Seunghyun heard her unmistakably gregarious laughter resounding through the artistes area. That was so like her. Laughing without bothering about anyone else who could be watching or overhearing her. Turning ever so slightly Seunghyun positioned himself carefully so that he could get a clear look at her without making himself obvious. She was seated with her group mates & some of her Invincible Youth 2 cast members. Seunghyun saw her throwing back her head & roaring with laughter at something Yewon was saying. Her eyes curving into two crescent moons in unison with the smile he had started looking forward to seeing.

He didn’t know. He didn't know why she particularly stood out to him. Why amongst all the beautiful female idols he had come across she was the one who had stolen his heart. Most of all Seunghyun didn’t understand why he liked Bae Suzy with increasing intensity every passing day when he knew that his bandmate Jaejin had already liked her for an awfully long time. Caught between his dilemma of his growing feelings for Suzy along with his guilt towards Jaejin at those feelings Seunghyun found it increasingly difficult to function normally around his bandmate. His bandmate who was coincidentally sitting beside him his gaze in the exact same direction as Seunghyun’s own.

Tearing his gaze away from her smiling profile Seunghyun focused his gaze onto the stage where the technicians were adjusting a faulty speaker & testing the mics out for volume control. “Miss A.. you girls are up next after Secret.” The PD checked something on his clipboard & called out to the group. “Coming!” Seunghyun heard Min’s firm voice answer through the buzz of conversation.

“Suzy yah.. Carry on the conversation later. Come now!” Seunghyun watched Fei hold out her hand to Suzy. With her trademark rabbit teeth smile Suzy took Fei’s hand & stood up only to crash into the underside of the table. “Careful!” Jia scolded her as Suzy made a face & rubbed her right knee. “Our clumsy Suzy strikes again. Be careful not to slip onstage Suzy!” Bora yelled out after Suzy to which Suzy laughed out loud again.

As the girls passed by FT Island’s table Seunghyun spotted the Miss A members giving all the members a polite greeting. Suzy who was the last to pass by them graced everyone with her warm smile & a bow. As Seunghyun met her smiling eyes his insides did a little tango twist of their own. He cleared his throat & looked away after managing an awkward half-hearted smile. It was so.. difficult. So difficult to act as if she had no effect on him. “I need to use the washroom.” Jaejin stood up & shuffled away without a backward glance.

Seunghyun knew where he was heading even though Jaejin hadn’t said a word about it. He was going to meet her in a secluded place away from prying eyes & cameras. After all Jaejin had been ardently wooing Suzy for over a month already. A secret only the Miss A & FT Island members knew & swore to keep. “Seems like Jaejin already can’t stay away from her.” Minhwan whispered to Seunghyun.

Nodding stiffly Seunghyun fiddled with the table cloth listlessly. “What is wrong with you?” Seunghyun heard Jonghun’s deep voice across the table. He looked up & saw his leader eyeing him curiously over top of his water bottle. “I’m just a little sick. You know how I get sick during the winter season.” Seunghyun mumbled. Jonghun gave him another curious stare but didn’t pursue the matter. However Seunghyun saw his leader & Hongki exchange meaningful gazes after the end of that conversation.

As Seunghyun stared into the distance his eyes unfocused the urgent vibration of his phone jerked him back to reality. It was a text from Jaejin. “Backstage. Now.” Were the only two words in the text. Heaving a sigh Seunghyun stood up from his seat slowly. “Where are you going?” Hongki questioned taking a sip of water from the bottle of water he shared with Jonghun.

“Jaejin hyung needs me.” Seunghyun answered tonelessly. “What’s with him? He’s been acting so weird lately.” Hongki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You guys still can’t see it.” Minhwan said softly. “Huh? What do you mean?” Hongki & Jonghun asked in unison. “Nothing..” Minhwan shook his head at how dense the two big hyungs of the group could be sometimes.

Seunghyun made his way through the throng of people who were crowding around the backstage area all chattering & holding conversations that Seunghyun couldn’t make head or tail of. He saw Jaejin’s pale angular face after having to push past harried people rushing through last minute performance preparations. Waving him over Jaejin slipped into FT Island’s dressing room & Seunghyun entered the room after Jaejin and shut the door softly.

“What is going on hyung?” Seunghyun questioned truly concerned. Jaejin looked utterly disturbed & it in turn was bothering Seunghyun. “Are you alright?” Seunghyun asked again when Jaejin didn’t answer. “She said yes.” Jaejin let his breath out in a loud whoosh. “Who?” Seunghyun seemed genuinely confused. “Suzy. She said yes.” Jaejin still looked shell-shocked. “You mean she said yes to dating you?” Seunghyun gasped. Jaejin nodded mutely. “Well..Um.. Congratulations hyung!” Seunghyun stammered trying very hard not to let his actual feelings show.

“I still can’t believe it. Suzy said yes to me.” Jaejin’s eyes were still unfocused. “Where is she now?” Seunghyun asked trying to break the sudden silence. “She’s already left for her performance. I managed to speak to her for a minute just before her coordi noona called her away. We are meeting for a gathering tonight at our usual pub. I invited all the Miss A members to avoid suspicion & all us FTI guys are going as well.” Jaejin told Seunghyun.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Seunghyun muttered. Jaejin stared at him. “You don’t want to come to the gathering?” he raised his eyebrows questioningly. Seunghyun shuffled his feet uncomfortably. What was he supposed to say? “Hyung I can’t come to the gathering because I’m in love with the girl you’re also in love with?” Seunghyun scoffed inwardly.

“Yeah that will go down real well Song Seunghyun. Why don’t you shut up & just go to the gathering?” his inside voice scolded him. “I was feeling a little tired hyung but I will go if you really want me to come.” Seunghyun finally admitted defeat. Jaejin grinned. “Thank you Seunghyun. It means a lot to me to have your support.” He nodded gratefully making Seunghyun’s insides twist painfully with guilt.

“Are you for real? You have a piercing where?” Seunghyun spotted Jia’s eyes widen with surprise as Jonghun told her about his new piercing. “You guys are really friends aren’t you?” Seunghyun heard Suzy giggling. “Oh please. So says the girl who is interested in stories of the underworld.” Jia retorted back her Chinese accent creeping into her comment. “Underworld? Really Suzy shi? I didn’t know that you were interested in things like that.” Jonghun smiled at Suzy his eyes twinkling playfully.

Seunghyun snorted softly. That was just like his leader flirting with beautiful girls at every opportunity he got. “Her interests run far & wide. She’s into vampires, the underworld, psychic fortune telling.” Min laughed giving Jia a high five. “Unnies!!” Suzy’s chubby cheeks turned slightly pink. Seunghyun spotted her expression & hid his smile. He usually didn’t see Suzy getting embarrassed but he had to admit she was awfully cute when she was blushing.  “Alright. Stop teasing her guys.” Fei chimed in when she herself was laughing. “Fei unnie that is even worse!” Suzy grumbled.

“I’m going to get a drink.” Suzy stood up & walked away with as much dignity as she could muster. Seunghyun looked around to see where Jaejin was but strangely he was nowhere to be found. “He was the one who set up this gathering yet he goes missing. Typical Jaejin hyung.” Seunghyun shook his head.

Looking around the pub Seunghyun spotted Jia, Min & Fei chatting with Jonghun while Minhwan & Hongki were off testing their skills at the pool table. That left only Suzy who was standing at the counter looking very confused. Trying his best to be inconspicuous Seunghyun slowly strolled over to the counter.

“Do you need any help Suzy shi?” he asked her quietly. Suzy jumped a little but composed herself quickly. “Uh no Seunghyun shi.. I was just looking at the menu..” Suzy pointed up at the menu that was full of spindly English words. Realising that she was having difficulty understanding the menu Seunghyun decided to help her out. “The main menu in English because they are an Irish pub who cater usually to the expats. They actually have a Korean menu, you just need to ask the bartender.” Seunghyun told her kindly.

Suzy met his eyes & gave him a sheepish smile. “It’s not that I don’t understand English.. I’m still learning from Min unnie.” Her smile grew wider. Seunghyun blinked at her slightly distracted by how her smile was accentuated by her bunny teeth. “Ah.. I’m sorry if I insulted you Suzy shi. I didn’t mean to..” Seunghyun apologised hastily trying to hide his feelings once more. “I’m not offended at all Seunghyun shi. Thank you for helping me out. I’ve never been to this place before so it’s all new to me.” Suzy laughed.

“Here you go.” Seunghyun grabbed the menu from behind the countertop. “Is that okay? Won’t the bartender scold you or something?” Suzy craned her head to find the bartender who had suddenly disappeared. “Julian is probably on a bathroom break. You can just look over the menu & decide what you want to eat.” Seunghyun tapped the large laminated menu. “Ah.. I see.. Sure.” Suzy focused her attention back to the menu & started muttering to herself on whether she wanted cream pasta or pizza.

Seunghyun watched her talking to herself his gaze unwavering. There was something about that girl that Seunghyun couldn’t put his finger on. “You’re very pretty.” Seunghyun blurted out without even realising it. Suzy looked up from the menu her eyes large with curiosity. “I’m sorry what did you say Seunghyun shi?” she looked uncertain. Seunghyun smacked himself mentally. His gut talk had gotten him into trouble plenty of times before, he was nearly beaten up on Maknae Rebellion because of his runaway mouth & now he had really dug himself into a hole with the same mouth.

"Uh.. I said you were very pretty.” Seunghyun cringed inwardly as he said those words again. Suzy’s eyes widened slightly but she started laughing after the initial surprise. “Thank you Seunghyun shi.” She grinned. Seunghyun looked at Suzy for a moment & in a moment of rare courage in front of her Seunghyun decided to take the plunge. “Suzy shi.. Do you mind if I speak to you about something?” Seunghyun’s voice wavered. Suzy put down the menu & looked right at him.

“Go ahead.” She nodded. “I..” Seunghyun opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted by a commotion at the pub’s entrance. “Aish! These crazy fans! Can’t a man even go out to grab some rice cakes?” Jaejin entered the pub & shut the door drowning out the screams of the fangirls outside the pub. “Yeah yeah we know. You don’t need to fish for compliments that you’re handsome Jaejin.” Jonghun rolled his eyes.

“Hey! I’m serious hyung! I was almost assaulted by a couple of them outside the rice cake stall.” Jaejin shrugged out his coat & held up a bulging bag of rice cakes in his right hand. “Who asked you to go out at this time to buy rice cakes?” Hongki asked looking up from where he was arranging the billiard balls. “I bought it because Suzy shi likes them.” Jaejin snapped. Everyone turned to look at Suzy who coloured slightly.

“Ah.. So you took the trouble to buy the rice cakes for Suzy shi?” Hongki said loudly. Everyone broke out into loud raucous laughter with the exception of Jaejin, Suzy & Seunghyun. “Mind your own business guys.” Jaejin shrugged & walked towards Suzy. Seunghyun shuffled his feet uncomfortably as he spotted Jaejin’s eyes lighting up when they fell upon the object of his affections. “Hi.” He greeted Suzy softly. “Hi oppa.” Suzy greeted him with a gentle smile. Seunghyun felt an invisible hand squeezing his heart & he cleared his throat loudly.

The couple turned to him & the others in the room only then realising that their private moment was being watched by seven pairs of eyes. “You guys should use the private room upstairs.” Jonghun gestured upstairs. “Just don’t do anything naughty.” Fei added in a worried tone. “Give me a minute oppa. Seunghyun shi what were you saying before?” Suzy turned to Seunghyun apologetically.

“Nothing Suzy shi. I will place your order for you when Julian gets back. Cream pasta right?” Seunghyun pointed out the dish on the menu. “You guessed it right.” Suzy answered taking Jaejin’s hand & letting him lead her up to the private guest room. “But you didn’t guess my choice right Suzy shi.” Seunghyun whispered sadly watching Suzy laugh once again at something Jaejin was saying.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note : Well that's it for the first chapter. I hope it was good. Comments & suggestions are welcome! :D I know HyunZy aren't the typical pairing but I love them anyway. keke..