Earlier, back in the recording studio, the four remaining people in the room were looking at each other uncertainly. None of them knew exactly what happened and none of them knew how they should react.
  Finally, CL broke the silence. "What was that?"
  Youngbae sighed before admitting, "We're not sure."
  Daesung who slumped down to the end of the couch when TOP and Jiyong started raising their voices, shook his head. "We were just recording and then bam! They started fighting."
  "But why?" Minzy asked, sounding just like how she did when 2ne1 debuted- young and innocent and in need of her seniors to assure her that things are going to okay.
  "Apparently Kim Jaejoong and Dara noona dated before Dara noona and Jiyong patched things up." Youngbae answered as he tried to give the younger girl a comforting smile. She acts so mature most of the time, that they tend to forget that she really is just a young girl. She's at the same age as some of the newly debuted idols and yet she's been in the industry for years and with YG Family for what seems like forever. "Jiyong only found out recently but TOP hyung and Seungri knew about it."
  "Why would unnie choose to confide in that rat rather than us?" CL asked, hurt and annoyance clear in her tone. "He must have helped her escape curfew or something! Or maybe he was the one who introduced her to him. Everyone knows he keeps pimping her out!"
  "Chaerin!" Youngbae cautioned her. 
  "Sorry, oppa." CL pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. Right now, she's hurt Dara kept something this big from her - from them. She's also angry at Dara for lying to them. She must have lied to them at some point, right? She couldn't have kept a secret that huge without telling one lie. "I just don't get why he knows and we don't. I mean, we're supposed to be sisters! She's my wifey!"
  Youngbae couldn't help but notice the parallels between Jiyong and Chaerin's statements. Jiyong was going on and on about brotherhood and CL about sisterhood. CL was obviously gunning for Seungri. She has chosen to direct her negative emotions at the Big Bang maknae. She didn't even mention anything about TOP also knowing. She latched on to the thought that he was to blame and is content to make him the receiver of all her anger.
  "So nobody had any idea when this was going down?" Daesung asked the group. He looked at each person in the room and there was varying shades of hurt, anger and concern. "I mean obviously it was after Dara noona and Jiyong hyung first stopped speaking to each other and before they started being official. I just remember that Sajangnim sent noona off to the Philippines for like, what? Two or three weeks?"
  Minzy nodded, "Before that, unnie was really depressed. She was depressed when she and Jiyong oppa fought then she stopped hanging out with us. She was always professional when we had work and she's always smiling in front of the cameras. We were just sort of happy whenever she chose to spend time with us, I guess we didn't question her actions at all. We didn't question her when she'd spent her free days away from us. We just thought she needed to be away from YG and Jiyong oppa. After she got back from the Philippines, it's like she seemed better. Still a little withdrawn but already making an effort."
  "We also didn't really ask her where she went during those times. We just assumed she'd go home to her mom's or off to the Philippines. After the long break in the Philippines, she threw herself into practice and training and we thought that she must have been homesick." CL added, trying to think back to those times. "We can't really pinpoint a time in between where she could have dated Jaejoong sunbae."
  All four of them fell into a thoughtful silence. Each trying to remember anything from that time but it was too long ago to remember the specifics. Minzy even started going through Dara's SNS accounts, looking for a clue. Soon, Youngbae and CL joined her as Daesung looked over Minzy's shoulder watching her browse through Dara's timeline.
  All four of  them were so engrossed in their stalking that they didn't notice the arrival of two key people in this mystery. Dara and Jaejoong looked at each other in confusion when  none of the room's occupants acknowledged their entrance. Jaejoong gave her a questioning glance but Dara only shrugged.
  Dara cleared to get their attention but when that garnered no reaction she finally called out to them. "Hey, guys!"
  Four heads snapped towards her so quickly that she took a step back in surprise, causing her to bump into the very solid chest of Kim Jaejoong. She looked back up him briefly to apologize but before any word could come out of , Daesung stood up from the couch and pulled her towards him. "Noona! I missed you! How are you?" He asked her as he lead her inside the studio, leaving Jaejoong by the door.
  "I'm good, Daesungie." Dara said carefully. She stopped to take a seat on the chair Jiyong was sitting in earlier and Daesung happily returned to the couch. "Hello, Mingkki, Chaerin-ah. Where's Bommie?"
  "She went out for a bit noona." Youngbae answered her. "Hyung, it's nice to see you."
  His words prompted the other idols to greet their senior. Jaejoong greeted them back and put a hand on the back of his neck in discomfort. The four idols have been looking at him strangely and he wonders if it was purely because of the photo.
  "You're meeting is done, unnie?" Minzy asked.
  "Uhm, yeah." She answered. She gestured for Jaejoong to take the seat next to her, he started moving towards the chair but was stopped by CL's question.
  "What are you doing here, sunbae?" The question was said politely but there was an underlying hostility buried in manners which Dara completely missed.
  "We're actually looking for Tabi." Dara answered instead, still trapped in her little oblivious bubble. "The bosses told us to not let the photo affect us. We won't be releasing a statement and for now we'll just act as if the photo wasn't released. So Eunkyoung unnie suggested that we go to lunch with Tabi to, I don't know, deflect the attention, I guess."
  "Of course, we don't want people thinking you're keeping secrets, right?" CL asked looking at her nails. 
  "Uhm.. right." Dara answered cautiously, finally sensing the undercurrent of tension filling the room. "Is Bom with Tabi? He hasn't been answering his phone."
  "What about Jiyong oppa, unnie?" CL was still studying her nails when she asked the question. The younger girl while the group's leader, has always hated and always avoided any form of confrontation with the older girls. She tries to lead firmly but never disrespectfully. Not only because Bom and Dara are older than her but because she truly respects both girls. Youngbae shook his head at Chaerin's actions. Not that he could blame her. She loves Dara but she also loves Jiyong since the Big Bang leader became her mentor when 2ne1 debuted. She was probably as heartbroken as Seungri when the two started avoiding each other.
  "I was actually hoping to find him here. He left his phone with me when he dropped me off earlier." Dara fixed her gaze at Chaerin. Tilting her head to the side, she studied her friend. "What's with the interrogation, Chaerin?"
  "I just figured that if I ask outright, we won't be kept in the dark as much." CL answered casually, still feigning disinterest.
  "What are you saying?" Dara asked evenly. Jaejoong sensing where this was going and what the cause was, stepped closer to Dara. "Just spit it out."
  "Fine." CL stopped studying her nails and looked at Dara and Jaejoong. "We heard that you two dated." When Dara and Jaejoong didn't answer, she continued. "What I want to know is how this happened, why didn't you tell us and why did you tell Seungri?"
  Dara's back stiffened at CL's accusing tone. "I don't see how any of that is your business." Jaejoong put a hand on Dara's shoulder, in an attempt to prevent her from escalating the issue. They have been edgy since the photo was released but he didn't want her getting into fights with her friends.
  "We're supposed to be friends! You come in here casually telling us what the game plan is but never even thinking to actually explain what the game is. Are we supposed to just accept this plan of action and move on? How can we support you when we have no idea that you need support or why you need support?" CL blew up. Jaejoong's small gesture did not escape her eyes. "We're part of a team and if you get in trouble that could have affected the whole group!"
  Dara instantly felt guilty. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you and I'm willing to answer as much of your questions as I could but not now, okay?" When it looked like CL was about to protest, Dara continued, "Not until I've spoken with Jiyong and he knows everything he needs to know about this. I know I haven't handled this situation as well as I could have. I did what I felt was best for me and I'm not going to apologize to anyone for it but that doesn't mean I don't want to handle things better from now on."
  "Let's just take a step back and breathe, okay?" Jaejoong suggested and sighed in relief when Dara acknowledged his words with a nod. He was torn between wanting to support her and wanting to give her the privacy to discuss things with her friends. Finally deciding that based on the aura some people in the room are emitting, they won't be able to discuss things amicably as long as he is present. Just being there with Dara has put people on the edge and he can't blame them since they must want answers or they're extremely protective of Jiyong and Dara, the couple.  "I think we won't be having lunch today, Sandara. Have Seunghyun call me once both of you are free then we can work something out. I'm going to leave now, unless you need me here?"
  "Don't worry, hyung. I got it covered." Jiyong told him pleasantly as he entered the room, followed by Bom. He and Bom have been eavesdropping shamelessly, having reached the recording studio seconds after Jaejoong and Dara entered. They didn't enter immediately since Jiyong needed a few seconds to brace himself. By the time he was ready, CL and Dara were already getting into it. They carefully opened door just a bit so they could hear the words being exchanged more clearly. They leaned close to the opened door, trying to make sure they hear everything  while not being seen.
  "What is it with all these people and sneaking up on us?" Daesung asked in a loud whisper only to be shushed by Minzy. "Seriously, we need a bell on the door."
  Jiyong was still smiling as he looked at the taller man who was standing too close for comfort to his girlfriend. Jaejoong quickly realized that although Jiyong wasn't picking a fight, he obviously isn't welcoming either. Regardless of the lack of a warm welcome Kim Jaejoong was raised to be a gentleman so he turned towards Dara and asked her, "Sandara? You okay here?"
  "Why wouldn't she be?" CL asked sharply. "She's with YG Family. She doesn't need you to protect her from us. Are you actually implying that we'd hurt her?"
  "Chaerin!" Both Jiyong and Dara called the girl's name out.  Jaejoong gave her a meaningful look a