The next day, Lia was working hard at the café even though she was really tired. She had slept late the night before, thinking of random things in her mind.

Chung Ho entered the kitchen for his daily inspection and saw how concentrated Lia was looking. “Are you okay?” he asked her with concern. “You look tired.”

She smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, well, I went to sleep around three last night.” She pursed her lips, remembering how she practically had to kick Seung Ri out of her room so she could do her own things. She felt a little bit bad, but she needed to do what she was inspired to do otherwise she would lose focus and it would be a bad thing because her idea was really good. She didn’t want to lose it.

“Why did you sleep at three?” Chung Ho asked her, snapping her back to reality.

“What?” She shrugged. “Oh, I just had a lot of things on my mind,” she replied just as Char Lie walked in on their conversation with a big smile on her face. “Uh oh, that doesn’t look good,” she said, nodding toward her.

Char Lie made a face. “Fine, act that way, Lia. Then I won’t tell you that your incredibly hot boyfriend is here to see you.”

“Which?” she joked and she quickly ran out of the kitchen. She beamed widely when she saw Big Bang sitting down on one of the tables. “I’ll take their orders, Nie,” she said, grabbing and pen and notepad nearby to Char Nie. She walked over to their table. “Hi!”

They smiled at her and told her their orders. Lia jotted their orders down. She then turned to Seung Ri, who hasn’t made up his mind yet on what to eat.

“Can I have you?” he asked her cheekily.

She rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, you wish,” she scoffed, shaking her head. “But seriously, what do you want?”

“The kimchi special,” he finally decided on. “And then I want fruit juice for my drink.”

“Arraso.” She repeated the orders and then walked off to give their orders.

Seung Ri chuckled, watching his girlfriend head to the back. “She’s a cute little thing,” he remarked.

TOP smirked. “I wonder where she got her good looks from,” he said casually.

“From her mom?” Dae Sung guessed slyly and TOP whacked him on the head. “Yah! What was that for? You’re so vain!”

Chung Ho walked over to them. He jerked his thumb behind him. “Lia is extremely cute,” he told them. “It’s a no wonder that almost every guy who works here — except me — has a crush on her.”

Seung Ri was startled. “What?” he gasped. He folded his arms, frowning. “Has any of them ever confess?”

He nodded. “Oh yes, but don’t worry,” he quickly said, “she told them nicely as possible that she already has a boyfriend.”

“Good.”

Dae Sung rolled his eyes. “Lia loves you, maknae,” he reassured him. “Don’t worry; she won’t cheat on you. She hates cheaters, after all.” He paused, realizing his mistake. He then covered his mouth. “Omo, Ji Yong Hyung, I didn’t mean —!”

“It’s okay,” his leader cut off. “I’m fine.” But deep down, he wasn’t fine. He was never going to get over Lia and he was always going to blame himself for their failed relationship. He gave a tight smile to Seung Ri. “At least it shows that she really cares about you, right?” he joked.

Seung Ri nodded.

Char Nie came up to them, giggling. “Eh, oppa, guess what?” she said, tugging on her big brother’s shirt. “Dong Min just confessed to Lia that he likes her!”

“What?” Five heads from the table turned to her in shock.

She looked down. “OH!” She giggled. “Lia is very pretty,” she told them.

“Who’s this Dong Min?” Seung Ri wanted to know.

Chung Ho pointed to a guy over at the cashier and Seung Ri’s stomach lurch. He was very good-looking. He was tall, buff, muscular and when he smiles, all girls swoon. Seung Ri was jealous, all right. He had to admit he can’t be compared to him. Maybe TOP can, but he definitely can’t.

Just then Lia came back with their drinks and Seung Ri stood up. He made sure Dong Min was watching and that Lia had placed all drinks on the table before he grabbed her and pulled her in for a kiss.

Lia pushed him away. “Maknae Oppa, I’m working,” she said, not meeting his eyes. She walked back.

Seung Ri followed her. He grabbed her arm and swung her around. “Can’t I kiss my lovely girlfriend?” he said loudly, for Dong Min to hear. “I miss you.”

She smiled at him, unaware of Dong Min’s crestfallen look. “I miss you too.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “We’ll hang out together after my work.”

“Okay.” He nodded, pecking her sweetly on the cheeks. He turned back, smirking. Hands off, idiot, he thought to Dong Min even though he couldn’t hear. She’s mine.

“Looks like someone is a little jealous,” Dae Sung commented once he sat back down on his seat. He shook his head.

“A little is an understatement,” TOP said, cracking him.

Seung Ri, however, just shrugged. “As long as Lia sees no one else but me, I’m happy,” he replied, sitting back in his chair as he took a sip of his fruit juice.

“And you’re going to chase away any guy who chase after her,” Tae Yang added.

He nodded. “Definitely. She’s mine, and only mine.”

Ji Yong bit his lip. Even though he wasn’t thinking of chasing after Lia and even though he knew that Seung Ri wasn’t even thinking about him when he said that, he couldn’t help but feel as though he can relate to Dong Min. He sighed, turning back to his drink.

Tae Yang was watching him. He knew his best friend was missing Lia, but he didn’t say anything to embarrass him.

One day Ji Yong wasn’t feeling all too well so he was told to go home and rest. When he got home, he found Lia asleep on the couch. All four dogs were standing over her, as if they were keeping her safe. He smiled. Even to the dogs she was precious.

Gaho looked up, barked, and ran to his master. Boss and Charlie curiously went to him and him. King, however, stayed firm next to Lia.

Lia woke up to the sounds of their barking. She yawned, stretching. “Hey, what are you doing home so early?” she asked.

He carried Gaho into his arms. “I wasn’t feeling too well,” he told her.

She rushed up to him and placed her palm on his forehead. She frowned. “You’re feeling quite warm,” she murmured. She pulled him to his room and made him lie on bed. “Do you have headaches?” Without waiting for an answer, she said, “I’ll go get panadol.” She left the room and came back seconds later with a cup of water in her hands and pills. She gave it to him and watched him intently as he swallowed them up. “Go to sleep,” she told him. “Sleep.”

He saw the worried look on her face. “I’m fine,” he reassured her but he was tired and he wanted to sleep.

“Sleep, Ji Yong Oppa,” she said firmly. She hesitated before leaning over to kiss him on the forehead. “Drink lots of water before you sleep though.”

He rolled his eyes. “Aish, always the fierce one.” He smiled. “Thanks, Bubbles,” he said softly before drifting off into deep slumber.

She smiled. “Sweet dreams, Ji Oppa.” She kissed him on the cheeks, turning the lights off on her way out.

Back at YG Family, the moment Seung Ri left to go home, the other three decided to sit down and discuss their results.

“What do we have?” TOP asked.

“I found out that Lia still likes Ji Yong,” Tae Yang spoke up, “but she’s hurt he didn’t try to win her back.”

“How does she feel about the Maknae?” Dae Sung wanted to know.

“She obviously likes him.” He hesitated, wondering if he should continue. That was the reason why they were investigating. “She also said she sometimes wish that she fell in love with him first.”

“Are you serious?” Dae Sung gaped.

He nodded.

Dae Sung’s mouth formed an ‘O’. Then he said, “I found out that Maknae actually likes Lia for Lia, and not because he wants . We don’t have to worry about that.”

“That’s a good thing.” TOP nodded. “Well, Ji Yong told me he’s not going to destroy her relationship with Seung Ri. He said that it wouldn’t be fair to either of them and he wants happiness for Lia.”

They were all relieved. It looks as though Big Bang was still together.

When Ji Yong woke up, Lia was just setting down a bowl of porridge on his bedside table. “Hey,” he said, sitting up.

“How are you feeling?” She asked, pressing her hand to his cheeks. “Still warm, but at least it wasn’t as hot as before. I made porridge for you to eat.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said to her. “It’s fine. I can get by myself.”

She shook her head. “Nonsense,” she said dismissively.

“By the way, why aren’t you at work?” he asked.

She grinned sheepishly. “Ah . . . I wasn’t feeling too good myself,” she confessed.

He burrowed his eyebrows. He shook his head. “Ai, you should rest too. I don’t want you to fall even sicker because of me.”

“It’s no problem, really,” she said. He

Ji Yong reached out and touched her cheek. He felt her body stiffening. “Lia . . .” he said softly. “Can we just be friends?”

Lia was taken aback by his words. She had to admit, she was sort of hoping he would ask her to go back to him. “Oppa . . .” She didn’t know what to say. She had a lot of things to say, but she just didn’t know exactly how to say it.

He felt the same so he just hugged her, missing being this close to her. “I’ve miss you,” he said softly. “But I know that you’re happy with the Maknae. I promise I won’t get in the way. I just don’t want things to be awkward between us.”

She nodded slowly. She hated the awkward atmosphere between them too. “Okay,” she said, smiling at him.

Just then door opened and lights filled in the room. Standing in the door way, was Seung Ri. His mouth dropped opened when he saw the two of them together.