There were a lot of reactions that followed after the news. Ji Yong looked down to his hands. Lia darted from him to Seung Ri and to her brother, her eyes wide in surprised. Dae Sung and Tae Yang’s mouths dropped opened as they gaped at the maknae. Seung Ri stood up and walked over to Lia, picking her up. He whirled her around, laughing, relieved to hear it was his baby. He put her down and leaned in to kiss her with passion.

Then he remembered Ji Yong and how he must be feeling now that he knows he’s not the father and broke apart from her, awkwardly turning to him. He smiled tentatively.

Ji Yong game them a weak smile. “Well, I guess I should say congratulations,” he said to them.

They smiled back at him. “Thanks.”

Seung Ri wrapped his arms around Lia’s waist. “I’m so glad to know I’m the father,” he murmured to her.

She smiled and kissed his face. “Me too,” she whispered back softly.

Ji Yong watched as Seung Ri pulled her closer to him and saw how Lia seemed to be so relieved and glad to hear that Seung Ri is the father of her baby. He looked away, his heart burning with pain and jealousy. He stood up and quietly slipped away. He needed to be alone for awhile.

Tae Yang noticed his friend standing up and he knew he was taking the news bad. He was about to get up and go after him when TOP asked him to get a couple of drinks and a cup of water for Lia to celebrate the good news. He sighed, doing what he was told to do. Seung Ri and Lia looked so happy. It’s best if he just leave Ji Yong for now.

Let him calm down.

Ji Yong stepped outside of the apartment, to breathe the cool night air. He sighed, feeling a too familiar pain in his heart. He looked up to the night sky.

“Lia, this is what you want, isn’t it?” he said aloud to no one in particular. “Seung Ri is the father. He’s your boyfriend and maybe he will become your husband, someone who will always love you, hold you and feel your kisses. That’s less complications.” He smirked dryly. He bowed his head. “I can’t believe I hoped that I am the father. I thought you and I would build a family together. I always imagined you walking down the aisle with me waiting for you at the end. But it’s going to be the maknae, won’t it? It’s not going to be me you’re going to marry. What an idiot.”

He sighed, leaning against the wall. He slowly slipped to the floor. Will he ever get the girl he loves?

It’s hopeless now.

He’s never going to get her. And he will probably never stop loving her. No matter how he will try to forget about her, he never will. Lia is the only one for him.

But yet her heart and her child belong to someone else.

She’s never going to belong to Ji Yong. She was never going back to him, not when her baby needs its father. Not when it’s clear she was getting over him and moving on with the maknae.

He groaned, remembering the look on her face when he brother announced Seung Ri as the father. She was so relieved, so happy. How can he compete with that? He lost her a long time ago, back when he stupidly broke up with her. Then he lost the chance to win her back before she decided to go to Seung Ri.

Even though he promised President that he will not let it affect him, he’s not sure now if it’s really possible to act like nothing is wrong. It’ll be hard. After all, he will have to see Seung Ri and Lia every day. He will have to see the two of them together.

It’s going to be tough.

Finally, Ji Yong broke down and cried.

After the celebration had died down, Lia went looking for Ji Yong. He wasn’t in his room nor was he on the rooftop. She came out of his room, confused. She scratched her head, frowning. Where could he be?

“Ji Yong is outside,” Tae Yang said softly.

She smiled gratefully at him. “Thanks, Bae Oppa,” she replied as she headed her way out of the front door. She looked around and she found him sitting on the floor just outside, his head down. She sat down next to him with soft eyes. “I’m sorry, Ji Oppa.” She sighed.

His head jerked up, looking up to her. She wasn’t surprised to see tears in his eyes. “Don’t be sorry,” he muttered under his breath. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Just be happy that you know who the father is, okay?”

“Ji Oppa . . .” She tried to touch his face but he turned away. She was taken aback.

He turned back, with a forced smile. “This is what you want. He’s your baby’s father. It’s better this way.”

She shook her head. “How could you say that, when you feel hurt and it’s all my fault??” she groaned, hiding her head. “I’m such a terrible person. i hurt the people I love.”

He lifted her head up and shook his head. “I want you to smile, Lia,” he told her. “Don’t feel bad for me that it’s not my child. Please be happy. No matter what happens I will always be your best friend. Okay?”

Ji Yong had so much more to say to her but he kept quiet. He knew that if he told her how he really felt — that he was dying inside and that he wanted her — she was only going to get even more confused and things are going to get more complicated. He was bursting to tell her, but he held back because he cared for her and he didn’t want to be selfish. He knew that if he said it, there was a high possibility that she might go to him.

But no, her baby needs her father. He must not be selfish.

Without their knowledge, Seung Ri was inside looking for his girlfriend. He saw the front door was opened and went to close it but he froze when he heard their familiar voices. He stopped to listen to their conversation. He knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop but something told him to stay and listen to them.

“You know, oppa, before my brother said Maknae Oppa’s name, I was hoping it’d be your name,” Lia was saying to Ji Yong.

From inside, Seung Ri felt his heart drop.

“Really?” Ji Yong was unmistakably happy to hear that.

“Neh.” She sighed. “I guess I didn’t realize how much I wanted it to be you until before my brother told us. Ji Oppa, although I am with Maknae Oppa, a part of me will always love you. I love you more than I love him.”

“Lia . . .”

“Ah, who knows, Ji Oppa?” Lia went on, looking away up to the gorgeous night sky. “No matter what happens in the future, I know I can never erase all the wonderful memories we shared together. I don’t want to forget it either. You’re very important to me and I will always love you.”

He smiled at her. “I’ll always love you too,” he said softly. “Even if I end up with another girl, she can never be like you. No girl can be compared to you. You’re really special, Lia. I don’t think I will ever find a girl quite like you. I don’t want to, actually.” Ji Yong didn’t want to think about being with another girl. He can’t even picture it. All he sees is him and Lia, the two of them, happy together.

“That’s good. I don’t want you to either,” she replied. She paused for awhile. “Ji Oppa, is this goodbye?”

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “I think this is more of embracing reality, but not goodbye. Never say goodbye.”

“I don’t want to say goodbye.”

“Me neither.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Seung Ri couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He decided to peep out a bit but he immediately wished he hadn’t. Ji Yong and Lia were kissing. He forced himself to look away, feeling all sorts of mixed feelings. He wanted to go out, let them know that he heard them. But he didn’t want to cause anymore conflicts. If Lia wanted to end things with him, let her go to him herself.

He felt sad, angry, hurt and betrayed by the girl he loves. He was stupid to think that she actually cares, that she was happy to hear that he was the father. Yeah right. She wanted Ji Yong to be the father, not him.

Seunghyun you babo, he thought angrily. He didn’t want to deal with this. He turned to walk away to his room.

TOP looked up from his bed. “Aren’t you going to sleep with Lia tonight?” he asked.

He frowned. “Don’t you hate it when I do? I remember you giving me and hyung a bad time about it before.”

“That was before she got pregnant and when we didn’t know who the father is,” TOP pointed out. “Now that we know, I allow you to sleep with her because what if something happen to her and we don’t know about it? You are in charge of her now since you are the father.”

“Why don’t you let Ji Yong Hyung do it?” he muttered darkly under his breath. But TOP didn’t hear him so he took his stuff and went to Lia’s room. He could see that they were still outside. Probably still kissing, he thought bitterly. He scowled.

Yes, they were still kissing but then Lia pulled apart, blushing deeply. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It isn’t fair to you or to Maknae Oppa —” she started to say.

Ji Yong covered with his lips. Lia pushed him away. “Lia, please don’t push me away,” he pleaded. “I want you. I miss you. I need you. I love you.” He hugged her and crushed her to him.

She shook her head sadly. “I have a baby to think about, oppa. I can’t do this to Maknae Oppa. It’s not fair. And believe it or not, but I do love him. I really do.”

“But you love me more.”

Lia was stunned. Was he for real? “Ji Yong Oppa, I can’t do this —”

“Lia, stop trying to convince yourself,” Ji Yong interrupted her. “He does not love you the way I love you.”

“You’re right; he don’t love me the way you love me,” she snapped furiously. “But he loves me the way you don’t. I do love him whether you like it or not.”

Ji Yong was taken aback and immediately felt ashamed. “Lia, I’m sorry. Mianhae.”

She softened, hearing the sincerity in his voice. She touched his cheek and he looked up to her. She smiled. “It’s okay, Ji Oppa,” she reassured him.

He nodded his head toward the door. “You should go to Maknae, Lia. I think he would be looking for you now. Go to him, Lia. Go to your boyfriend.” He tried to smile bravely.

“Neh. Mianhae, Ji Oppa. Saranghaeyo.” She hurried back in the apartment, leaving him all alone.

He watched her as she disappeared. He turned away. “Saranhaeyo, Lia,” he whispered, a single tear trickling down his handsome face. “I’ll always love you.”