TOP lit a cigarette as soon as he and Jiyong sat down on two of the chairs in his veranda. He loves this space since he's free to smoke and just take in the air but he's still in the comfort of his own home, his privacy protected by the walls around his property. Of course the walls aren't saesang-proof, but at this day and age, what is?, but they provide enough cover and security that allows him to let his guard down.
  He put his feet up on the one of the vacant chairs and watched as Jiyong lit his own cigarette. "I thought you were quitting."
  "I'm trying to but it's hard especially when I'm stressed out." Jiyong admitted.
  TOP raised an eyebrow at him. "And why were you stressed out? Surely you know how this industry works by now. It's not like Dara can say that she's not dating Jaejoong because she's dating you."
  "Aisht. I wasn't stressed about that." Jiyong frowned. "I was worried about talking to you with everyone here. Even though Dara kept assuring me that you wouldn't endanger your chairs by starting a fist fight, I wasn't really sure how to start."
  "And now?" TOP asked.
  "Now, I'm just glad you didn't ignore my invitation." Jiyong looked away from TOP and took a long drag from his cigarette. "When I calmed down, I understood where you were coming from. I'm sorry for shouting at you." TOP opened his eyes wide in surprise at Jiyong's apology. Although he knew that Jiyong asking him if he wanted to smoke was an olive branch, one that he was more than willing enough to take, he didn't expect the younger man to actually admit he was wrong. "I was hurt you kept something that big from me but I also understand that it wasn't your story to tell. Bom noona actually helped me process. I was very surprised at how calm she was. I would have expected her to be berating Dara for keeping a secret."
  "That's Park Bom for you. She'll surprise you at every turn." TOP smiled fondly at the thought of his girlfriend. "She's pretty amazing, isn't she?"
  "She is." Jiyong agreed. "We tend to forget how much she's been through because she always seems so happy and so energetic but then you get these moments and you just know that she's the best person to help you through it."
  TOP nodded and they two smoked in companionable silence for a bit until TOP asked Jiyong how he was after the big YG reveal. Jiyong shrugged. "I spoke to Hyung Suk hyung about it and.. I don't know.. What can you do? It's out there. Do I wish it never happened? Of course. Do I wish that he revealed something about Dara and me instead? Yeah, a little bit." He chuckled. "Okay, more than a little bit. He was sorry and everything." Jiyong proceeded to recap his entire conversation with YG to TOP.
  TOP listened quietly but in his mind, he was wondering if everything really was accidental. With how noisy the whole venue was, he was pretty surprised that YG's voice and words could be heard clearly. That girl must have some really amazing high quality equipment. He gave himself a mental shake, the alternative was too underhanded to consider. He turned to Jiyong instead, "Were you really thinking about proposing?"
  "I'm always thinking about proposing to Dara. Marriage more than the actual proposal, but yeah, the thought is always there." Jiyong answered with absolutely no hesitation. "I'm very eager to take that step with her but I know that the timing has to be right. When we first started dating, we talked about our individual goals and we promised each other, we'd help and support each other reach those goals. Unfortunately, some of those goals would be made harder to achieve if the illusion that we're single is broken. It's a sad fact about our industry but we get it. We don't really like it, but we get it. Last time we seriously talked about it, we said we'll give it two or three more years. Then we either reveal our relationship to the public or get married quietly. We'll see."
  "Bom's the same way." TOP admitted. "I'm all for revealing our relationship but she's scared she'll drag me down." He rolled his eyes. "As if. Besides, even if that does happen, I don't really care but I can't go against her on this. After everything she's been through, I don't want to take away her choices or make her do something she's uncomfortable with. So I guess we just suffer in silence, huh?"
  The two men smoked silently as they thought about their predicaments.
  "Who would have guessed that out of all of us, Youngbae would be the only one enjoying his relationship publicly?" TOP asked with a laugh.
  "Our Youngbae is all grown up." Jiyong shook with laughter. "We should aim to be more like him, hyung."
  Soon they returned inside and found Seungri and Daesung battling it out on the PS4. Youngbae was showing Dara something on his phone. While Bom, CL and Minzy were busy taking photos of themselves.
  "Well, that's different." Jiyong commented as he approached Dara and Youngbae . "I would have thought you'd be on the other side, baby girl."
  "I don't always take selcas, Jiyong." Dara pouted. "Besides, Youngbae was showing me this new game he downloaded. I'm going to try to beat his high score."
  "You can try." Youngbae teased the older girl.
  "I will. Just you wait." Dara promised. Youngbae just flashed his signature smile and a peace sign. Dara turned to Jiyong, "Everything okay?"
  "Yeah. Everything's cool." Jiyong confirmed.
  "Dope -"
  "Oppa, I swear if you don't quit that I'm going to throw something at you." CL warned.
  "Why were you eavesdropping, Chaerin?" Youngbae asked.
  "She has a point, Bae." Jiyong commented. "It's dope this. Dope that. You need a new line."
  "Soon. It's still fun seeing how much people get worked up over it." Youngbae laughed as he recalled the comments his fans are leaving whenever he uses that line. It's still crazy to him how something so small can affect fans and haters alike so much.
  "So what are we doing?" Jiyong asked as he sat beside Dara who gave him a sweet smile before turning back to the game she and Youngbae were playing.
  "Still nothing." Bom answered from across the room.
  "Cool." TOP nodded as he took a seat next to his girlfriend. "Just don't touch, stain, break or even breathe on my collection." He sent a glare towards Seungri. "Yes, I'm talking to you, Lee Seunghyun."
  Seungri mumbled his complaints but nodded reluctantly. He did it one time and they act as if he's an unruly child. Okay, maybe he did it more than once. But still.
  "Tabi oppa, Dara unnie" Minzy called out. "When is your next Cass commercial coming out?"
  "Yeah! I want to know what happens next!" CL commented as she shifter on her seat so that she was now facing them.
  "I want to see if hyung is the lead or just the second lead." Daesung teased. Everyone knows how competitive Tabi is. Plus he and Jaejoong being friends have more at stake - bragging rights.
  "Daesung, my friend. No matter the role, you know I always get the girl." TOP said seriously with a smirk that made countless girls swoon. "Even if for some reason she ends up with the other guy, she'll never forget about me."
  "Is that it unnie? Do you end up with Tabi oppa?" Minzy turned to Dara for confirmation.
  "Why do you sound so disappointed Minji-ah?" Jiyong teased the younger girl.
  "I'm not. I'm just curious." Minzy shook her head in denial. She could still recall TOP's reaction when she was a little too excited about Kim Jaejoong's casting in their MoL episode.
  Dara tilted her head as she answered. "Well. The ending we shot was really vague. We're all just hanging out and stuff. I guess we all became friends in the end."
  "Or you're building yourself a harem." Bom offered her own interpretation. "Which sounds way cooler, by the way."
  "As if." Jiyong objected. "She's been there and done that. She's not ever going to want to do them again."
  "Did you just-?" Dara asked in surprise. She knows Jiyong is taking the Jaejoong situation really well but she didn't expect him to joke about it so soon.
  "Hyung, did you just say that Dara noona DID TOP hyung?" Daesung screamed, scandalized.
  "What?!" Dara screeched.   "Yea - Wait, what?" Jiyong's head whipped to each person of the group. "I didn't mean it like that!"
  The group burst out laughing at his aghast expression. Seungri fell off the couch he was sitting on and was rolling on the floor with laughter.
  "Dara, Seunghyun" Bom started, trying to stop from giggling. "Is there anything you want to tell us."
  Dara shook her head and just decided to laugh it off. She stood up and bowed to Bom. "I'm sorry, Bommie. It was in the past, I promise."
  "We just couldn't help ourselves." TOP added solemnly, also bowing in apology. "All that motorcycle fumes must have addled our brains."
  "That wasn't what I meant!" Jiyong once again stated. He stomped his feet like a frustrated kid.
  "What were you trying to say, Ji?" Youngbae asked his best friend.
  "I just meant they already kissed in Gummy noona's video and.." he trailed off and scratched his head. "Argh. Never mind. I just meant she'd never want those two because she has me." He turned to Bom and TOP. " No offense hyung. You're perfect for Bom noona and I know a lot of girls are in love with you but Dara needs more than just good looks and abs. Right, babe?"
  Dara hummed a bit as she pretended to consider. "I don't know Ji, a six-pack is something that's really hard for a girl to resist."
  "I'll buy you all the six-packs of Cass beer you want." Jiyong offered quickly. Everyone knows that exercising is in the top 10 things Kwon Jiyong hates, along with Dara fanboys and waking up early.
  "You should work out more, hyung." Seungri suggested. "You only work out when you're getting flabby and you only work out enough to lose the extra pounds."
  Jiyong sighed. "You might have a point there, maknae."
  "I do?" Seungri asked in shock but he quickly snapped out of it and started talking quickly. "Of course, I do. You can come with me when I work out hyung. You can also try jiujitsu or maybe taekwondo would be better for you." He put a hand on his chin as he considered. "Hmm, maybe not a sport since you don't have regular hours and  I know you'll keep missing classes. Let's just go to the gym, hyung - "
  He was cut off when Jiyong spoke again in a dejected manner. "Dara baby, I thought you love me completely. Absence of abs and all. I guess it really is just for my dashing good looks, huh?"
  "Ohmygahd!" CL exclaimed as she covered her face with her hands. "That's so cringe-worthy, oppa!"
  "He must have really enjoyed his acting stint on Infinite Challenge." Youngbae mused as he threw a pillow at his best friend. "Do you want to be an actor now, too, Jiyong?"
  Jiyong huffed and puffed and Dara couldn't stop herself. Finally giving in, she took his face in between her hands, squeezing his cheeks and planted a kiss on his lips. "My adorable, Jiyongie." She gushed. "I'll love you no matter what shape, size or form you take."
  "Eeww." CL teased the couple. "I'm suffocating from all the cheese."
  "You're just jealous, cat." Seungri shot back, starting another verbal war between the two. "What's the problem? Can't get a man?"
  Meanwhile the rest of their group just sat back and prepared to be entertained.

  ________________________________

 

 

Seungri was walking towards the YGE cafeteria in search of someone to bother. He's been feeling a bit lonely since almost everyone he knows is busy doing their own thing. He came to the recording studio after his meeting with his manager in hopes of finding one of s, any one of them, so he could drag them out to drink. Unfortunately, they weren't there.   He was pouting and he knew it. How could someone with over three thousand contacts in his phone not have someone to hang out with? He asked himself. "This is ridiculous."
  "Talking to yourself again, rat?"
  Seungri turned at the sound of that voice. His eyes were b with excitement and relief. "Jiyongie hyung!" He greeted as he latched on to the other guy's arm. "Where have you been? I went to all the studios looking for you and you weren't there!"
  Jiyong rolled his eyes. "I just walked Dara to the car taking her to her schedule today."
  "So that's why the both of you haven't been answering your phones! You're keeping her to yourself again, hyung!" Seungri accused. "That's not right! You know sharing is caring!"
  "Stupid." Jiyong tried to free himself from Seungri's grip but the maknae refused to let go. "Yah! Let go."
  "Hyung!" Seungri whined. "I'm bored. Come out with me. Let's play!"
  "I