„Nervous?” JiYong asked me from the closet

Despite the fact that in just few hours he’ll have a concert for 50 thousands people he persisted to stay with me and help to choose the best outfit for the evening. I looked at him with a are-you-kiddin-me look and he laughed.

“Don’t worry. She’s gonna love you. Just like everybody did, including her son” he took dark green heels and gave them to me “green eyes, green accessories. Perfect.”

i looked at the mirror and sighed. Is this what i really wanted?

“Oppa…” I called JiYong and he looked at me “Don’t you think backstage is kinda weird place for a mother- girlfriend first meeting?”

“Well, there could be better places…” he admitted “but hey! If hyung insisted on your visit on this specific concert… everybody knows that our parents will be there, too. I’m sure he has a plan, you know him.” he patted my shoulder.

Yeah, plan. Maybe I would believe in this 2-3 months ago. Now, SeungHyun was so busy that he has to have a phone alarm to remember about a meal.

---------------------------------------------

“Thank you Vips, we love you!!” Taeyang said once again to thousands of screaming fans before all of them headed backstage when the concert was finished. i was observing the concert from TV from the couch in their dressing room. Now, the most important thing that will happen. They’ll come back, so will the parents who were watching the show from the audience.

Just a year ago I landed at Incheon to start my biggest adventure. I was admitted as a Creative Planner from the YG NEXT Creator project. It supposed to be just a mere internship, a project that was going to be finished after 3 months. But apparently, they liked me so much that they prolonged my contract. I participated in WINNER and Team B’s debuts, and get close to BigBang boys during their comeback. After 5 months SeungHyun managed to invite me for coffee.

Now, I was his 6months – secret girlfriend. Heaven? Sort of. He was my first ever boyfriend, I was his first- since 2008 – girlfriend. When you are alone for so long, you learn how to be alone. And because both of as were so used to this, we didn’t have a need to be with each other 24/7. Someone would say that we’re are a weird couple, that we don’t love each other that much. But, those who are close to us, know, that, that’s just how we are. And that we are crazy about each other…on our own, weird way.

“Thank you so much, thank you. You’ve worked hard” i heard the JiYong and in the same moment the doors went open and a dozen of people came in. i ignored wet & shirtless DaeBae that were fooling around and searched for the most covered member. Before i could react, he jumped to me and kissed passionately, holding my waist with one hand and his second one straighten with a pointing middle finger at wolf whistling Seungri.

“Get a room!” someone called and I blushed

“We intend to” SeungHyun responded and I hit his arm for that. Can he be less straightforward at once?

“Just wait for the parents to leave, and you can leave as well” YoungBae said checking his phone “My mom texted me, they’ll be in five”

“WHAT?” SeungHyun walked to him and took his phone to check

“Oppa, you forgot once again?” Chaerin stood up from the sofa where she was sitting with Danny and back hugged me, resting her chin on my shoulder.

SeungHyun started to panic and babbling something under his nose. I hated when he was doing that, because even though my Korean was on a business level, I couldn’t understand when he was speaking in his rap-mode race and not loud enough.

Just then, doors opened once again and a bunch of middle-aged parents came in. I could recognize all off them, from photos that I saw earlier. JiYong’s Bae's and Seungri’s both parents, Daesung’s and SeungHyun’s moms. They were accompanied by JiYong’s sister and YoungBae’s brother.

“Ah, my sons! You did so great! The concert was amazing” JiYong’s mom said and came to each boy to give a hug and a kiss. The same did all moms, dads were shaking hands and gave them bear hugs. Touching.

“Chaerin, Bom, you are here, too?” SeungHyun’s mom came closer to where both of us where standing. Bom stood up from the couch to greet her as well. My heart raced as SeungHyun’s mom was closer by each step.

“Hi, Mrs Choi. Nice to see you again” Bom gave her a hug after Chaerin did, and in that moment, mom’s eyes met mine.

“Well well. The company’s really going global. You have more and more foreigners” She said in Korean and then turned to me and said in broken English “New worker? Emeriga, you? Stylisty?” She said and it took me couple of seconds to realize that what she what asking me was if I’m a new stylist from US.

“No, I’m not a stylist. i came here today privately.” I said in Korean and she raised her eyebrows surprised

“oh, you must be that friend from Europe that my SeungHyun was talking about couple of times” Seungri’s mom came to greet me

“Friend? Yah, boy!” JiYong’s mom turned to Seungri “Don’t make any more scandal. Keep it low or go public finally. Hidding a girl like that…” she laughed

“I’m not dating Grace! She’s - ” Seungri started but then SeungHyun interrupted him

“Grace is JUST Chaerin’s friend. She came with her and Bom noona. And yes, she’s working at YG, 6^th floor.” He said coldly and everybody looked at him surprised. Well, everbody, not including parents.

“oh, 6^th floor! How old are you? And you speak Korean”  YoungBae’s dad nodded impressed

“23” I could barely say. SeungHyun’s words were still in my head like an echo

Just Chaerin’s friend

“oh, how nice. But… can you leave as alone for a bit if you don’t mind? We want to spend some time with our close ones. You can all meet on an after party, right?” SeungHyun’s mom said with a smile and I could feel a deep pain in my chest

“But mom, Grace is close to us and she’s hyung’s -” JiYong stopped me when I started to walk toward the doors, but he paused, looking at SeungHyun. I turned to look at my boyfriend as well. He was angry but also scared and panicked…

“SeungHyun’s what?” Mrs Choi walked to her son and narrowed her eyes. She looked at me from head to toe and I felt like I would stand here “SeungHyun?” she asked her son

“Friend. She’s just my friend. And English teacher…”

“Hyung…” Daesung gasped and I could feel JiYong’s grasp on my arm become stronger, almost painful

“English teacher! That’s wonderful! Additional help with a native will always be needed” SeungHyun’s mom smiled to me, but I could barely see anything, tears blocking my view.

“It was nice to meet you” I said to the parents “’l’ll see you guys later” I managed to get out of JiYong’s grasp and walked out of the room

“Why do you have such faces all of a sudden? Like someone would die?” Daesung’s mom asked but no one could answer her.

“I have to… I remember I need to check on something” Chaerin gave a look to the eldest member and run out of the room after me. Bom followed her, wiping her tears with a tissue.

---------- half an hour later ------------

“Are you out of your mind? What the hell was that?” JiYong yelled at his hyung after parents went home.

“Hyung, why did you lie? Grace being just Chae’s friend?” Daesung said much calmer

“’How to lose a guy in 10 days’. Pff, you should star in a remake of that movie. ‘How to lose a girlfriend in 5 minutes!’” Seungri fake laughed

“You don’t ing understand! So stay the away from this!” SeungHyun stood up and wanted to leave to take a shower, but JiYong stopped him

“it’s your problem, you say. For the sake of your sake I’ll still say ‘your girlfriend’ and not say an ‘ex’. Your problems are our problems. If I couldn’t be left alone after Kiko left me, because of you, then, No. You can’t be left alone right now. Maybe Kiko was not the one for me. But Grace is the one for you. And, I’m not into mood to heal your broken heart when she’ll pack her bags and leave because of your ‘just friend’ bull”

“I said of JiYong!! I was not ready to tell to parents about Grace, okay? I forgot that they were about to come here tonight! Grace is 3 years younger than me, a foreigner, and hell she’s soo different! She’s completely different to what I was looking for in a perfect girl! How am I introduce her to my mom?” SeungHyun cried and sat down on the floor.

“But you love her. You know that, hyung. You would do anything for her” Daesung came and kneeled next to his sobbing friend. “You can’t imagine your perfect woman and then forced yourself to love someone that suits the scheme. Grace is amazing in many other areas. She’s not, and probably will never be like your mother, like any other Korean. Because she’s not Korean. But that doesn’t matter if you love her”

“Where is she? Is she safe?” SeungHyun asked trying to calm himself down

“In girls's old dorm. Girls are with her…” JiYong looked at his phone and sighed “You know that you can’t go there now?” SeungHyun looked up at him, his eyes red from tears “She needs time. She was excited and worried about this evening, and you just… denied your 6monthed relationship”

“She though you’re going to next step, level 4, and you said to parents that there’s no levels between you two at all. Maybe even a -1. is there a -1 level?. No wonder she’s pissed. if i would be on her place I would be packing my bags right now, ticket already booked” Seungri said from the couch and everybody looked at him

“YoungBae” JiYong looked at his best friend that was sitting next to maknae, and he get the hint. He raised his hand and hit Seungri on the back of his head

“Ouch! Hyung!! What was that for??”

“You’re not helping, that's why.”

“What if maknae has right? What if she really wants to leave?” SeungHyun asked JiYong

“Chaerin won’t let that happen. She won't leave the city when she's with her.”

“Let’s have a drink and…  Let’s talk about love” YoungBae stood up and pick his phone to call their manager for a pick up

----------Next morning---------------------

“Hi” he said shyly

“W-What are you doing here?” I said surprised seeing SeungHyun and his parents and sister at 2ne1’s dorm the next day. i just woke up after just about 3h of sleep, i couldn't sleep. i was thinking. i didn't want to leave. Maybe i should, but i loved him too much. Last time i remember, 2ne1 was in apartment, but now, all i could see, was SeungHyun in front of me. We were alone. Just us, and his family.

“i… I want you to meet my family” he walked toward me and looked into my eyes, taking my hands in his “Mom, Dad, Noona… this is the most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, funny and amazing woman I have ever met. I was dating her for half of the year and that time was one of the greatest moment of my life. i\m sorry i've never introduced you before. I’ve never thought that I will want to be with a person like her.” He chuckled shyly, his gaze never leaving mine “She’s disobedient, unpredictable, does what she want, she’s the worse cook in Seoul and she has the weirdest eyes that change color despite of the light. Eyes that I’m dying to see all the time. She’s the biggest happiness in my life and I want to see what other crazy ideas she’s gonna come up with tomorrow and the next day. I’m learning from her every day. And I want to stand next to her tomorrow, next week, month, year… Selfishly, I want her love for myself, for the rest of my life.” He took a step back, just to kneel on one knee in front of me “Grace, Jagi… I promise to love you every moment forever. I promise, I will be proudly saying about my unconditional love towards you. Would you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?”