Chapter 5

Youngbae POV

June 29, 2015

Youngbae missed Dara, not in romantic kind of way but just the fact that in the past 12 years he considered her as one of his closest friends but ever since that break up of his two best friends he had to choose a side and obviously he chose Jiyong since he's known him longer and the fact that the idiot is his actual best friend.

It's not like he can't talk to Dara or anything but it felt like he was betraying Jiyong if he hung out with her by himself like he used to. Jiyong would start sulking if he had found out that there was some sort of interaction between him and Dara. Well of any of the members really, Dara is especially close with Daesung and Seungri, then lately when she had started acting she had been going to Seunghyun-hyung for advice so that’s about almost of the Bigbang members.

He remembered saying to him once a couple months after the two officially broke up in the late 2013, Jiyong refused to talk to their maknae when he had found Seungri and Dara at the nearest cafe having just a nice decent chat.

 "You made your choice by breaking up with her, we can’t stop talking to her just because you made an idiotic choice. So stop being a bratty prince and deal with it."

"But you don't hang out with her." Jiyong said stubbornly.

Youngbae just sighed and clenched his fist not wanting to knock him out cold, "Because I am your best friend."

Jiyong smiled and nodded, "Thanks man."

"Still don't know if it's more than it's worth."

Jiyong just gasped dramatically, "I introduced you to your girlfriend."

He rolled his eyes, he knew that and Jiyong will never let him forget it. "Apparently I need to be reminded every time."

He just shrugged, his mood back in high spirits. Possibly finally getting the sense that he is being an irrational ex-boyfriend when obviously he has no right to be angry or anything. He seems sensible for now but there he is sure there would be a problem in the near future that would make him forget again and that he has to be reminded... At least peace is established.

His girlfriend did tell him also that, if he wanted to hang out with Dara. He wouldn't be betraying her too since that her best friend is Jiyong's girlfriend. She also reassured him that whatever happens between those two will have no effect with their own relationship, (since Jiyong and Kiko have the habit of breaking up then getting back together.) so he doesn't need to worry about her. She knows how burdening he feels when he hangs out with Chaerin yet when Dara is around he feels so awkward to the point that Dara would just end up leaving.

 What Hyorin doesn't understand is how childish Jiyong can be. He feels like he has to sacrifice his friendship with dara just so the other members wouldn't have to be awkward around Dara. At least Jiyong wouldn't feel like every one chose Dara over him even though he is 95% at fault because of the break up. There are still times when he'd snap at their Maknae for no reason, (though it is obvious the members know why he's turned into the moody dark prince).

He can always read Jiyong like the back of his palm. Jiyong tries his best to be sealed off but one expression that slips from his facade, Youngbae can usually read the intention behind it.

So today, Every six months or so, Yang Hyun-suk gathers most of the trainee's whose contracts are about to expire to see if they are truly an amazing fit in the company, it is only the few times that the trainees can be found at the YGE main building. This is usually pressuring time for the trainee's because this either to continue their dream to be in the company still or have this as their last performance for YGE. Yang Hyun-suk invites as many already contracted artist in YGE to watch and critic as well. There would be a few that would come, Youngbae who is mostly in the studio when he has free time (when Hyorin is with a schedule) decided to join in too. He's attended a few of these in the past 3 years. But what surprised him more is that the prince of YGE, G-dragon is here too, making most of the trainees more anxious and excited since this is the first time Jiyong has attended in one of these since the first time Yang Hyun-suk has made this into a tradition.  And Youngbae knew the real reason why Jiyong would be sitting between him and Minzy when he could just be at home relaxing or at the studio recording on his album that he is currently working on when he feels like it.

"If you have other reasons of being here, you might as well just leave. You're making the trainee's more freaked out than they already are." Youngbae whispered to Jiyong as soon as he had sat down beside him.

Jiyong lowers his head a bit so he can glare at his best friend through the top of his sunglasses. "I have no idea what you are talking about, hyung asked me to be here. There are a couple guys here that he wants me to take a look at."

"Sure..." Youngbae teased as he leaned back to his chair looking away from Jiyong's cold stare. He could still feel Jiyong's gaze on his neck, annoyed. He just smirked.

Minzy who had heard the conversation leans over as well, "It has nothing to do with the fact that Dara-unnie always attends one of these every time to show them support, oppa?"

Jiyong sighs, and turns towards 2NE1's maknae, "Minji-ah, aren't you supposed to be in Jeju island for a photoshoot today?" He sounded exhausted as if this wasn't the first he's heard of the accusation.

She shrugged, "My flight is not till later tonight. They pushed the shoot for tomorrow."

"Well you could still fly there today and have a nice mini vacation." Jiyong said

Minzy rolls her eyes and moves away, "And have you two sit by unnie when you oppas rarely talk to her," she said unenthusiastically when she could feel that both her sunbae's are staring at her curious as what had gotten into her for being too honest, lately since Chaerin and Bom haven’t been in Korea to protect Dara from Jiyong's carelessness Minzy has been on Dara watch as she promised her unnies as if Dara is the maknae and not the second oldest. "Well, doesn't matter." She ignores their stares and puts on her sunglasses as well, "Since she's going to be late or possibly missing today's evaluation, she's stuck in a traffic jam in Gangdam." She crossed her arms across her chest, eyes fixed on the trainees as they had started their vocalization.

Jiyong runs his hands through his hair, giving it a quick brush and shrugged indifferently, "And as I said I am here because hyung asked me to be here." He crosses his legs, resting his arm on it formally.

Youngbae smiled, knew that tone very well. It may sound like he doesn't care but the small expression of disappointment showed on his face that only Youngbae can catch was there. Sure, Hyun-suk hyung asked him to come today but that is only a tiny part of the biggest reason as he's here and that reason is stuck in a traffic jam in Gangdam. "Bull..." Youngbae coughed out teasingly.

Jiyong shoved a water bottle at Yougbae's chest heavily, "You might want to drink something before that cough turns into something serious we still have a concert in a couple days." Jiyong said coldly that one knows means business and not to mess with Jiyong anymore.

But it doesn't effect Youngbae at all especially if it has nothing to do with Bigbang. "I call how i see it." Youngbae takes a big swig from the water deliberately then turns to look over at Jiyong with childish smile.

Jiyong exhales gloomily, then faces forward, "Leave me alone, Youngbae-ah."

And that was the last Youngbae had mentioned it for the whole event. The three were busy watching their future sunbaes and give out criticisms for improvement.

 And as Minzy mentioned a while ago, Dara who had rarely to almost never misses these evaluations was absent the whole time. She arrived at the practice room when only Minzy, Taeyang and Jiyong are left about ten minutes after it ended.  She peeked her head in to glance around the empty practice room, it was also too obvious that she was looking at anywhere but her ex-boyfriend. "Oh my gawd," in her traditional gasp of cuteness. She was talking to Minzy “I missed it didn't I?"

"And what did I tell you oppa, she'll still come here just to hope that the evaluations didn't end yet when every time it always ends at 3pm..." Minzy said to Youngbae rather loudly that Dara would hear. She was grinning teasingly making sure that she was looking directly at her embarrassed unnie.

Dara hid her face between her arm and door, "Aigoo, what am I going to do with you maknae...."

"I don't know...  But you love me and you know it," Minzy said as she stick her tongue out at her unnie.

Youngbae waves at Dara childishly, “Noona, come sit with us. We don’t bite” he patted on the empty chair on his left.

She glanced nervously at Jiyong’s direction who is busy playing a game on his phone. “I’m not so sure. As far as I can recall, Seungri has a nasty scar on his arm.” She said carefully, narrowing her eyes at the culprit. Youngbae had bitten Seungri’s arm so hard that it bled and causing Seungri to get minor stiches.

Youngbae scoffed, “Seungri always deserves what he gets” He said firmly. He had his reasons as to why he did what he did but he refused to say it out loud. “Anyways, I promise I won’t bite you when you sit next to me.” he said playfully.

She was still hesitating on whether she was going to sit next to Youngbae or Minzy. She then sat down next to him and smiled, “Fine just so you know I bite back…”

On the corner of Youngbae’s eye, Jiyong smiled knowingly. Dara was always the type of girl that would always get even if she wanted to. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Youngbae nodded moving away a bit from Dara who had gotten a quick slap on his arm. They shared a laugh then he started, “You got any plans today, Dara-noona? I hear today is the launch of your new drama.”

Dara claps her hands and giggles, “I am excited about that. Finally all my hard work the past few months back. I hope they’d like it.”

Minzy turns towards Dara and Youngbae, “I saw a preview of it. It looks so amazing! Your chemistry with Seung-yoon is so amazing. I was going to think that it was weird to act all romantic like with someone you treat like your little brother.” Minzy was talking in a high pitch voice, enthusiastically.

Youngbae couldn’t help but smirk when he could see the uneasiness in Jiyong when he heard romantic scenes. Even still after the break up Jiyong