It wasn’t even 9 am flat when Chaerin heard a knock.  From black skinny jeans, graphic tee to pin jacket and killer heels, yes, CL still wear the same clothing from yesterday except, she ditched the heels; because expert as she was in her sky high heels, they don’t give adequate comfort and they were not needed inside the house. After she signed some papers, the delivery boy dropped five big boxes on her living room. Thank you, Jeremy!

Her best friend sent her last and latest seasons of his designs—from shoes, to tights, to bottoms, to tops. She has to go and shop for her own accessories and um—basic, personal, garments. But her best friend managed to sneak in a few undergarments—in case she needed them ASAP. The payments were signed to her account, in New York of course. 

Being the clean freak that she already was, she showered—good thing the people in charge of the condo made sure that there’s soap, tooth paste, shampoo and other things. Dressed in a simple strapless hoodie, tattered jeans and kicks, she was ready to shop for something useful.

**

Somewhere down Seoul, Teddy Park entered the Black V.I.P—the youngest of his clubs. But, young it maybe, it was treated as the most exclusive because it possess some kind of ‘youngness’ that his other clubs just don’t have. The interior of Black V.I.P was copied from both The Joker and The Ace. The Joker has the colorful, quite edgy interior while The Ace has the masculine, sleek, elegance that most bachelors prefer.

The Black V.I.P just has the colorful elegance and stained glass-walls that just make the whole partying darker yet fun. It was like a castle of mysteries because the main theme of it was to find something you just can’t see in the light; weird—fun, like a carnival.

 Unfortunately, this bar doesn’t lie in his hands alone—for the club was under partnership. Not that he doesn’t like his partners nor does he want the club all alone, it’s just that he was really grateful that the club won’t be where it is if the boys weren’t there. He prefers to call them boys; since they are younger than him.

“Hyung!” A voice called him when he is about to open the door to his office. He raised a brow when he saw Seungri—one of the ‘boys’— struggling from the arm that holds his neck hostage—Choi Seunghyun. “Teddy-hyung, help!”

“Sorry Seungri, I think Top has the right to torture you today.” Teddy replied with a chuckle. “Yeah—after that prank you pulled yesterday, I won’t let you out of here alive.” Top in night and stage life and Seunghyun in reality. Last night was epic, according to Daesung, one of the boys, the one who called Teddy before Chaerin entered the scene last night. The boys were in the dance floor the usual when young Seungri showed his dance moves to impress some ladies.

Unfortunately, Top was drinking some kind of liquor along with some girls who keep on asking him about his magnificent blue-green hair when Seungri pulled off a stunt that he shouldn’t be doing in a crowded dance floor. The younger one’s foot managed to kick Seunghyun which caused the other to loose balance. The act did not only supervise Top to pour his fill on a woman’s face, he was also pushed to the other lady which ended up having his face on the lady’s—um, cleavage.

The ‘accident’ was not only funny, it was very self-degrading and humiliating in Top’s side, which resulted to the now’s scene. “It was an accident! I swear! And aren’t you just happy that they didn’t call the police?” Seungri yelped. “There’s nothing to thank for except me having good looks.”

“Ohhh—hyung, forgive me!” Seungri cried. “I’ll forgive you if you promise me to wear the black-eye or two that I’m going to give you on school on Monday.” Top said while tightening his hold on Seungri’s neck, boy oh boy, it’s all murder. “Not the face—please! Minki will get scared if she sees me hurt, and she’ll tell Bom-noona and you’re in deep !”

Seungri was forever wooing the young Gong Minji, who is a dancer herself and Daesung’s sister, while Bom is Top’s girlfriend, a fierce, beautiful, red-haired vixen with voice so smooth that it was a comparison to Top’s raspy , very male  of a voice. Seungri’s feelings should have been answered long ago if he could stop himself from impressing other girls, according to the amused Minki, or Minji or Minzy. And besides, according to another girl, Dara, their Minki is still far too young to have a boyfriend.

Meanwhile, the so called ‘alien’ couple got together during sophomore high in YGSA. Their weird otherness and weirder hair color gained them the ‘alien’ title. The love between Top and his girl is obvious but at times, Bom can manage a really scary tantrum that scares Top out of his wits. Oh yeah, she only have tantrums where in Top is involved, hmm, weird.

With the threat that Seungri told him, he let him go. VI, short for Victory, as some of Seungri’s friends call him immediately positions himself behind Teddy. “It really was an accident, ask Taeyang-hyung.” Taeyang or Youngbae was another of the ‘boys’. Like Seungri, this dude is not only a dancing machine but also an RNB prince. Some nights here in Black V.I.P, Taeyang sings.

Not like Top and Bommie who are now entering their second year of relationship, Taeyang and his girl, Dara, are still new, hot topic. They got together by the end of the second semester last school year. Actually it was kinda funny since Dara was forever her goofy, funny self while Taeyang was a little bit the shy type when he’s not on stage, just like yin and yang.

“Let’s stop talking about murder for a while, boys, I need to talk to GD about something, where is he?” Teddy asked the two who only shrugged. “He said he’s going to the music stand by the mall today, hyung.” An angelic voice answered instead. The three males ly to see Daesung entering. “Hyung—did Minki send something for me?” Seungri boomed. “Don’t be too assuming that my sister is attracted to you, I told her about you impressing some chicks last night.” Daesung said with a playful smile that made his eyes into half-moons.

“Aww, hyung!” Seungri replied before he heard Top smirk, it was the third time he ‘heard’ a smirk. It was a scary one. “Serves you right, maknae. I think Minki-ah should know your flip side.”

Teddy sighed before faking a cough, “What’s he doing in the music stand, Dae?”

“Dunno, but I bet he’s preparing for some booming mix for tonight since we’re back to school on Monday.” The blonde Daesung answered. “Where’s Taeyang, by the way? I thought he likes doing the opening stuff?” Teddy asked. “He’s with Dara-noona, shopping, along with Minki and Bom-noona.” Daesung answered. “Minki?” Seungri asked. “To the mall!”

**

CL was done shopping for accessories and basic female needs; it hurts but, she also bought school supplies, along with a MAC laptop and left everything at a counter. She would need her hands free. The last one on her shopping list would be a phone so her instincts made her enter the LG store which was empty of costumer’s right at that moment.

She was sipping a strawberry-very-berry shake while looking at the latest units of LG phone. “Can I see that Lollipop one? Pink.” She said to the salesman. Teddy-oppa would flip once he sees those boxes, talk about budgeting. CL thought with a smile. I wonder—the yellow one seems cuter than the pink.

She narrowed her eyes when the salesman didn’t give her what she asked for. And he couldn’t be deaf—because he is staring at her ever since she entered the store.

She sighed while taking into mind that she should temper herself, “Um, excuse me? Can I see the pink Lollipop phone, please?” She tried again, this time in a nicer tone. The weird salesman continued to stare at her, like she was stripping in front of him.

“I would do that if you give me your phone number later.” He talked and it was more like a purr for her. Nope—just nope. She would regret doing this but—CL poured her strawberry-very-berry shake on the salesman head.

“What the f—why did you do that?” Good. Now, he’s awake. CL smiled her cat-like victory-smile, “I need to see that Lollipop phone, the pink one, please.”

“Why did you pour that on me?” Now, he demanded answers. Chaerin just shrugged and said “Felt like it. Don’t see the point of people checking costumers out while working. Wait—were you working—not.” Nobody steps on this blonde girl. The salesman was so angry that he raised his hand to—

“Babe?” A voice called. The violent man stopped his action mid-air to look at the intruder, CL turned to look. “There you are—I’ve been looking all over for you.” A guy with a violet beanie entered the scene—with his dog. The man glared at the salesman and asked “What are you going to do with my girl?” But before the salesman could say anything for retort, the beanie-head said “I’ll talk to your manager.”

Later, CL found herself carrying the desired Lollipop phone beside the stranger—with his dog. “Damn, good thing I got even with that dude. The first time I bought a phone there he was acting so impolite.”

“This might sound ungrateful but I did not need rescuing.” CL muttered. She doesn’t like feeling resembling a damsel-in-distress, because that is going to be so last century ago and Lee Chaerin preferred the 21st century. The boy shrugged in a very liquid way—as if he has a body of a dancer. “At least you bought the phone. Without me you could end up an hour or so there.”

CL scoffed, now he’s sounding arrogant. “Then what do you want me to say?”

The dog barked and CL couldn’t help but smile on the mutt who probably is a Chinese Sharpei. But she had none of those smiles for this stranger who wears simple white tee, worn out jeans and kicks. She couldn’t see his hair with that gargantuan beanie and the shiny headphones hanging on his neck. “A thank you would do, miss.”

“Well, thank you for that unwanted rescuing.” She said with so much sarcasm then her heels and started walking. She could hear him swear and his dog barked. “Hey—wait.” She rolled her eyes and hasten her walk.

“You seem really tough for a girl.” He said when he effortlessly came beside her, “I’m G—” he’s so much taller and his stride is longer. “Alright, let’s finish this. I’m Vanessa Park, nineteen. Now stop following me.” Chaerin growled before leaving him. The guy could only think of one thing; what a girl…

**

After putting all of her clothes inside the not so big walk-in closet, CL pampered herself in the bath tub. She downloaded recent Korean pop music and now, a Rania song banged her speakers. She was not a big fan of the Korean pop music, since she was in New York her focus was on American artists, but now, she find herself singing to the beat of Pop pop pop.

The image of the guy from the store echoed in her mind. “Arrogant bastard.” She told herself, but remembering those expressive eyes, she smiled. “Cute.”

Later, wearing a really oversized black t-shirt with deck cards for prints, black leggings and her new Rilakkuma slippers, Chaerin went to open her Mac. The moment after she filled her fridge with food (she has no plans in learning how to cook, but filled it nonetheless) she managed her new abode. Her study table was facing the Korean milieu via her glass wall. Maybe I should buy curtains. The thought didn’t last a minute, because she was not going to stay in Korea for long.

She was not even half way into searching some random things, she heard a knock. Slowly walking she reached and looked at the peephole. “Oppa?” She opened the door for him. Teddy strolled inside. “So, it’s actually safe for you to get out of your clubs during night time?” She asked with such sarcasm.

“Thought of being nice and brought you dinner.” He said before flopping himself on the cool white sofa. Chaerin rolled her eyes, “Cool. At least I could skip oatmeal tonight.” Despite her words, she sat beside him, on the lush fur carpet and opened the containers. “Barbeque? Have you eaten?” She asked nicely.  Teddy only shook his head before Chaerin stood up to get some plates.

She might be a princess but she’s not wholly immobile in her home. “Nice phone.” Teddy remarked, hmm, probably saw the phone. “Yeah—you know what, I have this craziest experience when I bought that phone.”

Amused that she was able to get out of the room by herself and excited to hear the experience, Teddy helped her settle the utensils on the center table of her living room. “Yeah? Tell me?”

“The sales dude was checking me out while playing deaf on my requests.” Teddy knew she hated being ignored, “What did you do to him?” He asked her as she put some beef on his plate. He watched her as she sighed while lowering her shoulders. “I knew I would regret it, I poured my strawberry shake on him. And it was very berry flavored!”

Teddy stared at her . . .

Then he laughed.

“Man—Chae!” He laughed and it wasn’t that contagious since CL was thinking about the waste of strawberry that she did, “You’re epic.”

But she ended up smiling, thinking that it was really funny, “Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want but I’m not done yet.” Teddy tried to contain his laughter. “Yeah? What else did you do?” CL couldn’t help but grin, Teddy raised a delicate brow. “Chae?”

“Nothing, it’s just the salesman was about to hit me.” She said with so much easiness. “What? What did he do to you?” He asked almost hysterical. If that dude even put a bruise on his cousin he’ll—“Nah—he didn’t even reach me. There’s this guy who pretended to be the knight in shining headphones.”

Shining headphones?

“He, like, pretended to be my boyfriend so that he could antagonize the sales dude.” CL said before flopping a beef piece into , spicy and sweet—the way she liked it. Teddy didn’t like the grin on her face when she spoke of the guy. “You like this knight in shining headphones?” He asked before drinking the soda he bought. Chaerin looked at him in that weird way she always did every time she did something naughty.

She didn’t say anything. He presumed she did like the dude. “Did you tell him your name?” He asked just to continue the conversation. “Nah—” she said with a mouthful of food. “Auntie said you shouldn’t eat with your mouth full.” He reminded. She raised a brow, before swallowing her fill. “Yeah—but currently, Mommy isn’t here so I could be barbaric. And I told him my name is Vanessa Park—dang, he was so irritating.”

“Hmm, an irritating knight in shining headphones, cute?” Teddy asked, so far he is amused with this. It should be time that CL gets a crush. She didn’t answer him but she continued eating. “I could permit a slight crush, cousin but you can’t have a boyfriend yet.”

“There are lots of cute guys in YGSA, Chae, careful not to fall in their traps so easily.” He reminded. “I’m a rather hard to handle female. I could be as bad as I want to.” She said. Yep, no doubt she is. “I don’t doubt that, but guys rather like hard to get girls. And you’re pretty enough to end up as prey to the entire male population.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere. I still don’t like my part of the deal.” Chae replied. She doesn’t like the whole YGSA idea, but she’ll do her part of the contract. “Try my side of the pact—I get to give out a lot of money trying to pamper a spoiled princess.” He told her before putting his plate back at the table. “Oh puh-leez this is hardly pampering.” She said with a glare. When Teddy didn’t say anything in response, she softened and said “But, oppa?”

“Hmm?” He looked at her in those tired, lazy eyes of his. “Thank you.” She smiled. For a moment, Teddy saw the old Chaerin two years ago. The Chaerin who liked to smile at everybody, he might be fond of the fierce CL, but she was nowhere the charm of the real Chaerin. Chaerin stood up with the plates and other utensils and left it at the sink, the maid in charge would take care of it tomorrow.

“Chae?” he stood up. “I’ll be leaving, pick you up at 7:30—opening ceremony is at 8.” With that he left, not even minding the boxes near the kitchen.