Seungri touched his forehead to the cool window pane. It was cold outside but the heating in the car was driving him crazy. He had wanted to request that they turn it down but Jiyong had said otherwise. He looked over at the leader again and snorted quietly - who wears just a wife-beater under a silk jacket in the middle of winter anyway?

The light finally turned green and they sped down the last 50m to YGEX. As he finally alighted, Seunghyun grabbed him by the elbow and fell into step with him. They entered the lobby and allowed everyone else to go ahead while they hung back to take the next lift.

"Maknae, tell me what you know about Ryuji," Seunghyun said quietly. The low tone just caused his voice to sound ier and Seungri made a mental note to try that on girls in future. "Ryuji? He likes Hyomin."

Seunghyun hummed and nodded, indicating that Seungri should go on. "Well, from the way I look at it, Ryuji opens doors for Hyomin and keep them open. He knows all the right people and has been great in bringing Hyomin into those conversations. Why he wasn't asked to do it alone is beyond me but I heard that people like talking to Hyomin because she is the only one on the team to have worked with us. They like hearing her talk about us."

As the lift doors opened again, they stepped in and pressed the button to their floor. "The other thing about Ryuji is that he looks out for Hyomin a lot. He doesn't just help her network, he gets her out of sticky situations with men and also educate her on alternative routes to reaching the decision-makers. Apparently, he is the reason why Hyomin started having tea and going to art classes with the wives. She goes clubbing with their daughters and of course, that's how she influenced some of the clubs to play our songs. I hate to say this, because I know he's your rival, but he's a valuable asset to YGEX. He will be able to replicate this with any YG artiste if needed."

Seunghyun smiled and took off his shades. "I don't see him as a rival, not even close." Seungri chuckled at his hyung's confidence and slapped him on his back. "The thing is, I did also notice that Hyomin treads quite carefully around him. Even though she jokes and flares at him sometimes, it's never for anything serious."

"They are living together," Seunghyun said. The doors opened just then and they stepped out. Seungri's jaw was slack at the surprise revelation and hurried to keep up with Seunghyun's long and elegant strides. Seunghyun was smiling and greeting everyone as they entered the meeting room. Everyone was there already except for Hyomin and Takagi-san. Yang sajangnim had flown in that morning and was already surronded by a few staff members who were eager to have airtime with him.

"How did you find out?" Seungri asked in a whisper as they took their seats and thanked the girl who had brought them hot green tea. "We had a cosy slumber party - that's how," Seunghyun said as he took a sip. Just then sajangnim's phone rang...

****

The silence was deafening in the room. Hyomin was sure they could hear her heart beating and she stared unblinkingly as the man before her picked up the pen. Like a scene from a movie, Hyomin watched as he signed his name slowly and deliberately on the document before him. Taking one last look at it, the man closed the document folder and handed it to Takagi-san.

“I’m looking forward to seeing them here in summer,” he smiled as he shook Takagi-san’s hand firmly. Hyomin cheered silently in her mind. The sponsor was onboard and she was back in business. She had a six-dome Japan Tour to plan.

“Sajangnim,” Hyomin said into her phone. The winter wind whipped the loose strands of hair around but she quickly tucked them behind her ears. “We’ve got the tour confirmed!”

****

"That was Hyomin," sajangnim said. "Japan Six-Dome Tour for Big Bang is confirmed!" Seunghyun was as happy as anyone if the room but he was touched to see how the staff members seemed more touched by this milestone. Everyone was hugging and congratulating each other for the part they had played and even Ryuji was high-fiving his colleagues.

"What's the plan now?" Jiyong asked and everyone turned to sajangnim. The older man grinned and looked at Seunghyun. "There're lots of planning involved and of course, schedules to be aligned. Hyomin will be in charge of the stage so she'll be busy too. I think we'll need to bring her back and have her work with Takagi remotely to plan this out."

Seunghyun and Jiyong exchanged triumphant looks while on the other side of the room, Ryuji was stumped by the sudden turn of events. Seunghyun looked at the younger man and was a little surprised to see such a crest fallen expression on him. He shook his head lightly, thinking that this was another man who had been affected by Hyomin.

Regardless, he was glad to hear of sajangnim's instructions and was determined to keep Hyomin close. It was decided that they will celebrate the success with a party that night and Seunghyun just found himself smiling to himself the whole day - during the photoshoot, the recording for the variety show and even during the magazine interview. When the reporter asked why he was in such a good mood, he had to cook up a story.

They rushed directly from FujiTV station to the party venue - one of those clubs that spun Big Bang's songs. It was nearing midnight when they arrived and the party in the VIP lounge was in full swing. Seunghyun got his scotch and looked around but he just couldn't see Hyomin anywhere. "Where is Hyomin?" he asked one of the local staff but he shrugged.

While ambling around and exchanging the cursory pleasantries, he found Hyomin leaning against one wall in the hallway leading to the restrooms. Across the hallway, Ryuji was also leaning against the wall and they were talking with a bottle of beer in hand. Hyomin was laughing at something Ryuji had said and althought Ryuji was smiling, Seunghyun recognized that look in his eyes. Ryuji was hurt. And Hyomin was ignoring it.

****

"So when do you fly back?" Ryuji asked as he took a slug from his bottle. Hyomin had been one of the first to arrive and she had been drinking with everyone for quite a while now. There was a good buzz going now as everyone had wanted to toast the deal clincher. "Sajangnim wants me there next week but I told him I needed a little more time. How am I going to pack everything?" she laughed.

"And who's going to share rent with me now?" Ryuji whined, earning a chuckle from Hyomin. She regarded the young man before her and sighed softly. "Thank you Ryuji," she said quietly. "It wouldn't have been possible without you, that's for sure. The guys in Big Bang know how much you did for them too."

"I didn't do it for them," Ryuji said. Hyomin sighed, knowing what this was going to lead to. "I did it for you. Because you wanted it. Very badly. That's why."

They stared at each other for a while. Hyomin knew she had made use of his affections to really drive her efforts for Big Bang but she was also appalled at how numb she felt now. Ryuji's eyes showed how hurt he was that she was leaving - even if he had known right from the start that her heart will never be his. Had she really become too heartless in her pursuit for Big Bang's success?

"Will you stay?" Ryuji asked. She mulled over it for a while, staring at her half-empty beer bottle. "I-"

"Stay," Ryuji said. "He'll never have time for you. He didn't stop you when you left. But I have always been there and I will always be. He's an idol. You deserve a normal happiness." Hyomin could have sworn it was the excessive alcohol but she found her eyes welling up in tears at his touching plea.

"I'm sorry for all I did but I really liked being around you," Hyomin said sincerely as she bit her lower lip, trying to control her tears. As a single tear escaped, Ryuji reached over and hugged her. Hyomin allowed him to bury her head into his chest as she sniffed back her tears. "I'm really sorry. I just did what I had to do. But you were great and I'm happy we met."

Ryuji stood back and kissed her on her forehead. "Don't cry. I really don't think tears suit you." Hyomin laughed at his attempt to cheer her up. She looked up but noticed someone else was watching them. She turned to see Seunghyun and Jiyong at the other end of the hallway, just looking at them. Ryuji let go of her and walked towards them, stopping just for a second to look at Seunghyun before walking away.

"Go to her, please," Seunghyun said to Jiyong. Hyomin looked back with tears still b in her eyes. To Seunghyun, it was a heart-breaking sight. Her tears were not meant for him and the only consolation was that those were tears of regret and pity for Ryuji. Jiyong looked at his hyung and asked, "are you sure?"

"Just go to her," Seunghyun said. His heart was heavy and as much as he wanted to hug Hyomin, he didn't want to hold her when she was torn over another guy. "Because I can't do it. Please."

With that, he turned to leave while Jiyong rushed up to Hyomin. As Seunghyun walked away, Hyomin sobbed and buried her face in her hands. "Oppa!" she wailed as Jiyong held her tight and let her cry. "I am so confused... What did I do and what should I do?"

Jiyong hushed her and her back to calm her down. "It's just the way our world is... I'm sorry you had to do this for us... And I'm sorry we weren't here... We caused you to leave and now, it's time to come home."

"What are we?" Hyomin asked. Jiyong was frightened to see such anxiety and fear in her eyes but he knew she was refering to Seunghyun. He sighed and her head reassuringly. "I don't know and I don't think hyung knows too... But come home. We'll sort it out."