2NE1 is preparing for their stage performance for Falling in Love and the crew just came in to inform the girls that Noh Hong Chul will be coming to their room to have an interview with them. Dara is watching Chaerin from across the room. As usual, the leader is going to each of the members to check if they needed anything, giving them vitamins, teasing and laughing but Dara couldn’t help notice the sadness in her eyes when Minzy or Bom ask about Jiyong.

“Unnie, I see you rarely hangout with Jiyong oppa these few weeks. Even when we went to Shanghai, you didn’t meet up with him. It’s weird” the maknae sit beside her.

“He’s busy with his new album” she smile but honestly, Minzy's word making her feel sour. She doesn’t know his condition right now. She doesn’t even know if they are even together now.

“I can’t remember a day he’s not pestering you unnie, it’s just......weird” Minzy continues without realizing her words is starting to make Chaerin uncomfortable.

“Yah, maknae. We don’t love like normal people, so cut it!” Dara said, cutting Minzy off. Minzy was startled by Dara’s reaction and look at her. Dara shakes her head signalling her to stop and Minzy realized that Chaerin have become quiet.

“Sorry~ was just asking” Minzy wrap her arm around Chaerin’s waist.

“Aigoo~~~ it’s okay” she pat Minzy’s cheek and move away to sit in front of the dressing table.

“What happened?” Bom mouthed to Dara but she just motion to them to ignore it.

Bom and Minzy look at each other and start making conversation pretending to not notice the change in Chaerin’s behaviour. Dara on the other hand watch as Chaerin keep quiet with her phone in her hand. She knows, the only way Chaerin can have updates about Jiyong is by going through his pictures in instagram. It’s pathetic, Chaerin knows, but that is the only way she can feel connected to Jiyong.

Dara is watching her with a heavy heart. So far, Youngbae and her have called almost everyone they know in Japan and not a single person knows who that Haejin is but she is not going to give up. That is just the beginning of it and they will get together tonight to make calls again.

*knock *knock

“I’m sorry to disturb, but Mr. Noh is here” a crew opens the door and behind him is Noh Hong Chul. All of them stands up and starts greeting him. Automatically, Chaerin shut off her feelings and act professionally. The interview starts and it was conducted well by the girls. Dara is happy that the session can lift up Chaerin’s mood slightly, nothing can go wrong when you have a comedian in the room and after the interview finished, they went to the backstage and be prepared for their performance. They passed a lot of juniors and greet each other. Chaerin is helping Minzy with her ear piece when suddenly Minzy nudge her and eyed someone at her back. Chaerin frowns but turns around to see what Minzy is eyeing on.

“Oh….you guys” Chaerin smile and Kris with s is bowing politely towards them. Other singers are looking at their interaction and are whispering with each other.

“Hey~” Kris and Chaerin are now talking with each other while the rest are doing the same. Bom is teasing the other members about the party joined by Minzy, while Dara are paying attention towards Chaerin and Kris. She noticed that everytime Kris is near to Chaerin he will not stop smiling and always gives her a look similar to Jiyong’s gaze towards Chaerin. ‘this can’t be good’ Dara thought to herself.

“Hey, are you avoiding me?” Kris says slowly to Chaerin.

“What? Why would you say that?”

“Since you rarely reply to my text…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me… you only texted me like 3 times since the last time we met” Chaerin rolls her eyes towards Kris.

“Yeah and you replied me once with a ‘k’” he rolls his eyes back to Chaerin.

“What?? I always do that. ‘k’ is my thing. I’m not a person who love texting, you should text Dara unnie, she looooovvvvveeeeess to text” she chuckles.

“I would’ve long ago if I want to text with her” he said and give her a meaningful look. Chaerin just look at him trying to understand what he was trying to say.

‘Oh darn… that look again!’ Dara was eavesdropping to their conversation and she doesn’t like where it is going.

“Chaerin-ah, Bommie, Mingkki…. We’re up in aminute!! Sorry boys, but we have to have our ‘nolza’ moment before we go on stage, we’ll catch up later?” Dara drag Chaerin from Kris and move closer to the stage to get ready. Upon seeing that, Bom and Minzy hurriedly follow them without saying proper goodbyes and the boys wave at them.

“Dara-yah!! What’s with the rush, it’s kind of rude you know..” Bom cross her arms trying to protest.

“Aigoo~ we need to be prepare for the stage~” she said and Chaerin clueless about Dara’s attention and just move on with the show.

“Unnie, going somewhere?” Chaerin ask Dara who just passed in front of her bedroom preparing to leave their apartment. She’s been coming to their dorm quite frequently now because sometimes the loneliness is unbearable to her and being with them always makes her feel content.

“Oh, why?” she was about to go out when she heard Chaerin calling her. She lean on the door and one look at Chaerin, she can tell that she needs companion.

“Oh, nothing… have fun!” she smile at Dara.

“Talk to me…” Dara said and make herself comfortable beside Chaerin who is on her bed.

“It’s okay, I was just asking where you’re going” she don’t want to be the reason for her to cancel whatever she has right now.

“Come on wifey~ you know you can share anything with me”

Chaerin turn her gaze to Dara and lay on her back. Dara followed her bestfriend and lay beside her.

“Unnie..”

“Mmmm….”

“Should I give it up?” she said and blink her eyes repeatedly because she can feel her eyes getting hot.

“What are you saying Chae…” Dara sits up and look at Chaerin who is staring at the ceiling.

“By now.. I should’ve given up right? It’s crystal clear that he’s not into me anymore” she’s controlling her tears, she doesn’t want Dara to look at her pathetic self.

“Don’t give up Chae, there must be an explanation to this whole thing” Dara hold her hand to assure her. She knows Chaerin is hurting and it’s only a matter of time that she will crumble and break.

Chaerin turn to her bestfriend and frown. Usually, she will be emotional about it and say something like ‘yes! No man should ever treat a woman like this’ or ‘Yes! He don’t deserve you. just move on.’

“Unnie… I expect you to agree with me, what’s wrong with you?” she smiles, somehow feeling happy knowing that her bestfriend thinks otherwise.

“Because you know who Jiyong is.. he wouldn’t do something like this to you Chae.. and you believe that as well, don’t you?” Dara continue to give her assurance.

Dara last question makes Chaerin wondering of the answer. ‘Do i?Do I believe that?’ she questioned herself.

“Hmm… I don’t know unnie…. Honestly, I don’t have the answer for that. If you ask me a month ago, I believe it 100%, but now…”

“Chae, trust me… all of this will be over soon… I just need you to be patient, okay?” Dara pat her head and Chaerin close her eyes wishing that it is Jiyong’s hand that is caressing her head. She misses him, badly. “Unnie, thank you…”

“No sweat Chae, just promise me, you will hold on a little bit more. I’m sure this will over soon”

Chaerin just smile at Dara’s words. A smile not because she believed what she said but because she feels that this whole thing is a joke. She’s too clouded right now and she might have reached her point. She cannot bear to live a day hanging without having closure.

“Unnie, I’m okay now, you’ll be late for your…. Thing” she pushes Dara from her bed and chuckles.

“Aigoo! Are you sure you’re okay”

“Yeahhhhh~~~~ goooooo” she pushes her until the front door.

“I won’t be long okay… do you want anything?”

“Just be home safe”

“Aigoo!!! That’s why I love you!” Dara pinch her nose. “I’ll buy you fried chicken~~” she said and rush out of the apartment.

Chaerin close the door and walk to the veranda. She takes out her phone ang go through his pictures on instagram. “I miss you, stupid!” Chaerin like his recent photo and upload a picture on her instagram. A beautiful picture of blue butterflies on a tree with a caption “she was always waiting, it seemed to be her forte. #patience” She walk to the player and play it, listening to love songs to cure her lonely heart.

“Youngbae…. We need to be fast. I don’t think Chaerin can hold on any longer” Dara pace back and forth in front of him.

“Hmm, we already contacted everyone in Japan but nobody seems to know who she is…” distracted by Dara’s movement, he grab both of her shoulder and make her stay still.

“Urghhhh~ there must be someone we haven’t contacted yet!!” Dara squeals in frustration. It’s been three days since they secretly meet in YG to execute their plan. While they are thinking of who they have left, suddenly, Youngbae’s phone rings.

He look at his phone with wide eyes and show the phone to Dara making her gasp.

“Kiko!” Kiko’s name came out of their mouth almost at the same time.

“Hello Kiko… yeah… oh? Really?…. Yeah sure, tonight.. it’s fine.. where? Ok… I have something to talk also… Yes.. I’m bringing Dara with me, I’ll see you in 15 minutes? Okay? Bye.”

Dara widened her eyes at Youngbae demanding an explanation.

“So, Kiko is here, we are meeting her at her hotel. Let’s go.” Youngbae grab Dara’s hand naturally.

“Erm, Youngbae?” he turns around and Dara motion him at their hands.

“Opps, sorry, habit~” he smize at Dara.

“Yeah, that habit of yours? Get rid of it.” She said while leading the way

“But why?”

“Because it might send a wrong signal….” She bite her lips, flustered just now by his sudden act.

Youngbae is smiling behind her following her lead. ‘This woman…..aigooo’

Jiyong is sitting on his couch occupied with his phone. He logged into instagram and immediately saw the picture Chaerin posted on her instagram. He feels like someone just punched him hard across his face. He switch off his phone and throw it to his left side. Haejin is sitting on his right side and is occupied by something else. Ever since Eisuke confessed to her, something inside her just spark and it makes her reflect back to everything she’s done these past few weeks. She turn to look at Jiyong who is leaning on his back not bothered to talk to her.

She’s been a regular to his place but she never communicates with him, she does all the talking but all he does is ignoring her. ‘what do I want actually?’ this question frequently enters into her mind recently.

“Jiyong~” she whisper tenderly and muster up her courage to touch his arm but to her expectation, he pull his arm away abruptly as if he is disgusted to be touch by her. Feeling angry she climb up to Jiyong’s lap and caged him between her arms forcing him to look at her. Jiyong was surprised and he has a strong desire to push her off him but he still have that little bit of patience in him to just wait for her next move.

“Get off me” he said nicely turning his head away from her but Haejin cupped his face and force him to look at her again.

“Look at me Jiyong!” he look at her but she immediately feel pain in her chest. His gaze is empty. There’s nothing there. She can feel it. He is looking directly in her eyes but there’s no emotion, no anger, no sadness, no disgusted look, no nothing. She kiss him on his lips but there’s no reaction. She stare into his eyes and suddenly tears are forming in her eyes.

“Why~ Ji? Why??” she hits his chest repeatedly and finally fell on top of him. She is crying hard on his shoulder but Jiyong do nothing about it. He didn’t console her wrapping his arm around her petite figure but instead, he let Haejin deal with her own feelings. His objective to this is he wants to prove a point. He wants Haejin to know that he is not affected by her presence.

“Do you really hate me that much?” she continues sobbing in his chest.

“I don’t hate you” he said slowly and Haejin lift her head and search for his eyes.

“Then what is it!” she grab the collar of his shirt.

“Didn’t I tell you before? I love Chaerin. No matter how many times you ask, that will be my answer. I love Chaerin and I want to be with her and only her.” he looks directly into her eyes copying her lines during their first meeting at the restaurant.

“You didn’t even try….” She mutters between her soft cries.

“I don’t have to… I know who I want and I know you know it…”

She let go of Jiyong’s collar slowly, feeling weak and defeated.

“You’ll find somebody else who loves you genuinely Haejin….”

“Please don’t do this….i…”

“Stop. Stop right there Haejin. When you feel the need to beg for someone’s love, that is not real. You just want me to get back to me.. I understand. But now, you got what you want. I lost the one person that is precious to my life. You ruined my life completely now. Will you let me go? Please?” Jiyong can feel his visions getting blurry and finally, he cried. The first time he shed tear since this encounter with Haejin happened.

Haejin look at him disbelief in what she sees right now. G-Dragon of BigBang, Kwon Jiyong is shedding tears. This is the first time she sees that tear, even when they broke up, she never see his tears. She gets off Jiyong and stands up. He lean forward and stare at the floor in front of him. He wipe his tears and Haejin can see some dropping to the floor. She bites her lips and grab her things, walking to the door and without turning back to look at Jiyong she voiced out.

“I’ll be back tomorrow” her voice tremble.

Upon hearing the door closed soon after, Jiyong burries his face on his palms. He couldn’t stand it any longer. This is getting ridiculous by the minute and he just wants to run away from all this. All he wants right now is to bring Chaerin to a place where they can be together in peace.

Youngbae and Dara arrived at the hotel. They become like a ninja going separately to avoid rumours. If there is a lesson for this  whole issue of Jiyong and Chaerin, it is to always be alert of your surroundings. Youngbae head first to meet Kiko at her room followed by Dara few minutes later. Dara doesn’t favour the idea of meeting with Kiko because first of all, they are not really friends with each other. She’s just someone Dara knows in their circle of friends and also, she doesn’t like her due to her ‘reputation’ among the boys but Youngbae said Kiko have something important related to people they know and that just raised some questions to both Youngbae and Dara.

“Hey, come in~” Kiko opened the door after Dara rings the bell. She smile and they hug awkwardly.

“You alone?” Dara sit beside Youngbae and look briefly at her surroundings. Kiko stayed in a suite and it’s quite big to equip for one person.

“Yeah, just me…” she opened the fridge and brings out three cans of beer and sit opposite to Youngbae and Dara.

“Thanks~” they say simultaneously.

“No sweat… so, just you guys? Where’s the rest?” Kiko opened one beer and took a sip. Dara followed and make eye contact with Youngbae. Thank god he’s here with her and not the rest. If it is Seungri, they will end up with immature plan that will completely fail and Daesung? Well, Daesung will most probably meet directly with Haejin and ask her nicely to leave Korea and Top? Don’t ask.

“Busy with their own thing” Youngbae conclude in one sentence and Kiko nods her head.

“How about Ji and Chae? Crazily in love or miserable as ?” she said calmly before sipping which resulted to Youngbae choking and immediately turn to look at Dara who is as shocked as Youngbae. Not liking Kiko’s words just now she cross her arms and stare her in the eye.

“What do you mean?” Dara spat. Kiko stare her back in the eye and Youngbae could feel a negative aura forming around the two women.

“You know what I’m talking about” she followed suit Dara’s posture.

“Umm Kiko…” Youngbae tried to neutralize the situation but got cut off by Dara.

“No, I don’t…. And I don’t like the way you talked just now. Why are you here exactly?”

“Noona… I think you..” Youngbae’s second attempt to calm the tense ambiance was in vain because this time Kiko cut him off.

“Oh really? You don't know or you just pretend not to know what i'm talking about....You guys really know how to cover up for the both of them right? To prevent from the public’s knowledge is it? What if their relationship got leaked? It would make front cover right?” she smirk. Kiko wants to tell them the real reason but got carried away because of Dara’s reaction.

This time Youngbae just watch the two of them ‘talk’. He awkwardly sips his drink and keep quiet.

“Seriously? Those people are your friends. If you come here to bring another problem, then please leave. They had enough of this . Youngbae, let’s leave. There’s no point of us being here.” Dara grab his hand almost spilling the drink and Kiko watch them. Dara’s words ‘another problem’ struck Kiko into knowing that they may have known about Haejin.

“It’s about Haejin” she said and they stop. She sips her drink and continues “There somebody been blackmailing Jiyong right?”

“Is this why you came here?” Dara ask and walk towards her. Her expression become softer and Youngbae stand behind her curious about the same thing.

“Yes… sorry about earlier, it was inappropriate of me…” she hold Dara’s hand and smile weakly.

“Sorry, I was too emotional also.” Dara said and breath heavily.

Youngbae frowns looking at the women in front of him. Girls! He really don’t understand girls. They can flip 360 degrees within seconds.

“Okay, okay… everything is all good now. So, what do you know Kiko?” Youngbae ask not wanting to waste another minute. All the missing puzzles are appearing now and they are close to complete it.

Dara and Youngbae sit back and listen to Kiko explaining everything what she knows, who Haejin is and about the copy that is with her.

“Well, . What a small world.....” That is the only word Youngbae manages to speak.

“Hmm… when will this end~” Dara feels like giving up.

“I have a plan. Not to worry” Kiko look at them smiling suspiciously.

“What?” Dara ask anxiously.

“As long as it’s not getting worst, I’m in.” Youngbae said.

“Leave it to me.....Let’s put an end to their misery” Kiko said and raises her can followed by Dara and Youngbae. They continued to drink and talk through the night and along the way Dara notices that Kiko is not as bad as she thought she would be.

“You know what? I think, you’re cool..” Dara said and smile at her.

“And you’re not boring as people said you would be” Kiko chuckles.

“What?? Of course I’m not. Who said that?” Dara squint her eyes to her and Kiko signal to Youngbae.

“What?? You say I’m boring?” she slaps Youngbae on his shoulder.

“Ahh!! Noona, it hurts~~”

“Serves you right!” she said hitting him playfully and Kiko just watch them with a smile on her face.

“Why don’t you guys become another addition for secret couple in YG” she teases them.

Dara stop immediately and blush “Nonsense~~~~ I’m going to the toilet….excuse me~” she hurriedly move.

“Umm, Dara, that’s my room~ the right door is across the room” Kiko said and Dara clumsily walk to the right direction. Youngbae notice she was obviously flustered and smile giddily.

“God…. Just make a move already!” Kiko rolls her eyes and Youngbae chuckles.

“Pfft…”

“Yeah pfft~ don’t make the same mistake that I did” Kiko said slowly and play with the empty can in front of her.

“You okay? I know this will be hard for you…” Youngbae ask genuinely.

“Duhhh…..of course… we’re way past history. I’m not the kind of person who dwells on the past. Besides, he’s with Chaerin… so it’s fine. I approve Chae. If it is someone else, I wouldn’t bother about this” she said, the second part is true while the first part? She lied. She still have feelings for him but unlike Haejin, she knows where her place is.

“This is nice of you Kiko~” he smiles.

“Besides….i’m hot…” she said nonchalantly and sips on her drink. Youngbae pretended to vomit when she said it and they laugh it off. Dara joins them not long after that and continue to talk about Chaerin and Jiyong’s problem.

“Oh, shoot! We got to go….Baby Rin is alone at home” Dara said after looking at her watch.

“Oh, okay… drive safe you guys. Don’t worry, everything will be over soon” she walks them to the door.

Dara turn around to face Kiko and give her a hug, which feels different from earlier. This time it feels welcoming and Kiko hug her back.

“You’re so tall” Dara giggles “Thank you. You don't know how much this means to us....” she continues.

Kiko just smile at them and wave as they fade away slowly from her vision.

Will tomorrow brings a new day and be brighter for our leaders? We just have to wait…….