It was one of those moments inside the club when Jiyong was suddenly left alone in the sideline, a drink in his hand, watching clubgoers do their thing.
His eyes fell upon Chaerin. There she was, across the room, talking to a bunch of people he sure hadn't met before. He smirked at how easy it was for her to socialize. Maybe he felt a little pride knowing the fact it was him who introduced her to this kind of world - Seoul's club scene.
It was a little after 2NE1's successful debut - YG had extended the girls' curfew - when he had picked her up from their dormitory to a discreet Itaewon nightclub.
He held her hand on the first hour, but the remaining hours of the night Chaerin had spent going around club patrons, excitedly talking to them, easily blending in this part of town, in this lifestyle that was so much a part of him already.
Soon, their night life went beyond Seoul. Tokyo, Paris, London, Bangkok - all these rich capitals in the world, all these fancy cities. They clubbed in those evenings like it was the end of the world.
Jiyong was taken back to the present time when he felt an arm slide over his shoulder. "Hey, she's gorgeous."
"Sorry?" he muttered, turning to the guy who casually invaded his personal space. A foreigner. It took his willpower not to elbow the side of the stranger's stomach.
"That girl over there." the blonde guy said, pointing at someone across the room.
Jiyong followed the direction with his eyes - he saw Chaerin.
"Who is she?"
"My little sister." Jiyong replied in straight English, realizing quickly how poor his choice of words were.
Was it surprising that Chaerin had admirers? No. Did it make him less annoyed at the poor excuse of a man beside him? No.
"Dude, for a moment, I thought you two were together. I saw the pair of you earlier..."
Jiyong couldn't understand him at this point, the extent of his English was already exhausted. He ignored the man and proceeded to where Chaerin was.
"Hi," he said, snaking an arm around her waist, hugging her a little too tightly.
Chaerin noticed the pressure. "Is something the matter?" she asked, looking up his face with a worried expression.
"Too many foreigners."
Chaerin laughed, "Oppa, shall we go to another place?"
"No, we'll stay here tonight," he said, and gave her a peck on the cheek.
