A/N: Whenever you see *** that means a year has gone by.

She first met Jiyong when he was still a trainee. She was just a young girl at the time while he was a determined teenager with the passion to succeed. She admired his dedication more than anything, and wished she could be like him.

Their relationship quickly grew, and he treated her like a little sister while she admired him like an older brother. He was her best friend, and she followed him around like a puppy. She was his favorite, because he saw a lot of himself in her. He also entered the company at a young age, and was able to give her the kind of advice that no one else could offer.

They were inseparable really, and she hoped it would forever stay that way.

***

A year later, his group finally debuted. Although still young, she joined the staff members at the debut stage, cheering him on from the sidelines. He did perfect like she knew he would, and she knew he was going to be a star.

He and his group came off the stage drenched with sweat. They poured their energy into the performance, leaving them all completely exhausted. But the moment he saw her, he smiled. She smiled back, rushing to him to give him a congratulatory hug.

“You did perfect oppa,” She told him.

He patted her head, messing her hair a little. But because she was still young, she didn’t care. “Thanks Minji,” He said. “But it wasn’t perfect. I still have a lot to learn.”

“Well I think you did perfect oppa,” She said with complete innocence. “Just always remember, I‘m your number one fan!”

He smiled at her last sentence. He knew she meant it, and could already tell that no matter what the future was going to bring, he would always have her support.

***

The next months zoomed by, and pretty soon another year had passed. Big Bang was becoming more popular by the second, making their schedules completely hectic while Minji was busy training to debut. Because of this, she never really got to see Jiyong, but she kept her title as his number one fan and watched every broadcast he was in.

Yet when Minji sat on the couch during her free time and watched her Big Bang oppa’s perform onstage, something felt different. Whenever the camera zoomed in on Jiyong, her heart began to flutter. What is this feeling?

She thought maybe the fact that he was now a celebrity was causing this weird emotion, but whenever she saw him in person, things only got worse. She could never stop staring at him, craved to talk to him, and laughed at every joke, regardless of if it was funny or not.

People started to notice, mainly her unnie’s Bom and Chaerin who she had been training with to debut. They constantly about her ‘crush’ on Jiyong, but Minji continued to deny it and brush it off like it was nothing.

But when she was alone at night, lying awake in her bed, she couldn’t help but wonder…was this a crush? Was it nothing at all? Or was it something more?

***

As the year went on, many things changed. Another trainee, Sandara Park, had now entered the company. Along with Bom, Minji, and Chaerin, she would train to become the next girl group of YG Entertainment which was scheduled to debut in the next year.

Another thing that had changed was Big Bang’s popularity. Their success was no joke and they were well on their way to becoming one of Korea’s top male groups as they released hit after hit. But the thing that had changed the most was Minji’s feelings towards Jiyong.

She didn’t have a little crush on him anymore. No, now it had grown into something, much, much more.

She thought about him constantly and was always excited by any interaction, even a simple hello. He often complimented her on her improvement, only making her heart ache for him more. But there was one main problem: the age difference between them. He was an adult. She was a teenager. Their relationship could never work.

And besides, why would he go after someone he only saw as a younger sister? It pained her whenever he referred to her as ‘family,’ but how could they be anything more than that? So she forced herself to do the only thing she could do; it up and get over it.

But although she tried and tried to ignore these feelings, the more she pretended they didn’t exist, the more they piled up. It was a game she couldn’t win, but couldn’t quit either. She just hoped that one day, she would find the solution to this problem.

But on one Monday evening, that hopeful heart of hers was broken for the first time. She was on her way over to the practice room, knowing it would most likely be empty. It was late, but she needed to get those dance steps just right so that she could be as perfect as her Jiyong oppa. But when she stepped into the room, she found the man she was just thinking of with Sandara in his arms.

“What’s this?” She asked, although it was quite obvious.

“Nothing.” Jiyong said in attempt to hide the truth. “We were just…practicing.”

“It didn’t look like practicing,” Minji replied with anger, struggling to hide her true feelings.

“Oh Jiyong, why don’t we just tell her?” Sandara asked, who apparently couldn’t detect Minji’s growing jealousy. “She isn’t stupid. And besides, I’m sure she can keep a secret, right?”

Sandara turned towards her dongsaeng and flashed a sweet smile. Minji somehow faked a smile and nodded. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

Jiyong let out a sigh and stepped towards Minji. “Well, I can’t lie to my favorite girl.” He rummaged his hand through her hair a bit, just like he did when she was younger, but for the first time ever, it annoyed her. “I’m dating your Sandara unnie.”

Minji stood completely still, knowing that if she said anything, she would burst. Instead she stared back and forth between the two, hoping they would give her answers without her having to ask.

“We’ve only been dating about a month or so.” Sandara added. “At first we didn’t want to because of the fans, but you can’t deny the way you feel.”

“That’s why we’re keeping it a secret.” Jiyong added. “We want as little people to know as possible, or else our relationship could be ruined. You promise not to tell anyone, right Minji?”

She stayed silent. She didn’t want to respond.

“Minji,” Jiyong tried again. “You won’t tell…right?”

Still, she remained quiet. She couldn’t bring herself to speak, she just couldn’t.

But Jiyong still continued to try. “Right?!?”

She finally shook her head yes. There. No words. Just a simple movement of her head. Jiyong and Sandara smiled, pleased with her response.

“Well I’m guessing you want the practice room,” Jiyong said to the little maknae. “Sandara and I will get out of your way then.”

The two turned to grab their things, but Minji still refused to move. It wasn’t until the couple had fled the room that she finally broke down.

She wasn’t sure what hit the floor first, her knees or her tears, but all she knew is both dropped the second the door shut behind her. She gripped near the roots of her hair with her fists as she replayed his words.

‘Well, I can’t lie to my favorite girl…Favorite girl? How could he call her his favorite girl when he seemed to only have eyes for Sandara? He said he couldn’t lie to her, but wasn’t calling her his favorite a lie in itself? She replayed the whole scene in her head, wondering why he would lie to her like that. And then the realization struck, bringing her more heartbreak than ever.

It was because he saw Sandara as a woman, but Minji was still only a girl in his eyes.

***

Sandara and Jiyong continued to date, even when the girls finally debuted as a group titled 2NE1. The boss had made up some rule about a dating ban, but that was all a lie. It was only a cover to fool the public into thinking nothing was really going on behind the scenes.

Because in reality, there was plenty going on behind the scenes.

Minji tried her best to avoid Jiyong so she could get over him, but escaping him was nearly impossible. He always came to cheer the girls on, mainly to see Sandara, but also to see his ‘favorite girl.’

“Are you avoiding me Minji?” He asked one particular day.

“No oppa,” She replied in her usual, sweet tone.

“Minji, you’re such a liar!” Jiyong went off, starting to like he always has. “I swear, every time I come within five feet of you, you run the other way!”

“Oh oppa, that’s not true.” But indeed it was.

“Does oppa smell bad?” He continued to joke, lifting up his arm and pretending to smell his armpit. “Or since you’re now in a super famous group of your own, you’re too good for me?”

She smiled, pretending to go along with his joke. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Aw, I bet I know what it is!” He said as Sandara walked between the two. “You’re jealous of Dara, aren’t you?”

She froze. “W-what? Why would I be jealous?”

“Because oppa’s been spending tons of time with her lately.” He said as he sent Sandara a wink. “Does the little maknae feel like she’s being replaced?”

“No. You can‘t replace me.” She said to him. “After all, I’ll always be you’re favorite girl, right?”

He flashed a smile and pulled her in for a tight hug. “Right.”

He released her and headed off to bug Bom while Minji caught her reflection in a nearby mirror.

So I may still be a girl, she thought to herself. But one day I will be a women. And when that day comes, will I still be his favorite?

***

It had only been a year since 2NE1’s debut, and already Sandara and Jiyong were in deep trouble. As much as they tried to keep their relationship a secret, they soon released you can’t hide anything from the fans.

Daragon. The official couple name of Sandara and Jiyong. It didn’t take long for the name to start, and it didn’t take long for it to spread. Fans all around were more than curious about the two, with high suspicions that the two were in fact dating. It had been denied many times by their representatives, but that didn’t fool the fans. As each day passed, the fans found more and more information that would lead to the ultimate truth.

“What are we going to do?” Sandara asked Jiyong. “They’ll find out in no time! And 2NE1 is still a rookie group, our reputation could be ruined!”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jiyong insisted. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

But boy, was he wrong.

***

No one at YG Entertainment will ever forget the day the pictures surfaced. There was no way it could be denied after that. Jiyong and Sandara had thought they were alone, but when you’re as famous as these two are, there’s no such thing as privacy.

“How did they get those pictures?” Jiyong asked. “No one else was there!”

“Who cares how they got the pictures?” Sandara fired back. “They’re already out! The damage is done! There’s no going back.”

Devastated, Sandara fell backwards onto the couch as Jiyong studied the pictures on the table. They had been holding hands, hugging, whispering in each others ears and…oh no, the main one. The picture of them kissing.

Jiyong dropped the pictures and fell down onto the couch next to Sandara. “So…where do we go from here?”

Sandara let out a sigh and rested her head onto his shoulder. “I really have no idea.” She said. “But I think we should stay quiet until this whole thing blows over.”

But the whole thing didn’t blow over. It only got worse, as fangirls and fanboys all over the world were heartbroken at the news. VIP’s threatened 2NE1 while Blackjack’s boycotted Big Bang. It was complete chaos, and both groups were loosing fans left and right. The stress was uncontrollable, and everyone could feel it.

One night Minji couldn’t take it anymore and went onto the roof of their building to get some fresh air. She had finally reached her dream of debuting, yet all of their success was being thrown down the drain by some stupid scandal. Performing onstage had been her only distraction from Jiyong and Sandara, but with the reactions of fans, who knows if she could ever go back onstage again.

In the corner of her eye, Minji managed to catch sight of a shooting star. She closed her eyes and made a wish, praying that all of this would somehow work out.

Just as she finished her wish, the door busted open, and out came Jiyong with a nearly empty bottle of beer in his hand. Minji watched as he wobbled across the roof towards the railing, finishing off his beer in one swig and throwing the bottle to the ground. It burst into a million pieces, causing Minji to step back a bit.

Is he drunk?

She continued to watch as he practically laid against the railing. Too busy with his own thoughts, he had no idea she was there and started screaming at the sky.

“Why God?” He yelled at the top of his lungs. “Why did this have to happen?”

Unable to stay quiet anymore, Minji slowly started walking towards Jiyong. “Oppa?”

Shocked by the sound of her voice, he turned to see the maknae walking towards him. “Minji…” He whispered her name and then pulled himself away from the railing. “Minji, go back inside. You shouldn’t see me like this.”

But she didn’t budge. “Oppa, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing really.” He started. “I’m just, you know, stressed. I have a lot of work to do and…”

She placed her hand on his shoulder, causing him to stop his words and turn to face her. “Oppa,” She said. “Just tell me.”

He stared back at the young girl, realizing that she wasn’t as young as she seemed. He took a deep breath and spilled the truth out to her.

“She dumped me.” He said quietly. “Sandara dumped me.”

Minji was completely shock. “Why?”

Jiyong’s eyes slowly started to tear up, so he turned away from Minji, but still answered her question. “I don’t know. She said something about how the stress was getting to us both, and all we did was argue. She doesn’t want to argue anymore and thought it would be best for our groups.”

By now, the tears streaming down his face were obvious to Minji, and she didn’t know how to react. She always imagined that if Sandara and Jiyong would break up, she would be happy. But as she watched him completely shattered in front of her, it only brought sadness upon her as well.

“Maybe you can work it out with Sandara,” Minji offered. She was surprised at her own words, but knew she’d rather see Jiyong happy and with Sandara then like this.

“No Minji,” He said. “It’s over. Once she has her mind set, nothing can change it. And her mind is set.”

He squatted down onto the floor, leaning his back against the railing and looking up into the sparkling sky. Minji sat down as well, joining his side.

They sat quietly at first, both of their hearts wanting something they can’t have. When she couldn’t take the silence any longer, Minji turned towards her oppa and asked him one simple question.

“What’s going to happen now?”

He turned towards the younger girl with depressed eyes and gave her the only answer he could. “I don’t know Minji. I really don’t know.”