4.

EARLY AUGUST

 

The next morning Jiyong had woken up to dozens of missed calls and texts from Kiko. He wondered why he had received so many as the two haven't really spoken to each other since they've made up. You'd think it's strange not contacting your partner everyday but they weren't like normal couples. Yes, they did keep in contact but not all the time. They didn't really need to constantly check on each other and that's something that Jiyong liked, he liked how she provided him with space even though sometimes he thought it was too much space, but he would never tell her that. He'd rather have people contact him first rather than him contacting them. That was just his style. 

 

He decided to call Kiko to see what all the fuss was about. 

 

In three rings, she answered. 

 

"Babe! Why haven't I been able to reach you?!" she screamed through the phone to which Jiyong silently groaned as it was still quite early in the morning. 

 

"I was asleep and my phone was on silent. I'm sorry. What's up?" 

 

"GUESS WHERE I AM??"

 

"Uh... Italy??"

 

"No! I just flew back to Japan last night."

 

"I see." 

 

"Anyway, the reason why I flew back to Japan, oh my god, you'll never guess." 

 

"Then please, tell me." Jiyong said in a monotone voice. He wasn't really in a talkative mood right at this moment since he had just woken up which he thought was weird because he usually always loved talking to Kiko. When did that change, he thought. 

 

"I was in Milan and my friend wanted me to meet her friend and it turned out he was some kind of director, I don't know his name, but anyway, he suggested I audition for a part in his movie! It's called Norwegian Wood and it's based on the book by Haruki Murakami. It's a really famous book, I've never read it before but I've seen it around the book shops. But oh my gosh, babe, can you imagine??? Me? An actress! Oh my gosh."

 

Jiyong was happy for her. He was. But he didn't feel that much excited. If she did get the part it'd make her even more busy and they'd spend less time with each other, if that was any possible. But he up all his worries to congratulate her. 

 

"Seriously? That's amazing! When's the audition?" 

 

"Later on today. I actually have to go prepare for it right now so I'll talk to you later, ok, babe?"

 

"Mhmm. Good luck! You'll definitely get the part."

 

"I really really hope so. I'll text you when I find out whether or not I got it!" 

 

"I shall be anticipating the text."

 

Kiko giggled. "I miss you!"

 

Jiyong paused a little but Kiko didn't seem to notice. "I do too." 

 

"I hope we see each other soon. And good luck on your solo promotions too."

 

"Thank you. I'll talk to you later, alright?"

 

"Okay. Bye. I love you."

 

"Me too." 

 

They ended the call and Jiyong went straight back to sleep, not realising that he didn't reply back the usual 'I love you too' as he normally would. 

 

* * 

 

It was now afternoon, Dara was in the studio with Taeyang. She had thought that Jiyong would be in the studio but to her surprise, Taeyang was there, even though he already owned his own studio, he always seemed to prefer working in Jiyong's. The two had started to get into a conversation, which was still quite awkward as their friendship has never really been comfortable but it was still tolerable. 

 

Taeyang had had a crush on Dara, it was well known to everyone and it was also known that Dara did not return the same feelings but the two had looked past it to try and have a better friendship which seemed to be working. 

 

Taeyang was now over Dara, he had accepted that his feelings weren't returned and will never be returned so letting go was what was best. But another reason he decided to let go was the fact that one of his best friends was madly in love with her but he hasn't yet realised. 

 

The two were busy talking that they hadn't noticed Jiyong by the door, looking at both of them as they continued with their discussion. Something inside of Jiyong's stomach churned, he didn't know what it was but he didn't like it too much that the two were getting along so well. 

 

Since when did they stop the awkwardness, he thought. 

 

Taeyang finally looked up from Dara's face and saw Jiyong standing by the door, frowning. 

 

"Yo, GD! You gonna come in or what?" Taeyang asked. 

 

Jiyong looked at him, then at Dara who had turned around to look at the man by the door. Dara smiled up at him, showing her pearly white teeth as he walked towards them and sat on the couch. 

 

Dara noticed that Jiyong was wearing a hat to cover his hair which he usually does but something was different. She squinted her eyes and noticed the roots of his hair was a different colour. She gasped slightly before standing up, kneeling on the couch besides him and pulling off his hat. 

 

"You're blonde?!" she shouted in complete shock. 

 

"Yah! Don't just take people's hats off without their permission!" Jiyong complained and he reached back for his hat, only not to reach it as Dara pulled away. 

 

"Oh my gosh, Ji, you look so different." 

 

Jiyong eyed her, an almost glare, almost. 

 

"In a good way though!" Dara countered, not wanting to get into Jiyong's bad side today. 

 

"Dude, blonde suits you." Taeyang complimented. 

 

"Thanks, man." replied Jiyong. 

 

Dara started to Jiyong's hair and Jiyong fell towards her touch. Taeyang eyed them suspiciously and then smiled, knowing full well that they should be left alone. 

 

"Guys, I'm gonna go to my studio now. My other samples and stuff are there."

 

"Okay." both replied. 

 

Taeyang left the room and started shaking his head, thinking when they'll realise their true feelings for each other. It was getting frustrating watching them act that way and the two being complete air heads and not realising anything. 

 

Dara sat properly besides Jiyong, still his hair, completely in awe how different he looks just from a switch of hair colour. 

 

"It definitely suits you." she mumbled, more to herself than to him but he still caught it. 

 

"Thanks." he said as he turned to face her. 

 

Their faces was quite close to each other, but still quite far apart. 

 

Jiyong turned his body, putting his feet up on the couch and then slowly laying his head onto Dara's lap. Dara was quite surprised but she didn't push him off. She just let his head settle on her lap and he looked up at her and smiled. She began his hair again, loving the feel of the softness in-between her fingers. 

 

"This is the first time you've ever touched my hair." Jiyong stated, quite randomly Dara thought. 

 

"You hair has never really changed all that much until now. The colour... I never expected you to ever go blonde." 

 

"Hm, me too, but I felt for a change, especially since my solo debut is getting nearer and nearer."

 

"When's the photoshoot?"

 

"Should be a couple of days from now. Same with the MV. I sorted out what the album is gonna look like earlier on today, now I just need to take the pictures for the photobook."

 

"Ahh, I see..." Dara was still quite focused on Jiyong's hair. Jiyong took a hold of Dara's wrist, stopping her from further his hair and he gently put it on his chest. 

 

"Don't do that no more." 

 

"Why? Your hair is so soft, I just want to touch it." she laughed at herself when she finished talking, mentally slapping herself at how weird that sounded. 

 

Jiyong laughed along with her, completely unaware that they began holding hands. 

 

That was until she bursted into the room. 

 

"Jiyong, guess what?! I got... the part." Kiko stopped by the door, completely shocked at what was in front of her. Her boyfriend, laying his head on another woman's lap as they hold hands. She didn't know what to do or what to feel. A wash of emotions filled her, from shock to hurt to jealousy to anger. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Kiko yelled as she approached Jiyong, but he had already jumped up after seeing Kiko by the door. He stood up in front of Kiko, preventing her to go near Dara or to even look at Dara. 

 

"Let's go this way." Jiyong said as he tried to push her out of the studio and go to another room. 

 

"Why?! This is YOUR studio, isn't it?! Why is she here? Who is she? Why are you two alone? What were you even doing? Why were you laying your head on her lap?" she questioned him quickly. 

 

Dara was sitting on the couch, watching the scene before her as realisation struck her. Of course she shouldn't have done that. a guys hair, letting him lay his head on her lap. What was she thinking? If any other person had walked in, it would still seem like something you can easily misunderstand. 

 

Dara stood up. "I'm really sorry, it really isn't what it looks like."

 

Jiyong turned around to face Dara, giving her a look that said don't say anything. But she didn't listen to the look or maybe didn't notice the look. 

 

Kiko looked at the woman in front of her with complete dislike. Jiyong had his hands on her shoulders as if to restrain her, and Dara took this as an opportunity to grab her phone and leave. 

 

"I'll leave you guys to it." she said as she exited the room but before she could, Jiyong said something. 

 

"Dara, I'll text you later."

 

Dara didn't turn around, she didn't respond to his words and just walked out of the room silently. 

 

Kiko only got madder by his words. 

 

"What the hell, Jiyong?! Text her later? Why?!" Kiko was angry before but now she was completely fuming. She wanted to slap him, to slap her, to just throw everything that was in this room but she restrained herself to hear what Jiyong would have to say. 

 

"Kiko, it isn't what you think." 

 

"Oh? So what was it then?!" 

 

"Dara is a friend. She's been a friend for a long time now, back when I was still a trainee and she let me lay my head on her lap because I had a headache and right now, you're shouting isn't exactly helping with him."

 

Kiko scoffed. "Well I don't care whether or not I'm making your headache worse. I have every right to be like this!" 

 

"Yes, I know you do. But really, it was nothing. So please, just calm down." 

 

Kiko looked at Jiyong noticing his sincere look on his face and forgetting her previous anger before. 

 

"Fine." she said. 

 

Jiyong smiled. "Why are you here by the way? I thought you had an audition." 

 

"Oh. Right. The audition was three hours ago."

 

"And..."

 

Kiko grinned. "I got the part." 

 

"Oh, that's great!" Jiyong hugged her and she hugged him back. 

 

"I got on the first plane to Korea since I wanted to surprise you and tell you in person. I'm only here for a couple of hours though." 

 

"Oh? When are you leaving?" 

 

"In about 4 hours so we have plenty of time to have a date, right?" 

 

Jiyong smiled, although he wasn't exactly feeling for a date. He just wanted to lie down somewhere quiet or just go back home and sleep but he couldn't. It wouldn't be nice to Kiko, especially if she had flown from Japan all the way here just to surprise him. 

 

"Yup, plenty of time." 

 

* * 

 

Dara had gone back into her dorm feeling completely confused with what had just happened. She didn't know how to feel, which was strange. Seeing Jiyong with his girlfriend gave her a strange feeling, her chest hurt and she didn't know why. She had never seen the two together in person before, she had only seen pictures but seeing her in person made her feel like a complete brick. 

 

Kiko was so pretty and tall and slim. Also, she had s AND a bum which Dara doesn't really have. 

 

Dara groaned and collapsed on the couch, not knowing why she was comparing herself with Kiko. 

 

Bom was about to go to the kitchen when she noticed Dara sprawled onto the couch so she walked over there instead. 

 

"Yah!" she nudged Dara with her knee. "What are you doing there? When did you get in?" 

 

"Couple of minutes ago." Dara said, although it was slightly muffled as her face was on a pillow. 

 

"What's wrong?" Bom asked, completely worried at why the usually bright Dara was being like this. The only time she had seen Dara this way was when she was having trouble with her father back in the Philippines so something bad must've happened. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

 

Dara heard the concern in Bom's voice and sat up, facing her and smiling. "Everything is fine! I'm just being my dramatic self again." Dara put on the best fake grin she can muster but it was easily seen through by Bom. 

 

"Yah, tell me now or else!"

 

"Or else what?!" Dara questioned daringly. 

 

"Or else I'll go get Tam Tam from your bed and just rip him apart!"

 

"You wouldn't." Dara said knowingly. 

 

"Okay, you're right, I wouldn't. But still! Tell me~ Don't you trust me?" Bom pouted and began to do fake sobs which Dara rolled her eyes to but still she forfeited and began to tell her everything that happened today. 

 

From the studio with Taeyang, to Jiyong coming into the studio with blonde hair, to Jiyong laying his head onto her lap, to her his hair and of course, to Kiko coming into the studio room.

 

Bom took in the whole thing, she couldn't believe something like this happened but she wasn't exactly that surprised. She knew that one day Kiko would probably get mad at seeing the two together considering they look so much like a couple. 

 

Dara looked at Bom. "What should I do?" 

 

Bom sighed. "For now I think you should just stay away from Jiyong."

 

"Stay away?"

 

Bom nodded. "Yeah. Kiko is extremely mad that the two of you were together like that, which is understandable, Dara. He was lying on your lap while you were his hair, she's bound to think something. I'm not blaming it on you or anything, Jiyong should've known better too but I think you two should steer clear of each other. Especially with 2NE1 TV lurking around."

 

"Wait! Aren't there cameras here???" 

 

"No, they haven't installed the cameras in yet. But tomorrow there will be."

 

"Ah..."

 

"In 2NE1 TV, don't hang out with Jiyong too much. Kiko might see and suspect something again, which I know you don't want."

 

"Yes, I definitely don't."

 

"So it's settled. Don't talk to him for a bit. Just a couple of days. That's okay, right?"

 

"I mean, I guess so. It'd be weird since we talk almost everyday... Actually, now that I think about it, we do talk everyday." 

 

Bom raised an eyebrow. Wow they couldn't get any more dense, she thought. 

 

"It's late. Let's get ready for bed. We have a performance to do tomorrow."

 

Dara nodded and followed Bom to their room, grabbing a few clothes and products to use to get ready for bed. 

 

After she was done, she settled herself into her bed and hugged Tam Tam, she was about to close her eyes when she felt her phone vibrate. 

 

She had a text message. From Jiyong. 

 

GD: Hey, are you ok? Sorry about that. Dw about anything cz it's all sorted. Kiko just misunderstood that's all~ I'll see you tomorrow, alright? :) x 

 

Dara furrowed her eyebrows. Ignore, she thought. But then she thought about his last sentence. 

 

"I'll see you tomorrow?" she mouthed. 

 

* * 

 

On the other side, Jiyong was in bed, waiting to get a reply from Dara but it was taking longer than he expected. Normally she would reply straight away but this time she isn't. Something felt wrong. 

 

Jiyong looked at his screen, waiting for something to pop up to indicate that he has a message but it never showed up. 

 

"Maybe she's asleep." he said to himself, reassuring himself but he didn't know what for. 

 

Jiyong started rolling in his bed and groaning. 

 

"Why do I care if she texts back or not?" he asked himself this time. 

 

Then his phone vibrated and he rolled back to get his phone with a smile. Only for it to falter. 

 

D: Can't meet tomorrow. Really busy. Visiting family. 

 

That was all it said. Short phrases which were different from how she usually typed. 

 

GD: Oh, okay, next time then~ The MV shooting is in three days, you are coming, right?? 

 

But Dara never replied. Even the next day she didn't reply and she wasn't intending to reply.