Seeds of Conflict
The sea breeze on Jeju Island remained gentle, and the sunlight spilled onto the white sand, awakening sweet memories of the past. G-Dragon and Su You spent three seemingly stolen days here, free from the media's telephoto lenses and the omnipresent fans, only each other and the ebb and flow of the tide. Like any ordinary couple, they cycled, ate seafood, and kissed at sunset, striving to etch every moment into their hearts to prepare for their impending separation.
However, the pull of reality is ultimately inescapable.
Back in Seoul, with Su You about to depart, G-Dragon, though extremely reluctant, had no choice but to throw himself into some unavoidable work—a collaboration meeting with an internationally renowned music producer, and a pre-launch promotional event planned by YG for the new girl group "AURORA." One important aspect of this event involved him, a senior figure in the company and a musical genius, providing "guidance," and they might even collaborate on a pre-launch track.
Lee Seo-yeon, one of the members of "AURORA", came into their view against this backdrop.
Lee Seo-yeon, 22 years old, possesses outstanding singing and amazing dancing skills, and is beautiful. She is the group's designated main member. Born into an artistic family with a privileged background, she grew up listening to G-Dragon's music and harbors an almost idol-like affection for him. More importantly, she is extremely intelligent, knows how to utilize her own advantages and the atmosphere, and is ambitious, not content with merely being an idol.
In YG's practice room, G-Dragon met his junior for the first time. Lee Seo-yeon was humble and polite, but during professional discussions, she accurately understood his musical philosophy and even offered some insightful ideas, which impressed the talent-appreciating G-Dragon.
"Senior, it's truly an honor to be a part of your musical vision." After the practice session, Li Ruiyan bowed slightly, her eyes bright with just the right amount of admiration. "I will work even harder and will never let you down."
G-Dragon nodded and offered a few formulaic words of encouragement: "Yes, you have great potential, do your best."
He didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a normal work interaction. However, paparazzi lurking outside the YG building captured a photo with an ambiguous angle—in the photo, G-Dragon is slightly bowing his head, seemingly listening attentively, while Lee Seo-yeon looks up at him, her smile sweet and her gaze focused. Due to the angle, the two appear extremely close.
The photo quickly circulated online with the headline: "[G-Dragon's first 'intimate' guidance to his junior labelmate after military discharge! AURORA's Lee Seo-yeon gains the favor of a superstar?]".
Initially, it was just a minor rumor. G-Dragon has been in the industry for many years, and rumors are commonplace; neither he nor his team paid much attention. When Su You saw the news, although a slight discomfort crossed her mind, she trusted G-Dragon and simply teased him, "Mr. Kwon, you should be careful when guiding your juniors."
G-Dragon chuckled at the time, hugged her, and assured her, "Don't you know who's in my heart?"
The seeds of conflict were sown at this moment.
Lee Seo-yeon's team saw this opportunity. Instead of strongly clarifying, they adopted a vague approach, occasionally sharing photos from her studio on social media, with glimpses of G-Dragon's frequently used equipment or fleeting figures in the background (sometimes even old footage), sparking endless speculation among fans. At a small fan meeting, when asked about her ideal type, she blushed and said, "I like... someone talented who can guide me." This was quickly interpreted by the media and fans as referring to her.
These actions allowed the rumors to escalate. G-Dragon began to feel troubled and clearly told his team that he did not want to be used for publicity anymore. However, the power of capital is sometimes intricate, and it seemed that the company also intended to use this to gain attention for the new group, thus delaying and obscuring his clear wishes.
Meanwhile, the day arrived for Su You to fly to Boston.
The airport farewell was filled with a somber atmosphere. To avoid being photographed, they couldn't even have a long hug. At the VIP entrance, G-Dragon, wearing a hat and mask, revealed only his eyes, brimming with complex emotions. He tightly gripped Su You's hand, his unspoken words condensed into one sentence: "Call me when you arrive, be careful."
Su You looked at him; he was also wearing a mask, but the reluctance in his eyes and a hint of barely perceptible worry were clearly visible. "You too, take care of yourself. And..." she paused, "deal with those news reports; I don't like them."
This was the first time she had explicitly expressed her displeasure with the matter. Kwon Ji-yong's heart skipped a beat, and he solemnly promised, "I know, leave it to me."
Su You nodded, turned and walked into the passage, her back view resolute. Quan Zhilong watched her figure disappear, feeling a huge emptiness in his heart, along with a surge of frustration with the current situation.
After Su You left, G-Dragon's life was filled with work and longing. He tried to video chat with Su You every day, but the time difference between Boston and Seoul, and the heavy workload Su You faced at the beginning of her university studies, meant that their communication times weren't always in sync. Sometimes he would finish work late at night and want to talk to her, but she would be in class or a group discussion.
Distance begins to show its power.
Lee Seo-yeon, taking advantage of her work, appeared more "naturally" around G-Dragon. She would send him messages under the guise of seeking his advice on music, occasionally bringing him coffee or snacks that suited his taste. She was always well-mannered and never overstepped boundaries, yet she was constantly making her presence felt. She even managed to find out some of G-Dragon's not-so-secret preferences and schedules through various channels.
On one occasion, G-Dragon was "bumped" by the media at a private art exhibition, where he also "bumped" into Lee Seo-yeon. Although the two only exchanged a few words, the photo of them together reignited the discussion. Headlines such as "[G-Dragon and Seo-yeon have similar artistic tastes, are they on a private date?]" began to appear.
This time, G-Dragon was completely enraged. He contacted the company's top management directly, demanding an immediate clarification and a halt to this blatant attempt to exploit the situation. Seeing that the public outcry was intense and G-Dragon's attitude was firm, the company finally began to step in to de-escalate the situation.
But the rumors had already spread, like spilled water. Su You, far away in Boston, saw these escalating news stories in the midst of her busy schedule, and even with her trusting nature, a shadow inevitably fell over her heart. During one video call, she appeared somewhat tired and silent.
"Yuzu, those news reports are all fake. The company is already dealing with them," G-Dragon explained urgently.
"I know." Su You nodded, but her tone was somewhat indifferent. "I just feel a little tired. The academic pressure here is immense, and seeing those things... makes me uncomfortable."
This was the first time they felt a distance between them because of an "outsider." G-Dragon felt powerless; he couldn't immediately fly to the other side of the world to hug her and ease her anxiety.
Just then, Lee Seo-yeon did something that surprised everyone. She somehow learned of Su You's existence and might even have vaguely sensed Su You's unhappiness because of her. One night, when Kwon Ji-yong was alone in his studio, she brought a bottle of wine to "apologize."
"Senior, I'm so sorry for causing you so much trouble." She spoke earnestly, her eyes filled with tears. "I just admired you so much, I never expected it to turn out like this... I'll punish myself with a drink." As she spoke, she actually drank a large glass of wine.
G-Dragon frowned. He wanted to ask her to leave, but seeing that she seemed emotionally unstable and considering that she was a junior in the company, he couldn't be too harsh. So he patiently said, "Let bygones be bygones. Just keep your distance from now on and focus on your music."
Lee Seo-yeon seemed not to hear, and drank a few more glasses, gradually becoming drunk. She began to talk about her love for music and her admiration for Kwon Ji-yong, her words filled with humble adoration. Finally, she even tried to get close to Kwon Ji-yong, only to be swiftly and harshly pushed away by him.
"Lee Seo-yeon, you're drunk! I'll call your manager to pick you up." Kwon Ji-yong's voice was icy cold as he immediately picked up the phone.
However, what he didn't know was that outside the studio, another paparazzi with ulterior motives was clearly photographing Li Ruiyan entering his studio and being helped away by her manager a long time later... This time, it wasn't a misinterpretation, but a genuine "alone time".
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