“And why not? Aren’t we friends? Can’t you do this for me as your long time friend?” Youngbin asked Taeyang.

Taeyang then looked at Yuju and then at Chani. Chani smiled at him like he expected Taeyang to react this way. Taeyang then looked at Youngbin. “Hyung, I can’t do this because I don’t want to deceive you.”

Youngbin was puzzled. Taeyang doesn’t want to deceive him? “What do you mean?” He asked.

“Yuju, has no stalker. All these “stalker” talk is a plot of Chani to make you make me spend time with Yuju.”

Youngbin then looked at Chani who was smiling at him. “And why would Chani make this “plot”? What is happening?”

Taeyang then sighed. “Because hyung, I like your sister and she likes me. I’m the guy she was pertaining to when she was asking your parents permission to date. She asked Chani to help her in return for helping him to participate in the audition. Chani told me about this plan. At first I wanted to participate in it because knowing you, you won’t let Yuju date until she’s 60. But in the end, I don’t want to deceive you. I don’t want my relationship with Yuju to start with lies and deceit. I like her too much to give her that kind of relationship and I respect you too much to do that to you.”

It took Youngbin a full five minutes to process what Taeyang told him. “So you mean you like my sister?” Taeyang nodded. “Taeyang is the guy that you like?” He asked Yuju and she nodded. “He’s the one you wanted to date?” Again Yuju nodded.

“Hyung, I like Yuju. I really want to become her boyfriend. If you will let us date, I promise you that I will treat her with utmost respect. I will try my best not to hurt her but if ever I hurt her in any way, I will do my best to make it up for her.” Taeyang declared. Yuju’s heart melted. Chani gave a triumphant smile. Youngbin was confused. Hwiyoung was looking at his watch because they were running late.

“I hate to interrupt this talk that you guys are having but Chani and I have an important test in 45 minutes.” Hwiyoung said out of the blue.

Youngbin then checked his watch. He again looked at his sister and then at Taeyang. He then looked at Hwiyoung who’s becoming impatient. “Okay guys you go to school first. I’ll talk to Yuju and Taeyang again this afternoon after our practice. I need to think.” Then he looked at Taeyang. Taeyang suddenly felt cold shivers running down his spine. “No monkey business Taeyang. Bring her to the studio as soon as you end your class. Do you understand?”

“Yes hyung.” Then all the kids hurriedly took their bags. Yuju then pulled Taeyang to the door. “Yah! No touching!” Yuju immediately let go of Taeyang and everyone ran to the car.

Youngbin then took out his phone and texted, “I need someone to talk to. Call the hyung cousins.”

“So Taeyang likes Yuju?” Dawon asked and Youngbin nodded.

“And Yuju likes Taeyang?” Jaeyoon asked and Youngbin nodded.

“So they like each other. Let them date.” Youngbin was about attack Dawon but Inseong and Jaeyoon interfered.

“Yah!” Jaeyoon warned Dawon. “But hyung, I can’t blame Taeyang for liking your sister. She’s getting prettier as the days go by. I think someone told me that she’s one of the prettiest girls in school now.”

“Of course she’s pretty. She’s my sister!” His friends just shook their heads.

“But what’s bothering me is actually Chani. Taeyang outed him but he was smiling all the time.” Youngbin told his friends.

“You know why? It’s because he was expecting Taeyang to react that way.” Inseong told his friend. “Chani knew that Taeyang will actually do that. He wanted you to remember how great Taeyang is as a person. He knew that Taeyang won’t resort to underhanded ways and would still do the noble thing. He trusted Taeyang and he was smiling because Taeyang didn’t let him down.”

“Hyung, that makes a lot of sense.” Jaeyoon agreed. “Imagine if Taeyang participated in Chani’s plan, he and Yuju would have to deceive you all the time. It will be hard to Yuju and when the time comes that you will learn the truth, you would feel betrayed and it can destroy your friendship with him.”

“And hyung, you know Taeyang. He’s kind and sweet. You know how he took care of Chani and Hwiyoung before.” Inseong added.

“But he flirts too much! I don’t want Yuju to suffer jealousy just because he flirts too much.” Youngbin reasoned out.

“Hyung, he only flirts when he dances and only because he needs too. You know how shy he is in real life. I think Yuju knows that too.” Dawon explained.

“Youngbin, Yuju is a very smart girl. I think you should trust her judgment on this. I don’t think she’d go for a foolish guy coz she’s surrounded by great men.” Inseong then pointed to all of them and Jaeyoon gave him a thumbs up.

After class, Yuju and Taeyang stopped by Taeyang’s favorite coffee shop.

“Do you think oppa will give his permission?”

Taeyang then looked at Yuju with his beautiful eyes and then smiled. He then held her hand and said, “I hope he does. Because if he won’t, he’ll see how persevering I can be. You know me. When I want something, I give it my all and right now I really want this badly.”

Yuju smiled at him and squeezed back his hand. Just then her phone rang and it was Youngbin. Yuju showed it to Taeyang, “Answer it.” He told her. She then answered the call and put it on speaker.

“Where are you and Taeyang? Your class ended 30 minutes ago. You’re supposed to be here at the studio.” They heard Youngbin say.

“We just stopped by to get some coffee oppa. Do you want something?”

“No, I don’t. Just come here right now. I will talk to Taeyang as soon as you get here.” And then he hung up.

“My heart is pounding. I’ve never been this scared all my life. Your oppa is really something else.” Taeyang told Yuju as soon as they parked his car.

“I see oppa. He’s at the door. We have to go down now.” Yuju then went out of the car. Taeyang took a very deep breath then followed her.

“I really want to hold your hand right now but I think I should not because your oppa will surely kill me.” Taeyang whispered to Yuju.

“Deep breath. He won’t kill you. But still prepare yourself.”

Just then they came face to face with Youngbin.

“Follow me Taeyang. We need to talk. Yuju, stay somewhere I can find you. We’ll talk after he and I talk.” Youngbin told his sister.

“When did you start liking Yuju?” Youngbin asked as soon as he locked the door of the studio.

“Since freshman year.”

“Why do you like her?”

Taeyang then looked Youngbin at the eye and said, “Because she’s a great girl. She’s sweet, smart, talented and kind.”

“You don’t like her because she’s pretty?” Taeyang knew that Youngbin was testing him.

“Her being pretty is just a bonus. I think even if she’s not pretty, I would still want to be her boyfriend.”

Youngbin searched Taeyang’s eyes and face for signs of lying but he can’t find one. Taeyang was telling him the truth.

“If I let you date my sister, would promise me that you will never make her cry?”

Taeyang then thought about it then said, “I can’t hyung. Yuju and I aren’t perfect. There will be times that we will hurt each other and even times when we would want to end it. But you can be assured hyung, that I will never ever cheat on her. I will do my best to keep her trust intact. And as I’ve said earlier, I will give her my utmost respect and care. I really like your sister. I think I’m falling in love with her. I really want to get to know her better. I want your permission hyung. I want this to be as legal as it can be.”

Yuju was pacing back and forth outside the studio. She’s really worried. She knows that her brother won’t physically hit Taeyang but she also knows how demanding and unreasonable Youngbin can be. She’s scared that Taeyang might want to give her up. She’s scared that Youngbin won’t give them his approval. Just then the doors unlocked and Youngbin led her in.

Yuju immediately went inside and looked at Taeyang. He gave her a small smile seeing how worried she was. “Are you okay?” He asked and she shook her head. Taeyang made her sit beside him and then Youngbin sat in front of them.

“Yuju, you know that I only want the best guy in the world for you right?” Youngbin began. “Oppa!” Yuju exclaimed but Youngbin brushed her off.

“Taeyang is a great guy and one of my beloved dongsaengs but he’s definitely not the best guy in the world.”

“Oppa!” Yuju exclaimed but Youngbin made her shut up with his menacing look.

“But I will let you guys date…” Yuju and Taeyang can’t believe their ears. Yuju then hugged her brother who is still not smiling at the moment.

“Not too fast. Don’t celebrate yet.” Youngbin warned. Yuju was puzzled but she went back to Taeyang’s side. “I will let you date only if you agree to my rules.”

Yuju and Taeyang looked at each other then at Youngbin.

“Rule 1. NO PDA. No kissing, no hugging and no linking of arms in public but you can hold hands.

Rule 2. When you go out on dates, curfew is at 9 pm.

Rule 3. Your relationship will not cause disturbance to school and dance practices.

Rule 4. Taeyang will lessen his flirting with fans and Yuju will be more understanding.

Rule 5. Know your limits. Prepare to die if ever my sister got pregnant before marriage.

Rule 6. You will always disclose the place where you will go on dates.

Rule 7. Always keep your phones ready when you go on dates.

Do you accept these rules? Coz if you don’t, then I will not give you permission to date.”

Chani and Hwiyoung just came from school when they saw Yuju and Taeyang coming out of a studio room holding hands. Then Youngbin came out too but he was frowning at their hands.

“I guess, my plan worked?” Chani asked Youngbin.

“Don’t ever plan something against me again.” Youngbin told his brother.

“I will if you keep on being unreasonable.”

“I’m not unreasonable!” Youngbin exclaimed and Chani just smiled at him.

Chani then ran to Yuju and Taeyang.

“I guess you got his permission?” Chani asked them.

“Yup!” Yuju said while raising their hands that made Taeyang laugh.

“Taeyang hyung, you know how scary my mind works right? Don’t make me use it against you. Okay?” Chani said while smiling. Chani then went back to his Youngbin hyung.

“Your brothers are really scary. Good thing I like you enough.” Taeyang told Yuju.

“That’s why, be good to me or else you will see how scary they can really be.”

“Hyung!” Hwiyoung called out to Youngbin. Youngbin then looked up to Hwiyoung. “What is it?”

“Someone was asking about you in school.”

“Who?”

“Our dance teacher, Shin Hyejeong.”

Youngbin stopped when he heard that name. The name of the girl that broke his heart 5 years ago.