“Oppa, who texted you a while ago?” Chaerin asked when they were in the elevator. She just couldn’t let it go.

“Me? It was Jiyong.” Teddy said truthfully.

“Huh? Why?” Chaerin asked, a bit upset that Jiyong didn’t text her but had the time to text her Teddy oppa.

“Ahh. He just needed help for something.”

“Ohhh. Why didn’t he just ask me for help?” Chaerin mumbled but Teddy still heard it. He chuckled seeing Chaerin like this. It had been a long time since the last time he saw her acting like this. He was amused by the smell of jealousy exuding from her.

“Come on, Chaerin-ah. Are you really getting jealous of me right now? If it makes you feel better, it was about guy stuff. So you wouldn’t really help him much.” Teddy said while pinching her cheeks hard. She pulled her back and hit his arm playfully “Ouch oppa!”

They went and ate a full meal and not just ice cream because Chaerin was too hungry for just ice cream.

Back in the studio

“So, what should we do?” Minzy said, trying to get ideas from the two older ones since they were the ones with experience.

“Don’t you think it’s too early?” Bom said, still unsure if what Jiyong planned would or should happen. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against them being together. But marriage? That’s a totally different thing.”

“Yeah but we know they love each other.” Dara said, completely in favour of helping in Jiyong’s plan.

“Yes, they do. But I’m just concerned for Chaerin. You saw her right? We saw her when she was so cold, depressed, and withdrawn from us. She was different. She was broken. And we all know who caused that.” Bom said, remembering the past four years of Chaerin being mostly her CL self. Still caring for all of them, still the Chaerin they knew but there was just something about her that wasn’t right. She looked so broken and Bom definitely didn’t want a repeat of that.

“Bommie-ah, let’s trust Jiyong on this one. We all know too that he tried. He tried hard to get her back. We all saw that.” Dara said. She remembered the pain he saw in Jiyong’s eyes whenever Chaerin was cold to him or refused to talk to him. She saw it because she was there. She was always there to keep an eye out for Chaerin.

“Dara unnie is right, Bom unnie, we should support oppa on this one because we know that Chaerin loves him very much and we know he wouldn’t hurt her. intentionally” Minzy said.

“I hope you’re both right on this one. I don’t wanna see Rinnie get hurt again.” Bom said, still unsure of what to do.

……

“I won’t be back tomorrow.” Jiyong said on the line as he was sitting on the bed.

“What? Why? I thought you were all going back tomorrow.” Chaerin said. She couldn’t hide her disappointment.

“Yeah. The rest are going back tomorrow but I have a solo schedule and I won’t be back yet.” Jiyong said. He felt bad doing this but he had to.

“Ah really.”

“I’m really sorry Chae. I know I promised we’d do something tomorrow but this came urgent and I couldn’t say no.”

“Yeah.” Chaerin was in the practice room. She had been totally excited to see her boyfriend tomorrow but apparently he had other plans.

“Don’t be like that Chae. Come on, you know how schedules can be.” Jiyong really felt apologetic right now.

“Yeah, I know.”

“So we’re good right?”

“… right… look, I gotta go. I have practice.”

“Chae…”

“See you whenever.”

Teeeet.

……

“So are you ready?” Youngbae asked his friend. They were already on the plane back to Korea.

“Y-yeah. I was born ready.”

“Yeah right. Your sweating isn’t really helping in convincing me that you’re ready.” Youngbae said chuckling.

Jiyong was so nervous and worried. He knows he made Chaerin disappointed yesterday. He felt bad about it but he had to do it.

“It’s gonna go fine bro.” Youngbae said as he squeezed Jiyong’s shoulder.

“Yeah hyung, of course she’ll say yes.” Daesung said, smiling widely.

“A nappeun gizibe will be with a nappeun namja. You two are a great match.” Seungri said giving two thumbs up earning laughs from all around.

“Don’t make it too sweet or too cheesy bro. I don’t want Bom to get jealous that I don’t do stuff like that.” TOP said jokingly. It’s how he expresses his support. He just can’t say it directly but he approves of them. All of them do, actually.

Jiyong smiled at all of them. He was really thankful to have such great brothers.

“Thanks guys. I really appreciate your support. It means a lot to me. Thank you really. You don’t know how much I’m thankful to—“

“Alright alright. We know. You’re thankful so stop now before we grow s here and start crying.” TOP said.

They all just laughed. They know TOP isn’t really a mushy person but he cares about them in his own way.

“Okay guys. We’re almost home.” Their manager said.

Jiyong sat up straight and let out a breath. “Show time.”