A nervous chuckle escaped his lips as he looked at her through the corner of his eye. He can’t bring himself to face her as she regarded him then the surrounding houses. She need not say it for him to know what she was thinking. Silently, she fished out her phone and hastily pressed the buttons that had his mind spinning.

“Who…who are you contacting?” he frantically asked, hoping that she wasn’t sending a message to that person.

“Seungri, who else,” she replied coolly, typing away, when he suddenly snatched her phone.

“Hey!!” She reached for it but Jiyong was being such a kid. “Give it back,” she demanded, ing her open palm. “We need to ask him. He knows this place better than us,” she reasoned but Jiyong stubbornly shook his head.

“What’s up with you and Seungri? Don’t you have other friends?” he asked dissatisfied.

“Well, obviously,” she lunged forward to grab her phone but failed. “Google maps then,” she suggested helpfully but he was adamant. “Seriously? What’s up with guys and asking for directions?” she sighed, crossing her arms.

“Why do we need directions?” he questioned back, feigning ignorance.

“Admit it Ji,” she said, a taunting smile on her lips that he finds cute and annoying. The girl knows what buttons to push. “We are lost.”

“Lost?” he asked incredulously, voice rising dramatically, while she nodded laughing. They were nowhere near any national landmark, palace or even a park; just surrounded by local small shops, residential houses and trees.

“We are not,” he denied, putting up a serious front. “My way is just…different, unconventional,” he rationalized, trying hard to sound believable but only made her shake her head and laugh louder.

“No, your way gets us lost,” she giggled while he frowned in frustration. “Okay, Mr. It's-more-fun-my-way, Lead us out of here.” Persuasion wasn’t needed after what she said as Jiyong sported his boyish grin.

Their vacation in Gwangju was spent mostly in getting lost and finding their way back to the hotel. In the end, he was one having the victory for turning their misadventures to adventures and Hae Rin had to admit it, blowing up his male ego.

He was putting much effort to make it memorable for the both them while she was doing her best to cheer him up because somehow in the back of their minds, they know that this would probably be their last.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Time flies fast when having fun. Before he knew it, Jiyong was once again cooped up in the recording studio working on their comeback album; but with a grin that was permanently etched on his face. Completely oblivious of his actions and his surroundings, Jiyong didn’t catch the look s or hyungs were giving him when he would laugh by himself or stare at a distance with dreamy eyes. They would exchange curious glances but learned to shrug it off, knowing better not to spoil his good mood.

Seungri, however, guessed that the sudden change in his hyung was due to a certain girl and Gwangju. He was only waiting for the right time to confront his hyung about it. Not that the change was bad. Jiyong was oddly generous and cheerful. Although, he was giving the maknae the creeps sometimes with the strange look he was casting towards him. Seungri found it weird but he wasn’t one to think too much about things. 

 As if integrated with an inner alarm clock, Jiyong would put down his headphones, gather his things and stand up from his chair at promptly eight in the evening without looking at the time and without missing a beat. And just like every night for the past week, they would invite him out for dinner although already expecting his answer.

“Oh come on, Ji. A little fun won’t hurt,” Teddy swung an arm around the guy who was obviously not interested and very eager to leave. “Eat with us, my treat,” his hyung gallantly offered earning cheers from the others.

“Maybe some other time hyung. Not this time,” he politely declined, bowing at everyone as he made his way to the door.

Teddy had a disappointed look on his face as he turned to face the others. “I never thought he would choose your dorm over a free dinner at Dong Wook’s”

“Ah, he never stays at the dorm, hyung,” Seunghyun quipped making the older guy’s face light up. If what he was thinking was true, then there was nothing to worry about the Bigbang leader.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If not for the speed limit, he would’ve gone faster. He was both impatient and excited to say the least. Tall commercial buildings blurred past and soon enough, it was replaced by residential houses. He stopped in front of a black solid gate and clicked on the remote. The car rolled inside and parked in the space allotted for 306.

A backpack on his shoulder and a red box on his right hand, he jumped out of the vehicle and rushed towards the elevator. Pressing the buttons, his smile grew wider if it were even possible. With a ding, the metal doors slid open and Jiyong crossed the hallway until he reached the last unit in the third floor. Pressing the number combination, he let himself in.

Tugging his shoes off and slipping into his comfy slippers, he moved quietly past the living room down the hall towards the dining area on his right but stopped midway.

“Dinner’s ready!”

He sighed, shaking his head; another failed attempt to surprise her. Jiyong sauntered towards the dining table, which was separated from the living room by a wall, looking defeated as he placed the box of cake on top of the redwood.

“Bad day?” she asked, her brows meeting in concern.

He lifted his face and another smile brightened his features as he laid eyes on the person who filled his thoughts. Hae Rin was wearing the teddy bear-print blue apron he brought for her on top of her shirt and khaki shorts as she