Big Bang took a day off so Seung Ri, Ji Yong and Lia could take a paternity test. The three of them went in after registering for the test while the others sat outside, nervously waiting.

Tae Yang looked over at TOP who had his head down, his palms clasped together tightly. He could see his knuckles turning white. He sat down next to him. “Hyung, everything will work out fine,” he reassured him.

“What if the baby is Ji Yong’s?” he asked, panicking. “What happens to Maknae then? I can’t believe my baby sister is pregnant! She’s only eighteen!” He shook his head. “I am the worst brother ever. I should have protected her. I should have been more firm with Ji Yong and Seung Ri. I should have done something!”

“It’s not your fault Lia got pregnant,” Dae Sung spoke up from where he was standing. “It’s not exactly her fault or the others’ either. They all wanted it. It’s only natural.”

“They should have used protection,” TOP muttered.

“Maybe so,” Tae Yang agreed, “but what’s done is done. We can’t change the past. We must accept the fact that she’s pregnant. Same goes for the boys when the results come.”

Just then Lia emerged out from the room, looking quite pale. She flopped down next to her brother, leaning against him. She closed her eyes.

He put his arms around her. “How are you, Mei?” he asked.

“Needles,” she muttered, shuddering a little. “I hate them.”

He only hugged her tighter.

A few minutes later Ji Yong came out. He quietly sat down on an armchair opposite of Lia and kept his head down. Tae Yang went to sit next to him. Seung Ri came out not to long after and sat next to Lia.

Lia moved from TOP to him, sighing. He wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her chin and gave a small kiss on her lips, smiling. She smiled back before snuggling in his arms.

Ji Yong frowned. He wasn’t sure if it was okay for them to be lovey-dovey and sweet like that. What if he’s the father? He sighed. He knew he was bitter for Lia rejecting him. He had thought he stood a chance when she said she missed him. But he was fooled when she went on saying that she was with Seung Ri now and she loves him.

He sighed again. He was about to get up to leave when the doctor came out, holding a clipboard in his hands. He was frowning thoughtfully.

“Well, we’ve got their samples,” he spoke up as everyone quiet down to listen. “I’ll send it over for analyzing and then we’ll have the results in a week.”

TOP nodded. “Thank you.”

The doctor looked at him. “Can I speak with you in private?” he asked.

“Sure, doctor.” He nodded, bewildered. He stood up and followed him to one corner where the two of them discussed matters in a low voice so the others couldn’t hear.

The five of them watched as TOP’s facial expression when from neutral to shock as his eyes flickered over to them before his face hardened with anger. They all wondered what they were talking about. But they didn’t dare ask him when he returned.

If looks could kill, they could have sworn Ji Yong and Seung Ri would be dead by now.

“Anyway, boys, I hope you two will take care of Lia,” the doctor went on, addressing to Seung Ri and Ji Yong. “Lia, take plenty of rest and try not to exhaust yourself, okay? You need plenty of rest for your baby.”

She nodded. “Yes, doctor. Thank you for everything.”

They all got up to leave. Since they came in two cars they decided to split up. Dae Sung, TOP and Lia in one car and the others in the other car. They drove silently home. Nobody knew what to say.

The minute they arrived home Lia went straight up to her room. She didn’t want to talk to any of the boys. She wanted to be alone.

Knock, knock.

She didn’t answer. But she didn’t lock the door so she wasn’t surprised to see it opening. Dae Sung came inside the room.

“Hey,” he said, finding her lying down on her bed. He sat next to her, wondering what he should say. “Do you need anything?”

She sat up and buried her face in his chest. She began to cry. He hugged her tightly. He knew she was scared, she was frustrated and she was angry at herself.

“Shhh,” he told her, her hair. “It’ll be fine. Everything will be fine. I know it will.”

“What if the baby is Ji Yong’s?” she asked. The look on her face reminded him of the look TOP had on earlier. “What will happen to Maknae Oppa then? I’m only eighteen! I can’t believe I got pregnant! I should have used protection!” She shook her head. She slapped herself.

“Lia!” he exclaimed, shock. He quickly took her hands before she could slap herself again. “It’s not worth hurting yourself. You’ve got a baby to take care of!”

“I — am — so — stupid!” she struggled to break free from his grip, thrashing.

But he held onto her, never letting go. “Lia, calm down,” he pleaded. His heart broke as he watched her tears pour out. “Don’t do this to yourself. Don’t do this to your brother, to the boys. Please.”

Lia stopped struggling when she saw how much she was hurting him. She was shocked. She never knew Dae Sung cared about her that much. She hugged him. “I’m sorry, oppa,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

He hugged her tight. “I love you, Lia,” he said. “You’re like a little sister to me. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I’m sorry.” Tears brimmed her eyes as she clung onto Dae Sung, sobbing once more.

The next day Big Bang decided to bring Lia to the YG building to keep an eye on her. She didn’t argue. She was beyond tired of arguing already so she just went along with the plans. Everyone was pleased to see her. It has been a long time since she set foot there. She was quite happy to be back too.

Lia was sitting on the bench, watching the boys as they danced to their hearts’ content when Se7en entered the room. She looked up and smiled, happy to see him. “Annyeong, Dong Wook-sshi.”

He smiled back, sitting down next to her. “Annyeong, Lia. How are you? I haven’t seen you in so long.”

She bit her lip. “Ah, I’ve been . . . busy.”

He hugged her. “It’s okay,” he told her. “I know.”

She sighed. “It’s selfish of me to be scared, right? I mean, Ji Yong Oppa and Maknae Oppa are scared too —”

“It’s perfectly normal to be scared as a first-time mom,” Se7en cut in. “Don’t think about all of these negative thoughts. It’s not healthy for your baby. Arraso? Just be happy that God blessed you with a baby. Lots of girls would kill to be in your place.”

“I hope not literally,” she giggled.

Se7en couldn’t find the words to express how glad he was to see Lia crack a joke. Big Bang finished their routine and came over to them.

“Annyeong, sunbae,” they greeted Se7en, bowing their heads.

“Annyeong.” He scratched his head. “Ah, Ji, Maknae, the President wants to see you both in his office now.”

The two of them were surprised. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I was on my way, pass his office, to here when he stopped me and asked me to call you guys to see him.”

“Oh, okay.” Befuddled, Ji Yong and Seung Ri headed toward the President’s office with a bad feeling about this.

“It’s about me, isn’t it?” Lia asked quietly from next to Se7en.”

He put his arms around her. “I think so. President didn’t say anything about why he wanted to talk to them but why else would he call them both?”

TOP looked at his sister who looked like she was about to cry again. He sat down next to her, patting her head.

What do you think President wants to talk to us about?” Seung Ri asked Ji Yong as they made their way to his office.

“Lia?” Ji Yong guessed.

He nodded. “I pretty much guessed that too.” He knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

They went inside the room and found the President sitting on his armchair. He looked up from his paperwork when they entered and took his glasses off, sighing. “Please take a sit,” he said, indicating to the two chairs in front of his desk.

They obediently sat down nervously.

“How is Lia?” he asked casually.

The boys exchanged a worried glance. Was this a trick question? “Lia is fine,” they replied at the same time.”

“Good. Well, you’re probably wondering why I called you two in here,” the President began. When they nodded, he continued, “I want to know what your plans are for Lia.”

“Sorry, sir?” Ji Yong blurted out.

He looked sternly at them. “Lia has no clue who’s the father of the baby. The results will be coming out in a week.”

Ji Yong knew where this was getting to. “President, I’ve been thinking a lot about this situation. No doubt I will be mad if the baby is Maknae’s, but at least things will not be that complicated. However, if the baby is mine, I will do whatever it takes to look after my child and Lia, even if she doesn’t want me.”

“What about you, Maknae?” the President asked Seung Ri.

Seung Ri struggled to answer the question. He has more loss if the baby isn’t his. Finally he answered, “I’ll always love Lia and right now I’m so glad she’s my girlfriend. If the baby is mine, even better. We can start a family: me, Lia and our baby. But if it is hyung’s baby . . .” He hesitated and continued softly, “I’ll let her go; especially since I know that she’s still in love with him.”

“But what if she says she wants to be with you, even though the baby is Ji Yong’s?” the President asked.

Ji Yong was relieved. He wanted to ask that question but he thought he wasn’t in the right place to ask that.

“I’ll reason with her to break up with me, for the baby’s sake,” Seung Ri replied without any hesitation.

At that moment, Ji Yong had to admit that he admired the maknae for being so strong and so brave. He knew how much it hurts, thinking about letting her go, what more saying it out loud. He really did love her after all. Even the President was surprised. He knew the maknae always go out with a lot of girls and is known as a player but this time it looks like he has really fallen in love with Lia.

Seung Ri was growing up.

“I’m glad to hear it,” he told them. “I hope that no matter what the result is, Big Bang will not break up. It’s not fair to the other three nor you two if Big Bang breaks up because of this matter.”

“Anniyo, President,” Ji Yong replied as he shook his head. “We won’t let it get in between of our career.”

Seung Ri nodded seriously.

“Good.” He leaned back in his chair. “You may leave now. Go take care of Lia.”

They left the room and the President turned back to his paperwork.