“Aigoo~” Dara whimpered as she peeked through the set to look at the audience. It was time. Time for 2NE1 to make their informal debut and Dara could already fell the thrill crawling on her skin. “We have a full house tonight girls!” She said before she was hushed by the maknae.

“Unnie! You’re not helping at all!” The girl was stretching her arms when Dara peeked and told them the situation behind the set. “What can I do?” The older female asked as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Unlike Bom who already made her informal debut with GD and Top earlier, Dara and Minji had no experiences with performing on stage with their trained lots.

“Calm down girls, we’ll do just fine.” Bom smiled as she adjusted her ankle length skirt—courtesy of Seunghyun’s stylist, before approaching Dara and Minji. “Just look at Chaerin, doesn’t she look relaxed?”

The other two looked back to the couch where their supposed to be leader was relaxing—only she has her head thrown back with her eyes closed, as if on sleep while her hands were on Kwon Jiyong’s grasp. The BIG BANG leader, who was also going to perform later, was trying out different rings on Chaerin’s fingers.

The both of them didn’t look like they felt the claws of stage fright at all. “2NE1 on five!” The Stage Manager announced. “Aigoo, aigoo! I need to go to the bathroom—Minji, come with me?” Dara said before pulling the maknae away.

Meanwhile, Chaerin heard the announcement and opened her eyeliner-filled lids and looked at the boy who was still busy picking out rings for her. “Done yet?” She asked as she sat up properly.

“Huh?” He said as he looked at her and smiled. “Not quite~” She looked over his shoulder to see his progress and noticed that her fingers held no ring. Her brows frowned at the revelation but noticed that there were two new bracelets on her wrists.

“Wait, I didn’t remember putting those there.” She said but didn’t make any move to retrieve her hand. She enjoys the feel of his palms around her hand. “I bought these earlier.” He smiled at her.

“And I thought that they would do for pre-debut gifts.” She raised her brow but didn’t hide the blush and the smile that grew on her face.

“Yah, Jiyongie, where are our pre-debut gifts?” Bom asked as she teasingly put on an envious face. “Don’t tell me that you favor our leader more than us!” She added before the two other members stepped in.

“Um, I’ll buy them soon noona!” He said as he held unto his nape awkwardly.

The other girls laughed before the SM entered again and called them on stage. “So, here we go girls!” Chaerin said as she stood up with Jiyong releasing her hand. “Hands in.” She called her members for a small cheer before stepping on that stage that would serve as reminder and warning to the other contestants about YG’s new girl group.

“2NE1, Nolza!”

They were given their mics and led out to the stage.

**

“The girls okay?” Seunghyun asked as Jiyong joined the rest of s on their table. “Yeah, they’ll make it tonight.” He said as he watched the lights grow brighter to show four girls seated on long counter chairs with one guitarist beside them; though his eyes stayed longer on their leader.

“They all look pretty on stage.” Daesung complimented as he smiled over his sister for luck. “I wish I grabbed one picture with her.” He added. “Aww, older brother getting sentimental!” Youngbae teased before he drank the liquor offered to them.

Seungri remained quiet – he was too mesmerized over Minji’s simple beauty. “A goddess~” he whispered.

Sungha Jung, the guitarist that was accompanying the girls in their stage tapped his guitar and started the first song. Then the band came in and played their beat before Minji started her verse.

Though you’re always cold
Though your words are always short,I know
Don’t hide what your heart’s striving for

She started her part as her eyes moved around the dark audience and noticed that it was indeed a full house. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces as she scanned one table after another—until she saw where he sat.

Now, you’ve already hid for so long
Show me your sincerity
That it’s only me for you

Jiyong and the rest of his group were seated near the stage, at the left corner of the bar with the rest of the YG artists sat. He was talking with Youngbae but she knew he was listening because he was bobbing his head with the beat, multitasking indeed.

She didn’t tell him this because Jiyong might laugh at her but she wrote the song for him. She even asked the young guitarist for help.

So when he turned to the stage and looked at her, she held his gaze. He smiled.

She smiled back before singing her part of the chorus:

So just shut up and be mine
It’s here in front of me
Don’t hesitate, grab my hands right now
We’ll make it through anything you’re the one I’ve been

She noticed his eyes widen and the other’s teasing him for they saw the obvious eye contact that Chaerin and Jiyong did. He only smiled and it shocked Chaerin that despite the dimness of the lower floor, she could still see the blush across his face.

She forced her gaze away from him to finish the song without being distracted. A satisfying look from him was enough for her.

It was YG’s plan to give 2NE1 a smooth introduction so that nobody could predict their total ability. And it looks like it was working because there were some people who were paying too much attention to their group and started whispering words of what it seems like judgmental words.

Before the song ended, Chaerin saw a group of late comers enter. Her eyes ached to see a better view but she concentrated on the start of the new song.

It was a good thing that she had finished her first lines when she felt distraction coming because her heart was suddenly up for some fast beating. She didn’t know why but all she knew was that something was terribly wrong.

Dara started with the chorus and Chaerin sang for back-up while the new comers were ushered to the remaining table: in front of the stage.

Her hands tightened on the mic as the lights of the stage illuminated on the table in front of them and for a moment there, everybody thought she stopped singing.

**

Jiyong frowned as he noticed for a slight moment that Chaerin stopped singing. She recovered fast; but that didn’t mean he wasn’t that worried any longer. He frowned when she didn’t look at him for her next stanza for he almost thought she would dedicate them to him again.

But the song was all about hurt and he knew it wasn’t for him… and besides, Chaerin was looking at someone.

He was about to look for that particular someone but a hand was already on his shoulder, “Jiyong-oppa?” Jiyong looked up and saw a familiar face.

A too familiar face actually, so he gave a slight smile.

**

Jay, She thought of only that name as they neared the ending of the song. The same worried heartbeat rose up to almost choke her out but she fought it because they were  in public.

She never broke down on public – but he was staring at her. And it was beginning to be really hard.

Chaerin looked at Jiyong and saw him talking to a girl she didn’t know. His full attention was on her and Chaerin thought that she lost support over that situation when she sees her past staring at her while the person who know’s about her weaknesses talked to another.

She didn’t know who broke her heart most but her emotions were poured to the last lines of the song:

It hurts, ït hurts

Chaerin was the first one to exit the stage when the lights dimmed and the audience gave them a round of applause but the girl could not get the sight of Jay Park away from her mind. He’s here. She thought as she leaned at the wall nearest to her. He’s here now.

Her thoughts were disturbed of Bom and Dara’s whispered talk and she used that to take her mind away from the disturbing image of the one man who made her cry that much.

“I didn’t know the Wonder Girls are back.” Bom whispered to Dara. “Yeah, I thought they were to prolong their training for another year.” Dara replied. “This would complicate things a little.” Bom sighed.

“What would complicate things, unnie?” Chaerin called at her two members as they jumped at her sudden intrusion. “Who are these Wonder Girls you two are talking about?”

Bom and Dara looked at each other and debated on who was going to explain it to their leader. However, it was a little bit harder to introduce one member of the Wonder Girls to their leader who was also, in one way or another, was connected with Jiyong.

“Wonder Girls – they were once known as the female version of BIG BANG, unnie.” Minji said, coming to Bom and Dara’s rescue. Female Version of BIG BANG, eh? Chaerin thought before Minji continued. “They were also the top female group of the K-Art Festival until they were made to train abroad last year.”

“But I guess they are back to claim their place all over again.” Dara said sadly as the group fell into a moment of silence until, “What about Sohee, what are her plans with Jiyong again?” Bom whispered to Dara.

Chaerin’s brows frowned at the mention of his name with another and yet again, curiosity over what she saw filled her. “Unnie, I can hear you know. What about Sohee?”

This time, nobody dared answer her. And she didn’t like that. Lee Chaerin never did liked being ignored just like that. “Who is she?” But then a thought passed by in her mind, “I am not some glass who’s going to break over some revelation that…”

“Ahn Sohee was Jiyong’s ex-girlfriend!” Dara admitted before clasping with her hand as if she said something that would truly break somebody.

It actually didn’t hurt much… an ex-girlfriend won’t change anything between them right?

Chaerin’s thoughts were such a mess that she didn’t notice that she was already walking away from her group. First, she saw Jay Park again. The only guy in her entire life that made her cry so hard—the one guy who showed her the reality that friendship and love can’t really come at the same time. Second, she saw Jiyong talk sweetly with an ex-girlfriend who was part of a rival group.

They were still talking, and this time she could see the hidden happiness in his eyes. Chaerin saw them as she exited the back stage. An ache spread through her chest and she wasn’t sure if it was sadness or envy for she knew and acknowledged what she felt for Jiyong.

Then her eyes went to Jay’s table where he was entertaining a familiar girl – Kiko. Anger joined the green emotion that she felt inside her and she knew that her limit was close.

The image of Jay with Jessica and now with Kiko Mizuhara reminded her that trust was a vital and vulnerable thing.

So she turned her heels and walked out of the club. They don’t need to face an angered Chaerin right now. She has to prepare for tomorrow’s debut and to face the challenges she knew would come.

Trust. She wondered if she could really afford gambling for Jiyong. If she could give the kind of trust she once kept and groomed for Jay. Jiyong looked like he enjoyed Sohee’s attention. Like, Chaerin was someone to pass his time while he waits for an ex-girlfriends’ comeback.

She clutched her heart and stopped for awhile.

It hurts, she thought, it hurts indeed.

A/N: The more the merrier, eh?