Minji decided that meeting Kikwang was the best choice. Kikwang was yet another caring oppa of hers and that make her comfortable with Kikwang. Dancing together was not something new, in fact, they had met up from time to time to have a friendly dance battle together or share their latest choreograph with each other and teach each other. Ever since the collaboration, they had met up a few times and dance together. But it had been sometime since they had met up and dance together. Getting Kikwang over to her dorm and dance is fun and relaxing. She knew that with Kikwang over, she would be able to have an enjoyable time and that she knew she could let the current issue that is occupying her mind to be free.

Meeting Taemin was not a decision that she would choose at the present moment because she neither understand his feelings and his thoughts nor understand her feelings for him. She felt mixed emotions and the most questioning emotion that she does not understand was why did she feel a pinch of happiness? Was it that she love him or was it because she’s just another typical fangirl at heart? She does not know and she wasn’t really yet to solve the complicated situation.

Minji then smiled at her choice and messaged Kikwang:
Oppa, let’s hang out. Come to my dorm, it’s so empty here, my unnies won’t be here tonight, they went back home. Come and let’s dance till sun rises again if you have no schedules tomorrow.

Seconds after Minji hit the send button, her phone vibrate and it was a text from Kikwang:
Alright, I don’t have any schedule tomorrow and I will be their in fifteen.

Minji smiled and replied Kikwang:
Arraso, I will be waiting.

Minutes later, her phone’s ringtone sounded. Not looking at the caller ID, Minji answered the call, assuming it’s Kikwang, she rambled on enthusiastically, “Oppa, come over quickly. I am waiting for you so we can groove to the music together. Being alone in the dorm is so lonely. Oppa, after you come over, I have to ask you about something that I need help on.”

Minji finally paused and let silence filled in for a bit, hoping for a response from Kikwang. She waited a bit more as she figured out that Kikwang might be driving and he wasn’t convenient to response to her at that moment. But the silence grew longer, feeling odd, Minji pulled the phone away from her right ear and looked at who actually called her. Her eyes widened in shock and gasped in realising that the one who called her wasn’t Kikwang but Taemin.

Taemin had been hoping for a reply from Minji as it had been quite a good twenty minutes since he had sent the message. Also, for the past twenty minutes, Minji was online throughout, using the online messaging application. As minutes went past, Taemin was getting more and more impatient as there weren’t any reply from Minji. While waiting for Minji’s reply, he was holding onto a towel, drying his wet hair. After twenty minutes of waiting and no reply from Minji though she was still awake, made him impatient, even his wet hair had been dried. He decided to try to call Minj. When Minji picked up the call, he found it odd that Minji was being so friendly to him. He was quite sure that was her voice and he figured out that the context wasn’t actually meant for him, but he was curious to which male that is older than her is meeting up with her. While Taemin was still pondering on how he should reply to Minji, he accidentally coughed, breaking the silence in the line. Since the silence is broken, he continued, “Minji, I will be coming over to your dorm in minutes.”

Before Minji could even response to the message spoke with Taemin voice, Taemin hung up the call. Minji eyes widened in shock once more with fell agape after hearing his voice, hearing the words he said. Minji’s brain repeated what he had said, making Minji stoned in realising that he would be coming to her dorm in minutes. She blinked and brought herself back to reality by face palming herself as she exclaimed,

‘!’ She had screwed up the fun that she was anticipating for with Kikwang. Meeting Taemin was the last thing she wanted to do so far. She hadn’t sort out her thoughts on how to face Taemin. She was still confused with her feelings. She wasn’t prepare to face Taemin, she wasn’t really. What if Taemin do or say something that might blown her heart and messed up her feelings again? Moments ago, she was so excited to hang out and chill out with Kikwang that she almost forgot about Taemin. One careless move, made her remembered Taemin and brought her emotional turmoil back instantly.

Minji immediately dialled Kikwang’s number when she realised stoning there is not going to do anything. Upon picking up, Minji exclaimed anxiously, “Oppa!”

Kikwang was surprised with Minji’s urgent tone and quickly replied, “Minji, what happen?”

Minji knew that Kikwang oppa was trustworthy, so she anxiously him and was speaking in a very fast pace, “Earlier on, I was with SHINee’s Taemin. He stole away my first kiss. I ran away from him with mixed emotions: upset with a little bit of happiness. That made me confused and cry for the whole night. Just now, I received a phone call. I assumed that it was you and gave away the information that you would be coming over. He thought that I am asking him over. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to meet him. I am not ready to face him yet. Help me oppa.”

As Minji told Kikwang the details at a fast pace, Kikwang was in his car, listening to Minji’s story understandingly as he sped up his car by a bit, hoping to reach her dorm before Taemin does. When Minji ended the story of what had happened that caused Minji’s anxiety, he spoke slowly, hopefully to calm Minji down, “Minji, take in deep breaths to calm yourself down.”

Kikwang continued on when he heard Minji’s deep breathing through the line, “Good. Now, I ask you, if you are not ready to meet him now, when are you ready? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Next year? Or would you continue to escape from him?”

“I... I don’t think I would ever be ready,” Minji stuttered as she answered Kikwang truthfully.

“Wouldn’t facing him now and get over it be better for you? Or would wasting your tears on him because you are not ready to face him worth it?” Kikwang asked Minji once more with a convincing tone.

“Facing him is better but I’m not ready to face him yet...” Minji trailed off.

“Then, tell yourself that you are ready to face him. I know it’s going be difficult but by doing so you can gain courage. I am reaching soon so I will hang up the call. By the time, I reached your dorm, you must tell me that you are ready to face him, okay?” Kikwang said.

“O-Okay...” Minji said rather reluctantly for that she find his method quite weird and she don’t even think that it would even work.but whatever Kikwang said was right and her reply ended the call.

Minji stood on the floor from the comfortable bed she was on. She walked towards the light switch and she switch on the lights. The initially pitch dark room instantly was lighted up. The sudden brightness made Minji shut her eyes as the brightness was too strong for her eyes that were comfortable to the darkness. It took Minji few seconds to adapt to the brightness. Minji then walked towards her mirror and stood few steps in front of it. Minji clenched her fists, garnering courage from her inner self. She tried to look into the eyes of hers intently in the mirror and tried to speak softly to herself, “Gong Minji, I am...” However she trailed off, she was unable to bring herself to say what she wanted. She took a step forward and tried again this time with a louder voice, “Gong Minji, I am ready to...” To her it was a difficult task to do, when it was a simple task. Never had she thought that talking to herself was so difficult. It was so frustrating to her that she let out a scream while the warm liquid from her eyes welled her vision of herself in the mirror. She wiped away the tears with her hands and tightened her fists into clenches. She begun again once more, this time she did it by shouting at herself, “Gong Minji! I am ready to face Taemin! I am not afraid of him! I am not afraid of myself! I will be brave to face him! I will settle it once and for all! I will not escape from Taemin! I will not escape from myself! I will no longer waste my precious tears!”

Minji let out a smile in satisfaction. She was surprised with her outburst but everything she said made her convinced that she can face Taemin and that this Kikwang’s method sure does works wonders.

Just then, the door bell rang. The door bell gasped as the nervousness of meeting Taemin had reappeared in her heart. But she was excited that it might be Kikwang so she quickly ran towards the door, after switching on the living room lights, and looked through the peek-hole.

She smiled upon seeing Kikwang through the peek-hole. Afterwards, she turned the door knob and she opened the door and her smile instantly turned into a stunned expression. When she opened the door, Taemin was right in front of the door waving at her. She turned her head to the side of the door and found Kikwang by the side with a reassuring smile that she can do it.

Upon entering the dorm, Kikwang asked, “Minji, I am hungry. Do you want me to cook you ramen? Can I cook ramen?” Kikwang deliberately gave Minji and Taemin chance to talk to each other but he will be there for Minji so using that excuse, he can be on standby if anything happens. Minji looked into Kikwang eyes, begging him to help her but another flash of reassuring smile was shown. That gave Minji no choice but to allow him to cook ramen for the three of them, leaving Minji and Taemin behind to talk.

After Kikwang left the living room, silence invaded the air. The silence was so still and so disturbing as both wanted the other to begin first. Taemin wanted to know what’s on Minji mind while Minji was still confused with her emotions. Taemin was looking at Minji while she was staring at the floor as if it is the most interesting in the whole universe and slowly turned her back facing him. After minutes of silence and constant coughs from Taemin, Taemin decided to start first and began with, “Minji, I’m sorry.”

Soon after quietness crept in again while Taemin patiently waited for Minji’s reaction. Neither did Minji speak nor did she make any reaction.

“Minji, I am really sorry. I am sorry for stealing your kiss. It’s my fault that I cannot control myself. It’s my fault to be not giving you time to respond to my action. It’s my fault to think that kissing the one I love will love me back,” Taemin confessed.

Minji’s eyes widened upon hearing it, her lips had curved into smiles with a tint of blushes on the sides of her cheeks. Never had she thought that in her life did she expect that confession from the idol she had quite adored. At that moment, she was glad that she was facing the wall, so he would not be able to see her reaction.

Just then the doorbell rang, Minji was surprised. She wasn't expecting anyone else to come by her dorm. She quickly ran towards the door. After looking through the peep-hole, she was petrified. A cold chill went down her spine, her legs were frozen on the spot. Her thoughts were disarrayed. She do not know what she can do, she do not know what she should do.

The person that is behind the door Minji was looking was someone with authority. Someone who she would call him Sajangnim.That person is none other than her company’s CEO, Yang Hyunsuk.

Minji took about half a minute to draw herself back from her trance of thoughts and bring herself into action. She quickly ran towards Taemin and whispered to him, "My sajangnim is here!"

She was about to inform Kikwang about her sajangnim's arrival when she saw her sajangnim in her dorm.

Though Minji was quiet at the door, but her shadow gave it away. Her sajangnim outside the door clearly saw that she was at the door as her shadowed block the light shinning out from her apartment. He expected her to open the door and was waiting for her to open the door. But she didn't. He became impatient and used the spare key to enter.

"Gong Min Ji." Yang Hyunsuk spoke sternly.

Hearing a new voice, Kikwang came out from the kitchen which made Yang Hyunsuk furrowed his eyebrows even more, Minji paler while Taemin and Kikwang were still trying to process the information.

Minutes later, the four of them were settled around the coffee table. With the pot of ramen in the centre of the table and a bowl in front of them, they helped themselves to have ramen. All of them silently ate the ramen as they all tried hard to ignore the awkward tension in the air that conflicts with the aromatic ramen smell.

Minji was seated opposite Hyunsuk sajangnim, while the other two guys were on the couch seating side by side each other. All the while, Hyunsuk was looking at Minji, then the two other guys on the couch. On the other hand, the two guys were glancing at Minji and occasionally looked at each other, wondering what’s the trouble. Minji was all focused on her ramen as she had noticed the glances that were thrown towards her and that was purely awkward.

She was trying to get advice from Kikwang. She screwed it up and then she have to settle the situation with Taemin. Then came her sajangnim who was rather surprised with the visitors around.

Breaking the pin-drop silence, Hyunsuk tried to ask Minji nicely, "Minji, do you know which line of the contract's agreement regarding the dorm's policy you have broken?"

"Yes. The one which was if there are any male visitors, there must at least be two of the 2NE1 members," Minji recited the rule.

"Then if you know that you are the only one left here, why do you invite them over?" Hyunsuk asked sternly.

"We wanted to... h-hangout..." Minji stuttered and the silence invaded again. It would be too troublesome and complicated for Minji to tell the full story on why the two guys are in her dorm. Minji took her glass of water and drank it. That tension is killing her.

Yang Hyunsuk nodded his head. He looked at her and sternly said, “I won’t tolerate if your break the law again.”

Minji nodded.

Hyunsuk then asked, "Did you date Lee Taemin or is he your boyfriend??"

Minji chocked on the water that she was going to drink down . Taemin stopped eating his ramen and looked at both of Minji and Hyunsuk. Kikwang looked at Yang Hyunsuk feeling that he was too random.

"No, not at all," Minji said and that saddened Taemin immediately. His surprised expression was immediately plastered by a frown on his face.

“Then how do you explain this?” Hyunsuk increased his volume a bit, his anger was taking over him. However, Minji was still one of the YG princess so he tried to go softer on her. He placed a stack of photographs on the table in front of Minji.

Minji picked up the photographs and looked through one by one. Every photograph that  she flipped through was like adding a stone on her. It was the photographs from the afternoon. The first photograph was Taemin chasing Minji as she ran by the shore. The second on was the two of them walking together by the shore. The third was Minji stopping by the shore and spread her hands making a ‘T’ shape with Taemin behind her. The fourth one was Taemin hugging Minji from the back with Minji still in her ‘T’ shape form. The fifth one was Taemin kissing Minji on the lips. Then the subsequent photographs were the one that Minji ran away from Taemin.There’s also photographs of Minji crying alone by the shore on the other side of the beach and Taemin crying in seawater.

Minji was so surprised that she was oblivious to the surrounding paparazzi. She then passed the photographs to Taemin and he was shocked.

“It’s because of your carelessness, I paid them a million US dollars. You must thank Youngdeuk. He was there when he saw all that happen and that he noticed that paparazzi else if the news is leak, both companies will suffer losses and will face lots of trouble,” Hyunsuk said.

Minji nodded guiltily why was she so careless.

“Let me ask you again, are you two dating? Or did you guys broke up?” Yang Hyunsuk asked seriously.

Minji looked at Taemin. She finally realised she like him and he did confessed to her. But how should she even reply to her sajangnim’s question? Taemin looked at Minji and reassured her with his eyes, promising her not to do anything stupid.

Taemin replied, “Mr Yang, we didn’t break up because we hadn’t even started on any relationship. We havn’t started dating. That are my replies to your question,” Taemin said.

Yang Hyunsuk was about to speak when Taemin continued on talking facing Yang Hyunsuk, “But, before you entered, I had just confessed my feelings to Minji.”

He diverted his direction to Minji and said, “Minji, you heard what I said and I shall now conclude that Minji I love you. Thank you for running away from me just now so I know that I was acting like a jerk. But if it weren’t for that, I might not know that I really love you as it might be an infatuation. However, it isn’t, my brain was thinking all about you and only you. Though I got the flu for staying in the sea for too long, it’s worth it as I really reflected and confirmed I like you. Gong Minji, will you be my girlfriend?”

Taemin was really bold. Despite the presence of Minji’s sajangnim, he confessed to Minji his feelings.

“Taemin...” Minji was left there surprised again. The choices were actually quite tough, however, Minji immediately nodded her head without any dilemma. She had decided that she should date him.

Taemin’s lips began to curved up into a smile and his teeth were flashing, grinning from ear to ear.

“Hey congrats!” Kikwang congratulated the new couple.

“Lee Taemin, a year from now, you will be invited to take the YG Dating Test if you still wanted to continue to date Minji. Before that, it will be your trail run. During your trail run, you will not be able to meet Minji individually, she would have to be accompanied by a chaperon’s supervision from YG family. If you were to make Minji cry even a drop of tear before the test, you will officially break up with Minji and will not be eligible as a candidate for the YG Dating Test. I will be watching you and congratulations to both of you!” Yang Hyunsuk sajangnim spoke and ended with a chain of laughter.

“Papa YG, why are so bad to my boyfriend?” Minji whined.