It was like waking up in hell. The blaring music of Bang Bang Bang echoed inside the room. Your head felt like it was cracked open until you had managed to turn your alarm off, to get out of bed to chug a bottle of water, and to make your way straight to the shower. Focusing on what you were doing was difficult until you felt the cold shower hit you and it was as if you instantly sobered up. Heaving a deep sigh, you continued your morning routine and was already hoping the day to be over so you could go back to sleep.

“Ms. Y/N.” A security personnel called you as you were about to leave your apartment building. You knew the old man and he was incredibly chatty with the tenants. You liked talking with him at times but that morning, you were not in the mood to even utter a single word.

“Are you feeling well? Did you drink a lot last night?” He asked—sounding a bit worried and that got your attention.

“How--?”

“The security in charge last night showed me a CCTV footage of you with two men he hadn’t seen before.” He explained and then shook his head in disapproval. “If I were manning last night, I would’ve charged right away and confronted them. But they left quickly.”

“Eh?” Your mind was whirring—trying to think of what happened last night. The last thing you could remember was listening to Seung Hyun and Hong Il’s conversation inside a taxi—

“Oh.” You breathed and heat instantly crept to your face. “I know them from work. No need to worry.”

“Would you like to see? Just so you’re sure they didn’t do anything?” He asked and you had no idea if you were allowed to look at a security footage in the first place. But you were curious and the old man always looked out for you. He ushered you inside the small room with several computer monitors and he opened a file dated last night. It took a few moments before he was able to pull up the footage from your floor’s hallway.

If there was one thing that could describe what you initially felt seeing the footage… it was mortification. You saw Hong Il first and he looked quite agitated looking for your unit number and then following behind him was Seung Hyun with you in his arms. You gave out a small squeak and you instantly covered your mouth with your hands. The screen was zoomed in and you could see that Seung Hyun looked incredibly serious as he carried you… that princess style carry. You looked completely out of it as your head was leaning on his left shoulder. He said something to Hong Il and the latter instantly rummaged your bag and then finally got your key. Seung Hyun lightly bounced you in his arms and your skirt came loose. Instantly noticing it, he moved his right hand and grasped your skirt. Your heart must have skipped a beat at the sight. He’s a gentleman.

They quickly went inside your unit and it didn’t take long before they both came out and Seung Hyun was frowning as Hong Il was smiling at him. They walked off—their backs at the camera and Hong Il patting Seung Hyun on the shoulder. And that was it.

“Don’t drink too much next time.” The old man scolded you and you sheepishly bowed your head.

“I’ll be late for work. Thank you.” He huffed as a response and then you quickly exited the room and out into the street.

You tried your hardest to avoid talking about what happened last night. It was too embarrassing that you had no idea how to cope with it. And it was a good thing that Hong Il was quiet about it. Seung Hyun was focused on his acting that he only paid attention to you when you were translating. It was towards the end of the afternoon, when you found yourself inside his hotel room with an English textbook in front of you that you felt the awkwardness permeate the air that it was suffocating. You couldn’t sit still and you had a lot of questions in your head.

“Can you keep a secret?” Seung Hyun repeated the phrase on the text and you absentmindedly responded, “Yes.”

He looked at you and the corner of his lips pulled up. “Really?”

Your cheeks flushed and you thought this day would not get any worse.

“Well, for one, I haven’t told a single soul about you.” You reasoned and his smile widened. It was like looking at a completely different person whenever he smiled genuinely.

“Would you like to know a secret of mine?” He was challenging you and you absolutely had no control with your response.

“Obviously.”

He leaned closer to whisper near your ear even though you were the only two people in the room. “I curse a lot.”

“For real?”

He nodded. “Whenever I’m angry or frustrated.”

“But I thought you don’t like cursing.”

“And I’m a compulsive liar as well.” He grinned at your dumbfounded reaction and his eyes crinkled. You didn’t know if you would believe him or not. Your head ached for the nth time that day.

“Don’t play with me.” You massaged your temple with your fingers and he was chuckling beside you. What’s gotten into him now?

You resumed finishing the phrases on the textbook. Strangely, you felt more at ease after he teased you. It was as if he was also trying to lessen the awkwardness between the two of you. And true to that assumption, as soon as you finished the lesson, Seung Hyun asked if you could play a game… the classic rock, paper, scissors game to be exact. Feeling confused at his sudden eagerness, you agreed and let him set the rules.

“So the winner will ask the loser to perform any song and the loser will do it. If the loser doesn’t get to perform well, the loser will treat the winner to dinner.” It was a stupid idea… stupid but exciting.

“Alright. I’m up for it.” You straightened from your seat as he moved to face you.

“I think we just need to stick with Bigbang songs to be fair.” He smirked and your eyes widened a fraction—your confidence betraying you. You knew their songs but hadn’t memorized all of them. This guy’s impossible!

“The whole song? Or just a verse or a chorus?” You sounded unsure as he looked more and more confident.

“Two verses or a verse and a chorus.”

Then you started and it took three tries before he defeated you with a paper and you with a rock. “Blue.”

You sighed and then started singing the chorus and when you got to his part, you lowered your voice and he started laughing again like the last time you mimicked him. You couldn’t help but smile at his reaction and you were glad that he was being so open like that. And then you went on for another round and you lost again after the first try.

“Stupid Liar.” He grinned and you thought for a moment before you started with Seungri’s verse and then when you were about to start GD’s rap, you stood up and then tried to copy his prancing walk, his tone, and facial expression as well. It made Seung Hyun double over in laughter. You were laughing with him as soon as you finished.

“That was really good!” He complimented you. “Your impersonation of me is terrible but your Jiyong is very impressive.”

“Well… it’s impossible to copy your voice.” You sat back down on the chair in front of him and you extended your hand immediately—ready for the next round of your stupid game.

“Gawi bawi bo!” You both said at the same time and you grinned triumphantly as he leaned back on his chair with a theatrical sigh.

“Of All Days.”

His eyes narrowed. “I’ve never performed that song live.”

“Now you get to.” Your grin remained and his lips pouted.

“You’re cheeky.”

“I know.”

Seung Hyun cleared his throat and then he started singing from the chorus—his voice deep and rough and you felt it in your bones. And then he got to the next verse until to the faster and more intense rap and you swore you could die happily then and there. You finally got to see him perform one of your favorite songs of him live—and in acapella.

“Yeeees!” You raised your arms as if in worship and Seung Hyun chuckled. “Thanks for indulging my inner fangirl, Mr. T.O.P.”

“Ready for another?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and you quickly went back to playing like kids.

He lost again.

And you were cackling like a devil inside your head as he dramatically covered his face with his hands.

“Feeling…” You paused as you looked at his suddenly confident face. “…in Japanese.”