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If You

Stay

Emily stared at the table, chewing her nails as she listened to the arguing around her.

“What I don’t understand is why you would agree to keep this from us, Seunghyun!” Daesung said hotly. “Who makes a promise like that?”

“You don’t have to know everything!” Seunghyun retorted.

“If we’d known this might not have happened!” Youngbae cut in.

“We don’t know that,” Seungri countered.

“The police have been kept aware of the situation,” Sagowa said. “We’ve been keeping an eye on it. Getting upset is not going to help.”

“Don’t you trust us, Emily?” Daesung asked, turning his attention to her. Emily looked up. “Of course I do, but-”

“Then why didn’t you tell us?”

“I don’t know-”

“You could’ve been attacked!”

“Daesung-”

“That’s enough, Daesung!” Jiyong said, putting a protective hand on Emily’s shoulder. “None of this is Emily’s fault. Back off!”

Daesung stormed out and Emily sighed before getting up. “Daesung!” she called, running after him. He ignored her and she caught up to him. “What was that?” she demanded, blocking his path. He looked up at her and she saw tears on his cheeks. “What if they had hurt you?” he said thickly. “I…” he didn’t finish, more tears running down his face. Emily wrapped her arms around him gently. “I’m okay, Daesung,” she whispered. “No one’s hurt me. I’m okay.” He hugged her tightly, his body shaking slightly as his tears abated. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“I know,” Emily replied, rubbing his back gently. Jiyong came out of the conference room and Emily nodded at him over Daesung’s shoulder. “I'm sorry too,” she whispered.


******


Emily sat on her bed, staring at her phone. She debated calling her dad and telling him what was going on, but she couldn't begin to imagine how that conversation would go. He's thousands of miles away, she reasoned. What can he do about it?

Her phone rang suddenly and she jumped, her heart thudding in her ears. “Hello?” she said, putting it to her ear.

“Hey, it's me,” Jiyong said. “I just wanted to check on you after that disaster of a meeting.”

“I'm fine,” she lied, staring up at the ceiling. “Is your car fixed?”

“Actually the police have it. They wanted pictures for evidence.”

Emily bit her lip. “I'm sorry.”

“It's just a car, babe. I have other ones.”

Emily rolled onto her side and curled up into a ball. “Are the others still upset?” she asked.

“I think they're calmer now. Sagowa talked them down and they went home. Have you called your family?”

“No, and I don't plan to,” Emily said firmly. “They can't do anything about it but worry and try to convince me to come home.”

There was a brief silence. “Do you want to go home, Emily?”

“No! I am not going to be bullied into quitting by some crazy stalker!” she said adamantly.

“Okay, okay,” Jiyong said, a hint of relief in his voice. “Do you want me to come over? I'm about to leave the studio and I could bring dinner.”

“No, go home and sleep. I know you're exhausted.”

“I'm fine, thank you very much,” Jiyong said stubbornly. “Why don't you come over to the penthouse, then? You could stay the night, get out of your apartment.”

“The others-”

“The others are fine,” Jiyong interrupted. “Pack a bag and I'll pick you up in ten minutes.”

Emily sighed. She didn't relish the idea of being alone in her little apartment, jumping at every noise and shadow. “Okay. But just one night,” she said firmly. She hung up and pulled a bag out of her closet.

Just as she finished packing there was a knock at the door. “I just have to grab my satchel,” she said, letting Jiyong into the apartment.

“Did you know there's police officers stationed outside the building?” Jiyong asked. “I passed them on my way up.”

“Yeah, they've been watching my apartment,” Emily replied, snatching her phone off the counter. She slid her satchel onto her shoulder and grabbed her bag. “I'm ready.”

They walked down to Jiyong's car, this one a shining Bentley. He opened the door for her and she climbed in, glancing around at the luxury interior. How many fancy cars can a person have? she wondered. Jiyong got in the driver's seat and started the car. They drove through the city in silence, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. Everything seemed different, like a shadow had fallen over it. A chill ran up Emily's spine and she shivered. “You okay?” Jiyong asked as they pulled into the parking lot.

“Yeah, just a little cold,” Emily lied again. They parked and went inside, taking the elevator all the way up to the penthouse. Jiyong unlocked the door and led the way into the living room. “I'll put your bag in my room,” he offered. Seunghyun was eating at the bar and he got up when she came in. “Jiyong said you'd be staying the night,” he said, offering her a barstool. “You look terrible,” he commented.

“Thanks,” Emily said dully, laying her head on her arms.

The front door opened and the others came into the room, laden with bags. “Emily! You're here!” Seungri said , planting a kiss on her head.

“Watch it,” Jiyong said good-naturedly, coming back into the kitchen. “What's all this?”

“Supplies,” Daesung replied, depositing his armload on the counter. “If we're going to have a sleepover we're going to do it right.” Emily picked through the nearest bag. “Vodka?” she questioned, pulling out a large bottle. Daesung shrugged. “You've had a rough day,” he said, emptying his bags methodically. Emily kept looking. “Chocolate, soda, chips… is this cotton candy?” She shook her head. “I'm only staying for one night, you know.”

“Never hurts to be prepared,” Seungri said, opening a bag of chips.

“And I know what our first activity should be,” Daesung announced. “Night swimming.”

“Night swimming?” Emily echoed. “Here, tonight?”

“Where else? There's an awesome pool downstairs and I've got some pull with the staff,” Daesung said, opening a soda. “We could get in no problem.”

“That sounds fun,” Seunghyun said before Emily could reply. “Jiyong?”

“Sure,” Jiyong agreed.

“I didn't bring a bathing suit!” Emily protested.

“Good thing we bought you one,” Daesung said, pulling out a bikini. Emily's mouth dropped. “You bought me a bikini?” she asked, coming over to him.

“Like it? It should be the right size,” he said, looking her up and down. Emily's cheeks heated. “Daesung, I don't usually wear bikinis.”

“Why not? You've got a great body,” he said, holding it out to her. Jiyong smacked him and he jumped back. “What?” he sniffed, rubbing his arm. Emily took the bikini from him. “I have a shirt you can wear,” Seunghyun offered. Emily glanced at the bathing suit again. “Okay, let's go swimming.”

Seungri whooped and ran down the hallway, Daesung hot on his heels. Seunghyun went to his room and retrieved a tee shirt for Emily. “You can change in the bathroom,” he said, handing it to her. She went to the end of the hallway and knocked on the bathroom door. “Is someone in here?” she asked.

“I'll be out in a minute,” a voice replied.

“Youngbae? Is that you?” Emily asked. “Are you okay?”

“I'm… I'm fine,” he said, though Emily could hear ragged breathing through the door. She glanced up and down the hallway, then leaned close to the door. “Youngbae, it's okay. Let me help you.”

There was a pause, then she heard the lock click and the door cracked open. She entered the bathroom and shut the door. Youngbae was sitting by the bathtub, shaking and sweating profusely. Emily knelt in front of him. “Shhh,” she whispered, brushing his hair off of his forehead. “It's alright.”

Youngbae sighed tremulously. “Every time I think I've beaten it, it comes back worse. Why won't it stop?”

“You've come so far, Youngbae,” Emily murmured. “This is just a bad day. You're going to come out of this, I promise.”

There was a knock on the door and they tensed. “Emily, are you ready?” Jiyong asked.

“Almost,” Emily called. “I'll meet you downstairs.”

They heard his footsteps recede and Emily turned back to Youngbae. “Let's get you to bed,” she whispered. Youngbae nodded and Emily helped him to his feet. She cracked the door open and listened for a moment, then nodded. “They're gone,” she said, letting the door swing open. They walked down the hallway to his room and Youngbae sank down onto his bed. “Thanks,” he whispered.

“Do you want me to stay?” Emily asked. Youngbae shook his head. “I'll be fine. It always passes. Just… don't mention it to the others. I don't want them worrying about me.”

“I won't,” she promised, “but I want you to text me if you need anything.”

“Yes ma'am,” he whispered, smiling slightly. Emily pulled a blanket over him and turned out the light. She went back to the bathroom and changed into her new bathing suit, worrying her lip the whole time. I hope he's not getting sick, she thought, tying the strings around her neck. She looked at her reflection critically, turning from side to side. It fit perfectly, and she had to admit it was a beautiful bikini. The bright blue material felt incredible against her skin. Daesung does know how to choose clothes, she thought. After a moment she pulled on Seunghyun's tee shirt, the oversized top falling to the middle of her thighs. After tying her hair up in a messy bun she walked back down the hallway, peeking in on Youngbae as she passed. He seemed to be asleep and she breathed a small sigh of relief as she headed to the elevator.

The outdoor pool was beautiful, with bubbling fountains and luxurious chairs spread around it. The guys were gathered around a hot tub at the far end and Emily made her way over to them. Seungri was fiddling with the controls and swatting Daesung's hand away. Seunghyun and Jiyong were whispering together and frowning. Seunghyun saw Emily and nudged Jiyong, silencing him immediately. “We were about to come looking for you,” he said. “Where's Youngbae?”

Emily shrugged one shoulder. “He decided to turn in for the night,” she said nonchalantly. She slipped off her sandals and looked at the still hot tub. “Is it broken?” she asked.

“No, I just-” Seungri yelped and shook his hand. “Stupid panel,” he muttered.

“Let me try,” Emily offered, kneeling beside him. She pressed the top button, but nothing happened. “See?” Seungri huffed. Emily ignored him and pressed the button again, this time holding it down for several seconds. There was a whir and the hot tub roared to life instantly. Seungri folded his arms. “I was going to try that,” he insisted. Emily smiled and got up, patting his shoulder gently. “I thought we were going swimming,” she called over the noise.

“Do what you want, but I'm soaking in here first,” Jiyong replied, peeling off his shirt. Emily stared at his muscled torso and bit her lip. “Actually that sounds nice,” she said, pulling her own shirt off. All four men stopped and watched her walk up the stairs and step carefully into the hot tub. She couldn't resist releasing her hair, letting it fall down her back and over her shoulders. She tossed her head carelessly as she sat down, the warm water embracing her. “Aren't you getting in?” she asked innocently, pulling her hair over one shoulder.

Jiyong climbed in carefully and sat beside her, throwing an arm around her comfortably. “I should've done this weeks ago,” he murmured, leaning his head back.

“We're getting in the pool,” Seungri announced. “Don't laze around too long or you'll miss the fun.” He and the others took off toward the pool, laughing and shoving each other. Emily smiled to herself and laid her head on Jiyong's shoulder. They sat in blessed silence for a few minutes, the bubbling water soothing Emily's frayed nerves. She closed her eyes and let her other senses take over - the sound of the water, the night breeze ruffling her hair, Jiyong's skin against hers - and she felt safe.

“Emily?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you sure you want to stay here?”

“You invited me, remember?” she teased.

“No, I meant here, in South Korea.”

Emily sat up. “What do you mean?” she asked. Jiyong shifted uncomfortably. “You just… you looked so scared today, back at the restaurant. It's not fair for me to keep you here if you're in danger.”

“In danger?” Emily echoed. “Do you think I'm in real danger?”

“No!” Jiyong exclaimed, “of course not. I just-” he stopped and sighed. “I don't know,” he muttered, looking away.

“Are you breaking up with me, Jiyong?” Emily asked. Jiyong took her hands in his. “That's the last thing I want to do, believe me. But I'd rather you go home and be safe than stay here with me and be at risk.”

“So you are breaking up with me?”

“No!” he said emphatically, shaking his head. “I want you to be free to make whatever decision you want.” His voice caught slightly and Emily put a hand on his cheek. “I'm not leaving, Jiyong,” she whispered. “We'll get through this together, side by side the whole way.”

Jiyong exhaled loudly and touched his forehead to hers. “I'm glad,” he whispered. Emily kissed him lightly on the nose, then on the lips. Jiyong deepened the kiss and pulled her closer.

“Hey guys… oh, sorry,” Daesung apologized, stopping several feet away from the hot tub. “Um, we wanted to play some games and didn't know if you wanted to… anyway…”

“You're not embarrassed, are you, Daesung?” Emily asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No, just… never mind. Are you coming?”

“Yeah, we'll play,” Emily agreed, standing up.

“Emily!” Jiyong protested. Emily grabbed his hand. “Come on,” she insisted, tugging his arm. He sighed and got up, following her out of the hot tub. They walked hand in hand over to the pool, the night air cool against their damp skin. I haven't gone swimming since high school, Emily realized. On an impulse she let go of Jiyong's hand, took a running start and jumped into the pool.

She sank to the bottom, the cool water a shock after being in the hot tub. She looked up at the water’s surface, watching the moonlight play on the pool. Jiyong jumped in after her, his black hair swirling around his face. She pushed off the bottom of the pool and swam upward, muscle memory kicking in as she neared surface.

They both broke free at the same time, sputtering and laughing. “You really enjoy surprising everyone, don't you?” Jiyong laughed. Emily pushed her hair out of her face. “I like to keep things interesting,” she said coyly, splashing him.

“Let's play chicken!” Seungri said. “Me and Jiyong against Daesung and Seunghyun. Emily, you can referee first.”

Everyone agreed and Emily sat on the side of the pool while the teams debated who would fight who. Finally it was decided that Seungri and Daesung would fight first and they climbed on their teammates’ shoulders.

“Ready?” Emily called. “Ready!” the guys yelled.

“Go!” she called. Seungri and Daesung grabbed hands and began pushing against each other, each straining to knock the other down. After a couple of minutes Seungri managed to knock Daesung off of Seunghyun's shoulders, sending him tumbling into the water. “We win!” he shouted, throwing his fists in the air. “Come on Emily, your turn!”

Emily swam over and climbed onto Seunghyun's shoulders, holding on tightly as he straightened up again. “I should warn you, I was pretty good at this in high school,” she said, cracking her neck.

“We'll see,” Seungri said, leaning forward.

“Go!” Daesung yelled and Emily grabbed onto Seungri, pushing against him mightily. Seungri smiled, confident he had the advantage. Let's see if I've still got it, Emily thought to herself. She twisted her shoulders and pushed as hard as she could. The abrupt change in pressure knocked Seungri slightly off-balance and Emily took advantage of it, sending him flying into the water.

“Woohoo!” Daesung cheered. “My turn!” He climbed on Jiyong's shoulders eagerly, only to be summarily defeated like Seungri. “Okay, time for a real fight,” Jiyong said. He got on Seungri's shoulders and the round began. Emily struggled to keep her place on Seunghyun's shoulders, Jiyong bearing down on her heavily. Suddenly an idea struck her. She leaned forward, watching Jiyong's face. The moment his eyes flicked downward she shoved him as hard as she could. It worked better than she'd hoped, both Jiyong and Seungri falling backwards into the water.

“Cheater!” Jiyong spluttered, shaking the hair out of his eyes. Emily shrugged. “I don't know what you're talking about,” she said indifferently.

“Nice job!” Seunghyun said, high fiving her. “We make a good team.”

Emily nodded, smiling. “Yes, we do.”

Notes

Comments

Please please please continue this. I've read it three times now and it just makes me fall in love every time. It is a wonderful story. Also, please put it on AO3, its a very friendly community for writers.

Maliciouspixie5 Maliciouspixie5
11/13/19

@Maliciouspixie5
Thank you!

Oh I just love this. Beautiful story.

@k pop lover
Haha thanks, I'll try!

please update more often. caus ei reallyl ike this story

k pop lover k pop lover
8/29/18