Clear as day and deceiving as hell, she read the headline: Kim Jaejoong and Sandara Park, confirmed dating! The article went on how they were seen 
entering an upscale condominium and leaving it almost four hours later. Only for Jaejoong to take Dara back to her condo. The article implied that 
they have no idea when Jaejoong actually left Dara's place insinuating all sorts of things. And of course, there were photos. 

It wouldn't be Dispatch without the photos.

Her phone asking her to leave a voice mail since the person she was calling was unavailable broke through her shock. "Jiyong.." Dara whispered. "It's not what it looks like. I promise." Her voice caught in as she tried to formulate an explanation. She tried to fight the tears just so she could get the words out. It's important for him to hear those words. For him to be assured of her love. "I love you. You. Only you." Beeep. A voice prompted her asking if she wanted to send or delete the message she just recorded. She sent it.

She knows she needs to get up. She needs to find Jiyong. To explain. She needs to get in touch with her management so they could do some damage control. And Jaejoong. She also needs to call him and make sure he's okay.

She tried to will her body to move but her exhaustion has seeped within her very bones. She closed her eyes as she wondered how badly she ed things up today. How could one day that she thought would be filled with some girl time at the spa and an evening with her boyfriend turn out so differently?  Her eyes roamed the room and it was then that she was able to see the extent of Jiyong's efforts. Petals were artfully strewn everywhere. There were balloons on the ceiling and on the floor, bouquets on almost every surface and the food! She saw the feast he had prepared when she when searching for him earlier. Food from her favorite restaurants in Japan and Thailand! She slumped down on her seat and called Jiyong again. 

As the line was ringing, she was also composing him a text. I love you. It's not what it seems. I love you. Please let me explain. She sent the message and continued to wait for Jiyong to answer her call. 

Once again, her call went to voice mail.

This time, she didn't stop the sob that burst forth as she looked at the article. The photos weren't explicit or anything. Just her and Jaejoong in the car. Getting out of the car.  Walking to the elevator. Waiting by the elevator. Then photos of them coming from the elevator to the car. Photos of Jaejoong's car entering the parking lot of her building. 

The article went on to point out the parallels of their photos to the photos of Hye Sun and Jae Hyun. The writer wondered how soon Jaejoong and Dara would confirm their relationship status and if Dara would ask Hye Sun for tips.

Dara gave a hollow laugh that eventually turned to sobs. Her phone started ringing but upon seeing that the caller wasn't Kwon Jiyong, she refused to stop her little pity party.

After a while, the tears stopped coming and she started feeling numb. She got to her feet, took her purse and went down to her car. She needed to see Jiyong. She needed to see him now.

But once she got inside her car, she has no idea where to go. She bit her lip as she considered her options. Deciding that she had nothing else to lose, she opened the group chat with all their friends and sent this message: 

I am not cheating on Jiyong. I love Jiyong. I'm sorry for all this. If you're with him, please tell him this. Please let me know where he is so I can explain. 

She sent the message and started her car. She browsed through her friends' replies. Concern for her and Jiyong came loud and clear. Questions, reassurances and messages of support all came through. But Jiyong was radio silent. Dara tried not to let that depress her more. She drove to Jiyong's place and found it empty. Thankfully, his parents were out of the city so she didn't have to face them at this time. She drove around the city searching for his car. Passing through YGE, their usual drinking spots, his favorite hang outs and even Han River.

When the sun was beginning to rise, she was still driving around. She knew it was useless and it wasn't the smartest way to go about things but she had to do something. She needed to see him. She was willing to keep driving as long she'd find him at the end of it all.

Finally, she received something she'd been praying for: Kwon Jiyong's location. 

Determined, she took a deep breath and drove. On the way there, she tried to rehearse what she was going to say to him. She hoped he would listen. She hoped he would give her a chance to speak. 

_______________________________________

The previous evening, Lee Seungri was feeling rather pleased with himself. He has a successful career, many successful and a few not as successful business ventures and he just helped Kwon Jiyong pull off something rather spectacular, which meant that the Kwon Leadah owed him. Yeah, life for Lee Seungri was pretty awesome.

He was lying down on his couch, mentally going through his clothes trying to decide what he wanted to wear later for when he made an appearance at the club. He considered asking for an open closet policy from Jiyong in exchange of all his hard work so that he could have access to all the coolest and latest clothes from top designers. He was smiling as he envisioned raiding Jiyong's closet before an appearance and receiving rave reviews for his outfits. He giggled at the thought and did a little shimmy.

He was so into his happy dance that he fell out of the couch when his front door slammed shut and the guy who owns the closet he's been plotting against stormed in and headed straight for his, Lee Seungri's, room.

Seungri was so stunned that he studied his surroundings just to make sure that he's in HIS house and not at the dorm. All Big Bang members and most of 2ne1 have each other’s house codes. Because you know.. Just in case..

He got to his feet and walked gingerly to his room. Opening the door carefully, he popped his head in and searched for his invading hyung. He found him on his bed, with the covers over his head.

"Err.. Jiyong hyung?" He called out as he approached the bed. "Why are you in here? What happened to the surprise for Dar- aaack.." Seungri yelped as he dodged a flying pillow. "Hyung. What did you do? I worked hard to get all the things you asked me to and you're here? Which means you aren't there. Which means all my efforts are going to waste!" He approached the bed and started nudging the sulking form. "Hyuuuuung..."

From underneath the covers, Jiyong started mumbling.

"Eh?" Seungri leaned closer and pulled the cover away from Jiyong's face. "Okay, one more time, please."

"She ditched me." Jiyong answered. "She ditched me to be with Kim Jaejoong."

"Ehhhhh.. What are you talking about?" Seungri laughed. "You're trying to make fun of me again, aren't you? Quit pranking me and get you back to Dara noona's house. You need to be there."

"Check Dispatch." Jiyong said lifelessly.

Seungri scratched his head but obeyed. Using his phone, he went to the website and waited for it to load. "Must be old photos again. You know they dated before. Dispatch must have dug up some old photos." Jiyong shoved his phone in Seungri's face. "What's this? Why are you letting me read your chats with noona? Oh, she looks pretty in this selca. The reporter who interviewed her looks hot. From what magazine is she from?" 

Jiyong just grunted. Seungri huffed and turned back to his phone. He gasped as soon as he saw the headlines. "But.. There must be a mistake!" He grabbed Jiyong's phone again and looked at Dara's photos. Dara's clothes in both sets of photos are the same. So either she wore the same exact outfit twice or the photos were taken on the same day. "Hyung.." Seungri's voice gentled. "There must be an explanation. Noona wouldn't.. She loves you.. 
She - "

"Ditched me to be with him." Jiyong pulled the covers from his face and stared at the ceiling. "Is this payback? Is this revenge?"

"Why would she wait for years to do it?" Seungri asked him. "I've seen you all these years and when I look at you two together, I see something I want to have someday. Something so special I can only hope to experience, true love."

Jiyong snorted.

"Talk to her." Seungri urged.

"She hasn't been answering her phone all afternoon." Jiyong told him morosely. "I called Hye Sun noona and she told me that Dara cancelled on them. I then tracked Jjangmae who told me that Dara sent him home because Hye Sun noona was on her way to pick her up. She lied to Jjangmae. If she wasn't doing anything shady, why'd she lie to Jjangmae?"

"Hyung.."

"I only called Hye Sun noona after I've been waiting at her place for hours. I kept trying to call her but she turned off her phone." Jiyong continued. "I got worried that something bad happened to her. I know my Dara. She knows I worry when I don't hear from her. She.." He gave a disparaging laugh. "She was with him. Hell, maybe she still is. Dispatch said that he dropped her off at her place but I was right there and they never came to her door. After reading that damn article I stayed there for a bit until I just couldn't stay. I needed.. I needed to breathe. I was suffocating in that place. That place I filled with all those goddamned flowers and balloons for her. Only to find out that she's with him."

Seungri was torn between his need to defend his beloved noona and his need to support his hyung. He knows deep in his heart that Jiyong knows that Dara isn't capable of such duplicity. But right now, that knowledge must be buried so deep beneath this so-called evidence from Dispatch. All he can do is be there for them and help them get through this.

Finally decided, Seungri clapped his hands. "Alright. So what will it be? Should we go the depressing romantic movies and ice cream route or should we get drunk out of our minds? Do you want me to call the hyungs? If we're doing the movies, let's just keep that between us, okay? Daesung hyung and TOP hyung are never going to let us live that down if they see us crying over some drama."

"I really don't want to cry right now." Jiyong said after a while.

"Rip-roaring drunk it is!" Seungri stood up and started to go out of the room. "Thankfully, I've just re-stocked my bar..."

As Seungri started to babble, Jiyong finally sat up. He gave Seungri a small, almost non-existent, smile. "Thanks, maknae."

Seungri acknowledge his gratitude with a nod. "Just come out when you're ready. I'll have all my best booze laid out. I'll have to order some food though.." 

Jiyong watched him leave still babbling about everything and nothing. Left alone, Jiyong leaned his head against the wall and wondered what the hell is he going to do next.
 

___________________________________________

Nooa, Jyong hyug is wit my hous but wi realllllllllllllly drubk so mayb cant talk ryt now 

That was the text Dara received from Seungri. Within seconds she was driving to his house anxiously. She got there in record time and headed straight for Seungri's door. Entering his passcode, she opened the door and searched for them. She found Seungri sprawled on the couch, sleeping. His mouth was open and he had his phone on one hand and a half-eaten pizza slice on the other. 

He must have fallen asleep after he sent her the text. Dara crouched in front of his and gently pried the phone and pizza from his hands. She placed the phone on the coffee table and the pizza on one of the pizza boxes scattered in the living room. She grabbed a paper towel and wiped the grease off his hands. Doing the same for herself, she studied the living room.

It was a mess of empty alcohol bottles, take-out boxes and chips. Pizza boxes, jjajangmyeon containers, dumplings, pad thai and several other kinds of food were spread out in the living room. She turned away from the mess and searched for Jiyong. Not finding him in the other rooms, she returned to the living room. Seeing that the sunlight was bothering Seungri by the way his hands kept flailing as if battling the light, she turned to close the curtains only to find the person she's been looking for seated on the floor, with his back against the couch where Seungri was lying on staring out the glass door that lead to the balcony.

She dropped to her knees beside him. "Jiyong.. I'm so sorry.. It wasn't.. It isn't anything like Dispatch claims.. I love you.." 

Jiyong just kept staring out the window, not even acknowledging her. Dara could smell the alcohol emanating from Jiyong, providing the unneeded confirmation that Seungri was not alone on his drinking binge.

"Baby.." Dara put her hands on his face and gently urged him to look at her. He didn't fight her, but his gaze remained vacant. "I love you. You know I love you. I'm so sorry I forgot about our date. I'm so sorry for not texting or calling..  I was just so exhausted.."

Something flickered in Jiyong's bloodshot eyes. Turning to Dara with a hard expression, he asked her. "Didja him? Did he make you forget all about me?" Dara reared back as if he slapped her. His words cutting her deeper than she ever thought possible. "Well? Was it worth it?"

Tears streaming down her face, she took a deep breath. "I guess I deserved that.."

Jiyong snorted and turned his face back towards the window.

"Jiyong.. Everything happened so suddenly, I wasn't -"

"You lied." He stated. "You lied to Jjangmae and you lied to Hye Sun noona and you just flat out forgot about me. Are you telling me you lied to two people you consider friends just in case Kim Jaejoong called and asked you to meet up?"

"I didn't.. I mean, I did.." she stammered.

"Well which is it? Did you lie or did you lie?" Jiyong asked. He never raised his voice but it was practically vibrating with anger.

"I lied to Jjangmae because he wouldn't leave unless he knew that Hye Sun was on her way to pick me up. I lied because he hasn't gotten enough sleep the past two days and I was just planning on waiting for Hye Sun at the restaurant so there was no need for him to stay there too." Dara explained tearfully. She knew that she did so many things wrong but she's not sorry for that lie. "I never lied to Hye Sun. I just told her something came up."

"That was good of you." Jiyong smirked. "Informing your friend that you aren't able to come. I wonder what I did that I didn't even rate an I'm-not-coming text?"

"I didn't expect it to take that long.." Dara whispered. "When I agreed to meet up with him.. He said it wouldn't take long.."

Jiyong sighed. "And we're back to the original question. What the hell is going on, Dara? Are you ing him?"

"Jiyong.." Her eyes once again filled with tears, as she felt disappointment and hurt at his words.

"Don't." Jiyong ordered her sharply. "Don't sit there crying because I'm not being the polite motherer that I try to be because of you. For you."

"I never asked you to -"

"No. You never did. But I wanted to be better for you anyway." He gave a hollow laugh. "Look where that got me? Ditched for a pretty boy."

"Ji.. You know -"

"I don't ing know whatever it is you think I know!" He cut her off, then closed his eyes as he tried to breathe deeply. "I'm too drunk for this." He finally announced. "I want to sleep. Go away."

"I'm not leaving you." She said as she wiped away her tears. "I'll give you space..  Let you sober up.. I'll just.. clean up or something."

"Do whatever you want. You're good at that."

Dara held back a sob at the venom in his words.. "At least let me help you to the bed."

"Nah. Leave me here." He told her. "Might as well be as miserable as I feel." He turned his head away, dismissing her.

Dara sat there for a couple more minutes, wanting to see if he would change his mind about moving to a more comfortable place. She hated the whole conversation they just had but she knows it's her fault. He was driven by anger and hurt. The alcohol didn't help, too. All things considered, she conceded that that was the best she could have hoped for at this point.

Giving him one last longing stare, she sighed and stood up. She started cleaning up the room. She disposed of the empty bottles and boxes of take-away food, washed the dishes and aired out the room so that it didn't smell so much of cigarettes and alcohol. She placed wastebaskets near Seungri and Jiyong, in case they needed to throw up. She also placed bottles of water and painkillers for when they wake up.  All the while, she never noticed that her tears didn't stop running down her face. 

Once she was done, she put some beans in the coffee maker and sat in Seungri's kitchen to wait for them to wake up. She was serious when she told Jiyong she wasn't leaving him. She knew he needed to sober up. She knew that he deserved the space he asked for but there's only so much space she's willing to give him. 

Finally feeling the exhaustion she's held at bay until this point, she leaned her head down on the table and decided to close her eyes for  a moment. At least until the coffee's ready.

______________________________________________

THE DAY BEFORE