“Did you get what you needed?” Minzy asked Chaerin who just entered her office.

 

“Yeah… how’d you know about that?” Chaerin asked.

 

“Oh please, it’s my job to know everything you do.” Minzy said and set down Chaerin’s coffee on her table. “Oh and Xin went to Miss Park’s gallery already. He said it’s probably better for him to go alone.”

 

Chaerin smirked. “Good.”

 

“Is it just me or are you… happy?” Minzy teased.

 

“It’s just you.” Chaerin flatly replied.

 

“Mmhhmm… whatever. Don’t forget that I know where you’ve been.” Minzy winked and walked out of her office.

 

Chaerin just rolled her eyes at her.

 

 

“That was a surprise.” Youngbae said when Jiyong walked back to the living room.

 

“So are you two back together, hyung?” Daesung asked. He just finished cooking.

 

“Obviouslyyy. They were already in hyung’s room when we got here!” Seungri said, earning a slap in the back of the head from Jiyong when he passed by him. “Oww hyung!” Seungri complained.

 

“So you’re not back together?” TOP asked.

 

“She said she wants to be friends.” Jiyong said and slumped down the sofa.

 

“Pwahahaha.” The others couldn’t help but laugh but as soon as Jiyong glared at them, they stopped.

 

“Sorry Ji, but friends? Really? Well that’s… I don’t know what to say about it.” Youngbae said, with laughter still dying down.

 

“Then I guess you have a smaller chance at getting her back than I thought.” Seungri said.

 

“Yah. Watch what you say.” Jiyong warned.

 

Seungri raised both hands up. “Sorry. It’s just that when a girl puts you in that category then bye bye .”

 

That one earned him a smack from TOP. “Watch your ing language.”

 

“But really though hyung, you’re friendzoned? That’s definitely a first.” Daesung said.

 

“But think of it this way Ji. At least now you can be back in her life. Right?” Youngbae said looking at the other guys looking for support.

 

“Riiighttt…” Seungri said, not even giving an effort to fake a support.

 

“But… I can’t just be her friend. That’ll make me just the same as you guys.” Jiyong said, feeling down.

 

“Except we never saw her .” Seungri just didn’t have a filter today.

 

“Are you tired of your life, Ri? You choosing to die today? Cause I’ll gladly kill you right now.” Jiyong said.

 

“Hyung! Relax. I’m just kidding! Aish… look hyung, she wants you to be her friend, then be her friend. Isn’t that where you two started in the first place? Why don’t you think of this as a clean break and try to win her heart again?”

 

Jiyong thought for a moment.

 

“What I said made sense right?” Seungri whispered to Daesung. He didn’t want to further anger Jiyong.

 

“Ri’s right, as much as I hate to admit it, but he is.” TOP said. “Be thankful she’s even talking to you Ji. Don’t forget that you’re the one who ruined it.” Of course he always had to remind Jiyong of what he did.

 

Jiyong sighed. If only he didn’t get too drunk that night. .

 

 

“Well that was a success.” XIn said as he and Chaerin were getting in his car. Sandara’s event has just finished and they were heading home.

 

“Yeah. I think that went pretty well.”

 

“I didn’t see GD there though, he was invited, right?”

 

“Yeah. But he said he wouldn’t come.”

 

“You two talked?” Xin asked, a bit surprised by the news.

 

“Yeah. Just yesterday. I dropped by his place to get this jacket.”

 

“Really? And there was no cursing or throwing of things, anything like that?”

 

“Psh. Of course none… I dropped by, we talked for a bit and I left.” Chaerin said, of course leaving out some parts because Xin would just ask more.

 

“So you really pushing through with this resolution of yours that you two should just be friends?”

 

“Yup. That’s the plan.”

 

“You know that plan’s gonna crash and burn, right?” Xin said, amused by Chaerin’s determination.

 

“No, it won’t. It will work. We would be friends and we can all move on with our lives.” Chaerin said.

 

“Okay baby girl. Just don’t forget that this is GD we’re talking about here.” Xin gave Chaerin a meaningful look.

 

 

“Bommieee!!!” Chaerin yelled when she saw the flash of red hair coming from the crowd of people walking out of the airport.

 

“CL-roo!” the beautiful, tall girl excitedly ran towards her.

 

“I missed you!” Chaerin said as they hugged.

 

“Me too! Gosh I have so many stories to tell!” Bom clapped her hands excitedly.

 

“Okay ladies, how about we do that in the restaurant I reserved.” TOP said, he was behind Bom the whole time, struggling to hold her luggage.

 

“Oh TOP oppa, let me help you with that.” Chaerin offered to get one bag since the guy could barely hold on.

 

“No, it’s alright.” TOP managed to say.

 

“Psh. Let him, Chae. I told him I could hold some too but he insisted on carrying everything. Serves him right.” Bom said and stuck her tongue out to TOP who just chuckled at her behaviour.

 

“Hmm. I really wonder why oppa still stays with you, out of all the ladies that chase after him.” Chaerin said.

 

“Yah!” Bom squealed.

 

“I’m just kidding!” Chaerin laughed. She missed her best friend/ cousin so much.

 

“You okay?” Bom asked as TOP loaded her last bag in the car.

 

“Yup. All good.” TOP smiled at her even though he’s already exhausted.

 

“Aww. You’re so sweet.” Bom pulled out her handkerchief and wiped TOP’s sweat before putting a sweet kiss on his lips.

 

“You’re sweeter babe.” TOP said and pulled her in for another one but…

 

Beep beep!

 

“Yah! Enough already! I’m hungry!” Chaerin yelled from inside the car making the couple chuckle so TOP just settled for a peck.

 

They arrived at Bom’s favourite restaurant and she didn’t spare a second, she went straight to it.

 

“So, I heard you and Jiyong broke up. Why? Did he cheat?” Bom asked making Chaerin look at TOP but he also had his eyes wide open.

 

“What? Who told you that?” Chaerin chuckled so unnaturally that even TOP was weirded out.

 

“So you two didn’t break up?”

 

“No, w-we did.” Chaerin clarified.

 

“I don’t follow.” Bom said while squinting her eyes.

 

“We’re broken up. That’s all there is.” Chaerin said and chuckled again making a weird sound.

 

“Hmmm. That’s weird. You two were totally in love with each other when I left.”

 

“Well… things change. Enough of that. Tell us about Europe!” Chaerin said effectively changing the topic.

 

“Oh my God. It’s great! The people are nice, the city’s great. Everything is just uhhh.” Bom said, imagining the place she lived in for 5 months for her further studies.

 

“What’s your favourite place there?” TOP asked.

 

Bom looked at him and smiled sweetly. “Of course Paris.” She winked at him and TOP’s heart swelled. Two months ago, he visited her in Italy and planned a Paris trip for them where they had the sweetest time and where else would a couple be than in the city of lovers?

 

Chaerin smiled looking at the couple in front of her. She was jealous of the strong relationship they had. They managed to be strong even though there were so many obstacles that happened to them. She was so happy for them because she knows how much they both love each other.

 

“It was really nice catching up with you unnie.” Chaerin smiled genuinely.

 

“Aww. Same with you, Rinnie.” Bom held her hand. “But I still feel like you’re hiding something and that alien over there isn’t telling me .” Bom said, pointing at TOP who was talking to the manager.

 

Chaerin smiled sadly. Maybe it’s time she came clean. “You were right… he cheated.”

 

Bom squeezed her hand tighter, sadness enveloping them. “Aw. I’m sorry Chae. I really hoped I wasn’t right about that one. I would have never thought…”

 

“Yeah. Me too.”

 

“Well. It’s his loss babe. You’re a catch! Forget about him and live your life happily.” Bom said with enthusiasm.

 

“We’re trying to be friends though…”

 

“Bad idea.” Bom said while shaking her head no.

 

“Why?”

 

“You can’t be just friends with your ex. There’s always baggage there. Plus, he cheated on you.”

 

“But don’t you think it will be easier for everyone? I mean, we have a lot of mutual friends and it’s always awkward, you know.”

 

Bom sighed. “You still love him, don’t you?”

 

Chaerin couldn’t speak. She didn’t know how to say it or she didn’t want to say it. But she knows the answer.

 

“Did you forgive him?” Bom asked.

 

Chaerin didn’t know the answer to that.

 

 

“Hey hyung, have you seen the latest launch of ‘X’?” Seungri asked Youngbae who he found exercising in their company gym.

 

“Huh? Uhhh no. Not yet. W-why? Ugh.” Youngbae managed to say while lifting the 100 pound weights.

 

“I think you gotta see it.” Seungri said in serious mode making Youngbae’s curiosity peak. Seungri only became serious if it is something serious. ”Now.”

 

“Why? What’s in it?” Youngbae said as he sat down and wiped the sweat rolling down his face.

 

Seungri handed him the magazine with a large X written on the front. Youngbae opened it and scanned it like what the younger asked him to do. Not even half way through it, his small eyes started to grow bigger. He began flipping the pages of the magazine rapidly, just scanning through the rest and when he finished, he looked at Seungri with an undescribable expression. “Does Jiyong know?”

 

Seungri shook his head. “I don’t think so. That hasn’t been released yet. My associate from the printing press gave me a copy of it. It’ll be released next week.”

 

“!” Youngbae cursed. “Where are the others?”

 

“I don’t know. I came to you first. I didn’t wanna tell Ji hyung alone.” Seungri said.

 

Youngbae sighed and stood up. “Alright. Call the others. Emergency meeting in 30 minutes.”

 

Seungri nodded and began sending texts.

 

“What the hell is this? Is this a joke?” Jiyong asked and slapped the magazine on the table harshly. There, in the pages of the magazine of their fashion brand competitor are the designs they made. Designs that are supposed to be in their next launch.

 

“Yuna, the head of K press, sent me a copy this morning. She said the release date is next week.” Seungri said.

 

The 5 of them were in Jiyong’s office, all baffled about what was happening.

 

“Can we stop this?” TOP asked.

 

“If the release date is that soon, it means that they already had our designs months before.” Daesung said, thinking deep.

 

“We have a leak.” Youngbae said.

 

“Who?” Jiyong asked.

 

Nobody knew.

 

“Who has seen the designs apart from us?” TOP asked and all of them thought about it deeply.

 

“Yah Ri. Maybe it’s one of your chicks. Have you shown it to any of them?” Jiyong asked.

 

“What? Of course not! I would never do that. Plus, I always leave my copy in my office.” Ri defended.

 

“I can’t think of anyone else.” Daesung said.

 

“Well of course, the PR team saw it and all the heads of the departments saw it.” Youngbae said.

 

“You don’t think it’s one of them, do you?” Daesung asked.

 

Youngbae shrugged.

 

“Let’s not make any assumptions for now. I don’t even think it’s one of our own. I think it’s from the outside.” TOP said.

 

“But who--?” Jiyong was cut by his own thoughts. “ing .” He muttered suddenly realizing something.

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Thank you for the comments and the upvotes and the subscribers. I really appreciate it alot. It gives me more inspiration to write. God Bless everyone :)