It took fourteen months of therapy for Sarang to be able to stand on her own. No harness, no walker, no bars; just her own two feet. Seungri was with her when it happened and he made the hugest deal out of it. She waved off the accomplishment, pointed out that she was just standing, not walking. It made little difference to him. He sent photos and a video to Jiyong with an excessive amount of exclamation points. Jiyong forwarded the images to Sarang’s mother. She called, tearful as she thanked him.

That night, Seungri organized a three-person party to celebrate her achievement. There was enough food to feed twenty people, and a cake with a pair of ballet shoes on top. When Sarang said it wasn’t funny, Seungri kissed her cheek and told her to think of it as a goal to aspire to.

Music played through the speakers while they sat together in the living room talking. Every so often, Seungri would stand and coax her do the same-- just because. A slow song came on during one of these random stand-ups as Seungri’s phone went off. Fumbling with his device, he let her go. “Hyung. Take over? I need to take this.”

Jiyong had just grabbed her hand when Seungri ran out of the room. Jiyong felt her wobble and reached to hold her securely against his chest. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she answered in a small voice. Jiyong adjusted his stance and wrapped her arm around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist. She couldn’t move her feet, but she swayed along with him. It took a few more seconds for it to occur to Sarang that she was dancing. Dancing.  When the song ended, she looked at Jiyong pleadingly, “One more?”

“Sure, sure,” Jiyong said in a rushed manner. He held her hand with one of his and used the other to tap at the iPad until an old Otis Redding tune played. Taking her back into his arms, they swayed together, lost in the music. His cheek was pressed to her hair, her fingers absently toyed with the collar of his shirt. As the song ended, Jiyong pulled away and their eyes met. And held. They had a moment. A handful of seconds where they saw only each other and the rest of the world faded out.

“People ask such stupid questions,” Seungri stated as he walked back into the room, snapping them both back to reality. Sarang dropped her arms, tried to step back from Jiyong and nearly collapsed. Both men reached for her, she purposely turned her body towards Seungri. “Alright then, beautiful. That’s enough for one night.”

Sarang chuckled breathily and nodded. “Yeah, I think so. My leg hurts.”

“Want to go down to the hot tub?” Seungri offered with a worried expression.

“Yes,” she answered sincerely as if he had never had such a good idea before.

Seungri nodded and backed up. “I’ll get your chair. Hyung, hold on to her, okay? But not too tight,” he jokes lamely.

“Yah, just go,” Jiyong replied impatiently.

They could hear Seungri laughing as he walked away. They stood together, holding one another in a way that was suddenly too intimate. They looked anywhere but at each other and didn’t speak a word while they waited.

“I grabbed your swimsuit. Do you want to change up here or down there?”

“Down there,” Sarang replied in a rush. She let out a relieved breath when she sat in the wheelchair and immediately pushed herself towards the door.

“She must really be hurting,” Seungri mumbled, brow creased with concern. He turned to his friend and punch him lightly on the arm. “We’ll be in the gym if you need us, hyung.” Jiyong nodded absently as he walked away. He watched Seungri open the door for her, and her zip off as soon as she was clear. “Hey! Wait up!”

Sarang didn’t slow down. She wanted, no, needed to be away from Jiyong and, and . . . whatever the hell that was.

* * * * *

She was more excited than she had been in a long time. Sarang couldn’t seem to sit still for more than a few seconds at a time. Filled with a nervous energy she switched out numerous pairs of earrings, trying to decide which ones would look best with her new dress. She had ordered it online just hours after Seungri called her to say, “Dress pretty on Friday. I’m taking you out. Refusal is not an option!”

    Out as in not to a doctor appointment or to some therapy session, but out among people just for the pleasure of being out. Initially, she had declined. She had been declining his offers to go out for months, always finding some excuse for why she’d rather stay in. The truth was clear to them all though; she didn’t want to be stared at. Her walker and slow pace drew the attention of unwanted eyes. But Seungri wouldn’t take no for an answer and he wasn’t above nagging. Even she had to acknowledge that she had been cooped up too long.

    He was supposed to be picking her up at 7 pm, so she kept one eye on the clock at all times. At 6:15 when her phone rang, Sarang smiled brightly as she answered.

    “Hey Ri-yah!” she breathed excitedly.

    “Sarang-ah . . . I’m sorry,” Seungri replied as soon as she spoke. “I’m stuck in a meeting with some investors. I tried so hard to speed it up, but I can’t skip out on this. I’m sorry, I am so, so sorry but I can’t make it tonight.”

    Intense disappointment hit her like a blow to the stomach. Sarang sank slowly onto the edge of the bed. “I understand,” she replied with deceptive brightness in her voice.

    “Please, believe me, this wasn’t the plan. You know I wouldn’t do this lightly. Sajangnim was supposed to come, but his daughter is sick and--”

    “It’s fine, Ri. Really, I understand,” she said soothingly.

    “I’ll make this up to you, I promise. Please, please, please let me make this up to you.”

    “Okay,” Sarang replied.

Neither of them spoke for a while, but then she heard Seungri sigh. “I’m going to power my phone down, okay? I need to concentrate.”

    “Okay.”

    “I’ll call you in the morning.”

    “Okay.”

    “Can we have lunch?”

    “Okay.”

    “Were you all dressed up?”

    “Yes.”

    “I bet you look pretty. Send me a pic?” he asked flirtatiously.

    Sarang chuckled. The boy was incorrigible. “Maybe,” she teased.

    He didn’t respond for another few seconds. “Are you mad at me?”

    “No,” she replied honestly. “I am disappointed, but I know it’s not your fault.”

    “Arraseo.” In the background, she heard someone call his name. “I have to go back in. I’ll call you later.”

    “Bye Ri-yah.”

    She looked at the phone for several seconds before setting it down gently beside her.

* * * * * 

Jiyong to Maknae

6:32 pm: Yah. Where are you?

6:37 pm: Do you not see what time it is?

6:41 pm: You better be on your way!

6:46 pm: She’s been getting ready for hours. Where are you?!

6:50 pm: Pick up your phone maknae!

6:52 pm: You can’t do this to her. Do you understand me?

6:52 pm: You can treat other girls like this, but not her.

6:55 pm: If you stand her up, I WILL KILL YOU!

6:57 pm: If you don’t walk in this door in three minutes I will have you kicked out of the group. I’ll spread rumors so vile the fans will demand you get removed.

6:58 pm: No, no rumors. I’ll just tell the truth about you and ‘accidentally