Jiyong fixes his tie as he checks himself for the nth time for the last 10 minutes. He wears a set of Thom Browne suit that he currently adores but he chooses a less ostentatious color than he usually wears. He aims to impress and he knows his rival is not someone who can easily be swayed.

As he tightens his tie, his manager peeks his head in.

“Ready?”

Grimly, Jiyong nods and he follows the manager outside. The manager has no idea of the mood that Jiyong is supporting now. The manager is simply happy because of the fact that his artist is going to get sponsored by a company that has never sponsored an Idol before. It’ll be another firsts for the G-Dragon, and as the manager, he feels proud.

In the car, the usually cheerful and friendly Jiyong is silent. He looks outside the window sourly even though his manager is humming lullabies as he drives. Jiyong’s mind is in a mush. Everything comes into his head at once. The whys, the whats, the whos, the hows. He wants to know all but his brain is not big enough to answer all of them.

Jiyong was in a total hell when Hyuri ignored him for the last week. Every possible scenario went through his head, from a mistake that he probably made or simply the possibility that Hyuri might lose her phone. His nightmare was confirmed the moment he saw Hyuri came out of Junsu’s car. All of his hopes and prayers went into dust, along with his heart.

However, his purgatory didn’t last long. Soon after, Hyuri confessed her true feeling and finally accepted him as a whole, even his shortfall. Hyuri and Jiyong is finally an item. A couple. A lovebirds and that entails Jiyong all of the benefit of being a boyfriend. Everything that he’s been dreaming of doing with Hyuri is now a possibility. However, everything happened too fast that he feels like that was still a dream. He feels that everything was too good to be true. And he was right. It was too good to be true.

The car finally stops just in front of the LS Corporation building. Security opens the door for Jiyong and he reluctantly gets out of the car. He wishes the time could stop or someone could splash him some water to wake him up from the bad dream, but nothing happens. This is real and it’s killing him.

“Let’s go” The manager is leading Jiyong as the LS Corporation greets them by the door. All of them dressed impeccably well. It is, after all, a grand company.

Thye get into the elevator with Jiyong’s manager chatting formally with the three LS employees that greets them earlier. One of the employee, a woman, secretly taking a peek or two of Jiyong every now and then as the elevator takes them to the highest floor.

Jiyong’s mind is scattered. He’s scared. Inside, he is in panic. He hasn’t prepared himself enough for what’s going to happen. Heck, he hasn’t prepared at all! He knows what this ‘meeting’ is going to be about. He knows what the offer is going to be. He knows that he won’t agree. He knows that he won’t deliver. But how can he say no? What should he say? Will they take his rejection fairly? Would they do some crazy bat- like they do in dramas?

“Our CEO is waiting in the board room, please follow us this way” The employees say as they lead the way once they reached the highest floor.

The door is dark oak tree with marbles as the frame, showing the extravagance of the room inside. The secretary who sits just outside the door opens the door slowly, adding the intense nerve for Jiyong. He can feel his heart beating loudly in his ears and his brain is almost fried from thinking of ways to get out of this mess.

As they walk in, the chair just at the end of the long board table turns. A lady. No, not just a lady. The head lady of the Koo households sits elegantly on the dark brown leather swivel chair with the city of Seoul as the background.

‘Your uncle is the owner, you said?! No, it’s your mother who greets me, Hyuri-ah!! Damn it!!’ Jiyong curses his girlfriend in his mind as he walks in.

She stands as Jiyong and his manager enters. She smiles faintly, showing politeness and invites both guests to sit.

“Annyeonghaseyo, I’m Kim Young-Shik, Koo Bon-Moo’s wife. I’ve met Mr. Kwon before, haven’t we?” She offers a hand, which Jiyong shakily accept.

“Yes. We have” Jiyong tries his best to control his shaking voice.

“Now…” She says, resting her arms on the table in front of her with her eyes staring straight into Jiyong’s mind. “I know you know why you are here”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ve brief Mr. Kwon about the meeting before hand. Even though it is a sudden offer, we are very excited for the possible partnership between our party and yours” The manager answers for Jiyong with eager eyes.

She smiles, almost mockingly, as the manager continues his ranting of Jiyong’s abilities and market power that can be good for LS Corporation. Jiyong, on the other hand, is lifeless as Hyuri’s mother stares into his orbs as if she can see his deepest darkest secret. He knows that this meeting is not about sponsorship, far from it, and he is waiting until the true reason unveils.

“You know how LS Corporation can help you in your projects, but do you know what we’re looking for from your party?” She finally speaks after the manager has run out of words.

‘This is it. I’m dead. We’re dead.’ Jiyong speaks in his head.

“Of course some exposure. We can do that. We are always successful in that. Here I have a chart that shows how Galaxy has risen in sales after BigBang advertise their product. You can see here--”

Youngshik raises her hand and the manager immediately stops talking and freeze. She has the aura of a leader. She oozes respect and command and no one, not even G-Dragon can defeat her.

“No. That’s not what I’m aiming for” She speaks as she stares into Jiyong’s shaking eyes.

“Mwo? Then wha--”

“Mr. Kwon, do you have any idea what we want from you?” Youngshik tilts her head to side slightly, taunting the already squirming idol.

“I…”

“I think we should talk about this in private, don’t you think?” She cuts him before he could speak.

“Err… but we are in private, Kim sajangnim” The manager looks around the large room with questions in his eyes.

She doesn’t answer; instead she gives Jiyong a nod, which says everything.

“Hyung…” Jiyong begins with his eyes still locking onto Youngshik’s. “I think you should leave”

“What? What do you mean?” The manager looks at Jiyong in bewilderment.

“You should leave, hyung. Kim sajangnim and I have a deal that we need to discuss” He finally finds his strength to speak. Hyuri’s words are playing in his head now. She doesn’t want to let him go. She wants to be with him, just as much as he wants her. And that fact alone will be enough to fight this battle.

Let there be blood.

The room is now only two people, facing each other, calculating what each other’s are thinking. Jiyong keeps on tapping his index finger onto the table, showing his nerves while Hyuri’s mother swaying softly left to right on her grand swivel chair, with a faint smile that shows no happiness.

“What do you know about LS Corporation, Mr. Kwon?” She finally speaks.

“None” He answers quickly.

“And you feel that you deserve this sponsorshi