I gently withdrew away from her. I didn’t want her to think that I didn’t respond to her advances at all, considering how hard it must have been to muster up the courage to kiss me first.

I looked down on her with feigned shyness, trying to bite down any hint of awkwardness.

I smiled…

“Thank you. That’s one hell of a gift.”

She smiled back, not just any smile though. An uncontrollably happy, yet shy smile. One that made me take a short gasp of breath, because I forgot I needed to breathe.

I walked back into the dance room where all the staff and my members had gathered to celebrate my birthday. My steps heavy as I dreaded the inevitable conversation I was going to have with Jiyong after what he saw.

But when I got back into the room, he wasn’t there anymore.

“Youngbae hyung, where’s Jiyong hyung?”

“He went back to the dorm. Said he was feeling tired.”

I stayed with everyone for another hour but got ready to leave afterwards. I figured with everyone here, it would be the perfect time to confront him.

As I walked out, Youngbae hyung grabbed my shoulder back, turning my body to face him.

“I’m not stupid, Seunghyun. I don’t know exactly what’s going on but remember, boundaries. Not for YG, not for Jiyong, not for any of us, but for yourself. “

He brushed a hand over my cheek, and with that Youngbae hyung walked back in.

When I got back to the dorm, I headed straight to my room. What I didn’t expect to see was Jiyong laying on my bed facing the wall.

“Hyung…” My voice trembled. I didn’t really know what to feel about all of this.  

He started to get up out of my bed.

“Ah, my youngest is grown up.”

He walked closer to me and leaned down, leveling to my height.

“My baby is all grown up.” His voice purposefully mocking a baby voice.

“Please stop…”

He yanked me closer, stopping just as his mouth was right by my ear.

“She can keep Seunghyun, but I’ll have Seungri. I’ll keep Seungri.” His voice low and weak, barely holding on to that dark and angry persona as a front.

He widened his eyes, trying to hold back the tears. He walked away.

That was the last time he called me Seunghyun.