Never underestimate the maknae

“What is this about?!?” a peeved CL in bear-print pajamas asked an overexcited Seung-ri who was at the other line, waking her up with his constant calling on her phone.

“Look outside!” Seung-ri told her.

Growing more disgruntled by the fact that Seung-ri might be right outside her parents’ house just when she had finally caught sleep, CL dragged her feet towards the window and sure enough saw the Big Bang maknae standing right outside her window with his signature grin.

She made a face at him and turned her back “I really want to sleep!” she told him over the phone and put it down. Today had been an emotionally tiring day. What with Mai-unnie’s confession in the morning and the almost unending “we-can-find-a-solution-to-this” discussion that their whole group had… it hurt her 19-year-old head to think the way she had done today.

Everybody knew she wasn’t rude but after this harrowing day which she felt was wasted - for really… at this point in the game, what else could they do to stop the wheel of fate? It was hard to admit but she recognized the truth that they can only just watch as the tragedy that their sunbae had created for herself unwrap.

And she never liked feeling helpless.

Easing herself back to bed, she almost froze when she heard stones being thrown on her window.

“What the?!?” she exclaimed at the persistent maknae and with a tigress’ force opened her window to finally shout at Seung-ri to leave her alone.

However, just as she was to open , she felt a pebble hit her head.

“OW!” she and Seung-ri exclaimed at the same time as she instinctively ducked to massage her forehead.

“Are you ok?” Seung-ri asked in the lowest voice he could manage “Sorry.”

Fully awake now, CL stood up massaging her head and rapidly left her room, ascending their stairs with the speed of light - uncaring how she looked - and kicked open their door to immediately reach the wide-eyed Seung-ri who, because of his surprise, was unable to react in defense when her fist connected with his jaw.

“Stupid!” CL told him “What were you thinking?!?”

Recovering from CL’s punch, Seung-ri looked at her wearily as he massaged his jaw. “I’m sorry” he answered “I didn’t mean to throw the stone right at you… I just wanted to talk to you.”

“Haven’t we just fried our brains talking the whole day? I finally caught my sleep and here you are messing around again!”

“I’m really sorry” Seung-ri responded “Well… I…”

“You’re what?” CL asked impatiently.

Heaving a deep breath, Seung-ri zipped down his jacket upto the middle and reached inside to produce Tam-Tam. “I actually just wanted to give him to you… you forgot him while we were at the veranda and I thought that after all that happened, you might need him tonight.”

Completely taken by surprise, CL clamped with her hands. Something inside her almost melted at the sight of the Big Bang maknae apologetically holding out Tam-Tam to her, unable to look straight in her eyes as his reddened jaw refused to show any sign of pain.

“I-is this all?” she asked in a softer voice.

Seung-ri nodded.

CL reached out for Tam-Tam and clutched the important rag doll to her chest. She had forgotten all about Tam-Tam because of today’s events. Dara would have killed her if she lost “their baby”. “Does it hurt?” CL asked, pertaining to her punch.

Seung-ri, proud as ever, shook his head. “How about your head?”

“It stings but it’ll go away soon” she answered.

“I’m sorry again” Seung-ri told her, finally looking at her eyes “I guess I should have asked first whether you’re still awake before I went here… uhmmm… so… I’ll leave you and Tam-Tam now. Goodnight.”

Turning away from her, CL reached out to touch his arm “I - I… I’m sorry about being rude and punching you. I should have asked what you wanted first.”

Seung-ri looked at her and smiled as though to let her know it was nothing and without thinking about it, CL walked towards him and kissed the side of his jaw she had punched.

“Thank you” she told him as she turned around immediately and dashed back to their house.

She ran upstairs to her room and stealthily took a peek outside. She giggled when she saw Seung-ri still standing there, seeming transfixed while holding his jaw.

She was about to call him and tell him to go home when her phone rang. Taking it from her bed, she saw it was their maknae calling.

“Minji???”

“CL-unnie!” the youngest 2NE1 member almost screamed into the phone “Mai-sunbae was shot! Let’s go to the hospital!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A picture of the past

For quite a long time, Teddy had not prayed to God.

He had lost his faith on a night very much like this eight or nine years ago. It was the time when Mai, after trying to save MURD.O.C. (or the “greatest jack-” in the world as Teddy called him in his head sometimes) had been brought to the hospital with almost no heart beat and her body unrecognizable except for that small face of hers.

That was also the night he had made a pact with the devil. He couldn’t allow Song Yu Seuk to take her in that state despite his frightening persuasion (he was so powerful that he was able to bring high-powered rifles inside hospital premises to take a woman on the verge of death as payment for another’s death).

Those had been very hard times and he had lived his life since then in a dark tunnel. He did what he had to do, dealt with who he had to deal with, and slept with a pistol under his bed.

Light came to him about three years ago when he began discovering talents for his clubs to make them more than just a regular drinking and dancing area. It had begun with Se7en, then he continued on with the Wonder Girls, Big Bang, and then most recently 2NE1. Eventually, he rediscovered his love for music and his passion for creating something out of scratch to make people happy… not high.

He had also began to believe that the dark tunnel was coming to an end when Mai and Danny had announced to him his freedom from Song Yu Seuk and also the opportunity to be with them again. There were still glitches - of course - but he was glad to finally be given the opportunity to straighten things out.

He was going to begin too… but something always gets messed up.

“Can’t I really not be with her?” Teddy asked, finally lifting his face towards God as he kneeled in the small chapel room “Will it always be like this? The last time I dreamt of being with her, you almost took away her life. And now… for the second time, here she is again fighting for it. Both times I’ve only just watched. Why don’t you just kill me huh? Or why don’t you just tell me to stop? You don’t have to do this each and everytime. I get the message now… I understand it loud and clear… just please don’t take her away. I ask you… please don’t take her away.