break out

The busy tone after the video call was disconnected was like a cold needle piercing G-Dragon's eardrums and reaching straight to his heart. He stood there, stunned, the phone slipping from his palm and hitting the carpet with a dull thud, but he didn't even notice.

"Calm down"? "Think about it"?

These words clashed wildly in his mind, bringing unprecedented panic. He knew Su You; she wasn't the kind of girl who would say such things easily. Her calmness and rationality, at this moment, became the sharpest knife, indicating that the pressure she was under had reached a breaking point.

"No...this can't be..." he muttered to himself, grabbing his car keys and rushing out of the studio. He needed to do something, he had to do something! He couldn't just stand by and watch their hard-won relationship crumble again because of these dirty schemes and that damned distance.

He drove aimlessly through the Seoul night, the dazzling lights outside the window blurring into a blur, his mind filled with Su You's last, weary, and distant gaze. He dialed the number of his most trusted manager, CEO Choi, his voice hoarse and violent: "I don't care what method I use, I'll use all my resources to sue that media outlet that spread rumors into bankruptcy! Also, investigate! Find out for me whether Lee Seo-yeon and that paparazzi had any private contact! I need evidence!"

Representative Cui paused for a moment on the other end of the phone, then sighed: "Zhilong, we will proceed with the legal process, but that will take time. As for Li Ruiyan... she's smart and won't leave any obvious evidence. The most important thing now is to stay calm and... communicate well with Su You."

"Communicate? She doesn't want to communicate with me anymore!" Kwon Ji-yong almost roared, slamming his fist on the steering wheel, the horn blaring and piercing the night.

Meanwhile, in Boston.

After hanging up the phone, Su You stood by the window for a long time. Outside, the city lights were unfamiliar, lacking the gentleness of the Han River, only a cold sense of alienation. Her tears had dried, leaving behind a deep sense of powerlessness and an almost numb calm.

She loved G-Dragon, and that never changed. But love couldn't overcome all the problems. This underground relationship, constantly facing external interference and misunderstandings, became exceptionally heavy after being compounded by the physical distance of a long-distance relationship and the pressure of her studies. She suddenly doubted whether she truly had enough strength to fight against this vast, noisy world that revolved around him.

Over the next few days, the two entered a strange "cooling-off period".

G-Dragon worked frantically, filling every minute with intense creative work and meetings, trying to numb himself. But every night, the panic of losing contact would engulf him. He sent Su You many messages, from anxious explanations to clumsy apologies to cautious greetings... but the replies were few and far between, polite and brief.

I'm fine, I'm busy with my thesis.

I know, you too.

Get some rest.

This politeness made him feel more desperate than arguing.

Su You threw herself completely into her studies. She attended various seminars and spent late into the night in the library, using the density of knowledge to squeeze out any space for emotional reflection. But whenever she paused, images of Kwon Ji-yong's wounded gaze, the glaring headlines online, and Lee Seo-yeon's seemingly innocent face would flash through her mind. She struggled repeatedly between trust and doubt, longing and retreat.

The turning point came a week later.

G-Dragon obtained crucial investigative information through personal connections. The information revealed that the paparazzi who took the "alone" photos had several secret meetings and financial dealings with one of Lee Seo-yeon's "personal assistants" a week before the incident. While it couldn't be directly proven that Lee Seo-yeon had orchestrated it, this clue was enough to shatter her facade of innocence.

Almost simultaneously, while organizing her inbox, Su You discovered an email from an unknown address. The email contained no body, only an attachment—several candid photos of Li Ruiyan behaving intimately with different men (including a well-known married producer), spanning from last year to recent times. The sender was anonymous, but the intention was clear: to tell her that Li Ruiyan was not as innocent as the outside world portrayed her, and that her "admiration" for G-Dragon was not exclusive.

These two pieces of information, like two beams of bright light, instantly illuminated the conspiracy hidden in the fog.

G-Dragon unhesitatingly threw the investigation materials in front of the company's executives and Lee Seo-yeon's team, his attitude firm and leaving no room for compromise: "If you don't want to be ruined, immediately and thoroughly clarify all the rumors and guarantee that you will not make any more underhanded moves. Otherwise, I don't mind letting everyone see what a so-called 'high-quality idol' is like in private!"

Faced with irrefutable evidence and the absolute pressure from G-Dragon, Lee Seo-yeon's team finally panicked. They quickly released a carefully worded statement denying any relationship with G-Dragon beyond that of a senior-junior, emphasizing that it was just a casual greeting after a work discussion that night (despite being full of loopholes), and expressing "sincere apologies" for the trouble caused to their senior (full of forced resentment). YG Entertainment also finally stepped in, stating that it would strengthen its management of artists.

Although the statement could not completely salvage public opinion, it at least reversed some of the trend.

After doing all this, G-Dragon immediately booked the earliest flight to Boston. He couldn't wait any longer; he had to see her with his own eyes, tell her everything in person, and feel her warmth.

He hadn't slept a wink during the more than ten-hour flight. He arrived in Boston at dawn. Without informing Su You, he went directly to her apartment building using the address she had given him.

Early winter in Boston was chilly, with fine snowflakes drifting down from the sky. G-Dragon, wrapped tightly in his coat, stood across the street, gazing at that unfamiliar window, his heart pounding.

After some time, the apartment door opened, and Su You came out carrying several books. She was wearing a thick down jacket and a plaid scarf, her nose was slightly red from the cold, and she walked towards the bus stop with her head down and a somewhat forlorn expression.

At that moment, all of G-Dragon's unease and anxiety transformed into a surge of heartache. He weaved through the traffic and strode quickly to her.

A figure suddenly appeared and blocked her path. Su You looked up in confusion. When she saw the face etched into her very bones, she froze on the spot, her pupils dilated, and the book in her arms almost slipped from her grasp.

He looked travel-worn and tired, but his eyes burned with a fiery, unwavering gaze as he looked at her.

“You…” Su You opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

G-Dragon stepped forward, ignoring the stares of the few passersby around them, and pulled her tightly into his arms, the force almost crushing her. His face was buried in her cold scarf, his voice hoarse from the long flight and undeniably resolute:

"Don't calm down, Youyou. I was wrong. I didn't protect you well and left you to face all this alone... but I will never give up."

Feeling the real warmth of his embrace and the slight trembling, Su You's carefully constructed facade of strength shattered instantly, and her eyes quickly reddened.

Kwon Ji-yong loosened his grip on her slightly, cupped her face, and looked deeply into her eyes: "I've cleaned up all those dirty things. From now on, I won't let anyone or anything become an obstacle between us. Distance or rumors, we'll face them together."

Snowflakes fell on their hair and shoulders, and the surroundings were filled with the hustle and bustle of a foreign morning, but as they looked at each other, the world seemed to quiet down.

Looking into his eyes, Su You saw the undisguised love, regret, and almost obsessive determination. All her unease and hesitation melted away in that moment. She sniffed, and tears finally fell, but with a relieved curve.

She reached out and gently hugged him back, burying her face in his firm chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, and whispered:

"good."

This single word carries immense weight.