Hyomin entered the cafe and chose a seat by the window. Anri wasn't here yet and she felt sorry that they had to meet on a rainy day.  But Hyomin could never resist the charm of rain drops trailing a path on a window pane. She smiled dreamily as she watch the rain an finally pulled out her new notebook. 

It had been two weeks since Jiyong had taken her old notebook for reference. He had promised to return it to her someday and Hyomin had wondered if she should start on a new book. Fate had decided for her when Gina had given this new leather bound notebook to her. Each time Jiyong completed a new song, she had received a call from him to visit the studio and be the first to listen. What she found strange was how insistent he was that Hyomin shared her comments and tell him if he had interpreted her poems well. He had bought the book from her - it was up to Jiyong now to decide how he wanted to use her writings. 

In just two short weeks, Hyomin had already filled the front few pages with some simple poems. She was about to start writing on a fresh page when the bell at the door chimed. She looked up wondering if it was Anri but it was just two guys. The taller one froze momentarily when their eyes met and Hyomin was surprised to see him come her way. As he drew nearer, Hyomin realized that it was Seunghyun with shades on and really wet hair. 

"Annyeong Hyomin-sshi, it's been a while," he smiled politely as he reached her table. Hyomin found it hard to speak when she was trying very hard not to avoid this man's intense gaze - she didn't want to seem like an awestruck fan. She suddenly realized that Seungri was his companion and was now approaching her table with a disinterested look. She could feel blood drain from her face as panic took over.

"You have to leave now!" Hyomin burst out, surprising both Seunghyun and Seungri. Before Seungri could pick a fight, the bell at the entrance chimed again and all three looked up in time to see Anri's smile fall as she recognized her ex-boyfriend. 

Somehow, Anri and Seungri had ended up with their own table at a quiet corner of the cafe while Hyomin was seated with Seunghyun. Seunghyun observed Hyomin throw a glance towards the ex-couple for the nth time and he sighed. Hyomin turned to him as she sipped her ice coffee. 

"Stop staring," Seunghyun said as he set down his cup of double espresso. "He won't bite." Hyomin threw him an apologetic look and looked down at her drink. Seunghyun knew about their back story. now it all made sense why Hyomin had been unimpressed with the five of then from the start. But it wasnt just Seungri who had chosen to let go of love when Big Bang had debuted.

Seunghyun noticed that Hyomin had been taking tiny sips of her drink. "I thought it was weird that you'll order an ice coffee on such a cold day... Too cold to stomach?" He asked. Hyomin shook her head and winced as she took another quick sip. "There's no syrup so it's really bitter."

Seunghyun almost laughed at the absurdity. Hyomin had resisted getting syrup so that she could spy on her friend and Seungri. Seunghyun pushed back his chair and Hyomin asked where he was going. "To get you syrup." She watched him leave the empty white chair behind and disappear down the stairs to the first floor to get syrup for her. He soon returned and she smiled her thanks.

"So you're ghost writing for Jiyong now," Seunghyun said. "Thank you for that. We've been getting really good stuff from him. That guy actually completed three songs in two days because of your writings. Are you a poet?" Hyomin explained how she was majoring in theater and hoped to be a theater actress one day. Her favorite was musicals and wished to join a travelling show one day, so that she could see the world too. 

"Right! Ji told me you were singing SuJu's song when he met you!" Hyomin blushed to hear Seunghyun bring up that embarrassing incident again. "But I remember he said you have a great voice. I'm sure you'll make it big on stage."

Just then, Hyomin received a text from Anri saying she had left with Seungri to continue their chat.

Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'm just happy to catch up with him as friends and I'm glad he's doing so well now.
I guess we need to work harder at our own goals too! (^-^)
- Anri

Hyomin sighed as she put her phone away and explained the situation to Seunghyun. They finished their drink and was about to go their separate ways outside the cafe when Hyomin was startled by screaming fans who had seen through Seunghyun's disguise. 

"Keep your head down!" Seunghyun said to her before dragging her by her wrist away from the gathering crowd. Hyomin's heart was pounding as she ran with Seunghyun. Behind them, she could hear the fans' angry demands to know who she was to be hanging around their "TOP Oppa"! They slipped into a side alley and behind some discarded furniture to hide. The pair emerged only after silence had settled again. 

"Are you alright?" Seunghyun asked the winded Hyomin. She nodded as she tried to stand up. Seunghyun offered her a hand which she gladly accepted. "You see why it's dangerous for us to date? When we decided on our debut, we were already prepared that this will be what we face IF we became successful. Do you think Anri would have liked running away on every date Seungri brought her to?" Seunghyun looked at Hyomin with sorrowful eyes and she realized that he had also left someone behind. "We couldn't back out because we owed it to each other. We had to debut together or none at all. We chose what we thought at that time was the best decision to protect the girl we believed we love... But hey! We were so young then. What did we know about love?" 

Hyomin understood what Seunghyun was trying to do. For wanting to support his maknae, Hyomin had developed a new respect for the oldest member of the group. She watched as he dusted off his own jacket and pulled on a dark beanie. For the first time, she realized that she might have judged Seungri too badly - and in turn, all the other members too. Just becasue they were idols. Untouchable idols. But that also meant they will never have someone to love beside them.

"We need to go before the fans turn back and try to look for us," Seunghyun said. Hyomin nodded silently and neatened her hair. Seunghyun was watching her intently, although his shades did a good job of shielding his eyes. "You're the same age as Seungri, aren't you? Shouldn't you call the rest of us Oppa then?"

Hyomin looked at him with wide eyes. "Oppa? But I don't even know you all that well. Isn't it better to stick to honorifics? Technically, you can say that Jiyong-sshi and I are co-workers..." Hyomin said awkwardly. Seunghyun smiled teasingly, "but we sing your lyrics all the time that I feel like I know you already! Doesn't help that I have to study your lyrics first before I write my rap that will fit into your song."

Hyomin could feel a blush creeping up and cleared . "Stop saying it's my song. Jiyong write them and he paid me for my writings. I was sad to let that book go since I had it for so many years... But I've started on a new one so it's fine. He promised he'll return it one day anyway."

They had reached the cafe again and Seunghyun pointed to his car. "You need a lift? I can drop you anywhere you want. I'm free this afternoon." Hyomin was about to reject his offer when her phone beeped with a text message.

Annyeong Hyomin-sshi! I need some help with a demo that needs to be completed by today.
Could you come to YG please? A samgyeopsal dinner will be your reward... Pretty please?
- GD

"Oh! You saved his number as GD?" Seunghyun's voice made Hyomin jump. "Why are you looking at my phone?!" Hyomin protested as she tried to shield her phone but Seunghyun took it away easily. He pressed a few numbers and returned it to her. "You're going to YG right? I'll drop you."

Hyomin looked at her phone and it buzzed to life with a phone call. The caller ID read Seunghyun Oppa. She looked up to see a grin spreading across his face as he held the car door open for her. "Call me Oppa from now on, arasso?" Hyomin sighed and got into the car obediently.

An hour ago...

"Bom noona, you are singing it too dramatically... I need you to tone it down..." Jiyong repeated for the tenth time that afternoon. He was really frustrated that the recording session wasn't going so well, and he had promised sajangnim that he'll have the demo ready today. Thanks to Hyomin, Haru Haru had been the turning point and he had been able to complete almost half the album. But he still needed more songs and he couldn't waste more time recording this particular song.

"Noona, We Belong Together is almost like teenage love when we felt that it was all we need... If you sing too strongly, it loses that sweet naive feeling, especially at the bridge!" Jiyong tried to explain to the 2NE1 singer when she emerged from the recording booth. Bom looked tired too and wasn't pleased with having to repeat the bridge so many times - each time to the same negative comments.

"Jiyong ah, I need to go off for a while but I think we both need a rest. We record again in the evening?" Bom said, tryinig not to lose her temper. Jiyong nodded silently and gave a limp wave when she said bye. Jiyong flipped through Hyomin's notebook - this was almost turning into a pastime for him. He'll read it page to page whenever he was free, bored or lacking in inspiration.

He jumped up suddenly, causing the chair to overturn. He pressed '1' on his phone and the line connected. He had Hyomin on speed-dial and SHE of all people might be the best person to sing it.