A/N: Just finished writing this. Unedited because I wanted to post it before I lose the internet connection. On a happy note, I'm getting the internet back at my house tomorrow, so I will be able to update more as long as I remember to write ;)

*****

“The contract says that we’d need to be photographed publically at least twice a month for the next two years with the possibility of an extension of the timeline if both parties agree upon such.”

Jiyong nodded, rubbing at his temples to ease the vicious ache that had taken up residence as soon as he’d stepped foot into the same room as Mizuhara. “Yes, that’s what it says. Thank you for reading aloud something that we all could have seen for ourselves.”

“For someone that is about to pay a small fortune to pretend to date me, you sure are an . One would think that you’d be trying a little harder to impress me right now.”

“I’m sure I could find someone that would be willing to do this without being such a .”

Mizuhara narrowed her eyes in annoyance, tapping her long nails against the table in an offbeat rhythm that was driving Jiyong nuts. “If there was such a long line of volunteers, then why did your company send you all the way here to me?”

That…was a good question. Damn.

Not having a suitable response prepared, Jiyong quickly redirected the subject. “Why were you asking about being photographed?”

“Oh, hit a nerve did I?” The corner of curved up in a wicked smile as if she’d beaten him somehow. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair, resting her high-end fashion heels on the polished tabletop. “I wasn’t asking about the pictures. Obviously, the only way for the rumors to take is if we’re frequently seen together. It was the two year minimum with the option to prolong the contract that interested me.”

“What do you mean?” Jiyong wasn’t sure that he liked that predatory look in the woman’s eyes, but at the same time, he wasn’t exactly sure that he hated it either. Her found people that challenged him intriguing, at least until he grew bored with them. He wondered what Seunghyun would think of her. A soft smile graced his features when he thought of his boyfriend.

Mizuhara did not miss the change of expression.

“Who is this mystery girl that you’re trying to hide? Two years is a longtime; a lot could happen. You might love her now, but who’s to say that you will then? Do you really want to tie yourself to me in a fake relationship for that long when there’s no guarantee that you’ll stay together?”

“I won’t tell you anything until you sign the contract. A man doesn’t keep his secrets by blabbering to every pretty face that asks.”

“You think I’m pretty?” She grinned.

He rolled his eyes and wanted nothing more than to bang his head against the table in frustration.

Of all the women in the world, why had President Yang decided that this particular one was a good choice? Jiyong had his suspicions that it was the president’s way of getting revenge for putting everyone through so much trouble. Who knew that the man was so sadistic?

“Are you going to sign the damn papers or not?”

The woman tossed her shiny black hair over one shoulder and met his gaze with a look that Jiyong couldn’t decipher. While keeping eye contact with him, she held out a hand to her side and snapped her fingers. The lawyer instantly gave her a blue ink pen and watched closely as Mizuhara wrote her name.

The papers were passed down to Jiyong who wrote his own name without a second thought.

*****

The leader stared down at his phone with an unforgiving frown. His bottom lip poked out in a way that had the people walking by him on the street pausing just a little too long to be polite, so they could get a better look at the pretty man. More than a bit annoyed, Jiyong redialed the number for the third time in two hours and held the cellphone up to his ear.

He glared at a crack in the sidewalk as the call went straight to voicemail.

“Hey, this is TOP. I’m not here right now. Leave a message and I’ll-”

A group of teenage girls, who had finally worked up the courage to walk up and ask if he was the real G-Dragon, scattered when he shoved his phone in his pocket and started mumbling to himself angrily.

Footsteps fell into place beside him. Thinking it was probably only some random person trying to get somewhere, he ignored them and silently fumed until the anger faded and left him feeling cold and empty.

He wasn’t really mad at Seunghyun for not answering the phone. Jiyong knew that his boyfriend was busy—he missed his own share of calls with the schedule he maintained-- but he needed to hear the sound of Seunghyun’s voice. Jiyong was supposed to stay in Tokyo for two more days to do the first public appearance with his new fake girlfriend, and that meant two more days without Daesung, Youngbae, Seungri and especially, Seunghyun.

Jiyong was lonely.

“Tokyo always makes me homesick,” a familiar voice interrupted Jiyong’s thoughts. He almost jumped out his skin when he heard it. He stared at the man that had been walking next to him, shocked as he realized who it was for the first time. “The lights remind me of Seoul. Even though I got off the plane three hours ago, I already wish I was home. Do you ever feel that way, hyung?”

Jiyong pulled his hat down further to shield his face from the now even more suspicious people walking past them. Seungri wasn’t wearing a hat or any sort of disguise at all. Jiyong quickly pulled a spare hat from his messenger bag and shoved it on the maknae’s head.

“Do you want to get your clothes ripped off by crazed fans?! How many times have I told you to blend in if you’re going to wander around out in the open?!”

“I hate to break it to you, but shouting in public is drawing more attention to us than I did.” Seungri motioned toward the groups of men and women, mostly young adults or teens from the looks of it, that had stopped to stare at the two of them unabashedly. Jiyong gulped.

“On the count of three.”

Seungri nodded in understanding.

“One,” the leader whispered. He readjusted his bag, placing the strap in a more secure position on his shoulder. “Two.” He made sure his phone was shoved deep into his pocket so there’d be no danger of it falling out. Glancing quickly at the maknae, he took a deep breath and braced himself. “Three!”

Together they darted down the sidewalk as fast as they could. They wove between the citizens, careful to avoid running into anyone but determined not to slow down lest they be caught. Neither of them really knew where they were going. Tokyo was big and unfamiliar despite the fact that they’d each been there many times before.

Exhilaration made their feet light upon the concrete. Excitement danced through their blood. It wasn’t everyday that they had the freedom to run through a foreign city until their legs trembled from exhaustion and their breaths were nothing more than loud gasps interspersed with euphoric giggles.

Feeling close to collapsing, Jiyong dropped onto the grass at a park. Seungri plopped down next to him with a sigh. It took a few minutes for their breathing to even out, and in that time Jiyong realized that they’d been running much longer than he’d thought. The sky was dark. Only the moon was visible in the black expanse, so big and round that he imagined he could reach out and take it if he only had the energy to move his arm and try.

 Seungri turned toward him with a concerned frown, breaking Jiyong’s whimsical train of thought. “Why did you look so sad earlier, hyung? Did that lady refuse to be your fake girlfriend?”

“No, she agreed. We’re going on our ‘first date’ tomorrow.” Jiyong sighed heavily. Should he tell Seungri the truth? He was the leader after all, and the hyung. He didn’t think he should burden the younger man with his issues, so he changed the subject. “How’s everyone doing back at home?”

“Daesung-hyung has been working on a new dance with the grumpy choreography noona! I think he likes her,” Seungri answered with a smile. “Youngbae-hyung and I had the last two days off, so he’s been trying to teach me how to cook. I’m not very good at it.” His face reddened and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Jiyong laughed and couldn’t resist pinching the man’s cheeks. “Ah, our little Riri is blushing! How cute!”

Seungri batted the leader’s hands away, his face turning an even darker shade of crimson. “Aish, I thought you wanted to know how everyone was? I didn’t even get to Seunghyun-hyung yet.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll behave. Please continue, Seungri-ah.” Jiyong tried to look innocent.

Seungri rolled his eyes, not believing the act for a second, but he continued anyway. “Seunghyun-hyung had an audition yesterday. He was really nervous about it, but I don’t think he needed to be because Director Lee came to the office and asked Seunghyun-hyung to discuss the movie with him over dinner. They left before I went to the airport, so Seunghyun-hyung probably knows by now whether or not he’s going to get the part, right? It’s been like six hours.”

Jiyong felt strange, maybe a little jealous, but definitely a bit forgotten. If Seunghyun had been at dinner to talk about work, then Jiyong didn’t have any problem with that. He didn’t own his boyfriend, and he supported whatever he wanted to do with his career. But if said boyfriend and John Lee had went to dinner six hours ago, then surely they should have been done by now, right? Then why hadn’t Seunghyun called Jiyong?

“Hyung? Are you okay?” Seungri noticed Jiyong’s face scrunch up in discomfort as if something was causing him pain. He was concerned about the leader’s health because he knew that the older man often worked too hard and forgot to take care of himself.

Jiyong blinked, pushing away any stupid thoughts of jealousy and worry. He tried to smile to reassure the maknae, but they both knew it wasn’t entirely genuine. Running a hand through his sweaty hair, Jiyong felt more tired than ever before. A bone deep weariness that made him want to flop over in the cool grass and hibernate for the next ten years. Instead of doing so, he decided that he needed to get Seungri back to the hotel before they were mugged of kidnapped or something.

“Don’t worry. I’m just sleepy, so let’s get back to the hotel, so I can go to bed.” Jiyong stood and then helped Seungri to his feet. They walked back together with Seungri mostly talking to himself while Jiyong tried not to dwell on the fact that he was going to fall asleep without hearing Seunghyun’s voice for the first time in months.