Chapter Twenty Nine

Good to You - 2NE1 (CRUSH 2014)

Choi Seunghyun's POV

August 3, 2015

Seunghyun just got to YGE building when his phone rang yet again and he didn't need to look to see who has called him. He answered the call but making sure the phone was at least an inch away from his ear.

"HYUUUUUNG!" A cry came from the other line.

He sighed, he would have totally hung up on the phone but if it was Seungri. To be this annoying is too much but it's not Bigbang's maknae that's pestering him for the past twenty minutes.

"Seriously, Jiyong. I am about close to just go up there and just knock your head on the table." Seunghyun said between clenched teeth. He puts his fingers on between his eyebrows to massage it. The reason why Seungri is annoy at times is because he got it from none other than their leader. Though, Jiyong does it at rare moments while Seungri does it without reading the mood of the group.

"Aish hyung, don't be like that. Be our inspiration!" Youngbae screamed on that echoed in the room. So Jiyong put him on speaker phone.

He groans, so Jiyong put him on speaker phone. He had told them he might check the final mix of the song for their Music Festival for Infinity Challenge. They recorded it with Kwanghee yesterday and now they are just doing final touches to the song. “I think your girlfriend will do just fine, Youngbae.”

“Yeah hyung, but Hyorin doesn’t do this style of music and besides she’s working. Lastly I am going to murder Jiyong if he uses Hyorin for his inspiration.” Youngbae said as there was a thump on the background which meant that Youngbae probably smacked Jiyong in the back of the head.

“Yah!” Jiyong complained.

­“Just come up hyung.” Youngbae suggested though in his tone it seems like there is some other reason why Seunghyun should go upstairs.

“Hyyyuuuung!!” Jiyong cried again since Seunghyung didn’t respond for more than a minute.

Seunghyun growled and said, “Fine, I’ll be up in a few just to shut you up.” and he punches the second floor button on the elevator where the studios are located.

‘Cool.” Jiyong said before he hung up.

It has been five minutes since he got to the studio but the song still hasn't been played. Jiyong is talking to him about what silly things Kwanghee did yesterday and how the recording went or how he taught Kwanhde how to rap. Not a single time has Jiyong mentioned when he is going to play the track.

Sure, Seunghyun enjoys listening to Jiyong's stories since it’s always animatedly exaggerated but he did not just pester him for the past twenty minutes so he can listen to Jiyong talk about Kwanghee instead of playing the track.

Jiyong's enthusiasm is giving Seunghyun a headache. How can this kid be this hyper when everyone hasn't had proper rest due to their busy schedules with promoting for MADE and their world tour? And added to that Jiyong and Youngbae are doing a variety show when the two of them have a day off. Seunghyun is even too tired at the moment even though he already has a full days’ worth of sleep. He is dreading to think about their concerts next week and the start of their promotion in a couple days since he still feels like he lacks rests... Beside him he can even see Youngbae yawning showing exhaustion.

But with Jiyong... He has for too much energy as if he's taking some energy pill or three doses of caffeine doses. Actually it's someone because while Jiyong is still talking he is busy checking on his phone.

Seunghyun has a small idea as who this someone is but he couldn't be too sure. He was about to give Youngbae a questioning look but Youngbae has actually fallen asleep. He didn't need to hear about what happened yesterday since he was there himself witnessing it all.

"So we ate at this restaurant—"

"Jiyong, not to be a jerk. But aren't we going to listen to the song?" Like now maybe? Seunghyun wanted to add but decided against it.

Jiyong clears his throat clearly caught that he's been killing time. He looks at his phone again, and said "One minute, hyung."

He raised an eyebrow at his leader, "Why—"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence since the studio door opened, revealing the culprit of Seunghyun's wait.

Dara walks in with a bag full of snacks it looks like, and her hands were full with drinks too.

"Oi..." Jiyong immediately gets up and takes the bag from Dara even the drinks she was hugging on since it was about to fall. "You didn't need to being these, or you could have told me and I would have helped you."

"Nonsense. I don't have anything to do today so it's the least I can do." Dara smiles as she pats Jiyong's arm thankfully since now she wasn't struggling.

"Oh Seunghyunie..." She greeted Seunghyun with a bow and smile. She then looks at the bag Jiyong was carrying as if trying to calculate something, "Didn't realize you'd be here today. It's a good thing I brought enough food for all of us. Though I don't have coffee for you." Dara said apologetically.

Seunghyun just shakes his head, "I already had a cup five minutes ago."

Jiyong laughs, "Told you he'd be in today. And you said...." Then he mimics her voice, "Seunghyunie is going to sleep for the next three days leave him alone." he grabs the canned of cold coffee from the bag, "Youngbae-ah!"

It was a good thing that Youngbae woke up immediately to catch the drink before it'll hit him on the face. "Thanks noona."

"You're welcome," she smiled at Youngbae then glares at Jiyong, "And you shut up," She sits on the empty chair next to Jiyong.

"Well I was right." Jiyong insisted as he grabbed a bun in the bag taking a big bite from it. Then he smiles goofily.

She sticks her tongue at him and smacks the back of his neck, "I said shut up. Why don't you just play the track already? I waited till Seunghyun-ah gets here."

"Araso, araso." Jiyong stifles a laugh and nods as he messes around with the mixing board.

Seunghyun just watches Jiyong and Dara-noona's interaction and he was stunned. He would just blink... having a terrible Deja vu right now. Did he somehow go to some alternate universe or woke up in the wrong timeline where the two are still dating. The only thing that made him remember that this was indeed 2015 was the fact that Jiyong didn't kiss Dara-noona as soon as she walks in the studio.

He knows that the two had sort of made up in Manila because they were actually talking to each other and not just trying to act normal, but today... Today is more than interacting and talking but flirting is definitely involved.

He heard Youngbae smirk beside him.

He turns towards his dongsaeng and the look on Youngbae's face answers his unspoken question It isn't just him that noticed it but Youngbae as well. No wonder, Youngbae was asking him to come up to the studio as well. Youngbae wanted proof that he isn't the only one who sees it.

Youngbae just drank his coffee silently but Seunghyun couldn't miss the smile on Youngbae's face.

This is the biggest reason why he wasn't all for Jiyong trying to establish friendship with Dara especially since Jiyong is still obviously in love with her. Jiyong could never control or hold his feeling when it comes to her. He had always known from the beginning that Jiyong had feelings for her. Jiyong was just oblivious to his true emotions until he just got jealous of Jay Park.

So sure Dara-noona and Jiyong were friends before they had started dating but it was a friendship that would was evidently going to start a relationship, unlike the friendship of the other 2NE1 members with Bigbang members. That was why most everyone already knew the two were more than friends when Dara and Jiyong were trying to hide it because everyone knew it was bound to happen.

And that same everyone had never expected they would break up...

(Well the second time because the first time, Jiyong deserved to be woken up by his ego blowing up three folds, and besides they never really saw Dara and Jiyong as broken up. The couple may have denied it but everyone was thinking that get back together no one really expected for them to take a year to. It was until Seungri thought he could speed up the process by doing all those annoying things he had done weeks before Jiyong and Dara had gotten back together.)

It seemed like a couple years ago that Jiyong and Dara would go against all odds and end up together. The two had the relationship that was heading to forever. Well, everybody thought that until something changed. It was a quick one too. It all had started the week of Mnet Asian Musical Awards in 2013. Seunghyun had noticed an odd change between the couple, and then there’s those cryptic words Jiyong had said on the night of the after party.

Jiyong, who had won the most awards that night, should have been celebrating but instead he was somber all night, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Plus the fact that he would just keep staring at Dara-noona. There was a question that Seungri asked in passing since the two had gotten too drunk, especially Jiyong.

November 22, 2013

Seungri was on his third shot of whiskey in the past five minutes trying to catch up to his hyungs. Though it was only Jiyong who had been taking shots as he was parched after being in the desert for more than a day with limited supply of water.

Seunghyun had stopped drinking when he noticed that Jiyong had already finished almost half of the bottle the owner of the club gave Jiyong for a congratulatory. He decided it's his job to watch his dongsaengs which he is positive might do something stupid. Jiyong has a way of being too PDA with his girlfriend if he drinks more of that alcohol. As far as he knows the 2NE1 girls are downstairs dancing. He can give Chaerin a break and have fun for today since it's always her that makes sure Jiyong stays at least a distance enough from Dara as to not rouse suspicion.

Though there is something about Jiyong right now that he doesn't really need to worry about jumping on his girlfriend. He is more worried that Jiyong might start breaking down or worse, he feels he should take anything sharp away from Jiyong.

Did the two had a fight?

If so, this would be the first since they had gotten back together. The two always try their best to resolve their problems as soon as it rises. They didn't want another repeat of the reason of their first break up.

This is the biggest reason as to why he doesn't want to date. It is too much work... Watching other people in relationships, looks exhausting and time consuming it makes him thankful that he can still have time for himself and he is rather happy about it.

"So hyung, you still haven't answered the question." Seungri asks him again since he was ignoring his maknae, he had been too busy analyzing Jiyong's behavior.

Seunghyun rolls his eyes at Seungri. "There is a reason why I chose to ignore that question," he answers as he pours a drink for Seungri. Maybe if he gets him drunk enough he'd pass out on the table or go downstairs and dance with the 2NE1 girls.

"Aish, don't be like that hyung! I know some day you'll find that girl that will make you want to settle down." Seungri declared cheerfully since he is always bothered by the fact that his hyung hasn't dated since their debut or even gone close to having a girlfriend. And Seungri has an obsession of giving him blind dates.

Seunghyun just smirked, "Sure, but for now I think I'm happy with my collectables and hanging out at home."

Then Seungri pats Jiyong in the back, "Unlike Jiyong-hyung here, he's got the date picked out in his head. Probably before he goes to military in 4 years is my bet."

This is what bothers Seunghyun about Seungri. He can never tell a mood about someone. It's like he can only see what he wants to see. Seungri is oblivious to the world sometimes and right now, he shouldn't say these words just yet. Not when Jiyong is looking gloomy... Seunghyun smacks Seungri at the back of his head. "Yah, dagcho!" (Shut up)

"Wheo hyung!" Seungri complained.

Then Jiyong finally spoke up after minutes of just pure silence and just staring into the vodka bottle, befriending it with his silence and broodiness.

"When that happens, would I still be G-dragon? Or better yet, would she still be Dara of 2NE1?" His face was red from him drinking half the bottle of vodka already.

Seunghyun just watches his distressed curious about his cryptic words. He knows one thing, something is bothering Jiyong since the kid only drinks this much in such a short period if something life changing is happening. He was about to press on the topic to make him open up. Jiyong is known as one of the biggest gossip next to Seungri but when it comes to his own dilemma Jiyong has the tendency to bottle it all up but it was obvious that Jiyong won't talk about it.

On the corner of his eye, he swore he saw a shadow move by the open door, but when he leaned to check the hall was empty. He suspects that it was probably a fan trying to take a picture of gd&top and Seungri since most of the YG-family is downstairs dancing, except for them. Besides he is too worried for his dongsaeng to care about the fan, the shadow was far enough they probably wouldn't hear the conversation. So as the supportive hyung that he is, he takes the glass from Jiyong and pours the shot onto the glass now actually controlling how much Jiyong will drink.

Jiyong drinks it in one gulp and slams the glass with his disgruntled expression, which is probably from his dilemma and not from the alcohol. "Would it be too selfish of me to want this so much? That whatever I promised her is something that I want to happen and it's just not an obligation? Would I really allow myself to be happy with these decisions when I feel like I'm taking the reins on this far too much that I'm taking her silence as a permission to take over her life. She's not just my girlfriend, Sandara Park she's also Dara, face and fresh vocal of 2NE1..."

Seunghyun raises an eyebrow, now totally curious as to what Jiyong is talking about. It is obvious he is totally taking Seungri's metaphorical questions to heart that he even has this situation of a dilemma in his head... Or maybe it's real and listening to Jiyong mostly talk to himself is invading his privacy.

He glances over to their maknae to see if he is trying to decipher Jiyong's words but Seungri is too busy texting, drinking and laughing.  He is sure it's Chaerin he is bothering. This is what also Seungri does when he's had a little too much to drink. He would mostly be on the phone talking to Chaerin.

What their members keep forgetting that even though he is mentally a five year old boy, it doesn't mean he can't notice the things his dongsaeng are trying to hide.

How Daesung is drinking too much in mourning because of a certain SNSD friend of his that he has been in love with for two years is dating a certain beastly idol who he considers as his good friend as well.

Youngbae, who is completely smitten by his co-star in his new music video 1am, Min Hyorin. That his secretly leaving early or not being here tonight is that he has a date with her through phone call.a The two might even start officially dating here soon which he is sure he'll be one of the first people Youngbae would call when the girl becomes his girlfriend.

Jiyong, who is still grumbling about responsibility and love, even Dara-noona. How they both have been on the greatest terms with no lies or pretenses the past year but yet this past week there is a certain tension between them that he could definitely can see.

And lastly his maknae, who thinks only Jiyong knows this secret. That if his scandal didn't get released last year (which was not fair to his part because this was six months before the actual article was released, sure Seungri was this terrible with women in the past but she changed him.) then he and Chaerin would have definitely the be added to the list of couples that are in YGE. Granted he never really talked to Seungri about this or Chaerin since this secret was tightly kept between Bom-noona, Jiyong, Dara and the involving party. So he doesn't know the extent of what happened between them, all he ca figure out is the two have just decided to remain friends and are doing a good job at it since from a 3rd person point of view it seemed like their sort of romance never happened.

Jiyong took the bottle from Seunghyun's grasps and drank from the bottle again.

He just watches as Jiyong drank most of his troubles away. He had hoped Jiyong would slip up and would end up saying what is troubling him but his dongsaeng just ended up passing out on the table falling asleep. It was understandable because Jiyong hadn't had much sleep because of rehearsals and promotions for his album this month so he leaves him alone.

Seunghyun would have worried about Jiyong and Dara's relationship but it didn't seem like there was any trouble because Dara came up to the VIP room without a fuss at all. She even asked him to bring Jiyong to her hotel room. So he thought everything was fine between the couple.

That's when they got everyone fooled because apparently they broke up not close to two weeks later, two days before Bigbang's Dome concert in Fukuoka, Japan started. The boys didn't even know about it because there was nothing different with their leader at all. He was still his happy self and there was no mood swings at all. The only difference is after the 2 day concert that Jiyong didn't return to Korea with them. They found it rather odd because they had a week break before the next city. He said he had other businesses to attend in Japan and he'd be back soon.

It wasn't at least three days later and a distressed call from Kiko stating that Jiyong had done nothing but drink and hole up in his hotel room not answering anyone, even her. She had knocked at his door almost all day. It was to the point that one of Kiko's friends who owns the hotel had called her saying that Kwon Jiyong hasnt left the hotel room for three days or even to order room service other than bottles of liquor. 

Youngbae immediately set himself to leave for Japan to take care of his best friend while Seunghyun decided to go to Dara. It's not like Seunghyun should be the one to go to check on Dara or anything but it was obvious that no one else knew about the break up but Jiyong and Dara because when Seunghyun called on the other 2NE1 girls they were given a two days off before promotions start again so if the girls knew about the break up they wouldn't leave Dara alone since the others went to their families while Dara was left at 2NE1 dorms.

December 12, 2013

Seunghyun knocks at the 2NE1's dorm. He haven't been here for years and the only time he's actually seen the inside of it was through 2NE1TV when he decides to watch it. He is close to the girls but he'd really just rather stay at home and rest if he has days off.

It was quiet and there was no response for a minute or two. He would have given up but he heard the television a while ago before he knocked and a loud thump as if someone fell or rushed to go somewhere. He tries again, but nothing.

He takes a deep breath and leans his head on the door. "It's me, noona. I know your there. The security said you've been here since Wednesday night and hasn't left the building since then." He said against the door.

He heard shuffling towards the door. So he steps back as the door knob turns. The door opens. Dara stands before him still quite beautiful with her hair up in a hurried bun to keep her probably unkept hair since she had a day off, there is a sadness in her eyes that one would definitely throw themselves to hug her and tell her it's going to be okay but since it's not his personality he just smiles at her.

She tightens her sweatshirt around herself and grumbled in a monotone voice, "I haven't washed up yet so if I smell I apologize." She seemed to not care what she's saying so it's clear that she knows that break up is not only hers and Jiyong's secret anymore.

Seunghyun just smirked, "Well, I haven't washed since yesterday too, so I guess we can stink together." He said seriously since he usually just showers at night before he goes to bed. He raises the two boxes he has of food in his left hand then on his right is