*Shinae’s POV*

A few days passed after that incident and it seems Jiyong and Yunhee’s relationship weren’t affected. Instead, they became closer. It was a fortune in disguise since Jiyong was always complaining about how she was an ice queen and he would feel awkward with her sometimes. Now that, the barrier was somewhat broken, I could feel Jiyong being more natural in their interactions together. Seeing that, it made me glad that there was someone taking care of him when I wasn’t around. He needed a female figure to be around him like a mother, keeping him in check, making sure he eats his meals and Namguk oppa, being a man, wouldn’t have insisted Jiyong eat his meals if he doesn’t feel like it. For that, I was thankful that there was Yunhee around him.

Ever since the day that I found Youngbae sitting next to Yunhee outside the female toilet, I felt that the both of them seemed pretty compatible. Even when I met up with Big Bang at YG, I would see her warming up to Youngbae, talking to him and joking as well.

“What are you thinking of, noona?”Seungri nudged me, breaking my train of thoughts.

“Nothing much. Just observing everyone,”I replied.

“What did you do to Yunhee noona?”Seungri commented.

“What do you mean by that?”I turned to look at him.

“Ever since the day where she lost Jiyong hyung’s watch, she isn’t the same person anymore. You were beside her the whole day and helped to patch their friendship. What else did you do? Did you cast a spell on her? People who come in contact with you always become happier,”he answered.

Immediately, I burst out laughing.

“Why are you laughing? What’s so funny, noona?”he asked.

“Nothing. Well, maknae, you gotta realize that sometimes the joy in life is to make someone else happy. Seeing them happy, makes your own life easier and happy since it lessens any friction,”I explained.

“But I read somewhere that sometimes, the person who always try to make everyone happy is the saddest as well. Noona, are you sad?”he asked.

With his earnest expression, I was taken aback. My lips remained tightly sealed and my jaw clenched on its own.

“No, what are you talking about?”I tried to laugh it off.

“True that. With someone like Jiyong hyung in love with you, you could have the world! What can you be sad about, right?”Seungri grinned.

I smiled at how innocent the baby of Big Bang could get.

Seungri ah, sometimes having the person merely just loving you isn’t enough.

When night time fell, I made Jiyong go back with s instead of getting supper with me. Of course, he was upset with my decision and he pulled me to a corner of the dance studio to talk.

“But we haven’t been able to catch up,”he argued.

“I know. But you look so tired nowadays. You should go and rest. Besides, I’ve a sketch to do up,”I patted his arm.

“Oh, you have a project now?”he asked.

I nodded my head.

“Right…, but can’t you just let me send you home? I’ve missed being alone with you,”he pleaded.

“Then, how are you going to go back to your dorm from my house? Take a taxi? You need to remember you’re a celebrity, Jiyong,”I shook my head while laughing.

“Mmmm, I’ll just stay at your house,”he grinned.

“Kwon…,”but he cut me off.

“Min Shinae, this is final! I don’t care!”he feigned annoyance.

“Fine, fine!”I gave up.

When we were all packed up, everyone of us left for the basement carpark. I took out my car keys and was about to unlock my car when Jiyong grabbed it from me.

“I’m driving,”he winked.

I rolled my eyes as I got into the passenger side without a word. Starting the engine, he gave the rest of Big Bang a wave before driving off.

“Gosh, Shinae, I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long!”Jiyong was almost yelling.

“Yah, quieten down, will you? This is an enclosed area!”I laughed.

“I need to get it off my chest, you see,”he explained before glancing at me.

“You sure you’ve been waiting? Because you seem to have forgotten about your best friend here after getting a new friend,”I teased.

“Who? You mean, Yunhee? Eh, are you jealous?”he asked with his eyes wide when we stopped at a red light.

“Ha, who’s jealous?”I looked away.

“You are, right?! Min Shinae, I never knew this day would come! I’m usually the one getting jealous!”he laughed.

“I’M NOT JEALOUS, YOU IDIOT!”I turned around to whack him.

He grabbed my hands and looked into my eyes.

“Come on, admit it. You were jealous, right?”he asked, teasingly.

“Am not! The green light is on, moron!”I tried to twist my hands away.

Jiyong let go of one of my hands before turning back to the steering wheel. Slowly, he let his hand slide from my wrist to my palm, making sure his fingers were entwining with mine.

“I like it,”he commented randomly.

“What? What do you like?”I asked.

“I like how you get jealous, Shinae. And most importantly, I like you too,”he gave me a sideway glance.

“Same here,”I mumbled.

“What did you say?”he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing,”I answered.

With that, he gripped my hand tighter. When we finally reached my house, he walked towards the elevator and pressed the number as if it was his house. I unlocked the door and Jiyong let go of my hand to stretch.

“Feels good to be here…,”he yawned.

The light in my parent’s bedroom was switched on and my mother came out to check on me. Upon seeing Jiyong, she walked out of her room and he greeted her with a bow.

“Jiyong ah, it’s so nice to see you. Staying over?”she asked with a smile.

“Yes, sorry for imposing,”he gave her his best smile.

“No, no! It’s no trouble at all. Her dad and I love it when you are around. I’ll cook your favourite for lunch! Go on and have a good rest,”she told him.

“I will. Goodnight,”Jiyong nodded his head.

“And Shinae, don’t worry too much and sleep early, okay!”she chided me.

After the door closed, Jiyong turned me.

“Worry? What have you been worrying about, huh? About our friendship? You don’t have to worry about that, Shinae. I swear we’ll stick together till we die,”he came to me with a cheeky grin.

If only that was what I was worried about, Kwon Jiyong…

“You don’t have to remind me. You’re always so clingy. It’s hard to get rid of you,”I joked.

“Do you not like it?”he asked as he closed up the gap between us.

“No…I…guess not,”I muttered.

With one smooth movement, Jiyong reached out to hold me in his embrace.

“If there’s anything that worries you, let me know, please. You’ve done so many things for me. I want to do something for you,”he mumbled into my ear.

“But you have all that idol stuff. It’s exhausting enough,”I protested.

“So, you do have something you’re worried about? What is it?”he asked, letting go of me.

I looked at him, adamant about not telling him. He didn’t need to bother himself with my stuff. He’s tired enough from all the dancing, composing and everything.

“Ji, it’s late. Can we talk about this another day?”I asked.

 “No, because there will never be another day,”he replied firmly.

I sighed. It was going to be a long night if I ever start talking. He wasn’t going to like it.

“It’s just…there’s this project that someone offered to me…,”I started.

“Uh huh, that’s not surprising. You’re the best watch designer in South Korea,”he grinned.

“This project…is bigger than you’ll ever imagine, Ji,”I ignored his compliment.

“That’s good, isn’t it? It’ll boost your portfolio, Shinae. Why are you still worried about it? Just grab the offer!”Jiyong pinched my cheeks, as if getting me to wake up from my dreams.

“The money is good. Too good to be true, even. But there’s a catch…,”I tried my best not to stutter.

“What is it?”he asked, seriously, seeing as I’m not reacting to any of his antics.

“I…need to go to…Paris,”I answered.

“Then, go! Paris is the dream of designers! I’m sure it is for you as well,”Jiyong didn’t understand my dilemma.

“Kwon Jiyong, I’ll need to stay there. For a year,”I looked him in the eye.

“Wha…? A year?!”

*End of Shinae's POV*

End of Chapter
DarkAngel