Alone.

She hates that word and even more so when she falls into that situation and here she is, waiting alone. Well, she's used to loneliness, given that most occupants in the house are never home or if they're home, the timing is clashes with hers. Even during her day off, she had something to occupy her mind; the paperwork or at the very least she got music to kills time. But not now, she forgets her to bring iPod and as the icing of the cake, it's almost ten at night. 

She should never agree when that pretty boy she called her brother promised to pick her up today, because his schedule ended at six p.m and he got the rest of the day off until the next two days, he said. So, she asked Joong ki to drives her to work but she should know better. He is busy, all of them are busy. 

This’s what she got for trusting them too much.

His phone is out of reach. 

His manager didn't pick up her call.

And she's didn't have the slights intention to stands up on him when he finally has time to spend with her. So guess what? She declines her colleagues’ suggestion for ride home, believing with all her might that he will come.

The logical part of her brain knows that won’t happen today or any other day in near future.

It's all just too much for her now. She can't even stay mad at him, heck she doesn't even see him anymore. They're more like a stranger.

Sighing, she cleared her mind and willing her brain to come up for solutions. 

She could walk, but her house is at the other side of the town, it will take ages before she arrives home. Not to mention the horror of walking alone at night. She can take care of herself, that's for sure, but what if the worse happened?

Ugh

At that note, she thought, staying here isn’t a good idea either.

She has some acquaintances at ER but hey, they're in ER for a reason, and that reason is to be available at all times, not for driving a Pediatrician home.  

Ji hyo is losing hope within minutes and lay down on a bench, looking straight to the ceiling of the hospital entrance she worked in. Without her realizing it, her brain comes back to the subject of her brothers, wondering how they might feel if this is her last night because she’s murdered? Will they even think of her when she's gone? Okay, that is a little bit too much, her imagination kind of running wild there.

The question after that is, are they worried she’s not home yet? 

Hell, none of them will notice she's not home anyway. 

She had no idea what time it was or how long she falls asleep when she heard a loud, annoying repeated beep.

She groaned and cracked open an eye to see the culprit which turns out to be a white sports car, parked with all its luxurious glory.

Her first thought? 

The driver is drunk. 

It's obvious isn't it?

Why someone drive that attention grabbing car in this hour at this god forsaken nowhere -her workplace is on the outskirt of the city- ? If that person isn't drunk, he probably just as mentally tired as hers who drive without particular destination in mind and happens to see a woman sprawled in front of a hospital. 

For all the reason she doesn't give about, this person probably thought she's a hobo or perhaps this person want to make sure she’s not dead, yet.

Her mind still bleary from abrupt wake up call so she closes her eyes again, every inch of her being is really tired and she’s more than ready to fall asleep when she faintly heard a car door is opened and closed.

She lets out a tired sigh, now she knows she can’t continue her sleep.

Jiyong gets out of his ride and made his way to her, squatting when a meter away from her still lying form. 

"Hi" 

What the hell?

Hold up.

His voice’s familiar though.

But it’s too bad that her brain is walking at snail pace, so she didn’t immediately register who is this guy and blurted out, “if you're looking for adult entertainment, you're in the wrong part of town buddy" 

The person chuckles, "Noona” and said, “It’s me" 

Thankfully, her brain finally manage to work properly, the sweet velvety voice and that white super car -just how many people she knows who own that car, anyway? Right, only one- she shifts her head grudgingly, only to face to face with a friendly smiling face. She couldn't recall exactly when or where or how many times but they've met some time ago.

She yawned and said something along the lines of "Oh, Jiyongie" under her breath. Ji hyo rubs the sleep from her eyes and sitting up. "Sorry 'bout that" she said, much clearer this time while combing her messy hair with her fingers, trying and fail miserably to look decent.  

He chuckles again and wave his hand dismissively and jokingly said, "I get that often" 

She looks skeptically at him; one eyebrow rises, didn’t getting his joke before a thought occur to her, "What are you doing here? At this hour?"

He looked uncomfortable by the way he abruptly stands up with hands on his pocket, he sounds sympathetic, and said “Minho sends me to pick you up" 

Ji hyo honestly should predict this will happen. This isn't the first time she's being stood up by her brothers, they done this to her repeatedly she almost feels nothing. She nods her understanding with a tiny smile; get her bag and stands up, making her way to his car. He followed right behind her.

It’s difficult for him to miss how disappointed and defeated she looked and it breaks his heart seeing her like this, he like the cheerful and confident version of her better. One thing of her that he’s grown accustomed is she’s really good in hiding what she feels but somehow, he always could tell when she’s wearing the mask.

They enter the car and they're on the road within a minute. He is never going to lie to her and he won’t start now, so he said, “You look like a mess” to starts a conversation. Not the best starter line for a chat with a woman but he knows for sure she won’t slap him for his brutally honest mouth. Which is kind of true, she gives him a glance and tiny smile, “I do”

He sighs and looks at her in sympathy, “How long you’ve been waiting?”

“I’m finish at five and it’s now eleven fifteen, you do the math” she covers her face with her hand, mumbling out, “I’m sorry”

“Don’t. I probably do worse” he assured her, petting her head after peeling away her hand from her face. If he were in her shoes, he'll dashed out for anyone or anything without care and make the whole world know that he is beyond pissed. But she only nods, smile and goes on. He had to admit she does have high level of tolerance over waiting. Or she’s just putting too much faith in her brother that she refused to acknowledge the fact that her youngest sibling won’t come to pick her today.

Ji hyo asked and glance at him after a quiet moment, "If you don't mind me asking,"

He nods, "Shoot"

"What's with the G-dragon and his white Lamborghini driving a girl home?" 

The man in question chuckled awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's been a while since this car hit the road. Now we didn't want her to get rusty now do we? And, ugh, winner members can't pick you up because there’s big change on their song, so they need to change the choreography too" 

"Well, maybe it's more than 'you' than 'we'” she grumbled playfully, he smirks at her. “And let me guess, there are no other person available for the task, except you?" she lifts an eyebrow at him, he laugh in response.

"Yes! That's exactly what happened" he replied with a vigorous nods and big smile. 

"If I didn't know better, I might say you try to impress me" she said jokingly with a small smile.

"Confident woman, I like that.” He grinned and she looked surprised for a brief second and Jiyong swore he could see a tinge of pink dusting her rosy cheeks. “Thankfully, you didn't know me better, right?" He winked, giving her a sly grin before his eyes returns to the road.

"Yeah, definitely" she replied with a smile of her own and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. He catches the glimpse of an ink on the side of her wrist and said aloud without much thinking, "nice tats"

She gives a tight smile, her tiny tattoo and looked far away from the road, "We're drunk when we got this"

"We?" he inquired, and feels the sudden desperate urge to slaps himself for sounding like a gossip-deprived high school girl. 

"My brothers" she said simply, shot him a glance and rest her head to the window. He quirked an eyebrow, slightly confused, "Well, I think it's cool" Ji hyo noticed the change in his facial expression and chuckles lightly, "We got different shape"

A picture appears with a clicking sound on his head, "Cards on deck?”

She nods, "Obviously, the boys didn't want a heart so yeah, I got the heart. Minho's a club, Jae's spade and Ki's a diamond" she stated, not much emotion on her face kind of worried him for a reason he didn’t know.

"That's sick. I don't think I have the dedication like you guys" he said, tapping his finger on the steering wheel, following the rhythm only he can hear.

She shrugged, "like I said, we were drunk, as far as I'm concerned, it's worth the trouble though"

"How so?" He curiously inquired, glance at her from the corner of his eye. 

"It's simple really. I'm the heart of our deck, the one who made decision mostly based on how I feel" she replied simply.

He nods, taking in her explanation easily, "How about your brother?"

"Tough. Joong ki and Jae rim were rejected by many companies and no modeling agency wanted to recruits them. I face some things too along the way but I managed. And Minho, I'm not sure what he went through, but I'm pretty sure it’s just as tough as us" she explained and stopped herself, looking at him in embarrassment, “Sorry, I’m rambling”

Jiyong chuckles at her and said he didn’t mind, "I think I like hearing your voice” he said, making she lifted an eyebrow skeptically. And he speak again, “Yeah, Minho did" 

"He told you?" she asked, looking confused and a little bit hurt, which is obvious why. He shook his head and cleared, “Not in person but the words travel fast in YG, so it's more like what I heard than being told directly"

Ji hyo chuckles lightly and , "To put it simply, you were gossiping"

"Bingo" he said quickly, with a nods and a proud smile.

She laughs.

"Don't tell anyone that. It's our little secret" he said with a wink.

Ji hyo playfully smack his shoulder with a smile, “You such a joker and flirt a lot too!”

“And you, my dear such a sweetheart” he said charmingly and genuinely, with a warm smile that can melts any girl’s heart. Hers included.

Outwardly, she just waved him off with yet another chuckles and asked, “So, mind to share what you’ve heard?”

“For you? Anything” he said easily, earning him another playful punch. He chuckles and starts talking, “The directors didn’t approve, so they let him go”

She gasped, “For real?”

Jiyong nods, “About a month or so, they called him and offered him to be a trainee on new group, Winner, as a rapper because they can’t find someone as talented as him”

“He is a good guy” she said, “I just wish he could open up a little more to us” she quietly stated again, more to herself rather than to him.

Ji hyo is silent for almost the rest of their ride. That is enough to indicates that the woman seating next to him is bothered by something and he had a feeling he know what's bothering her. So, again, he blabbered out without thinking, "I didn’t want to intervenes your family matter, but it’s quite apparent to me that you’re disappointed in him”

She didn’t respond and he know he hit the nerve.

 “I’m all ears if you need one” he offered genuinely.  

She rests her head back, seemingly pondering over something before speaking again, “People changes. I can’t blame him if he change too, well, not personality change but his priority change, career come first, maybe”

“He missed you, you know” he replied nonchalantly. Seriously though, this woman somehow can make him just blabbered out without care in the world and make him at ease with himself too, a rare thing for him. Because even though he’s looks really friendly publicly, he’s always has this invincible barriers that he lowered when he trusts someone fully. And from their previous meeting, this by far is the longest talk they have.

“And how do you know that?” she challenged.

“I’ve seen him staring at his screen wallpaper, which turns out to be picture of the four of you and I am a singer too. I know how it feels to have such limited time with the love ones. And had to endured it when you’re on camera isn’t easy”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. Now, can you please stop frowning and pouting likes that? It’s cute and all but I prefer you with a big smile on”

She chuckles and smile at him gratefully, “Thank you”

“You’re very welcome” he smiles back.

Soon, they’re arrived at a house in the middle of a wood, the Songs’ residence. “Thank you again, for the ride” she said, smiling ever so bright at him. He returns it with a nod and a slight quirk in the corner of his lips, “Anytime”

With that she opens the door, but Jiyong’s voice stopped her in the track, he sounds hesitant and unsure, “Hey, um, uh, would you like a coffee some time? I’d like to take you now, but it’s late and your brothers might skin me alive if I did, so, maybe next time?” Mentally he’s thanking the Gods above for the courage to finally ask this woman out, even though he’s blabbered out like an idiot, it’s still a progress, right? 

Ji hyo looked taken aback by the suddenness of the situation, she can’t hold back her smile though, and answered, “I’d like that”

The younger male tried his best to resist the urge to screams out in joy, opted for a wide grin instead, although he hope he didn’t look like a creeper, “Great! Sunday, 9 a.m?”

“Sure” she replied, “See you then” and with that gets out of car. He nods coolly, Ji hyo swore she could hear him yelled out a victorious 'YES’ when she walk to her house.  

She just fished out her key when the door suddenly burst open, revealing a relieved and panicked looking Jae rim, “Where the hell have you been?! I’ve can’t reach yours and Minho’s phone, I went to the hospital but you weren’t there!” he pulls her into big hug, kissing the top of her head, making sure she’s really here and not his imagination, “You scared the hell out of me. Don’t you ever done that ever again, do you hear me young lady?!” he whispered yelled but tighten his embrace on her.

“You do realize I’m older than you, right?” her voice muffled by his chest. Though she sounds calm and indifferent, inwardly she’s touched by his concern and ashamed for all the bad thoughts she had on him and the boys.

“I’m serious!” he broke the hug, his hands on her upper arm, “Where the hell is that maknae?” he asked, noticed the youngest isn’t around. “Who drive you home?” he asked again, eyebrow furrowed. 

Ji hyo sigh and taking his hands of her arms, “He has last minute practices, so he sends someone to pick me up. Please stop saying hell every sentence.”

He did stop use the word but change it into harsher word, “The is wrong with that child?!” To be fair, he done the same thing to her in the past, but to his defense, he never abandoned her until late night like this. This, according to him is too much, he starts muttering curses and babbling about Minho will get a piece of his mind the next time they met.

Ji hyo take a deep breath, massaging her temple to ease a shock of pain, signaling she’ll have migraine soon, “Come on, I’m home now, do I?” she said while tugging his arm to enter the house with her, and speak again when she saw Jae rim is opening his mouth to speak, “I’m dead tired, I want to sleep. See you tomorrow, kay? Sleep well brother” she tiptoes a little and kissed his cheek before making her way to her room.

“Oi! I haven’t done yet!” Jae rim shouted, runs his fingers through his hair, grumbling to himself some more before settling himself comfortably in his room, all the while preparing his speech to their maknae.

- FIN -

AN:

I’m not happy with how this turns out and not really proud too. But well, I just hope this won’t bore you guys and you enjoy reading it. Oh, and notice in all my story, the songs always be a sibling? ;)