CHAPTER 1- MNET 20's Choice Awards July 20, 2013

 

Lee Chaerin was nervous. She kept looking at herself in the mirror conveniently placed in the black van that was slowly making its way to the blue carpet of MNET 20's .Choice Awards. For a while she stared at her black high-heeled shoes and completely zoned out. Her nerves were getting the better of her she thought. 

 

"Chaerinah, are you alright?" , said a very , low masculine voice, seemingly concerned. 

 

Chaerin looked up and met the eyes of Soo Hyuk. "I 'm fine Oppa. Just a bit scared. I'm not used to doing this by myself you know? "

 

"You're not by yourself . I'm walking the carpet with you. Stupid.", Soo Hyuk said sounding a little hurt. 

 

" Aw, you know what I meant. " Chaerin said sweetly while placing her hand lightly on Soo Hyuk's arms.  "  I feel a bit bare without the girls with me" . 

 

"Don't worry that's what I'm here for. To keep you company in that long carpet walk and be your arm candy , Gizibe. Soo Hyuk model mode on! " he said teasingly. 

 

"Yaah, are you implying I'm not good to look at?"CL said

 

"Aigoo, the Gizibe is a little sensitive. Don't you trust Yanggaeng? You look crazy good in that Tom Ford dress and you know it. I'll just put your hotness level a few notches higher.Who would have known that you're a modelizer Chaerinah? 

 

She can't help but laugh at Soo Hyuk. This Oppa surely is one self- assured guy . And did he just said she was hot? CL secretly glanced at the man beside him. Today he looked so handsome in his Saint Laurent red blazer and black leather pants . Her heart jumped a little knowing that he will be with her in the red carpet. 

 

"I have to warn you Chaerinah, asking me to be your might not have been a wise choice. Are you ready to deal with dating rumors with me? " He said jokingly and with a smirk. 

 

Don't worry Oppa. We won't be seen as a couple. People seem to think that I lack the appeal to catch " guys like you. She said grudgingly

 

He was about to contradict her statement when they felt the van stop and its doors opened immediately. He went down first greeted by the loud screaming of fangirls queued along the length of the blue carpet . When the fans realized that CL was with him the screams only got louder. 

 

He looked at Chaerin who was gently fixing her long skirt and softly asked her to hook her arms with his for support. He thought that she looked perfect not because her stylist  was his friend but because she was really beautiful. She was y without appearing ty , charming and confident all at the same time . 

 

She did not hear what he said so she leaned her head a little bit closer to him.He repeated what he said and jutted out his arms towards Chaerin which she promptly linked with hers .

 

They then walked together looking very much like a couple , as hoped for by Soo Hyuk and despite what Lee Chaerin may think. 

 

 

JIYONG's POV 

BIG BANG DORM 

 

She looked good in the dress that much he can freely admit. He stared at his Iphone and looked at CL's recent Instagram post of her posing along the hallway of some hotel wearing that long zebra skirt and exposing a bit of her tummy as had been her trademark lately.

 

He stared long and hard at her picture and felt his desire well up as fast as the bulge in his now overcrowded pants. This has been his problem for the past three months.  Ever since his OOAK Seoul Concert he had started feeling differently towards Chaerin. 

 

He could still remember clearly how during one of their rehearsals for the Leaders number he started to view her not as the 15 year old he had first met through his ex- girlfriend Sohee. Yeah, Sohee and Chaerinah were roommates when CL was still a JYP trainee. 

 

He used to even bribe the young Chaerin with gifts so that she'd keep quiet about Sohee and his secret dates. When Chaerin moved to YG ,  GD had already known her for a year so it was natural that she clung to him and depended on him to initiate her into her new life at YG. He was happy to help her adjust as Chaerin had become a friend to him even when the relationship with Sohee turned sour. 

 

Chaerin helped him through that very difficult and depressing stage after the break up with Sohee. She was a warm and kind hearted girl who was always ready to listen to his rants , his plans , his music, his family , and even his loves. 

 

So it came as surprise to him when last March , as he was rehearsing with the foreign members of the Big Bang band for his concert, he felt a pang of irritation when his drummer , Ben, approached him solemnly and asked for his  help to get a date with Chaerin.  Jiyong had to ask Ben twice if he was serious. The drummer could only say, "Dude, are you blind , she's hot!" 

 

It took so much of his self-control not to punch the guy right then . How dare he think that about Chaerin! Instead Jiyong gave some half- excuse that he could do nothing since Chaerin was still covered by the dating ban set by the company . To Jiyong's further irritation  Ben attempted to approach Chaerin on his own, flirting with her openly during rehearsals .  Thank god chaerin disregarded his advances and seemed to have treated his flirting as some joke. It took Jiyong less than a minute to decide that The drummer was not to be hired for the subsequent legs of his tour. 

 

It was then that Jiyong's dilemma started. He had girlfriend then , Kiko, but why did he suddenly feel such strong emotions for Chaerin? Kiko was in Seoul on the 2nd day of his concert. She saw his performance with Chaerin that night. Kiko was no dummy. She called him out for his open physical reaction to Chaerin. Of course, Jiyong denied it and repeated his usual spiel that Chaerin was almost like a sister to him, it would be uous to have feelings for her and that they were only doing a performance. Of course, he didn't tell her that he was the one who insisted that Chaerin wore a skirt and he was the one who suggested to the choreographer what moves Chaerin should be doing including the slow sensual bend, the embrace and the y dance that was a clear departure from how they performed "Leaders" a few years ago. 

 

Kiko accused him of enjoying that embrace far too much and no " brother and sister" would dare do what Chaerin and him did on that stage. 

 

Denial can only take you so far. A few weeks after that Seoul concert , they broke up .She accused him of being emotionally unfaithful to her. He made no denial of it. Surprisingly, he was relieved she called it quits. 

 

Jiyong's  reverie was cut short by a loud thud of the door and a jolly Seungri blurting out " Hyung, open your tv, it's begun.  " 

 

"What is?" 

 

"The awards show CL is attending with Soo Hyuk. " 

 

"SOO HYUK? What is he doing there ? He's suppposed to be at a film festival not an award show.  I was with him last night when he picked up his tuxedo." 

 

"Didn't you know? CL asked him to be her red carpet plus one since 2ne1 girls cannot be there" 

 

GD the tv quickly just in time to see the hosts talking about CL and  Soohyuk. One of the MC's gushed about CL and Soohyuk and said they looked so good together , like a Fashionista Couple. The two others agreed with him happily and said they were the Charisma Couple. 

 

"Ha, ha. That's a hoot our CL is now being paired with Soo Hyuk! Waaah. They do look good standing side by side like that. " said the clearly amused Seungri. 

 

"Shut the hell up V! " shouted GD. " " This is not funny.  Did YG approve of this? How can they let her and him show up together like that! That's like inviting a dating scandal! Soohyuk is not even from YG!!" 

 

" Ay, Hyung. How could you say such a thing? Soohyuk is your friend. Shouldn't you be happy that CL is being supported by him. With those sky high heels she definitely needed someone to help her walk .  And besides it's not like they're strangers. People know they have you in common. You're like their matchmaker!! Good job Hyung. " , Seungri said while patting Jiyong's back in approval. 

 

"You don't understand! They can't be seen together! ", Gd said adamantly

 

" Well, looks like you're the only one who thinks so. Look." 

 

GD glanced back to his TV now seeing some sort of an earlier recording of CL and Soohyuk while they were getting of a black van. CL was all smiles while Soo Hyuk gently looked at her and seem to say something which she did not hear. She motioned her head near Soo Hyuk and the model offered his arms which CL grabbed onto as if it was the most natural thing to do.

 

GD couldn't believe what he was seeing. When did this happen? Do they like each other now? GD thought as he watched his friend and CL smilingly answer questions and take compliments from the three MC's onstage . If I had known that guy liked Chaerin I would never have asked him to appear in that blasted MV. 

 

" These 2 definetitely give off a couple vibe! "  Said Seungri

 

" This cannot be happening "  GD thought.  Soo Hyuk you jerk.You can't like Chaerin. She's mine.