conflict
After dealing with Lee Seo-yeon's farce, G-Dragon was filled with annoyance and vigilance. He immediately summoned his assistant and issued a strict order that no one was allowed to enter his private studio outside of working hours without his explicit permission. At the same time, he directly contacted the head of AURORA's team, speaking in an unprecedentedly cold and hard tone, clearly stating that if a similar incident occurred again, he would unilaterally terminate all cooperation with Lee Seo-yeon and the AURORA team.
Company executives realized this move might have gone too far and intervened to severely restrain Li Ruiyan and her team. On the surface, the incident seemed to have been forcibly suppressed.
However, the paparazzi photos of them "alone" have remained unreleased, like a Damocles' sword hanging over their heads. The photographers seem to be waiting for a better opportunity, or perhaps a higher price.
G-Dragon immediately made a video call to Su You. It was early morning in Boston, and Su You had just woken up, still sleepy, but seeing G-Dragon's tense expression, she immediately woke up.
"What's wrong?" she asked with concern.
Kwon Ji-yong didn't hide anything and told her everything about Lee Seo-yeon's drunken visit the night before, including how he quickly pushed her away and how he handled the aftermath. "Yuzu, I promise, there's nothing between me and her, and there will never be anything. I've already clearly warned her and the company."
On the screen, Su You remained silent for a few seconds. Her face was somewhat pale, her eyes filled with complex emotions—trust, exhaustion, and a lingering worry. She rubbed her temples, her voice hoarse from the early morning: "Zhilong, I believe you. But… this environment is making me feel so tired. I just want to study quietly and maintain a normal relationship with you, why is it so difficult?"
Her words contained no accusation, yet they hurt Kwon Ji-yong even more than accusations. He felt a deep sense of powerlessness; his identity and the circle he belonged to were like an invisible net, constantly tugging at the fragile connection between them.
"I'm sorry, Youyou," he said in a low voice, "it's my fault for not handling it well."
“It’s not your fault.” Su You shook her head, forcing a smile. “It’s just that this world is too complicated. I just… am a little homesick, and I miss you.”
The call ended in a subtle, bittersweet warmth. Both deliberately avoided addressing their deeper anxieties, but the cracks in their relationship had already begun to grow quietly under the influence of distance and external pressure.
In the days that followed, both of them became even busier. G-Dragon threw himself into collaborating with a new music producer, trying to numb himself with work and also to prove his focus to Su You. Su You, on the other hand, plunged headfirst into her demanding studies at Harvard, with papers, group projects, lectures... leaving her almost breathless. The time difference and their busy schedules caused their video calls to become less frequent, sometimes only allowing them to exchange brief text messages to let each other know they were safe.
Just then, the lurking paparazzi finally found a buyer. A gossip media outlet known for digging up celebrity privacy bought the set of "alone" photos for an exorbitant price, along with a carefully crafted "story": [G-Dragon meets with his junior, Lee Seo-yeon, late at night; she is drunk and helped away, is their relationship confirmed? YG's senior and junior artists become acquainted through music and are secretly dating!] The report also claimed that an "insider" revealed that the two had a close relationship due to their shared musical ideas, and that Lee Seo-yeon comforted G-Dragon during his low period after his military discharge.
This report, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly ignited the entire entertainment industry. The photos were clear, the story "complete," and coupled with the previous rumors, almost everyone believed the "relationship." G-Dragon's fans were in an uproar; some defended him, some unfollowed him, some pointed the finger at Lee Seo-yeon accusing her of using his fame for publicity, while others offered their blessings. AURORA's popularity instantly reached its peak; although the criticism was overwhelmingly negative, even infamy is still fame.
G-Dragon's team immediately released a strong denial statement and stated that they would take legal action. However, the statement seemed somewhat weak in the face of the overwhelming evidence. YG Entertainment's official response remained ambiguous, only stating that "it is a private matter for the artist and we cannot interfere too much," attempting to maximize the media attention on the issue.
G-Dragon was so angry he almost smashed up the studio. He dialed Su You's number repeatedly, but it was late at night in Boston, and her phone was off. This inability to reach her was driving him almost insane. He knew Su You would definitely see the news; how would she feel, facing such a storm alone in a foreign land?
Su You did see it. It was the next morning, before she went to class, when she was habitually checking her phone when a barrage of notifications made her realize what had happened. Looking at the photo of Lee Seo-yeon walking into G-Dragon's studio from behind, along with the vivid description, even though she told herself that this was likely a deliberate scheme, the visual shock and the suffocating feeling of being surrounded by public opinion still made her hands and feet instantly turn cold.
She tried calling G-Dragon, but the line was busy. Looking at the various vile comments online, the speculations about G-Dragon's relationship, and the "blessings" for G-Dragon and Lee Seo-yeon, she felt a wave of nausea. For the first time, she clearly felt the immense pressure and helplessness that comes with being G-Dragon's "secret lover."
All day, Su You was restless. She barely listened to anything in class. She kept checking her phone, hoping for an explanation from Kwon Ji-yong, yet also afraid of seeing worse news.
It wasn't until evening Boston time that G-Dragon's video call finally came through. He looked tired and anxious, with dark circles under his eyes.
"Youyou, let me explain, that photo is..."
“I know.” Su You interrupted him, her voice unusually calm, but this calmness only made Quan Zhilong more flustered. “I know it’s fake, it’s a setup.”
G-Dragon was taken aback, then said urgently, "Yes! It was that night when she suddenly came over, and I immediately pushed her away and called my manager! The whole process took no more than ten minutes! Yuzuru, you have to believe me!"
"I believe you, Zhilong." Su You's heart softened at his anxious expression, but the overwhelming exhaustion still lingered. "I believe you won't do anything to betray me. But..."
She paused, her gaze passing through the screen with a detachment and heaviness that G-Dragon had never seen before: "But, G-Dragon, I'm really tired. Here I am, facing an unfamiliar environment and heavy academic pressure, and now I'm on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, passively receiving these suffocating rumors and public opinion about you. I don't know what will happen next, and I don't know how long our carefully hidden relationship can last."
Her tears finally fell silently: "I can't even say 'I believe him' in front of everyone like a normal girlfriend. I can only stay here, watching alone, and suffering alone."
Kwon Ji-yong felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart tightly, the pain making it hard to breathe. Looking at Su You's tearful face on the screen, he longed to fly to her side immediately. For the first time, he realized so profoundly that his love might be becoming a burden and a source of her pain.
"Yuzu, I'm sorry... It's my fault..." He stammered, unable to say anything more than apologize.
“It’s not your fault. It’s something I have to bear because I chose to be with you.” Su You wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and her eyes gradually became firm, but with a kind of determination that frightened Quan Zhilong. “Zhilong, we need to think about this carefully. Perhaps… a temporary period of calm is better for both of us.”
"No! Yuzu! You can't..." G-Dragon panicked.
"I'm tired, Zhilong, really tired." Su You's voice was filled with deep weariness. "I'm hanging up now. You... take good care of your things too."
After that, the screen went dark.
G-Dragon stared at the black screen, as if all his strength had been drained away.
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