In the blink of an eye

Thinking all day about the cryptic message that Danny was trying to tell him this morning, Teddy had not been able to completely concentrate with work. And it didn’t help that when he looked for Mai at her apartment, their building porter informed him that she had left earlier than even he and Danny did and had not yet returned.

“Hyung” Kush caught his attention as they were now walking out of the recording studio “You OK?”

“I think I’m just a little tired” he answered evasively, not wanting to talk yet about the things going through his head. The both of them didn’t normally leave studios this early (it’s only 7:00 PM) but he wasn’t able to do a thing at all and felt he was just wasting time.

“I wouldn’t wonder. You haven’t paused at all so we should really take this night off” the younger man answered and tapped him on the shoulder “I’ll see you tomorrow hyung.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow” he answered as he watched Kush head for his car. He then walked towards the direction of their apartment building but didn’t want to go home yet. A few blocks away was his favorite ice cream parlor.

Dropping by their building’s lobby, he asked the porter to look after his bag as he grabbed his phone and wallet.

“It’s cold out Teddy-goon.”

“Yeah” he agreed “but I’m craving for some Ice Cream so I think I’ll just go walk a few blocks.”
As he was about to step out, the elevator door on his right opened and Mai (bundled in an immaculately white winter coat) got out.

Her head was bowed towards the ground and she seemed to think intently but when she lifted her face to smile at their porter, any trace of that seriousness disappeared. “Hello Sojong” she greeted cheerfully, not yet noticing Teddy who was standing at the entrance door.

“It’s a good thing you’re in a coat Mai-shi. It is quite cold outside.”

“I’m going to eat ice cream at the parlor but in case I decide to go anywhere else, I’m wearing this. Do you want to join me?” she answered “Come Sojong! Let’s get you out of here!”

The man laughed “You’re always a joker Mai-shi.”

Almost forgetting that he was an involuntary witness to this exchange, Teddy froze when Mai’s head finally turned towards the entrance and spotted him. “Teddy!” she greeted and smiled that “toothpaste commercial perfect” smile of hers.

“Teddy-goon’s heading out for the ice cream parlor too” the porter informed Mai.

“Let’s go together then!” Mai announced and walked towards him “This is great! I didn’t originally want to eat alone but I couldn’t find anyone to eat with coz you’re all out.”

“Oh” Teddy uttered.

“We’ll be back in a while Sojong” Mai said and hooked her arm with Teddy’s “Come on oppa!” she said brightly and led the way.

“You seem very happy” he commented as they turned around the first block. She had that habit. Eversince she came to Seoul, she often called him and Danny, oppa, whenever she was “uppity” as Danny called it.

“I’m always happy” she answered.

“Then why did you look so serious when you stepped out the elevator?”

Mai gave a start but didn’t seem unfazed “So… you were looking at me” she teased.

Teddy managed to blush at that but recognized it for a maneuver to change the topic “I’m always looking at you” he answered. He was going to let her get away with it for now but it didn’t mean he was going to take her jibe sitting down. She always like that, most especially in front of other people because she knew everyone would just laugh about it.

He felt her catch her breath at that and smiled.

“Hitting back I see” she told him and uncharacteristically pinched his right cheek.

“Hey!” Teddy answered, his eyes widening.

“Well… I always look at you too and you know what? I’ve always wanted to pinch your cheeks” she told him, not about to be outdone.

Teddy stopped from walking, turned to her, and pinched both of her cheeks. Mai exclaimed in pain.

“Unfair!!!” Mai told him.

“What’s unfair about that?” Teddy asked her as he made sure that her hands were both tucked in his arms.

“You’re treating me like a kid” Mai complained, uncomfortable at the way her hands were positioned.

“Coz you act like one” he answered, smiling at the furrow of her brows.

As they neared the ice cream parlor, their hands locked in a wrestling-like position, a young girl suddenly shouted “Lee Mai Goo!”

They both paused and found themselves surrounded by a group. “We’re big fans Mai-unnie!” the girl who had shouted told them “Can we take a picture with you please?”

Mai smiled “Thank you” she looked up at Teddy, as if telling him that he should also smile “Now, why don’t we take that picture?”

It had been quite a long time since Teddy saw this but Mai always had a way with fans who approached her for autographs and pictures. For autographs, she sometimes even kisses the piece of paper or draws a caricature of her. For pictures, she just didn’t stand there and smile with them, she often interacted. She would hug the person nearest her, make a funny face or her signature “You got nothing on this” face, put up a peace sign, and sometimes even suggest poses. It had made the news the first time she did it because idols always had an air about them that made them seem hard to reach and she had completely demolished that barrier for her fans.

“I want them to not just see me as an idol” she had told the interviewer “I want to be their friend. I want my songs to make them happy and to comfort them when they’re sad and broken just like what a friend will do for you. I want them to feel that way always.”
He had watched that interview and felt the sincerity in every word. That was so long ago and now, he was sure, there was no place in the city that people didn’t consider her a friend - even Hyori, who people pitted against her in the beginning had become her friend. They have even made several tracks together and have coined the term “twins” for themselves.

“Where are you looking at?” Mai had asked him, catching him in surprise.

“Ow! They’re gone?”

The look she gave him was that of wonder “They already left and I’ve been standing in front of you for some minutes now but you seem to be in outer space.”

“Sorry -“ Teddy was about to say more when a black motorcycle revved up on the road and in a few swift seconds, as though the whole world had stilled, the motorcyclist stopped in front of the both of them, pulled a gun, and fired it straight towards Mai.

Teddy instinctively hugged Mai to protect her and they both hit the ground as the motorcyclist drove away. People came out into the street as he checked to see whether she had been shot.

Mai looked up at him in shock and lifted her hands to his face to make sure he was ok too. They both paled however when they both saw that her hands were bloodied.

“Someone! Call an ambulance!!!” Teddy screamed as blood flowed out of Mai’s chest.