Breaking Rules

RULE # 35: DON'T GRAB ANYTHING

What has to be done

It was one of the hardest decisions they had to make. CL knew how much they were all sacrificing for it but they had spent a sleepless night weighing all the odds.

She also knew that it was especially harder for Dara as she had much more to lose. CL had even been tempted to finally tell the Unnie that everyone knew already about her and Ji-oppa but she lost heart. Dara had confirmed her agreement with their final decision. She had a very determined air about her and CL crossed her fingers that whatever Dara decided to do about the situation between her and Ji-oppa would eventually become the right thing at the end.

Deep inside, she seethed with anger at the rules that had been put upon them and this added burden but admitted to herself that she couldn't do anything about it at the moment.

She had a family to think about. Her parents might still be strong but they weren't getting any younger. The same went for all the other girls.

They had to work hard to help out their families and with the economy going downhill, the loss of a job would mean so much loss.

Also, being part of 2NE1 not only answered more for what they needed but also let them do what they loved the most.

"I can do without a boyfriend for quite a while" Bom told her encourangingly while they were nearing their final decision.

"They can stop us from having a boyfriend but they can't stop us from falling in love" Dara added.

That made all of them look at her.

"That time will come for all of us" Dara continued "And I will support all of you when that time comes for you."

Minji hugged her "Unnie, you're so dramatic."

Dara smiled and messed up Minji's hair. "No I'm not. Bomtori is the one who's dramatic."

Bom pinched Dara's arms "Hey! I'm not!"

And then they began playing around again like they normally would. CL ended up with tousled hair, laughing like crazy at 4 in the morning without even a wink of sleep.

"I'll talk to Manager Teddy tomorrow" she announced after a giggle fest "I won't let him say no to us. He'll have us back whether he likes it or not."

***

Cold Cold Cold

Ji had been told about the girls' decision by CL.

His insides constricted at the news and his inability to do anything to change the situation. Rule after rule after rule had piled up on him, it felt like the world was really trying to keep him away from Dara.

First, he had decided to finally open his heart despite having decided long ago to never open it againmost especially to her. Things in the past weren't clear to him yet but he had decided to overlook all of those after realizing that now... this time, Dara could actually be in love with him.

Secondly, he had decided to finally break Teddy's very first rule: "No Office Romance" by gradually doing things to weave his way onto Dara's heart and apologize for the coldness he had treated her with over the past months.

Thirdly, he had also decided to really take his wooing to another level with the song he had made for her. He shrunk from any displays of public affection coz it was just a chance for love to be thrown back to yoyur face but he squashed that rule down. He had had it all planned out in his head.

And now this – a rule that she had decided to follow, a rule that he couldn't break for her sake.

His phone rang as he was feeding Gaho. He saw that it was Teddy.

"Manager?"

"Ji Yong, I think you already know that CL came by my office to talk to me."

"Yes" he answered "She came by my apartment too before going there." He was afraid to ask about the decision that Teddy had come up with.

"I've agreed to have them back."

"You have?!?"

"It's against everything that I want to stand up for but CL is as head strong, if not, more stubborn than Seung-ri. She begged me like no one ever had."

Ji agreed. He had witnessed how CL used her steel will instead of her aegyo to get what she wanted.

"She asked for one thing, though" Teddy added "She asked me to shorten Dara and Bom's restriction to three years."

"She did?" CL didn't tell anything about that to him.

"Yes" Teddy answered "Now, what I wanted to talk to you about is I will be launching you this weekend."

"This weekend??? I thought we'd do it on my birthday?"

"I have decided to release your mini album on your birthday instead."

He was genuinely surprised. "I thought you want me to promote for two months before releasing that mini album."

"You have worked hard for this and we have already had it prepared. I didn't want to gamble launching it prematurely but I've received tons of demands from your patrons that I need to release it immediately and I thought that the perfect time would be to do it on your birthday. I want this birthday of yours to be very memorable."

Ji was speechless. He had not expected how this conversation went at all. "I – I don't know what to say."

"I know you might be really really surprised but I hope this makes you happy" Teddy told him sincerely.

"It – it does" he admitted "That's really great news!"

"Add to that that you're girls will be staying... I think you'll have a very fun year."

Teddyrang off afterwards and Ji kept staring at the phone. "So, it's final" hethought to himself "She's not going anywhere... so near but farther away from methan ever before."