Chapter 43

Things stayed the same over the past 3 days. Dae Sung was still in a coma and there were no changes in his condition. His repaired lung was showing no signs of healing. As a result of this he was being kept alive by the life supporting machine. Everyone was gathered around Dae Sung’s bed. A number of machines were hooked up to the motionless body, regular beeps broke the silence of the hospital room. TOP was no longer crying, but just sitting there, staring at Dae Sung's deathly pale face.

“Dae Sung, remember that you asked me whether I remembered what I said to you when I first saw you in YG?” TOP said, squeezing Dae Sung's hand for comfort.

“Actually, I remembered. It’s just that I’m too shy to say it out.” TOP laughed a small, shaky one.

"But, I will only tell you after you woke up, Dae Sung." TOP teased lightly, running a hand over Dae Sung's hair.

Seungri felt a lump grow at the back of his throat as he looked at how affectionate TOP is acting towards Dae Sung. G Dragon’s face became rigid and grim.

The air in the hospital room was thick with worry and a terrible sense of loss. No one had anything comforting to say.

Unable to take in the current atmosphere in the room, Seungri rushed out of the room. The moment Seungri was reaching the main door of the hospital, Seungri surveyed the concourse packed with reporters, waiting for people who knew Dae Sung to exit the hospital. It wasn't hard to figure out why. News about Dae Sung involving in an accident had spread like wildfire throughout the world. Since then all newspapers, magazines, internet forums and every media outlet only had one topic of discussion, Dae Sung’s karma.

Seungri sighed, shutting his eyes to rub at his forehead. His thoughts wandered back to the period of time when news about him disappeared started to spread. Did the reporters surround YG Entertainment like this too? Did the public criticized him as cruelly as what the public commented about Dae Sung? Seungri had once read a comment in a forum saying that it was GOD’s punishment for Dae Sung. The comment made Seungri felt that his heart had been pierced through by a knife.

"Pathetic, isn't it?" a voice said from beside him.

Seungri turned his head to look at G Dragon.

"What is?" he asked.

"The amount of reporters gathered over here just to see Dae Sung as if they are witnessing a historical moment.” G Dragon hissed angrily.

Seungri looked sadly at G Dragon.

“Why are they like this?” Seungri asked.

Before G Dragon replied, through the crowd of people, G Dragon suddenly caught sight of Tae Yang, heading his way.

“Visiting Dae Sung?” G Dragon asked the moment Tae Yang reached him and Seungri.

Tae Yang nodded in response.

"How's TOP hyung?" Tae Yang asked.

G Dragon sighed, shaking his head.

"He's coping, I hope." he muttered. "I can't stand seeing TOP hyung being emotional," G Dragon started, looking upset.

Tae Yang didn’t say anything as he placed his hand on G Dragon’s shoulder in comfort before proceeding towards Dae Sung’s room.

"Come on. Let’s go back to Dae Sung’s room." G Dragon said softly to Seungri.

As Seungri and G Dragon proceed towards Dae Sung’s room, G Dragon took one glance behind him, looking at the reporters.

“Seungri, the common perception the public have is that celebrities have everything in life, money, looks and fame. Any person outside the entertainment business who does not have any idea about the constant demand and the price we, celebrities have to pay for being famous, think we are just machines with an open life to the public and no private life whatsoever. Sad to say, there are still people who don’t know how empty we feel sometimes.

I have been thinking a lot about the word, freedom, after I have become an artist.

More people pay attention to what I do now then before. I felt that I was so blissful to be a “free” man back then but now, I felt so tired because it seemed that I have been deprived of it.

But, people generally expect a lot more from you when you are a famous person. Fans expect celebrities to be absolutely perfect in every aspect of their lives, every single day. Such an expectation is impossible for any human being to fulfill. Thus, when famous people are reported as having done something wrong, they are highly scrutinized by the public. If the offense is small, you may be able to work your way back into good standing with good public relation guidance. However, if the offense is nontrivial, such as the commitment of a felony or comments that alienate a segment of the population, fans may quite possibly turn their backs on you forever.
 

Sometimes I do think like this, it will be so good that if I can chit-chat freely with my friends on whatever topics we want to or go dating with my beloved girlfriend, if I had one. It will also be so nice if I can know how a deep and prolonged relationship taste like or how painful I can be in a heartbreaking relationship.

However, I do not have the chances of trying out all these stuff. Even so, I still think that what I have gained is more than what I have lost because this is the path I chose myself.”

Seungri gave a weak smile as he followed G Dragon towards Dae Sung’s room, but even as he did so, his mind flew back to himself.

“Why did he want to be a celebrity?”

“Did he regret the decision to be one?”

Shaking the thoughts away from his head, Seungri increased his walking pace to keep up with G Dragon. After all, there’s no point in thinking of these when he couldn’t remember anything about his past other than the incident in Japan.

***

"Manager Hyung, do not breathe a single word about the video you sent to me." TOP reminded his manager before he ended the call.

TOP stood up from his chair, clenching his phone so tightly that his knuckles were white as he recalled the contents he just saw when his manager sent a video to him. He could not believe that Tae Yang and Hyun Seng were the ones attacking Dae Sung.

“TOP hyung?”

TOP frozed and slowly turned his head to look at Tae Yang, trying to keep himself calm.

TOP managed a brusque nod to acknowledge Tae Yang’s presence before slipping the phone in his back pocket discreetly.

Tae Yang walked closer to TOP and the looked at Dae Sung.

“The reporters are stationing outside the hospital.” Tae Yang said, his eyes fixed on Dae Sung. "Looks like Dae Sung will have a hard time dealing with the media once more when he woke up."

TOP clenched his fingers in anger so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. He wanted to do  something other than having a conversation with Tae Yang.

"Tae Yang," TOP said simply. “Where were you during Seungri’s welcome party?”

"TOP hyung, why are you asking me this question?" Tae yang sounded amused.

TOP didn't respond to anything Tae Yang had said. He continued to scrutinise Tae Yang with his eyes, memories of Dae Sung warning him about Tae Yang kept appearing in his mind.

That memory made TOP felt bad for always brushing Dae Sung off.

At that moment, G Dragon appeared at the door almost suddenly. He walked inside, closing the door while Seungri followed behind him, getting everyone's attention. TOP and Tae Yang turned their heads, their gaze fixed on their leader.

G Dragon looked at the scene in front of him, his eyes darting from TOP to Tae Yang.

“TOP hyung, Tae Yang, both of you aren’t talking behind our backs aren’t you?” G Dragon tried to ask in a humourous way in order to lift up the angsty atmosphere in the room.

TOP ignored G Dragon’s question as he faced Tae Yang.

"Tae Yang" TOP spoke quite calmly as if they were discussing the weather, but his intent eyes told another story.

"Se7en Hyung mentioned to me that you did not attend Seungri’s welcome party.” TOP emphasized the last word rather sharply, causing Tae Yang to flinch internally. "Mind if you could explain your absence?”

Tae Yang gave an amused expression but TOP thought he detected a slight uneasiness.

Tae Yang chuckled quietly.

"TOP hyung, you are questioning me as if I had commited crime." Tae Yang joked.

"Well," G Dragon's voice cut in. "I also wanted to know why you did not attend Seungri’s welcome party as well."

Tae Yang shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Looks like I have to explain" Tae Yang’s eyes flickered from TOP to G Dragon and back to TOP again.

“I was with Hyun Seng.” Tae Yang said slowly, his eyes locked with TOP's once more. "Hyun Seng was worried about his musical debut. I was just comforting him."

TOP glared at Tae Yang for a second, feeling irritated that this conversation was not going in the direction he had planned if he continued further.

“Oh no!” G Dragon's voice cut in. “I was worried about Dae Sung that I forgot that I had to inform all of you that we have to attend Hyun Seng’s musical premiere next week.”

Seungri’s face drain of colour when he heard that Tae Yang said that the reason why he missed his welcome party was because he was with Hyun Seng. The mere thought of Tae Yang and Hyun Seng together means that nothing good will happen. Furthermore, G Dragon’s sudden announcement on attending Hyun Seng’s musical premiere made Seungri felt a cold sensation seep down his back, a strange panic taking over him.

While G Dragon was talking about the things they have to take note of during the premiere, not a single person in the room was listening to him.

Seungri was worried about what will happen during the premiere. Tae Yang was observing TOP, suspecting that he is the one who had heard his conversation with Dae Sung. While TOP was watching Tae Yang at the corner of his eyes.