The next morning....

".... and that's what happened yesterday." Chaerin said while giggling.

"You're too much, unnie!" Minji said on the other line.

Chaerin was at home preparing for work when she decided to call Minji.
She updated her about what happened to Minho and Seunghyun's meeting yesterday.

Minji just arrived at the university when her friend called.

"What did I do wrong?" She innocently asked.

"He didn't ask me if unnie was dating someone. Minho oppa just asked me if unnie and Youngbae oppa are still together."

"Correction unnie, Seunghyun oppa and Dara unnie are not dating." Minji reminded her friend.

"Then what do you call them? Best friends? Pshhh! Youngbae oppa already bagged that category." Chaerin snorted.

"Geez Minji, I'm gonna bet my whole new clothing line that those two will end up together."

Minji was silent for a moment.

 "Well, I'm just relieved that Seunghyun oppa was there to rescue her from that weirdo Minho-sshi." Minji said while taking out some books from her locker.

"Does Bom unnie know about this?"

"Not yet, I'll call her later." She opened her television and an advertisement made her remember something.

"Minji-ah, did you know that Hyuna of 4 Minute is planning to go solo?" She asked.

"Hmmm... heard rumors circulating here in school, some 4 Minute fans, you know." Minji said in an uninterested tone. "Waeyo?"

"Did you know that she plans to join GD-Fam Entertainment?"

"Really?!!!"

"Yup, but oppa said he will not take her."

"Waeyo?"

"Uh...because... uhmm... I don't know how to explain it to you but once we get together with the girls I'll tell you all about it."

"Wait 'til the others hear about this." Minji said with excitement.

What Minji likes about her friend having a boyfriend in the entertainment circle, she is always up to date with the latest gossips.

"Yah! Don't tell anyone... except Dara and Bom unnie, of course." Chaerin warned. "You can't divulge the information yet. It's completely confidential."

Minji groaned. "Whatta waste of news!" She mumbled.

"Don't worry, Minji-ah. At least you're the first to know." Chaerin laughed.


**********


Dara was busy typing on her computer when she heard a knock on her door.
Cheondung entered her office with a pissed look on his face.

"What's up Cheondoongie?" She sweetly greeted him.

"No, you tell me what's going on, nuna." He said in a serious tone.

"Eh? What do you mean?" She watched as her brother marched towards her.

"Youngbae hyung called me and he said you're not answering his calls." He sat on Dara's table.

Dara looked at him speechless.

She felt like she's being interrogated by an older brother.

"Yah! You're forgetting who you're talking to, Park Cheon Dung!" She reminded him.

He rolled his eyes.

"It has nothing to do with age here, nuna. Now tell me what happened?... AGAIN." He demanded.

Dara sighed and told his brother the incident that happened last night at the restaurant.

Cheondung looked at her weirdly; he wrinkled his forehead and crossed his arm over his chest.

"You do remember that you're no longer in a relationship to be acting like that, right?" He asked her.

Dara nodded in reply.

"And that you have no right to be jealous, correct?" He added.

Dara narrowed her eyes.

"Jealous?!!! Who's jealous? I'm not jealous!" She defensively said.

Now it's Cheondung's turn to nod his head.

"Ah ye, you're not jealous alright. Then... WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD BE THE REASON FOR YOU NOT WANTING TO ANSWER HIS CALLS?"

"I-I.. I just.." She stammered, thinking of a convincing answer.

"I.. I.. just.. You just what, nuna?" He mimicked her sister.

"Yah! Stop doing that to me, you punk!" She snapped.

"Admit it, nuna. You're acting like a jealous girlfriend." He said, shaking his head.

"May I remind you nuna.... IT'S BEEN MONTHS ALREADY. Get over it!" He paused and took a deep breath.

"Nuna, it's a good thing you two are still friends. That's a very rare case. You need to straighten things up before you both lose whatever is left."

With that he got up and headed to the door leaving Dara shaken.

Cheondung looked over his shoulder. "By the way nuna, I asked hyung to come over so that the two of you can talk."

Dara's eyes widened.

"Yah! Y-you punk! What time is he coming?" She asked, quickly grabbing the receiver.

He checked his watch. "In 5--"

"Five minute?!" Dara gasped.

"5..4..3.."


*********


Youngbae stepped out of the elevator.
He saw Nayoung at her desk outside Dara's office.
Walking towards her he noticed how she quickly stood up upon seeing him.

"Is Dara in her office, Nayoung-sshi?" He asked her.

Dara strictly instructed Nayoung earlier to tell Youngbae she's out if he calls.
But Dara forgot to tell her what she is going to say or do when he comes over.

"Youngbae-sshi, s-s-she, D-Dara...” She stuttered.

Youngbae can tell that the lady was rattled.
They heard the door of Dara's office opened.

Youngbae smiled at the disoriented secretary.

"I understand, Nayoung-sshi. Thank you."

He headed to the door and saw Cheondung coming out.

"...2...1... Oh, hyung!"


*************


Cheondung greeted him and opened the door wider for Youngbae to enter.

"Nuna, Youngbae-hyung's here." He announced.

The door closed behind Youngbae.
Youngbae saw Dara sitting on her chair holding the receiver.

"Calling someone, Dara?"

His small eyes turned to slits.

Dara's mouth fell open.

'It was not five minute, it was five seconds!' She thought.

Youngbae's face darkened.

He understood right away that she was trying to escape him.

Dara gulped.

"We need to talk."

************

At Seunghyun's office...

"For this afternoon, you are scheduled to visit the club at Itaewon." Heran said. "That's at 3:00 P.M. "

"Thank you, Heran-sshi." Seunghyun said looking up from the papers he was reading.
His secretary bowed and left his office.

After a few minute, he heard a knock.
He was surprise to see his father coming in.

"Aboji," He stood up to greet him, but his father gestured him to sit down.

Mr. Choi went to sit at the chair across his desk.
"How's our business doing, son?" He asked with a warm smile.

"Doing great, aboji."
 
"So you'll visit the branch at Itaewon later?" He asked adjusting his eyeglasses.

"Ye, aboji." He replied. "I heard that you'll be going to Singapore tomorrow. Is it a business trip?"

The old man shook his head and chuckled.

"Ani, I'll be going there with an old friend. For relaxation."

"Vacation?"

"You can say that. Do you want to come with us?"

Seunghyun smiled and shook his head.

"I have to do some rounds here in Seoul. I might even visit our cafe in Busan tomorrow."

"Why don't you unwind for a couple of days, son. I'm sure Kush can handle while you're away." His father suggested.

Kush is Seunghyun's cousin from the Choi side. Mr. Choi hired him to be the manager in their company.

"It's okay, aboji. I already gave him tons of work for this week. Maybe next time."

"You're always busy, Seunghyun-ah. I rarely see you at home." Mr. Choi said sounding concern. "Are you still seeing Park Yong Sun's daughter? What's her name again? Sara?"

"Dara. Her name is Dara. She's just my friend, aboji." He replied with a laugh.

"And yes, we still hang out together when we're free. "

"You know I'm not good with names, son." Mr. Choi chuckled. "So when do you plan on bringing her to our house. I want to have a meal with her."

Seunghyun studied his father.

"This is not about me getting married again, right?"

"What are you talking about, Seunghyun-ah?" Mr. Choi avoided his gaze, pretending not to know what his son was saying.

"I just talked to omma a couple of days ago, she and nuna are nagging me to get married already."

Mr. Choi forced a laugh. " I-I know nothing about that."

"Oh really?" He said raising an eyebrow.

Ever since Seunghyun decided to stay in Seoul, his parents had been talking to him about settling down and getting married.
Especially when they heard that he is in touch again with Dara, the first girl their son ever dated.
Seunghyun already explained to them that he is just close friends with Dara, but they never believed him and urged him to pursue her knowing how much he likes her.

His father cleared his throat and stood up. "I think I better go, I have an appointment with Mr. Moon."

Seunghyun smiled walked his father to his office.


**********


"The release date of the album is on Wednesday next week." Jiyong informed the people who were present in the meeting room.

He turned his gaze to the five young boys in front of him.

"I want you boys to prepare yourself for your debut performance after the release of the album."

"Ne, sajangnim," The five boys answered all together.

"Work hard and don't disappoint me."

"Ne," The boys replied.

"For the stylists, make sure to make them look unique." He instructed.

"I don't like them wearing the same outfits. Style them individually."

"Ne, sajangnim." The two stylists answered.

"Don't make me call my girlfriend to take over your jobs." He warned, looking at them intently.

"Ne, sajangnim."

"And as for the five managers, I need you to watch them very carefully. That means 24/7." He commanded.

"I don't want any scandals and I want all your cellphone lines to be open for communication starting now."

"Ne," They all answered.

"When I say open for communication, that doesn't mean you can collect number from other artists. Arasseo?"

"Ne,"

"Okay this meeting is dismissed. Until next week."
 
They all bowed and went out of the meeting room.

Jiyong was on his way to his office when his cellphone rang.

"Yo Jiyong!" He heard a familiar voice on the other line.

"Hyung? Teddy hyung?!"

"Yah, you punk!" He heard his cousin chuckled.

"Hyung! Long time no talk. What's up?"

"Doin' good cuz, how 'bout you?"

"Been busy with the company nowadays?" He replied with a sigh. "So how's LA?"

"Good, but I'm bored."

"What have you been up to, hyung?"

"Nothing much. I actually called because your dad asked me if I wanted to help out in your company, yah know." He said. "Music related work."

"Ohhh... I think I mentioned to him that I was looking for a music producer."

"Yup, that's what the old man said. So what do you say? Can I work in your company?"

"Of course man! I thought you'd never asked." Jiyong replied with a chuckle.

The call ended when he arrived at his office.

The phone on his desk rang.

"Ne, Yoojin-sshi?" He answered on speaker phone.

"Ms. Hyuna of 4 Minute is on line 3, sajangnim." His secretary said.

"Okay, I'll take it."

"Yoboseyo?" He heard Hyuna's voice in the other line.

He took a deep breath. "Hyuna-sshi..."