“Hyung, what’re we gonna do about this?” Seungri asked.

 

“We’ve worked on those for months. We can’t just let them steal it from us!” Daesung said in frustration.

 

“Okay. Everyone just calm down for a bit.” TOP tried to be the rock in the situation. “So now we know who it is. You’re sure about this right?” TOP asked Jiyong who nodded his head.

 

“She’s the only one I could think of. I think I might’ve left it in her office before.” Jiyong said.

 

“Okay, so you could just go and talk to her. Convince her or something.” Youngbae said.

 

 

“I can’t believe you would stoop down and do this.” Jiyong said through gritted teeth. He was in a very familiar white office.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The lady in front of him innocently said.

 

“Stop playing dumb Dara! I know it was you!” Jiyong slapped the table hard causing Dara to jump back. “Why’d you do it?”

 

“Like I said I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Dara said.

 

“I still had some respect left for you before. But after this? This is low Dara. Even for you.”

 

“You have no right to tell me what’s low Kwon Jiyong! You’re the low bastard!” Dara couldn’t hide the anger in her voice.

 

“What did I ever do to you?” Jiyong asked.

 

“Really? You’re really asking me that?! Then you’re much more of a bastard than I thought!” Dara said and stood up to somehow calm her nerves a little. “For years I’ve been trying to get your attention and then you finally gave it to me, right after you broke up with Chaerin. But whatever, I’ll get what I could. Then you just played me? After all the time I spent for you?” Dara said, with hurt and anger.

 

Jiyong just sat there, watching the woman break down in front of him.

 

“Dara, I never said we were serious. We weren’t even anything!” Jiyong said causing Dara to get angrier.

 

“You’re a , you know that?”

 

“Dara, I’m sorry. I’m sorry about misleading you. But what we had was just a kiss. Nothing more.” Jiyong truthfully said.

 

“Well then I guess you don’t have your designs too.” She said.

 

Jiyong sighed in frustration. “Dara, you can still fix this. You could tell—“

 

“And why would I do that?” She said with a sarcastic laugh.

 

“Dara, you’re better than this.” Jiyong tried to persuade her.

 

“… no, I guess I’m not.” Dara said.

 

“Please Dara. This is not just about me. This is the company’s hard work.” Jiyong pleaded.

 

Dara thought for a moment. Was she really this awful of a person? She thought hard. “Okay.” she said.

 

 

Jiyong entered the office with shoulders low and head down. He was so tired.

 

“Hyung! How’d it go? Did you convince her?” Seungri asked. They were all in Jiyong’s office, waiting for him.

 

“Are you okay Ji?” Youngbae said, noticing his friend’s weird aura.

 

“Yeah.” Jiyong faked a smile.

 

“So what happened?” TOP asked.

 

“I… I managed to convince her.” Jiyong forced it out of himself.

 

“Whooo! That’s great hyung!” Seungri said and patted Jiyong’s back. They all hi-fived. Jiyong was faking a smile to all of them and joining in their celebration.

 

“Let’s go out later. I’ll set up the club.” Youngbae suggested and they all agreed.

 

When all of them have left his office, Jiyong groaned and put his head down on the table. He had a long day.

 

“So what’s the deal?” A low voice came from the door.

 

Jiyong looked up and saw TOP standing there.

 

“I thought you left.” Jiyong said and straightened himself.

 

“You don’t look too happy that you convinced her to give us our designs back.” TOP said and sat on the chair opposite Jiyong’s.

 

“What? I am. I’m just tired.” Jiyong said.

 

“Cut the crap Jiyong. You know you can’t bull me.”

 

“Really hyung. I’m really just tired. It’s been a long day. I’m just gonna nap for a bit then let’s meet up at the club later.” Jiyong said.

 

TOP looked at him sharply. He knows Jiyong is keeping something. He was gonna squeeze it out of him but he looked at the clock and saw the time. He needed to pick up Bom.

 

“I’m gonna figure out what it is Jiyong.” TOP said and stood up to leave.

 

Jiyong sighed. He didn’t want to tell any of them about what happened because he knew they’d tell him how stupid he was and that he shouldn’t have agreed. But what can he do? He was the one who created this mess. He had to fix it.

 

 

Earlier at Dara’s office

 

Dara thought for a moment. Was she really this awful of a person? She thought hard. “Okay.” she said.

 

Jiyong’s spirit went up. “Thank you.”

 

“Don’t thank me yet. I won’t do it for free.” Dara said.

 

He knew it. She wouldn’t just agree that easily. He became frustrated. He was losing hope. He knew he wouldn’t be able to convince her. But months of hard work were going to be thrown to another company and he didn’t want that. It wasn’t only his hard work that’s on the line, but the whole of their company.

 

“What can I do?” Jiyong sighed.

 

“Go out with me.”

 

“What? Are you crazy?!” Jiyong said, unbelieving of what he just heard.

 

“You asked what you can do. That’s what you can do.” Dara said with finality.

 

 

Ting.

 

He heard his phone ring signalling a text message. He just woke up from his short nap in his office and immediately felt his body hurt. He sat up and stretched to somewhat relieve his muscles.

 

He reached out for his phone and unlocked it.

 

I heard you were going out to your club tonight. Take me.

 

It was a message from Dara.

 

Jiyong immediately became more tired after reading the message. He needed a way out of this one.

 

Don’t you think it would be suspicious if suddenly you and I appear together?

 

He sent the message hoping Dara would agree and wouldn’t try and come.

 

I’m glad you’re concerned for us. But you’re still taking me. Pick me up at 9.

 

Jiyong groaned. He wanted to punch something. He never felt so chained in his life.

 

 

“Chaerinnie~” Bom called out from the door.

 

“I’m in the kitchen!” the younger responded.

 

“Smells good!” Bom said and jumped to sit on the kitchen island.

 

“You’re always in time for food huh?” Chaerin chuckled.

 

“Yah… I’m here for something else too.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Seunghyun told me about the party they were having tonight at their club and asked me to come. Do you wanna go?”

 

“Who’s gonna be there?”

 

“We both know who’s gonna be there babe. If you’re not up to it, it’s totally fine. We could just hang out here.” Bom said.

 

“What? You’re not going if I’m not going?” Chaerin looked up from her cooking.

 

“What would I do there without my main chick?” Bom winked at her.

 

“Psh. TOP oppa’s gonna be there. You’ll be fine.”

 

“Yeah but, I don’t want to be the clingy girlfriend.”

 

Chaerin snorted. “I’m sure TOP oppa wants you to be the clingy girlfriend.”

 

“Whatever. Let’s just hang out here then. That smells so good.” Bom said and inhaled deeper.

 

“TOP oppa’s gonna hate me if you’re not there.”

 

“Shut up. He loves you like a baby sis.” Bom said and took a spoonful of what Chaerin was cooking.

 

“You know what, I think we should go.”

 

“Really?” Bom eyed her suspiciously. “You’re saying that because you want to or because you feel responsible for me not being there?”

 

“I just thought that it was my idea to be friends again with Jiyong right? So why not start now? I think this is the perfect chance to kill all the awkwardness. Plus, I miss the crew.” Chaerin said.

 

“Aw. Okay then babe. We’ll go. But not before we eat this heavenly food you cooked. What the hell is this, anyway?” Bom said and took another spoonful.

 

“It’s a secret.” Chaerin winked.

 

 

“Is Bom noona coming?” Taeyang asked TOP. They were already in the club but the night’s still quite young.

 

“Yeah. She’s coming with Chaerin, I think.” TOP answered and sipped on his wine.

 

“Oh really? Well that’s nice.” Taeyang said and lifted his bottle of beer to toast with TOP’s glass of wine.

 

“I bet Jiyong hyung’s gonna be so happy then.” Seungri suddenly appeared.

 

“Yah. Why are you eavesdropping again?” TOP said.

 

“I’m not… I’m just looking for company.”

 

“Aw. Why? Is little Seungri not receiving attention from the ladies?” Taeyang teased while pinching the younger’s cheeks.

 

“What? N-no!” Seungri said and scampered away like a wounded dog leaving Taeyang and TOP laughing their asses off.

 

“There’s the Dragon.” Taeyang said as he saw Jiyong enter the club.

 

The pair were about to go greet him but stopped when they saw a familiar petite girl suddenly clinging to his arm.

 

“What the f—“

 

“What are we looking at?” Daesung suddenly appeared and looked at what his hyungs were staring at.

 

“Is that--?” Taeyang asked the two even if he was sure of whom the girl was.

 

“It is.” TOP said.

 

“Did you guys see Ji hyung! He’s with—“ Seungri suddenly came panting.

 

“Shut it.” TOP ordered because right at that moment, Jiyong entered the VIP room with her.

 

“Hey…” Jiyong said with a hard face.

 

The others nodded but didn’t say a thing.

 

“Hey guys.” Dara greeted them a little too sweetly for their taste.

 

“What the hell is this?” TOP couldn’t stop himself anymore. That just made the situation more awkward than it already is.

 

“Hyung come on.” Daesung said and steered the oldest away from the group but not before TOP could give a meaningful look at Jiyong who understood it perfectly.

 

“Well… that was awkward.” Dara whispered to Jiyong.

 

“Well, I told you, you shouldn’t be here.” Jiyong said, trying to pry her hands off of him.

 

Dara glared at him. “Introduce me to your friends.” She demanded.

 

“Can we do this later? I need a smoke.” Jiyong said and rushed off, leaving Dara standing alone.

 

 

“What the hell was that?!” TOP said as soon as Jiyong closed the door in the back alley of the club. It has always been their place whenever they needed to talk.

 

“I—it’s not what it looks like… it’s—ugh!” Jiyong was getting frustrated. Thoughts were spiralling out of his mind and his lips aren’t fast enough to say it.

 

“What?!” TOP was getting equally as frustrated. One because he didn’t understand what Jiyong was thinking bringing that girl there and two because any moment now, Chaerin and Bom would show up and he didn’t want either to see Jiyong with that girl. Ever since Bom found out Jiyong cheated on Chaerin, TOP has spent a great deal of time trying to better Jiyong’s image to her.

 

“Okay.” Jiyong breathed in deep. “I told you I convinced Dara to give back our designs right? So I did. But it wasn’t that easy. She asked something in return. That’s why she’s here.”

 

“She asked you to bring her to our club? That’s it?” TOP asked, a bit confused but was hoping that was all she really asked.

 

“No… she wants us to date…”

 

After he said that, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. “Hyung!” Jiyong whined and rubbed his head.

 

“And you said yes?! You idiot!” TOP almost shouted.

 

“What did you expect me to do? That’s our work on the line!”

 

“I expect you to say no! Yes we spent a large amount of time and effort in those but we could always make new ones and there has to be another way!”

 

“It was my fault that this happened anyway. I have to fix it.” Jiyong said.

 

TOP sighed in defeat. “For how long are you gonna do this?”

 

“I don’t know. Until I could get our book from her. She said she’ll give it back.”

 

“And when will that be?”

 

“She didn’t say.”

 

“Jiyong! Are you really not thinking right now?! Let this go. Let our designs go. We’ll make new ones. Don’t do this.”

 

“I can’t let that book go.” Jiyong said softly.

 

“Please don’t tell me it’s the book that Chaerin gave you and where you stashed her ring?” TOP asked and Jiyong didn’t reply, didn’t even look at him. “You really are an idiot. How the hell did you leave it with her anyway?!”

 

“I don’t know! I wasn’t thinking—“

 

“That’s right! You weren’t thinking!” TOP groaned. “Listen Ji. You get that book and then get the hell out of whatever arrangement you have. You got it?” TOP said in his boss voice.

 

Jiyong nodded his head. That was the plan anyway. “Hyung, no one can know about this. She said that if she hears a peep about it, she’ll burn the book.”

 

TOP nodded. “Oh and one more thing. Chaerin will be here tonight.” TOP said and entered the club leaving Jiyong standing there more defeated than he already was.