Four of 2NE1 girls were already waiting inside the meeting room when the four guys came in one by one. The newcomers waved and smiled to their dongsaengs and bowed politely to the two other people in the room. The oldest man in the room, Kim Joo Won, shook BIGBANG's and Dongwook's hands one by one, followed by his colleague. Once the idols were seated, the two behind-the-curtain people spoke up.

“Good afternoon, my name is Kim Joo Won, although of course, I’d be disappointed if you don’t recognize me at this point,” Joo Won shot a playful glare to the boys. Kim Joo Won had worked as YG Performance Director for a while. “As usual, you can just call me Joo Won. And I’ll be the PD for the show we are going to discuss today. On my left is Park Mi Ran. And she’s the screenwriter for the show.”

Park Mi Ran bowed swiftly and continued her partner’s speech. “Although I’m chosen as the screenwriter, you must all know that this show won’t be fully scripted. In fact, I can say that I will only script 20 – 30 % of the show, and the remaining will be your jobs. The eight of you are chosen for the 8 episodes of YG's own reality show We are The Cupid!. I’m sure you all already know what the concept of the show is and today’s meeting schedule is to get you into more details, so that you all can prepare for our first shooting next week. Does anyone have a question so far?”

As no one came up with one, Mi Ran continued. “Then… let us announce the roles, eh?”

Cheering and impatient claps resonated in the room. Dongwook can only shake his head toward his dongsaengs. The screenwriter smiled at both idol groups’ antics. They may be two of the leadings Hallyu stars, but surely they acted too much like kids who were given free ice cream.

“So team A… Seungri-ssi and CL-ssi!”

CL's jaw dropped to the floor while Seungri's eyes widen until his eyeballs out from its socket.

"What?!"

CL and Seungri asked in unison. Mi Ran smiled to them and calmly said "Yes, you heard that right."

"I'm sorry, what?!" They talked in unison again, and this time they talked while glared at each other.

"Stop pretending like you don't hear anything, you guys! Come on!" Bom commented with playful smirk on her face. Oh she's definitely going to enjoy this show.

CL broke the silence first, "I don't want to get paired with this stupid rat!"

"You think i want to get paired with you? IN YOUR DREAM!" Seungri retort back.

CL give him a deadly glare, "Good, because i don't want to do this even in my worst nightmare!"

"Oh please do me a favor and stay in your whatever nightmare is forever!"

"Why don't you do me a favor to disappear from my life forever?!"

"Shut up, cat!"

"Don't order me, you rat!"

"Go away you nuisance!"

"What?! You're the nuisance one, you thick head!"

"Thick head? Talk to mirror you eye liner !"

"How dare you trouty mouth!"

"What?! Hey, i'm your sunbae!"

"Oh please don't give me that crap now!"

"YOU TWO SHUT UP!" Jiyong's voice echoed in the room. The bickering couple stopped their bicker. CL hissed under her breath while Seungri muttered something like 'oppa', 'not calling', 'stupid', 'cat'. Jiyong cleared his throat and say his sorry on behalf of his dongsaengs to the staff who apparently witnessed the bickering scene in amusement.

"I'm really sorry for this, Jo Won-ssi, Mi Ran-ssi. These two really loves to shout to each other. But i guess they, we, also need some explanation about the choosing system of the pairings." Jiyong voiced out his opinion.

"Don't worry Jiyong-ssi, we already expect something like this will happen." Mi Ran smiled in a calm way, with manner she continued her speech. "We also have the reasons when we chose pairing which i'll explain later. Shall i continue first?" All heads in the room nodded, except for two heads who obviously prefer to continue their bicker mentally while glaring at each other.

"For team B... Jiyong-ssi and Dara-ssi!"

Dara put her hand to cover in pleasant surprise. Jiyong immediately had his dark brown hair ruffled messily. Can't help himself to not grinning.

More cheering came but one comment from Seungri caught the attention, “I knew it, hyung!” Jiyong immediately shot deadly glare to the poor maknae who apparently just realized his mistake. He gulped while Daesung tapped Seungri's back to calm him.

“What? Is there something fishy going on?” teased Joo Won, the PD. “Are you secretly wishing for it, Jiyong?”

Jiyong cheekily shook his head. “Aa, it’s not that –“

“Then you don’t want to be paired up with me, Ji?” said Dara in a playful pout.

“Aisshh, that’s not it either, Dara-yah…” the dark brown-haired guy scratched his head awkwardly. Teasings came from his hyungs and from his other dongsaengs.

Fortunately Park Mi Ran decided to lead the conversation back to business rather than to let it be a bullying of some sort. “And for the four other, Seven-ssi, Daesung-ssi, Bom-ssi, and Minzy-ssi… you are all going to be the commentators for the show. I’m sure you all have watched We Got Married? Your jobs would basically be similar to what Park Mi Sun, Kim Na Young, and Jo Hyung Gi do.”

“Mi-Ran-ssi?” Seungri raised his hand to let her know that he had a question. “…Can I switch place with Jiyong hyung instead?” he said with his casual flirt. Jiyong and Dongwook who were seated beside him jokingly tackled him. Well, at least to Jiyong that was not a good joke at all. Not even close.

The screenwriter laughed and answered, “Unfortunately the roles have been decided yesterday, Seungri-ssi. And if you are all wondering for the reasons behind such casting… let’s see here. During the discussion, some of the boards voted to pair up a famous and already known fan-made pairing, but some other believed it was best to pair two people who did not really have any chemistry. Even better, with opposite behavior.”

“Team A, or CL and Seungri, your behavior really clash to each other. And the board feel that you two would have some funny interactions, 'opposites attract' theory anyone? While Team B, Jiyong and Dara, is the famous fan-made pairing that is…frankly to say, expected to boost the rating,” Mi Ran said in hesitation. She felt rather bad for treating these young adults like some sort of commodity, but a part of her believed that these guys and girls, despite their young age, were really professional and knew what was expected from them. Show business could be the cruelest industry in the world, and they voluntarily entered one anyway.

“The four commentators are chosen because we all believe in your speaking skills… and your bluntness that would make the show more interesting" added Joo Won.

“So we can really spill the pairings’ secrets?” asked the interested Bom. “I have some to convey about Dara and CL,” she said slyly.

“Well, you can as long as you know your limit.” Joo Won shrugged.

Dara groaned. “The thing is, Bommie does not know her limit,” she said and Bom only chuckled.

Mi Ran then walked around the tables and gave the boys and girls a bundle of sheets for them to study. She then chose to discuss about more procedural details. The boys and girls listened keenly, interrupted sometimes only by Daesung’s outrageous comment or Bom’s honest saying. The short-haired screenwriter explained about the show’s goal, what was expected from the pairing to do, what kind of measures could one team do to the others, what about the challenges, and some others.

"So basically, the show's tagline is 'playing cupid is the job, creating romance is the show, falling in love is the lost'. The rules are pretty simple, rule number one is do not fall for your teammate, and rule number two is it's just acting. Easy right? Remember, it is show business people, and nothing is personal in the entertainment industry."

By the time she finished explaining the details, it was already 4 PM. The boys had to learn new choreography for their next single while the girls had already done their jobs prior to the meeting and had the free time for themselves. Before the eight idols left the room, Joo Won called out. “Just act naturally in the show. It’s better to have natural chemistry rather than a forced one. I also encourage you guys to bond up together off screen.”

“Wouldn’t that just invite scandals?” asked Minzy.

Joo Won only laughed. “Don’t worry. For the sake of the show, scandal is what we need.” 

The TV Station’s studio was already decorated as a comfortable living room. The lighting was arranged in a way that it would resemble a scene from one fine late afternoon. The artificial lighting shone its pinkish sun rays look-a-like, gently illuminating the setting. A long sofa and several other couches in different pastel colors were positioned in the center in comfortable close distant so that people sitting there would be able to clearly hear what the other said. If Dara tried to forget the cameras, lightings, and the busy show staffs, she would like to say that the setting resembled her mother’s old house very much.

The casts had just finished their make-up session and the PD was now instructing who to sit where. The commentators / hosts were seated on the long sofa with the order of Bom, Dongwook, Daesung, and Minzy from left to right. Two smaller sofas were placed facing each other just on the left and right side of the commentators’ sofas –where Team A and Team B sat on each.

After all the preparations were done, Joo Won cued the camera to start rolling.

For the 8 idols, flashing camera lights or numerous staffs paying attentions to them were not reasons to make them nervous. Some couple years ago when they first debuted, these might have been problems. But as time passed, cameras did not make them uncomfortable anymore. Dongwook made the first example, as the oldest, he started the show. Bom and Minzy also gave additional information here and there regarding the concept of the show. Dongwook chose to let the explaining rules to the girls but like what was expected from the charismatic Kang Daesung, he did not lose his charms as he easily turned the audience in the studio into laughter.

Then it was the turn for the four objects of the show. CL was introduced first, followed by Seungri. The introduction speech was almost smooth, because in the end Seungri chose to blabber things that he and CL didnt even agreed in the first place. CL massage her temple with frustrated face. She hates this blabber guy so much. She groaned.

Can he just stop talking for a minute for Pete's sake?!

One could easily tell the awkward feeling the 2NE1's baddest female carried. Bom spotted this easily and began her torment.

“Yah, CL we’re only on the first episode and you already show your nervousness near Seungri. Do you want to give an easy win to Team B?”

“Nervousness? Ani, that’s not it, unnie –“

“Then what do you think of Seungri, hmm?”

“Eh? Now?”

“No. After i finished eating all corns in my corn field. Well, of course now, CL!”

CL sighed loudly. But the camera had rolled on, and she simply needed to be a professional. “Easy, he's not my type, if that's what you want to know. He's very talkative, way too talkative."

The female audience let out giggling sounds. While Seungri ready to fight back. "Yah, just how long have you known me, huh? Don't you know that i'm actually the natural girl-charmer?!”

"Pfft, not only talkative but you also a conceited delusional man, huh?!" CL retort back.

Dongwook can't stand to watch these two continue their bicker even on cam so he cut them. “Now, now, it’s alright to feel the nervousness or awkwardness. It’s only the first episode and making the pair comfortable towards each other will be one of this show’s goal! Which looks like a hard aim for Team B, hmm?” the oldest spoke as he glanced to the other side.

Jiyong gave his calm gaze while showing his playful smirk when he responded to the challenge, “I know Seungri very well and I know how to properly use it to matchmake him with CL. And Dara also told me that she also knows CL very well, so we thought that we could combine our  knowledge together and form the great plan to win this game.”

“’Dara also told me?’” quoted Daesung. “Seems that you two have begun to work fast…”

“And Jiyong oppa already used the word ‘we’ so early in the show!” pointed out Minzy.

Dongwook smiled his usual grin that reached his eyes. “I’m starting to wonder really, which team actually has the most advantage as they both –ah CL, you want to say something?”

CL nodded as she took the microphone from Seungri. Her eyes twinkled mischievously to Dara. “I think…that Team A will have the most advantage.”

“Ah, why is that, CL?”

“Because I honestly think that this show doesn’t need me or this blab– i mean Seungri, to pair Dara unnie and Jiyong oppa together! They are already perfectly matched. Just look at them and don’t you think they really look like the real pair here?!” insisted CL. Claps and murmurs of agreement filled the room as the spotlight was returned back to Team B.

Dara only laughed. Her soft and thin lips formed a big smile. “We’ll just see in the end, Lee Chaerin,” the fake maknae decided to push her opponent’s button by calling her with her real name.

The playful bickering between Dara and CL began and Bom formed a ‘time-out’ sign with her hands and ordered her dongsaengs to be silent. Trust Bom to be that bold. “Alright, alright, Team A and Team B… Wait, does anyone here feel weird calling them ‘Team A’ and ‘Team B’ all the time? Why don’t we just give new names for both teams, hmm? Any suggestion?”

“Since  Jiyong oppa and  Dara unnie already gathered their own fanbase, Applers, why don’t we name Team B ‘The Appler’? Or do you think we shall go with the usual ‘DaraGon’? Or 'NyongDal'?” asked Minzy excitedly. Seriously, that girl could be the silent unofficial Appler herself. “Which do you prefer?”

“Either way is fine,” said Jiyong, followed by Dara’s nods.

“Good, we can use both names then! And what about Team A? How would we name your team, hmm?” pondered Minzy as her brain worked for a name.

“Because it’s Seungri and CL, just name it ‘RiRin’!” said Daesung suddenly.

“I was thinking of ‘SeungChae’…”

“Yah, that sounds too much like ’ginger tea's brand'.”

“Alright, ‘RiRin’ then!” claimed Minzy.

With the names of the teams settled, Dongwook tried to move the conversation back to schedule. “Now, as the teams are renamed, we will sadly have to bid farewell to both teams, as their real shows will begin.”

“Ah, they’re not going to be here again with us?” questioned Bom.

“No. Both team are now given the chance to freely do anything to matchmake the others. But, of course, we will continue to observe them. So… good luck for both teams! It’s Se7en with Daesung, Bom, and Minzy… We are The Cupid!“

“They think of us as an easy project,” muttered the petite girl to her teammate during the lunch break. Camera was not set on them, but the instruction from the PD told them to have lunch with each of their respective teammates.

“Really?” responded Jiyong who sat in front of her. He casually leaned in closer to her and muttered back not without a playful smirk, “You want to make things difficult for them?”

Dara used her chopsticks to point at him, as she literally tried to make a point. “Hey, you talk as if things are naturally easy between us.”

The dark brown-haired guy chuckled. “They aren’t?”

Dara’s lips did not form any smile or a smirk, but amusement was evident on her eyes. When the show’s screenwriter told them that she was to be paired up with Kwon Jiyong, she had no excitement or disappointment, but nervous yet also comfortable at the same time. She knew Jiyong; Jiyong knew her; she was pretty close to him. Their relationship is nothing but noona-dongsaeng (although he always insisted that he won't call her noona and he'll be the oppa instead) and label mate relationship. But as she heard the words he had just said, she began to ponder that this show could actually be more thrilling that she had thought to be.

“Do you think of me as an easy girl?” Although the words might have sounded too offensive, but Dara actually meant nothing serious, as her words only expressed her genuine curiosity. “Or rather, really, to G-Dragon, are all girls easy to get?”

He chuckled once more, his visage got more boyish when he did so. “Oh no. You are not an easy girl and no girl is ever easy. But I’m just a hard working man.”

“Ah, I watched one of your reality shows. Something about your pride that whenever you want a girl, you will always get her?”

“Sort of.”

Dara rolled her eyes jokingly. “Kwon Jiyong, you’re a true flirter.”

“Don’t you want to know whether I want you or not?” he asked bluntly, not forgetting to give his trademark stare with boyish grin that could melt girls’ heart in a glance.

But sometimes he forgot that this was Sandara Park he was doing facing. The girl was a tomboy and boyish, but her innocence sometimes stirred something inside him. It was not that he had a crush on her or anything, he supposed it was way too fast for that, but Dara was not claimed as one of the most charming girl in Korea for nothing.

“Do I want to know?” she asked back.

His smile returned. “Probably not,” he said secretly.

“Then, be it.”

A/N : AAAAAAAAH first of all, i'm super uber really sorry for this very late update. My college life apparently getting harder and harder as time goes by. Don't even push me to talk about my final thesis GDI, i seriously hate that 'T' word. Why in the world thesis must exist? Sobs ;'(

Anyways, kkk finally next chapter will be about the official first episode of the show. Yeaaaaaay~! Aren't you guys excited? Kkk i'll post the next chapter today, i'm really sorry for not updating after all :' So wait for it, neh? I'll just need to edit here and there hehehe. Oh btw, who managed to guess correctly about the chosen pairings? I told you i gave hints in the previous chapter right? Kkk ;) I hope you guys enjoy it.

As usual, comment and subscribe will be most appreciated. Please >< Ciao~!