After that meeting, Jiyong couldn’t stop thinking about Jung Hwa and what he said. He told Youngbae and he asked him for not thinking too much. They had concert in couple of days. Jiyong needed to focus.

“Hyung! Hyuung, you aren't listening to me!” Jiyong felt a light punch on his shoulder, he turned to his side and found an upset Seungri. The boy was as big as him now.

“What did you say again, maknae?”

“Ah! Forget it!”

Seungri was mad because Jiyong didn’t give him enough attention. The leader chuckled when maknae left him behind to bother Seunghyun next. Nobody could annoy the oldest though, it's the other way around. Maknae became an easy target for Seunghyun that day.

He suddenly remembered what Youngbae talked about last night after Jiyong explained about his unfortunate event.

“Make sure he doesn’t know about Ri.” Youngbae said.

“What do you mean, Bae?” Jiyong asked in return.

“He can be jealous at me for no reason, imagine what will he do if he knows about you and maknae.”

“But there’s nothing –“ Jiyong was about to argue but Youngbae quickly cut him off.

“Jiyong, just do it. Believe me, you don’t want maknae to be a target whether you have something with maknae or not.” Youngbae exhaled. “Promise me you'll protect him.”

“You don't have to ask for that, even though I still don't understand about what you say.”

“You understand it well, Jiyong. I know you close your heart for loving someone again and just play around to satisfy your needs. But with maknae, you look different.” Youngbae looked sadly at Jiyong. After he was , Jiyong always avoided the idea of love.

“Jiyong, it's okay to fall in love once again. Maknae, I believe he's a very good boy. He loves to be cared and protected by you as much as he loves giving his attention to you when you shamelessly demand it.”

“Maknae looks up at me as his hyung, only as his hyung.” Jiyong whispered. He had no idea about maknae's ual interest. He loved women and hung out a lot with them every weekend.

Youngbae sighed. He patted Jiyong's shoulder and left. “Don't worry about me, Jiyong. I'll be fine.” He talked about Jung Hwa's threat.

Jiyong's worry became real a couple of months later. He was about to go home from studio when he met Jung Hwa once again in front of YGE building.

Jiyong glared at him. He tried to ignore Jung Hwa and kept walking but the latter was stronger.Jung Hwa dragged Jiyong to his car and drove away from town.

“What do you want?” Jiyong asked with anger in his tone.

“You.”

“You've married.”

“You said you'd marry me after your career has settled. Isn't this the right time?” Jung Hwa asked. 

“That was before you selfishly leaving me behind with Hwayoung.”

“I wanted you to taste how it felt like.” This statement irked Jiyong to the core.

“I told you I didn't, don't, and will never have something with Youngbae! You could ask me first you bastard!”

“I'm asking you now!” Jung Hwa yelled. “Marry me or I'll kill Youngbae.”

“You aren't serious.” Jiyong shrugged, ignoring the fast heartbeats he felt on his chest.

“If I were you, I wouldn't say that.” Jiyong glared at him, his eyes wavered. He was afraid of something. He somehow knew Jung Hwa wasn't lying.

Not long after his phone was buzzing. Seunghyun was calling him. Jiyong took it with slight tremble in his hand. He refused to turn on his side, Jung Hwa was smirking widely.

“H-hello?”

“Jiyong, where are you?”

“O-outside. Why?”

“Can you go back for awhile? Youngbae –“

“W-what happened?”

“He is injured, nothing serious, but still he looks like he's in a deep shock. One of the staffs accidentally dropped one of the stage lightings. Youngbae was straight under it. If it wasn’t for Seungri and Daesung quick reflex … Jesus, I don't want to imagine it.”

“I - I'll be there soon.”

Jiyong turned to Jung Hwa slowly. “This isn't pure accident, right?”

“I told you, jagi. You didn’t believe me. I'm hurt.”
Jiyong's body was trembling hard. He was scared. He quickly asked Jung Hwa to stop the car. The latter complied as he observed Jiyong's troubled face. Jiyong catched a taxi and with a terrified heart went back to YG.

“You can't stop me, Jiyong. Not until you fulfill your promise to marry me.”

That was what Jung Hwa said before Jiyong left. Jiyong didn’t think he had to keep his promise, he wasn’t the one who broke it.

Jiyong immediately went to Youngbae who was sleeping inside the studio now. He stared at his best friend for long, didn’t know what to do for once.

“Jiyong, you're here.” Youngbae mumbled as he stirred on his sleep.

“Bae! Are you alright?” Jiyong crouched down beside him.

“Yeah. I'm fine now.” Youngbae said. He got up from his position and motioned Jiyong to sit beside him.

Jiyong gave him a sad look.

“Jung Hwa again?” Youngbae asked. He gave Jiyong his comforting smile. The leader needed that.

“I'm sorry, Bae. I'm sorry.”

Youngbae was shocked. This was the first time he saw Jiyong cried. Not even he flinched or his eyes glistened when he told Youngbae about the bruises he got from Jung Hwa and the event behind that.

“No, no, no. Jiyong, why are you crying?”

“I'm sorry.”

“Hey, hey. I don't blame you, okay.”

“I'm sorry.”

Youngbae was about to hug his best friend. But then maknae came, Jiyong immediately wiped his tears and put an indifferent look.

“Youngbae hyuuung ~ I bring you food.”

“What about me?” Jiyong raise his eyebrow, teasing the youngest as usual.

“Ah Jiyong hyung!” Maknae was too hyper, as usual. “I didn't know you'd be here. I only bought food for Youngbae.”

“It's Youngbae hyung, brat! Say after me! Youngbae hyung!” Jiyong glared at maknae for forgetting the right way to address his hyung again.

“Ah okay okay … Youngbae hyung! Don't be such a jerk, hyung.”

“What did you just say?”

“I love you, Jiyong hyung.”

Jiyong scoffed as maknae kept doing aegyo in front of him. “Jesus, what do I do with you?”

“Love me too?”

“You ask too much, maknae.”

“Ahhh hyung ~”

Youngbae laughed at them and made both heads turned to him. “Just marry each other already you two.”

“With this brat? In your dream, Bae.”

“Wae? Wae? What's wrong with me? I'm y and handsome, hyung.” Seungri excitedly posed in front of the hyungs like some kind of health magazine model. He showed his new built abs and muscles.

“Oh God. I take my words back. Jiyong can do better."

“I told you so.”

“Hyuuung ~ meanie ~”

The rest of them laughed at maknae's whining voice. Despite of that, Jiyong couldn’t get Jung Hwa and his evil plan out of his mind.

“Promise me you'll protect him.”

Protect maknae. He did it all the time whether from Jung Hwa or only a mere insect. But if what Youngbae said was coming true someday, what would he do?

“Come here.”

“Who? Me?”

“Yes, you. Who else?”

“There's Youngbae too in this room.”

“I said come here.” Jiyong pulled maknae who was still standing all this time doing silly things to his lap.

“W-wha –“

Youngbae was as surprised as maknae when Jiyong suddenly hugged the youngest, tightly, smelling his calming scent.

“Jiyong hyung …”

“Listen to me, maknae. Don't go anywhere without my permission. Understand?”

“B-but why?”

“Understand?”

“Hyung, I don't get it. Why do I need your permission if my parents let me?” Seungri tilted his head. He was wondering about his hyung's sudden request.

“I said … do you understand?” Jiyong emphasized every word.

“Y-yes.”

“Good. Now get up!” Jiyong demanded.

“W-wha … You’re the one pulling me here!”

“You're heavy.”

“I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!” Seungri wriggled his on top of Jiyong's lap as he refused to get down. Without much thinking, Jiyong tightened his hold, enjoying the closeness between him and maknae. Youngbae looked at them oddly. He let them be in the end and enjoyed the meal Seungri bought for him instead.

Meanwhile Jiyong stared blankly outside the studio. Seungri was slowly sleeping in his arms. He couldn’t just stay quiet here and let Jung Hwa destroy close people around him. He and Youngbae were lucky today, thanks to Daesung and Seungri. But Jiyong wasn’t sure about the next time.

A day after, Youngbae was shocked to receive news that the staff who accidentally – or maybe purposely – dropped the lighting to him, has resigned from the office with a purple wound on his neck. That staff dropped on his knees in front of Youngbae, saying sorry repeatedly. He forgave the staff.

When the staff got up and left, he was trembling hard when he saw Jiyon