“HYUNG!!!!PALLI!!!! We’re gonna be late!” Sunggu, one of Thunder’s friends during his trainee days, shouted.

“Ara! I’m already here, okay?! Now, where are we really going??” Thunder asked.

“The park near the WM studio.” Sunggu answered, not looking and dragging Thunder in a hurry. “We better hurry or we’re gonna be really dead.”

“Ara. I’ll walk by myself so you can take your hands off of me now, okay?!”

Thunder removed Sunggu’s hands off of him and continued “By the way…..”

“Hmmmm??”

“Is there really a park near the World Music studio???”

“HYUNG!!! Are you joking with me right now??” Sunggu asked in disbelief and become flustered when he saw his hyung’s serious face. Sunggu just sighed and answered “Yeah, there is!”

Thunder become excited. “Chincha??!!”

“Hyung, I can’t really stand you sometimes, you know!!”

“WAE???”

“Mwolla!!” Sunngu just give up and whisper to himself. That’s because you don’t come with us often and lock yourself up in the practice room. You’ve become a stranger to the world.”

“Did you say something??” Sunggu was starrtlred by Thunder’s voice.

“HUH?? Aniyo! It’s nothing!”

“Oh-kay!”

“Oh? We’re already here. Good.” Sunngu looked at his watch. “We’re not late. Now, where are they??”

“Sunggu!!! Sanghyun oppa!!!”

A very loud voice was heard.

“Hyemi! Jieun!” Sunggu smiled the moment he saw who’s the owner of the voice. It’s Hyemi and beside her is IU.

“Hey!” IU greeted.

“Hey!” Thunder greeted back.

“OPPA!!!!” Hyemi greeted with joy and suddenly throw herself to Thunder. “Kaja!!”

“Yah!!! Kachiga!!!” Sunggu run after them and so is IU.

………

“WOAH!!! This is cool!! I never thought something like this is being held here.” Thunder said amazed with what he is seeing right now.

“Hay, Sanghyun! That’s why you should come with us often and not become a stranger to the world.” IU said the words Sunngu cannot said to Thunder without hesitation.

“Yah!!! I’m not a stranger to the world!” Thunder protested.

“Oh, yes, you are!!!” IU firmly said.

“No I’m not!” Thunder defended again.

“Yeah, yeah!! You’re not! That’s why you don’t know that a rap battle is being held here.” IU said sarcastically.

“Fine!!! I’m stranger to the world. Are you happy now??”

“Of course!!!” IU said in delight. “That’s why you should come often with us now.”

“Yes, Ma’am!!!”

“Good!!” IU patted Thunder’s head “Now, you’re gonna watch this battle until the end, arrasso?? You’re not allowed to leave half way.”

“EHHHHH??? But I ……”

“Ah. Ah. Ah.” IU said while shooking her head and signaled something to Hyemi and Sunngu.

Hyemi and Sunngu grabbed Thunder’s arms and hold it tightly.

“YAH!! What are you guys doing??!!!”

“Leave it, Hyung!!!” Sunngu smirk.

“We’re gonna hold you until the battle’s over!” Hyemi added and smile

“Now, Sanghyun-shi! What do you choose? Watching the battle like a criminal held captive or just give up coming back to your precious practice room and stay here with us on your own accord??

“Arrasso, arrasso. Can you please put your hands down now?!!”

“AZA!!!!!” the three then hi-fived with each other and have a group hug with Thunder.

“YAH!!! Stop it already.”

“Hehe, mian!!” the three chorused when they realized that Thunder already drowning with their hugs and all.

“You guys, really!!!” Thunder can’t do anything with his friends and just heave a sigh. But then, he’s smiling.

………..

“Fighting!!!”

“You can do it!!”

“Soonja, Hwaiting!!!!”

“K, crush her!!!!”

“You’re the best, K!!!”

“Woah!! The audience are getting fired up!” Thunder said amazed and surprised by the energy of the people around him.

“Keureom! Since there’s a prize and a punishment in this battle!!” IU explained

“CHINCHA???”

“Yeah, oppa! The prizes here is daebak”

“And also, it’ not just a simple punishment you’ll get if you lose.”

“WOAH!!! Chincha?? That’s cool!!”

“Yeah!! You say!! And the prize today is 1,000,000 won!” IU said with her thumbs up.

“That’s a big sum of money! And the punishment???”

“Well, that depends!!” Hyemi said.

Thunder was dumbfounded.

“It depends to the winner. Whatever the winner wants, the loser have to do it.”

“is it everything or ……”

“EVERYTHING!!!! Whatever it is. Some even ordered the loser to swim in a pool of mud.”

“Some ordered the loser not to comeback anymore here in the park and join the every event being held here.”

“There’s also one time the winner ordered the loser to cut it’s hair.”

“Swimming in a pool of mud is a bit disgusting so I think it can be called a punishment. Not being able to set foot here anymore is a bigger punishment but the loser can just go to another place to join this kind of event though. And cutting the hair is a bit….” Thunder seems not convinced with the punishmet being that big as he expect it to be.

“Well, that could be true but the thing is, the one who swan in the pool of mud is allergic to mud. The one who’s banned from entering the event here cannot join any event anymore because once you’re name is listed in the banned list here, others won’t accept you anymore as this place is the very epitome of every rap battle in the whole korea.”

“Chicha????” Thunder cannot believed what he jujst heard.

“And as for the hair punishment. That girl is supposed to debut as a hair product model the very next day of the battle but since she has to cut her hair, she can’t debut on the day she’s been anticipating to come her whole life.”

“WHAT??? That’s cruel!!”

“You say!!”

“But, how the hell do they know those things???? I mean, like the allergy in mud. Or the debut!!”

“Well, that’s how it is here. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone searches everything about their enemy so that they could destroy them.”

“WOW!!! That’s……..” Thunder is stunned with what he just learn. “…….horrible”

“Yeah…”

“Then, why are you still watching it and even let me join you???”

“Because this place is just like the world were trying to get into.”

“Jieun….” Thunder whisper

“And the fight here is really really awesome. You can see many different people with different styles with their craft. You can learn many things from here. I’m not talking only about their skill but everything as in everything. Even the cruelty of this world, isn’t?!!”

“Well, I can say this is a good training ground for us.” Thunder commented.

“Yeah!” all three chorused.

Time flies as they are watching the battle and the time to announce the winner has also come.

“And the winner is K!!!!!!!!!!!!!” the announcer declared and the crowd had gone wild.

“OH?! He won! My bet is the other one.” Sunngu said with a sad face.

“EYYY! Here you go again.” Hyemi said.

“WHAT????”

“You’re siding with a girl again.”

“And so?? She’s beautiful!!”

“See???”

“Hey, stop it, okay??” IU stop their bickering. “The punishment will be announce already.”

“Well, since you’re my darlin’, I won’t make it that hard for you, my Soonja!” K said with a grin. “Now, you just have to bath in the river and change here with this clothes I bought especially for you!” K then shows a paper bag with clothes to Soonja.

After hearing K’s condition, the crowd showed different reractions. Some was abit taken a back and speechles, some are happy, especially the guys, and some are wooried and boiling like Thunder, Jieun, Sunngu and Hyemi.

“What the hell is that??isn’t that a bit too much?? I know I even say that the punishment here is big and all. We all know that, but this??? Isn’t it so cruel???” Sunggu’s whining with all his might.

“Yeah, Nothing can be as embarrassing and harassing as that.” Hyemi commented with anger and worries.

“That K!!!!!” IU whispered with rage. “Sanghyun??????”

“Hyung??!!!”

“Oppa???!!!”

“YAH!!! Where are you going???” IU grab Thunder’s arm.

“There!” Thunder pointed to where K and Soonja are.

Unexpectedly, IU let go of Thunder’s arm which cause shock to Hyemi and Sunngu.

“Unnie???”

“Jieun???”

“What???” IU plays innocent. “He says he wants to go there.”

IU didn’t say a word anymore and just leave her friends confuse.

-back to Soonja and K-

“What did you just say??” Soonja asked,cannot believe what she just heard.

“What?? It’s not that big, right?? After you dumped me.” K said with a smirk.

“WOW!!! I cannot believe this.” Soonja shows a disgust face to K.

“Now, Don’t you think it’s already time to do it????” Ksaid to Soonja’sface without any hesitation and even held up his hands to ask for the crowds support! “DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!”

“You know what? It’s a good thing that I already dumped you even before I get more involed with someone as low as you.” Soonja remarked and walk straight to the river.

“What did you just say??” K tried to follow Soonja but was stopped by someone. “Yah!!!! What are you doing?? Get your hands off of me!”

“AH!! Mian!!! I just…….”

“Mwolla!!! I guess you’re just one of the people here who wants to see her suffer, right??” K said.

“Ahh…..ehh…. I don’’t know???”

“What the hell are you saying??”

“Mian!!! I’m actually new here, you know!”

“OH!!!! A newbie! What a confidence you have to come up here in the stage on your own.”

“Why?? Is it not allowed??”

“Well, not really.”

“Then, it’s good.”

“You know what? I like you.” K remarked.

“Ah, chincha??!! But I don’t like you!”

“Now, I like you more!!!”

“Hehe… well, kamsahamnida?!”

“Welcome!! Nowshould we watch the real show? …….???”

“Sanghyun!”

“Sanghyun!!” K continued his sentence. “K!” and even introduce himself.

“Who is he???” Soonja showed up after bathing in the cold river. “A companion??”

“Well, yeah!!” K said  and put his arer around Thunder’s neck.

“Annyeong!” Thunder greeted Soonja with a smile on his face.

“WOW!!!!” Soonja was just flustered. “Can you give me the clothes now??”

“Keureom!” K said in delight and handed the clothes. “Here!”

-----

“YAH!! What’s hyung doing???” Sunggu asked.

“I don’t know!” Hyemi answered.

“Chatting with that K guy?!!” IU answered too.

“Ara! What I’m saying is why the heck is he talking to that bastard. Don’t tell me he…..” Sunggu tried to finish his dirty thoughts about Thunder.

“YAH!!!!! Oppa’s not like that!!! Yoou’re the only one who can do that kind of thing.” Hyemi protested.

“WHAT??? I’m the only one who can do that?? Then why did hyung came in there?? Huh?? And it’s not like he’s gonna help her either…..” Sunggu defended himself. “Changkam? Help… Hyung…. Don’t tell me?????”

“Oppa??”

“You guys finally caught up!” IU suddenly talk.

“Unni!!! You knew all along??” Hyemi asked and IU nodded.

“But, isn’t it in the rule not to help the loser?” Sunggu suddenly asked.

“Well, yeah!!” IU answered.

“Then, Hyung shouldn’t help her.”

“Why? It’s not like he’s doing a bad thing. He’s actually doing the good and the right thing.” Hyemi said.

“Ara! But hyung is rule abiding freak!!!”

“Yes, he is!!!”

“So why is he helping her???”

“Naybe, he doesn’t know that it’s in the rule??? It’s his first time here, anyway.” Hyemi reasoned.

“You’’re right. That maybe be the case.” Sunggu added.

“He knows!!!” IU said.

“What are you saying unnie??”

“Sanghyun knows it’s a rule not to help the loser.”

“How???” Hyemi asked confused.

“Didn’t you say earlier?? He’s a rule abiding freak, so rules are the first thing he checks in everything.”

“If, he knows, then, why would hyjung still help her??”

“Well, there is this kind of situation once in a while.” IU reasoned.

“Okay, then, how would hyung help her??”

“Well, he has his ways.” IU said (proudly).

“But, won’t oppa be in trouble if he did?”

“He has his ways.”IU said again making the two confused a bit.

“You’ll see. He won’t actually break the rule, you know. He won’t just go there and cause a commotion like suddenly coming out of nowhere and grab the girl’s hand and walk out of here together like what’s happening in a drama and that the girl will be able to escape from the punishment, you know. And if he did that, not only one rule will Sanghyun break but three all in all.”

“What are you talking about, Jieun?”

“Well, the no helping rule! That’s one. Then, the winner gets prizes and loser gets punished. That’s two. So one plus two is three. Sanghyun then have more reason not to do that drama way but do it with his way.“ IU said with a smile on her face. “And he can’t just let the loser get away since they had battle and it’s still a fair battle even though K have gone too much in the end.”

“Just don’t ask question anymore and watch. It’’s not like you don’t know Sanghyun.”

With IU’s last sentence, something struck to the two’s head.

How Thunder were able to play with their company’s rules. How Thunder broke their company’s rules but not really.

Then, a smile also forms from the other two’s faces.

-----

“Keureom!” K said in delight and handed the clothes. “Here!”

Soonja grab it abruptly and started to strip.

“What the……..” K was shocked by an unexpected situation.

Thunder, who’s innocently just standing beside K, suddenly take of his long jacket to cover Soonja while changing her clothes.

The crowd and K was caught off guard.

They didn’t what to say.

The crowd was speechless.

And for K, everything just seems to go down his way.

“What are you doing now, Sanghyun???? You can’t help her, you know!! She has to be punished. It’s in the rule. Loser has to obey my order!!!!”

“But she’s being punished right now, you know! She bathed herself in the cold river and changing her clothes right here in front of many people and you!!!!” Thunder said as a matter of fact. “Right???” then asked the crowd.

The crowd was again speechless.

“YAH!!!” K was losing his patience. “Then, what about the no helping rule???? You’re helping her, you know!!”

“I’m helping her?? No, I don’t think so though!”

“What do you mean you don’t think so??? You’re clearly helping her by covering her up with your jacket.”

“I’mcovrering her up with my jacket? Well, you’re right, my jacket covering her. But it’s not like it’s my intention to cover her up, you know!”

“WHAT!!!”K can’t really hold on anylonger.

“Well, I just want to hang up my jacket, you know, and it just happen that she’s changing in there so you guys weren’t able to see her change.” Thunder reasoned. “So I’m saying I-DON’T-THINK-SO!!! Get it?!!” Thundersaid with a smile that makes K lood boil.

“Well, when I think about it, some can really misinterpret what I’m doing since in all places I decided to hang my jacket up here and that may look like I’m helping her, don’t you think so?”

“YAH!!! Are you really tring to get on my nerves?????”

“WOAH!! Easy, K!!!” Thunder’s trying to cool K down “Okay. Let’s say, I’m helping her. And so?? What about the No helping rule? I broke it???? Fine then, I broke it. And so?? I think there’s nothing written about anything to the person who’ll help the loser anyway, right??” Or not?

“But I’m not really helping her, you know!!!”

Thunder’s last word become the trigger to K’s patience.

K was about to charge forward to Thunder but was taken down first by Soonja who just finished doing her punishment.

Then, suddenly, a big round of applause was heard. The crowd was amazed by Thunder’s action. It has given them a big entertainment and lesson. Even the guys who were siding with K at first.

-----

-at some part of the park where there’s only a few people around-

“Kamsahamnida!” Soonja thanked Thunder for what he did earlier.

“But I didn’t help you though” Thunder said.

“Really? You didn’t?? then I’m taking it back!” Soonja said and smirk. “But we’re cool, right? I don’t have any debt to you since you didn’t help me and I don’t really ask for your help anyway.”

“That’s right!” Thunder said with a smile.

“Oh-kay! Then, I’m leaving.”

“Hm! Okay!”

“Annyeong!” Soonja bid farewell and put up her hand for a handshake.

“Annyeong! Thunder also bid farewell and accept the handshake.

The moment their hands touch each other, a spark was felt by both and they can’t seem to let go of each other’s hand.

After a while, both had gone their separate ways.

-----

“Hyung!!!!!!”

“OH?!! Sunggu!”

“Oppa!!”

“Hyemi!”

“Hey!!!”

“Jieun!”

“Where’s she??” Sunngu asked with hastiness

“Nugu?”

“SOONJA!!!” Sunggu said

“She left!”

“WHAT????” Hyemi exclaimed “How can she just leave like that?? Did she even thanked you, oppa?”

“Yeah, she did. But she took it back.”

“What??”  Sunggu was confused.

“Well, that just happen.”

“What are you talking about, hyung?”

“Well……” Thunder cannot explain it well, then

“Hey, guys! We should go now, it’s getting really late!” IU announces.

“You’re right, unnie!! Then, Chul Bal!!!” Hyemi said and started walking.

“YEAH!!!!” Sunggu followed Hyemi.

“Kaja???” IU then asked Thunder softly.

“Yeah!!”

Then the four of them left the park.