. He smiled and was about to take his shirt off when he saw Dara’s smirking at him. He looked at the others, specifically Dae, YB and the maknae’s well-toned abs. He then looked at his, uh, er, abs. He doesn’t know why, but taking his shirt off now seemed unappealing to him. He was satisfied with his shirt on, so without taking it off, he ran to join the others. He was having fun with the boys when Teddy suddenly started a conversation with YB.

“Since when did TOP and Dara become friends?” Teddy asked, chuckling. GD’s eyes suddenly looked for TOP. And there he was under the shade, with none other than Dara.

“I think when the three of us had our acting training, they grew closer" YB answered.

“That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever witnessed in my life” Teddy said disbelievingly. “And I thought it was impossible for them to even have a more-than-one-sentence conversation before”

“What can you expect from Dara noona? She can make the impossible possible, just like what sajang-nim said before” YB smiled.

“Ya! Am I right in hearing that you two are talking about MY Dara noona?” Seungri joined in.

“Aish! Will you stop that ‘MY Dara noona’ thing?” YB said.

“Jealous, hyung? Where is noona, anyways?”

The maknae looked around, among the sea of people swimming, but no Dara. He looked at the dry land.

“Omo! What’s the meaning of this? Why is TOP hyung keeping Dara noona to himself? This cannot be!” Seungri exclaimed then went to the two.

“They’re really getting close, huh?” GD heard someone said beside him. He turned his head and saw CL who was looking at Seungri and Dara now laughing at the blushing TOP. Then, Seungri pulled Dara into the water.

“Youngbae-ah!” she squealed. “Aigoo! The water feels warm”

YB chuckled. “It is. I was starting to think that you don’t like beaches anymore, it took you long enough to join us here”

And so, their conversation started. He just listened as the others joined the conversation of the two.

The sun finally set down as the sky started to be lit by stars. The YG family is now gathered in a open cottage, having dinner. There’s a few laughter, tinkling of the spoons and forks against the plates and a soft music in the background. Dara was seated between YB and Seungri. TOP was having a conversation with Teddy and Kush whilethe President was talking about sone “future plans” with Se7en. Minzy was listening to the other artists’ conversation about the evolvement of the entertainment industry and the attempts of Korean artists to make it big in the America. On the other hand, G-dragon was talking to Bom and CL and was seated across Dara.

When all of them were finished eating, the others are starting to get some drinks. Seungri was exceptionally noisy this night.

“Sajang-nim!” Seungri called. When the President glanced at him, the Bigbang’s maknae smiled. “I was just wondering if there are now applicants for Bom and MY Dara noona already? They’re now allowed to have boyfriends, right? It’s been three years since their debut already”

“Well, actually, yes, they have applicants already. Though I must say that Dara’s fanboys seemed to be swarming YG building these days” the President answered.

“Yeah, but no one pass the third step yet. But I must say, that Minhwan boy is really persistent”

“But I think Dara’s ideal guy haven’t applied yet, so, it’s-“ Se7en started but was cut off by Seungri’s pretend-cough.

“Ah, I was thinking of applying, actually” Seungri seriously said with a hint of “drama” in it. And it looks like I’ve got a lot of competition for Dara noona. But-“

PAAKK!!

Every head turned towards Seungri’s direction as the boy shockingly put a hand on his red and swollen face. That was the hardest and most painful slap he ever received from a girl. Actually, never in his life has he ever receive a slap, especially from a girl. This is the first time!

“I won’t let you apply for Dara unnie! I won’t allow it! You’re forbidden! I’m forbidding you!” CL shouted, chest rising up and down heavily. “I’m ordering you to wait for two more years and apply for me!”

Now, everybody’s eyes turned to CL. As the 2NE1’s leader felt the ‘knowing’ gazes of her fellow artists, she looked around with wide eyes and blushed furiously as she realized what she had done.

“Aigoo!” she whispered breathlessly then looked back at Seungri. “I-I’m sorry!” she bowed then run away.

GD glanced at Dara at first before going after CL. He accepted defeat as he saw Dara wearing a VERY smug smile and an “I-told-you-so” expression.

‘I can’t believe she won’ he thought as he closed in on the running CL.

“Ya! Chaerin-ah!” he called.