Chapter Six

Jiyong was pacing like a caged tiger when the door finally opened to admit the AWOL rapper. He nearly sprang on him, oblivious to the small-statured woman who was swiftly shoved behind Seunghyun. "Where the Hell have you been?" Jiyong demanded, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "You know we have a schedule tomorrow, and you run off saying 'a friend' needed you? I swear, you better not have gone to a e or - God forbid - a brothel, or I will strangle you, Choi Seunghyun!"

Naomi could have sworn she heard a something akin to a long-suffering sigh before her tall spikey-haired shield was gone, and he and Jiyong were grappling for the rights to the shorter man's still-balled fists. They staggered back into the living room from the foyer, Seunghyun still with his brown boots on. Manhandling the leader had apparently become routine when he was in a bad mood or stressed because every time Jiyong tried to twist free, Seunghyun strong-armed him into submission again. By the time Seunghyun had Jiyong pinned to the couch, Daesung and Youngbae had noticed the young woman standing transfixed by the door.

Youngbae walked over and around her, making her squeak while he looked her over. "She's a cute reason to run out at least," he said and smiled at her. "Don't let Jiyong scare you. He's been stressed out all day, and Hyung just gave him a reason to explode."

"Come on in," added Daesung. "You look cold. What's your name?"

She managed a small smile as she slipped off her shoes and stepped over the threshold with the aid of Daesung's offered hand. "I'm Naomi Taylor," she answered. "Seunghyun had a date with my roommate a few weeks ago, and I was there when he dropped her off."

"Calm down," growled Seunghyun from the couch where he pinned Jiyong. Daesung and Naomi stopped and looked at them, and she shrank a little under the withering glance Jiyong threw at her as he struggled for his hands again. "No one saw us come in, and I'll take her home tomorrow. Don't take your stress out on her." He grabbed the smaller man's jaw and made him meet his gaze. "I'll cop to being impulsive when I left to get Naomi, but if someone called you and said something was wrong with Kangin, you would have done the same damn thing." Seunghyun looked over to where the young woman stood slightly behind Daesung and Youngbae, and all three saw his eyes soften. "We'll deal with this later," he said with finality and released Jiyong's wrists.

Jiyong pushed him back away from the couch where he was pinned and straightened up, staring at Naomi as Seunghyun walked over to join her. He watched in silence while the rapper's arm tucked itself neatly around Naomi's waist, and the four of them walked into the yellow light of the kitchen.

"Your eyes are turning a very lovely shade of green."

Jiyong turned his glare on a Seungri who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat on catnip. "No one asked you, maknae."

"Hyung, if looks could kill, that girl would be a smoldering melted smudge on the carpet. I told you to confess, remember? I told you multiple times even."

"I did-"

"Not like that, you idiot. That was a what-if scenario, not a confession. Hell, hyung said he'd date Youngbae, but I know he's not in love with him. I ing told you to confess before someone actually caught his eye, but you never listen to me, so I take pleasure in being right." Seungri leaned on the back of the loveseat and crossed his arms, looking wise.

Jiyong took a slow step forward, teeth gritted. "You're starting to push my buttons, Lee Seunghyun."

"What buttons? Lately, you've been on a ing hair-trigger, and we all know it. Even Manager-hyung. How do you think Seunghyun-hyung has gotten so good at pinning you?" He ignored the older man's blush. "I don't think your solo career is helping either. You're always stressed out, and it doesn't take much to put you in the red. You need a break, hyung, and soon."

"You're right," Jiyong admitted softly. "I know you are."

Sensing that the bomb had been defused, Seungri embraced his leader and let him tuck his face into his shoulder. "I miss my hyung," he said. "I miss my loving, fussy, mother-henning Jiyong-hyung."

A wet spot was forming under his face. "Brat," he said weakly. "I love you too. Thank you. Why couldn't I have fallen for you?"

"Because we'd always be fighting over who was more awesome. Which, by the way, is me."

In the kitchen, Daesung - who knew every secret the group members possessed - watched as Seungri led the crying leader away and silently wished Jiyong wasn't so blind in his own misery to see what he was putting Seungri through. The cup of tea in his hands sat forgotten for a moment as Daesung weighed the pain he felt for both men and the urge to let them try to figure things out for themselves. Then the heat from the cup registered, and he shifted his grip to the handle and walked over to the table where Youngbae sat across from Seunghyun and Naomi. The young woman was nestled close to Seunghyun, his arm resting on the back of her chair and telling Youngbae about her students.

"Min-Hyo called me," Seunghyun said as Daesung sat down. "He's one of her older students."

"His mother passed last year," Naomi supplied. "Cancer, I think. It was about the time my father died, and we helped each other through that time. He wants to study medicine in America now, and his English is very good." She smiled, looking down at her steaming cup and blushing faintly, and Daesung could see how Seunghyun had been taken in by the girl; she was cute when she was being modest.

"I'm sure he had a wonderful teacher," said Daesung. "You sound like you love your students very much."

"They mean the world to me…" She trailed off and looked up at Seunghyun. "I'm still not comfortable with you doing this," she said softly.

He shook his head. "It's nothing. I want to."

Youngbae looked between the pair suspiciously and settled the attack on Naomi being the less stubborn. "Doing what exactly?"

For the second time, she recounted the story about the American embassy rep and his ill-disguised distaste for her, throwing in that she would be homeless in America if she was deported, and ending with Seunghyun's offer to pay the fine to keep her where she felt she belonged. Youngbae grinned widely at the blush which crossed the older man's face as she spoke, and Daesung laughed at his trade for a kiss.

"So smooth, hyung," Youngbae teased as Seungri entered the kitchen. "Hey, maknae, come meet T.O.P's new girlfriend."

"We aren't dating," Seunghyun fired back.

Seungri stood considering her, and Naomi met the look with poise. She tipped her head, looked back at him, widened her eyes like a puppy. Finally, he laughed. "She's cute! If you aren't dating, hyung, can I take her out?"

"Touch her and die," Seunghyun replied good-naturedly, but something in his eyes promised fire and damnation if he so much as touched her.

Naomi made a face at him and got up. "I'm Naomi," she said and bowed to Seungri. "Glad to meet you."

"Lee Seunghyun, but since we already have one-" Looking at T.O.P. "-just call me Seungri. Guess we have to take the P out of Hyung's stage name. Hard to be a pimp when you're wrapped around a girl's little finger."

"No, he can keep the P," said Youngbae. "Just make it 'The Original Pushover'."

"Or 'The Original Puppy'," said Seungri. He pulled out a chair, spun it around, sat in it backwards.

Naomi looked back at Seunghyun over her shoulder and smiled mischievously. "What about F.B?"

"F.B?" inquired Daesung.

Somehow keeping a straight face, Naomi answered innocently, "Fantastic Baby."

With that, the five of them dissolved into laughter.