Playing: Somebody to Love - Big Bang (2011)

So that was how I ended up hanging out with the coolest people on earth for dinner at 12 midnight.

I marveled at the expensive-looking interior of the Japanese restaurant my brother brought me to. He sat at the end seat at one side of a big table and pulled me to sit beside him, toying with his hair as the waitress handed him a menu. I couldn't help but notice that she was as awestruck about seeing Oppa as I was about the expensive looking place.

Soon, all they arrived. Jiyong-oppa, ever the chic guy, greeted me warmly with a one-armed hug and his signature smile; Daesung, the playful one, smiled widely as he ruffled with my hair, and Seungri, ever the pest, pinched both of my cheeks, which earned him a flick on the forehead from Oppa and a light punch from me. So he started to heckle my brother next.

I thought he said they were ALL coming...

I sat awkwardly between my brother and Seungri, who was eyeing me with a mischievous look. Daesung sat across him, and Jiyong-oppa sat opposite my brother, which leaves...

"Sorry I'm late, it was hard to find a parking slot," Youngbae-oppa smiled as he pulled out his chair and sat down. When he had settled in, he stared directly at me and smiled even wider, his eyes turning into tiny crescents.

I wondered if my feet were still feet or if I was slowly turning into a puddle of goo.

"It's great to have you here, Sihyun-ah." Youngbae-oppa directed his full attention on me. I unconsciously patted my hair and bowed slightly. "Ne. Hi, oppa." I felt my cheeks redden.

"Well. She said she was going to make it up to me, but here I am preparing my Mastercard," Top-oppa frowned as he scanned the menu, and pointed out several things to the waitress. When he was done, he set the menu down, not even bothering to ask the others what they wanted. Of course, they knew exactly what each person liked. They had been together for so long, after all.

"She's your little sister, so of course you ought to pay for her food," Jiyong oppa teased. "It's nice being the younger kid, huh?" He winked at me. I laughed. This was one of the things we both nagged Oppa about, especially since he's also the eldest in the group.

"Huh. I thought leaders were supposed to hold the bank account." Oppa countered.

Jiyong oppa chuckled. "You have your own money."

"It's been too long, though, that you brought us to a meal, Jiyongie-hyung," Seungri-oppa complained loudly. "You're always out these days."

"Ya, maknae," Jiyong started. "First, keep it down. Second, when I come to the apartment to check up on you, you're not there. Last week, Daesungie and Youngbae and I went out without you."

"You were in Japan," Youngbae explained before Seungri could express his indignation at being left out.

"Where was I, during all of this?" Oppa mused.

"Sleeping," Daesungie answered plainly, which elicited a laugh from me. It was classically him, after all.

"Let's thank Sihyun for bringing us together like this," Jiyong remarked, grinning at me. "If you hadn't thought of sushi for Tabi-hyung, he would have just gone home after the premiere and it would have just been another movie day for us." He stuck his tongue out.

"Though the movie wasn't so special, wasn't it?" Seungri commented innocently, and Youngbae oppa nodded teasingly, earning them glares from my brother. I chuckled.

I envied their easy friendship, it was the kind where they could say ugly and stupid things without seriously taking offense. It wasn't easy to find friends like family in this place. It was nice to see my brother less worked up, as evidenced by the way he proceeded to tug at Seungri's neck with the hand he had draped across my seat.

"By the way, this is only one of the few times we can actually meet you again, Sihyun-ah. I mean, outside the office. By any chance, are we even allowed to talk to you right now?" Seungri asked suspiciously, which earned him another pull at the ears.

"At this rate, Little Seunghyun won't be able to last this dinner," Daesung grinned.

"How's our little movie star?" Youngbae oppa asked warmly, looking at me. It was just a look, and I felt stupid as I sat there, but I found myself reddening and twisting my fingers underneath the table.

"I-I'm doing well, I think." I looked down, trying to hide the wide smile and the blush that I was sure was creeping out. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Act natural, I commanded myself, but I wanted to look at anywhere, anyone, but the man sitting across from me.

"She's got a new drama coming up," Oppa revealed, earning whistles and small claps from everyone.

"Nice. You're getting offers left and right. Shall we expect an album soon, too?" Jiyong-oppa wiggled his brows.

"I don't think so, oppa."

"Why not? I'll produce it, and Youngbae will feature," he added, jerking a thumb at Youngbae, and in an instant my stomach churned. They grinned at me like it was all too simple.

"And I'll be in the MV." Seungri offered, giving me a cheesy grin. "I'll be pretty good as the lead actor."

"Why are you the lead?" Daesung interjected. "She'll be fine on her own."

"Just because every debut MV needs a loveline. Besides, it's better that it's me, and not some rookie who might play with her," Seungri explained further, while the others snickered.

"That's absurd. Anyway, I'm not producing that, if you were to lead," Jiyong-oppa shook his head. "Look at Tabi-hyung's face turning blue just thinking about it."

"I'm just saying," Seungri said exasperatedly. "A close oppa is better, and hyung can trust her with me. Right? Right?"

"I'd rather not have you within ten feet of her," Oppa groaned.

"By the way, who are you in the drama with? Any guys?" Daesung teased.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Song Jihyo sunbaenim, Oh Jiho sunbaenim, and Lee Taeran sunbaenim. There's also Park Bogum and EXO's D.O."

"Oooh I heard about those guys. They're pretty famous nowadays, huh? Why are you the only kid around the guys' age?" Daesung frowned, wondering.

Before I could explain my role, Seungri interjected, "Do you need me to perform background checks on these two guys, hyungnim?" he bowed formally towards my brother, who rolled his eyes.

"Yah, I'm not some gangster boss. Why do you need to do background checks??"

"It's not like you haven't asked me before about Hyunnie's co-stars!" Seungri exclaimed, and earned him another ear-pinch.

"Shut it, maknae."

"You researched my co-stars?" I turned to my brother, aghast. "What are you...that is some serious level of stalkership, Oppa."

"Yeah, Oppa, you're so paranoid. Ahh!!" Seungri yelled as Top-oppa pulled harder at his ear.

"Ah, I have no regrets coming out late tonight, if only for this," Daesung gestured at the two Seunghyuns battling over my shoulders. Jiyong-oppa chuckled. "I missed these noisy nights. If a fight breaks out, this will be great media play, ne, Sihyun-ah?"