“Thanks for letting me stay the night….”

“Don’t thank me, thank Jiyong. I woulda sent you home with Minsu, but Jiyong thought it would be safer to air out your anger here.” Destynee said sliding the omelette out of the pan.

“Well isn’t he considerate. Where is he anyway?” Devan asked cutting into her omelette.

“I think I heard the shower not to long ago.” Destynee said pooping more eggs into the pan.

“So what’s it like living with him.”

“It’s okay I guess. I don’t really see him since I go straight to my room.”

“So you guys don’t spend anytime together?”

“Not unless we have too. When I first started staying here, he was partying. Cans and trash all over the place, not to mention he’d whoever. So I just stayed locked in my room and put in my earbuds to block out the noise. After the whole ‘I’m pregnant incident’ , I told him to stay away from me. That’s as far as this ‘relationship’ is going.”

“You guys can’t just keep avoiding each other! You guys still have what 9 more months?”

“Is it 9? Honestly I don’t even count, it doesn’t do me any good.”

“That’s no good either! Obviously I’m not fond of the guy but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourselves until the deals up.”

“You. What are you thinking?” Destynee asked pointing the spatula at Devan.

“Is it safe to enter?” Jiyong asked from the entrance of the kitchen.

“Of course. It’s only rubber. Don’t tell me you're afraid of a little rubber?” Devan laughed.

“She’s lively today.” Jiyong whispered to Destynee as he made his way to the refrigerator for water.

“She always lively where food is concerned.”

“Hey! It’s not all the time you get real food. I love instant noodles, but nothing beats home cooked food.” Devan spoke, shoving a piece of fruit in .

“Is it really that hard being a fellow these days?” Jiyong asked taking a seat beside Devan.

“We’re just really busy is all. Prepackaged food or instant noodles are the most convenient to eat in between studying and doing rounds or being in a lecture.”

“You remind me of my trainee days. I spent majority of my time in the studio. I wanted to prove that I could write a hit, that I could help my team to the top, that the hard work we had all been putting it would actually pay off. Real food turned g into processed, processed turned into snacks, and eventually snacks turned into nothing at. I barely drank water because in my mind it was just a distraction and taking time away from producing.”

“That’s really dangerous! You could have died from doing that!” Destynee scolded Jiyong as she placed a plate of food in front him.

“I know. That’s why I’m saying this, I don’t want you to end up like I did. Take a break at times, reflect on how far you’ve come and make sure what you're doing is really for the right reasons. Eating a good meal won’t kill you.” Jiyong spoke before digging into his food.

“I didn’t know you went through y’all that.” Destynee said quietly.

“I promise I’ll eat better.” Devan spoke putting more fruit on her plate.

“Good! I’d hate to see you laying in a hospital bed because you didn’t eat. Don’t think I won’t come and check up on you.”

“You're going to come check on me?”

“Yeah. Destynee would be sad if you ended up in the hospital, so I should do what I can to prevent that from happening.” Jiyong said casually, still eating his food.

Destynee and Devan just stared at each other.

“I’m going to go take this….” Devan said picking up her phone and walking out the kitchen.

“You don’t have to do that. She’s not really your concern.”

“But your my concern, so that makes hers as well.”

“It’s really not necessary.”

“Since you're staying here, it is necessary. Also I got a picture of the guy leaving with the girl last night. Just thought you should know.”

“Should know what?” Devan asked as she returned to the kitchen.

“He got a picture of douche last night.”

“Send it to me.”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” Destynee after receiving a cautious look from Jiyong.

“I’m not gonna peak it or anything. I’m just gonna talk to Lennox, that’s all. We may not be on the best of terms right now but she still deserves to know.”

“Do you want me to come along?” Destynee offered.

“No, I’ll do it next week and you’ll be busy with work.”

“Why not do it today while it’s still fresh?” Jiyong asked.

“Because I don’t want my anger to take over. We don’t see eye to eye when it comes to him and if I say the wrong thing that would just push her closer to him. Plus I want to give him time to lie his off, not to mention that we now have plans today.”

“We have plans?” Destynee asked, raising her eyebrow.

“I mean I’ll just go to climb a mountain just me and Ten then…”

“Excuse me?” Jiyong and Destynee spoke as Devan left the kitchen again.

 

 

“For the last time, no. Take it back to wherever you got it because it’s not staying here.”

“Come on Len, it's way to cute to send back. You haven’t even considered keep it.”

“Jay, do you hear yourself? It being cute is not a reason to keep it. Would you keep a dog just because it’s cute?” Lennox asked, crossing her arms.

“Then look at Phi. See how happy she is playing with it. And he isn’t even that big.” Jay pointed out as Lennox watched Phoenix give the dog a treat.

 

 

“Don’t you think it’s too big? She’s 5, why not start her off with a newborn puppy.”

“She’s happy with this dog.”

“Dog’s are dangerous Jay.”

“Working at a bar at night is dangerous too.”

“You aren’t going to flip this on me.”

“But it’s true. You working nights is just as dangerous as a dog.”

“The difference being that I can handle myself, she depends on us Jay. I work night to support my daughter like a mother should. A dog? Did you even think that through? You’re barely here and I hate dogs. Find it a home somewhere else because it’s not staying here and that’s final.” Lennox spoke before grabbing Phoenix away from the dog and taking her inside.

“Mommy, dog.” Phoenix spoke as Lennox sat her down in her high chair.

“Yes sweetie, dog.”

Lennox placed some cut fruit on the tray of the high chair before she opened up her laptop.

“Babe…”

“What now Jay? I have work to get done.”

“I’m sorry I made you upset. I should have asked you about the dog first. I just thought it would be nice for her to have another companion. It’s not like you and I can play with her forever and neither of us are close to anyone else with kids for her to hang out with.”

“No I’m sorry.” Lennox sighed. “I over reacted. A dog would be a nice change for her, but this is your responsibility Jay. I want nothing to do with that dog, so you better make sure my baby is safe.”

“Our baby. And her safety is my number one concern, along with yours. So I need you to do something to make sure we’re all safe.”

“And what might that be?” Lennox asked raising her eyebrow.

“I just need you to sign some papers. They basically just say that you won’t disclose anything unauthorized about the company online or talk about it outside the company with people not in relation to the company.”

“Sure. That sounds reasonable.”

“Thanks.” Jay said before kissing Lennox on the lips, earning a giggle from Phoenix. “We’re updating the papers for everyone so as soon as they’re ready I’ll bring them home for you.” Jay said as he picked up Phoenix. “Why don’t we go visit uncle Woo, hm? Mommy has work to to get done.”Jay asked Phoenix, who nodded her head and jumped out her father's arms to get her jacket.

“Don’t work too hard.” Jay said as he left the kitchen.

“Take the dog.”

“Yeah yeah.” Jay said waving his hand in the air as he put the dog on a leash and left out the door with Phoenix.

‘Guess I’ll read these files….’ Lennox thought to herself as she pulled up the boy's documents.

 

 

“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before. It’s so beautiful.” Devan spoke breathing in the fresh air.

“I’m glad you like it here. I figured you could use a change of scenery.”

“Yeah. Definitely.”

“Well I’m glad I could give you a positive change. Hopefully I can give you more positive changes.”

“I’d say you and Mark definitely are. Lantern festivals with Mark, beautiful trail to walk. I don’t know what I did to deserve such sincerity from you guys.”

“You were just you. No one would have given a guy like me a second chance to be friends, and that’s exactly why you deserve it. The kind always comes out on top.”

“Not always.” Devan said as she stopped in place, raising her head to the sky as she closed her eyes.

“Death has no kindness and the good always die young.”

“Devan…” Ten whispered as he turned his head in time to catch Devan while away the few tears she let out.

“Sorry… we should keep going. We’ve been away for a while and I don’t know how long Destynee and Jiyong will get along for.” Devan spoke as she started walking the path again.

Ten stared at Devan walking away.

‘Death has no kindness? The good die young? What’s going on in that head of hers.’ Ten thought to himself before he felt his hand being pulled.

“Are you planning to stand there all day?”

“Would you have held my hand otherwise?” Ten asked playfully.

“Is that what you wanted? For me to hold your hand?”

“Of course!”

“Hold your own hand then.” Devan laughed as she sprinted down the path.

“Hey!” Ten yelled as he chased after Devan.

Ten easily caught up to Devan and linked his hand with hers.

“It’s cold, I’d hate for you to catch a cold.” Ten said as looked out to the water.

“My hand will be the healthiest part of my body then.” Devan laughed, swing their intertwined hands back and forth.

 

 

“You sure it’s okay for them to be together this long?” Jiyong asked, looking for Devan and Ten.

“She’s fine. She needs more people her age to hang around, maybe a boyfriend.”

“She definitely can’t date him.”

“Why not?” Destynee asked, her eyes still on her sketchbook.

“He’s a young man. They all have one thing on there mind at his age.”

“So you're saying he’ll turn out to be like you?” Destynee said raising her eyebrow as she put her pencil down.

“I see you still hold a grudge….” Jiyong sighed as he stretched his legs.

“Sorry….first impressions are hard to get over….. I really didn’t mean it the way it came off….” Destynee said quietly, she really hadn’t meant it in a bad way but she knew she shouldn’t have said it in the first place with their ‘relationship’ being so rocky.

“It came out nice. You got that just by looking around.” Jiyong spoke in awe, looking at Destynee’s sketch.

“Y-yeah.”

“Wow! If looking at a pile of yellow leaves got you this I can only imagine what you created for the 2ne1 farewell video.”

“Ahh…. it was the girls really…. I just drew their ideas.” Destynee said pushing a piece of her hair back.

“Still, taking the ideas and transforming it to their liking. I don’t think the industry is ready for such raw talent.”

“Cut it out. You’ve only seen one sketch, you wouldn’t say that if you saw the 50 something books of sketches I have.”

“I’ve seen more. The ones from Paris were beautiful. And before you ask how I saw them, no I did not go in your room. I saw them while you were sleep on the plane.”

“Oh…”

Destynee grabbed her sketchbook from Jiyong and placed it in her bag

“Do you think we can be friends?”

“We are friends Jiyong.”

“Real friends. I don’t want this weird eggshell relationship. I know this is still an agreement but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the 9 months we have left together, although I hope we can still be friends after this all ends.”

“You know I’d like that. I really wanna lay on the couch with a face mask and watch dramas all day.” Destynee laughed with Jiyong.

“Maybe I can join you?”

“It’s going on my ig if you do.”

“Guess I’ll have to wear my onesie then.”

“You do not have a onesie?”

“Blue with bears on it.” Jiyong laughed along with Destynee.

“Glad you two are still in one piece.” Ten spoke as he and Devan stopped before Destynee and Jiyong.

“You can say we’ve had some friendship bonding.”

“Great, would you mind bonding over food? A girls feeling famished.”

“We ate before we left.” Jiyong said thoughtfully.

“Yeah, but I exercised. Plus you said you’d make sure I get fed. I have to go back to the hospital tomorrow so I should eat all I can today. You’ll feed me, right hyung?” Devan pouted, removing her hand from Ten’s and locking arms with Jiyong.

“Hyung?”

“She must be really hungry to be calling you hyung.” Destynee laughed as she stood up. “Let’s go,I’ll buy.”

“No way! I’ll buy!”

“It’s fine,I’ll buy. Besides I’m the one who asked you all out.”

“I don’t care who buys, as long as we get food soon. I’m wasting away over here.” Devan smiled as she let go of Jiyong’s arm and started off down the path.

“Hey! Quit leaving me.” Ten yelled as he walked behind Devan.

“You sure you still approve of them being together?” Jiyong asked as he a Destynee began walking.

“Yeah, he’ll bring out the real Devan. I just hope he can accept the real Devan…..”

 

 

A/N: Hey guy! it's been awhile. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter because i have no idea where i was going with this, probably just setting things up for future chapters.....anyway i wanted to make sure i got a chapter out for you guys since the holidays are coming up and i dont know if ill be able to post again even thought this is like the beginning of the month, but im going to try for one more chapter so fingers crossed. Big shout out to kpoplover94328 and ssza9876 for subbing, means so much to me! Big hugs and kisses from me to you all!

As always stay lovely, and have a happy holiday season!