For the rest of the week everyone had been getting stressed out. Big Bang is having an upcoming concert so they spent most of their time at the YG building, practicing and singing. Lia went to work, but was stuck in the kitchen. She didn’t mind. She loved being in the kitchen with the others. But she felt bad she had to be watched carefully at all times and it bothers her. Sometimes Chung Ho pulls her out of work to make her rest for ten minutes — sometimes even twenty.

“Can’t I just have a regular work time like I had before?” she whined to Chung Ho one day in his office after he had just told her to take a rest for the fourth time that day.

He just sighed. “Lia, you’re five-almost-six months pregnant. I do not want the members of Big Bang hounding after me if they hear that I’m letting you work the regular shift.”

“But —”

“Who is the boss, you or me?” he asked her sharply.

“Well, you are, but —”

“So just listen to me and stop complaining about it already. Goodness, if it was someone else they would be thrilled to be asked to take so many rests.”

“I like my work,” she argued.

He closed his eyes, exasperated. “How do Big Bang put up with you at home?” Chung Ho muttered under his breath.

She frowned. She didn’t think that was fair. “Hey, you should be glad that I’m so dedicated to my work. Not many people have that sort of dedication,” she argued back. They both know she meant his sisters.

“True that, but you should be taking care of yourself and your baby. Do you really want something bad to happen to your baby?” he asked.

She had to admit she did not. “No.”

He smiled grimly at her, holding back a sigh. “Good. End of discussion,” he told her firmly. “Go take a break. Go eat your cereal bar or something.”

Lia was about to protest some more when she noticed the expression in his eyes. “Chung Ho-sshi, are you okay?” she asked timidly.

Chung Ho studied her, wondering what he should say. Finally he gave her a small smile. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he mumbled. He moved to sit down on his chair behind his desk.

They were there, awkwardly, in his office, with him sitting in his chair and her standing in front of his desk. Lia looked at him carefully. He looked tired, with dark rings under his eyes as though he hadn’t been getting enough sleep. Come to think of it, his color has been off for quite some time now.

“You look really tired,” she said.

“Thanks a lot,” he replied flatly.

She winced, realizing it came out a bit blunt. “No, I mean — Mianhae, I just —” she faltered.

All of a sudden he stood up and walked over to her. Then he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, locking eyes with her. He lifted his chin.

“Ch — Chung Ho-sshi?!”

He placed his free hand on her stomach, looking down at her belly. “Lia, have your cravings started yet?” he asked her.

Lia was feeling confused now. What was her boss trying to do to her? “Wh — what?” she stammered. She knew she should probably push him away but she was frozen.

Without warning he closed the distance between them and kissed her on the forehead. “My girlfriend is pregnant, Lia,” he whispered, “but I’m not the father.” He let her go, taking a step back.

With a start, Lia realized he was crying. She didn’t know what to do, what to say to make him feel better. She had never seen him like this. Of course not. He was her boss. He should keep his personal problems to himself, not share it to his employees, no matter how close they were to each other.

“Oh,” she said stupidly.

He looked down, sitting on his desk. His long fringe covered his eyes, tears falling down his face. He wiped them away, trying to put on a brave face. “She’s been cheating on me all this time, every night with other men,” he said in a much quieter tone. “Now she comes to me, crying that she’s pregnant, and she claims that it’s my baby.” He looked up, angry. “But I know she’s lying. She’s trying to convince herself that it’s my baby because she doesn’t know who the father is.”

“Oh.” She mentally smacked herself. “What make you so sure that you’re not the father of the baby?”

“I never slept with her.”

“Oh.” Seriously, is that all you can think of?, she thought angrily, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry, Chung Ho-sshi. I don’t know what to say.” She took a step closer, putting a hand on his shoulder. “What did you do then?”

“I told her to leave.”

She really felt helpless. “I’m sorry.”

He only shook his head and patted her gently on the shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said ruefully. “Did I scare you just now? Did you think I was going to confess to you that I’ve been in love with you and such?”

She nodded. “Yeah,” she replied honestly. “But I’m glad it isn’t that. I mean, I’m sorry that your girlfriend cheated on you but —”

He smiled sadly. “But you’re glad that you don’t have to put up with any more messy drama?” he supplied.

She nodded again. “Is there anything I can do for you? You’ve helped me so much.”

He shook his head. “No, Lia. It’s okay. You’ve done enough.” He cleared his throat. “I think I stepped over the line when I kissed you on the forehead. I’m sorry. Honestly, I think of you as a little sister, like my twin sisters — although I like you more. Don’t tell them I said that. They’ll kill me.”

She smiled. “No, it’s fine, Chung Ho-sshi,” she reassured him. “Your secret is safe with me. And I know you don’t think of me that way.” She stepped back. “I should go back to work now. I’ve taken more than enough rest. Let me know if you want anything.”

“Thanks, for listening.”

“Anytime.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Actually, Lia, there is something I want.”

She stopped at the door and looked over her shoulders. “Yeah?”

He smiled at her. “Call me oppa,” he told her. “You’ve been working here long enough and you’re like a little sister to me.”

She looked at him, startled. “Oh, but you’re my boss —”

He held up a hand. “You can call me oppa when the other employees aren’t around.”

She nodded, titling her head a bit. “Okay, Chung Ho Oppa.” She beamed before walking out of the office.

He chuckled, shaking his head. He turned back to his table, sighing. He looked at the photo of him and his girlfriend. He took the picture out from the frame, ripped it into tiny pieces and threw them in the rubbish bin. There is no point keeping it anymore.

Meanwhile outside of Chung Ho’s office, Lia was trying to steady heartbeat, which was still thumping wildly. She really did think he was going to confess to her. Thank goodness he didn’t. She didn’t know what she would do if she has to handle more drama. Being in a messy love triangle was more than she could take.

The time neared for the results to come and they were all putting a brave face for Lia’s sake even though it was clear that they were just as scared as she was.

On one of Big Bang’s off-days, Chung Ho let her spend time with them but it wasn’t much of a family bonding. They all stayed in their rooms. None of them mind because they were all so tired, the Big Bang boys from the practices and Lia from pregnancy and work.

TOP was just dozing off in his sleep when his phone went off. “Yeobosaeyo?” He sat up. “Okay, I’ll be right over.” He grabbed his coat and walked out of the room. He knocked on his sister’s door. “Mei, I’m going out. Do you want anything?”

She looked at him sheepishly. “Could you buy some cereal bars for me?” she asked.

He smiled. “Have the cravings kicked in?”

She nodded.

He chuckled. “All right. Be right back.”

“Gomawo, oppa!”

He went out to the destination where he was supposed to be at. When he was done, he went to buy cereal bars for his sister before he returned back to the apartment. Then he went to knock on everyone’s door. “Go to the living room,” he told them. “We’re having a family meeting now.” He went to Lia’s room. “Mei, we have a family meeting. And your cereal bar is with me.”

“Yay!” Lia got off the bed and followed him out to the living room where everyone else was sitting on the sofas and couches already.

“What’s going on?” Dae Sung asked.

TOP sat down on an empty space next to Tae Yang on the sofa. Lia sat down next to him. Dae Sung was sitting across from them, on the mat on the floor. Ji Yong was sitting on the left armchair while Seung Ri sat opposite.

“I got the results,” he spoke up, clearing his throat. “I know who the father is.”

Everyone was stunned. How could he have said it so casually?

“Who is the father?” Dae Sung wanted to know.

“Go on.” Tae Yang nodded, urging him to continue.

TOP looked around at the five faces that was watching him intently: Tae Yang, his eyes wide with curiosity; Dae Sung’s face was no longer the happy one but was replaced with a more serious look instead; Seung Ri’s eyes were just as serious as Dae Sung’s, fiddling with his thumbs; Lia, who had stopped eating her cereal bar, biting her bottom lip; and Ji Yong’s face was pained but was hopeful at the same time.

Dae Sung and Tae Yang were thinking: Who is it? Who is the father of Lia’s baby? Maknae or Ji Yong — which one of them?

Lia was wondering the same thing they were wondering except she had a more specific name in her mind. Is it him? Please let it be him, she thought.

Seung Ri and Ji Yong’s minds were both screaming: Please say it’s my baby!

TOP hesitated. Should he tell them who it is? He looked at his baby sister, whose eyes were willing for him to just say the name. He could see the fear in her eyes. She was scared of the results. He glanced over at Seung Ri who did not bother to hide the hopeful look in his eyes. He turned to Ji Yong who looked sad and fearful but yet looked determined at the same time.

“Just say it already,” Lia choked out.

TOP took a deep breath as he opened his mouth to say the name of the father.

“Lee Seunghyun.”