“Keep Calm and Pour On”

 

The Winter Winery
Friday
7 p.m.

 

“Guess who’s in Room Number Three, Hyung.” Jiyong nudged Seunghyun who have just arrived.

 

He scanned the entire room.
Everyone else is present except…

 

Tiffany.

 

But she was absent these past few weeks in the Winter Winery. He overheard someone that Tiffany was out of the country.

 

“I saw Tiffany’s car outside. Is she here?” Naeun just came inside the room.

 

That sent a panic alarm to Choi Seunghyun. Tiffany is in The Winter Winery; she must be here because her car is there at the parking lot. Seunghyun was not allowed with a lot of things to ponder about that moment so when he dashed straight to room number three. He nearly tripped when he tried to run. The two other rooms where unoccupied; their doors flung open. So Tiffany must be there.

 

And it only meant one thing:

 

“Miyoung!!!” Seunghyun, in no time, was banging Room Number Three’s door and knocking loudly. He was frantic. “Miyoung!”

 

Everyone fell silent.
Where has the cold, arrogant and snob Choi Seunghyun gone?

 

And Miyoung?
He calls her that?

 

People in the Winter Winery that Friday night were speechless the entire time Seunghyun was banging the door. They froze; and it isn’t just because it was snowing in the streets nor they think the heating unit wasn’t properly working – Choi Seunghyun panicked. He never did, never does, and they never imagined he will ever will.

 

Choi Seunghyun panicked.

 

The ever-so-cold man never acknowledged the new guests, particularly the girls inside that room that night. Upon knowing who was inside Room Number Three, he dashed right thru it and started knocking loudly. He went, bang bang bang in to the room.

 

And Miyoung.

 

No one calls Tiffany, Miyoung in the Winter Winery. Everyone fell surprised that aside from the fact that Choi Seunghyun is affected that Tiffany is in that room and might be doing something with someone, he did call her by her Korean name, Miyoung.

 

That raised eyebrows.
That made his friends stopped drinking.

 

It might be true after all.

 

Seunghyun and Tiffany; or better yet, Seunghyun and Miyoung.

 

Shortly after Tiffany came to the Winter Winery, Choi Seunghyun avoided Room Number Three as if he never used it; as if he wasn’t a regular occupant to that room. Few months after Tiffany became a steady-goer to the club, people saw and felt that noticeable change in Choi Seunghyun. He is still cold; commanding and distant; he is still arrogant and obnoxious to the people he doesn’t like and that includes Tiffany Hwang. He fights with her. He opposes what she says, even in the most trivial and simplest matters. He doesn’t laugh at her jokes. He annoys her to the ends of the earth.

 

But there’s something in the way he looks at her. It’s so different, it’s glaring. His gaze towards Hwang Miyoung is different: protective, caring, warm.

 

When a cold man turns warm, everyone will know.  
When the ice melts, it’s impossible not to see and ignore the water.

 

Yes, he rebuts whatever she says but his eyes were saying otherwise. He pisses her off, tells her off, shoos her away, but his eyes makes her want to stay. And Seunghyun always, always looks at her. He listens to her conversations and to her stories while he drinks his wine. His eyes travel wherever she is. And when she leaves, his eyes follow her.

 

Nobody could ever ask him if there is something going on. No one will ever attempt. But Moeka told Kiko. And a very drunk G-Dragon girlfriend blurted out one Friday night, without Seunghyun and Tiffany in attendance, that the two are attending a family dinner together.

 

Together.
That merits an alarm for people inside the Winter Winery.

 

“Only heads won’t know.” Zion T told Kiko.

 

“I thought it was brand new information.” Kiko was too drunk, too pathetic that night, she was proud she was giving them something interesting to talk about, to feast on and it came from her first. “T-t-that there is something going on between them.”

 

BIGBANG kept quiet.

 

Rule of thumb for the brothers: If one of them gets caught, the other four will turn deaf and mute. They will not even respond with such things as “I don’t know” or “Maybe” or “You should ask him”; all ears are covered as if they never heard anything and all mouths are zipped as if they are going to get shot if they even say ‘aaah.’

 

No reactions, even.
Daesung is statue; Taeyang, a painting; Jiyong, a chair and Seungri, a bearbrick.

 

All things that Choi Seunghyun love.
And all things that will never ever admit his relationship with Tiffany Hwang, if ever there is.

 

Soohyuk let out a small laugh, “When Choi Seunghyun talks to a girl outside of Room Number Three longer that fifteen minutes, either she is family, his girlfriend, a friend’s girl or she is someone he is very interested in.”

 

“But TOP always fought with her.” Another Japanese friend worriedly commented. “He loses his cool with that woman.”

 

“And he should’ve told us… we know Moeka-san, didn’t we?” Nana Komatsu, another friend of Kiko, apparently very affected, asked.

 

“And when Choi Seunghyun is interested in someone, it means he’s very, very, very interested.” Older Hyung Tablo just had to add, “And he will keep her private. He keeps her. Period.”

 

“I certainly don’t understand Oppa.” It was Kiko this time, still feeling bad for her friend, Moeka. “They curse at each other here. They mock each other’s work. Tiffany just called her a nu-gu rapper of some sort.”

 

Soohyuk and the other guys laughed. Their laugh was rather meaningful as they eye each other.

 

“Fight, fight, yes.” Soohyuk then declared, “But they have all night to make up for that.”

 

Then the guys laughed even harder.
The girls understood it this time.

 

BIGBANG is still… wordless and expressionless.

 

 

“Miyoung!” Seunghyun kept banging the door, “Open up, Hwang Miyoung. Miyoung-ah, open the door or I’ll kick this open!”

 

“What?” An obviously very pissed off Tiffany opened the door to see a frantic Choi Seunghyun.

 

The knocks were too loud and hurried; Tiffany felt the door was going to break. And she knew who the person was on the other side of the door. There could no one else except that person she had in mind.

 

Seunghyun got inside the room fast and closed the door behind him just as quick too. He almost sighed, out of relief that Tiffany was fully clothed, and fully made up; meaning she wasn’t doing anything stupid with someone inside that room.

 

Someone.

 

“This is Gray.” Tiffany introduced Seunghyun to that person with her in Room Number Three. “He’s my friend… Uhm, he’s with Jay in AOMG… you know that, right? His company, Jay’s company, AOMG. Gray here is helping me in one of my songs in my solo album. He’s doing the rap part and stuff-“

 

Suddenly, the mad Tiffany turned mellow upon seeing a worried snowman doing nothing except staring. He seemed pretty harmless too. His eyes travelled from her then to Gray, and went back to her. It happened a couple of times. The way he looked at them back and forth. Whenever his stare comes back to her, his gaze softens and turns worried. Then Tiffany noticed he was sizing Gray up.

 

“Choi Seunghyun.” Seunghyun finally after quite sometime, extended his hand to Gray who stood up after being introduced.

 

“Hello. I’m Gray. Lee Seong Hwa.” Gray took his hand and smiled a bit. “Nice to meet you.”

 

He scanned him head to foot. One thing that Seunghyun made sure is that he too, Gray, is wearing his clothes properly and he didn’t just wear it hurriedly while he was banging the door. He took note that Gray’s clothes were neat, and he was wearing boots with laces – that would mean it will take him some time to put it back again if he wasn’t wearing it.

 

Seunghyun’s mind was racing and he was suddenly nervous. If indeed they were just making music, why use this room? Can’t they use the first two ones? Tiffany knew fully well that this room is for and Seunghyun is hating the fact that she knew yet she was there inside a man but for another reason.

 

“The other rooms…” He softly began.

 

Choi Seunghyun wanted answers.
He is not letting this go.

 

BUT…

 

When did he ever become so jealous?
Possessive?
He never runs after women; it’s the other way around.

 

But now, what the hell is this? Why is he acting and feeling he’s been cheated on and he is too nervous about it? Why is the sudden biting of lips, casting of severe doubting looks over a man he just met? And why a sudden rush of feeling of wanting to hug the woman in front of him whom he vowed never to be involved with? Especially in front of another person except his family?

 

“When I arrived, Tablo-Oppa is using the second room with Kush-Oppa. Work-stuff, you know… work and stuff.” Tiffany was pressing her knuckles as she spoke. She didn’t directly look at him but she answered. And Tiffany continued unaffected, “And Heejun-Unni is terribly drunk even before she got here, so Room Number One is occupied too.”

 

Occupied awhile back.
Not anymore.

 

“Lee Seong Hwa-ssi,” Seunghyun turned to Gray, then to Tiffany, “Tiffany-ssi… I shouldn’t have barged in like that. I thought I have something important here in this room so I wanted to get it before things get out of-“

 

Something important or someone important?

 

“Choi Seunghyun!” Tiffany glared at him. Is he really thinking that way towards her? Them?

 

“Please continue what you are doing.” Seunghyun smiled a bit and turned back.

 

He went out of Room Number Three leaving a clueless Gray and furious Tiffany. The rest of those in Winter Winery watched him leave their exclusive and private room without him taking any fill of wine and without a word with anyone. He left right after he was in Room Number Three with Tiffany and Gray.

 

Seunghyun knew he lost his cool.
That can’t be.

 

In front of everyone else.
The more it can’t be.
 

 

The Winter Winery has several exclusive rooms, one of which Seunghyun and his friends use every Friday night. But the entire winery has a bar and a restaurant outside which is open to the public. Needless to say, the celebrity brats avoid going out on the public area as they usually come in their not-so-sober state and that would create either a scandal or a fight with non-celebrities. Staying inside their cave meant safety and protection for everyone so they do not go out. They keep their business private as much as possible.

 

But Choi Seunghyun couldn’t stay the night inside of their private cave. His friends had these questioning looks plastered among their faces on why he needed to see Tiffany inside Room Number Three and why he has to do it with urgency. No one asked, but it doesn’t mean no one knows. He saw their faces. It was too much of a giveaway not to consider.

 

And Tiffany. Seunghyun could not comprehend, still, why she had to be in that room. He felt like one of his worst nightmares had come true. Tiffany being in Room Number Three and him being so affected by it.

 

Worst feeling.
Worst nightmare.

 

He couldn’t believe he’s even thinking about it.

 

Seunghyun went to the bar counter and asked for vodka. Of course he is still going to drink. It’s going to help him clear his mind in what exactly just happened and exactly what he just felt. He sat near the edge of the bar counter so no one would notice him except for the bartenders serving him wine. It was a bit dim in the entire bar anyway so he didn’t need to put on some disguise.

 

“Stuffy inside, isn’t it?” Catherine, the lady bartender, who is one of the owners of the Winter Winery, handed him the vodka. “It’s nice to get out and drink here from time to time.”

 

Seunghyun offered a quick smile and nodded. Vodka was on his lips the next second.

 

“Your friend still inside?” Catherine asked, smiling. She was drying some shot glasses with a paper towel which she decided she’s going to do in front of Seunghyun. He was sulking, about to get wasted and obviously needs a conversation from a thinking and sane elder.

 

“Friend?” Choi Seunghyun asked. This lady can’t possible know anything about him and Tiffany. Tiffany wouldn’t tell anyone and neither would he.

 

 “That Japanese woman whom Jiyong is seeing had too much to drink one time. She was telling us stories here in the bar.” Catherine told Seunghyun nonchalantly as she arranged the shot-glasses, “She had too much… aigoo. Just too much. Well, she didn’t say anything specific but...”

 

Catherine looked at Seunghyun before she went on, “She said that there is someone who finally melted the snowman.”

 

Seunghyun looked at her and waited for her to continue. He did not ask, but his face showed he was willing to listen and believe whatever she says.

 

“She actually passed out before telling us who it was.” Catherine laughed, “But…”

 

“But?”

 

“Remember that time when we all had to leave the bar because the fire alarm went off? Right before the Chuseok Holidays.”

 

Seunghyun nodded.

 

“We made sure everyone was out and safe.” Catherine told him, “There was this loud woman in your group who kept yelling for everyone to get out and helped us a lot.”

 

At this point, Seunghyun tensed up. He didn’t look at Catherine any longer; he stared at his half-filled glass while he still listened. She got his fullest attention with ‘there was this loud woman’. Seunghyun knew that he and Catherine knew who that woman was.

 

“You never took your eyes off her.” She told him, “She was one of the last people who got out, and so are you. She was helping to call customers to get out, while you watched her...”

 

“You see…” Seunghyun would like to let it pass and not reason out to defend himself, but it was automatic that he tried to be defensive.

 

Defensive Seunghyun.
 

is...

Seunghyun in love.

 

It cannot be.

 

“…worriedly.” Catherine came closer to Seunghyun, “Your face shows like, you wanted to pull her out but you can’t. Wanted to hold her but you can’t. You can’t even call her name, but many times your face wanted to do so.”

 

“I made sure all of those who go to our club stayed safe.” Seunghyun tried to reason out.

 

“Really?” Catherine was not buying his explanation. Choi Seunghyun has been going in The Winter Winery for several years now; Catherine knows him already.

 

“I need a favor.” She told him, “You and I are not exactly strangers, aren’t we?”

 

Seunghyun smiled, he knew where this conversation is heading and probably all he could do is smile. Catherine and his sister Karen had seen him in his most drunken state and had helped him in several occasions. Catherine, herself, hid Seunghyun at the wine cellar in the basement when his Mom came looking for him at the bar, one time a few years back.

 

Seunghyun leaned a lot closer to hear what Catherine is going to say. She motioned she needs to whisper it to him.

 

“Stick to one woman, Tabi.” She told him, “And if this woman scares the out of you, go and introduce her to your family and get scared of her for the rest of your life.”

 

Seunghyun just smiled and lifted his glass, “You think she scares me?”

 

“Let’s drink to that.” Catherine winked and raised one of the shot-glasses.

 

Unspoken confirmations are usually the sweetest.
And the most painful.

 

 

“Today’s Forecast: 99% Chance of Wine.”

 

Tiffany’s Home
Gangnam-Gu, Seoul
9.30 p.m.

 

He waited for her inside her house, in the living room. He was just there all the time she was still in Winter Winery. Seunghyun did nothing but stare at her furniture. Beside him were bottles of wine and a glass. Two of the bottles were empty and he is still awake and alert.

 

Tiffany found him waiting for her and she wasn’t surprised. Somehow, she knew he would come seek her and talk to her that night.

 

Seunghyun definitely would like some closure to what transpired earlier at the Winter Winery. Judging by the way he looked at her when she arrived, Tiffany knew she is in for some serious talk. No fights but a serious conversation. She cannot remember exactly when was the last time Seunghyun went to her house, but surely she will not forget this day when he came back, looking serious, depressed, and somewhat helpless.

 

Tiffany sees through that cold façade now. Seunghyun still appears to be arrogant, cold and obnoxious but she sees through him, she gets to him deeper to the core. Tiffany can crush the ice and make it whole again. Over and over, repeatedly so many times.

 

She sat next to him and spoke nothing. She waited for him to talk; after all, he didn’t come there after a long time for no reason at all. Seunghyun spoke a little later after he and Tiffany finished another bottle, that was her first while it was his third.

 

“If you needed help…” He paused, bit his lip, and avoided any eye contact. “You… you should’ve told me… he’s what? Doing rap part of your songs? Who is he? Does he even know how to write?”

 

Then he started to insult her friend. She realized helplessness comes from wanting to get mad but wasn’t able to do anything about it. Tiffany thought she is hearing a very jealous man demanding answers from his girlfriend who he caught with someone else. But they are neither; Seunghyun isn’t a jealous man and Tiffany is not his girlfriend so he resorts to throwing useless bashing on an innocent person, Gray, who never did anything wrong except help Tiffany.

 

“I know rappers, but I am not close with them.” She replied rather icily. “Gray is good, really amazing and talented guy…. He writes so well…”

 

“You freaking should’ve asked me!” Seunghyun shouted. It was too loud Tif