Jiyong’s Home
Gangnam, Seoul
10 p.m.

 

“Everyone hates me.” Kiko said sadly; she kept her hands folded in her lap while her eyes were fixed on Jiyong who was sitting across her in the living room. “I haven’t done anything wrong, Jiyong. I don’t recall doing anything wrong except to love you. , I hate it that I sound so dramatic and corny but… that’s the truth…”

 

Jiyong meanwhile spoke no words at all.
The floor is Kiko’s alone.

 

“Your family is giving me a cold shoulder. Your friends are ignoring me now… and your fans… well, they hate me since the beginning of time.” She said more disappointedly but smiled faintly. “It was just work with Matsumoto-san. I explained it to you even before I got it, but you got jealous, still.”

 

Kiko was fighting her tears, controlling her emotions, letting all her compressed disappointment and pain all out.

 

Jiyong thought he wasn’t in his own home but he just went inside the television tube and starred in some kind of drama series. So instead of looking at his about-to-cry girlfriend, Kiko, he got his eyes fixed on the turned-off flat screen TV. Jiyong can see himself – and realized he really didn’t want the drama, much more the tears especially if he caused it.

 

“No one knows the real me yet I was judged all this time.” She went on, venting, “I was bashed, judged, discriminated because I was your girlfriend. I suffered because I love you. I couldn’t even defend myself and nobody ever stood up for me… not even you.”

 

Then she began to cry, “What makes me different from other girls, Jiyong? I wanted to be loved just like the rest of them… normally. My friends see their boyfriends regularly, while I don’t. When they’re sick or sad or down, all they have to do is call and their boyfriends rush to them… mine needs to check his schedule if he can.  And if he can, he still needs to buy a ticket and ride a plane.”

 

She looked at him this time, tears flowing from her sad eyes. “If a long distance relationship wasn’t torture enough, I have to endure hiding the relationship, getting maltreated by people I don’t know, yet they act as if they knew me well… and I fight for that space in your heart with different women. I take everything in Kwon Jiyong. I do…”

 

“They are nice girls, so I couldn’t hate them. I loved Chaerin because you love her. I don’t think there is a thin line between friendship and love, Jiyong. Can you just imagine how difficult for me to accept that you have a girl best friend? That scare that you might realize that you might be in love with her all these years? That someone else knows you better than I do? But I accepted that because I love you… and Dara, I know she’s special to you. Goodness… those eye talks are too weird… too special it almost kills me. There’s something in the way you look at each other… I see that too… But I take in too. I let it pass. I let everything pass.”

 

“Babe…” Jiyong finally managed to say something.

 

“And Kim Taeyeon…” Kiko finally cried, “You added another one. Jiyong, no matter how many times I tell myself it’s just nothing, she’s just nothing; I couldn’t convince myself… those travels… I trust you so I let you go. You tell me everything but your face says everything too… your face just gives it all away. You looked so happy, Jiyong. So happy… when you’re with her.”

 

So happy when you’re with her.
Its not the first time Jiyong heard this.
Chaerin said this to him; Dara somewhat implied the same thing.

 

“Do you like Kim Taeyeon?” Kiko asked; her voice shaking.

 

Jiyong looked at her straight and shook his head. “No.”

 

“Are you happy when you’re with her?” But she had to ask that one thing that’s been bothering her all this time. Something that she already knew.

 

Jiyong did not answer.
Not that he doesn’t want to; but he doesn’t want to lie.

 

“Well...I like her  in the way I'm supposed to.” Jiyong answered differently. “I don’t lie to you, you know that.”

 

“Who is Kim Taeyeon to you, Kwon Jiyong?” Kiko wiped her tears as she asked her now confused-looking boyfriend. He didn’t even bother hiding his confusion.

 

“A friend.”  He replied. “She’s a good friend.”

 

“I’m not asking you to stop going with her if you like her company.” Kiko admitted, “If you enjoy travelling with her, then that’s fine. She’s seems like a nice girl. That’s how I love you… my friends think I’m stupid. I even want to be friends with Taeyeon.”

 

“I’ll stop travelling with Taeyeon.” He told her firmly.

 

“Jiyong.”

 

“You look uncomfortable.” He said. Jiyong can read Kiko too. But he knew she was willing to accept Taeyeon just as she accepted Chaerin and Dara.

 

“Will you be hurt?” She asked.

 

“I’m fine…” Jiyong stood up, sat next to Kiko and hugged her. “I’m sorry, baby.  I was so insensitive all this time. I’ll make it up to you… Sorry about Matsumoto-san… Chae – you know, her.”

 

Jiyong cupped Kiko’s face and kissed her. “Dara-Noona… it’s weird but… I wish I can explain but… it’s so weird I can’t even explain but nothing’s going on, really… Sorry I even have to explain this to you, explain them to you. And Taeyeon, she’s just nothing. I will say goodbye to her, go with her the last time and not see her again.”

 

“I said it's fine…”

 

“But it’s not right.” Jiyong sighed. “Not right at all… We’re not doing anything bad but being with women apart from you even if they’re nothing is just plain wrong. I have a girlfriend.. you and I should be seeing only you, which I know for a fact.”

 

“Are you starting to like her?” Kiko asked. “I mean as a friend…”

 

Jiyong just looked straight in to Kiko’s eyes.

 

“I want honest answers, baby.” Kiko smiled and kissed him.

 

“There are times I think about her.” Jiyong smiled back. “And there are times I miss Kim Taeyeon… and before I do something because sometimes I feel that way, I better not see her again.”

 

“Think about and miss Kim Taeyeon?” Kiko asked.

 

“As a friend…” Jiyong laughed, “Guy friend. Buddy.”

 

“Swear?”

 

“Yes.” Jiyong nodded then hugged her. “She’s my travel buddy. I miss her sometimes, baby.”

 

Pffft.
Who are you kidding, G-Dragon?
You son-of-a-gun.

 

 

 

“Hello?” Jiyong was surprised a guy answered Taeyeon’s phone. “I need to speak to Kim Taeyeon. This is her phone isn’t it?”

 

“Yes.” The guy replied.

 

“Who’s this?” Both the guy and Jiyong asked.

 

“I’m her boyfriend.” The guy told Jiyong.

 

“She’s single.” Jiyong calmly informed him.

 

“Who’s this?” The guy repeated.

 

“I’m her other boyfriend. The hotter one, the more famous one, the more handsome one. The one whom she travels with; the one who gets away with anything. I’m G… G… G… Gee-Gee-Gee-Gee baby, baby.”  Jiyong was feeling good that night and was laughing when he said those things. He thought Taeyeon just asked someone to talk to him, to piss him off.

 

No, he still doesn’t believe she has a boyfriend.
Nah-ah.

 

“Noona, someone is playing a prank you.” The guy called out to Taeyeon who was getting a drink from the refrigerator.

 

“Who?”

 

“He said he’s your other boyfriend.” The guy said smugly.

 

“Jiyong?” Taeyeon raised her eyebrow.

 

Of course, she knew.
No other guy will ever dare.

 

Taeyeon hurriedly got the phone from her ‘dongsaeng’ and spoke, “Jiyong?”

 

“Hey, Taengoo, who’s that?” Jiyong laughed.

 

“My boyfriend.” She laughed too.

 

“I told you, you’re single.”

 

“And I told you, I am not.” Taeyeon sighed, “Bae, can you hand me the remote please.”

 

“Bae?” Jiyong was alarmed.

 

That someone who he knows that doesn’t exist has a name: Bae.
 

Youngbae – Bae?
Daesung – Bae?

Jiyong, Daesung is Dae, not Bae, you pabo.

 

“I’ll call you later, buddy.” Taeyeon told Jiyong, “My favorite drama’s on. Bye.”

 

Bae.
It rang again in Jiyong’s ears like an alarm.
So he went out of his house in his boxers.

Heol.

 

 

“I told you so many times, I have a boyfriend.” She let out a small laugh.

 

“Everyone knows.” Jiyong replied.

 

The aftermath.
The scandal aftermath.

 

“You sound mad.” Taeyeon said.

 

He didn’t answer. In fact he hung up.

 

So she called again.
Did Jiyong just hang up on her?
Oh yes, he did but she didn’t realize it.

 

“The line was cut…” Taeyeon told him.

 

It was a miracle he answered. Jiyong was fighting to press that reject button but in the end he answered her. Funny that he actually hung up on her, which in the first place he doesn’t know why he did.

 

“You wanted to get caught, admit it.” Jiyong’s serious. “You knew there were people following you… Why?”

 

“I’m in love.”

 

“You’re not.”

 

“Kwon Jiyong.” Taeyeon was equally serious.

 

“He’s too young.” He told her. “I mean, aren’t there guys asking you out? More deserving…”

 

“That’s foul.”

 

“I’m the only one who can say who’s deserving or not.” Taeyeon was disappointed upon hearing Jiyong say these things. “I expect a lot from you, Kwon Jiyong. As you may have known, people are turning their backs on me already. I get bashed, called names and even my parents are being dragged into this mess. My fans hate me; EXO stans are firing their guns at me. If there is a handful of people that I expect that won’t judge me, you would be one of them, but what’s this?”

 

“Kim Taeyeon.”

 

Ooops.
The Dragon spat too much fire.

 

“Do you know why I called you?” Taeyeon fought back her tears. “Because I find comfort in you. I thought I will never have to admit that thing. I always say Taeyeon and Jiyong are pure fun and enjoyment only. I promised myself I’m never going to tell you I feel relaxed when I’m with you. I’m in hell right now, Ji. In the deepest of the deepest . I called you because I want to feel better but…”

 

“I’m picking you up.” Jiyong cut her off, “Pack some clothes.”

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“We’re going to get lost.” He told her.

 

“Jiyong.”

 

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

 

Somewhere along a highway
5.30 p.m.

 

“I’m sorry.” Jiyong apologized after two hours’ drive. “Yes, that was foul. I’m sorry.”

 

The Dragon is sorry.
He should be.
Kwon Sorry.

 

He stopped his car by the roadside before he spoke. He knew he must apologize to Taeyeon before she feels a lot worst. Her pained expression is hurting him too. They are friends and Jiyong knows what Taeyeon is going through right now. Taeyeon’s eyes were puffy and red. She must’ve cried every day ever since her dating scandal broke out. It looks like she must’ve lost a few pounds too.

 

“What was so wrong, Ji?” Taeyeon’s eyes were full of tears ready to fall. “What did I do so wrong?”

 

“I was about to say you weren’t careful, but you knew about those paparazzi taking your pictures.” He told her. “That’s the downside of our jobs, remember? We can’t get into relationships and expect our fans to treat us the same way. And that kid, he has young fans… you can’t expect them to accept everything quick and to like you easily.”

 

“I know… but I didn’t think it’d be this crazy and worst.” She admitted.

 

Jiyong laughed, “You went as far as kissing in the car, Taengoo. I saw the pictures. And Noona’s driving, and looked like she initiated the kiss.”

 

Taeyeon hit Jiyong in the arm hard. “Shut up! Don’t remind me! Argggh!”

 

At least the atmosphere lightened.
At least the tension lessened.
At least Taeyeon smiled.
At least…

 

“And you knew there were people taking pictures?!” Jiyong laughed even more.

 

“You know, things went a little far and I got carried away with my feelings and…” Taeyeon shyly admitted and had blushed a little.

 

“Someone asked me if I knew you guys.” Jiyong told her. “I had no choice and said I’ve met that EXO kid. I couldn’t tell I’m friends with you… you ‘kissing-Noona’.”

 

“Shut up!!!!” Taeyeon screamed, embarrassed. “Jiyong!!!”

 

“I’m so embarrassed.” Jiyong was still laughing. “Ew…”

 

Taeyeon covered her face with her hands. Jiyong was obviously teasing her, making her feel embarrassed with what she had done.

 

“Kissing-Ahjumma.” He . “Kim Taeyeon, the Kissing-Ahjumma. You’ll be forever known as that.”

 

“I hate you.” She punched him the in the arm.

 

Jiyong laughed some more while he removed his seatbelt then he removed Taeyeon’s.

 

“Jiyong…”

 

Then all of a sudden, he pulled her for a very tight hug.

 

Oh dear.
Surprise, surprise.
He hugged her quick.

It was a very tight hug.
Very, very tight.

 

“Cry…” Jiyong whispered. “Cry, Taengoo.”

 

“I’m fine.” She told him. “I’m a little better now.”

 

“Cry.” He repeated. “I’ll let go when you’re done. Cry, Taeyeon… my shirt can take in tears and snot. C’mon. You can cry.”

 

Jiyong didn’t hear her talk anymore; instead he heard soft sobs at first.  As her cries begin to emit sounds, his hold became tighter.

 

“It’s too unfair… Ji… too unfair.” She said, in between pained sobs. “Too unfair.”

 

They stayed holding each other for a while. When Taeyeon was feeling much better, she was the first to have let go. She thanked Jiyong and apologized because his shirt was full of tears, snot and saliva. He was fine with it, of course. What he’s not okay with is the fact that Taeyeon is badly beaten by her dating scandal.

 

Badly beaten.
Black and blue.
That Kim Taeyeon.

 

And she freaking needed that hug.
She wanted that hug… almost had  asked for it.
And it came no less from the man she felt comfortable with, Kwon Jiyong.

 

Jiyong thinks it was a mistake for her to be in that situation. First, he thought she shouldn’t have admitted she was dating her boyfriend. Maybe Taeyeon thought all of her fans will stand by her through thick and thin; some did, but some turned her backs on her. Some of her fans felt betrayed. For one reason or another, they felt Taeyeon lied to them. There was this issue on her Instagram account that accused that her posts were allegedly codes for her boyfriend but she implied it was for her fans, or at least they thought it were.

 

Jiyong understood on how fans have created an image of them as idols being ‘single’ people forever. And when they get into relationships, they get disappointed, they feel betrayed. Being single adds up to their attractiveness as an idol, it somewhat makes up to their “all-in-one-package” as an artist--idol. In a way, you can’t blame the fans too. Them idols are sold and presented that way and them fans buy them as such.

 

Her boyfriend isn’t speaking up too. For Jiyong, it was a smart move. For SONES, it wasn’t a nice thing; in fact, it was pure cowardice, considering he is the guy. They felt that Taeyeon was left alone to clean up the mess; talking, explaining and even to the point of apologizing, which in the first place she shouldn’t have been doing. And some of his fans are bashing Taeyeon too, calling her names, hating her to the ends of the earth and the milky way.

 

“What hurts you the most?” Jiyong asked her, bit his lip and prepared for her answer.

 

“Bae being hurt.” She wiped her tears some more.

 

Jiyong nodded. “You want him out of this mess?”

 

“Yes.” She nodded.

 

“Then let’s create another scandal.” Jiyong joked, without laughing.

 

“What?” Taeyeon wanted to laugh.

 

“Let’s just say yours and Bacon was just a cover up.” Jiyong smiled.  “I’m calling some paparazzi now.”

 

The Dragon called her boyfriend, bacon.
You are one-of-a-kind, Barney.

 

Taeyeon finally laughed. “Imagine if it was you and me, Jiyong.”

 

“SONES rejoice and party. VIPS wage a war and draw blood.” He winked. “Something like that.”

 

There is some truth in that, Miss Kim.
VIPs are warriors. They will protect and defend their men.
No offense to SONES.

 

“Hold it right there.” Taeyeon raised her voice, “You narcissistic dragon! That’s…”

 

“That’s the truth…” He laughed. “You’re still the one explaining, while I do like Bacon and shut my mouth… but if that’s you and me, I sincerely doubt if we just kiss in the car…”

 

“Kwon Jiyong!!!!!”

 

Jiyong even stomped his feet while laughing too much when he cracked his latest joke. “Probably if you have the car’s top down, our clothes will be thrown outside the car too…”

 

“Jiyong…” She finally surrendered, “Thanks… thanks for making me feel better. You just don’t know how much I appreciate it. I know I’m just nothing to you…”

 

“You’re not nothing…” He looked away; outside his car window. He did that while biting his lip. “We’re travel buddies, Kim Taeyeon.”

 

Awww.
Not nothing.

 

But why awkward?

 

“Do I get a kiss?” He smiled, flirtatiously, looking back at Taeyeon.

 

“Ji!” She rolled her eyes. “You are so flirting with me! We agreed, remember?”

 

“You’ve tried a bacon. Why not taste a dragon?”

 

“!” Taeyeon covered her face with her hands. “This is ridiculous… This is more scandalous.”

 

“Does a bacon taste good, Taengoo?” He tried to tickle her until she said yes. She couldn’t talk because she was laughing too hard.

 

“Yes! Yes!” She said in between her laughter. “Damn you, Kwon Jiyong, I might pee in my pants.”

 

“I’m going to miss that laugh…” Jiyong suddenly stopped tickling her and said sadly.

 

“What?” Taeyeon thought she heard wrongly. But then again Jiyong pulled her for another hug.

 

Jiyong did not speak, he just held her again; as tight as the first hug they shared.

 

“Jiyong?”

 

“Don’t let others make you feel bad, Taeyeon.” He whispered. “And that kid looks like a good boy.”

 

Taeyeon couldn’t see his sad eyes.
She couldn’t see he was almost saying goodbye.

 

You might want to taste the dragon now, Taengoo.
It might really taste better than the bacon.

 

 

Dolce Vita
Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do
Crayon Room
10 p.m.

 

“I thought we’re going to get lost?” Taeyeon asked him while her head rested on his chest “Why are we in a familiar place?”

 

“Just because…” Jiyong kissed her hair while he pulled her closer to him.

 

“We should’ve gone farther away.” She told him, “Now is the best time to get lost, Jiyong. If I am lost, then my mind will be preoccupied on how I’m supposed to go back. Then I will forget about all of my problems… my heartaches. But no, I’m comfortably lying here, holding you.”

 

“Do you still think about your problems while holding me?” He smiled.

 

“Well…”

 

.
She doesn’t.
When you’re in bed holding a dragon, you don’t think about anything else except the dragon.

 

“See?” Jiyong pointed out.

 

“You never fail to make me feel comfortable.” Taeyeon admitted. “And I hate it… why did I even let you reach that level?”

 

Comfortable, Taeng?
Since when did comfortable ever been synonymous to distracted?

 

“It just happened I guess.” Jiyong laughed. 

 

“Can I borrow you just for the meantime? Just for a while, until I’m fine?” Taeyeon looked into his eyes, somewhat pleading.

 

The blank eyes met the awkward eyes.
.

 

“Okay.” Jiyong kissed her head once more, “Make it fast though… You have to feel fine the soonest.”

 

“Mmmm…” Taeyeon agreed while she snuggled closer to Jiyong as if their almost-void space wasn’t enough.

 

“You have to return me though.” He told her. “No falling in love, remember?”

 

“I know.” Taeyeon replied, “I have a boyfriend.”

 

“You don’t.” Jiyong told her, as he always tells her. “You don’t have a boyfriend, Kim Taeyeon.”

 

“Game over, Kwon Jiyong.” Taeyeon hugged him tighter, “Everyone knows.”

 

“Everything will be fine Taengoo, trust me.” Jiyong whispered. “Hey, we’re not doing anything wrong with this, right?”

 

With this?
Hugging tight in bed?
The dragon finally asked.

 

 “Pabo.” Taeyeon broke free from the hug, “I’m not sleeping next to you. Go sleep in the next room. I don’t want people to misunderstand. Travel buddies don’t sleep hugging each other.”

 

“But we did in Shanghai.” He reminded her.

 

“You hugged me?” She almost shouted.

 

Oh .
She didn’t know.

 

“I-I-I woke up two midnights… I mean three, holding you…” Jiyong scrambled for words. “The fourth one, I couldn’t remove your arms away from me.”

 

“Goodness! Kwon Jiyong, you’re telling me this only now?” Taeyeon bolted from the bed and stood up. She got a pillow and started hitting Jiyong. “You freak! Get another room! You, you dragon!”

 

“Hit me all you want.” Jiyong laughed. “C’mon, Kim Taeyeon. I know you want to. Hit me, and then kiss me.”

 

Kiss me?
Awww.
Did he just say ‘kiss me’?

 

“Go to another room!” She laughed and then he hit him hard again. Pretending she didn’t hear him say, that word ‘kiss’.

 

She repeatedly hit him again and again while she laughed but ended up crying. Taeyeon was still hurting all this time. Her smiles are too expensive, too precious, it’s rare nowadays and it’s courtesy of Kwon Jiyong.

 

“You feel better Taengoo?” Jiyong stood up and took the pillow from her.

 

She shook her head. “I feel like my world is tearing apart.”

She still cries, that Kim Taeyeon.

 

Jiyong tried so hard. He brought her to Dolce Vita to ease her pain but it wasn’t that easy. Taeyeon seemed too depressed and sometimes just stares blankly into space. Jiyong stayed with her all this time and never let her out of his sight. He personally cooked for her, went for walks with her. They talk a lot. He held her hand; he held her so many times when she cried day and night. Jiyong wanted to cry every time she cries. He too, wanted to raise the white flag and just give up on her, but he didn’t.

 

“You want me to call Bacon?” He asked.

 

“No.” She told Jiyong. “I told him I’m fine. He knows I’m okay.”

 

“, you’re breaking down.” Jiyong cursed. “Why do you need to lie to him?”

 

“He doesn’t need to know. I love him and I can’t let him suffer.” Taeyeon sobbed, “I’m vulnerable right now, Jiyong. I don’t own myself and my thoughts.”

 

“And you crumble in front of me?” Jiyong shouted, “Vulnerable my ! So if I take off your clothes and make love to you, what do you do?”

 

Taeyeon’s blank eyes stared right at Jiyong’s enraged ones. “Then I make love to you.”

 

“Damn you.” Jiyong cursed once more.

 

He can’t believe he’s hearing things like this from a woman who has earned his utmost respect.
Not from Kim Taeyeon.

 

“Do I take off my clothes myself or do you do it?” Tears kept flowing from Taeyeon’s eyes.

 

“Kim Taeyeon!” Jiyong wanted to cry too. This time, he thinks he’s really going to shed off tears.

 

“Maybe it’s going to help me forget too.” She cried harder. “Help me, Jiyong.”

 

Jiyong rushed to her and hugged her tighter; tightest that he’d ever done to a woman all his life. “What do you want me to do? I’ll do it. You can’t be like this…”

 

Taeyeon just cried in his arms.
No words, just tears.

 

“I guess I’ll borrow you from Bacon too.” Jiyong told her. “But if I might not want to return you in the future, please do not blame me.”

 

Oh dear.
The Dragon has spoken.

 

No return, no exchange.

 

 

A friend’s got to do what a friend’s got to do.

 

So they say.

 

The badly beaten Kim Taeyeon didn’t need her personal assistant to fix things for her because someone was hired to assist her in all her needs. Her personal errands were taken care of, at the time they were needed.

 

Her manager was surprised that someone approached her asking her for Taeyeon’s schedule and activities. She was given extra security personnel and assistants from the time she got back from a quick vacation. (Nobody knows she came from Dolce Vita).

 

Much to everyone’s surprise, these ‘new’ people who serve and assist Kim Taeyeon were hired by someone from YG Entertainment. Eyebrows raised as these employees come in and out of the SM building and can pry within the rival company.

 

Taeyeon had to confront her ‘friend’ about it, only to be slammed and told, “Until you’re already invulnerable, then I’ll pull them out.”

 

She found it sweet actually. Her boyfriend had no choice because he couldn’t do anything either. There were sasaengs around threatening Taeyeon; though SM Entertainment have provided her bodyguards and such, the additional ones and her personal assistants were of big help.

 

SNSD alternately helped Taeyeon cope up when she was taking it hard on herself, but the girls were hurting too. Needless to say, Taengoo needed support coming from someone else apart from her sisters, and she got it.

 

‘Travel buddy’ Ji calls her every day now. Kim Taeyeon is now on his speed dial. Not just once a day, but it goes as many as five times a day. May it be as quick as “Taeng?” then she answers, “I’m good.” then they hung up. Sometimes they talk a bit more.

 

Jiyong was there when she needed him.
And even if she didn’t. 

 

 

“Taeng?”

 

“Who’s this?” Taeyeon asked.

 

The voice isn’t Jiyong’s.

 

“Noona.” Seungri laughed. “It’s me, Seungri. Hyung wanted me to call. He’s dressing up and asked me to call instead.”

 

“Ah.” Taeyeon smiled on the other line. “Hi.”

 

“Do you want to have dinner?” Seungri, out of the blue, asked.

 

“D-d-d-innerrr?” Taeyeon stammered. “With whom?”

 

“B-I-G to the Bang.” Seungri sang. “We’re having dinner. You just finished practice, didn’t you?”

 

“Yes. How did you