Trying to appear normal, Ae Ra reached to where Seungri and Nara were standing. They just received a lecture on how to live as a couple for a long time from some seniors it seemed.

Ae Ra smiled while looking at her Nara. She looked perfect in that white gown, all radiant and gorgeous, pretty and beautiful, charming and lovely. She looked....happy. Her face showed it all, Ae Ra could see that. She looked like someone who was in love, and to be loved endearingly.

Well, that is good then.

The dude was not bad either. Ae Ra shook her head with another smile, this time it’s more defeating. He was undoubtedly handsome and attractive. She guessed Nara gonna have a hard time to keep this guy in her hands, but Ae Ra trusted her sister’s choice, as well as the dude’s promise to her.

Seungri was sending her little sister those loving look, adoration was visible in his eyes. He could not stop smiling, kept touching Nara’s arms and hands, and always kept her close by his side. There were more than once Ae Ra caught he brought her sister’s hand to his mouth and landed a kiss on it, and that pleased Ae Ra a lot. Her little sister might have someone to take care of her besides Ae Ra now.

Ae Ra wrapped her arm around Nara’s waist and whispered. “I’m leaving. Have fun.”

“What? It’s too soon unnie!” Nara started to whine.

“You’re leaving already noona?” Seungri now talked to Ae Ra so comfortably. He looked sincerely concerned, with a look of disappointment on his face. “Can’t you stay a bit longer?”

“You guys are leaving soon anyway. I just...have something to do.” Ae Ra lied with a smile. She punched Seungri’s shoulders lightly. “You look good, kid.”

Nara laughed while Ae Ra scooted closer to Seungri’s ears and whispered to him. “Be gentle and take good care of her afterwards, or else I’ll kill you, a-ra-seo?” She pulled back with a satisfied smirk when Seungri went embarrassed visibly.

“What did you say unnie?” Nara asked confusedly.

“Nothing, just some advice.” Ae Ra patted her back. “Now I’ll leave for real. Come visit me when you’re back from honeymoon ok. And don’t worry about works, I’ll take care of it, until you come back.” She said to Nara.

“Alright, see you later unnie.” Nara hugged her sister endearingly. “I love you.”

“Me too.” Seungri quickly hugged both of them, which made Ae Ra chuckled. “Thank you for taking care of Nara. From now on, Nara have me, don’t worry too much noona.” He said confidently.

Ae Ra ruffled his nicely combed hair with a satisfied smile. “Okay kid, I believe you, for now.” She pulled back. “Enjoy London. Send my greeting to auntie and uncle, tell Min Hyuk oppa I will meet him after 2 more weeks.” She reminded the newlyweds to pay a visit to their relatives in London.

“Ae Ra?” She turned around upon hearing someone calling her name from behind. Gasping, she quickly bowed to the old couple standing right behind her back. “Oh my God it’s really you! Where have you been dear?”

Seungri watched curiously when Jiyong’s mom quickly enveloped his new sister-in-law in a tight hug, while Nara just turned to look at him questioningly. Nara knew that was Jiyong’s mom, but she never met the lady until today. Maybe Seungri’s mom invited the BIGBANG parents too. But Jiyong’s mom’s instant affection towards her sister made everyone wondered.

“H-hello, Mr. & Mrs. Kwon.” Ae Ra said in a small voice, awkwardly looked at Jiyong’s parents. “It’s been a while.”

She is a nice girl, don’t talk nonsense things about her like that. Suddenly Mrs. Kwon’s words before flooded back to Seungri’s memory. I don’t know what made you hate her. If you hate her because she kept appearing next to Jiyong, she has her reason. Don’t jump to conclusion when you knew nothing.

Seungri swallowed hard. Maybe there was something more of what he knew.

“How are you?” Mr. Kwon asked kindly. “It’s a surprise seeing you here, Ae Ra-ssi.”

“Y-yes….” Ae Ra uncomfortably replied. “It’s just….”

Seungri quickly saved Ae Ra from her uneasiness. “Oma, appa!” In BIGBANG, they all called each other’s parents as their own parents. “Noona is my wife’s sister.” He grinned proudly.

“What?” Mrs. Kwon snapped her head astonishly. “For real?” She turned back to Ae Ra, who timidly but firmly nodded. “H-how?”

“It’s destiny, I guess.” Ae Ra just smiled. “Mr. & Mrs. Kwon, this is my little sister, Nara.” She grabbed Nara’s hand and pulled her closer. “Nara, this is Jiyong’s parents.”

Nara frowned when she caught on how comfortable and informal Ae Ra let out Jiyong’s name like that, despite their intense relationship, if there was ever be anything, and it seemed Seungri noticed this too. “Hello Mr. & Mrs. Kwon, I’m Lee Nara.” Nara bowed deeply to the elders. “I heard Jiyong oppa talked about you many times. You have a great son.” She smiled sweetly.

“So you’re a Lee now?” Ae Ra glanced at her and smirked. “That excited?”

“Unnie!” Nara shyly got embarrassed. “Jiyong’s oppa’s parents are here!”

They all laughed quietly, but soon Mrs. Kwon spoke again. “Ae Ra, can I talk to you somewhere?”

Startled, Ae Ra nervously bit her lips. “Of course, Mrs. Kwon. I was about to leave anyway.” She turned back to the “Mr. & Mrs. Lee”. “I’ll go for real now. Call me later.” She leaned in to kiss them both on the cheek and bowed to Mr. Kwon.

“Yo-mo, I heard Youngbae’s father was looking for you just now. You should go and find that old man, he might wanna know when you two can go fishing again.” Mrs. Kwon talked to her husband why ushered Ae Ra to go with her. “I’ll be back later.”  

____

“What is that?” Jiyong heard Youngbae wondered with confuse next to him. “Is that your parents?” Youngbae whispered to him.

Jiyong didn’t say anything, just kept watching the scene unfolding in front of his eyes.

In fact, his eyes didn’t leave Ae Ra for even a second since she left the table.

He saw how she looked at Nara with pride, how approval was shining in her eyes when she looked at Seungri and the way he treated Nara. He saw how sly she was when she whispered whatever-it-was to Seungri’s ear, how amused she was when she ruffled the kid’s hair. Hye Young was talking something about going picnic together with Daesung, who was trying to decline subtly, but Jiyong couldn’t care less. He just kept watching Ae Ra talking to the newlyweds with a strange feeling.

And when he saw his mom didn’t hesitate even just a second and hugged Ae Ra tightly in her arms, his eyes went wide.

It wasn’t hard to realize how close and comfortable in the way his mom acted around Nara, which was a rare thing. His mom was only comfortable her own children and family, and maybe only around other BIGBANG’s parents.  

Jiyong frowned when he saw how his mom grabbed Ae Ra’s arm and pulled her out of the room, maybe to talk somewhere else more private.

Frustrated for unclear reason, Jiyong suddenly stood up and threw his napkin on the table, a little bit with attitude. “Wait, where are you going?” Hye Young quickly asked confusedly.

“Stay here.” He muttered and grabbed his sunglasses.

“Jiyong….” He heard Youngbae warned him. Surely he saw how Jiyong’s mom and Ae Ra went out of the room too. “Keep calm.” was all he said.

Nodding curtly while putting the sunglasses on, Jiyong quickly followed to where they disappeared.

He frowned when after the door was just a hallway. But soon he realized there was a balcony at the end of this hallway. Sneakily, he came closer to the balcony without causing any sound of his footsteps.

“....no need to be that awkward to me dear” Jiyong heard his mom said in her most sincere voice. He rarely saw his mom used that tone on anyone, except to him, his noona and his father.

“It’s....it’s been so long, o-ma.” Jiyong’s eyes widened upon hearing Ae Ra’s tentative words. “I’m sorry I didn’t visit you anytime after...” She trailed off.

Oma? Since when Shin Ae Ra called his mom as her mother? Jiyong had to lean on the wall to support himself, too shock to even think straight.

“It’s okay, I understand dear.” His mom’s voice was very soothing. “It’s my son’s fault when he’s the one forgot everything.”

WHAT? What is mom even talking about? What is my fault?

“Sometimes I wonder if I went crazy, if I imagined everything.” He heard Ae Ra’s quiet voice. “Oma, why did you belive me before? What if I lied to you?”

“The things you told me, the way you helped me connect to my son at that time, as a mother, only I could know exactly where was the truth.”

Connect? What does that even mean?

“I...I miss him so much.” Ae Ra broke down

There’s shuffling sound, and Jiyong glanced briefly to see his mom again enveloped Ae Ra in her arms.

“Even though he never really hugged me before...” Ae Ra continued breaking down. “I still can feel those times he wrapped me in his arms.” She said between sobs. “It was so real, oma.”

W-what? W-when did I do such things to her?

“It’s been 3 years, and you haven’t moved on?” His mom asked slowly.

“I want to, but I could not.” Ae Ra sniffed. “It’s even much harder now, with my sister and Seungri…” She trailed off. “Sometimes I have to wonder if this is my fate, being so close yet so far to him like this.”

“There’re many times I wanna talk to my son about you.” Mrs. Kwon said. “But I just don’t know how to do that. I don’t know how to make him remember or get to know that you used to be everything to him.”

“No, don’t do that.” Ae Ra hastily said. “He won’t believe….”

“What are you two talking about?” Youngbae warned that he should keep calm, but how? It was clear that there was something weird going on here. You used to be everything to him. What the heck was that supposed to mean? Not so subtly, Jiyong revealed himself to their private conversation. “I’m sorry that I’ve eavesdropped, but, it’s obvious that I was being mentioned. So, what is all this supposed to mean?” He looked at them with challenge.

He was sick enough with this confusion. He needed answer, now.

“Mom?” He asked impatiently when the two women kept staring at him in shock. “Why are you this close to this girl? What happened before? What I don’t remember?”

“Jiyong…” Ae Ra awkwardly said.

But Jiyong quickly cut her off without looking at her. “I am sorry but I did not ask you, Ae Ra-ssi.”

“Behave, Jiyong.” His mom scolded. “Why are you being so rude to her?”

“Then please explain why I shouldn’t?” He lashed it out angrily. “Why she can address me so comfortably and informally like that? Why it was like we have an entire ing history together while I didn’t know a single thing about her?”

“Yah, who are you shouting at?” Mrs. Kwon crossed her arms. “Of course I’ll let you know, I always wanna do that anyway. Listen, Kwon Jiyong, believe it or not…”

“Oma, not here, not now….” Ae Ra tried to step in between mother and son’s heated conversation but they both glared at her.

“I deserve to know why you can call my mom as yours.” Jiyong said in a dangerously low voice.

“He needs to know the truth, Ae Ra.” Mrs. Kwon said with finality and turned back to her son. “3 years ago, when both of you got into that accident, when you were still in the coma and no one knew when would you wake up again, somehow your soul, yes, soul, wandered around without being seen by anyone except Ae Ra here.”

“What?” Jiyong was taken aback. He looked like someone just told the biggest joke in this world to him. “Mom, what are you talking about?”

“Shut up, let me finish.” Mrs. Kwon glared at him. “I don’t know details, but it seems she could even touch you.” She glanced at Ae Ra who went embarrassed visibly. “But that isn’t the point. The point is, because she was the only one who could see you, your soul, whatever, she could not act like she didn’t see anything. So to put it simple to understand, you were with her in those 10 months suffering from the coma.”

“What is this joke mom? I am not kid anymore gosh!” He exclaimed.

“That was why she stayed by your side despite everyone’s objection. You caused her troubles sometimes, even attempted to disappear completely, but she refused to let you go. When she told me about this, I didn’t believe it at first too. But there were words, things, moments only you and I knew, and a mom knew her son best in the world, so I just knew she wasn’t making up things.” Mrs. Kwon continued saying, ignored Jiyong’s exclamation. “I was the only one knew about this, and she, because of your request, visited me frequently in those 10 months, helped me to talk with you. In sum, she was being you. That is why I am this close to her. And even though you two never admitted to me before, I just knew that you fell in love with each other.”

“Oh gosh, what did you tell my mom?” Jiyong angrily turned to Ae Ra. “How could you make up such lies to a mother?” He advanced his steps closer to Ae Ra. “You saw how easy to fool my mom with those ridiculous lies, didn’t you?”

“No!” Ae Ra knew this would happen. “I did not.” She said firmly.

“Yah Kwon Jiyong!” Mrs. Kwon scolded but Jiyong already cornered Ae Ra and locked her between him and the wall on her side.  

“What did you tell her?” He growled with every word. “What, we dated?” He laughed. “Or are you those crazy fans of mine who kept fantasizing a love story with me?” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“I won’t ask you to believe it, but it is true.” She stared at him, those strong emotions reflected through those black orbs.

“Now come to think of it, combining everything together, that accident, did you plan it as well?” Jiyong seemed to be shocked with his own assumption. “Oh my God, it was your intention to crash my car that night, wasn’t it? You knew it was me, didn’t you?”

Ae Ra stopped struggling against his strong arms, her shoulders slumped down, and she looked at him with disbelief. With hurt.

“KWON JI YONG!” Mrs. Kwon shouted angrily. “What are you talking?” She came to their side. “Stop, Jiyong, stop! Or else you’ll have to regret later.”

Jiyong just kept looking at Ae Ra, his eyes also showed how disbelieved and astonished to what he just discovered. Until Ae Ra pushed him off with all her might.

Trembling, she turned to Mrs. Kwon and bowed. “I...I’m leaving. Goodbye Mrs. Kwon. See you around...maybe.” She said with shaken voice.

“No, where are you going dear?”

“It’s...enough.” Ae Ra tried to keep composed. “It’s no use. He’s right, the idea is just so crazy.” she shook her head. “Forget it, even myself doesn’t believe in what happened.” She muttered. “I have to go. Please live well, Mrs. Kwon.” She quickly hugged the old lady and left.

“Wait Ae Ra!” Mrs. Kwon was about to keep Ae Ra from leaving but Jiyong kept her back. “Yah what are you doing? Go to her!”

“Mom, that was the silliest story I ever heard. How could you be sold that easily?” He asked with annoyance. “I don’t have a single memory about her.” Technically, he did not. “Whatever she told you about me, it wasn’t true mom.”

“Shut up, you stupid dragon!” His mom shouted. “You’ll regret much later.” She huffed before leaving him to chase after Ae Ra.

But Ae Ra already left the wedding shortly after their heated conversation.

___________

"Stop. Get out and come here Jiyong." Teddy's voice was said sternly through the interjection.

Sighing, Jiyong existed the recording booth tiredly. Running a hand through his messy hair, Jiyong threw himself thickly on the couch, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"What's wrong? You seems not alright recently, and you know very well you cannot record with this condition." Teddy asked.

"I cannot focus." Jiyong replied behind his closing eyes.

"Yes, I can see that too. May I know why?" Teddy rolled his eyes.

"I'm leaving. I'll be back when I feel good enough." Jiyong said suddenly and grabbed his things, leaving the studio and a confused Teddy behind.

He started the engine and the car sped off smoothly, taking him further from the YG building. Driving aimlessly, Jiyong went through several roads of Seoul, until he unknowingly stopped at this particular park.

Parking his car, Jiyong walked on the empty path, hands deep in pockets. Sitting on a bench, Jiyong stared out at nothing. His mind wandered back to the main issue messing his mind recently.

His relationship with Hye Young.

They had been drifting apart recently. Jiyong didn't know exactly who was the one started this. Maybe him? Jiyong didn't know for sure. They talked less, met each other less, no more daily texts, no more calls in hours, no more the missing feeling. He didn't know why. He had loved her, he really did, but something kept that tiny love growing bigger.

Her insecure in their relationship annoyed him. Her demands in making their relationship “official” to public stressed him. Her efforts to get closer and closer to everyone around him made him feel uncomfortable. He felt suffocative with this relation, with her attention, with her love for him.

Jiyong was dragged out of his own thoughts by the ringing sound of his phone. Hye Young was calling him.

“Hello.” He picked up quietly.

“Jiyong, we need to talk.” Hye Young said with a strange seriousness in her voice. “About our relationship.”

“What about it?” He said tiredly.

“Let’s meet. It cannot be talked over phone.”

“No, I’m busy. Just talk now.” He ruffled his hair.

“Do you wanna save this relationship or not?” Hye Young threatened him with cold voice, which caused him slightly surprised, since she was always sweet to him. “Jiyong I am serious, if you don’t come to meet me and have a talk with me now, I’m afraid I have to inform you that this relationship of us is at stake.”

“Then let’s just end it.”

“W-what?”

“Just end it here, Hye Young. I’m tired.”

______

A/N

Hi :)

Someone asked me what took me so long to update. Honestly, I don't know too :/ i was busy with everything, then one day I looked into the calendar I realize, "OMG I HAVEN'T UPDATED MY FIC THIS WEEK YET!" :/ a day is too short to me T__T i really admire those authors who can update more than once per week ;_____; i cannot, even tho I wish to /sobs plus I'm not a good author, so it takes a while for me to write a decent chapter, i am sorry /bows

anyway, progress? some of you realized that the story was dragging, right? even i myself saw that too /embarrassed/ so I'm trying to push up the plot without making it look rushed you know. i'm trying, really. we might have around 10 more chapters? or 5? before it ends :) because once Jiyong rmbs everything, isn't it the end for everything? :)

this chapter, half of it was written about 1 year ago, when this story was just formed lmao but i had to edit quite a lot to fit the ongoing flow. 

i realized i didn't use some of the old ideas even tho i had them in drafts :/ i shall leave them for the other stories coming in the future then ^^

anyway, I'm having a relation which i am trying to decide if i should save it or not, so, please comment, can you? because at least reading your comments will make me happy, even when it's just a simple hello. and thanks so much for the sub & up <3

i love you <3

ah, please do expect maybe more than 1 big event happens in the next chap! ;)

Rosie