Joon knelt in front of her and stared into her eyes.

“If you liked me once, can’t you like me again? I…I like you.”

Minji blinked. She looked at him with a melancholy expression and gave him a sad smile.

“I saw you today,” she said. “At the agency.”

Joon nodded slowly, confused.

“I could see you peeking from the corner.”

“Oh.”

They watched some children play on the monkey bars.

Minji continued, “I’m really sorry.”

Joon brought his eyes to hers. “You mean…”

Minji was suddenly really interested in a loose string on the hem of her shirt.

Joon sighed and got up. He turned away from her and walked a few paces.

“It’s funny,” he said. “We’ve never been in sync.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

“It’s not your fault,” Joon said kindly, turning back again. “I’ll wait for you. If you’ll have me, then I’ll wait for you. I don’t care for how long, but I’ll always wait.”

Seungho pulled up to his parents’ house. As he stepped out of his car, his mother and grandmother burst out the front door, gathering him in their arms.

“Seungho-ah,” his mother smiled. “You’ve come home.”

They brought him inside, and he saw that they’d prepared a whole table of foods he liked. His eyes watered with tears of gratitude, as he hugged both of them.

They heard a cough in the doorway.

“Appa,” Seungho greeted.

The man simply nodded and left.

“Seungho-ah, don’t worry,” his grandmother said. “He’s just a bit miffed at how you didn’t ask permission to date that wonderful girl.”

Seungho nodded uncomfortably.

“About that, Halmoni,” he started. “I meant to tell you but—“

“Oh, do tell me about her!” his grandmother said, leading him to the living room.

“Well, her name is Minji, Jung Minji,” he said.

“We know,” his mother smiled widely. “The actress. Your brother adores her.”

Seungho coughed loudly. “Yeah well…”

“Does she treat you well?” his mother asked.

Seungho laughed. “I think I’m the one who’s supposed to treat her well.”

His mother jumped up. “I’ll be right back.” She helped her mother-in-law up, and the two hurried off to a room.

Seungho took this time to admire the pictures on the mantle. Most were of him in his childhood. He found a photo album, filled with articles and pictures of his activites, including album covers, promotional posters.

He suddenly realized there was someone else in the room.

“Your mother liked collecting those,” his father said, motioning to the album.

“Appa.”

“So have you come to talk about this…”

“Yes, Minji,” Seungho finished for him.

“Why isn’t she here as well?” he asked sternly.

“I—She’s sorry she can’t be here,” Seungho said quickly.

“Just remember that I haven’t given my permission for you to see her yet,” his father said.

Seungho nodded stiffly.

“So bring her next time, and I’ll make a decision.”

Seungho smiled widely. “Thank you, Dad.”

Seungho’s mother and grandmother had come back. They took his hands and led him to the dining room.

His mother pushed a small package towards him.

“What’s this?” Seungho asked, the box.

“It’s special,” his grandmother said. “You must take care of it well. Your great grandfather gave it to your great grandmother, who passed it to your grandfather, who gave it to me. And I passed it down to your father who gave it to your mother. And we think it may be time for you to take it.”

His mother grinned happily. “It’s for…Minji.”

“Omma! It’s not like that yet…” Seungho protested, getting an idea of what was in the package.

“When you’re ready, then,” his mother gushed. “Oh and your father knows about it.”

His father shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I said, I’d decide when she comes.”

“Well it’s as good as done,” his grandmother said. “I approve.”

Seungho laughed. “You haven’t even met her.”

His grandmother pretended to glare. “So bring her soon.”

At the end of the night, they sent him home with boxes of food.

Seungho examined the wrapping of the box, afraid to open it.

The door swung open loudly and Joon stepped inside.

“Joon! How many times do I have to remind you not to do that?” Seungho scolded.

Joon just closed it just as roughly and walked up to Seungho lounging on the couch.

“Hyung, I’m only saying this once. So listen closely.”

Seungho tried laughing it off, but Joon’s expression didn’t change.

“Jung Minji. You better hold on to her now. Because I’m going to steal her away. You’ll see, Hyung.”

He stalked off to his room.

Seungho felt the anger rising in him. He pounded on Joon’s door. “You just try Lee Joon.” He strode to his own room and slammed the door.

Seungho lied in bed, tossing the box up and down. He gathered up his nerve, and carefully took off the wrapping.

He carefully reached inside, pulling out a ring.

It was made of white gold, with an engraved phoenix wrapping around the outside.

He turned it over in his hands, admiring the craftsmanship.

Suddenly his door opened and G.O. walked in.

“What is UP with you and Joon?” he asked, infuriated. “The boy won’t talk.”

“How should I know?” Seungho growled.

“You’re the LEADER. Take care of your members.” G.O. closed the door behind him. “He’s just brooding. Alone in his room. Won’t even talk to Mir.”

Seungho lied down on his bed. “I’ll take care of it.” He slipped the ring into this pocket.

G.O. sighed. “This business with Minji is going too far. You know Chundoong likes her too.”

This made Seungho sit up. “What?”

“I didn’t want to tell you, but he does. And it’s tearing him up.”

“I’m sorry,” Seungho said. “I didn’t mean for it to turn out this way. But you know how I feel about her.”

G.O. sat down next to Seungho. “And I know how Joon and Chundoong and Mir feel about her. It’s not worth it.”

“I can’t let her go,” Seungho said. “I won’t.”

G.O. patted his back. “I know. But I’m saying you should let it cool down a bit. Let them forget about her.”

Seungho was quiet for a minute. “He said he’d steal her away,” he said softly.

G.O. wasn’t even sure he heard him right. “Lee Joon?”

Seungho nodded.

“This all happened so fast, I don’t know what to tell you,” G.O. said defeated. He was always the rational one in the group. The mediator. He had all the answers. Seungho was unsettled to hear that even G.O. had no idea what to do.

“Help me,” he pleaded.

G.O. had his own torments.

He was stuck between confessing to Chundoong, and letting the boy deal with his own relationship issues. Who was he to suddenly into Chundoong’s problems? He did ask for help… And if his feelings weren’t reciprocated, he’d only add burden to Chundoong. That boy already deals with a lot. But what if…

Don’t be silly. There’s no way.

This can’t be happening to me.

“Hyung!” A bright voice brought G.O out of his inner thoughts.

“Chundoongie?”

“Do you wanna go somewhere with me?” Chundoong invited. “It’ll be really fun! I promise.”

G.O. agreed, allowing himself to be dragged off to the aquarium.

As they walked past the tons of fish, Chundoong began building up his courage to finally approach his hyung.

They had stopped outside the ‘Clownfish Exhibit.’

“Hyung,” Chundoong said tentatively.

G.O. turned to him. “Hm?”

“Can I ask you something?”

G.O. nodded. “Anything.”

“I was wondering if you…” he trailed off. “Actually, it’s pretty silly…I’m probably just making it up in my head…”

“Chundoong-ah,” G.O. said comfortingly. “You can say it. I won’t laugh.”

Chundoong looked at him with puppy-dog eyes. “Really? Promise?”

G.O. nodded.

“I mean…it is pretty silly. But I just thought that you might…Do you…like me, Hyung?”

G.O. flushed pink.

“I…Of course I like you, Chundoong!” G.O. said.

Chundoong looked appalled. “I see…um…thanks?”

“You’re my dongsaengie! Why wouldn’t I like you?” G.O. lied through his teeth.

Chundoong let out a relieved sigh. “Haha, yeah! I like you too, hyung!”

G.O. patted Chundoong’s head affectionately, and the two headed out of the exhibit.

If only you knew, Chundoong.

The two arrived to an empty dorm. Seungho had left a note: Gone out to Minji’s…

Joon left one too: I’ll be back in the morning. Don’t look for me.

And Mir: Visiting my mum…take care, hyungs! <3

G.O. sighed while Chundoong began sifting through the cabinets. Ten minutes later, dinner was set out.

They ate silently, until G.O. broke the silence.

“You know, Chundoongie…”

“Hmm?”

“About what you said earlier…”

Chundoong looked down at his plate.

“I lied.”

G.O. took a deep breath and continued.

“I thought about it a lot, and I think…I know what I’m feeling is wrong, but I can’t help it. I…I really like you.”

Joon sat in his car, parked outside Minji’s dorm. He had been deliberating going in for a good fifteen minutes, before Seungho’s car pulled up on the other side of the street. He had watched her get into his car and the two speed off.

Now…he was just sitting here.

Two hours later, they two finally came back. He watched his hyung walk her to the front door and wait for her to disappear through the elevator doors before climbing back into his own car.

As soon as Seungho’s car turned the corner, Joon ran inside the building. He took the stairs, three at a time, and by the time he reached the seventh floor, he was pretty out of breath.

Sweating, he rang Minji’s doorbell.

“Jung Minji! Open up!” he called.

He heard shuffling from behind the door, then her head poke out cautiously.

“Oh. It’s you,” she mumbled. She opened the door wide and let him come in.

She poured him a glass of water, setting it on the table. They sat across from each other, both not making eye contact.

“So…” she said first. “What did you come here for?”

“Seungho was just here,” Joon said. It wasn’t a question, but Minji nodded anyways.

“Joonie-ah…”

“Hear me out.” Joon cut her off. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d wait for you, Minji. I don’t expect anything from you, but I’ll be here, watching over you. I’ll protect you.”

“Joonie,” she repeated. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out for us, but please don’t wait for me. I want you to be happy.”

Joon looked up at her and smiled. “I’ll be happy as long as you’re by my side. So just stick to me like glue.”

Minji returned his smile, but sadly. “I…can’t promise that.”

“I know,” Joon whispered. “But promise me this, that you’ll give me another chance. I don’t care when that is, if it be a week, a month, a year from now. I’ll wait for you. Just give me another chance. I’ll treat you well, Minji.”

“Hyung,” Chundoong said after a long pause. “I…”

G.O. stared at the food in front of him.

“I’m sorry.”

G.O. stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth.

Chundoong was about to cry. “Hyung…”

G.O. spoke up, “It’s okay if you don’t like me, but would it be okay for me to like you? I don’t want you to be burdened by it, and you’re already going through so much. I’m so sorry I imposed this on you—“

“Hyung,” Chundoong said loudly. “I’m not mad, nor am I burdened.”

He gathered up his courage. “I’m sorry I can’t return your feelings, but even so, we can still be hyung and dongsaeng, right? We can still do all the things we always do. We’re MBLAQ!”

G.O. looked at his dongsaeng, trying to cheer him up, so he forced a smile. “Thanks, Chundoongie.”

The door lock beeped and Seungho stepped in.

“What are you two still doing up?” he asked, with a hint of authority in his voice.

“Mind your own business,” G.O. said.

“Besides,” Chundoong piped up. “You’ve been out all night. We’ve just been at home. And Joonie Hyung is out too.”

Seungho puckered his brow (this is a dandy phrase I learned just today :D). Then he came upon sudden realization.

“Aish, that kid,” he muttered, and rushed out of the dorm.

The two sitting at the table frowned. “What’s with him?”

Unknown to Minji and Joon, who were enjoying some bonding time after their small blow-up, Seungho was speeding towards them at that moment.

Lee Joon, I’m going to kill you.