“Ah… Where is this noona?” Jiyong mumbled underneath his breath.

Looking at his wristwatch, he can confirm that she was absolutely more than an hour late. Feeling impatient, he fished his phone from the large mess on the table and made a mental note to organize the things after this call.

“Yoebseyo?” Came a timid greeting.

“Yah! Noona! Ultiya? It’s almost an hour from our promised time.” He said, sighing in frustration.

“Ahhh… Jiyong! Was that today? Now? Omo! I’m late! I’m late!” She said frantically. “My stylist dongsaeng! Where are you? I need to see Jiyong~ Make me pretty! My stylist!”

He couldn’t help but turn his frown upside down, a grin stretching on his face and let out a small burst of laughter.

“Aigoo… Noona, no need to pretty up for our session.” He reasoned after sobering up. “Come on, just come down here and start our work.”

“You don’t get it, Jiyong. I have to be pretty.” She cooed. “You’ll never let me live it down if you see me bare faced. Again.” She sighed. “You called me the female Gaho, remember?”

“Aniyo noona. You’re always beautiful to me.” He whispered without thinking.

“What?” She asked rather loudly, making him feel startled. “Sorry Jiyongie, I didn’t catch that. Darong is annoying me right now.” She said, laughing at the end.

“Comparing you to Gaho is a compliment. Have you seen how beautiful he is?”

“What do you mean? I’m beautiful?” She said in that cute nasal aegyo.

“Ah… Noona! Just get here. It’s late, noona. Finish your makeup, get down here and let’s start recording.” He said rather hastily and tapped his phone to end the call without waiting for Bommie’s reply.

“Ai… Park Bom-yang... What are you doing to me?” He said in a small voice but very clear for all to hear. For a moment, he forgot that YoungBae was there, pretending to listen to his mp3, Daesung who was sitting beside the man supporting his Mohawk reading a book which is upside-down, TOP and Teddy who was sitting around the computer trying hard to pretend not listening to the phone conversation.

Taking in his surrounding, Jiyong remembered his hyungs, Youngbae and Daesung were there in the studio with him. Nonchalantly walking around the long table, he began to tidy up the mess that the hyungs made.

“Yah, hyung! These banana peels mess have to stop.” He started to nag TOP. “Teddy hyung, tell him.”

Teddy looked up a second from the monitor and looked at Seunghyun, then at Jiyong.

“If ever comes the day that this idiot start to pick after his own mess, the sun will rise from the other side of the world.”

“Ey…” was the only reply they got from TOP which he continues with a shrug, acknowledging Teddy’s words. They laughed out loud.

As soon as he finished tidying up the table, he felt the need to smoke. The stress burning behind his eyes were starting to resurface. Park Bom, BIGBANG’S new album, his solo album, Kiko, producing the albums, Kiko, lyrics, Park Bom, styles, publicity, Park Bom, 2NE1, Park Bom, Kiko, new girl groups, music, SuPearls, Park Bom… It goes on and on.

“Teddy hyung, I’m taking a couple.” He said as he shook the cigarette pack to take what he craved at the moment.

“I thought you’re trying to cut back? You promised Ssabu-hyung, right?” Daesung asked eyes still on his book – which was now not upside-down.

He turned at Daesung who was sitting the closest to the door. He stayed silent for a while. He knows Daesung felt the boring gaze of his leader, which was why he tore his eyes away from the book and there was a slight frown forming on his face. Jiyong understood the sincere concern from his dongsaeng, he felt touched at the attention and gave him a reassuring smile.

“I did, but please cut me some slack. This will be the first I’m having in months.”

Daesung shrugged and went back to his book.

“Daesung ah, don’t be like this.” He sighed and went to sit beside the upset male. He wrapped both of his arms and legs around the dongsaeng’s right side, hugging him tightly.

“I’ll drop this habit eventually. Bear with me just for a little while.” He said.

“Call little Seunghyun. Then kick his ten thousand times for me for being late when he comes later.” He said, untangling himself from Daesung.

Daesung blinked a few times before he laughed out loud. “Yeah… I kinda have a bone to pick with that prat too.”

Jiyong patted his friend’s shoulder and left the studio for the rooftop. Walking while humming, trying out new melodies or thinking about the stream of random words popping up in his head, he tried hard to forget the uneasiness in his chest.

Upon arriving, the cool twilight-breeze preparing for the night hit him gently in the face. He took the first cig, lighting it up and the smoke out from the . It was stupid, he thought. He realised that the smoking was not his friend for the night. He couldn’t get Park Bom out of his head. Maybe Daesung’s right. Maybe he should just stop smoking, once and for all. Another , his thoughts turned back to the honey-blonde haired female.

Eight years ago… If only he could turn back time and patched things up with her. He wouldn’t be in this miserable mess.