They were gathered at Chaerin's penthouse, sitting motionlessly on the peach couch, eyes transfixed on the cake that sat in front of them. It was their 10th anniversary since debut, but the tension in the air was thick, the silence was suffocating. A tear rolled down Bom's cheek as she fidgeted restlessly, playing with her fingers.

 

Get your together woman, you're the eldest, you've got to be stronger than this.

 

She sniffed and hurriedly wiped a forming tear, then sat up, straightening her bangs as she did so. 

 

"I think we should blow the candles soon, it's already 11," she meekly whispered, not quite sure what to do.

 

The other three transferred their gaze to her and she felt a stab through her heart, her breath caught. Their melancholic eyes screamed out to her, the disarrayed hair, the tired eyes, their eventual downcast looks almost made her start tearing too. The scene hit her hard, they weren't quite ready to do it yet too.

 

After all, separation never came easy. And separation with three other people you shared your dreams with for years certainly wasn't. 

 

2NE1, four ladies who took the kpop world by storm upon debut, releasing hit after hit. 10 years had past, and their population had started to decline, the loyal fans - the Blackjacks, they certainly stayed, but it was no use, 2NE1 wasn't attracting newer audiences anymore. New groups debuted, new legends were created, they weren't overtook (no one could) but slowly, they slipped from the billboards that donned the city's skylights, from the poster walls of fans and eventually down the steps of the charts. Even their company weren't giving them the attention they had during debut; more energy, more resources were focused on their juniors who were too, like them riding the hallyu wave selling-out crowd after crowd. They were getting tired of trying to fight for their right to sing, for their right to do what they love. Eventually a question flashed through each of their minds: why the  did even had to fight for that right? So they stopped, one by one.

 

First it was Bom, who previously claimed that she never ever thought of giving up. Then Sandara, who had fought hard to even debut with the three other ladies. And Minzy, the youngest of them all who was probably better off solo with her youth and her hardcore dancing skills. It was Chaerin who stood till the very end, like the true leader she was, till she too gave up because what was 2NE1 without her members? She had stuck with her words: 2NE1 will end when they stop doing something different. Oh they were doing different alright, but it just wasn't different enough anymore. 

 

So despite the fact that they still had a few more years of their renewed contracts with YGE, they summoned a meeting with their boss to nullify their contracts - only to create a new one. However instead of a contract as 2NE1, they were now simply, Park Bom, Sandara Park, Gong Minzy and CL. Each of them having new wishes and dreams for this next chapter of their lives. 

 

Now they sat in their leader's living room, unable to blow the candles of the cake that was to celebrate their 10 years together. Beginning tomorrow, their new contracts would be effective and 2NE1 would remain a legend, a girl group that once was. Each had a heavy heart to inch forward to blow those candles out, because of what that blown candle would bring: darkness, but also a new beginning that each one had to lit on their own. Memories of their time as trainees, to rookies, to powerhouses played like a broken record in each of their minds and it took everything in them not to break out into sobs.

 

Chaerin's hand lightly touched Bom's and Minzy's and for the first time since they arrived at her house that night, their leader spoke, "We began strong with a lit candle on a cake too on our debut remember? ...we should end it the same way too."

 

It was obvious that till the very last second that they were together, their leader was still trying to keep up to her duties - the leader wasn't supposed to cry. But her choked voice and lingering tears betrayed her and a soft sob escaped.

 

All three of them nodded their heads slowly, agreeing but hesitating because, was this really going to be the end of their time together as four? It seemed so...surreal. 

 

Dara looked up and caught Chaerin's eyes, and despite the tears rolling down her cheeks, her lips cured up in a smile, urging the leader on like she had always did.

 

One by one, they linked hands and on the whispered count of "1, 2, 3", they cheered for the very last time:

 

"2NE1, Nolza!"

 

And they blew the candle.

 

In an instant, the flame died and darkness engulfed them whole.

 

They sat there staring as the last wispy strands of smoke died away and took in the warmth of each other's hands and the securities that they brought, that was all going to disappear soon. 

 

Minzy made the first move, at age 25, she was a grown, matured woman yet she was still the maknae of their group. Even so she disallowed herself to cry in front of the very people who had kept their own tears in so that they could be strong for her. And so she collected herself, and asked to be excused to her own apartment where she knew she could bawl to her heart's content without worrying these 3 ladies. 

 

Hugging each of them tightly and leaving sloppy kisses on their cheeks she bowed her head, whispered a thank you and a 'I love you guys' and made her way to the door. Dara then hastily got up and mustered a "Mingkki, I'll send you home" before grabbing her other two members for a good 30 seconds and chasing after Minzy.

 

Bom let out a low, empty chuckle at Dara's antics as she slowly let her lingering tears burst forth and flow freely. She was going to miss the other half of her being by her side. She turned towards the only member that was left, Chaerin who had her head hung low, not wanting to show her tears. Their hands were still clasped together and Bom resorted to simply drawing soothing and comforting circles on Chaerin's hand with her thumb. Her other hand searched blindly on the table in front of them for the switch to the small lamp that was on it. The light wasn't much but it was still better than the ceiling light that had flickered a few times before going dead.

 

Bom turned to look at her leader and her hand made it's way to the younger's face, caressing her cheek affectionately.

 

"You can afford pairs and pairs of shoes yet you can't even bother to change your the light bulb? Now I'm worried for you…you really sure you're taking that Balmain offer dear?" Bom spoke softly, her lips pressed into a thin line.

 

"Unnie…stop, I made up my mind and you of all people know it," Chaerin mumbled.

 

Bom dropped her hands and sighed, "I know, I know. It's just…France seems rather far and a three-year contract is rather long…I'm going to miss you Chae."

 

In that instant, memories of the past months flooded her mind. Chaerin confiding in her an offer from Balmain, a chance to work in the fashion world - her second love after music, to memories of them bringing it up with their boss in regards to adjusting the contract they had written, to Bom repeatedly asking Chaerin if that was what she really wanted, moving away from Korea to start a new life.

 

This time Chaerin took Bom's face in her hands and looked straight into her eyes.

 

"I'm the leader Bom, I am going to be just fine. Besides, I've lived in France before no?" Chaerin replied back shakily, confidence starting to seep from her. She bit her lips to prevent herself from letting out another sob, she had done enough for that night.

 

"I'll miss you," Bom whispered inaudibly again, vulnerability clear in her voice and it dawned upon Chaerin what she was hinting at.

 

It was a few years ago when Bom let it slip that her affections for the younger lady went beyond just fellow bandmates. They made a risky move and got involved for awhile secretly before Chaerin broke it off making it clear that they were to maintain a healthy, professional, platonic relationship with each other for the sake of their band. From then on, the topic had never been brought up, never been broached about. Amidst all their group's happenings, or lack thereof, lately, it was safe to say that the secret was tightly tucked away into a corner of her memory that she never bothered unraveling. Chaerin did love Bom (probably lesser than the latter did for her) but she loved her career too much to want to risk anyone from finding out and potentially destroying themselves. Never has it been spoken of: a secret that never left sealed lips, a wound never reopened - until now.

 

She looked up again into Bom's eyes, and the sadness that lay within those beautiful brown orbs almost broke her whole. She felt her emotions surge through her igniting a spark in the very core of her being - the delicate organ that lay within her chest, her heart; and she erupted almost animalistically, sliding her hands down to clasp them around Bom's neck rough and crashing the elder's body onto hers, lips mashed together in a hardly graceful dance.

 

Bom welcomed those lips whole-heartedly, as drop by drop more tears flowed, her fingers tangling itself in Chaerin's still-blonde locks. Chaerin on Bom's lower lip and caught it with her teeth before drawing back; only to be denied by Bom who pushed the former closer to her, slipping her tongue in. Chaerin let out a soft moan as their tongues brushed against each other and her hands involuntarily tightened her hold around Bom's neck. Leaving the younger's lips Bom trailed kisses on the calloused pad beneath her lower lip, down to her chin and along her jaw leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. Desperation clung to her like an incessant and in an instant her lips were everywhere, Chaerin's lips, her chin, . It felt like she was desperately trying to touch as much of Chaerin as possible before there was no longer anymore to. She kissed, like it had been years since she did so and was that goddamn right because ever since Chaerin broke off things between them those few years ago she never even tried to make her relationships work - which explained why at the age of 35, she still hadn't just settled down yet.

 

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Comments are welcomed ^^ (& greatly appreciated heh).

It'd be nice to have constructive criticism too though; I'm thinking of venturing into more 2NE1 centric fan fics in the future ~ (hopefully I'll be able to manage taking shipping out of the picture)