#since1765

*

Tiffy: 911!!! Meet me for a quick lunch in Private Moments. NOW!!!

The moment Kwon Jiyong touched down in Incheon International Airport, he received that text from Tiffany Hwang. He and Taeyeon’s best friend have grown closer over the last few weeks, meeting for coffee and meals here and there. Knowing that he had a few hours to spare before his most dreaded dinner date with Audrie, he decided to entertain Fany’s invite. Taeyeon was probably already in Jeonju, which meant Jiyong was Fany’s next option to give the South Jeolla trip report to.

At around two in the afternoon, Tiffany and G-dragon were already in one of the VIP rooms in the posh restaurant Private Moments.

“The elders of South Jeolla said a marriage between their locals, the Jeons, and North Chungcheong’s Han family, took place in 2009. That's very well within our generation. We found one arranged marriage for The Great Pact. Just two more to go!” Tiffany very excitedly announced to Jiyong. She made sure to begin her report after the staff has served their lunch.

That’s strange. Why am I not as happy as I expected to be? Jiyong wondered, because he felt his face freeze after digesting Tiffany’s news. When he noticed the woman’s brow raise with suspicion, Jiyong pretended to be cheerful.

“Amazing, amazing, amazing. You are god-send Tiffany Hwang,” he lied, raising his wine glass to Tiffany.

“Cheers!” Fany happily replied, toasting with Jiyong.

“Oh, and congratulations on your successful Lion Heart promotions.”

“Thank you GD,” answered Fany, and the two of them took a sip of wine. However, she wasn’t thick. She recognized the forced exuberance that the young man projected. When she put down her glass on the table, she called out, “You don’t look genuinely happy. You’re enjoying this fake engagement, aren’t you?”

Jiyong wasn’t surprised anymore that Tiffany caught on his pretention. The woman was very smart, and Jiyong had never been able to lie to her. He took another sip of wine before engaging in the conversation.

“I have to admit that the last few weeks have been really fun,” Jiyong disclosed. He just knew that Tiffany was a trustworthy and sensible person. “I met two new friends in the person of you and Taeyeon. Seunghyun and I grew closer again. I’ve never seen my family happier, and I love Taeyeon’s family too. I guess I just feel a little sad about all those happy things possibly ending soon. I’ll miss all of you, especially Taeyeon.”

Tiffany appreciated his honesty, and she considered him for a moment. In truth, she has taken a liking for him too. He was a fun company, and just the fact that he was able to get through her best friend, Tiffany was impressed. It just meant that Kwon Jiyong had something special in him. In the last few weeks they’ve spent time together, Tiffany was slowly discovering what made Kim Taeyeon speak highly of the Big Bang’s leader.

“Just so you know, it’s very difficult to crack open Kim Taeyeon,” Fany shared with the reminiscent Jiyong. “If you’ve managed to make her share even just a little piece of her life with you, then she considers you a friend. There’s not going to be a need to miss her.”

“Even after we escape from the arranged marriage, I’d really like to continue being her friend. And yours too.”

“I’m not too sure about you yet,” joked Tiffany, projecting a grave appearance. Then, she smirked. “Just kidding. You’re pretty cool, G-dragon.”

“Which reminds me, how was the trip with Seunghyun? Was he a pain in the ?”

Cough. Cough. Tiffany choked on the pasta she was currently eating. She swallowed and drank water, before replying. With a lot of double meaning in her words, she almost laughed when she responded, “Uhm... y-yeah. A little bit. It was bearable though. The pain was worth the fun.”

“Oh yeah? That weirdo is actually really hilarious. He's our resident jokester in YG.”

“He made me laugh a lot, I'll give him that,” Fany agreed. Trying her best to be casual, she asked, “Uhm... just out of curiosity... is he seeing anyone?”

“Why are you asking? Are you interested in him?!” speculated Jiyong, his eyes sparkling.

“No! I'm dating someone, duh?!” Fany denied and even lied. “I'm just asking, because he's so weird. It's very hard to imagine him dating someone. I mean, he talks like an old grandpa, acts like a five year-old, but dresses like a fine twenty year-old. He is a walking paradox.”

“He is a bonafide bingu,” Jiyong shared, grinning. The sparkle in his eye remained, because he could see through Tiffany’s fake nonchalance. “He is not dating anyone. In fact, it's been so long since his last girlfriend. He gets weirder and weirder for every year he is single, and it's been more than five years now.”

“Five years? That long?!” asked Tiffany, incredulous.

“Like you said, he is a walking paradox. He doesn't know how to flirt with women anymore. His humor gets overbearing sometimes that the girls just don't take him seriously.” Jiyong made sure to exaggerate some truths about Choi Seunghyun in hopes of pushing Tiffany to divulging her interest. Although it was true that TOP hasn’t dated, it may be an overreach to say he didn’t know how to date anymore.

“I don’t why it’s so easy to believe that,” murmured Tiffany. “But hey, you never know, he probably sleeps around a lot...”

“Choi Seunghyun? No way. He's an almost-, because he never sleeps around outside a relationship. He is very conservative, I’m telling you.”

Jiyong quietly observed Stephanie Hwang, and he definitely caught the interest in her eyes. No matter how much she denied it, there was no escaping the charisma of Choi Seunghyun. Considering the two spent two days together travelling to South Jeolla, it wouldn’t surprise Jiyong to know that something developed in that trip.

Meanwhile, Tiffany finished her meal without looking Jiyong directly in the eye. She was afraid her curiosity about TOP’s dating life gave her away. But the real takeaway from her discussion with G-dragon? He really doesn't sleep around huh...

*

At almost seven in the evening, Kwon Jiyong was nervously waiting alone. He was in a luxurious private dining area of Korea’s most expensive sushi bar. He’d been waiting for his date for half an hour. Of course, she was late, as expected. She always made him wait. Even if he knew he would wait, Kwon Jiyong always still arrived early. Finally, at 7:18, she arrived, and she was even more beautiful than Jiyong remembered her to be.

He stood up to welcome her, but they didn’t kiss or embrace each other. Instead, Audrie just sat straight on the floor, and Jiyong followed suit.

“Hi Audz. How have you been?” he began.

“Never better,” Audrie confidently answered.

Why did you ask me out for dinner? He wanted to ask out loud, but he was afraid of the answer. If there was anything he learned from their relationship, it was that Audrie’s answers always hurt him, no matter the question. Now he was traumatized to even ask. Please don't play me like a fool again.

Without further ado, the woman finally went to the point. “Is Yeon-ah real?”

“What?” clarified Jiyong, because he was confused at first.

“Is she real, or are you just making her up?”

Finally, he understood. Taeyeon was right, Audrie saw the Instagram posts. This was why she invited him out. Like always, she was still playing him in her palms, and Kwon Jiyong was an idiot for allowing her to.

“What's it to you?” he retorted, trying to keep his calm. He was fighting the pain in his chest and stomach, and it took all his willpower to prevent the tears from coming.

“If you're making her up, then just stop. It’s so pathetic, honey,” Audrie softly requested, even putting her hand above his. “You're so desperate to make me jealous so you asked someone to pose as your make-believe rebound girlfriend? I can't believe you're this low.”

And I can't believe you're hurting me again. Jiyong was in disbelief at how cruel Audrie was. He felt even more like a fool that he offered his heart and soul to someone who could blatantly hurt him like this. The way she spoke, the fake sweetness and kindness in her voice, her unkind words, they were all like knives stabbing Jiyong’s chest one by one.

“Stop the theatrics, Kwon Jiyong. I’m begging you, darling. Please. This play will never make me go back to you,” Audrie continued using a sweet voice to get her point across. The calm in her tone hurt Jiyong even more.

“She's real, and she's not a ing rebound,” he silently muttered, gritting his teeth out of anger.

Audrie shook her head and held both Jiyong’s hands. Acting as if she was concerned, she told him, “You're just making a fool of yourself in front of our friends. Listen to me, okay? It's over. This time, hear it and believe it.”

Jiyong took his hand backs from her. Now, actual tears fell from his eyes. He immediately wiped them, bowing and grinning to himself to cover the sadness. Without looking up at her, he just asked, “Even after six years of giving you everything... am I worth just this much to you?”

What have I done that you can hurt me like this? Jiyong asked a lot of questions that he wasn’t able to voice out anymore. Instead, he just stood up and quietly bowed to Audrie. Without meeting her gazes, he just turned around and left the room.

Inside his car, he broke out in strong sobs, but he stopped himself from crying out loud. If the previous night, he immediately thought of phoning a friend, now the presence of actual tears stopped him. He wanted more than ever to talk to Kim Taeyeon, the person he considered his beppeu, but he was ashamed about what Audrie told him. He was most especially ashamed of what he still felt about her even after all that she’s done to him. While he cried inside his car, he asked himself the very same question Taeyeon asked him last night.

Why am I even in love with you?

*

“You told him the good news?” asked Choi Seunghyun to the woman who called him.

Tiffany Hwang happily answered, “Yup. He and Taeyeon will take care of the next road trip. We're off the hook.”

“Great,” Seunghyun commented, only half meaning the word.

If the two of them were off the hook for the next trip to the Gangwon province, that meant that the opportunity to spend time with Tiffany was off the window. The provincial road trips were the only thing Seunghyun happily looked forward to in the middle of his hectic schedules. Every night after each of his concerts and schedules, he found himself planning the trips meticulously. From their diner stops during the drive, up to the hotel rooms, and even the quick sight-seeings, Seunghyun had them all laid out. Only to find out today that Jiyong and Taeyeon would take care of the Gangwon visitation.

“Are you doing anything special tonight?” asked Tiffany.

It took Seunghyun a moment to realize what she just asked, as he was busy crying over the lost trip. “Uhm... why do you ask?”

“Nothing. I was just wondering if you wanted to... you know... chill...”

Is Tiffany asking me out? Oh god. Calm down Choi Seunghyun. He had to sit down in one of the chairs beside the coffee table, because he was too astounded to be asked such a question by such a woman. Suddenly, his disappointment about the road trip turned into hope because of Fany’s invitation.

*

Please say yes. Please ing say yes to me Choi.

Tiffany closed her eyes as she waited for TOP’s answer. She was inside her small apartment, alone. It was only late in the afternoon, but SNSD had the rest of the day to themselves before the Superman is Back recording tomorrow. After her lunch date with Jiyong, the insider information about TOP gave Tiffany the necessary bra