Intertwined

As worried as she was of the situation, Dara knew she had to keep sane and stop thinking about the worst. “Unnie, please hold on” she prayed, with closed eyes. Her sunbae had to survive this. “I have not even thanked you yet… please… please be ok.”

She felt hands clasped hers and she opened her eyes.

“We’re near the hospital now” Ji, who was driving, told her “Unnie wouldn’t leave us like this… she has to see how happy she’s made the both of us. I’m sure she won’t allow herself to leave without knowing.”

Dara nodded and tried to control the stream of tears threatening to overwhelm her. She had just found Ji Yong again. She didn’t want to and couldn’t lose Mai now. She had to repay her. She had to plan out how to make her as happy as she is.

==========================

(One week ago…)

“Dara… what’s stopping you from doing what you want to do?” Mai had asked her while they were in the middle of training for their dance routine to Fire.

“Uhmmmm… what do you mean unnie?” she asked, confused.

“You sparkle on stage, I know that, I’ve always watched you and I know you really give it your all but there’s this hesitation I see sometimes” Mai explained “The truth is I see it in all of you. You’re so calculated with your performances… sometimes even seeming so robotic to me… it’s like you’re not allowing yourselves to have fun onstage. It’s like you’re thinking of this way too much as a job… you’re in the middle of your performance and just when you’re about to have fun, something snaps and you suddenly remind yourselves that you’re suppose to be serious with what you’re doing.”

Mai motioned for the trainer to play Fire again.

“Close your eyes for a moment and think that this is the last performance of your life and you have to play with the audience. You have to make them enjoy what they will see of you guys for the last time because this will be the performance that they will remember all their lives…”

“A fun and fierce performance” Dara told herself “I want them to see me as someone fun yet still so fierce.”

“Listen to your heart beat… listen to the music… this is your stage and your show… what do you want your audience to remember about you?” Mai continued as the opening beat of Fire blared around the training room like a gun shot.

“I want them to remember my smile” Dara answered inside her head “I want them to remember how I smiled for this one last performance.”

“What do you want them see? Unleash that now…. Let it loose…”

“A butterfly” Dara whispered, concentrating and feeling the emotions Mai was imbibing in them “Yes… a butterfly finally breaking away from its cocoon… spreading its wings and flying away.”

“Now, Open your eyes” Mai commanded just as the first verse was about to come in “Blow me away!”

“Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh… 2NE1… Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh… You better ring the alarm

Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh… We’re 2NE1… Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh… Hey! Hey! Hey!”

Like lionesses on the loose, she, Bom, Minji, and CL jumped, stomped, slid, glided, growled and danced like there was no tomorrow but only here and now. She didn’t care whether she was breaking off the line or missing a step… she didn’t care whether her voice would crack or whether the tone she used could be too high-pitched… she just didn’t care… “People are going to remember how much fun I had and how much I smiled during this performance… they will forever see that in their minds… forever.”

“Na mi mi mi mi mi mi michigo shippeo
(I want to go cr cr cr cr cr cr crazy)

Deo pali tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tikgo shippeo
(I want to ru ru ru ru ru ru ru run faster)

Jeo nopeun bildingeuro jeo pureun haneuleoro
(Up to that tall building, to that blue sky)

Keukae so ri ri ri ri ri ri richigu shippeo
(I want to sh sh sh sh sh sh sh shout louder)

Eonjena oneulcheoreom nan jayoreubgo shippeo
(Everyday, I want to be free like today)”

Out of breath with their outbursts of energy, they had almost forgotten that Mai was there until she howled with so much glee.

“AMAZING!!!!!” Mai exclaimed, clapping her hands enthusiastically “Now! That’s what you call a performance!” She stood up and hugged all of them despite all the sweat and hot breath intermingling in the air “You girls make me so proud. I could die now and happily have the words “trained 2NE1” engraved on my tombstone!”

“Unnie!” CL said, trying to be serious but unable to control the smile breaking out on her face.

“Well.. it’s true” Mai told her “I’m proud of each and everyone of you girls and I’ll take that pride even to my death. Continue on this course and not only me but a million other people will reach heaven because of the joy you have brought them… Promise me ok? Whether I am there or not to give you a pep talk or watch your performances that you will always do what you have done today… that you will play and amaze people… promise?”

Dara nodded and couldn’t help the smile breaking out on her face as well. It was one hell of a performance and she now saw a new glittering meaning to their fighting cheer: “2NE1 NOLJA!”

=========================

As soon as they parked, she and Ji Yong raced towards the hospital.

“Hyung! Dara-noona!” they heard Seung-ri call them. The Big Bang maknae was also headed for the hospital door with CL, who Ji and Dara noted, he was holding hands with.

“You just arrived?” Ji asked.

“Yes, we just did. Mai-noona’s still inside the OR at the left wing” Seung-ri answered, also looking at Ji and Dara’s linked hands.

Squeezing Dara’s hand, “We’re together now” Ji said proudly.

“We -“

“We’ve become friends” CL immediately cut off Seung-ri.

Dara, not wanting to prod their leader more because she knew the other might just get more embarrassed, shared a knowing smile with Ji.

“Well… we’re happy for the two of you” Seung-ri said, recovering from CL’s statement “Lord knows how much we need wonderful news tonight.”

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At a glance

The O.R. waiting room looked like the dressing room for a concert. Hyori, Bi, Gummy, Jinu, Jae Joong, Bae Kyoung, Jinhwan, Sean, Jae Seuk, Danny, Kush, Eun Ju, Wheesung, Kahi, Yoochun, the members of Big Bang and 2NE1, Mai’s make-up artist and hairdresser, some of the YG back-up dancers, and President Yanggoon had converged, occupying all the chairs and even sitting in the floor area in the first private room they were directed that they had to be moved to a larger waiting room. It’s also to keep other people in the building from ogling at them or asking for their autographs.

Media people were also waiting outside the building, kept at bay by the additional security that was requested, hungry for news on what’s happening inside and busy with keeping tabs on who has arrived.

However, despite being a star-studded occasion, everyone’s mood is not that of excitement nor joy. Some were praying solemnly, some were talking in hushed whispers, some where staring off into space - tension filling their very eyes, while some held each other’s hand for comfort or gave taps on one another’s shoulder.

Mai was undergoing a heart transplant as the bullet had impacted her heart. However, what was amazing though, according to the doctors was that her heart had not stopped beating and had continued on.

“It’s as though she had willed it to go on” the Surgeon explained to them two hours ago “And not only that, I believe God is on her side because I have never seen chances such as these come… our test show that the donor might just match Ms. Lee’s system. All we need now are blood donors. Ms. Lee is type A and it would help us immensely if we could have volunteers from you.”

All those who were type A had donated blood, without hesitation, to be tested. Dara, who normally flinched at the sight of a needle has welcome the silver monster with open arms.

The President, on the other hand, had been telling all of them to take some rest but no one wanted to leave. Hyori was particularly very immovable.

“You can’t make me go anywhere President. I’m staying here until I see her!”

“Hyori” Yanggoon repeated his statement, concern his eyes “You must be tired already. You and Jae Seuk have just both come from your shoot. You should both rest. In fact, a lot of you should get some rest. This is going to be quite a long operation and I think most of you really need this time to get some shut-eye.”

“Anya!” Hyori answered “You will need a demolition truck to move me or anyone of us here. Don’t be selfish and have Mai all to yourself President. She needs us and we want her to wake up and see all of us.”

Shaking his head, Yanggoon shrugged his shoulders “You’re such a stubborn woman Hyori.”

Bi chuckled at that “When has she ever been compliant?”

“Hey! Don’t you two start now” Danny told them and gave a small smile.

And just as the mood was about to lighten at least a little bit with the banter going around, the devil walked in.

Song Yu Seuk, with MInhwan and two very bulky bodyguards, entered the waiting room.

“What the hell are YOU doing here?!?” Eun Ju exclaimed.