"Noona~"

Jiyong looked around the café and saw the familiar figure sitting by the window, sipping her latte.

"Jiyong ah! How have you been?" 

"Great!" Jiyong sat opposite her, removing his mask. "It's been long since I last saw you!" 

"Yeahs! I was meeting my client nearby and thought maybe you're at home. Thought I could call you out for a short catch-up before another appointment," Yoonjung smiled. "I hope I ain't disturbing you though! Heard from Yoong that you'd been busy writing songs?"

"Can I have a cup of cappuccino please," Jiyong ordered his drink from the waiter politely before turning to Yoonjung. "Though Paranoise 2.0 is launching soon, there isn't much things for me to do actually. The shoes have been designed and produced since a long time ago but the release was delayed due to the pandemic. It's more of the marketing phase now, so Nike will take over. Nahs, you're not. In fact, it's good that you called me out. I could use a breather. Every time I start producing an album, I tend to become very edgy, so it's good for me to take a break every now and then. Clears my mind."

"Right. Can never forget those documentaries that you're on. You were so grumpy and sought for pefection," Yoonjung shook her head with a smile. "You'll do just fine, Jiyong ah! You're the GD!"

"I don't know about that, noona," Jiyong gave a weak chuckle. "Maybe it's the army, maybe it's part of aging~ I don't deny that I still enjoy music so much, but it seems like nowadays, people had been saying that I'm like a designer already. I'm afraid of the high expectation. Higher hope brings about higher expectation and it might bring bigger disappointment. What if people don't like my music anymore?" 

"Here's your cappuccino," the waiter served the drink and hovered around the table for a little while more. "I-I'm sorry... B-But are you GD-sshi? C-Can I take a photo with you? I'm a huge fan!" 

"S-Sorry... Can't take a photo with you. How about I leave an autograph instead?" Usually, if there weren't many people around and if he's alone, Jiyong would comply with fans' request. However, he's with Yoonjung and he didn't want any photos or news that could cause tongue wagging, to leak out.

"U-Understood!" The waiter extended a paper and pen immediately while exclaiming excitedly. "I'm really a huge fan of GD and BIGBANG! GD-sshi, your songs are really good! Everyone can't wait for your comeback!" 

"Thank you," Jiyong signed and returned the paper to him.

"Thank you so much!" The waiter bowed to the both of them gratefully and left them alone for privacy.

Yoonjung arched her brows mockingly at him, "so, would you like to repeat what you've said? What worry were you having again?" 

"Noona, this is just one fan. He isn't going to determine my success."

"The news of you making a comeback had the Internet raving for days," Yoonjung rolled her eyes. "There're a lot of 'just one fan' around and together, they form your fanbase, you idiot."

"Now you really sound a lot like Dami noona," Jiyong laughed.

"That's because you're worrying for nothing!" Yoonjung lectured. "Everyone around you is confident that you'll do well. You know why I'm a huge VIP?" 

Jiyong raised his brows in response.

"It's because I love the music you guys make. Your music doesn't only attract fans, it appeals to the public as well and honestly, even till now, not a lot of artises can do that. The reason why your music is good, is because we can feel that you guys love what you produce. I'm sure if you enjoy the process, the result will naturally show. So, don't fret. You guys never once worried about what the public thinks, isn't it?"

This reminded Jiyong of the time when he advised the same thing to Jennie - If you think you like the music you'd created, then don't worry whether it sells or not.

"You're right," Jiyong smiled. "Thanks for reminding. It's just with the pressure and expectation building, I kind of forgot where I'd started. It's exhilarating yet daunting at the same time whenever I start preparing for an album. I put a lot of thoughts to it." 

"I know, but just don't scare yourself too much," Yoonjung smiled, patting his hand affectionately, diverting the topic away. "Yah, I saw that you didn't drive? You rode a bike? It looks different from the one that you drove to our house the other time." 

"It is a different one," Jiyong scratched his nape, smiling sheepishly.

"So besides art pieces, your new toy is bikes?" Yoonjung couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Does my naggy little sister know about this?" 

"I only kept two in my garage. I've one more in Youngbae's basement and another in Dami noona's storage," Jiyong laughed. "You've to keep this a secret for me, noona. She has already ganged up with my mum, forbidding me to get any more paintings! If she was to know this, I think she would force me to scrap off two at least."

"Do I get bribing fee then?" Yoonjung teased. "Ahhh, doesn't really matter. That girl, I don't even see her much these days. She's so busy! Some days, we talk for two sentences and she can just doze off on me."

"I know, I hadn't really been seeing her much as well. I had been going back to YG studio while she had been busy filming."

"Whenever she gets into a new project, she immerses herself into it," Yoonjung shrugged. "Appa and I are used to it. Talking about appa, I heard that the silly girl dropped a bomb during Chuseok? Does she really mean it?" 

"Everyone has been asking me about this," Jiyong gave a bitter chuckle. "But what they asked was why I haven't acted on it and why I didn't pounce on the chance."

Truth was, the proposal topic had been ongoing for a month already. A lot of questions had been thrown at him and honestly, he was getting stressed up. People around him were expecting him to act on it fast and seemed to be bewildered on the fact of his non-action. He didn't know who he could turn to for advice. Dami has always been his counselor but having gone through the downsides of marrying at an older age, she was eagerly hoping that her little brother could marry earlier and have kids running around the house. Besides, his entire family has always been fond of Yoona and if he were to tell them his worries, it might appear as though he'd be putting her in a bad light. The last thing he wanted was for his family to confront Yoona or worse still, pressure her. 

Hence, he was in for a surprise when Yoonjung asked a question that was different from the rest.

"Oh come on~ She's my little sister! Of course I would know what's going through her mind," Yoonjung laughed. "Yoona is an extrovert and may seem to be comfortable with everything, but honestly, sometimes, she can be such a coward."

"M-Mwuh?" That totally piqued Jiyong's interest. 

"She sometimes thinks a lot further about stuff. I wouldn't say it's always bad but you know, sometimes, it's cumbersome and till a certain point, it becomes tiresome," Yoonjung sighed.

"Yes. It took me months and many arguments along the way to get her to think for herself and to stop worrying so much about what other people think of her," Jiyong answered. "I don't know, noona. I know I'm in the wrong to think like that but sometimes, I can't help but to