Chapter five: Her tears....

Dara.

With a frown plastered on my face, I am currently sprawled on my bed and seemly engrossed in my own thoughts. I'm pretty sure you all know who I am currently thinking about, yes you caught me red-handed, it's Jiyong. I can't seem to stop worrying about him lately. He's having a hard time and as his best friend, despite what had might other might say or think, I care about him, more than he knows.

I reach for my phone, which was currently placed on my bedside table. Upon opening it, I saw a text message from Jiyong. I couldn't help but frown but I decided to brush the uneasy feeling and just focus on the fact the Jiyong had sent me a message. Without even wasting time, I opened it and a huge smile started to form on my lips.

"I'm sorry for making you cry, Dee. You know it is never my intention to hurt you but things just have been so crazy lately. I guess, what I'm trying to say here is that I miss you as well and I really hope we can go back to how we used to be."

- Ji, you're number one supporter.

I couldn't help but tear up. Tears just keep on falling and I can't seem to stop them. Dee, it feels like forever since the last time I heard that name. Using the back of my hand to wipe my eyes, I grip my phone tightly against my chest. Looking around, slightly dazed, I suddenly find myself looking at the photo-wall I've made where I hanged the pictures that I have particularly taken over the years. My gaze was caught by one particular photo and it was a picture of me and Jiyong hanging on the rooftop of the old YG building.

It was one of my favorites, to be honest. I remembered how I much I begged him to take that darn selfie. He was firm at first but ended up doing it anyway. I looked at the picture, observing it more likely. We were so young back then, so innocent, so carefree. We were just a couple of young adults who were trying to make our dreams come true. Right at that moment, it was just me and Jiyong. It was just us against the world.

***

Seunghyun

The gloomy face of Jiyong greeted me when he entered the studio. The man looked like he just bungee jumped from the company's highest floor, which is ironically the president's office, without any harness or a security rope. As much as I hate to agree with Dara, Jiyong is indeed in a pickle right now and me being a total jackass towards him is just a low blow.

"Hey man, what up?" I decided to ask. It was hard preventing myself not to bring up the whole thing with Dara.

Jiyong takes a seat beside me and lets out a heavy sigh. He keeps his gaze on the table and held his hand tightly on his lap. "Seunghyun. You... I... You know that I wouldn't even consider asking you this if I had a choice. But... You know that I don't." He started. His gesture remained the same, although his gazes are slowly making its way towards me. "First of all, I want you to know that I wouldn't do anything to hurt you or Dara. You guys are both so special to me and I would never do anything that would jeopardize our friendship." Jiyong's gaze and the tone of his voice exude seriousness and I couldn't help but feel nervous.

My palms are sweaty and my throat suddenly feels dry. I look at him and nodded, gesturing him that I am still with him and that he can continue. "...The president wants Dara to pose as my girlfriend to cover the fact that I am currently involved with Kiko." And that's when Jiyong drops the bomb.

I look at him in disbelief. How the hell can the President ever come up with this kind of solution? How is this even going to solve anything? I'm speechless. My gaze flies towards Jiyong, I opened my mouth but I can't seem to talk. Or maybe it's because I don't know what to do or what to say. This is simply absurd.

"Ji, what you just said... It... It doesn't make any sense. What? Why?" I asked, still confuse.

"I know that this is a lot to take but, you need to understand the situation. Seunghyun, this is the only way we can protect them." He muttered. Although his words didn't exactly come out as comforting, which made me even more irritated.

"Protect them? You probably mean protect Kiko, right? Because there is no way in hell that Dara is on the winning side here. You're just exposing her to harm Ji, which is why it's confusing me because you just told me that you wouldn't do anything that could harm her?" I growled in anger. Does he really think that this is a way out? This is just low.

No. I'm being selfish, yes, but I don't care. We're talking about Dara here. She's my life. How can I let them put her in that kind of situation? What kind of boyfriend am I to let something that awful happen?

"Seunghyun, hear me out, please. Just listen to what I have to say." Jiyong pleaded.

I sighed. "Fine... I'll hear you out"

"They like Dara. Our fans and the public know about us being friends and they've accepted that. Think about it this way, If the public sees you together they wouldn't think about it too much because they would just think about of you guys of being friends. Don't you see? I'm giving you the freedom, I'm paving a way for you and Dara." He explained.

Freedom. The word left a nice tone in my ears. It is a