LOL, well this is long over due...

~

 

 

Chapter 1:

The members of Infinite practiced like usual. Almost. Usually, time was not of their concern. Time always either breezed by or trudged on...  Or as Woohyun would put it, followed by greasy winks, “Time should be your favorite song.” But on this particular day, Sungyeol made constant glances at the clock.

“Aish, I need a break,” Sunggyu panted, breaking away from the routine and heading over to the music player to stop it.

Woohyun giggled. “Gramps.”

Sunggyu glared at him. “Five minutes,” he announced to the rest of his group.

“Hyung, are you oka—”

“Chakkaman,” Sungyeol cut Myungsoo off to catch up to Jungryul who was heading out the door.

Myungsoo shrugged and wiped the sweat from his forehead off using the back of his hand.

“Hyung, catch!”

Myungsoo caught the towel that was heading his way and smiled thankfully at Sungjong. By this time, Sungyeol was already making his way back to the group. Myungsoo watched as he approached Sunggyu who just nodded and said a few whispered words. Sunggyu patted the taller boy’s shoulder before he turned back to the music player to replay the music.

As the others were finding their starting position, Sungyeol was in the process of gathering his things. “Hyung, are you going somewhere?”

“Huh?” Sungyeol turned to Myungsoo. “Uh, yeah. I’m not feeling well so I’m gonna visit the doctor with Jungryul-hyung and head back to the dorm.”

“Feel better!” Dongwoo waved.

“He needs to feel better. Comeback stage is tomorrow,” Hoya said.

Sungyeol glared playfully at him. “Arasso, arasso.” He gave a wave before leaving the practice room.

Jungryul chuckled as he put the van on drive. “Who knew Sunggyu would let you go?”

“I can’t believe YOU wouldn’t let me go after I told you I wasn’t feeling well!”

The manager rolled his eyes. “That’s because I wanted to know why you really needed to get out of practice. It doesn’t matter how good an actor you are, Sungyeol, we both know that you wouldn’t skip practice this close to a performance even if you were dying. What I can’t believe is how nobody questioned you. I’m sure they would have noticed too.”

“Tch. You see, it’s because they TRUST me.”

“They trust your lies,” the manager pointed out.

“AISH! WHATEVER.”

The manager just chuckled again. “Where did you say IU-sshi’s apartment is at?”

“Myeongdong.”

They were nearing Myeongdong when Jungryul asked, “Do I take a left at the intersection or a right?”

“...”

“Sungyeol-ah.”

“...”

Jungryul turned to the passenger’s seat to find Sungyeol with his face all scrunched up.

“Sungyeol-ah. Right or left?”

“...” Sungyeol’s brows furrowed even more. “I don’t remember...”

“BWOH?”

“Well, it’s been a while since I visited her there! And every time I went, Hyoan-hyung always knew where to go!”

“Aish, chincha. This boy. Call Hyoan now and ask.”

“But he’s with the members!”

“Then call IU-sshi!”

“But it’s supposed to be a surprise!”

Jungryul took a deep breath, calming himself down. “Call her manager.”

“I don’t have his number...”

“Call your brother.”

“That jerk?”

“What do you want me to do then? Drive around until you spot someplace familiar?”

Sungyeol smiled sheepishly at him, but received only glares.

“Hyung, keep your eyes on the road!”

“If you don’t call someone right now, I’m turning around.”

“HYUUUUNNNGGG~” Sungyeol whined.

Jungryul raised an eyebrow at him.

“Aish!” Sungyeol digs his phone from his back pocket and dials his sister. “Yah, what’s your address?”

“Is that a way to be greeti—”

“Palli~,” Sungyeol said hurriedly.

“Do you even know that today is m—”

“Yah, Lee Jieun. What’s your address?”

“Are you coming over?”

“Not if you don’t tell me your address.”

Sungyeol could practically hear her smiling as she recited her address.

“Arasso. Geunno.” Sungyeol hung up. He quickly types in the address to the GPS before he forgot it. “See, hyung? I told you to go right.”

“You did not.”

“I did so!”

“Why do I even bother?” Jungryul muttered to himself before returning his attention to the road.

~

“Where’s my car?” IU hung onto her brother’s arms as she tried to peek behind and around him. Jungryul had already driven away, telling Sungyeol that he’ll be back in 2 hours to pick him up.

“Car?”

“Didn’t you get me a car?” IU looked just as confused as Sungyeol.

“YAH!”

“Waeee?”

“I don’t even have my own car! Plus, you earn more money than I do! Where would I find the money to buy you a car?”

IU tugged on his arm. “Since I’m your favorite sibling and the fact that you want what’s best for me, I thought you would find a way...”

“You know, you’re not cute at all. I don’t understand why people find you cute.”

IU smiled up at him. “I thought you said that I’m only cute because I look like you? By saying I’m not cute, aren’t you insulting yourself?”

“Don’t do that!”

“Do what?”

“Make me feel stupid,” Sungyeol pouted.

Jieun laughed. “Come on, oppa. I was just kidding.”

“About?” Sungyeol tried to get her to apologize.

“About the car.”

“Yaaaaah!”

IU giggled. “Now where’s my real present?”

Sungyeol grinned now. He took a few steps away from her and spread his arms. “You’re looking at it.”

IU’s smile dropped to a frown and she turned around without saying a word.

“Jieun-ah!” Sungyeol laughed as he jogged up to her. He poked the back of her head. “I’m just kidding.”

She turned around and glared at him. “You’re the one that’s not cute.”

“I’ll give you your present inside.” Sungyeol grinned and shrugged his shoulders a couple times to bring attention to the backpack he was wearing.

IU’s eyes darted to the bag and she grinned too, skipping up to her apartment. As she was punching in her code, she asked, “Do you wanna eat anything?”

Sungyeol frowned. “You’re gonna cook?”

IU rolled her eyes. “It’s my birthday. A lot of people send me stuff.” She let him in and motioned at the hallway filled with gifts.

“Daebak,” Sungyeol muttered. “How did you get to your door?”

“I climbed through it.” IU shrugged nonchalantly.

In the kitchen, Sungyeol looked through the cakes on the table. “Are you gonna eat all of this?” He laughed. “It looks to me your fans want your chubby cheeks back.” He grabbed her cheeks and squished them.

She squirmed away from him, glaring. “Your cheeks are chubbier!”

Sungyeol laughed and settled on a seat, unslinging his backpack. Just then his phone rang. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and looked at the caller. “Oh, hyung, wae?”

“You pabo,” Jungryul said from the other line.

“What did I do now?” Sungyeol whined.

“You left your present in the practice room.”

“No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did.”

Sungyeol patted the bag on his lap. “I didn’t.”

“Sungyeol-ah—”

“Hyung, why would I forget...” Sungyeol had opened the bag and frowned.

“Sungyeollie, I’m rolling my eyes.”

“AISH!”

“Hyoan-ah called me and told me Woohyun-ah found a box from Tiffany’s.”

“Woohyunnie-hyung?”

“Yeah, I’m surprised he didn’t ask questions.”

“AISH! Is there any way you can pick it up and bring it over when you come to pick me up?”

“Not unless you want the members to find out about your relationship to IU-sshi. And how you lied to skip out on practice.”

“Hyyuuuuuung~”

“Sungyeollieeeeee~ Geunno.” He hung up.

Sungyeol stared at his phone and into his bag devastatingly.

“Wae?” IU asked, trying to peek into the bag, but Sungyeol already hugged the bag to his chest, preventing her from looking in.

He didn’t look at her when he popped the question, “How angry would you get if I said I left your gift in the practice room?” Sungyeol sat there with his arms raised to protect his face for the hits he expected to come his way. When she didn’t hit him, he peeked at her and asked, “Wa-wae wae wae?”

“I’ll forgive you if you sleepover.”

Sungyeol dropped his arms and sighed softly. “Jieun-ah...”

“It may not be the same for you since you have the rest of Infinite with you all the time, but...”

Sungyeol sighed again.

IU was looking at her feet. “You’re my only family, oppa. I know there’s Daeyeollie, but he’s never—”

“Arasso, arasso.”

IU looked up with hopeful eyes.

Sungyeol waved his phone at her. “I’m going to ask. But no promises. Comeback stage is tomorrow after all.”

IU grinned.