Daebak. Chinja daebak~

“So… when’s the shoot going to be?” She tried to keep everything in, remain professional about the situation.

“We’re still trying to schedule it, but expect it soon. It’ll be a great opportunity for you to promote yourself more, as well as the group, don’t you think?” Her manager smiled at her, trying to get her to be a little more excited about the photo shoot they just booked for her.

“A-ah, neh unnie,” she smiled, trying to constrain her emotions, “I’ll do great for the group.”

“Choa-yah,” her manager said carefully, “I know you’re tired, and that this is a rest period for you girls, but NBA is a great brand. It’s a worldwide brand with a growing network here in Korea. And you’ll be working with an incredible sunbae in Taeyang-sshi!” As soon as the Bigbang member was mentioned, she noticed the smile creeping up on the face of her artist, finally catching on to the unusual behavior of the eldest member. “Ahhhh… really? Taeyang-sshi?”

Surprised and embarrassed that she got caught, she tried to defend herself. “EH?! What are you talking about unnie? I-I’m just nervous for the shoot, that’s all! I just want to do great!”

“For Taeyang-sshi?” she asked teasingly.

“Aniya! I just want to do great for AOA. So that we can be recognized more,” she said as confidently as possible, not even noticing the shake in her voice.

“Ahhh, araso araso. For the group,” the manager said unconvincingly, “but you know, I would prefer TOP-sshi if I was you. He seems so much more mature. And besides, I heard Taeyang-sshi’s a little cold,” she warned, “He also seemed to change a lot over the years, don’t you think?” Choa listened to her manager, but suddenly felt the urge to defend her sunbae. She was about to say something when she was abruptly cut off. “Just remember, Choa-yah, it doesn’t matter who it is. You have to be a professional. Make a good impression for AOA, arachi?”

All she could do was nod. Her manager did often know best.

By the time she’d left the FNC building, the sun had already set, and she was zooming past the streets of Seoul, leaving only the blur of the bright streetlights to her peripheries. She tried to rest her eyes before getting to the dorm, as she leaned the backseat. Just about as she was falling asleep, something on the radio just pulled her attention.

“Inna-sshi, did you hear? There are rumors of a Bigbang comeback in next month,” said the guest male DJ, Super Junior’s Kangin.

“Chinja!? B-to-the-I-to-the-BANG BANG! I’m a big fan, and they haven’t comeback in 3 years! Yeorobun, wouldn’t that be great if they came back?” asked the excited female DJ, Yoo Inna.

“Inna-sshi, why do you sound surprised? Aren’t you from the same agency?” he asked while laughing.

“Ah, maja maja,” she said while regaining some sense of composure, “but truthfully, I don’t meet the artists as much. I’m also not as close to them as I would like, but we talk when we see each other!”

“Ah chinja? I was going to ask you if you were close with any of the BIgbang members so we could call them and ask,” he said jokingly, “Didn’t you call Taeyang-sshi before?”

“Neh! I did it for the show. But it really took a lot of courage to call him then. He’s such a big sunbae in our company, and to be honest, he still kind of intimidates me a little when I see him. He just—“

“Maybe you just like him, eh?” Kangin said teasingly.

“Aniya! Aniya,” she denied embarrassingly, “it’s just that Youngbae-oppa has this strong aura, just like all the other Bigbang members.” Choa was involuntarily listening to every word, not missing a thing. “Also, IU-sshi would be mad if I did, wouldn’t she,” she snickered over the radio, “Jieun-ah, mianhe!”

“There sure are a lot of stories about Taeyang-sshi that we don’t know about,” he said mischievously, “Youngbae-yah, come to the show if you want to clear your name!” he said in jest before moving on to the next song.

“Unnie!”

“Annyeong Seolhyun-yah! Have you guys eaten yet,” she asked while putting her bag down in her room, finding no one in the dorm, “where is everyone?”

“They said they went to eat out cause you weren’t home. I came home late today so I couldn’t follow them,” she said, making sure to exaggerate her sadness, “would you PLEEEEEAAASEE cook for us?” She smiled sweetly and hugged tightly at the eldest’s arm; obviously trying to sweet-talk her into her delicious beef stew. Feeling extra light today, she nodded joyfully and walked to the kitchen to prepare something simple to the delight of her dongsaeng. As she was preparing and putting the ingredients in the pot, Seolhyun suddenly stood up and shouted, “Yah! Choa-unnie said yes! You can come out now!” Immediately after, five other girls piled out of their tiny storage room, breathing heavily as if they were suffocating.

“Yah! How long did we have to stay in there! I almost suffocated between the pigs,” the tough leader said, point to the taller members.

“Unnie-yah! Who’re you calling a pig?! You were bunched up with Hyejeong-unnie  the entire time,” retorted the maknae.

Hyejeong just scoffed, “I was perfectly fine. It’s probably because Jimin-unnie couldn’t reach the air from up here,” she said, perfectly teasing her tiny leader. The bickering between the three continued while Choa just stood there, initially stunned that she was tricked into cooking dinner for the third time in a row, then amused at playful joking between the leader, Chanmi, and Hyejeong. It wasn’t until she felt a hug to her waist that her attention was brought back to what she was doing.

“Unnie,” Mina said with aegyo, hoping that her unnie wasn’t mad, “what are you cooking?”

She sighed and internally just gave up, “What else? Beef stew, of course!” The delight in the face of her members was enough to forgive them for their little trick. She instructed the rest of the members to help her in preparing more ingredients fit for seven, and dinner was done in a flash.

“Kamsahamnida unnie! Jal meokkesseumnida!” She smiled at her members as they started to dig in the delicious meal she prepared. The hunger was obvious between the girls as they quickly and quietly went through their meal, with only slurping sounds and the occasional satisfactory ‘ohhs’ and ‘ahhs’ were made.

“Oh, unnie! I almost forgot to ask. Why did they ask for you to go to the building today,” questioned Mina. She thought about whether she could say it openly, knowing that it would ignite some jealousy. She eventually decided to tell them, as they would find out anyways.

“Ah. Manager-unnie told me that I was being chosen as a model for NBA Korea.” As expected, complaints rained left and right, specifically from Yuna and Hyejeong, as they, along with Choa, liked NBA-styled apparel the most. She decided to playfully rub it in a little more, “I heard they thought I was perfect for it. Maybe it’s because I’m not too tall, too intimidating,” eyeing the normally confident height-gifted members, “I think it’s because I’m cute too.” She ended with a wink that made her sisters cringe and gag in jest.

“Ahhhh! Geumanhae unnie-yah,” shushed the leader, not being able to take anymore, “but seriously unnie, this is daebak. We get free clothes! And since you’re about my size, I can steal from you!” Jimin maniacally laughed. Aish, this gangster, she immediately thought in her head.

“Wait a minute,” Mina said after a while, “I saw this news already somewhere!” She immediately got up and ran to their room, emerging a couple of seconds later, busy on her smart phone. Her face jolted, a sudden blush came across her cheeks, “Omo… unnie-yah, you said NBA Korea, right?” She nodded her head knowingly, understanding why Mina was acting this way. Ah, I knew you’d be the one to figure that out, she though.

“Wae? Wae?” The rest of the members hurriedly stood beside the frozen Mina to take a look at what was on her phone. They all resembled her astonished face after reading it one by one, until the leader once again broke the silence.

“Daebak. Chinja daebak~”

“Unnie-yah! Did they tell you about this!?” Seolhyun, the last one holding the smartphone, whipped it around to show Choa the article they were reading.

“Neh.”

“Waaaah! So it’s true then? You’re having a photo shoot with a Bigbang member! KYAAAAAAA~,” squealed Yuna.

“Not just any Bigbang member! It’s Taeyang-sunbaenim! WAAHHHH! I heard he’s such a gentleman,” gushed Seolhyun.

“I also heard that he’s such a sweet guy! Stylist-unnie said he once stayed with a fan that fainted near their building until his manager came and they took her to a hospital,” Hyejeong recalled.

“He’s also amazing at everything! He can dance, sing. I heard that he’s also a good rapper, right unnie,” Chanmi asked the leader, "he's really a legend!"

“Eh. Personally, I really like Jay Park-sunbaenim better, but I hear he’s a really good sunbae. He treats and takes care of the trainees and hoobaes in YG.”

“Eh? How did you know that,” questioned Choa, flustering the leader.

“Oh? I mean- I just heard! Isn’t everyone just telling stories about Taeyang-sunbaenim here? Doesn’t he look like a great sunbae,” she replied, urgently looking for a way to change the topic, “isn’t he Mina-yah?” They curiously turned to the surprisingly quiet Mina. “Oh? What’s wrong? Don’t you just loooooooove ‘Taeyang-oppa’?” The teasing of the leader finally brought her out of her silent state.

“Waaahhhhaaa! Wae!? Wae Choa-unnie?” They laughed at the exaggerated disbelief of Mina. They, of course, knew that she had the biggest crush on the Bigbang member, often affectionately calling him oppa when they’ve barely said a whisper to each other. “Waaaah! Chinja! Why couldn’t it have been me? I’m small like unnie,” standing up to “showcase” her height, “I’m cute! I’m adorable! I have SWAG!” She did her best impression of hip-hop moves, but they cracked up at her attempts, which ended up being cute, despite her best efforts. “Aish! This could have been my one chance with Youngbae-oppa…”

“Wasn’t there recently news that he has a girlfriend? Min Hyorin-sshi? The actress,” questioned Seolhyun.

“Aniya! I don’t believe that. I think they’re just saying. I still believe he’s mine!”

After they had their fill of laughing at the sulking Mina, the leader ushered them all the bed, reminding them of early practice tomorrow, “And Mina-yah, don’t worry. Who knows? Choa-unnie might end up being close with Taeyang-sunbae, and she can introduce you.” She added in a wink for effect.

After hearing the leader’s proposition, she immediately perked up, tur