EPISODE 7

 

27 February 2014

7pm, YGE Building

 

Chaerin had been practicing on her own for the past 2 hours. Every single song, she went through the routine and made sure she had it down perfect. After talking to YG, she knew that their first concerts were important so that fans from the other countries would have the confidence to buy their concert tickets no matter the price. YG had asked her to pass the message to her members that some of the concert LIVE performance would be released online. He also told her that since it was the first time that she took part in the production of the album, it was likely that her songs might be the ones chosen to be released online. While that made her feel good, the pressure was also immense.

 

After the last song, she sat down to rest for a while and empty her mind. She knew that if she had any other thoughts other than the concert, she was going to get distracted. Yet, the moment she did, Jonghyun came into mind. That, and Seungyeon calling his name. She let out a frustrated growl and pulled at her hair.

 

“What’s wrong, Chae?”

 

Chaerin looked up to see Teddy approaching her with a bottle of water. She gave him a weak smile then took the drink from him. She opened the bottle and took a sip.

 

“Oppa, do people fall in love within a day?”

 

“Who are we talking about? You? Are you in love?”

 

“I honestly don’t know. I have never felt this way before. Like when Jiyong oppa gets a girlfriend, I would be irritated for a while then I’d get over it. But this time round, I’m upset just because I heard Seungyeon unnie call Jonghyun oppa’s name over the phone. And I kept thinking about it.”

 

“Could it be because you are just possessive over this new oppa that you have gotten? Maybe it would be like how it is with Jiyong and his girlfriends once you get used to it.”

 

“I don’t know. I think for Jiyong oppa, the irritation comes from losing a best guy friend? But after a while, the other oppas kind of reminds me that I still have them. But with Jonghyun oppa, maybe it’s the show, the possessiveness is slightly different. As much as I try to rationalize that they are in a drama together, it’s still a bitter pill to swallow.”

 

“Then don’t forget that you are in a show with him too. It might be just the show that is creating this atmosphere.”

 

Chaerin bit her bottom lips and debated whether to tell Teddy about Jonghyun’s confession. She looked around to make sure that none of her childish oppas, namely Kwon Jiyong and Dong Youngbae, were around, then took a deep breath.

 

“Teddy oppa, I’m going to tell you something but you have to swear that you will not tell anyone about it.”

 

“What is it? You can’t make me promise that especially if your safety is going to be compromised.”

 

“Teddy oppa, don’t exaggerate. But you really cannot tell because I might be in danger of being strangled by the other idiotic oppas.”

 

“OMG! LEE CHAERIN!! DON’T TELL ME YOU SLEPT WITH JONGHYUN!!”

 

“WHAT?!!”

 

Teddy and Chaerin turned to see a fuming Jiyong and Youngbae had a very stern face on.”

 

“NO! NO!! ARGH! TEDDY OPPA!!”

 

“Sorry, I was just joking.”

 

“Teddy hyung, you don’t joke about something like that. This concerns Chaerin’s reputation.”

 

“Bae oppa, it’s ok. Teddy oppa probably thought it was just the two of us so he was just joking around. I thought you and Jiyong oppa had to go for dinner with the other Big Bang oppas. Why are you here again?”

 

“We came to ask if you want to join us.”

 

“Nope~ I have to practice some more.”

 

“But you need to eat.”

 

“I’d eat after, but I would have a light snack before the rehearsal starts. Thanks for asking anyway. Go now, otherwise you are going to be late.”

 

“Do you want us to bring anything back for you?”

 

Chaerin shook her head and then got up to give Youngbae a quick hug.

 

“Send my regards to the other oppas. Jiyong oppa, aren’t you going?”

 

Jiyong wanted to say he was going to stay. He knew that Chaerin was probably telling Teddy something about her and Jonghyun and he really wanted to know. But at the same time, he didn’t know if he could handle hearing it. So, without answering Chaerin, he just walked out. Chaerin looked at Youngbae, asking him silently what had gotten into Jiyong. Youngbae just shrugged then waved goodbye to Teddy.

 

Chaerin turned back to Teddy and glared at him. Teddy just laughed it off.

 

“Missy, I watch you grow up. Don’t pull that stunt on me.”

 

“You watch me grow up and the only thing that came to your mind was me sleeping with Jonghyun?! That’s what you really think of me?”

 

“Calm down, Chaerin, I was just joking. So what happened?”

 

“He confessed to me.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“He said he might be falling in love with me, or he might already have.”

 

“So he doesn’t know for sure?”

 

Chaerin looked at Teddy and unexpectedly, tears started to swim in her eyes. She tried to blink them away but it was not helping. Teddy was shocked because he rarely see Chaerin in tears, at least never for a guy. He gathered her in his arms and tried to console her.

 

“Chae ah, why don’t you go upstairs to the studio and take a nap? I think you are too tired and you are letting all these thoughts wreck havoc. Go and rest a little, then you can be more focused later, hmmm?”

 

“Is this why Boss has the dating ban on us?”

 

“Maybe. People do tend to get distracted when they are in love or in a relationship. Come on, let’s go get some rest.”

 

Chaerin nodded and got up with Teddy. She picked up her phone from the floor and was surprised to see that she had missed calls and messages from Jonghyun. She was going to call him when the next message surprised her.

 

FROM: JONGHYUN OPPA

I’m at YG Cafeteria. Come and meet me there?

 

“Teddy oppa, Jonghyun oppa is in the cafeteria. You want to come and meet him?”

 

Teddy could hear the plea in her voice. She didn’t want to be seen alone with Jonghyun because it would arouse suspicion. Other than that, she wanted a 3rd party present so Jonghyun would not ask about her slightly swollen eyes. He nodded his agreement and the both of them left the studio.

 

When they arrived at the cafeteria, the sight that greeted them surprised the both of them. Teddy turned to look at Chaerin and she shook her head. After seeing the reaction of Jiyong and Youngbae, Chaerin was wary about them meeting him. But the moment had already arrived. All 5 Big Bang members were all sitting at the same table with Jonghyun. Everyone seemed to be chatting, except for Jiyong and Youngbae. They were just staring at Jonghyun.

 

“I think you might want to take Jonghyun upstairs to the studio. I’d go with you and say that you are needed at the studio and Jonghyun can come upstairs with us if he wants to.”

 

“Thanks oppa."

 

“I’ve got you.”

 

Chaerin and Teddy approached the table and saw that the table was empty. The moment Chaerin arrived at the table, there was a round of cheers because they thought they could finally get something to eat.

 

“Chaerin, what do you want to eat? I’d go get it for you?”

 

“Jonghyun ah, we might have to pack the food and go up to the studio. I need Chaerin to work on something. But since you are already here, we can’t possibly ask you to leave. So why don’t you get what you want to eat and then we’ll go upstairs?”

 

“Jonghyun oppa, let’s go and get some food then go to the studio ok?”

 

Jonghyun nodded and got up to go get the food. The rest of Big Bang members looked at them and could see that Chaerin was definitely comfortable around Jonghyun. Jonghyun had his hand on her back and was bending down to hear what she was saying. After that, he said something in reply and that got her to laugh heartily.

 

“She looks like she’s really close to him already.”

 

Seungri didn’t know that his one statement set off the first of the many landmines.

 

“They look good together.”

 

Youngbae and Jiyong turned to look at Daesung who just made the statement.

 

“The event was amazingly romantic. If I were Chaerin, I would fall in love with Jonghyun too. I heard they went on a hot air balloon ride yesterday.”

 

“Hot air balloon ride? Wow, that’s incredibly romantic and I remember Chaerin mentioning it before that it’s one of the things she wanted to do with her boyfriend. Looks like she skipped the boyfriend and went straight to ‘hubby’.”

 

Daesung and TOP laughed at Seungri’s statement.

 

“I think I’m really going to enjoy watching their episodes on WGM. It might be like watching the Behind-The-Scenes of their real love story.”

 

“If you dare watch it in our dorm, I would break the TV then your neck.”

 

Jiyong left after saying what he said, leaving behind shocked Big Bang members and an amused Teddy. Jiyong had enough of everyone saying how compatible Chaerin and Jonghyun are. Youngbae and him met Jonghyun on their way out of the building. They were surprised to see him and when they found out that he was here to see Chaerin and to have dinner with her, Jiyong sent a message to s, asking them to meet at the YG Cafeteria instead. He wasn’t about to let the 2 of them eat alone at the cafeteria.

 

He was waiting for the elevator and he was a tad surprised to see YG stepping out of it.

 

“Oh Jiyong ah, I heard Jonghyun is here. Let’s go and meet him.”

 

“I already did.”

 

Without a second word, Jiyong entered the elevator and press the button to go to the top floor. He needed fresh air, he needed to clear his head, he needed…

 

Lee Chaerin

 

Strangely, the moment he admitted in his mind that he needed Chaerin, every other thought in his mind cleared. He grinned and then shook his head.

 

Really, that’s all it took? Me realizing that I needed Chaerin?

 

Somewhere in his mind, he heard that admitting it was the first step. That same voice was also asking him what he was going to do about it.

 

Well, I would just have to make her mine, no?

 

Does she want to be yours, that’s the question, isn’t it?

 

Frowning, Jiyong slapped that thought away. But Jiyong would admit he wasn’t sure too. Having seen how Chaerin interacted with Jonghyun, even if it was for just a few minutes, was enough to unsettle him. He had wanted to walk up to them and tear Jonghyun’s hand away from Chaerin’s back. He had wanted to pull Chaerin away and hide her in a place where it’s just the 2 of them.

 

However, he knew he couldn’t. If he were to do that, he would be under fire from Chaerin. If he wants her to accept his love for her, he would have to win her over slowly. He won’t get anywhere with her if he was going to be all rash and over-protective. He walked up to the rooftop and sat down to contemplate his next step. He knew that if he wanted to go ahead with his plan, he would probably have to get his boss on his side first. So he would need to start from there, then work his way to Chaerin.

 

“What are you thinking about?”

 

Jiyong turned to see Youngbae behind him.

 

“I have decided that I’m going after Chaerin. I need her in my life. It was unsettling to watch how easily she walked away with Jonghyun. Not to mention, she was going to tell Teddy hyung something and I’m really worried it goes along the line of her having fallen in love with Jonghyun.”

 

“Ji, you are my best friend and you know how precious Chaerin is to me as well. Before you even talk about your first step, I want to know why. If you are going to hurt her in any way, or if it’s just a moment of folly, please just stay put. You do know that changing anything between you and Chaerin is going to affect a lot of people. So, really, if this is just about Chaerin on WGM and you getting insecure about her and Jonghyun, please just chill. I know it’s difficult to watch her letting another guy into her life but we have got to accept that this is work.”

 

“Bae, do you really think it’s just work for Jonghyun? If it is, he won’t be here right now. I think he is serious about Chaerin.”

 

“And what is so bad about that? I think Chaerin likes him too. If she’s happy…”

 

“Bae, no matter what, I’m not going to let go without a fight. I want her, I need her. This might feel sudden to you and to everyone else, but it’s always been there. Like you said, a lot would change and there will people who would be affected. But these might be short-term compared to what I want with Chaerin.”

 

“And what do you want from Chaerin?”

 

“The rest of our lives.”

 

“Are you for real? Are we talking about marriage and all? Because if you are not going to do that, I would be the first one to object.”

 

“Of course I am talking about marriage and the whole works, with kids and till death do us part. Can you imagine little Jiyongs and Chaerins running around?”

 

The thought of having children with Chaerin made Jiyong very happy. He couldn’t explain the feeling, it just felt right.

 

“Maybe Chaerin going on WGM isn’t that bad if it made you realize your feelings towards her.”

 

That woke Jiyong from his daydream.

 

“Right, I almost forgot that she’s ‘married’ at the moment. She’s on a 3 months contract, which should be over in a snap of the finger.”

 

“You do know that there is always the option to extend right?”

 

“If everything goes well, there won’t be an extension. I’m going to talk to Boss about it.”

 

“And going behind Chaerin’s back is going to earn you points, how?”

 

“Well, if I were to tell her right now, she’s just going to run. So, I have to start with Boss first. If he says that he’s not going to extend the contract, there’s nothing MBC, Chaerin or Jonghyun can do.”

 

“Good luck then, because from the looks of it, they are going to be really popular, mainly because they don’t even look make-believe. I saw how they behave with each other. Tough competition. You had better brace yourself.”

 

“What about you, Bae? You are or were equally anxious about her being on WGM, and you grew very close to her last year. Can you let her go so easily?”

 

“If either you or Jonghyun messed up, I’d come to her rescue. And when that happens, none of you would stand a chance. So consider yourself warned.”

 

“Fair enough, I won’t let you have her.”

 

“Ji, it’s not a competition. If you can’t give her the happiness she deserves, then you shouldn’t start. So think about it carefully. I don’t want to lose the 2 of you, or either one of you.”

 

“You won’t. You just have to get yourself ready to be the god-father to our first child.”

 

“Very funny, Kwon Jiyong, you are speaking way too fast.”

 

“No, I have decided long ago that you will be the god-father of my first-born. It’s just easier now since I don’t think Chaerin will disagree.”

 

“Have you thought of how you are going to tell her about your feelings yet? Because I don’t think she is going to be easily convinced. She is still under the impression that you are with Kiko.”

 

“She would know, eventually. It’s going to be slow. I need to make her realize that she can’t do without me too.”

 

“Again, good luck with that. You know how she is when you first get a girlfriend. Once she got used to the idea that there are other oppas around and she doesn’t need you, she would be fine. And honestly, while I’m willing to take a step back, all her other oppas won’t. So, good luck.”

 

“This ‘Wall of Oppa’ is going to be tough. Who would have thought my circle of friends would become her circle of defence that I have to get through before I can get to her. But that’s part of her charm. Her honesty and sincerity when it comes to friendship is the reason why people loves her and would go out on a limb for her.”

 

“Alright, now that you have decided, can we please go for dinner? The rest of them are still waiting for us.”

 

“Let’s go then. We have to be back for the rehearsal later anyway.”

 

Youngbae nodded and the two best friends went down to look for the other Big Bang members before leaving the building together.

 

Chaerin, Jonghyun, Teddy and YG went to Teddy’s studio after they bought their food. Once they settled down to start eating, Jonghyun was setting out the food for Chaerin and made sure that she got what she wanted. YG and Teddy looked at their interaction and then at each other. Both of them smiled knowingly. They can see that Jonghyun definitely likes Chaerin. And looking at Chaerin’s reaction, which was vastly different from when she was eating with Jiyong and Youngbae just now, Teddy knew that she was also feeling something towards Jonghyun.

 

“So, Jonghyun, what brings you here?”

 

“Yang sajangnim, I’m sorry if my appearance is sudden and might arouse suspicions but I got worried about Chaerin when she didn’t answer her phone. And knowing her, she was probably skipping meals so I came to make sure that she has her dinner.”

 

“Oppa, I was practicing which was why I didn’t answer your calls or reply to your messages. Did you finish filming for the day already?”

 

“No, I have to go back soon.”

 

“So you came out halfway through your filming to come make sure that I have dinner? Oppa, please don’t do this again. I appreciate the concern but I do know how to take care of myself.”

 

While Chaerin was happy to see Jonghyun, she knew that this break would probably mean that he would have to end filming late today. Not to mention, he might have caused the filming to be interrupted.

 

“Chaerin ah, I know you know how to take care of yourself but I just wanted to see you again.”

 

“Oppa, I’m happy to see you but I don’t want you to tire yourself out. Both of us just got back and you need to finish the filming so you can go back and rest. So, don’t do this again, ok? Promise?”

 

“Alright, alright, I won’t do it again. Eat your food, it’s going to get cold.”

 

Chaerin nodded and smiled at Jonghyun before tucking in. The two of them were in their own world, not paying heed to the fact that YG and Teddy were with them. Until YG coughed not-so-discreetly to get their attention. As usual, the two of them looked a little surprised that there were people with them.

 

“Jonghyun ah, I’m going to suggest to the PD that we gather together to watch the first episode of the show. It would be great to see that Chaerin has got the support from her YG Family. I would like you to be here since you are now part of the family.”

 

“Yang sajangnim, I would definitely come. Thanks for the invitation and for letting Chaerin go on the show with me.”

 

“Look after her well, though I don’t think that I actually need to say that. But remember, she’s a very stubborn girl beneath all that cuteness. Don’t be deceived.”

 

“Sajangnim!!”

 

“Aigoo! It’s the truth. You are a stubborn girl but I like that about you. You also look after Jonghyun well.”

 

Chaerin and Jonghyun looked at each other, then smiled at each other. Seeing this, Teddy and YG also looked at each other. With a slight tilt of his head, YG signalled to Teddy to follow him out of the studio.

 

“Chaerin ah, I’m going back to my office. I need to talk to Teddy for a while. You two finish your meal then get ready for your rehearsal with your members. I would be coming in later.”

 

“Ok, sajangnim, see you later~ Jiyong oppa and Bae oppa are coming too. Maybe the rest of the Big Bang oppas might come too.”

 

“Good, they can give you girls pointers. See you later. Jonghyun, we’ll see you again soon?”

 

“Yes, I’d be there for 2NE1 concert.”

 

“Alright, see you then.”

 

Teddy and YG got up to leave the room. Both men kept quiet till they stepped into the elevator.

 

“Chaerin likes Jonghyun, doesn’t she?”

 

“She is confused but yes, definitely leaning towards liking him. Not sure if it’s just a reaction of the show or the idea of being in a relationship, but yeah, she likes him and the attention that she’s getting from him.”

 

“And Jiyong and Youngbae?”

 

“They went to the airport to fetch her today and are really possessive over her right now. Especially Jiyong. They apparently got into a bit of a fight when Jiyong threatened to hit Jonghyun if she said that she’s married in front of them.”

 

“They had never dealt with this situation, I mean Chaerin in a relationship. So, it would take some getting used to.”

 

“I think it goes a little deeper than that. They are going to be questioning their possessiveness and they might not like the conclusion. Are you prepared if any of them comes to you and say they want to date Chaerin?”

 

“Do you think it would come to that?”

 

“I believe so.”

 

“Well, I’d deal with it when it happens.”

 

“It’s going to happen. And don’t forget Jonghyun too.”

 

“Who are you betting on?”

 

“Jiyong will make the first move. Youngbae will wait and if Jiyong, or Jonghyun messes up, he’s going to come swooping in and he’s not going to let anyone near.”

 

“I like Youngbae for Chaerin because they are such stable people but the dynamics between Jiyong and Chaerin is not something that can be matched.”

 

“Maybe on stage, but in a real relationship? I don’t know, I think Jonghyun is a strong candidate and Chaerin really likes him. She’s going to treat him like her husband and you know how she is. All the other oppas to her are just oppas.”

 

“It would be interesting, both the TV show and real life.”

 

“That’s the whole point of letting Chaerin go on the show isn’t it?”

 

YG grinned at this. He wanted Chaerin to go for WGM because he knew that it would open up doors for her. In terms of composing or letting people see a different side of her, being in a show and being able to go through the emotions of being in a relationship would definitely help in her song composition. And to be paired up with Jonghyun, he knew that it would be a safe bet because he is a good man. In real life, he had seen the interaction between Jiyong, Youngbae, Chaerin and all the other oppas in her life. YG loves Chaerin like his own, ever since she passed her demo tape to him personally, he knew that she is special and he wants the best for her. He wanted her to break out of her comfort zone. Her ‘Wall of Oppas’ had kept her insulated from the real world outside and she needed to be exposed to it. The only way was to put her in a show like WGM.

 

“Chaerin will do well in this. They are going to be the hot couple in the show. It would be difficult to not extend the contract beyond 3 months.”

 

“But with 2NE1 tour and YG Family concerts, is it even realistic? There are so many people knocking on Chaerin’s door and knowing her, she would take on everything, with your permission.”

 

“She would be fine. She’s tough and now she has Jonghyun to look after her. I think she might let down her tough self when she’s with him.”

 

“Looks that way. It’s going to be great fun to watch them on the show. We should all gather and watch it every week.”

 

“My office is open, we can do that. Bring Jinu along so he could see his Pudong Chaerin.”

 

Teddy laughed out at the suggestion. Before all her other oppas, she has Jinu, Sean and all the 1TYM oppas. It left Teddy thinking that any guy who wants to get to Chaerin has to get through 2 walls. For him, as long as Chaerin is happy, he would be happy for her.

 

“It’d be like her second wall of oppas watching over her.”

 

YG laughed at the statement. He is incredibly proud of how Chaerin has grown to be the lady she is today.

 

“We have done a good job with her thus far, haven’t we?”

 

“All except her love life.”

 

“Which is why she is on WGM. To be honest, if she were to go into a relationship on her own, all these oppas swarming around her would swoop in so fast that the guy is going to be intimidated.”

 

“Or the fact that these oppas exist, no guys would have come near.”

 

“True that. But is their album ready? Their concert?”

 

“Their album is as good as it can be and their concert is definitely coming together.”

 

“Good. What about Chaerin’s solo album?”

 

“We have started working on it but right now she is so busy and caught up with the album and concert, I barely have time to sit down with her to talk about the overall concept. She has been showing me stuff that she has written and they are all good. But we need to know if we are targeting local market or are we going international.”

 

“What do you think?”

 

“You know she has the potential for both. She can have a Korean album AND one that is in English. You have been monitoring her compositions so you would know.”

 

“Then do both. I don’t want it to be a rushed project though. Her solo album has to be of the highest quality. Spare no expense. Let me know if you need anything.”

 

“Chaerin is resourceful and she has a network of good people that she could tap into. We would work out something eventually.”

 

“Good then. You’d better go back and check on the 2 of them. The rehearsal is about to start soon.”

 

“Alright, I’d see you later then.”

 

Teddy made his way back to the studio. Just as he was about to enter the studio, Jiyong and Youngbae arrived too. Seeing Teddy outside the studio, Jiyong frowned.

 

“Hyung, weren’t you supposed to work on something with Chaerin? Where is Jonghyun?”

 

“Oh, Boss wanted to talk to me. They are both inside eating when we left them.”

 

“WHAT?! You left them alone?”

 

Jiyong was about to rush inside the studio but was caught by Teddy.

 

“Whoa! Hold it! If you rush in like that, you are going to upset her. What’s wrong with them being alone in the studio? It’s a protected environment, don’t worry.”

 

Jiyong took a deep breath and told himself it’s alright, they were having dinner, nothing could happen. Teddy opened the door to the studio and was greeted by silence. That was something that he didn’t expect. So he walked into the studio.

 

“Chae…”

 

He didn’t finish calling out her name because he saw Jonghyun put a finger to his lips, asking him to not make a sound. Chaerin was fast asleep on Jonghyun’s shoulders and he’s got his other hand around her. She was all snuggled up to Jonghyun’s side.

 

“I think you should let go of her right now.”

 

Jonghyun moved his head to look at Jiyong who just spoke, his voice was cold and his eyes were piercing. Hearing a sound, Chaerin turned to snuggle even closer to Jonghyun, not wanting to be disturbed by the noise. Jonghyun turned to look at her and when he saw the frown forming on her forehead, he touched her forehead to ease the frown, and whispered softly to her. That seemed to do the trick as she relaxed her face and a tiny smile appeared on her lips.

 

“Let her get some rest before the rehearsal. Jonghyun ah, can you wake her up at 15 minutes to 9pm? The rehearsal starts at 9pm.”

 

Jonghyun gave Teddy a thumbs up. Teddy then turned to the 2 Big Bang members and ushered them out. Jiyong turned to him with a defiant look on his face but Teddy tilted his head towards the door. Jiyong knew that meant he wanted to talk to them. He was torn between waking Chaerin up or listening to Teddy. In the end, knowing she needed the rest, he reluctantly turned and left the studio. Youngbae looked at Jonghyun and Chaerin one more time, his jaw tightening but left with Teddy and Jiyong.

 

The moment they were out of the studio, Jiyong turned and faced Teddy.

 

“Hyung, you are allowing that to happen? What if someone else had walked in on them and saw what we did? Don’t you think people would get the wrong idea?”

 

“Were they doing anything indecent? And no one enters my studio without contacting me first so there is no need to worry about people walking in on them. You, on the other hand, should watch your behaviour. If you behave in this manner and someone caught you, they would be questioning your relationship with Chaerin. ‘YG FAMILY LOVE’ label can only take you that far. When WGM starts broadcasting Chaerin and Jonghyun, they are going to have every reason to be close to each other. We want a good experience for Chaerin, being able to show off the ‘Chaerin’ side of her personality. So, please don’t ruin it for her.”

 

“Even if a dating scandal hits her?”

 

Teddy turned to Youngbae.

 

“Bae, does it look like it would be a scandal for her and Jonghyun? If she were to be caught with either of you, it might be more scandal-worthy. Like I said, once the show starts, they would have every reason to be spotted together and acting all lovey-dovey. It is good for her to get some attention.”

 

“We could give her our attention too.”

 

“I think you are more aware than I am what happens when you give her more attention, Ji. Why do you think she has to constantly deny any kind of link with you? If I have to choose between the 2 of you, Bae would be the safer choice for Chaerin. And if you must know, she feels safe with Jonghyun. So, just let her bask in the attention she’s getting from him now.”

 

“Hyung, what if I’m serious about being in relationship with her?”

 

Teddy turned and looked at Jiyong.

 

“Any guy who wants to get to Chaerin has to pass through her two walls of oppas. You guys are the outer wall. Don’t forget before you guys she has another wall of oppas. I’d be the first one to vote against you until you sort out your messy relationship entanglements, both the real one and the make-believes.”

 

“Would I get your vote then, Teddy hyung?”

 

“I already said, if it’s between the 2 of you, you would be a safer pick than Jiyong. But before either of you go all crazy, you have to see if you are just finding it difficult to accept that Chaerin is in a relationship with a guy and not a purely platonic one. She likes Jonghyun, enough to let her guard down. Just let her have this time to-”

 

“I don’t want her to let her guard down and end up falling in love with him, hyung. I don’t want to lose her.”

 

“Even if it means she’s happy with him? Ji, for me, Chaerin’s happiness is the most important. Right now, all I’m hearing is your fear. If you are trying to convince me that you love her, it’s not working. If you are going to go all crazy on her, I don’t want you at the rehearsal. Go home and rest or do whatever it is when you have time.”

 

“No, I’m staying. I’d behave myself.”

 

“Good. Let’s go to the studio where they are having their rehearsal then.”

 

“Aren’t you going to go wake her up?”

 

“I’m sure Jonghyun would wake her up when it’s time because he knows that it’s important to her. Let’s go.”

 

“Hyung, don’t you think you are trusting Jonghyun too much?”

 

“If Chaerin trusts him, I’m sure he’s someone who is trustworthy.”

 

“And you don’t think Chaerin trust me?”

 

“You have not shown her, or me that you can be trusted. You went to the airport to pick her up, knowing full well that if anyone were to have seen you, you would have gotten her into a lot of trouble. If you are wondering why she never ever rely on you, it’s because she is always the one who has to get you out of trouble. You ask why she deny the connection between the two of you all the time, but what good does it do to have any connections to you? Think about it, and think about it hard.”

 

Without another word, Teddy walked towards the rehearsal studio. Both Jiyong and Youngbae were thinking about what Teddy said and the fact that it was true caused them to reflect upon their actions.

 

At the door, they met the rest of the 2NE1 members. They were a little surprised to see Jiyong and Youngbae and looked around to see where Chaerin was since they knew that part of the reason why they would see Jiyong and Youngbae was probably because of Chaerin.

 

“Teddy oppa, where’s Chaerin unnie?”

 

“In my studio. She would be here soon.”

 

“Who is she with if you are here?”

 

Teddy smiled mysteriously and went in to greet the band members. The girls looked to Jiyong and Youngbae for an answer, they just smiled and entered after Teddy, greeting the band members who are good friends of theirs. After the greetings, Jiyong and Youngbae sat down at a corner, their eyes locked on the entrance.

 

“Hey Ji man, stop staring at the door! You are about to burn it down with your glare!”

 

Jiyong looked over to see Red wriggling his eyebrows at him. All of the people present had an idea who they were waiting for. After all, they have been with Big Bang since their ALIVE World Tour and had travelled with Jiyong for his OOAK tour as well. Jiyong smiled at them sheepishly.

 

As the seconds passed, Jiyong and Youngbae got more nervous since it meant that Chaerin was probably still sleeping in Jonghyun’s arms. 3 minutes to 9pm, Jiyong finally couldn’t take it anymore and got up from his seat. But the moment Teddy saw that, he called him over.

 

“Jiyong ah, I need your opinion on something. Youngbae too.”

 

“Hyung...”

 

“Please, you want the best for the girls’ right? I’m sure Chaerin would appreciate your help in this.”

 

The moment Chaerin’s name was mentioned, they knew they couldn’t refuse. They were aware of what Teddy was trying to do. Even though they were torn, they knew that to leave the studio right now would arouse more suspicions than necessary.

 

Over at Teddy’s studio, Jonghyun looked at the clock that showed 8.45pm and at the girl who was sleeping soundly in his arms. He hated to be the one to wake her up, knowing that she needed the rest. But he knew she won’t want to be late so as much as he enjoyed having her in his arms, he had to wake her up.

 

“Chaerin ah, you have to wake up to go for your rehearsal.”

 

Chaerin’s eyes fluttered open and she was about to rub her eyes when her hand was caught by Jonghyun. She looked up and when she realized that she was all snuggled up against him, she quickly sat up.

 

“Omo! I’m so sorry! Oppa, did I fall asleep on you while we were talking? I’m so sorry!!”

 

“It’s ok. I know you are tired. But don’t rub your eyes. Your rehearsal is about to start. Do you want something to drink?”

 

“It’s ok. I think I’d just go to the toilet to freshen up. Oppa, you are going back to the filming location now?”

 

“Yup~ I would have stayed for the rehearsal if I didn’t have to go. Come on, let’s get you to the rehearsal studio.”

 

Chaerin nodded and got up. She was surprised to see that the food had already been cleared away. She picked up her bag and walked out of the studio with Jonghyun. They stopped on the way to go to the washroom. After that, Jonghyun walked her to the studio.

 

“You sure you don’t need anything to drink?”

 

“We have a little pantry inside. I would just have some coffee later.”

 

“Alright then, call me when you are done?”

 

Chaerin nodded then leaned in to give Jonghyun a hug.

 

“Thanks for coming, oppa. But remember what I said, don’t do this again, ok?”

 

When Jonghyun didn’t reply, Chaerin moved back to look him in the eye.

 

“Oppa?”

 

“I can’t promise not to come out here just to see you but I would not come in the middle of a schedule, how’s that?”

 

“You can’t come here whenever you like, there will be too many questions asked. Oppa, I’m going to be late for my rehearsal. I’d talk to you later alright?”

 

“Ok, have a good rehearsal~ Please don’t push yourself too hard alright? If you are really tired, you have to let someone know.”

 

Chaerin just smiled because this was something she couldn’t promise. She tried to step back out of Jonghyun’s loose embrace but he refused to let go.

 

“Oppa?”

 

“Promise.”

 

“I can’t. Please understand.”

 

Jonghyun could see the plea in her eyes and knew that it was unreasonable of him to ask that of her. He finally nodded but gathered her in his arms again.

 

“Promise you would rest when you can.”

 

“Of course I will. Oppa, you’d better go and Boss won’t like it if he saw you hugging me. I’d see you soon alright? Be careful.”

 

Jonghyun finally released her and opened the door for her. She walked in and held the door open. She waved to Jonghyun and he finally walked away from the door. Both of them smiled and waved at each other. Until Jonghyun was at the elevator did Chaerin turn and walk into the studio. She walked in to have her members, the band, Teddy, Jiyong and Youngbae staring at her. She looked up to see that she was 5 minutes late. She gave them an apologetic smile, went and put down her bag.

 

“Sorry everyone, I’m late. Shall we get started?”

 

When no one moved, she looked around to see everyone with their questioning look on their face. Teddy, Jiyong and Youngbae could guess that she was probably held up by Jonghyun but the others were all waiting for an answer.

 

“Sorry, I had a visitor and was held up a little.”

 

“You would have been on time if you didn’t stand at the door sending him off.”

 

Chaerin looked over at Jiyong and shrugged.

 

“Maybe, but it would have been rude to just slam the door in his face too. Unnies and Minzy, I know you have questions, I’d answer them after the rehearsal, alright? Shall we start now?”

 

Without another word, she went to the starting position and that was the cue for everyone to move and get ready. Once everyone was ready, Chaerin looked over to signal to the band to start.

 

The rehearsal started and they managed to run through the setlist once without any incident. After the first vocal rehearsal, they took note of the part that they had to improve on. Each of the members did their individual stages. When it got to Chaerin’s turn, she did her solo but the jet lag and the lack of sleep was finally catching up on her. After the last spin, the dizziness didn’t stop and she just sat down on the floor. Everyone rushed over to her.

 

“Chaerin ah!”

 

Jiyong was about to pick her up from the floor and take her out of the studio but she pushed his arms away.

 

“I’m ok. Just let me sit still for a while.”

 

“Lee Chaerin!”

 

“Oppa, I’m ok.”

 

“Let’s take a break. Jiyong and Youngbae, can you go to the cafeteria and get some drinks for Chaerin?”

 

“Hyung!”

 

Teddy looked at Jiyong and Youngbae pulled Jiyong up.

 

“Ji, let’s go. Give Chaerin some time to recover.”

 

“Ji oppa, can you get me my favourite vitamin drink? You know which one right? Thank you~”

 

Seeing Chaerin smiling at him, Jiyong knew he lost.

 

“Stay put, don’t move.”

 

Chaerin nodded. The rest of the girls sat down around her while Teddy went to talk to the band about some changes he wanted.

 

“Chaerin unnie, where did you go these last 2 days? We couldn’t find you at all.”

 

“I was in Paris on a separate schedule.”

 

“Who was your visitor?”

 

“Jonghyun oppa.”

 

“Why is he here? What happened?”

 

“We were in Paris together and he needed to see me about something.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Sorry, I can’t say right now.”

 

“Are you dating him?”

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

“Then why does Jiyong oppa sound like he’s ready to kill whoever your visitor was just now?”

 

“Maybe he got up on the wrong side of his bed today or just being his cranky self.”

 

The other 3 members looked at each other and then at their leader before shaking their heads. They know that Jiyong wasn’t happy that Jonghyun was with Chaerin but this time round, the hostility was higher. Chaerin got up and walked over to her bag. She took out her phone and for the first time that night, they saw her grin before typing furiously on her phone. A minute later, her phone rang and she answered it, walking out of the studio.

 

Dara looked at Chaerin walk out of the studio and then turned to Minzy and Bom.

 

“Ya~ Don’t you think Chaerin is behaving rather strangely?”

 

But there was no reply from the 2 of them. Instead, Minzy had her phone out and was tapping on it, while Bom was putting a sweet into . The next minute, Minzy’s eyes looked like they were ready to pop.

 

“Dara unnie, Bommie unnie! Look at this!”

 

Dara and Bom went to Minzy and upon seeing what Minzy was showing them, they looked at each other in shock. Minzy had done a search on Chaerin and Jonghyun and the articles of them in Paris came up. By now, the picture of Jonghyun kissing Chaerin’s forehead had become the default picture that the media decided to use for the articles.

 

“No wonder Jiyong is in a mood. Do you think he has seen these?”

 

“Yup, he did.”

 

The girls turned to see Teddy behind them.

 

“Teddy oppa, did you know anything about this?”

 

“Yup, they came looking for Chaerin on her birthday and called her only to find out that she was in Paris. When they did a search on her, the articles and pictures came up.”

 

“What schedule was she on?”

 

“Special stage at Chanel fashion show.”

 

“Is that all? If that’s all, Jiyong oppa won’t be all upset.”

 

“Maybe, maybe not. Jonghyun did get to spend Chaerin’s birthday with her so maybe that’s why he’s being all cranky.”

 

“Something more is definitely going on. This is too sudden and too mysterious. Boss won’t have sent her just for that and she could have been back yesterday instead of today.”

 

Teddy shrugged and diverted their attention to the parts that he had made changes to and where he needed them to improve on. During that time, Chaerin was outside the studio talking to Jonghyun.

 

When Jiyong and Youngbae came back to the studio, they saw Chaerin outside the studio and were surprised and shocked since she was not the type to leave the rehearsal venue to talk on the phone. When they came closer, they saw that she was actually on a video call. She was laughing and waving at the camera.

 

“...Herongie~ Hello! Oppa, he’s so cute! When can I meet him?”

 

“Maybe when I come see you at the concert?”

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea since backstage would be chaotic and he might be stressed by all the movement going on.”

 

“Then you will see him when we move into your house.”

 

“Alright then, looking forward to meeting him for real. Oppa, you’d better go and rest. I’m going to go back to my rehearsal.”

 

“It’s not over yet? But it’s already close to 1am.”

 

“Yes, and you calling her on the phone isn’t helping.”

 

Chaerin turned to see Jiyong standing behind her and frowned at him. She turned back to Jonghyun.

 

“Jonghyun oppa, I’d better go. I’d message you later when I’m done. I don’t expect a reply though.”

 

“Ok, I’d not reply. I’d just call.”

 

“Heol!”

 

“See you later~!”

 

Chaerin smiled then ended the call. When she turned, she glared at Jiyong and walked into studio without another word.

 

“Bae, it’s only been less than 12 hours and I don’t think I can handle more of this. I’m freaking out right now. How did Jonghyun do it? He got so close to Chaerin in less than 3 days. If they are going to see each other often for the show, they are going to get even closer. And I seriously doubt that Jonghyun see WGM as just a show. I think he really likes Chaerin.”

 

“He does, and Chaerin obviously likes him a lot too. It is unsettling, I have never seen her show such affections towards a guy. I don’t know, I’m worried too. But she’s definitely liking the attention on her though.”

 

“Why does she not like it when we pay attention to her? She doesn’t even pick up my calls sometimes.”

 

“Maybe it’s because you only look for her when you need something from her? I think Teddy hyung has a point. We do not give her attention because we want to, but because we are afraid of not having her in sight. We are motivated by fear of not being able to see her, of her not spending any time with us. We need to change that.”

 

But the sight that greeted them when they walked in to surprised them. Chaerin was sitting on the lap of one of the dancers and the next second she was giving him a . The ending pose with her leg over his shoulders and her bending over like she was giving him a kiss froze them on the spot.

 

“Chaerin ah, that was painful!”

 

“Dony, I’m sorry. I got too into it.”

 

“You have to be careful. You don’t want to hurt the fan you are doing this with. But I guess the kiss would make him forget the pain. Sweet painful agony~”

 

Chaerin grinned and stuck out her tongue.

 

“Are you doing this during the concert?”

 

Everyone turned to Youngbae who just voiced the question. Chaerin blinked, then nodded her head.

 

“Of course we are, otherwise we won’t be practicing this now right?”

 

“Why?”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Isn’t your concert 8+ rating? Do you think this is suitable?”

 

“It’s less than 2 minutes for the 4 of us and we are not doing anything really suggestive. Boss gave his OK so we are going ahead with it. Unnies, Minzy, let’s move on to the next part.”

 

The rest of the rehearsal went on rather smoothly. At 2.45am, the rehearsal ended and everyone started to leave.

 

“Chaerin ah, are you really going to stay here tonight?”

 

“Teddy oppa, I’m going to go back, get a quick shower then come back here. I’m supposed to start getting ready at 5am anyway.”

 

“Are you going to be ok?”

 

“I’m looking forward to it~ I’d be fine. I’d just rest a lot after the concerts.”

 

“Knowing you, you would be back at the company at 9am next Monday.”

 

“Probably, since we are going to start preparations for the comeback stages.”

 

“Fighting~ You can do it!”

 

Teddy gave Chaerin a quick hug before walking out to see if he could catch up with the other girls. Jiyong and Youngbae walked up to Chaerin.

 

“Chaerin ah, do you need a ride home?”

 

“Nope~”

 

“How are you going back then?”

 

“Jjang-mae is sending me back.”

 

“We’ll send you. Ask him to go back and rest.”

 

“Are you sure, oppa? But you would have to send me back here. I don’t want to be an inconvenience to you guys.”

 

“You are not an inconvenience. We will send you back when you are ready. Come on, let’s go.”

 

Chaerin got on the phone to tell Jjang-mae that he could go back and rest since Jiyong and Youngbae were sending her back home and would bring her back to the company later to prepare for the next schedule.

 

After ending the call, Chaerin sent a quick message to Jonghyun to tell him that she was on her way home. When she didn’t get a reply or a phone call, she was a tad disappointed but shrugged it off since it was late and he was just as tired as she was.

 

“Messaging Jonghyun again?”

 

“I promise I would send him a message after I’m done. I’m just keeping my promise.”

 

“But he’s not keeping his promise to call.”

 

“It’s 3.15am. I would rather he be sleeping than to be up waiting for my message just to call me. Let’s go, oppa, so we can go and come back here and you guys can go back and rest too.”

 

The three walked silently to Youngbae’s car since it was less attention-seeking than Jiyong’s white Lamborghini. Chaerin got into the backseat and when Jiyong wanted to get in beside her, she told him to sit upfront because it would be rude to leave Youngbae all alone in front.

 

“Chaerin ah, can I follow you to the Maybelline schedule later?”

 

“Jiyong oppa, don’t you have something to do? Why do you want to go with me on my schedule?”

 

“He wants to learn how to put on mascara the proper way.”

 

Chaerin and Youngbae burst into laughter and Chaerin was holding her stomach.

 

“Ji oppa, is it really easier when the mascara wand can be adjusted?”

 

“Ya! The two of you! Stop teasing me!”

 

“By the way, Ji oppa, the flower headpiece made you look so pretty! No wonder they choose you as the model. Can you imagine Bae oppa with the flower headpiece?”

 

That caused Chaerin to burst into another round of laughter. Though both Jiyong and Youngbae were a little offended at being teased, hearing Chaerin’s laughter made it worthwhile. They have missed everything about her and one of the things that they loved the most about her is her laughter.

 

“I’m going to laugh at you so much when your Maybelline ads come out.”

 

“There’s nothing much to laugh at because I have seen the concept. I do not have to wear a flower headpiece. Even if I have to, it’s perfectly fine since I’m a girl. But on a serious note, Ji oppa, you can’t come for the schedule. There’s going to be media around and I don’t want to have to answer questions about why you were there. I can’t possibly say you decide to come to learn how to put on mascara the right way right?”

 

That set off another round of laughter. At the traffic light, Youngbae turned to Jiyong and started mimicking the mascara ad that Jiyong was in. At this, even Jiyong joined in the laughter.

 

“It’s been a while right, oppa, since we laughed so much. I really do miss those times when we do silly things and just laugh without a care in the world.”

 

“We can still do that. It’s just that sometimes, you are not as free with us as you are with other people. Why is that?”

 

“Maybe because you are not just my Big Bang oppas, you are a lot of people’s Big Bang oppas? It feels like when I have these moments with you guys, there are so many people watching us. And I don’t like to have to share with them.”

 

“We are not your Big Bang oppas. We are your ‘Jiyong oppa’ and ‘Bae oppa’, that has never changed and will never change. The rest of the world can only have us as ‘Big Bang oppas or members’ but you will have us, whether we are in Big Bang or not. And you don’t have to share, you never have to.”

 

“Yeah, till you get your next girlfriend right, Jiyong oppa? And Bae oppa, when are you going to get a girlfriend?”

 

“Aren’t you going to be jealous if we have girlfriends?”

 

“Nah, why would I be? I’m already one step ahead of both of you~”

 

That it was again, the silence every time Chaerin mentioned she’s ‘married’. Chaerin decided that it was no use to keep silent or avoid the issue.

 

“Oppas, you have to stop getting all quiet whenever I mentioned WGM or that I’m ‘married’. I’m on the show, it’s a done deal, be happy for me. Why are you guys being so sensitive about it? I thought you guys have always encouraged me to show more of ‘Chaerin’ instead of just ‘CL’, so this is a good avenue for me to do it.”

 

“Because just like you, we don’t like sharing. And this is not like sharing with the fans or anything, this is one specific guy. It’s just unsettling that suddenly there is this one guy who is getting all your attention and affection.”

 

“Maybe you just have to get used to it since this has never happened to me before. It wasn’t easy for me to let go of you when you got your first girlfriend too, Jiyong oppa. But it gets easier. Now, I’m wondering if I would feel the same when Bae oppa gets his first girlfriend~ So when are you going to get a girlfriend, Bae oppa?”

 

“Are you considering Jonghyun as a potential boyfriend candidate?”

 

“He’s already my hubby.”

 

“But after the show?”

 

“Maybe, why not? I like him.”

 

“Chaerin ah, have you ever considered us as potential boyfriend candidates?”

 

“Not in the last 6 years? When I first entered the company, I did think of the possibility but after a while, it seems easier to just keep it neutral since it might get complicated if we go into a relationship and then break up afterwards.”

 

“It can be complicated if you go into a relationship with Jonghyun and break up afterwards too.”

 

“That is true. But it’s more complicated because we are in the same company. I don’t think it would be easy to act normally if we get into a relationship and then break up. Isn’t that why you have the no in-house dating rule, Jiyong oppa?”

 

“But IF I were to ask you to choose between me and Jiyong, who would you choose?”

 

“That’s tough, I really haven’t given this much thought for a while. But I did respond the other day at a radio program that I would choose Bae oppa if I have to choose among the Big Bang members.”

 

“Would you give me a chance if I decide to pursue you in a serious relationship?”

 

“I don’t know, we are so close, won’t it be weird?”

 

Throughout the conversation between Chaerin and Youngbae, Jiyong kept quiet. He realized that it was really not going to be easy to convince Chaerin that he was serious about her. He looked up in the rearview mirror and when his eyes met Chaerin’s, she gave him a pretty smile.

 

Well, it’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be so worth it.

 

Once they arrived at Chaerin’s apartment, she wasted no time in getting a shower and getting what she needed for the day ready. Youngbae went to the kitchen and made coffee for all of them.

 

“Oppa, do you guys want something to eat?”

 

Chaerin came out of the shower wearing her robe and went to the living room to ask if Jiyong and Youngbae wanted something to eat. But both men were distracted by how y she looked with her thick terry cloth robe and a towel on her head. While they have been to her house numerous times, this was the first time they saw her in this attire.

 

“What do you have?”

 

“I could make you guys ramen if you want.”

 

“Are you going to cook for us wearing your bathrobe?”

 

“Of course not! I just came out to prepare the ingredients if you guys wanted to eat something.”

 

“Let me help you with the cooking. You go and get ready.”

 

“Thanks Bae oppa~ I see you’ve already made coffee~! Thanks! I would definitely need that! Jiyong oppa, make yourself at home.”

 

Chaerin went back into her room to finish dressing up while Youngbae got started on the ramen. Jiyong decided to help him with the food.

 

“Bae, I’m breaking out in cold sweat right now. She came out in a bathrobe because she’s close to us and know that we won’t take advantage of her. What if she thinks the same with Jonghyun and does this when they are filming here?”

 

“Ji, calm down. If they are filming, there will be other people around. Chaerin knows what to do. She’s not going to be silly and come out wearing a bathrobe.”

 

“What about when they are alone? I mean, if I were Jonghyun and I do not have a schedule after WGM filming, I would probably find a reason to stay.”

 

“No, I still think Chaerin will know what to do.”

 

“Thanks, Bae oppa, for the vote of confidence. How’s the cooking coming along?”

 

“I haven’t really started yet.”

 

“I’d take over then. You go sit down with Jiyong oppa. And can you please pour me a cup of coffee?”

 

“Sure~ Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

 

“Aigoo~ It’s cooking ramen, What-- OUCH!!”

 

Both Youngbae and Jiyong were beside Chaerin in a split second. She had accidentally cut herself. It wasn’t a serious cut but the looks on the oppa’s faces made it look like it was some major accident. When Chaerin saw their expressions, she laughed out loud.

 

“Oppa! It’s just a small cut! You guys looked like I just met with a major car accident. I’m just going to wash my finger and then put a bandage on it. I’d be right back.”

 

Chaerin walked away from the two oppas and went to the bathroom to tend to her cut. Jiyong almost followed her but he was still frozen by the shock of hearing Chaerin shout out in pain.

 

“Bae, my heart stopped. It’s just a cut this time round, what if it’s something more serious the next time?”

 

“Ji, I’m serious, you have got to chill. You are becoming really paranoid and it doesn’t look good on you. You have never been one to be paranoid. Calm down, if not you are going to scare her.”

 

By that time, Chaerin had tended to her cut and was walking back into the kitchen. Just as she turned into the kitchen, her phone rang. She looked down and saw that it was Jonghyun calling.

 

“Bae oppa, can you help me cook the noodles? I need to take this call.”

 

Without waiting for a reply, she turned to walk back towards her bedroom, answering the call as she go. Youngbae got to cooking the noodles while Jiyong just paced the kitchen. He was tempted to eavesdrop on the phone conversation but he knew if he were caught, he was at risk at having Chaerin being pissed off with him. Again.

 

“YA! Kwon Jiyong, can you please sit down? All this pacing is driving me crazy. Sit, and eat the noodles.”

 

“How can you be so calm?!! Don’t you feel it? Don’t you feel that she’s slipping through our fingers? We have to do something about it!”

 

“Word of advice, if you are going to do something silly like try to stop her from going to the show, you will lose her in a second. Just be supportive. She needs support more than paranoia right now.”

 

“...Arraseo~ Oppa, I need to go. I have to be back at the company soon. Going to grab a quick bite before leaving. You take care of yourself and remember to eat! Ok, mmmhmm, bye, I’d see you tomorrow then.”

 

The broad smile that that was on Chaerin’s face caught Jiyong and Youngbae by surprise. It was beautiful, the smile that comes from the bottom of the heart was truly astounding. At the back of their heads, they knew that she was truly happy but the fact that it was someone else who was making her this happy caused them to be a little wary. And jealous.

 

Chaerin put away her phone and walked into the kitchen. She saw that the oppas had already started eating their ramen so she grabbed a pair of chopsticks and a bowl and sat down at the table. Jiyong and Youngbae turned and went to sit down at the table too.

 

“So Jonghyun is definitely coming to the concert tomorrow?”

 

“Yup~”

 

“With the WGM crew?”

 

“Not sure, but no matter what, Jonghyun oppa is going to be there. If the crew is coming, I’m sure I’d be notified.”

 

“Not if he had planned a surprise for you.”

 

At this suggestion from Youngbae, Chaerin smiled again.

 

“Maybe~ I love surprises~”

 

“What do you hope that he would do for you?”

 

“I don’t want to have any expectations. Whatever he’s going to do, I’m pretty sure he had put some thoughts into it and the effort is more important than anything else. Not to mention, it’s done with me in mind. I hate to admit it but I really do love the attention I’m getting from Jonghyun oppa.”

 

That rendered the two oppas speechless and got them wondering if they should have paid more attention to her. But before they could say anything, Chaerin interrupted their thoughts.

 

“I’m not saying that I don’t get any attention from the two of you and the rest of the oppas, but this attention is not strictly platonic, and I kind of like that.”

 

“What do you mean, ‘not strictly platonic’?”

 

“Jonghyun oppa told me that he likes me.”

 

Chaerin put a mouthful of noodles into and started chewing. She looked up to see both Jiyong and Youngbae staring at her. They were obviously shocked and that caused Chaerin to frown slightly.

 

“Oppas, why do you guys look so shocked? Is it that shocking that someone would actually say that he likes me?”

 

“No, we just didn’t expect him to be so honest.”

 

“Men should be courageous enough to tell the girl they like that they like her. It makes it a little more difficult to reject them.”

 

“But do you like him that way, like as a man?”

 

“I’m still a little confused about my feelings but I do like Jonghyun oppa. Whether it’s going to develop to a relationship, it’s too early to tell. So I’m just going to enjoy the time spent together with him.”

 

“But you would seriously consider going into a relationship with him?”

 

To this, Chaerin simply nodded. To her, it was a plus if the relationship between her and Jonghyun becomes reality and she wasn’t resistant to the idea. It was about time that she got into a love relationship.

 

“Aren’t you still under the dating ban?”

 

Chaerin looked at Jiyong, then gave a cheeky smile.

 

“Oppa, that was lifted a long time ago. And honestly, if I had wanted to go into a relationship, a dating ban isn’t going to stop me. And if I were in a relationship, I would have just gone to Boss and told him what’s happening. He would have allowed it after making me promise that I would be very careful. And I’m very careful, you should know.”

 

Chaerin finished up her ramen and asked if Jiyong and Youngbae was done. Frankly speaking, they lost their appetite. The worry that Chaerin and Jonghyun might really go into a relationship made them uneasy. Very uneasy, especially Jiyong. He’s really not good at sharing and he definitely has no intention of letting Chaerin go.

 

“Oppas~ We can go now.”

 

“Aren’t you going to clean up first?”

 

“I have already put everything in the dishwasher. Are you ok, Jiyong oppa? You must be so tired. Maybe you guys should stay here and rest. I would just ask Seungho oppa to come and pick me up. I would be worried. Stay here, alright?”

 

“Call Seungho first and see where he is. If he’s too far away, we’ll take you and then crash at the company first. It won’t be good if people saw us coming out of your house.”

 

“That’s true. I’m so sorry, oppas. I shouldn’t have agreed to let you guys send me back.”

 

Chaerin went to Jiyong, gave him a hug then turned to Youngbae to give him a hug too. But Chaerin didn’t let go of Youngbae and he didn’t let go either. In fact, he had his arm on Chaerin’s waist and was in the process of tucking her hair behind her ear.

 

“I think we’d better go.”

 

Chaerin and Youngbae turned to look at Jiyong, then looked back at Youngbae.

 

“Bae oppa, I want a piggy-back ride!”

 

Without a second word, Youngbae squatted down and Chaerin hopped onto his back.

 

“Where’s your bag? In your room?”

 

At Chaerin’s nod, Youngbae walked towards her room so she could pick up her bag, leaving behind a shocked and fuming Jiyong in the kitchen. He didn’t realize that the two of them have gotten this close over the last year.

DING DONG