“Hyung, focus please! Stop staring into space,” Seungri shook Seunghyun’s arm. He was sprawled on the sofa in their recording studio and was especially sluggish today. Every time he thought of Karin, he will sigh. I wonder what she’s doing now and if I will see her again…

Jiyong was packing up. Today was his cousin’s home-coming and he had been warned not to be late. He bade goodbye to his friends and sighed when he saw Seunghyun like that. Jiyong also had difficulty forgetting Karin and he thought it was just as well that they won’t see that girl again.

He easily found his way to his auntie’s home. He smiled as he hugged his mother and his auntie. He endured their pinches and gentle scolding to eat more and visit often. He went off to the living room to look for his uncle and his father. The men were settling down to enjoy the pre-dinner drinks when a commotion was heard at the front door.

“I’m home~!” A familiar voice sang cheerfully. Running footsteps could be heard heading straight towards them as a giggling girl burst into the room and held up two big bags of gifts.

“Karin!” Her father pulled his daughter into a warm hug. Jiyong was in shock.

“GD-sshi…” Karin suddenly noticed him. “Why…”

“Karin! You’re my cousin Karin! YOU’RE MY COUSIN KARIN!” Jiyong shouted excitedly as he leaped over the sofa that was between them. Karin’s eyes grew even wider when she realized that this was her cousin, all grown up. And also the same person as ‘GD’ who she had been clubbing together with that night.

“You have got to be kidding me! You’re Jiyong?! Oh my!” Karin laughed as she slapped her forehead. She pulled him into a warm hug. “OPPA! Aigoo!” Jiyong was grinning like a fool as he hugged her tight. This was his dear cousin who he’d been waiting to see for so long. He was just glad that the awkwardness from that clubbing night was not there at all. She was Karin, just like how he had remembered her to be.

After dinner, the two cousins retreated to the garden with their fruits and glasses of wine. Karin still couldn’t believe that this was her Jiyong Oppa and true to their promises, they were both successful in their careers. Well, sort of…

“What happened to your music? Wasn’t that what you were working towards?” Jiyong asked. Karin took a sip of her wine and grinned sheepishly at him.

“I was. I still play the piano and guitar, play around with songwriting and all. But I discovered acting by chance in school and realized that I was not bad at it. When I graduated and started to look for work in Japan, the acting bit came first and somehow, that decided my career path,” Karin paused and studied Jiyong’s face. “Oppa, are you disappointed that I didn’t keep my promise to work at my music?”

“Ahni, as long as you’re happy. And I know you – you must have worked really hard. I’m sorry I don’t know much about your work yet. It’s all that stupid promise we made so many years ago. No letters, no phonecalls, no updates. In fact, Seungri had asked to see a picture of you a few days back and it was embarrassing that I didn’t have one. I’m even more embarrassed that because of that, I didn’t even recognize you back at NB!” Jiyong ruffled his own hair.

“Oppa, I’m sorry too that I didn’t realize you were the almighty GD. I didn’t know that your success was of such a magnitude!” Karin laughed easily. “I’ll still need to work harder to catch up to you!”

“Well, I’m just glad that you’re back. And that you’re happy. And, I missed you,” Jiyong swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Karin detected a shift in his mood and became more somber too. “Oppa, I’m glad I decided to come back too, and that you’re happy. I missed you too,” Karin leaned her head on his shoulder.

Karin didn’t have many friends, but in family, she laid her utmost trust. She was glad that Jiyong Oppa was still as she remembered him to be. But her eyes suddenly snapped open.

“Yah, Oppa! Now that you are a successful idol, I hope you’re not sleeping around!” Karin slapped his arm. Jiyong laughed, “A man will have his needs! But we respect that everything needs to be in moderation. Including women.” Karin had noticed that Jiyong had said “We”, and Jiyong hoped that she caught it too.

“What about you? No boyfriend?”

Karin shook her head. “Who needs love when I’ve my family and Soo Yee-unnie? Love only complicates things, uses up unnecessary energy and I’ll dehydrate from crying.” Jiyong noticed that something wasn’t right, but he stopped himself from asking just yet. “Besides, I’m a celebrity too. My market value will drop if I date.”

Karin smiled cheekily and Jiyong pinched her cheeks. “Aish, this girl…”

================================================

“OK, take five!” Jiyong told Youngbae who was in the recording room. He had been in a great mood since reuniting with Karin and the members could sense that too. For now, he had decided not to tell the members that Karin was in fact his cousin; especially Seunghyun.

“Youngbae, don’t you have an audition to oversee later?” Daesung asked as he looked up from his mobile game. Seungri looked up then, “Hyung, can we crash? It’s for your partner in your solo MV. We can help you vet through the candidates too.”

Jiyong just laughed at s’ antics. He noticed from the corner of his eyes that Seunghyun was still a little out of it. He had been visiting NB with Teddy, hoping to bump into Karin again. Jiyong wasn’t about to let him know that there was a much easier way to find her.

“Hyung, let's go together. You produced the song and you’re rapping in the song too. You might want to have a say in which the lead female will be,” Youngbae said to Jiyong. Jiyong just shook his head, saying he wanted to go through the song again. In the end, all of them decided to go except for Jiyong.

The four of them trotted into the dance practice room where the audition was going to be. When they entered, there were already some candidates waiting their turn outside. They bowed to greet Yang sajangnim and grabbed chairs. Teddy, sajangnim and Youngbae sat at the table while the rest of them sat in a row behind them. It was a long and boring day as each candidate failed to impress. They couldn’t pose properly, acted too cute, couldn’t dance, or were simply gawking too much.

Seunghyun’s eyes almost popped out when he saw the last candidate enter the room. Dressed in a simple white tank top, blue jeans and strappy heels, Karin strode confidently into the room before stopping at the spot marked on the floor. She had not noticed them yet when she took a bow and greeted the panel.

She suddenly recognized Teddy who was waving like a maniac. “Teddy-sshi! Is that Youngbae?!”

Sajangnim turned to the two guys and raised a brow. “You know each other?”

“YUP! She’s my cousin’s friend!” Teddy answered. “How are you, Karin? Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m just as surprised too! Soo Yee-unnie didn’t mention anything about you or Youngbae being here. Oh! I see the rest is behind you too!” Karin gave a quick friendly wave.

Sajangnim liked seeing how relaxed she was with them. He cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Well, friends or not, it’s still an audition. Here’s what I need you to do…”

A few minutes later, Karin bowed to Sajangnim as he left the room. The moment the door closed, she turned to the guys and made a Victory sign. She had gotten the role!

“Well, it’s good to know that we’ll be seeing more of you around here. But be prepared because the dance training will not be easy,” Teddy warned her. “Let’s go eat!”

Seunghyun was dying to talk to her but she kept avoiding his looks. When they filed out of the room, he managed to reach her side. “Congratulations on getting the role.”

Karin looked at him and smiled politely. “Thank you Seunghyun-sshi.”

“Erm… About the kiss that night…” Seunghyun stopped when he saw Karin bring her finger up to her lips. “Don’t worry Seunghyun-sshi. Let’s not make things awkward since we might still bump into each other in future. I’ve forgotten everything and I won’t tell.”

That wasn’t what Seunghyun was expecting but he had no other choice but to nod silently. Karin was satisfied and patted his arm as a gesture of goodwill. But that just sent shock currents to Seunghyun and now, he was really frustrated.

Just then, they’d reached the recording studio and Jiyong came out from the room. “Oppa! You’re here too! We’re going to eat! Let’s go!” Karin ran up to him and linked arms with him. Jiyong was surprised by her appearance to speak. And the boys were surprised by their familiarity to speak too.

“Hyung! What’s this?!” Seungri asked in agitation. Seunghyun was also staring and waiting for an explanation.

Jiyong returned Seunghyun’s stare and said, “She’s my cousin so you will all have to lay off.”