Between our first and second mini-album, we recorded full-English songs at YG during September and October. Those recordings would become the songs for our debut in Japan to be released at the beginning of 2008, but meanwhile the last two months of 2007 had to be dealt with.

I can't really summarize those final months of 2007 clearly. Pain and exhaustion took over, but there were some victories too.

Five days before our second mini-album was released, BIGBANG won Best Male Group and Song of the Year at mnet's KM Music Festival Awards. When our name was announced, Youngbae stood up with me and we embraced. Jiyong was still sitting down leaning over his seat. Once we walked up together on the grand stage, I did my best to comfort an emotional Daesung while an equally ecstatic Jiyong stepped away from us to bow to everyone. I couldn't express how happy I was, not just because we won, but because Jiyong didn't coo at me or embarrass me the whole time we were up there. It was a personal victory as much as it was a group win.

When Hot Issue came out, we made a music video for Majimak Insa and we were doing well on the online music charts. With all the success came special performances and appearances and awards shows.

Two days after my seventeenth birthday, we were rehearsing Majimak Insa for the Golden Disk Awards. I made a mistake from being too enthusiastic with not enough energy to back myself up. I wanted to spin and pivot and test the stage's flooring, but I fell and the next thing I knew, my ankle was incredibly swollen and an ambulance was on its way.

From then on, I was a burden.

We had another mnet concert to perform at, and Jiyong stayed up until 6 in the morning on the night of that show to practice my part and fill my role. The doctor told me I had to restrict my movements for two weeks.

Then we had our concert The Great, and added to the pain of my ankle was the shock of having stage fireworks explode onto my face. Hell, this wasn't even about Jiyong embarrassing me anymore; I was embarrassing myself.

I woke up in a hospital on the 29th to find out that I had collapsed backstage during our concert. Well, now I was embarrassing my hyungs too. I couldn't even finish a show and it hurt. The hospital released me and I was driven back to the dorm to sulk and cry in solitude. I counted the minutes as that concert continued to go on without me. I was absolutely determined to do well at our concert the following day.

When the rest of the members came back to the dorm from the concert, I quickly dried my tears. They asked me about my ankle and I merely shrugged and said I was okay. They all went to their rooms after that to sleep and I was left alone.

Jiyong's eyes lingered on my ankle for a moment, but he said nothing. He was tired too, after all. I waved him off and he simply blew air at the straight-edged brunette fringe invading his eyes and walked away to wash his face or do whatever.

TOP collapsed the following day during rehearsals for the KBS Music Festival. Jiyong collapsed after the show.

YG gave us the first week of the new year off to rest and heal. For that, I was thankful.