Lexi's outfit for this chapter :)

Later of that same night, after having a good bath, my grandmother came into my room. She saw me sitting by my bed while trying to dry my hair with a towel.
 

"Hello dear..." She greeted me with a warm smile.
 

"Hi halmeoni..." I greeted her back. She then sat beside me.
 

"May I?" She asked and I nodded in response and took the towel from me to continue drying my hair. "You've really grown up Lexi dear, really beautiful, but still the same kid that I know..." She said with a faint laugh. I smiled even though she couldn't see me.
 

My grandmother picked up the brush from my bedside table and started to brush my hair gently. "Dear, what's the problem? What brought you here?" She asked in concern.
 

"I..." I started, but I don't really know where to start and I don't want to worry her anymore.

 

"Tell me, you know you can always tell halmeoni..." My grandmother said with a sweet smile but her eyes are of concern. She took my hand so I would turn to face her.

 

I gave a heavy sigh before I started to narrate my dilemma to my grandmother and she listened intently while holding my hand. I told her that I feel like I'm still in a dream and haven't woke up to the reality that I know. I even told her that I talked with my grandfather in my dream which made her eyes a bit teary. "I'm sorry halmeoni, but I felt like I just needed a break from everything else. I'm really thankful of Youngbae for taking me here, to be with someone who really knows me, and who doesn't tell me who I should be..."

 

My grandmother gave me a loving smile. "Lexi-ah, you don't know how proud I am every time I see you on TV. I always brag to my friends that you are my granddaughter. You're doing great dear..." She said then I looked up to her. "I just think that you should go on with the flow dear. Enjoy this life while it still lasts..."

 

I gave a faint laugh at the familiar words. "Funny thing, that's what halabeoji also told me in my dream; to enjoy this..."

 

"Just remember, you're always welcome to go here whenever you want..." My grandmother assured me.

Tomorrow, Youngbae and I will be going back to Seoul and face reality again. But I couldn't sleep, I've been tossing and turning on my bed for hours now and I'm still wide awake. I decided then to do some remedy, I got up and went to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk. I used my cellphone as a flashlight to light my way. As I tiptoed my way to the kitchen, I saw a faint yellow light coming from the kitchen doorway, and when I stepped in, I found a Mo-hawked guy squatted in front of the fridge and looking for something.
 

"Hungry?" I asked suddenly and startling him. Bae got startle with my sudden appearance, his eyes was so wide in shock and surprised to see me and I just couldn't help but laugh at his priceless reaction.
 

"You shook the living daylights out of me!" He said while clutching his chest.
 

"Mianhe..." I managed to say in between my laughing. I was already clutching my tummy as it aches from my laughing. I started to fan myself with my hands to calm myself down. "I didn't mean to, but yeah, I wanted to surprise you... Mianhe..." I said when I started to calm down but he just rolled his eyes off me. "What are you doing anyways?" I asked.
 

"I can't sleep so I was looking for a milk to drink and help me to sleep..."
 

"Me too..." I said and walked towards the fridge. I bent down to get a box of milk in the fridge. "Here's the milk..." I said and placed the box on the countertop. Bae then grabbed two glasses and poured some milk on both. I noticed that he's been quiet, I guess he got embarrassed as if I caught him red handed for raiding my grandmother's fridge in the middle of the night. "I'm sorry..." I started and breaking the silence. "...and again, thank you..."  I smiled.
 

"What for?" Bae asked with a poker face after taking a drink from his glass of milk. He peers at me through his thick, long and unfair lashes.
 

"For taking me here, for making my grandmother happy, and simply for being here..." I said sincerely. "You don't know how much it meant to me. So thank you..."
 

I saw a hint of smile on his lips but he tried to hide it. I stared back at him with a smile which made him sigh and smiled genuinely. "What am I going to do to you..." Bae then gave his signature smile, flashing his pearly whites at me. "So, for the nth time, are you ready to face the world Miss Kang Lexi?"

 

"I'd still give it a try..." I smiled. "Though I might sometimes need to be here at my halmeoni's house to hide..."

 

"I'd be more than willing to drive you here..." Youngbae smiled.

Our stay at my grandmother's place was short but sweet. My grandmother had to push me to get in the car to head back to the city; or reality that I'm not really familiar with. I'm like a kid who's being forced to go to the first day of school. If only I didn't owe YG Entertainment and Reca-unnie so much I wouldn't go back there and just stay with my grandma. And just so I won't be embarrassing myself in front of Youngbae anymore, I complied and obediently got into the car.

 

*Time to face the giants Lexi!* I told myself inside the car while watching the trees in a blur as we sped up the highway.
 

"You'll be great..." Youngbae said and reached for my hand that was on my lap.
 

"Y-yeah... I guess..." I stuttered, my breathing slightly hitched as I looked at my hand that Bae was holding. I cursed myself for stuttering.
 

"Oh..." Youngbae said nervously and released my hand hurriedly. "I uhm... I'm sorry about that..." He said without looking at me.
 

I glanced at him sideways and I saw his ears flushed and his bottom lip nervously. I smiled inwardly. "That's okay; I think I needed that..." I admitted and I couldn't help but blush. When I glanced at him again, he was looking at me with his signature smile. "Eyes on the road Bae, we don't want to get into an accident again right?"

 

"Oh yeah, right I'm sorry..." He said but still smiling and continued to drive.

 

The short stay at my grandmother's somehow refreshed me and gave me positive thoughts. I remembered how she kept my albums, posters and pictures of my performances in a cabinet at her room. She's like my ultimate number one fan.
 

*This is it...* I told myself as the first few buildings of the city came into our view. I exhaled rather loudly and turned to Youngbae when an idea popped on my brain.

"Bae, can you take me to the hair salon?" He looked at me questioningly. "If I'm coming back I want to look great and confident. I just want a trim and a color for my hair maybe..." I said as I grabbed a lock of my dark brown hair.
 

Youngbae chuckled which made me smile at him. "Okay, okay... Salon it is..." He said while chuckling.

 

While in the salon and hair experts were pampering my hair, Youngbae waited for me patiently. I would glance at him through the mirror and saw him reading some magazine, one time I caught him also taking a glance at me with a little smile on his lips, which made me blush.

 

I was glad that the hair-unnie took me to another room when she was about to rinse my hair because Youngbae has been taking glimpse from time to time. My heart would skip a beat with that and I know my cheeks are flushing. He's not giving me a heart attack does he?

 

After they had blow-dried my hair, the stylist-unnies put me on some light make-up and I changed my outfit to something cool; something that would suit a real 2ne1 member. I was really happy with my new hair, it's still long but has a lighter shade of brown now and it is reddish when lights hit it. I love it! I generously thanked the hair-unnies before going back to Bae and hit the road again to YGE building.
 

"Bae I'm done! Sorry to keep you waiting..." I said as I went back to where Youngbae is waiting. But as he looked at me, his eyes widen a little and his lips parted like he was surprised with my minimal transformation. I suddenly felt conscious and bit my lip. "How do I look?" I asked nervously.
 

"Really pretty..." He replied in almost a whisper, like he was mesmerized from some sort. And I swear that I could hear suppressed giggles from the stylists from my back.
 

I tried to smile but I know my cheeks are heating up with a crimson blush on it, and with minimal make-up, I know it's really obvious. "T-Thanks..." I stuttered. "Shall we?"

 

"Y-yes of course..." Bae also stuttered. But like a gentleman, he took my bag from me and had his hand at the small of my back as he led me to the exit.

 

Our ride to YGE building was pretty quiet but with a few exchange and take turns of stolen glances from each other. I saw him biting his lower lip when I caught him glancing at me. But as we get closer to YGE, my tummy couldn't help but churn.
 

"You'll be great..." Bae said with a smile and encouraged me.

 

"Thanks..." I smiled back nervously. We then went straight to YG-sajangnim's office.

 

"Ready?" He asked while we're behind the door of YG-sajangnim's office.

 

I exhaled to relax my tenses. "I'm ready..."

 

But before we could knock on the door, we heard a familiar squeal coming from the hallway. "Unnie! Lexi-unnie!"

 

"Minji-ah!" I beamed at my dongsaeng.

 

"You're back! Youngbae-oppa annyeong!" Minji chirped, making me hug her. "Oh you got your hair styled, it's really pretty..."
 

"Thanks Mingki-ah..." I said.
 

"Are you going to talk to sajangnim?" She asked, I nodded yes in response. "He's on a meeting right now in his studio with Jay-oppa..." Minji continued. I looked at Youngbae who was still with me and just gave me a half smile.
 

Just then, a door across the hallway opened and revealed YG-sajangnim with Jay Park, Reca-unnie and some other managers who were coming out of the studio.
 

"Ah, she's here..." YG said and pointed at me. And now curiosity hit me; where they talking about me? "We were just talking about you..." YG answered my unspoken question. My eyes narrowed a little in confusion.
 

"We just asked YG-sajangnim if you could make a music video with me for my comeback album..." Jay explained with his friendly smile.
 

"Oh..." Was all I can say and I looked at Reca-unnie who nodded and smiled in agreement.
 

"Well that's if you're ready..." YG said in almost serious tone.

 

I glanced at Youngbae, I saw him gave me a little smile as if trying to say that I'll do well; an encouragement. I let out a silent breath from my lips to calm me. "Yes sir, I'm ready..."

_______________________________________________________________________________________

And I'm back again dearies! :)

And so is Lexi! She's ready to face the world she's unfamiliar with... ;)
Let's keep up with her in venturing this new world :)

Thanks for reading! <3

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