**A/N: Not an update. Just editing some stuff since I posted without reading it over yesterday. Sorry, but I will try to have an actual update within the next couple of days.

Jiyong didn’t cry, although he wanted to. He wanted to kick and scream and throw a tantrum like a child. But he didn’t.

He was the leader of Big Bang. He wasn’t the oldest member, but he was the one in charge of the other four. It was his responsibility to be strong and keep up a determined front no matter what.

Even if he felt like his heart was rapidly shriveling up inside his chest.

Youngbae looked at his best friend with barely suppressed tears. He wasn’t much of a crier, but seeing Jiyong trying so hard to keep it together was making him more emotional than normal. Carefully, he tried to pull Jiyong into a hug while glaring over his head at Hyunsuk.

Daesung left the room after a moment of tense silence. He knew that Seunghyun probably left so that he could break down away from prying eyes, but Daesung needed to talk to him. He loved Big Bang, but he loved his friends more. He couldn’t just sit there quietly while Seunghyun ended his relationship with Jiyong. It was all so pointless. What good were they to anyone if they couldn’t work together anymore, anyway?

Seungri stared at the President in shock.

“Aren’t you going to do something?” he demanded. He noticed Youngbae giving him a warning look out of the corner of his eye, but he refused to calm down. “Do something to fix this, or I will quit the band.”

He left the room without a backward glance, his heart pounding chaotically against his chest. What had he just done?

Seungri made it to the elevator in a bit of a shocked stupor. The sight of Daesung holding a clearly upset Seunghyun brought him out of his haze instantly. He’d never seen his carefree troublemaker hyung so distraught before and it unnerved him. It felt like his entire world was crumbling at the foundations.

Everyone else had similar thoughts.

*****

Three days later, and it was obvious to everyone in the YG building that something had happened. Jiyong and Seunghyun barely looked at each other and when their eyes did happen to meet, they would both stare for a long moment as if nobody existed in the world but them, before making pained whimpers and averting their gazes to anything else.

It was uncomfortable to watch.

Some of the makeup and wardrobe noonas began carrying tissues with them because the scene was known to bring onlookers to tears. Even the grumpy choreography noona took pity on Seunghyun when he took even longer than usual to learn the dance routine.

Life at the dorm was tense. The guys did their best not to bring attention to Seunghyun’s empty chair at the dinner table. Seungri took his vacant spot on the couch while they watched television. Daesung took over the role of greeting Jiyong in the morning with cheesy jokes. Youngbae became Jiyong’s human pillow during the van rides around the city.

Jiyong appreciated everything that they were doing, but his friends weren’t Seunghyun. Daesung’s jokes were never quite as dorky. Seungri didn’t sit as clumsily beside him. Youngbae didn’t wrap his arms around him nearly as tight.

They just weren’t Seunghyun.

Seunghyun was having an even more difficult time. He didn’t have anyone at his condo to try to cheer him up. There was nobody there after a long day of denying himself the pleasure of Jiyong’s lips to keep his loneliness at bay. Fancy decorations and expensive clothes, massive toy collections and colossal amounts alcohol didn’t even put a dent in his despair.

Hyunsuk watched with a heavy heart as his children moped around during work. They weren’t his biological family, but he loved them as if they were. He hated to see them so miserable, but he didn’t know what to do. If their relationship was exposed it would have negative impacts for everyone in the YG family.

Everyone.

Could he condemn them all just for Jiyong and Seunghyun?

Sighing heavily, he knocked on the door to the recording studio. He’d watched for the last twenty minutes as Jiyong messed up his rap part repeatedly. Jiyong was growing visibly more frustrated with himself every time, and Hyunsuk wondered just how much longer it would be until the boy snapped. He didn’t want to wait to find out.

Daesung gave him a dirty look as he opened the door with a small bow.  He didn’t approve of the disrespect shown in those angry eyes, but he was proud of how strongly knit the group was. Proud of the fact that they would rise to the defense of their fellow members.

“I need a moment alone with Jiyong and Seunghyun. Why don’t you three get something to drink and rest your voices?”

Youngbae instantly went on alert, looking for all the world like he was about to break something. Seungri pulled on his arm until he relaxed his stance.

“Hyung, let’s just do as he says. President-nim wouldn’t do anything to hurt them. Would you President-nim?” Seungri shot him a glare that spoke of unpleasant things that would occur if he should happen to hurt his friends any further.

Taken-aback, Yang could only nod. Even the maknae felt threatened enough to talk to him like that? When had he become the enemy?

As the other three filed out of the room, Seunghyun shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot, slowly inching his way toward the door.

“Sit down. Please.”

Jiyong sat in the chair furthest away from the couch as Seunghyun slumped onto the edge of the seat. They looked pale and exhausted. Yang frowned as he realized it was partly his fault.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Aish! Jiyong, go sit on the couch.”

Wearily, Jiyong stood up and walked to the couch. He made it look like it was a death march. As soon as the backs of his legs hit the cushion, Seunghyun leaned into him like a moth to a flame. Jiyong exhaled softly, his tense shoulders relaxing back into the older man’s warmth.

“I’m sorry about what I said the other day. I…well, I didn’t handle this situation as nicely as I should have,” Hyunsuk began quietly. He watched as the two boys seemed to subconsciously melt into each other. “Clearly, this isn’t going to work. I can’t keep you two apart while forcing you to work together. And I can’t fire you. What would Big Bang be without you?”

Jiyong blinked in surprise. His fingers had entwined themselves with Seunghyun’s, his other hand pulled Seunghyun’s arm around his waist and was holding it in place firmly.

Seunghyun’s heart was pounding so powerfully that he was sure Hyunsuk could hear it all the way across the room. Jiyong smiled faintly as he felt it beat reassuringly against his back.

“I don’t understand. What are you trying to say?”

The President leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. He stared at the two of them intently. Was it worth it?

“I’ve decided that you can continue dating, but only on one condition…”

Jiyong’s breath caught in his throat. Seunghyun, knowing that Jiyong would be worried that he was dreaming, pinched his boyfriend’s thigh. Jiyong yelped in surprise, but then shot a gleeful smile to Seunghyun. It was radiant.

As Hyunsuk watched the exchange, as he took in the sheer happiness practically glowing off the two, he decided that it would have to be worth it.

“What’s the condition?”

“The company has managed to contain any rumors created by that picture taken a few days ago, but there are still a lot of reporters waiting for even a hint of a relationship between you guys. I trust that you’ll try your best from now on-”

“Of course!” They nodded heartily.

“Good. But… I think it would be best if there was a decoy to deter the media in case of any accidents…”

Seunghyun furrowed his brows. “A decoy?”

“Like a fake relationship?” Jiyong questioned. He wasn’t sure if he was furious or exhilarated.

“Yes. I know that it sounds unpleasant, but I think that it’s necessary.”

Seunghyun felt Jiyong begin to pull away from him, probably to stomp around in anger. He slid over so that he faced Jiyong and leaned his head on the younger man’s shoulder.

“Ji, maybe we should think about it. It means we can be together again, right?” he whispered into his boyfriend’s ear. “It wouldn’t be real.”

Jiyong ran his fingers through Seunghyun’s soft hair, loving the way that it felt against his skin. His heart melted at the almost pleading tone in that deep baritone. How could he deny something that would keep them together?

“Tell us the plan.”