Yoo Inna knew this would happen eventually – that there would be something going on between her dearest best friend and Kwon Jiyong. She just did not expect it to happen this soon. And she is scared for her. Sure, she already warned her about his repertoire as one of YG playboys but she could not bring herself to tell Jieun the real reason why their relationship makes her fear for the dongsaeng.

The truth is it reminds her too much about her past relationship with Hyunwoo. That relationship was glorious – they fell in love on-set for a romance drama playing as lovers who love each other regardless of time and distance. In that drama, the couple stayed together until the very end despite the hardships faced. Sadly, life does not work out that way. Their relationship did not last against the test of time and distance. Distance took a toll on their relationship. Lack of communication while he was in the army took a toll on their relationship. And now that the scenario is possibly going to happen in her best friend’s love life – with the guy going to be enlisted in the army next year – she just does not want to see Jieun get hurt. “So are you guys together now?” she asks the younger one with concern in her eyes.

“We’re still just seeing each other, unnie,” answers Jieun. “Are you disappointed in me, unnie? I know you told me that he cheated on his ex and I agree but that’s the past… and I really like him, unnie. I want to see how this goes,” she adds truthfully.

“Jieun ah, I’m not disappointed. I’m glad that you found someone, even if it’s someone like him. I just want you to always be careful. I never ever want to see you get hurt.” She gives the dongsaeng a smile, assuring her that what she had said is genuine from the heart. And it’s true, the guy did put in the extra effort to call or text Jieun without any fails despite the lack of reciprocation – he deserves a brownie point on that alone because she definitely did not expect Jiyong to do that based on what she knows of him.

Upon hearing those words, Jieun feels touched. This is why she is glad she has Inna in her life. Inna is just someone she just somehow instantly clicked despite the age difference. She hugs the unnie tight, showing her appreciation and love for the person and the advice. “Don’t worry, unnie. I will!”

“Oh and tell Jiyong that if he does hurt you, he better be prepared to be a dead meat,” Inna jokingly threatens while responding to the sisterly hug.

“Oh, that I will definitely tell!” And with that, a devilish grin emerges from her face.

*

These days, Jiyong feels very at ease with life in general. Sure, he is still stressed from preparing for his upcoming comeback but he feels that the stress is not something that he could not control. He is just happy and it’s all because of her. That Jieun ah. Who knew he’s got this girl? He himself also did not expect this recent turn of events. Who would have thought that he would be with someone like her? He thought that he would end up with someone fierce, y and confident – not that Jieun does not tick all of those boxes: she does in her own way. And who knew someone like her would be interested in someone like him? He thought she would end up with someone like Youngbae, those good kinds of guys.

Even his friends, other than Seungri of course, are shocked with this revelation. Youngbae particularly had a weird reaction.

“Wait, you’re seeing IU-shi?” Youngbae laughed. Jiyong couldn’t be serious. “Haha, nice joke Jiyong!” He nearly laughed his eyes out as he playfully hit the “joker’s” arm repeatedly. It’s Jiyong he’s talking about – he wouldn’t date those shy good girls. He couldn’t stop laughing about it because he just found such statement to be ridiculous… until he realised that the joker himself was not joining in with the laughter. “Oh, you were actually serious?”

“Dead on!” Jiyong’s eyes were steeled, as if he meant business. Until he could feel a painful hit in the arm. “Ow, what was that for?”

“You better not play around with her, Jiyong ah! She’s actually a nice girl. You do not just mess with nice girl’s feelings!”

“But I’m not, Youngbae ah… I’m actually serious about this. I’m actually serious about her. I like her!” He pauses, replaying his last sentence. “Yea, I like her.” He began to smile, realizing his definite feelings for her.

Youngbae observed his friend carefully to check if he was telling the truth. And he was, he really is serious about her. It’s been a while since he saw Jiyong like this… like a love-struck puppy. He thought he wouldn’t be able to see Jiyong like this for the next few years (or ever really) because of how it turned out with that ex. To finally see him like this, Youngbae couldn’t bear to take that smile off and that girl obviously plays a huge role in it. “I’m happy for you, bro.” He assures Jiyong with a smile.

“Thanks, my best idol,” corresponding the smile.

Whatever it is, he is just thankful for her existence in his life. She is just so genuine that he couldn’t help but want to be a better person for her. Heck, he even foregoes any stupid games he used to play on other girls when being with her – he basically puts all the cards on the table for her to see. Because she deserves better than just games. She deserves respect and undivided attention, and that’s what he is trying to give to her.

Grumble. He could feel his stomach grumbling. Normally, he would just continue working even while he was hungry just because he wanted to get the work done as soon as possible. But now that Jieun comes into the picture, he could imagine her nagging about his lack of eating (“Yah oppa, you should eat! Work can wait. What if you get gastric or faint? ...” Bla bla bla – she has actually texted him something along those lines before during previous similar scenarios). That’s why he is going to do the right thing and heads to the cafeteria. After all, it is known to have delicious food so he should therefore take advantage of it.

Upon heading to the cafeteria, he spots someone he should be in good graces with: the best friend. And she herself also spots the superstar: the best friend’s guy. “Hello, Inna noona,” he greets her.

“Hello, Jiyong shi,” she greets him back.

“Are you heading to the cafeteria?”

“Actually, I am. Why?” she asks back. This is something rather unexpected.

“Great. Want to grab lunch with me?” he asks with a friendly smile.

“Oh sure, why not?” She lets him lead the way as she tries to be mentally prepared for the assessment she is going to do on the best friend’s guy. So far, he has been doing alright but it is not yet enough for her to completely trust him when it comes to with Jieun.

*

“So Jieun told me that you already know about us,” he states randomly once they finally settle down to eat.

She looks back at him, trying to read his mind. ‘What is he doing?’ she thought to himself. “Yep.” That’s the answer she settles to use for now.

“She also told me that you would make me become a ‘dead meat’ if I hurt her,” he quoted the ‘dead meat’ part with his fingers.

“Also true,” she grins. “If you do hurt her, I know where your studio is.” She jokingly (but not really) points her chopsticks to him, threatening him as if she means business.

“Don’t worry, I’ll try my best not to do that,” he says sincerely, while placing a smile.

“By the way, aren’t you going to propose to her? From what Jieun told me, you guys seem serious with each other. Aren’t you going to make things official?” She asks him the important question. She finally gets to ask that important question. Every time she brings in questions relating to that to Jieun, she just shrugged it off. So now that the opportunity presents itself, she decides to ask it to the other party.

“Actually, I already did,” he replies. “But after discussing about it with Jieun, it’s best not to make things official… yet.”

This is news. She did not expect that. “Really? But why?”

“Well, as you probably know… I will be enlisting in the army next year. So even if I do want us to be official, I don’t think it would be fair for her in the long run. It wouldn’t be fair to lock a girl in a relationship just before the guy is going to the army. Also I won’t be able to see her much in a few months - with my world tour going on and all.” He pauses. “But one thing for sure is even though we’re just seeing each other, I really am serious about her. You can count me on that.”

‘Wow, so this is actually really legit,’ she thought to herself. She never thought that those words would ever come out from this YG playboy. She almost found it hard to believe them until she sees the sincerity in his eyes when discussing that relationship. Jieun really does strike a jackpot with this one. One thing for sure is that by the end of their lunch, she could definitely trust her best friend with this guy.

*

“You…” He calls her affectionately during their ‘chill, at-home’ date that night with that. Even though it is such a weird thing to refer to a girl you like ‘you’ and considers it as something endearing, it somehow works with these two. Her stage name is IU (‘I-you’) after all. “Did you know that I had lunch with Inna noona just now?”

“Yep, unnie told me about it,” she answers as she busily paints his toe nails. Yes, his. ‘Consider it your own palette,’ he once said. So right now, she busily tries to decide which colour to use for his middle toe nail – so far, she has used the colours ‘orange’ and ‘purple’. Maybe she should use ‘blue’.

“I think she likes me enough.” He happily states, liking that he most likely gets the best friend’s approval.

“Oh yes, she does. At this rate, I’m scared that she might ditch me to become your best friend,” she jokingly replies.

“Oh, you know that wouldn’t happen. You’re too precious to be ditched.”

Again, cheesy oppa strikes again. Even though there are times she likes such comments, there are other times where she feels like it’s just too much, including this one. Normally, she would express her disgust for such cheese but because she is occupied with things, she chooses to ignore it. “Uhhuh,” she utters disinterestedly. Maybe she has grown immunity from it.

“Have you told other people about us?” he asks her seriously. “Other than Inna noona?”

Upon hearing the question, she puts the sparkly blue nail polish back to its bottle and starts thinking about whom she has told. “Hmmm, other than her and my family, I haven’t really told anyone yet. I know I should probably tell my staff soon. There’s also Hanna and Jinri to tell.”

Oh right, Jinri. He almost forgot that Jinri and her are close friends. He hasn’t told her about his friendship with that girl. Even though they have long ended the benefits to the friendship with Jinri happily in a relationship with another guy, Jieun deserves to know about it from him… no matter how much it could hurt. “By the way, Jieun ah. I was wondering… if you know anything about me and Jinri?” He hopes that she wouldn’t take it the wrong way.

“Oh, about you guys sleeping around with each other before?” she asks to which he nods nervously. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” Her tone seemingly unfazed by the question.

“Wait, you’re actually okay with it? That I used to sleep with your close friend?” He truly did not expect that reaction from her – he expected the worst he could possibly think of from her.

“Of course, I’m okay about it. It’s in the past after all. Sure, it to know that it happened but yeah as long as it’s all in the past, I’m cool with it,” she answers truthfully. “Though her telling me about it does make me aware of… things.”

“What things?” He could feel his heart beats faster as so many questions race around his head in that moment. This could go badly or the other way – he is hoping for the latter.

“Oppa,” she calls him seductively.

He could feel like his throat becoming constricted. He could really use a glass of water. “Yes?”

“She told me that the was amazing,” she carelessly whispers to his left ear. “I’ll look forward to it soon,” she adds before planting a peck on his left cheek.

Before she could even get off from the sofa they sat on to go to the kitchen, he pulls her back in and kisses her with so much passion. He could not help but not slow down the kiss. Consider him seduced by her. She too, feeling the passion, is equally catching up to his speed. This is the furthest they have gone as of now… and they are both equally enjoying it.

***

A/N: Okay, I am so so sorry for the lack of updates lately… expect this kind of sporadic updates right now though. I’ve been very busy with life right now – dealing with applications concerning with my future as a whole and all that. However, I will try my best to update this story when I can J

Anyways, just for clarification of this story (in case I don’t explain it properly – this is what happens when you feel like writing up the chapter when you are delusional af from lack of sleep), the couple has not done it yet (sorry if I seemingly wrote it as if I hinted at it). But yeah, at some point, they will have done it in the upcoming chapters – I just don’t know if I will be able to write a scene about it (will probably just hint at it).

Also, should I rate this chapter as ‘Mature’? I don’t know.

Anyways, thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you like it! J