Yongbae was curled up on his bunk, a novel Daesung sent him in one hand while the other idly the rosary. It brought him peace in the evenings, like this, to feel connected to her through God like this. Now that Jiyong was gone, his final year finished and his third picture added to the album, being able to carry a piece of Daesung with him made him feel connected. He wondered, though, how Seunghyun had made it through the first year so alone. Maybe Daesung had sent him presents too. She was adorable like that, always trying to keep a smile on everyone's faces even in the darkest of times, even when she had trouble giving one to herself.

His serenity was broken, however, by one of the nastier soldiers in the barracks leaning against his bedframe, his bunkmate peering over the edge curiously. Hunshik had become a good friends after Jiyong left almost three months ago, the pair inseperable ever since.

"I was hoping to find you here." The soldier, Leewon, grinned, twisting his face into some ugly passive aggressive malice. "You heard from your girl?"

Yongbae ran his thumb over the rosary's cross, the stone cool under his skin. "No. She's been busy."

"That's for damn sure." Leewon's grin widened. "And certainly not on you."

Hunshik scowled. "What the hell does that mean?"

Leewon just shrugged. "I'm just reporting the headlines I've been seeing on the news. Apparently she couldn't take the wait."

Yongbae made no move to get up, didn't clench the rosary in his fist or grit his teeth. He blinked up at the man. "You do realize that I've been an idol for a long time and I know all the tricks the media has to offer, right?"

His grin melted a little, fire getting ice water dumped on it, but he clearly wasn't done. "Do they usually have video?"

Yongbae shrugged. "Video is misleading. Styles and hair change all the time. It's not hard to immitate someone else, especially if the quality isn't that good."

Leewon shrugged again. "Listen or don't listen, see or don't see, I don't care. When you go back home and find her lips wrapped around some other guy's , you'll know I wasn't lying to you."

Hunshik nailed him in the forehead with a boot. " off, Leewon."

Yongbae just looked back down at his novel, caressing the warmed stone gently.

When Daesung answered the door, she looked hagard. Hair all askew, breathing heavy, face flushed.

"Seungri? What are you doing here this late at night?"

The maknae crossed his arms at her. "I know you don't look at the media, but if you're actually having an affair, you're doing a piss-poor job of hiding it."

"A- . . . " Her voice dropped and she spoke the word like it was poison. "Affair?"

"Yeah." He looked her up and down, noting that she was only wearing a long shirt to cover herself.

She ran a hand through her hair, got caught on knots, and settled for pushing it out of her face. She pulled him in and closed the door before turning on him. "Is that what you're here for? To accuse me?"

"I prefer the term 'question', but yes."

"And you're serious about this?"

"Damn right I am."

She stared at him for a long moment, then walked into the kitchen. Seungri followed her and watched her throw back a shot of Yongbae's favourite vodka. She didn't wince at the burn, but then, the two of them had gotten drunk together more than once. 

"You came here to actually question if I'm cheating on Yongbae."

"Good. You're listening."

She threw back another shot. "Then get the out."

 . . . That wasn't what he was expecting. "Excuse me?"

"You came here, to my home, in the middle of the night, to accuse me of myself out because Yongbae's gone, then you can walk yourself right back out that door and keep a healthy distance between us for at least a month."

"You don't get to make threats when you disappear for months without explaining yourself then answering the door looking like I interrupted your lover! When you don't call Yongbae ever and suddenly, you're super distanced from the group. Jiyong just got home and he never sees you. You only got like this after Yongbae left and if that's not downright suspicious, I don't know what is."

He could barely see her face, but she was scowling something fierce. "You have some nerve to act like you're my father. Like I owe you anything, like I'm some know-nothing who can't function on her own, can't even stay faithful without being always ing watched."

He didn't know what she was getting at, but he didn't like it, and he was quick to make that clear. "You're not making a very good case that you don't."

She placed the shot glass in the sink, the bottle back in the cupboard, then turned to him. Her hair shadowed much of her face in the moonlit apartment, but her fury shone darker. "You have a minute to leave."

"I'm not leaving until I get a ing straight answer from you."

Seungri never claimed to be the smartest man in the world, nor the most careful. Perhaps if he was, it wouldn't have hurt his pride and his so much when Daesung picked him up, opened the door and threw him into the hallway, promptly locking the door behind her and leaving him to the pain ringing through his body and the silence.

Jiyong had reclaimed the recording studio a month after he returned, when he'd had a chance to listen to all the old work he'd almost completed polishing with Daesung. As such, it wouldn't have been much of a surprise to find him there, even if Seunghyun hadn't asked for him help in the fine-tuning of his newest single. Seungri was there too, doing the pre-record layout singing that the artist working with Seunghyun would base their work off of.

But Daesung's appearance was a surprise. She was in all black; boots, jeans,belt, tee shirt. Her hair was done up in a high ponytail, her bangs will loose to flutter about her face. She quickly moved to the back of the room, sitting as deeply as she could in the farthest corner, pulled out a songbook, and began to write. She wasn't wearing makeup, her skin pale and obviously sleepless, her eyes pinkish like she had stopped crying a few hours before she came here. 

In the light of day, Seungri felt bad. He knew he shouldn't have ambushed her like that, should have approached her like the adult she was - his senior, for 's sake - instead of blindly throwing accusations her way.

He walked over to her, wringing his hands, but stopped before he got within punching distance. If there was one lesson last night had taught him, it was that Daesung's muscles weren't only for show. "Look, Daesung-"

"I'm not interested." She replied, brisque and biting, not even looking up from the paper. 

"I need to apolo-"

"You don't." She erased a character and rewrote it differently.

"I need to-"

"Seunghyun, there is nothing left to say." She was calm, voice iced only with indifference as she continued to write. The chill his given name sent spiralling down his spine made him back up, to leave her alone there.

Both Jiyong and Seunghyun were silent as they watched the encounter. Slowly, as to not break the silence, Seunghyun exited the recording booth. He tossed Jiyong a look and the younger nodded. He paced over to her, setting a comforting hand on her iron-stiff shoulder. "I'm going to get coffee. Want to come help me carry them?"

She placed her book to the side, along with her pencil, and stood. "Let's go."

Yongbae knew who was leaving the newspapers and magazine articles on his bed, who opened his laptop and left youtube videos up for him to watch. Even with all of it infront of him and the cultprit obvious, he refused to give into Leewon's games. He hadn't read any of the articles, only seen enough of the videos to discern the low quality and pixellation for himself. 

Daesung - A CHEATER! How she sneaks around on Taeyang

GROUPMATES WORRIED - Daesung in danger of STDs

ALONE AND PREGNANT - Who's Daesung's baby daddy?

CAUGHT ON TAPE - Daesung cheating with childhood friend!

BETRAYED - Groupmates horrified at Daesung's cheating

DRUGS, BOOZE AND - Kang Daesung's secret party life

He just threw out the clippings. Of course thoughts like these had surfaced, and he had been unsure of Daesung's ability to keep to herself at the beginning of his service tenure, but when he reflected on those worries now, his heart was silent, content in its own knowledge of Daesung's loyalty. His mind had been doubtful since he left, but that was easy to ignore. He knew it wasn't his own skeptism of her affection, but how other people reflected on him. He loved her and she loved him. In all the pictures of her, her promise ring was unhindered and visible, even if she was looking more than a little worn down. He could only imagine the media storm she was getting nailed with. 

Daesung had avoided the media for a long time because of the nasty remarks on her looks. The practise had never left her and she didn't approach it without incentive first. Having it forced down now was probably anything but helpful and any host of any show she would go on to promote her album would immediately question her on it. Yongbae knew how fake the 'evidence' was, how suspect it looked, but the public was fickle. It would be hard to defend herself until he came back and it bothered him that it was their relationship that was doing her damage now, how he couldn't be there to protect her. 

Hunshik tsked when he seen the articles scattered across the sheets. "Are you okay, Yongbae?"

He picked up one of the new articles, headlining once more how Daesung apparently was running around on him. In the picture though, she just looked torn apart. Her caramel skin was pale, her makeup wasn't hiding her bags very well and she was dressed simply, even for her, clothes baggier to hide an obvious weight loss.

"I wish I could be there."

"To see for yourself?"

"To protect her from this." He over her face, frowning at the stress she was carrying. "She doesn't deserve this just because I'm gone."

Hunshik nodded, gathering the articles and throwing them out. "Maybe you should Skype her. She might be able to pick up your call."

"I'll call her tonight, so she'll have her laptop." He tossed the picture out, searing the image of her sickly form out of his head with her poster, hanging above his bedside table. "God, I miss her."

Seunhyun was never particularly good with emotions, but Daesung's silence was chilling. 

"Is this because of what the media keep saying?"

She sighed, hand falling away from the cup she held, the other going to cover her eyes as she struggled for composure. He wrapped his arms around her unthinkingly, letting her curl into his chest and hide, muffling her sobs in her hands. 

"Wanna come to my house tonight?" He whispered, her hair. "We'll get your laptop and Skype Yongbae."

She regained control of herself and nodded, grabbing a nearly napkin to dry her face enough to make a dash back to the recording studio. "Y-Yeah. Thanks, hyung."

"I'm not very good with emotions, but you can tell me whatever you need to say."

She smiled weakly and nodded mutely. 

He patted her back. "Want to cool down in the dance studio for a moment?"

She nodded again and he led the way there, arm wrapped around her shoulder. 

The instant the door closed, Jiyong rounded on Seungri and he was scary.

"What did you do?" The smaller man hissed.

"Hyung?" Seungri didn't mean for his voice to come out so weak.

Jiyong had certainly come back crazier from his service and now he looked ready to kill. He was even trained to now. "I'm only repeating myself once: What did you do to Daesung?"

"I went to speak to her last night."

"About what?"

" . . . Yongbae."

Jiyong was terrifyingly still for a long moment before he jumped over the couch and had him by the shirt. "What did you say?"

His voice was lost in his throat.

"So help me God, Seungri, what did you say?"

"I asked her if she was cheating on Yongbae."

He expected a beating, probably deserved one, but Jiyong just let him go, slumping down onto the couch and looking up at him in horror. 

"I thought she was." Seungri whispered, staring down at his feet to avoid Jiyong's judgemental stare. "She was acting so out of character, sneaking around and not talking to anyone. I still don't know if she is or not. She literally threw me out of her apartment last night."

Jiyong's laugh was harsh and bitter. "Good."

"DIdn't it ever occur to you? That they might be right?"

"Seungri, sit down." The maknae followed the order, nervously meeting Jiyong's eyes. He was the opposite of the rage monster he was a moment ago, looking at him with the kind of small, fond smile he gave him in the trainee days when he got too frustrated with himself. "Do you honestly think that Daesung would mess with Yongbae's heart like that? That she would betray one of her best friends?"

Seungri was wringing his hands again, the watch Daesung had bought him for his birthday catching the light. 

"She's taken the lead since I left, working on her solo album on top of that. You told me yourself that she helped you make your solo album. After all these years of taking care of me after albums, you'd think you'd recognize all of the stress she's under." Jiyong leant forward, lightly patting the maknae's knee. "And how lonely she is without him."

"And you don't think that she would find comfort in someone else because of that?"

"It's because she feels so strongly that she can't even if she wanted to. All she can do is try to drown it out in work." Then the leader cocked his head. "She never told you about all the things she sent him, did she?"

"She sent him things?"

Jiyong smiled fondly, shaking his head. "Of course she did. She loves him."

"Tell me, and be honest." Seungri said, taking his leader's hand. "Am I still human or am I complete sentient now?"

Jiyong laughed and ruffled his hair. "."

"Thought so."

"I'll talk to her. Just leave it alone for a week, then talk to her."

"Okay, hyung."

"Some aegyo couldn't hurt either. Super aegyo and no sass."

"Noted."

Leewon just happened to be in the room when the open Skype on Yongbae's laptop started to blink with a call. Yongbae looked surprised, but answered only to start grinning like mad.

"Dae!"

"Hey Yongbae! I'm back in Korea until you come home, so I can call you now."

Leewon cocked an eyebrow at the answering voice. It sounded raspy and soft, nothing like the star on the variety shows. 

Yongbae bit his lip and swiped at his eyes. "It's good to see you."

Daesung's voice was even softer, if possible. "I miss you so much. It's not much longer now, though. Seven months."

"Yup. Not long at all." He was biting his lip harder and Leewon realized he was trying not to cry. "How've you been?"

"Tired." She sighed. "It's been so much work with my album and learning English. Do you get magazines there?"

"Yeah. Some of the guys buy them and bring them back."

"It's been a circus for me. Everytime I leave the apartment, I'm hounded. I've started going through the fire escape to get groceries."

Yongbae winced. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could help you."

"I don't care what they think of me, honestly. My fanbase defends me on all the forums, so I'm not worried about them. I just . . . I miss having you home. It's so lonely now, too big for me."

"Is that why you're not at home now?"

"Seunghyun-hyung invited me over. I'm staying here tonight. Once Jiyong's done mixing, he's probably going to come too."

"And Seungri?" Yongbae sat forward, face falling. "Really?" His eyes flickered to the bottom of the screen and he fell back on the bed, angrily scrubbing his face with his hands before sitting up again. "He needs to shut up, honestly."

"He meant well, I know. He wanted to make sure that we're okay, that nothing's happened to break us up, but he didn't have to . . . do that."

"How did you get him to leave? I know he can be persistent."

She giggled. "I don't have all these muscles for nothing."

Yongbae's laugh was pure and crystalline, ringing through the barracks. "I love you, so much."

"I love you more." There was some shuffling. "Seunghyun wants to say hi. Here."

"Yo, Yongbae! You doing okay over there? Ji said you were fine, but I haven't seen you."

Yongbae chuckled. "Yeah, hyung, I'm fine. Hunshik, my bunkmate, and I have become good friends, so I'm not lonely."

On cue, Hunshik appeared from the top bunk, waving at the screen. "Hello!"

"Give the laptop back to Dae, I want her to meet Hunshik."

Yongbae repositioned himself to Hunshik could sit next to him on the bed and this gave Leewon a view of the camera as well. Daesung was freshly showered, her hair curling around her as it dried, her face clear and makeup-free. She didn't look like the sickly being in the magazine photos and the adoration she had for Yongbae was absolutely sickening in its sincerity. He had said the muscles she had threw him off, made her less attractive, and it was true, but the way she smiled, she way she lit up - she was stunning. No wonder she'd brought Yongbae to his knees, tied her to him no matter how many times they went drinking and a girl felt him up. He understood why Yongbae kissed the rosary, held it close to his heart; over the more natural pictures of her to be found in the album. 

He hadn't been paying attention to their conversation, not until they she started to sing. 

That CD she'd sent him was something he jealously guarded, only listening to it with headphones on and somehow managing to hide it so well the CO couldn't find it. Even over the grainy lag of Skype, her voice was beautiful. No reason Hunshik was a fan of hers. 

"Aren't you going to introduce me, too, Yongbae?" Leewon cut in, approaching with a smug smirk. 

Daesung looked up at him curiously, but then Jiyong cut in on the other side. "Go yourself, Leewon! You don't get to speak to our lovely Daesunggie when you didn't even compliment her poster."

She made a mock-angry face. "So rude!"

"Seriously, though, leave." Hunshik said, pushing him out of the frame. "You're not a friend of ours."

"I'm offended!"

"Good." Hunshik sniped back.

Later that week, Seungri appeared at her apartment door again, holding out roses, her favourite chocolate and a teddy bear with a tiny Taeyang hat on. 

"Dinner's on me?" 

She took the gifts, set them on the table and smiled at him. "Give me a minute to change and we'll go."

Daesung didn't get the chance to call much, busy on shows and promotions. The rumours of her fidelity fluxuated, but she promptly ignored them, even going so far as to leave a show entirely when a host accused her of infidelity. 

"Not only do I not owe the details of my personal life to the public, but I am disgusted he would even ask." Daesung said in a magazine interview later that week. "It's not the first time I've been suspected and it won't be the last, simply because Taeyang and I are both idols, but to respond to bald-faced accusations like that with anything less than polite contempt is to validate it." Yongbae had outright laughed at that one, Hunshik giggling like a schoolgirl with how she shut them down, entirely too fed up with bull.

There was barely a month left of his service. He didn't know how Jiyong managed to be so calm in the leadup. He wanted to run all the way back to Seoul, tackle Daesung into his bed and not leave for a year.

"Cool down, man, you're going to bounce through the ceiling."

"We're leaving in two and a half weeks, Shikkie. We get to go home."

"Still man, calm down."

"I can't. I'm going to get to hold her again." Yongbae fell back onto his bunk, clutching the rosary. "I'm going to see her again in two short weeks."