Chapter Thirty Seven

Jiyong POV

September 1, 2015

Jiyong, please don’t make me do anything I’d regret…

Those words has haunted Jiyong since that night. He had felt so guilty putting Dara in that situation that he hasn’t even told a soul about what happened a few days ago. s had thought that his mood swings in China was because Dara did something but what they didn’t realize was it was his own fault that he was acting that way.

So maybe if he had told Youngbae the real issue then his best friend would have helped him avoid Dara and not help him find her…

Youngbae would make sure that Jiyong wouldn’t be anywhere near Dara.

But Youngbae doesn’t need to help with that because for Jiyong made sure that he’d avoid her himself, not that he meant it but his feet had a life of its own, walking on the other direction when he saw her earlier today. He was hoping she didn’t see him at all…

He is acting like she did before when they had first started dating, the week he had confessed his feelings to her on the night before Chaeosuk in October 2009 (a/n chapter two). Funny thing is, this is the first time he ever tried avoiding her like a plague. And it’s usually for her sake… but avoiding her because he was embarrassed of what he had done is a totally different story.

He had no right to confess a five days ago and he doesn’t think he can ever live it down because his actions had hurt Dara without realizing it.

October 10, 2009

Jiyong groaned in frustration as he had finally given up. He was ready to toss his phone across the room. This happens every time he’d be waiting for her to respond to her texts. Thing is, she’d only stop randomly when she knows that they are in the same location.

She’d respond to his messages normally or more frequently than she used to before he confessed. That’s a good thing but when she knows they are in the same location she would immediately result to as if he has a plague of some kind. He just assumes that she’s afraid he’d demand an answer from him when clearly he had told her he will patiently wait for her…

But with how she is acting now, he does want to know.  Not that he is full of it or something but it’s obvious that Dara likes him it’s just she’s afraid of her dating ban which would mean breaking the rules.

“She’s not ignoring you again is she?” Youngbae asked enthusiastically, enjoying his best friend’s misery.

Jiyong made a grunt noise, as if Youngbae doesn’t know what Dara is doing.

Youngbae smirks and raises his eyebrow, “She’s responding to me just fine,” He teased as he raised his phone showing Jiyong the two texts Dara had sent him.

Jiyong could feel his blood burn as he had fought the urge to fight to punch Youngbae just to wipe that stupid grin on his face. He sarcastically claps his hands and not two seconds later he clenched his fist. “Do you want an award for that?”

Youngbae shrugs and responds to Dara’s text, “She’s just asking where I am.”

Jiyong takes a deep breath and lets it out in one long huff. He has got to give Dara some credit though. When she’s in the YGE building she always hangs out with Youngbae. It’s her way to avoid Jiyong without actually being too obvious about it. Since Younbae and Jiyong are mostly a package deal. So if he’s talking to Jiyong then she’d know when to runaway…

He rubs his forehead, and he rolls his eyes. Sometimes he regrets confessing to her because he does miss just having her around without this pressure.

“Don’t give up anytime soon. She does like you.” Youngbae said not really looking at Jiyong since he was sitting in front of the desktop now probably looking for a song that they had just recorded last week just to listen if there are any other changes needed.

Jiyong then slams his head on the table, “It’ll be nice to be able to hear it from her.”

Youngbae smirks, “I mean, the fact that she still has yet to answer or hasn’t dumped you, means that she does.” His words sound comforting but the tone of his voice said otherwise. “If it was me, I would have dumped your as soon as you even tried to say about it. Just kill it at the source. At least not get your hopes up, you know.”

Jiyong turned his head slightly towards his friend’s direction so he can throw death dagger stares at him. Thing is, no one other than Youngbae knows about the fact that Jiyong likes Dara, more than a friend (a/n chapter five). And Jiyong didn’t even need to tell Youngbae what he had done because it was obvious that he had confessed because of how Dara is acting around him. He actually laughed at Jiyong for a good fifteen minutes straight… and Jiyong isn’t even exaggerating.

“Jeez, thanks.” Jiyong said in annoyance.

Youngbae just wiggled his eyebrows, “Well just being a good friend.”

JIyong rolls his eyes and turns his head back on the table. He hung his arms on the side and started acting like he was dead. He was frozen like that for a minute or two that he looked like he was part of the furniture.

Youngbae just did his best to ignore his friend, and started a whole different conversation. “Did you know there was going to be a Thanksgiving party that Hyunsuk-hyung is throwing?” it was just announced through the company email. “It’s apparently a mandatory thing.” Lately Yang Hyunsuk have been throwing parties here and there because it was his way to say goodbye to the old building because by around New Year’s YGE will move to a new building. The CEO was still nostalgic to the old building but was also ready to move on to a new and better company era.

Jiyong didn’t move still and he just grumbled incoherently as if not caring about anything else other than his dilemma. It sounded like, Can’t brother to do anything but sit here…

Youngbae even threw Jiyong his car keys and it hit his neck but Jiyong didn’t even budge. He was frozen on his spot.

Youngbae growls in defeat since he knows what Jiyong is trying to make him do. He still needs to work with this child in the next four hours and if he is going to act like this… well he might end up hurting him and it would definitely be the highlight of his day. “Will you stop being pathetic if I set up a meeting for you with noona?”

Jiyong raised his head from the table immediately. He one of the most legit real smiles he had when he was happy, “Chinca?”

Youngbae didn’t seem happy by this progress because he knew Jiyong won him over again. It annoys him how Jiyong could always get what he wants because of his tantrums. “I am you bestfriend aren’t I? Wouldn’t that mean I got your back?”

The next day, Jiyong secretly arrived at YGE without having anyone see him. He knows Dara has a lot of spies in some of the employees. Though it’s interesting why they don’t ask why they have to watch for Jiyong… maybe she has a list so she can hide. She had also been avoiding Seungri lately too… since that rat have been bothering Dara about going on a blind date. Maybe he should have a talk with that rat…

He could feel his phone buzz in his pocket. He had been talking to Dara most of the morning already so if she’s responding that means she still doesn’t know she’s in the building. Her text mentioned the party that was happening on Saturday.

~Noona, you going on Saturday? He asks her.

Not a second later she responds, ~I think that is a mandatory one. So I have to. Aigoo, it's my only off day and I just want to sleep.

He laughs at her answer and rolls his eyes. This noona always loved to sleep in. Granted he does the same thing too but he loves the studio so much he hangs out there if Kush-hyung is there.

He stops in front of the elevator and pushes the button before he sends another reply, ~I'm sure it isn't mandatory, but I’ll go to your dorm and drag you with me if needed.

Then another quick answer as well, ~Aish... I'm pretty sure Chaerin will drag me by my legs if I have to. And Bom will find something in her alien language to persuade me into going.

Grinning, he types and sends, ~Noona, if they wouldn't be able to persuade you, I am definitely making sure you are there.

She has to attend for his plan to work.

He stood there waiting for her response and the elevator. He got anxious that she didn't respond as quickly. Did she find out he’s in the building again? He grabs his phone to send another text but the elevator came. So he enters the elevator and pushes the button of the floor he needed.

He was silently cursing to himself. If she isn’t responding anymore then the final resort would be to ask Youngbae where he is, last he mentioned was that Dara was hanging out with him.

"Yah! Youngbae-ah! Give it back!" Dara squealed like a little child jumping as she tried to reach her phone which was raised up above Youngbae's head.

Jiyong's heart dropped to his stomach when he saw how close the both of them are. Dara was leaning on Youngbae's chest, her arm wrapped on his shoulder while she’s trying to reach for her phone. Not that Youngbae is that tall, to have Dara's phone out of reach but Dara is just that short.

When the elevator doors made a ding sound, Dara's head turned and made eye contact with Jiyong. She froze for a second, and realized her closeness to Youngbae and immediately jumped away as if she got burned by being that close to Youngbae. She enters the elevator quickly with her head down.

Youngbae on the other hand just grinned and ignored Jiyong’s reddened face. He had told his best friend that he was going to try to keep Dara from finding out that Jiyong was in the building today and that meant taking her phone away since her spies have probably noticed the mighty g-dragon. “Jiyong.” he just nods at him.

"Youngbae-ah, Dara-noona." He greeted in between gritted teeth.

Dara mumbled a greeting and it sounded like a high pitch yelp. It was obvious that she wasn’t expecting Jiyong to be here. She didn’t know how to react especially the fact that she can tell Jiyong is jealous. She was also standing between Youngbae and Jiyong.

Youngbae presses the button a floor below Jiyong's. "Here," he also hands Dara's phone back who pocketed it quickly.

Jiyong was going to ask what floor Dara was going to as well, when a voice inside his head answered that she is probably going with Youngbae. Youngbae had mentioned that Dara was needing help with 2NE1’s new choreography.

Youngbae could definitely tell when he isn’t wanted. Luckily his phone rang. He didn’t really need to take it but since he made a deal with Jiyong then he decided to. He turns towards Dara and says, "Noona, just go ahead and head to the practice room. I'll catch up." then without even giving her any time to respond he answers the phone call and ran out of the elevator before it could close.

Dara didn’t even notice that Jiyong was holding on to the close button so she wouldn’t try to leave.

Jiyong leans back and made sure he was an inch away from Dara. He could feel that she was keeping her gaze down the floor refusing to look at him. This confuses him so much, how can someone who responds quirkily to his texts and fast enough as if she's looking forward to talking to him, to being awkward being alone with him.

He stares at the floor numbers switching and in one more floor she's going to get off the elevator. He isn't crazy or anything, he knows it isn't just him but Dara also feels something for him. Just standing here he can feel tension in the room and it was more than just awkwardness, standing this close to her he can feel her nervousness radiate towards her direction.

He couldn't take it any longer. He knew the elevator cameras doesn't work. He always scolded Seungri in the elevators when the maknae avoids being alone with the leader, knowing Jiyong hated scolding in public. That sometimes he can always catch that their maknae has done something because he would be taking the stairs if he sees Jiyong jumping on the elevator.

He pressed the stop button before the elevator reached the designated floor.

"Jiyong—" Dara gasped as she realized what he had done. He moved close to her trapping her between him and the corner of the elevator.

"Dara," he whispered her name, making sure to drop the honorifics to make it more intimate. He kept a safe distance just so he wouldn't make her more uncomfortable, but he was still close enough that he can smell her vanilla flavor perfume that is making the butterflies in his stomach flutter, "I really don't understand why you've been avoiding me." He said.

She lowers her head down embarrassed, she knows where Jiyong had been the past week and would purposely not go to where he is, and not knowing what she'd do if she sees him. "It’s not that simple."

He grinned, at least she didn't say that she did that because she doesn't want to be around him. The way her body is leaning towards him instead of clinging on the wall is a sign that she isn't uncomfortable being this close to him, "Try me."

She looks up and stares deep into his eyes, her beautiful dark brown eyes telling him the truth that he wants to hear. "You wouldn't be asking me this question if you don't know how I feel about you."

And there it is. The confirmation he needed, she does like him or have thought about his offer more than once. "Then what is the problem?" He asked softly.

She bites her lip, "I have a dating ban, Jiyong. And you doing this isn't helping at all." She says shakily.

He takes a deep breath, "That hasn't stopped people before." He adds firmly and gives her a knowing look. Of course they both know idols, actors have those but they still dated. Heck, Dara's best friend Park Hanbyul-noona had been dating Se7en, Choi Dongwook-hyung for 7 years now secretly. The two of them are even covers for them when the four of them would hang out together. (Since Youngbae, Dara and Jiyong officially found out about them a year ago.)

"It's not just me. I have my members to think about." Afraid of the consequences if she is found out about her breaking her dating ban

And there she is again, thinking about others before herself. "I'll protect you." The way he said it sounded so strong and truthful. Of course G-dragon saying that meant that it was more of a threat to YG entertainment if Dara's career would be in jeopardy.

And Dara knows what he meant by it too, and that is why she doesn't want to risk it. She doesn't want conflict because of her. "Also, you’re G-dragon. You can't always protect me from antis." Another risk would be getting hate form Jiyong’s fans especially since Dara just debuted and the age difference (though both of them aren’t looking at it at all since Jiyong is more experienced in the dating department…)

He takes a deep breath and speaks what he had in his mind. "I really don't care what other people think, Dara. I only care about what you think. And if those are your thoughts then alright." He steps closer to her that his lips were close to her tip of her nose then tilts his head so to whisper in her ear. "But I want to be the person to be there for you through good and bad, to take care of you and think of only you since you always forget about yourself." He plants a soft kiss on her cheek. He felt her do a sharp intake of breath and it made him s