“Stop messing with your shirt.  It looks fine,” an annoyed Jiyong said.

Youngbae sighed and stopped fidgeting with the neckline on his button-up shirt.  He normally didn’t wear such restrictive garments and tonight, the collar felt like it was choking him.  Youngbae returned the annoyed look.  “You know, if you weren’t my best friend, you’d be the last person I’d want to be with right now.”

Jiyong grinned.  “Whatever.  You owe me.”

Youngbae smirked in return.  It was true.  He did owe Jiyong after his behavior the other night.  Word had spread throughout their dorm that he and Seungri had gotten into a fight.  But Jiyong smoothed things over by telling the managers it was all a misunderstanding. That Seungri had stumbled and hit the coffee table himself that night, causing the gash and slight bruise on his lower jaw.  And Youngbae’s wounds?  Well, that happened when he tried to help Seungri up. Or so the story goes.

Luckily for him, YG believed the story even if he was suspicious for a moment.  He gave Seungri a stern lecture over the effects of alcohol and over-imbibing.  And for some reason, Seungri just took his punishment without complaint.  Youngbae knew he had to speak to Seungri about the incident and apologize soon.  But he hadn’t seen the maknae since that night.

And Jiyong, good friend that he was, didn’t push him for answers.  He didn’t hound him with questions but just stood by, waiting.  And that just made the situation all the more worse.  Because Youngbae could tell by the way Jiyong looked at him that he was worried.  And the last thing Youngbae wanted was for another person to worry about him.

But he wasn’t going to think about that tonight.  No, tonight was Jiyong’s night.  His friend’s fashion jewelry line was on display at a gala where buyers for large department stores and exclusive boutiques would be at. Youngbae was just along for the ride to support him tonight.  Stuffy collar and all.

“You couldn’t find another ‘date’ for tonight?”

Jiyong seemed affronted.  “Why would I? We all know you’re the prettiest girl around.”

Youngbae chuckled.

“Good,” replied Jiyong.  “I need you in a good mood because it’s going to be a boring night.”

Their black SUV escorted them to the front entrance of KT House of Diamond's headquarters in Gangnam-gu. In front of the skyscraper building, a red carpet rolled out and was flanked with lines of photographers, news casters, and security guards. Across the street, several fans stood awaiting their appearance. Jiyong and Youngbae exited the SUV and were momentarily blinded by camera flashes.  They smiled and waved their hands accordingly, taking time to answer a few questions and pose for photo ops before heading inside.

They traveled up to the nineteenth floor where the ballroom would be hosting tonight's festivities. It was quieter upstairs, less chaotic. 

"So is this where you did your photo shoot for the promotions?" asked Youngbae.

"Neh.  We went over the concept and they set up the photo shoot nearby since we didn't have enough time before the release." Jiyong watched as Youngbae glanced around the massive hallway leading towards the ballroom. "Pretty nice, huh?"

"Neh.  Seems too nice. Expensive," he remarked, taking in the gold gilded furniture and art pieces.

"Yeah," replied Jiyong.  "And it's real too."

"Jjinja?"

"Neh.  I think it's like a family heirloom or something.  At least, that's what I've heard."

Youngbae and Jiyong continued walking the marbled hallway in silence. Sounds of light electronic music could be heard far away, contrasting against the elegant atmosphere.  They passed by rows of framed canvas prints, showing models showcasing lines of jewelry from prior promotions.  Some were very old, dating back fifty years or so ago.  As they came closer to the ballroom entrance, the photos became more modern.  Youngbae glanced idly at some while they walked.

He froze when he recognized a familiar face.

"Yo bro, you coming?" asked Jiyong. He looked back to find Youngbae staring at a picture.  He walked back.  "What's the hold up.... oh, ."

"Oh , oh , oh ," Jiyong repeated.  He pointed at the picture.  "That's where I recognized her face from before.  I knew I remembered her face from somewhere." He lightly smacked Youngbae in the chest.  "You remembered I told you right?"

In shock, Youngbae could only nod his head slightly.

"So, your girl's a model?"

"Huh?" asked Youngbae, coming out of his daze.  "Um... I don't know."

"What do you mean 'You don't know'?"  Jiyong smirked. "You didn't ask her?"

Youngbae shook his head.  "I didn't get around to asking.  We were busy..."

"Busy? Doing what?" Jiyong grinned, knowingly.

Youngbae clamped his mouth shut, working his tongue over his teeth.  What could he say?  That they were too busy making out?  That they were too busy learning how to drive each other crazy?  He suddenly felt taken aback by his latest discovery.  There was so much that he didn't ask her about.  They never had any intimate conversations.  Hell, he didn't even know when her birthday was.

He suddenly felt like a jerk for faulting her.  He could see why she hadn't told him about her fiancé.  But did that make it right?  In his eyes, he still thought it was wrong.  Not knowing about someone's birthday was one thing.  Not knowing that they were already involved with someone else was an entirely different matter. 

"Youngbae!"

"Huh?" Youngbae broke out of his thoughts and saw Jiyong waiting for him by the door.

Jiyong smirked.  "If you're done ogling, I'd like you to meet someone."

Youngbae raised an eyebrow in question.

"The Creative Director, the one that I worked with on this promotion."

Now it was time for Youngbae to tease Jiyong.  "Oh, you mean your woman? The man-eater?" He walked over towards the entrance.

Jiyong grinned.  "Neh." He put up a finger in warning.  "But whatever you do, don't let her scare you.  She can smell fear, I swear!"

Youngbae chuckled, lightly punching Jiyong in the shoulder.  Leave it to Jiyong to take his mind off of things.

"I'm just going to go to the bathroom and freshen up a bit before I head in," said Amina politely, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"Alright," replied David.  "I'll just see you inside then."

Amina nodded her head and walked into the ladies room.  She walked over to the mirror and adjusted her dress, smoothing the non-existent wrinkles away.  She took a deep breath and viewed herself in the mirror.

The last couple of days had taken a toll on her, but she had made sure her make-up was flawless tonight.  The last thing she needed was for Hanna to ask questions.  She shook her head at herself.  Hanna and she used to share everything together.  But this was one incident that Amina planned on keeping to herself for as long as she could.  She just wasn't ready to hash it all over again.  It was too early.  The wounds too fresh.

She was fine when she was at work, where the patients and reports kept her busy.  It was the quiet times, when she was alone in her apartment, that were the worst times to bear.  She couldn't stop her heart from feeling or her mind from re-living the moments from Saturday.  Amina hoped tonight's gala would help her keep her mind off of him.  She needed this night to enjoy to herself.

Eun Hanna was dressed to the nines, as usual.  Her graceful slim figure fit like a glove in a hot red mini dress, which highlighted her every curve.  Her hair was blown straight and her heels were extra high tonight.  She placed a hand on her hip and greeted her main guest informally.

"So nice of you to join us finally," she sarcastically said.

Jiyong grinned.  "Mianhae... I didn't mean to keep you waiting.  Youngbae took forever to fix his hair."

Hanna looked over at Youngbae, her eyes immediately going to his smile.  She felt shy all of a sudden.  "Annyeonghaeseyo..." she bowed formally and greeted him.

Youngbae repeated the gesture, his eyes kind.  "It's more like the other way around."

Hanna smiled, eating up Youngbae's words.  "Well, you guys haven't missed out too much.  The buyers arrived shortly before you did and are still milling about.  I've heard some good feedback so far."

"Yeah?" asked Jiyong.

She nodded her head.  "Neh. We've had a couple of bidders too, but I haven't been too impressed with their sales pitch.  I definitely think we could get more than what they're offering." Hanna shrugged her shoulders lightly.  "We just need to be patient and hold out for a bit."

"How about the posters? Any feedback on that?"

Hanna bit the inside of her cheek before grudgingly replying.  "They love it."

Jiyong laughed.  "C'mon now, you don't have to say it like that."

Hanna hung her head and half-sighed before smiling.  "You were right," she shrugged.  "Everyone so far says they like the whole "Dog and Diamonds" concept.  Go figure..." she rolled her eyes. Hanna looked past her guests and spotted David.  "Oh hey, David!" she called out.

They all turned to see a tall gentleman in a grey cut suit walk towards them.  Youngbae's smile slowly stilled as he vaguely recalled a faint memory.  No, it couldn't be.

Hanna turned to greet David, embracing him in light hug.  "David, I want you to meet some very special guest of ours.  This is Kwon Jiyong and Dong Youngbae? Is that correct?" Hanna asked sheepishly, knowing full well she got it right.

Youngbae nodded his head and smiled politely.

"And this is David Lee, a close family friend," Hanna replied.

They all exchanged handshakes and greetings.

"So where's Mimi?" asked Hanna, looking up at David.

"Oh, she stopped by the restroom."  He looked behind him.  "She should be out shortly."

"Oh," Hanna nodded.  "Well we were just talking about Jiyong's jewelry line.  I think we've hit it on the nail with this promotion.  Everyone's buzzing about it."

They continued to politely converse about the event, while Youngbae's mind was still reeling.  He knew for certain that David was the same guy he saw at the hospital that other day. So maybe that's why Amina was modeling? She must have gotten her connection through him.  But then again... the girl he was with was "Mimi" not Amina.  It just didn't make any sense... He nodded at something Jiyong and David were saying, not paying them any attention.

"Mimi!" called out Hanna.  She waved her hand, "Come over! I want you to meet someone."

Amina glanced up when she heard her name called.  As soon as David moved to the side, she could see who Hanna's guests were.  Her step faltered a bit before she regained her balance and started once again on shaky legs.  She felt the blood drain from her face as she drew near.

"Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Mimi.  Mimi, this is Kwon Jiyong and Dong Youngbae," smiled Hanna.

Amina schooled her features and swallowed an invisible lump in .  She smiled politely but the smile did not reach her eyes.  "Annyeonghaeseyo," she bowed to both of them, ignoring their shocked expressions.

"Your cousin?" asked Jiyong, his eyebrows both raised in disbelief.

"Neh," replied Hanna. She immediately noticed the closed up expression on Youngbae's face.  His lips were compressed in a tight smile, a complete one-eighty from earlier. Confused, Hanna peered back at Amina.  Then Jiyong.  Then back at Youngbae. And then it clicked.

"Do you guys know each other?" Hanna blurted.

"Oh," Amina floundered, her lips parting in surprise.  She looked inadvertently at Youngbae, her eyes unguarded for a moment.  She wished he hadn't looked so handsome tonight.  The suit was cut on him perfectly and the accessories, from his beanie to chrome jewelry, made the outfit his own.  She blinked hard and nodded her head. "Sure.  Who doesn't know Big Bang?" she replied, pretending to misunderstand. 

Amina looked up at David and quietly said, "I think we should go find our seats."

David smiled down at her and nodded.  "Excuse us, please."  He politely put his hand on the small of her back and led her into the ballroom.

Hanna smiled, embarrassed by Amina's abrupt leave. "I think we should find our tables too." She waved her hand towards the room, signaling the guys to follow.

Jiyong kept giving him curious glances all night.  But thankfully, he was too busy being bombarded with questions that there was no chance to ask questions.  This gave Youngbae time alone to think.  The pieces were starting to fall together, but it still didn't make any sense to him.  Her appearance had shocked him, no doubt.  But it was the lifeless expression he saw in her eyes that worried him the most.  Instead of feeling chagrined or embarrassed, she appeared nonchalant.  Like she never met or knew him at all. Like a stranger.

They sat a few tables away, but from his seat Youngbae had the advantage.  He could barely taste the food on his plate as he watched Amina and David from the corner of his eye.    Youngbae tried to engage in polite conversation with the occupants around him, but his mind would keep wandering to her.  He looked over and noticed their heads close together.  A sharp pain filled his chest.  He tucked a finger inside his collar and tugged a bit, jerking his chin out of the way.  It didn't help.  He still couldn't breathe.

Hanna finished off her glass of wine and smiled politely at Youngbae from across the table.  She and Jiyong were at the hip tonight, answering and fielding questions left and right.  They finally got a breather and were able to enjoy the rest of their meal.  Jiyong looked up and noticed Youngbae had finished eating... or maybe he hadn't even started?  The plate in front of him was still full.

Trying to appear aloof, Jiyong casually asked, "So, KT's a family business right?"

"Neh," replied Hanna.  "We've been a family oriented business for almost 80 years now."

"You have a lot of family working for you?"

"Actually no." She frowned slightly.  "It's just my uncle and me right now.  Over time, the majority of our family has either lost interest... or died off," she laughed humorlessly.  "No, there's just us for now."

"What about your cousin?  Mimi?"

"Mmm," Hanna murmured, taking a sip from a new glass of wine.  "It's actually Amina.  I call her 'Mimi'.

Jiyong raised his eyebrows in question.  "Why Mimi?"

"Mimi.... you know, after the Korean Barbie doll, Mimi?" she explained.  "Amina was always wore dresses growing up, and she was always prim and proper... just like the doll was portrayed when we were younger.  I just started calling her that when she was about five and it stuck ever since."

"Ah," replied Jiyong understandably.  "That make sense."

"Yeah..."

"So is she not part of the business?"

Hanna glanced over at Jiyong, slowly wondering why he was so interested.  "She helps out every once in a while, but it's not her thing.  But to answer your question, this is her business whether she wants it or not.  Her father owns the company and one day it'll be hers."

Jiyong peered quietly at Youngbae, who looked ill. 

"So she could be my boss one day?" he joked.

Hanna grinned.  "Neh.  And if you think I'm tough, you don't know what you're dealing with yet."

Jiyong grinned in return.  "Is that right?"

"Neh.  Screw her once and regret it.  Mimi doesn't forgive very easily." Hanna looked over at Youngbae, who was obviously listening. "Are you enjoying the night?  Sorry if it's a little boring.  Corporate people are always like this."

Youngbae smiled, "It's alright. I was warned." He looked pointedly at Jiyong. 

Hanna looked beyond Youngbae and watched as Amina made her way out the ballroom alone.  Youngbae followed her gaze.  He turned back around, his jaw working slightly.  "Mianhae... where's the nearest restroom?"

"Down the hall, take a right," replied Hanna.

"Gomawo," he nodded and scooted back his chair.  He saw Jiyong give him a meaningful stare, but Youngbae ignored it as he marched out of the ballroom down the hallway.

He didn't have to wait long. 

Amina came out of the ladies room, her mind preoccupied.  She would have walked on by him if he hadn't grabbed her arm.  Surprise and shock resonated on her face before she realized who it was.  She immediately put her guard up and pointedly stared at his hand in disdain.

Youngbae removed his hand off her arm, feeling like an errant school boy.  Wasn't he the one that was supposed to be mad?  He planted his feet firm and stared at her, hating how beautiful she looked tonight.  The turquoise of her gown and heart-shaped neckline showed off her creamy skin perfectly.  He itched to touch her but remembered she wasn't his to caress anymore. The thought brought back his anger and frustration.

"So what, you don't know me now?

Amina stared back at his face, not saying a word.

He scoffed under his breath.   "Did you tell him about us?"

"Why do you care?" she said with indifference.

He stepped closer to her, invading her space.  "I'm sure I'd want to know if my fiancé might be carrying someone else's child."  He looked down at her flat stomach, traces of worry in his eyes.

Amina smirked, her eyes devoid of emotion. "I may have made a mistake, but I'm not stupid."

Youngbae flinched at her words, his eyes showing his confusion. "What do you mean?"

She let out a humorless half-laugh under her breath.  "I work at a hospital.  I have access to medication that prevents conception." She watched as understanding dawned in his eyes.  "Is that all?"

Youngbae continued to look at her, hating how she could easily dismiss him from her life.  Her eyes were cold and her words were tolerant. He couldn't believe this was the same girl that he had passionately made love to a couple of nights ago.  He wanted her to be remorseful, contrite, or even slightly guilty.  But instead, she stood before him... angry. 

This wasn't right.  She was in the wrong.  He was the one that was supposed to be angry. He narrowed his eyes at her.  "You have no remorse?  You don't feel wrong at all over what you did?"

He smirked.  "I thought I knew you, but apparently I didn't."

Her eyes grew wary.

"How can you stand there and just brush off what happened?  Oh, yeah, that's right," he mockingly laughed.  "I forgot you have an open relationship with him." He gazed into her eyes and sneered.  "So I guess it wouldn't matter if I go up to him and tell him about us."

Amina visibly tensed under his stare.

"Then you can tell him all the things we did." He bent down, his face inches from her.  "And you can tell him how my touches compare to his," he gently her exposed arm. She flinched under his touch and it burned him up inside.  Biting his cheek he pressed on.

"Or how my kisses compare to his." He crushed his lips against her bruisingly, roughly gripping her arms so she wouldn't move away. 

Amina struggled against him, keeping closed against the onslaught.  Tears burned in the back of her eyes.  When he finally let her go, she drew back her arm and smacked him hard against his left cheek.

She choked back a sob.  Amina shook her head, unable to understand why he just said all those things to her.  Apparently what they shared didn't mean anything to him. "Neh, I was wrong," she confessed, her eyes swimming with tears.  "I was naive and foolish.  I thought I knew you, but I guess I didn't," she repeated his words, her lips trembling with emotion. "Because if I did, I would have never allowed myself to fall in love with someone like you."

She her heel and rapidly made her way back to the ballroom, increasing the distance between them.

Youngbae worked his jaw, barely feeling the burn against his cheek.  He hated the anger that lingered inside of him, turning him into a monster that said hateful things.  He hated how she could easily move on without him, when all he wanted was for her to feel the same pain he was feeling.  But now, he just hated himself.  His kept recalling the hurt he saw in her eyes.  Her pain was evident, deeper than he wanted to initially believe.  His mind kept replaying her words, repeating the one thing that pained him the most.

She loved him.

"I'm going to need a good vacation after all this is said and done," Hanna jokingly remarked as she looked around the bustling ballroom.

"Neh, same here," Jiyong stretched his arms slightly over his head.  "I haven't had time to myself since the album and tour. And now, the jewelry line."  He gazed back at Hanna as an idea occurred to him.  "If you want, I can hook you up.  My parent's pension is pretty quiet this time of the year."

Hanna peered under her lashes at him.  "And would you be there?"

He grinned. "Naturally."

"I'll think about it," Hanna smiled.  Her smile quickly disappeared as she spied Amina walking swiftly into the ballroom.  She could tell Amina was emotionally tense, her movements jerky.  

Jiyong saw the concern in Hanna's eyes and followed her gaze.  He watched as David escorted Amina out of the room, their heads slightly bowed. "Is everything okay?"

Hanna's eyes were worried, her smile tight.  "I-I'm sure it's probably work related or something." Hanna slowly reached for her phone, texting a quick message to her cousin.  It was unusual and rude of Amina to leave without saying goodbye. She looked up to see Jiyong observing her.  She smiled encouragingly at him.  "Let's pick some buyers, shall we?"