Minji and Seungho finally met at the agency a few afternoons after Seungho sang his song. Minji was held up by a producer who suggested she and Seungho do a “couple song.” Despite Minji’s polite refusing, the producer persisted, and eventually Seungho had come out of his rehearsal room to investigate the commotion outside. (The producer had a really loud voice…)

Minji awkwardly acknowledged her “virtual” boyfriend, while maintaining her cool, trying not to let the producer see their strained relationship. The producer raised an eyebrow, seeing through Minji’s façade. So, Seungho put a convincing arm around his “significant other,” pulling her towards him in a sideways hug. The two smiled brightly in each others’ arms, and the producer’s suspicions were belayed.

After about 10 minutes of persuading Seungho to do the couple track, (with no result), the producer finally relented, resolving to speak with their managers instead.

As the watched the producer’s retreating back, Minji couldn’t help but blush madly, while Seungho started unconsciously biting his lip. When the producer finally hd gone out of sight, they immediately jumped apart.

“Sorry I disturbed you,” Minji apologized. She made to leave quickly, but Seungho slid his hand into hers.

“I’m not mad,” he said.

Minji swallowed. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He squeezed her hand. “I understand, Minji-ah. Don’t be sorry.”

She bowed her head and stared at their shoes. The two were wearing matching pairs of gray Converse high tops.

“Our shoes match,” she murmured. Seungho looked down as well, and laughed for her benefit.

He reached out to hold her other hand and swung their arms back and forth.

G.O. was lounging around in the living room after practice. He flipped through channels with the television on mute, preferring to listen to Chundoong’s muffled singing coming from the shower.

The running water stopped, and after a couple minutes, the bathroom door opened, letting out a great deal of steam. Chundoong stepped out, rubbing his hair with a towel.

He stood in the doorway of the living room, staring at G.O., who was staring back at him.

“So…” G.O. laughed nervously.

“Hyung,” Chundoong said bravely. “Can we talk?”

G.O. nodded and patted the space next to him. Chundoong shuffled over and took a seat next to him.

He tapped his toes together and fiddled with his fingers.

G.O felt something rather familiar with Chundoong’s body gestures, and he suddenly realized, the day at the recording studio. This couldn’t be good. G.O. waited with anxious anticipation, as Chundoong opened his mouth to speak.

“Hyung, I don’t mean to keep bringing it up, but…you…do you still like me?”

G.O. let out a sigh. “I won’t like you anymore, Doongie. Don’t worry.”

Chundoong lifted his face and looked right into G.O.’s eyes.

“Don’t stop liking me, Hyung.”

Seungho couldn’t stop thinking about it. Her fingers. Her bare, fingers.

So does this mean she really doesn’t want me anymore?

He called her phone for what seemed like the umpteenth time. Even so, his heart raced as he waited to be connected. Thankfully, after a tense moment, her calling-tone started playing. But why is the piano introduction so familiar?

Seungho came to a sudden realization as he heard his own voice singing. It’s our song.

Minji picked up after the first verse.

“Hello?”

Hearing her voice, Seungho’s words got stuck in his throat.

“Hello? Who is it?”

Seungho quickly cleared his throat.

“Minji-ah,” he croaked.

“Seungho! Hey!”

“Do you have time now?” he asked tentatively.

“Yeah, sure. What is it?”

Seungho swallowed. “Can we meet? At the park?”

Minji chuckled. “Yeah…now?”

Seungho nodded, then realized she couldn’t see him. “Yeah. Now. Is it a bad time?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll see you soon…Bye!”

She hung up.

Minji finally let out her breath and collapsed,exhausted, on her bed.

Is it weird if I pretended we’re back to normal?

She walked to the park, waiting by the fountain. Apparently those ajummas frequent the park often, because they were whispering under a nearby tree.

“Look! It’s that girl again! Maybe she’s waiting for her boyfriend…”

“Ooh! Here he comes now!”

“Aww, he smiled at her!!”

Minji chewed her cheek to stop herself from grinning, just as Seungho approached.

“Minji-ah,” he said.

“Hm?”

He sighed. “You don’t have to pretend to like me.”

She didn’t respond.

“I only wanted to date for real if you really liked me, but it’s okay if you didn’t. I’d understand,” he said.

This time, Minji began to protest, only to be cut off.

“I hope I’m not imposing my feelings onto you. I didn’t mean to burden you.”

“How can you think that?” she piped up.

Seungho raised an eyebrow.

“How can you just think that?!” she repeated. “I wasn’t pretending! I tried to be amiable, but why are you ignoring what I’ve said before? I said I’d like to try dating for real! It wasn’t a burden! How can you think so lowly of me?! You’ve misunderstood,” she finished.

The two stood silently, each brooding in his or her respective woes, each too prideful to apologize.

“Don’t stop liking me.”

G.O. turned his head to his dongsaeng, appalled. “What?”

“I…don’t know how I feel now,” Chundoong said slowly. “But I’d like a chance, in the future. Wait for me, Hyung.”

G.O. swallowed.

“Thanks for…liking me,” Chundoong finished.

G.O. leaned towards Chundoong, and when Chundoong didn’t flinch or move away, G.O. simply inched closer until their noses nearly touched.

Chundoong squeezed his eyes shut, and G.O. planted a light kiss on his dongsaeng’s lips.

In the following week, Minji was caught up again with the happenings, and things were bck to normal. Nearly.

Mir seemed to have gotten over getting “dumped,” and went back to his usual, cheery, hyper self.

Even Joon appeared to have let go of his old love, and Joon and Minji resumed their joking camaderie.

AND G.O. and Chundoong had their “thing,” so…heh.

However, the members couldn’t help but notice the tension between Minji and Seungho.

After their “blow-up,” they just stayed way from each other, still refusing to reconcile.

They were the power couple. The only people who couldn’t see it were themselves.

At the end of the week, MBLAQ was scheduled for a joint charity concert in Busan with the BEAST guys, so they dragged Minji and Hyesung with them. Upon arriving at the venue, Yoseob hauled Hyesung off to “explore,” Doojoon organized a food party in the cafeteria, and Seungho slipped away when they all weren’t looking.

“Hyung shouldn’t have ditched us. Now what are we supposed to do?” Joon and Chundoong wailed.

“Come eat with us!” Dongwoon chirped. “I’m so hungryyyyy.”

Joon and Chundoong nodded enthusiastically, following Doojoon to the cafeteria with Hyunseung, Junhyung, Gikwang, and Dongwoon in tow. G.O. chuckled and followed the party.

Minji hung back, twiddling her fingers. “I think I’ll just…wait here,” she said uncertainly.

“Noona! You’re not hungry?” Mir asked. “Let’s go explore then!”

Minji raised an eyebrow, so Mir latched onto her elbow and grinned.

“It’ll be fun!”

Minji smiled weakly and pulled her arm out of his hold. “Let me call my manager real fast.” She took out her phone and dialed a number.

Taking this opportunity, Mir grabbed his phone as well, firing off a quick text.

Minji shuffled over to Mir. “Let’s go then. You wanted to explore?”

Mir nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah!”

Elsewhere, perched on the piano cover, a phone lit up. A careful finger unlocked the passcode and opened the new text.

Is 20 minutes enough time?

Man! The final will be up next week! Thanks for sticking with me all this time, I love you all~~Stay tuned...:D