My body sprang up from the relaxed position I had settled in and I grabbed my side in reaction to the whip of pain. The car had begun to move in response to the green light that flashed to us.

“What? Wh-how-Audition?” I stuttered and scoffed at his statement.

                He chuckled continuing to drive.

“I have no idea what you're talking about.”

                My voice was higher than usual. It was like I was singing as a soprano but talking instead. He smirked continuing to drive down the road. I was trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t be a lie. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing but the sounds of letters came out.

“Devon, I know all about it”

“What do you know about?!” I began protesting.

“Why else would you be trying to ditch me?”

“That’s a little harsh” I said my voice returning to normal. “And I am not trying to ditch you-”

“So what movie are we seeing?”

                He smiled at the dashboard as he heard me sigh.

“I need you to do me the biggest favor of my existence.”

                I looked at him giving him the most serious look I owned. It was a look of importance, one that stressed desperation. He glanced at me quickly before returning his eyes on the road.

“I can’t take you to that audition Dev” he said straightforward.

                I felt my head tilt.

“I’m sorry…it sounded like you just announced the ultimate form of betrayal!”

 “I am not going to take you to that audition.”  

Hyun Joong talked slow enough to enunciate each word, causing me to feel the phrase like an ice- pick stabbing me in the core of my fandom. He bit his lip in anticipation at my response. I couldn’t talk; I couldn’t function! This man was supposed to help me! Why? BECAUSE HE HELPED ME IN EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!

“Can you say something?”

“What would you like me to say?” I practically growled. “Would you like me to thank you for robbing me of the greatest opportunity of my life!”

“It’d be a start” he edged still driving.

“Well since you won’t help me, can you at least put me out?”

“Put you out? Put you out where?”

                I pointed to the corner coming up. I watched the speedometer slow down a fraction of a second before speeding by the corner, pressing his lips together to keep from smiling even bigger.

“Are you going to let me out?” I glared at him.

“Eventually…until then sit back and enjoy the ride.”

                I folded my arms and groaned. I couldn’t believe he was kidnapping me! This was unbelievable…if I hadn’t been so pissed off I could’ve gotten excited. The fact that he was the only thing standing in my way of getting into that music video, was infuriating. My cell phone began ringing…it was Paije.

“Did Kendrick tell you that the audition has been moved up?”

“Yea he told me. But there is no way I can make it, because Hyun Joong is a KIDNAPPER!!!!”

“What do you mean a kidnapper?” she began laughing.

“This isn’t funny Paije” I yelled at her feeling the tears swell up.

Hyun Joong motioned for the phone and I handed it over reluctantly.

“Hey Paije” he began. “Yea she’s pretty upset, but I promise she’ll be fine. We’re heading to my place-”

“Your place!” I shrieked. “I can’t go to your house!”

“Yea…she’ll be back later tonight.”

                Silence.

“No offense Paije but I’m not sure I can be sure that you're telling me the truth. She’s not going back until I’m positive she’s missed the audition.”

                And at that the tears that I had been fighting for so long spilled over and flowed down my face. I wept silently trying to dispel any attention to myself and he lightly handed my phone back to me. I cried with no sounds or sniffling the entire ride. I closed my eyes and cried bitterly because my entire being felt depressed. I was going to miss the audition. My name wasn’t going to be one of the five chosen to work with BIGBANG and I cried even harder. I was completely silent; I had nothing to say to him. He tried talking to me a few times and it was no use…he had forced me to use the silent treatment. I cried so much I couldn’t tell we were going; we were taking so many twists and turns I couldn’t keep up. If it had been anyone else I would’ve been kicking and screaming the entire time, but I knew he would make sure I got back safely so I just kept crying. We were driving up a short path which led to a house. It was an expensive modern ranch styled house that folded its way across the property. It had a thick pine wood trim that wrapped itself around every crevice of the estate; it framed large windows that were placed in neat panels building up some of the walls of the house. He stopped the car in front of the small patch of gravel laid out in front of the garage. He smoothly took out the keys to the car and looked at me. We sat in the car quietly.

“You coming?”

                One last sniffle escaped before I could catch it. I dried my eyes deciding I had cried enough, so instead I turned bitter and stubborn,  giving him no response. I was being stupid, but it didn’t matter I was perfectly content in staying in the car.

“Come on, you can’t stay in here” he said rolling his eyes to look up through the windshield.

I looked at him through wet eyes. I allowed my hurt to pour over so he could really see up close and personal how upset I was. He looked away not being able to take my tears anymore.

“Can you at least be mad at me inside?”

                In his own way he was pleading. I was too furiously stubborn to go anywhere; I knew that I could stick it out in the car until he brought me back.

“Looks like rain.”

                He said trying to change the subject, but I gave a weak “humph” before sitting back hard into his seat. It seemed childish but I didn’t care; If I had to be miserable for the rest of my day (or life) so did he. It was either that, or bring me back to the hotel.

He tilted his head again looking at the clouds. “You know? I’m getting hungry…what about you?”

                I mentally yelled at my stomach to keep quiet. If my tummy growled at a time like this it was going to add to my list of betrayal.

“I can make you something…anything you’d like.”

                He wasn’t playing fair and he knew it. A delicious meal cooked by him just like in one of his dramas was a dream I almost didn’t want to let go. Damn the fan-girl inside of me. I would be captivated at a time where I’m supposed to be hating being captured by my own handsome Judas. No…I was determined not to fan girl. He couldn’t wash away a chance like this by food, even if he did cook it. 

“Can we at least go in before its starts raining?”

                And just as if he had a switch, it began to down pour. It was as if we were stuck in a carwash, the water began to crash rapidly onto the outside of the car we were sitting in. A slight smile appeared across my tear-stricken face at the humor of the situation. I put my hand over my mouth to cover it up before he could catch it.

“Devon…please” he looked at me in all sincerity.

                I sighed greatly before unbuckling my seatbelt. When I opened the door I had a great and sudden urge to slam the car door; instead of breaking his window, I  gently pushed against the door, closing it nicely. He looked at me in surprise as we both got soaked in the rain.

“What?!” I shouted bitterly across the hood of the car.

“Nothing. Hurry up!” He motioned for me to follow.

                When I got closer, he took his jacket and covered my head compelling me to lean into him to keep from getting even more drenched. I had never noticed how good he smelled; I couldn’t help but notice as my head was directly pressed into his chest right in the crook of his arm. He was fumbling to find the keys to enter the house; he pushed open the door and let me go in first. I began taking off my shoes and shaking the water from my hair, I could already feel it going curly. He did the same before walking down disappearing down a hallway. I was reluctant to follow but I had no choice, so I started stepping down the same path which opened up into a fairly large kitchen. I felt like I was standing in Iron Chef. The double oven and stove top counter were intimidating not to mention the lighting over each space. The sink was large and windows that took up the length of the kitchen faced the backyard area. He was sitting on a couch in the living room facing a rather large television suspended on a small mantle. Music was playing, and after listening hard I recognized it was Yiruma.

“Towel?”

                I nodded as he got up to get one. He came back and tossed it lightly to me, before going to the kitchen to put on a kettle. I wiped my face with the towel before checking out the rest of my clothing; it was official…I was soaked. I stood in place awkwardly until he told me to wait.

“Change in there” he said pointing around the corner. He had handed me a button down t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

                I looked at the clothes hesitantly. Before nodding and walking around the corner to find a bedroom. It was a big room that took up at least four panels of windows by itself. The walls were powder blue with white accents to make the room look clean and peaceful. It reminded me of a clear sky you might find on a beautiful day in May. It was a huge contrast from the weather outside; the dark clouds had rolled in and the rain was falling even harder. I quickly changed into the clothes he gave me; the plain button down shirt was too long and it covered up the shorts easily, but at least I was dry. A knock came to the door.

“Are you done?” He said before peeking his head through to look at me.

“Thank you” I nodded. “You should change too” I said hurrying past him to walk back to the living room.

                A few minutes later he found me sitting on the carpet of his living room. I tucked my knees up to my chin and looked at him with raised eyebrows before ducking my head back down. He had changed into a pair of sweatpants and a plain white tee, very casual. I could hear him breathe heavily before his footsteps led him to the kitchen. I heard him clanging different pots around and after a while of just clanging pots I had to look at him. I expected to see him cooking, but instead he was just beating the pots on the counter making enough noise so I would look at him.

“Can you cook anything?”

I looked at him in shock. “Can’t you?”

He shook his head playfully.

                I groaned while getting up from the floor. When I got to the kitchen it looked like he had taken out every single pot he owned. Nothing but water filled the pots on the stove and the ones on the counter I suspected that was what he used to make so much noise with. 

“What do you have to cook?” I said calmly standing next to him.

“Uhm…” he said beginning to rummage through the fridge and cabinets.

                All he could find was peanut butter and ramen noodles. At that I couldn’t help but laugh. He started laughing too, but I laughed until I started crying. And then the laughing tears quickly turned into actual sobbing. I tried to stop by wiping my face ferociously and sniffling quickly but it didn’t really help. And before I could wipe my face again, he had closed the distance cradling my head to his chest. He was hugging me.  Even through the tears I felt my face scrunch up in confusion at the fact that he was crushing himself to me, using most of the force his arms had possessed. I was feeling a mix of emotions. I was upset about the audition, but I couldn’t totally forget the fact that Hyun Joong had placed his arms around my lower back and head making it impossible for me to break away…as if I wanted too. His arms were secure and the way he held me, it felt like nothing bad could get me.

“I hate this” I said into his chest after a while of not saying anything.

“Hate this, or hate me?” He breathed resting his head on top of mine.

“I could never hate you” I confessed; I felt his arms tighten around me.

“You could’ve fooled me” he laughed pressing his head to the side of mine. “I’ve never seen you so angry.”

“Can you blame me?!” I said trying to push my way from the hug. In a reluctant instant, he let me go.“You're supposed to help me no matter what.” 

“How do you figure?” He said leaning up against the counter with one arm, allow the entire arm to flex.

                I could see the fabric from the shirt trying to fit around the new width of the arm. I had to count mentally to keep from being distracted.

“You’ve helped me out ever other time…why stop NOW!” I said stacking the pots I wasn’t going to use to one side before selecting one with water and beginning to pour it out.

“First you lure me to your car-”

                He smiled putting the pots away.

“If I was smarter I would’ve left with Kendrick. At leasthe would’ve helped me get to the audition!” I answered myself with heavy sarcasm. “He wouldn’t have kidnapped me! He wouldn’t be holding me hostage!”

“Hostage! Yeah right…you’re making ramen!” he choked on his laughter.

“My point is I trusted you” I began turning the heat on so the water could boil. “I knew T.O.P was going to try and stop me-but-but you?”

                He breathed out some words in Korean that I had no hope of catching, walking over to the living room where there were stacks of DVD’s.  I kept watching the water until it began to boil.

“Seriously? What kind of man doesn’t know how to cook ramen?” I grumbled to myself pouring the noodles into the water. “It’s like the easiest thing to make.”

“Do you want to watch something?” He called to me from the living room.

“It’s up to you” I shrugged while stirring the noodles.

“How about a board game?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

                I kept stirring. All of a sudden I heard SHINee’s Stand By Me coming from the television. I ran from the kitchen shaking my head rapidly.

“Please NO!!!” I squealed looking at the start-up menu for Boys Over Flowers. 

                All five of them were smiling bright as ever on his glorious television. Woo Bin Ah, Soo Yi Jung, Yoo Ji Hoo, Gu Jyun Pyo and Geum Jan Di grinning as the background of the menu screen began playing. I shook my head in horror.

“Please! Anything but this!” I shook my head even faster protesting.

“I thought this one was your favorite!”

“It is! But I can’t watch it!” I said reaching for the remote but he switched hands.

                He moved his arms keeping it away from me and I kept grabbing at it but kept missing. I lunged for it and he grabbed my waist twisting me around so that my back was to the front of him. He dangled the remote in front of my face and I jumped for it missing it completely. I pulled onto his arm using all of my body to bring down the remote but he took one of his hands and began tickling my side causing me laugh against my will. Somehow I lost my footing and we both were falling to the floor laughing with him still holding tight onto me. His hand was resting comfortably in the dip of my waist.

“Oww” I whined in pain at my side.

                He moved his hand immediately and began searching the rest of my body for indications of hurt. While he was distracted, I slyly took the remote from his hands and shut off the television. His head whipped to the television and then back to my grinning face.

“You little-” he began tickling me again until I smelled something burning.

“The ramen!” I said quickly unwrapping myself from his grasp.

                I ran to the kitchen just in time to save the only thing we had to eat. I drained the noodles before pouring the sauce on them and they were ready to serve. He got up to join me in the kitchen and handed me two bowls and chopsticks; I began dishing out. I took my bowl of ramen and followed him into the living room. A loud roll of thunder passed over us followed by a spectacular view of lightning thanks to the massive windows. I ate as happily as I could given the circumstances, I would forever be depressed but I tried to focus on the positives…like the fact that I was in his house.

“So we can’t watch Boys Over Flowers?” He slurped his noodles mannishly.

“I thought the whole point was to keep me from crying?” I said finishing up a bite.

“You cry at anything from that show?”

“Just your scenes” I admitted eating some more.

“Unbelievable” he smiled eating too.

                We ended up playing a game of Uno;  the first few games were really intense but the current round we were playing I was otherwise distracted.

“Your move” he said tapping my foot with his.

I placed a card down. “Who do you think will make it?”

“The audition?” I nodded when he understood. “I’m not sure; I saw a lot of good dancers at the club that time we went.”

                My mood sank a little, but maybe by missing the audition he was saving me from getting my hopes up. If there were better dancers than me at least their video would be amazing.

“You were the best though” he said throwing down a card.

                My facial expression sprang to life. I looked at him baffled.

“I’m the best…and you're content with me sitting here playing Uno?”

“Yea…your move” he smirked.

                I found a pillow and chucked it at him, it hit him square in the face. Surprise made him look like a beautiful deer in headlights, before a wicked smile spread across his face.

“You’re gonna pay for that”

“I already am” I said making a face at him.

“Good point” he said smirking. “But you’ll get over it.”

“No matter how much time passes, no matter how disappointed I am in something, I will never get over this” I said laying my cards down giving up on the game.

                He did the same and stared at me.

~~~~

“Next!”

                It had to be at least four or five o-clock in the afternoon and we were nowhere close to finishing the auditions. I slapped my head at the new person who walked in.

“Hello, my name is Ji Sun. Please enjoy my dance moves.”

                The girl began dancing and she fell to the ground in a split no less than three seconds into the song. Her dance moves resembled a gymnast stripper, Taeyang and Daesung’s faces looked disgusted while G-Dragon sat a little taller in his seat.

“Thank you!” Director Baek said quickly, flicking the remote to shut off the music leaving her body in a contorted position.

                She bowed quickly and then ran out crying. I hated the criers. Common sense should’ve told them that this audition was for people with talent…this was YG for crying out loud. If they knew they weren’t good, why audition at all. At least practice to make yourself better, or wait to cry back in their rooms. Don’t they know we feel terrible as it is.

“Well that one wasn’t so bad” Ji Yong piped up turning to a new page in his notebook for comments.

Taeyang groaned. “This is useless! I don’t want to dance with any of these people. They aren’t good” he began laughing.

Daesung smiled and rested his hand on Tae’s shoulder. “It’ll get better. We’ll find someone for you, Ji Yong, Seungri and Seung Hyun. Wow…how many people did we audition so far?”

“Enough to only find someone for you” Ji Yong said.

“Only because he gave up and settled for his partner” Seungri teased.  

“So she needs a little work-”

“She needs a little talent” Taeyang laughed.

“I’m gonna work with her, and she’s gonna be amazing” Daesung said with a wince.

“Where’s Devon?” Taeyang said changing the subject.

                My ears perked up at the sound of her name.

“Hey guys…I’ve been thinking. If she auditions today, let’s not put her through”

                The room went dead. They all turned to me to give me different expressions. I think Taeyang’s was the most in shock, Ji Yong looked like I had asked him a complicated math question, Seungri looked like he was choking and Daesung just sighed deeply.

“She’s good. I know she is, but we can’t pass her through.”  I was determined to keep her from becoming a bigger target.

“There is no better way to make up for what she went through than having her be my partner” Taeyang spoke up immediately.

“Or mine!” Seungri chimed in.

My head whipped to Seungri. “Don’t you think you're being hypocritical?”

“No”he said flatly. “The fans knew about this audition, they had equal opportunity; you can’t beat someone up because they have the ability to do a job well.”

“How long did it take you to practice that one?”  I snapped. “I don’t get you man. First you want to send her home then you want to keep her close. I can’t keep up.”

“Why don’t you want us to not pass her?” Daesung asked.

“I went to go see her-”

“YOU DID WHAT?!” Kim Mi Hi entered just in time to hear that.

“I said, I went to go see her” I answered her with assertion. “I went to visit Devon Ashford-”

“After I told you not too? After I ordered BIGBANG-”

“That’s just it. You ordered BIGBANG. BIGBANG didn’t see her, just Choi Seung Hyun.”

I smirked at the loophole before turning my head back to the rest of them.

“She says that we have to ignore her, that we can’t give her any special treatment…she’s absolutely right”

“This isn’t special treatment!” Seungri whined.

“I can’t have another incident like this happen to her. So if she auditions, can you please not pick her?” I was practically begging, and they knew it.

“Next!”

~~~~

“Can you take me back now? I’m sure the auditions are over by now”

“The movie isn’t over yet” Hyun Joong whined.

                We were sitting on the carpet next to each other watching some kung fu film he picked out. We could’ve been watching Barney & Friends and I could’ve cared less. I had been sulking the entire day, working up enough will power to not shed another tear over my missed opportunity. It was hard but I had managed to keep from crying for a couple of hours and it was now heading towards eight o-clock. I bent my knees to my chest and breathed longing to go back to the hotel.

“Dev…will you tell me something?”

                I looked at him, silently encouraging him to ask.

“If I was T.O.P, would you be complaining so much?”

“I’m not complaining-”

“If T.O.P was the one holding you against your will you’d probably be fawning over him like crazy-”

“You don’t think I’d be pissed at him if he did this to me! Don’t get me wrong, you’ve been really nice to me but I’m not sure how to forgive you for something like this!”

“Something like what? A music video?! You winning a chance like this most people would die twice for and here you are moping at the fact that you can’t be in a music video! Think of all of the people who actually auditioned for it and still won’t get in!”

“You stole the chance from me! I knew I wouldn’t have gotten it anyway, but at least I could’ve said I tried out. If this was an SS501 event, would you get it then?!”

“It’s not fair!” he yelled in frustration. “Why can’t you see his flaws as clearly as you see mine?”

“What flaws?! You're both perfect!” I groaned.

He smiled weakly. “I’m really sorry for doing this, but I had too.”

“Why?” I said feeling my eyes watering. “I don’t get it!”   

                I turned my head away not wanting him to see the tear that had escaped and was now making a single trail down my cheek. I felt his hand cup my chin leading my head to face him, I put up little to no resistance. He was closer than I had thought and when I had turned to face him his dark beautiful eyes were waiting for mine. My lower lip began to tremble as he began moving closer and closer. Every single urge in my body was screaming at me to move away but the way he held me made it unthinkable. Not because I couldn’t move…I didn’t want too. He had closed the distance and pressed his lips to mine. His force was soft but eager with small movements and rhythms that I could follow easily. When I felt his tongue flicker against mine, it took me off guard but we didn’t stop. Suddenly we were on our knees kissing fiercely. My hands instantly found his hair and began grabbing the soft strands as his arms wound around my waist holding me tightly. His hands worked back to cradling my face and using a little more force than when we started. When it had officially registered what we had been doing I turned my head in uncertainty. He took this as something else and began kissing my neck, making delicate trails he revisited over and over. He was still holding me and this made it even more difficult to concentrate.

“Hyun Joong” I said clearly flustered.

“Hm?” he groaned continuing on my neck.

                Why in the hell would he groan?! Didn’t he know that had to be the iest thing a man could do at a time like this? Instead of giving me a word, something I could attach reality too, he gave me a sound that would make me melt even more. He wasn’t fair at all.

“No, Hyun Joong” I trilled a laugh.

                He understood that time and stopped. His arms let go of me in an instant and he sat back against the couch on the carpet. I sat back down on my knees in amazement but his laughter interrupted my train of thought.

“I can’t believe your laughing” I said smiling.

“I can’t believe that’s all you have to say” he said smirking rising to his feet.

“That was…intense” I giggled giddily getting up too.

 “I’m gonna change, and then I’ll take you back” he said walking towards his bedroom, ruffling his head.

“Okay” I said weakly even though he had already left.