Stooping to Maknae's Level

Words cannot describe how much I appreciate having SamuraiGirl to help me with the crazy T/M interactions. I love these two, but I have a hell of a time writing them, and she saves me every time :D

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Seung Hyun climbed into his car and plugged his phone into the stereo. He remembered that Young Bae had done something with it. Curious, he clicked to his playlists, knowing the younger man's penchant for having a soundtrack for every single thing. Sure enough, there it was.

"What the—“ he stopped short when he saw what Young Bae had named the playlist. 

DENIAL IS NOT JUST A RIVER IN EGYPT

"Very funny, Young Bae."

Seung Hyun pulled out of the garage and started driving. He didn't know where he wanted to go, really. He just wanted to clear his head a bit.

Just then, he heard a very familiar voice.

"Nah. I'm just hearing things. She kept screaming at me that -- nah. Hearing things. Also crazy, since I'm talking to myself."

Two hours later, he stopped in front of a building he knew as well as he did YG Entertainment. The coffee shop. 

"You. Are. An. Idiot," he berated himself, automatically pulling his sunglasses down.

He was still inside his car, but he had a good view of the coffee shop. He could see Lena at the counter and as he finished surveying the cafe, he saw Mari, her head thrown back, laughing. He spied a masculine hand reach out for hers.

"Take your hands off her, you creep," he muttered. When he saw that it was a younger male, he relaxed. "Don't go cradle-robbing now, Mari. That's not nice," he said, smirking, before he remembered that being snarky about her wasn't going to get him back into her good graces. 

"Okay," Seung Hyun said to himself, "New plan. Apologize. Apologize, but—and this is a non-negotiable—I. WILL. NOT. BEG." 

Just as he'd decided to go in and apologize (re: not beg), Mari came out of the door, waving to the people inside the coffee shop. He had a mind to go after her, offer her a ride or something. So he stayed inside the car, gunned the engine and before he knew what was what, he had started following her, albeit at a distance.

"Choi Seung Hyun, you have now veered off into creeper territory. Maknae would be proud of you," he said to himself, making sure that Mari wouldn't spot him. 

And because this day was turning out so well for him, his phone chose to randomly play Sting's "Every Breath You Take”.

"Great! Just what I needed, every stalker's theme song."

Seung Hyun was still driving carefully, taking care not to be seen by Mari. Then he realized that he was too conspicuous. A Lamborghini driving slowly was an invitation to get stalked as well. 

Having reached that realization, he decided to park it inside YG and use his Hyundai Sonata instead. Less obvious, he thought to himself. But how to find out where Mari is now?

His phone beeped.

He took it out and saw SeungRi's me2day update: At Yeolbong with Dae Sung-hyung. Who says we're awkward with each other? It was accompanied by a photograph of the two sharing the restaurant's famous spicy chicken.

It was a light bulb moment for Seung Hyun. "Thank God for social networks!" he said as he sat in his car and thumbed through his phone, choosing the app that Mari used. 

He scrolled through the names of the users until he found Mari's screen name.

It read, "Ria is checked in at NB2." 

Even better. NB2 is one of YG's bars. He could easily corner her there. 

Seung Hyun started the engine and drove to his new destination. A valet took his car and he was greeted by the bouncer. He was a regular at this place. Surely, finding Mari would be easy-peasy. 

He had been inside the bar for 15 minutes, unsuccessful with his Mari quest until...

He walked rapidly towards the wavy-haired young woman. "There you are!" he said, placing his hand on the small of her back.

When the girl turned around, she looked pleasantly surprised. Crap! Not Mari.

"TOP-oppa, annyeong haseyo!"

"Joesong habnida," he muttered, backpedaling as fast as he could. "Damn you, Mari. You're going to get me mobbed here."

Minutes later, he was in his car again, looking through the app desperately. It said that Mari was in a grocery shop. 

"This girl is weird. Grocery shopping after going to a club?"

But still, minutes later, he found himself standing inside the store. He popped his collar, trying to blend in with the crowd. He remembered how his scene went in IRIS, only this time he wasn't following anyone because Mari still wasn't there. 

"Aarrggh! These things are unreliable!"

There he was in his car again, not having found Mari. Again.

He closed the app, vowing not to check it anymore. 

Hours after he started his stalking, he ended up right back where he started: at the coffee shop. He pushed the door open and just like that, there she was.

Mari was busy ringing up the customer's total. She didn't even look up when the door opened. But somehow, she sensed a presence.

"So Jedi of you, Mari," she kidded herself as she gave the customer his change. 

"Hi."

Yep, meet Mari, the new member of the Jedi Order. 

She looked up to find the one face she alternately wanted to see and punch. Maybe both. He was smiling at her. That cute, adorable smile that used to make her want to pinch his cheeks and then jump him. 

Down, girl. You're supposed to be mad at him, Mari reminded herself silently. 

"I've been looking all over town for you," he began, still smiling, his dimples showing. He held up his phone. "This app told me you were at a bar and then a grocery shop. And just when I was about to give up --"

Mari wasn't listening anymore. She missed him. There, she admitted it. Seeing his face again just made her remember everything she wanted. And everything she couldn't have.

He's not in love with you, the voice in her head said. He likes you just fine. But he's not in love with you. The longer you keep this going, the more hurt you're going to be. Just like a band aid, Mari. It may hurt like hell now, but the longer you put it off, the more you'll fall in love with a guy who doesn't feel the same way, and that would just be...

"You need to get your stuff out of my apartment."

Seung Hyun stared at her in amazement: she wasn't kidding. This was seriously over. "But I—“

You have to do this, Mari. Be strong.

"No buts," she shook her head, "It's done."

He was speechless. Choi Seung Hyun, master of words and rhymes, had no idea what had just happened. All he knew was that he’d been so excited to have finally found her, and here she was telling him to leave. Forever. Confusion knit his brow as he slowly turned to go, hand on the door when she called him. His heart raced in excitement (and worry) as he looked back, masking the hopeful expression he knew had been trying to crawl onto his face.

Damn it! Please stop looking at me like that. 

"Hyun-ah..." she winced, admonishing herself mentally, "Seung Hyun. When you get your stuff…leave your key."

He nodded curtly before pushing the door open and escaping into the cool night air. 

That was it.

It was over. 

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Hopefully everyone enjoyed :] I know I did!! & another huge thank you to everyone who posted/msged me with birthday wishes. You guys are awesome ^^ 

Now let samuraigirl know how awesome this is!