Author's Note! Okay, I'm 70% sure that one of you is practicing sorcery (not that I'm not thankful, tbh) but I've been stuck in a painful writer's block for almost a week now, unable to create anything, even a prompt in my head! But then, last night, somemthing in me snapped and BOOM! 2k words of update HAHAHA

I've decided not to cut this chapter and just dumped it in one massive update because you guys deserve it <3

Happy reading! And don't forget to tell me what you think of the chapter. :) Comments motivate me to write faster! ^_^

Side note, I do apologize for a rough narration style, I'm still partially in a slump and frankly this whole chapter is just one massive word dump XD un-beta-ed and all that.

As always,

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Jiyong has to pause and take a deep breath. Fortunately, he was more self-aware that he has been running like a madman chasing up an imaginary bunny just as he finished his talk with Youngbae. He looked around the hallway and thanked whoever was overseeing his life.

The hallway was empty. And no one managed to see his manic look earlier.

Think, Jiyong, think. He screamed in his head. He doesn’t know where he got the idea but running around the YG Building won’t really get him what he wanted. He could feel his legs slightly shaking, exhaustion building up in his gut.

He had forgotten how incredibly thin and unhealthy he had become.

Well, that’s what you get when you pin for your bandmate instead of going to the gym. The voice in his head sounded suspiciously like his best friend. Jiyong shrugged at the thought.

“Oh! Hi hyung!” a cheerful voice rattled him out of his nightmare-ish flashback he had in his head.

Jiyong turned around and saw the four newly debuted girl group of his company. Blackpink.

Jennie was the one who greeted him, having been the most comfortable around the living legend of the Kpop Industry (she had worked with him after all, and Jiyong guided her in her trainee days). “How are you hyung?” she politely asked.

Jiyong smiled and greeted back. “I’m fine. How are you?” He asked the other girls as well.

Lisa looked like she’s suppressing a fangirlish scream while Rose was hiding her blush by pretending that it was her first time seeing the floor. Jisoo on the other hand, looked as if she was doing an internal monologue. “Great! We’re actually looking for Seungri-hyung.” Jennie said.

Jiyong had to painful remind himself that no, you cannot hit girls, let alone your dongsaengs, he could feel irritation bubbling inside of him. He knew that in the past year, Seungri had been instrumental with the marketing of Blackpink and worked closely with the group. He also knew that the girls had become a sort of ‘friends’ with the maknae. He has no qualm really, if Seungri gets girl friends, unlike what other people (aka his own bandmates) think. He’s not that possessive.

“Oh, are you now?” he had to force his voice to sound casual, disinterested.

Jennie nodded. Then out of practically no where she pulled out a ticket—a Sechskies Concert Ticket and presented them to Jiyong as if they were gifts and not a bad omen. “We’d love to give him these. As a thanks for helping us,” her smile was sincere and filled with adoration and gratefulness.

Jiyong’s smile hardened, yet he forced it to remain. Though he was smiling, his eyes were glaring towards the piece of paper, burning a hole right through it. Oh, how he wishes he had laser eyes so he could burn that ticket.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give it to him,” he said, instead. His posture remained pleasant, and for good measure he pulled out his most charming and sincere smile. Everything in him screams trust me. (except of course, his eyes, which just screams I’ll burn this ticket the first chance I get).

Thank Heavens for Jennie’s obliviousness and trusting nature towards the older idol. She handed the ticket immediately to Jiyong and bowed. “Thank you!”

Jiyong looked at the other three and saw how they warily look at him then to the ticket, as if they knew what he was really planning to do with it.

He silenced them with his most frightening glare. Say one word and you’ll wish you never auditioned in this company.

Which, of course, worked. Lisa, Rose and Jisoo all scrambled away, pulling Jennie back, mumbling about doing some finishing practice. “Eh? But we’re done?” he could hear Jennie’s confused question, fainting into the background as the three hurried to pull Jennie away from the raging dragon. “I need to practice again!” Lisa all but screamed, her voice cracking at the end.

Jiyong’s smile immediately turned into a frown as he saw the girls disappeared at the end of the hall. He immediately took the ticket and tore it into pieces. He smirked like a villain who just bested the hero.

When he turned around, he was surprised to see their makeup artist looking at him with fear in her eyes.

“What?” his voice was filled with venom.

The woman yelped. “Nothing!” she screamed.

Jiyong glared at him. “Not a word to anyone. Okay?” he threatened, looming over the petite woman.

The woman rapidly nodded her head. “Yes! Zip! No words!” she screamed frantically, feeling like a soon-to-be victim of a murder.

Jiyong nodded. He was about to dismiss the woman, but figured he might as well ask, “Do you know where Seungri is?”

The woman gaped at him.

Jiyong glared.

The woman closed her eyes and pointed at the other end of the hall, “He’s with a meeting, sir!” she answered hurriedly, like a soldier reporting to a general.

Jiyong nodded. “Okay.”

The woman nodded. She peeked at the man, before running like she’s being chased by a murderer.

Jiyong shrugged and went to the direction she pointed at. He placed his hand on his pocket and gripped the neatly folded tickets in it. He’s so close. Yet as he walked closer to the place, he found himself doubting again. What if Seungri said no? What if he already had a date with someone? How will he react? How should he react?

He could already feel his eyes burning with tears at the thought of his beloved going out with someone else. Or worse, falling for someone else. How could he take that? How could he live with that?

No.

It’s time he stopped being a coward. It was beyond his control. He couldn’t control Seungri’s decisions. And—he swallowed back a sob—and if Seungri does decide to go out with someone else, then Jiyong….

Jiyong would have to respect that.

And learn to live with his regrets.

I hope I’m not too late.

His mind was already made. He’ll wait for Seungri till he finishes the meeting. And then he’ll ask. And he’ll accept