Chapter Two

 

3 months after

Din Tai Fung, Taipei 101 Bldg.

 

 

“So... I’m thinking of quitting my job.” Dara blurted out over dinner.

 

 

Bom put down her chopsticks and stared at her bff for a moment.

 

 

“Did I hear it right?” she asked Dara.

 

 

Dara smiled and nodded.

 

 

“Well I think I’m having what you call it burn out. And I feel like I want to do something else.”

 

 

Bom sighed.

 

 

She knew it wasn’t because of the burn out.

 

 

For the past months her best friend has been removing every single bit of memory she has of Jaejoong.

 

 

Just two weeks ago she had a complete overhaul of her closet. Just cause most of her clothes reminds her of him.

 

 

She bought a new apartment and had her old one up for rent.

 

 

Last week airline tickets went on sale and she was on a buying spree until Bom begged her to stop.

 

 

She’s still hurting. Bom thought to herself.

 

 

The other night Bom woke up in the middle of the night with Dara crying while slumped at the bathroom floor.

 

 

“Sorry I’m late.” Dongwook apologised as he gave both Dara and Bom a peck on the cheek before seating down. “Client wouldn’t let me go until I told her I’m meeting my gf.”

 

 

“Oh goodness one of your overly obsessive clients.” Dara rolled her eyes out of disgust. “Well it’s Bom’s turn to be your gf.”

 

 

Dongwook smiled at Bommie pleadingly. “So, what did I miss?”

 

 

“Well Dara’s quitting her corporate job.” Bommie reported.

 

 

Dongwook paused for a minute and stared from Bom to Dara. “Sincha?”

 

 

Both of the girls nodded.

 

 

“Weh?”

 

 

“For a change?” Dara answered.

 

 

Dongwook leaned against the back of the chair and contemplated on what he just heard.

 

 

“What about the restaurant?”

 

 

“The restaurant would still stay. Just my day job I want to quit from.”

 

 

Dongwook and Dara worked out the problem with the loan shark and the restaurant. It’s now going smoothly and in a few more months they might get what they invested back.

 

 

“I don’t know. Right now I just want to do a lot of things. I want to travel. I want another business. I want to go to the beach. My brain is filled with scattered ideas.” Dara explained.

 

 

Bom and Dongwook just listened to their friend but both know it all boils down to Dara getting rid of whatever memory she has of Jaejoong.

 

 

“What other business do you want to do?” Dongwook asked as he munched on a Xiao Long Bao.

 

 

“Hmm. Well first I thought of something about fashion. But I’m not THAT fully informed about how to sew a dress so maybe that’s too much. I’m thinking about outsourcing Korean make-up since KGlam is actually a trend nowadays. I’m also thinking about being a Public relations or stylist or something.” Dara explained.

“See? It’s a mess inside my head.”

 

 

“You got that right. KGlam is far from being a programmer.”Bom agreed.

 

 

“I know.” Dara said sounding a bit frustrated.

 

 

The three of them continued to munch on their dimsum when Dongwook suddenly announced something.

 

 

“I’ll fund you.”

 

 

Two pairs of eyes stared at Dongwook in disbelief.

 

 

“What?”

 

 

“Did you just say you’re going to fund me?” Dara blinked twice not believing her best friend.

 

 

“Yep. I’ll fund you. May it be the make-up thing or the videographer or PR agency I’d fund you.” Dongwook

said nonchalantly.

 

 

“Seriously?” Bom asked again.

 

 

Dongwook nodded as he wiped his mouth with the table napkin.

 

 

The two girls continued to stare at him.

 

 

“AH WEH?” he asked getting bothered.

 

 

“This is not a drunk convo is it?”Dara confirmed.

 

 

Dongwook rolled his eyes feeling insulted that his best friends are doubting his offer.

 

 

“Do you want me to invest or not?”

 

 

“I WANT!” Dara exclaimed earning a few stares from the people near their table.

 

 

“Then. It’s settled. You and Bom are quitting your corporate jobs and will start on this new venture.” Dongwook suggested.

 

 

“Wait a minute! Why am I quitting my day job?” Bom complained.

 

 

“Well we need to focus on this one.” Dongwook answered.

 

 

“How come you’re not quitting yours?” Bom insisted.

 

 

“Well how am I going to fund you guys if we’re all jobless?” Dongwook raised his eyebrows at her.

 

 

Dara was silent while her two friends continued to bicker on why Bom had to quit her job that they didn’t

notice she was already crying.

 

 

“Dongwook-ah” Dara felt a lump on as she tries her best to stop crying.

 

 

The two stopped and stared at their friend whose face is now filled with flowing tears.

 

 

“Yah! What’s wrong with you?” Bom wondered what’s wrong now.

 

 

“Kamsa... I mean... Thanks... I... I” Dara wasn’t able to finish what she wanted to say.

 

 

Instead she started bawling making the people from other tables to look at the three of them.

 

 

“Yah! Don’t be so loud. People are staring.” Dongwook whispered as he reached out his hand to comfort Dara.

 

 

But Dara was filled with emotions and it all wanted to go out now, she couldn’t stop from sobbing. The three of them have been friends for so long and though they were completely against Dara and Jaejoong’s relationship at first, her friends were always the first people there whenever Jaejoong decides to dump her.

 

 

 

 

--

 

After 4 months…

 

 

It was like a whirlwind for Dara and her team.

 

As soon as they got back from Taiwan she and Bom quit their jobs and started their plan.

 

Their first ever client was a known gangster referred to them by a friend. Of course, Dara didn’t want at first but because of the hefty amount they were willing to pay and because of the connections the person had Dara finally agreed.

 

A month after handling PSY, not to mention succeeding in making a 360 degree turn on his image in a span of 4 weeks, their PR agency has become a household name overnight.

 

It has been going too well that they had to hire other staff to help. Dara asked one of their friends, Chaerin to join them and she hired their team assistant Hayi. Too many clients have been trying to get them which lead them to today’s meeting with bigshot conglomerate chairman Yang.

 

Dara, Bom, Chaerin and Hayi waited at the top floor of YG Tower. They watched as people in sharp suits walk in and out the conference rooms.

 

A tall, slender woman in a white suit approaches them.

 

“Ms. Park?”

 

“Yes.” Dara nodded, standing up.

 

“The sajangnim will be arriving, follow me.”

 

The girls stood up and followed the woman in a conference room.

 

“The sajangnim will be joining you in a short while.” The woman bowed her head and left.

 

Across their room was another conference room with people having a meeting. The girls watched as they debate over the topic amongst each other.

 

“You see? Everything is organized here why would a corporation older than us need us?!” Chaerin told them.

 

“Then it must really be the new generation.” Bom sighed.

 

Dara was about to say something when the door opened revealing two suited man and Chairman Yang behind them.

 

“Good morning.” The chairman greeted. The girls stood up and bowed while the chairman waved his hand.

 

“Please, please take your seats. I would like you to meet our Operations Director Jinu, and our Social Welfare Director Sean.”  The chairman said introducing the men seated at his right side.

 

The door opens again with a man in an office jacket and jeans came stumbling in.

 

“Alright! Alright! I’m going in!” the man uttered.

 

He was then followed by four other guys. All were in jeans, white shirt and a black office jacket.

“Ah well! I’m glad the cast is complete!” the chairman smiled. “Meet my five boys Ms. Park.”

 

“Anneong.” The first man who came in greeted and winked at them.

 

“Yes. This is little Seunghyun. The maknae among them.”YG introduced.

 

“Seriously pops, you have gotta stop calling me that!” the man frowned but immediately turned to the girls and smiled. “You can just call me Seungri.”

 

The girls looked from Seungri to the chairman, not really knowing how to react to what he is doing.

 

“Yes. Careful with that one, he has no boundaries.” YG explained and then continued to introduce the others. “This is Daesung, Yongbae, the tall one with the glasses is Big Seunghyun and last but not the least Jiyong.”

 

Dara looked at the boys one by one as they were being introduced. Anxious. Bored. Has a black eye. Drunk and of course Seungri, and his raging hormones.

 

“Pops, what makes you think it will work this time?” the man named Yongbae asked.

 

“I don’t. But I have to try and try to make sure that you get everything that’s supposed to be yours.” YG answered.

 

He then shifted his gaze to Dara.

 

“Now, Miss Park, what do you think? How big is the damage?”

 

“Well I cannot promise anything but what I can promise you is on our next sit down, one won’t be drunk, and one won’t have a bruise on his eye.” Dara answered catching the men’s attention with the details she just revealed.

 

Jinu stood up and removed Big Seunghyun’s glasses. When they saw the large bruise in his eyes everyone turned and looked at Dara. “How did you?”

 

“Wow, either you had us stalked or you’re pretty damn observant.” Seungri told her.

 

“Being observant is part of my job Seungri-ssi.” Dara replied to him as she input data on her tablet.

 

“Now I don’t know if you’ve heard but my sons here, are not really a public favorite. That’s why I want you to groom them, promote them and build them good reputations. Good enough that nothing can stop me from announcing them as my new heirs.”

 

“Good enough to erase the past?” Yongbae raised an eyebrow and looked at his uncle.

 

“Good enough to stabilize your future.” Jinu interjected.