CHAPTER 10

"YG sajang is balding"

 

 

Seungri rested his head on the mirror behind him. He drummed his fingers on the metal handle next to him as he closed his eyes trying to calm down. His mind was busy thinking about his plan. What plan? Plan to escape hours of lecture and to explain to the man of honor on the 7th floor. Of course he had prepared his plan. It’s just he's afraid about the outcome. Plus, he didn't explain his plan to the other maknae. Even if he does, he was certain that the other dude who was riding the elevator as him will not agree. 

 

Seungri himself can be considered as the office’s favorite guest. Its either to talk about the next album –  which he hasn't done lately because orders has been issued from the Hyung of 7th floor that permitted them to manage their own album and just submit for the last check. If it's approved or decline, it's a different story. So his routine on this floor has changed from managing comeback to get a lot of scolding from the upper man about his wrong doing or plainly get scold for his future wrong doing. He was not that nervous though, he was just concerned about Taehyun. It's his first time facing the CEO because of scandal that he made; still it's not his fault.

 

On the other side, Taehyun was fiddling with the hem oh his sweater – a habit he had developed whenever he’s nervous or anxious. He was arguing with himself on what to tell to the big boss about their disappearance. He cannot gather his thought and eventually sighed in frustration. 

 

"Hyung-" he muttered. The elder hummed in response, still having his eyes closed. 

 

"What do we tell them?" Taehyun  asked. Seungri opened his eyes lazily and turned his gaze towards the younger. 

 

"Don't worry, I'll handle it. You just got to act along," he gave the younger his assuring smile. 

 

"But-" before Taehyun managed to continue his question, the elevator door slided open, revealing the oak door in front of them. Seungri was the first to exit the comfort zone of the elevator that barricaded them between the eerily 7th floor corridor. He stopped in front of the oak door.

 

"Stay calm, everything gonna be fine, I've been scolded a lot and this case is just a walk in the park compared to my last scandals. We'll be fine." He said before he turned away and grabbed the door knob.  "Hope so.." he muttered under his breathe but Taehyun didn't hear that. Seungri twisted the door knob and walked inside the hell on earth with confidence. 

 

Taehyun trailed behind him with a worried mixed with scared eyes that cannot be hidden under his slop eyebrows. The 7th floor has always been the floor he tried to avoid the most. Of course he had been here a lot, submitting his tracks or having a discussion about his debut. All these times he had accompanying him, but now he only had Seungri with him and he started to run out of breath though he was taking slow steps to the oak door. 

 

The door knob was twisted and the door was sprung opened by Seungri revealing the semi dark room ahead . The old man had his head titled to the side with his phone in between his ear and shoulder and his hand was busy roaming on the scattered papers on the table. There was a light above him that shined upon him in the dark room. It actually helped him to look scarier.

 

 Of course a CEO will always be busy even in this ungodly hour of the day. Others would be spending dinner (supper in this case) with their family or maybe watching dramas before bed or something. You know, family stuff. But this old man chose to be buried in his business deals, ignoring the needs to spend time with his wife and daughter. 

 

Seungri approached him with Taehyun trailing him from behind. Realizing some other breathing creatures has invaded his business lair at this wee hour, the latter raised his head, expecting it was his secretary wanting something from him, turned out he was facing two wanted artists under his entertainment that has been the reason why his blood pressure rising these past few days  and his hair under that hat balding bits by bits. (Not that people will notice his balding hair though)

 

 

"Talk to you later." He hung up his call and threw his phone onto the piles of papers. He was surprise but he was keeping his feelings down under his stoic facade. "Where the have you been?" He asked calmly. 

 

Taehyun had never heard the boss cursed so he was a bit startled by it. He glanced at Seungri waiting for his so-called-plan. He hoped the older to lie. He can say anything but the kidnapping.

 

"We've been kidnapped." Seungri said bluntly.

 

 And the older just said something he was against at. Typical Seungri. Taehyun's eyes widen on his statement. Hyung what are you doing? We've promised to not expose them! Taehyun screamed in his head hoping that the elder will get his telepathy. Sadly no because Seungri keeps his composure to the CEO.

 

YG chuckled mockingly. "Are you serious? Do you think this is a ing joke?!" He asked in between gritted teeth.

 

"This is the truth, sajangnim. That night, we've been kidnapped by sasaengs and we were brought to some other places. The next morning we woke up to found out that we were trapped in an abandoned room." He explained hoping with his solemn face was enough to cover the shabby information but he knew it doesn't. He kept his act anyway. “We escaped them. We are safe now." He continued.

 

"Sasengs?!  You're saying you two got kidnapped by sasaengs in this ing secured building in the middle of the night!" Secured? Not really,the cameras wer out of order that night. Semi-secured. "You expect me to believe you Lee Seunghyun, after all bulls you've done?" His tone rose up as he speaks.

 

 

"It was true sajangnim... " Taehyun muttered after being silent from the moment he stepped in the room. He was nervous though he tried to back up his sunbae."We were kidnapped." Now both eyes were on Taehyun. He started to excrete cold sweats. 

 

YG sighed and grabbed his office telephone and started to punch the digits in haste. Both maknaes eyed him with confusion. 

 

"Hello, Hangang police department-"  Seungri slammed the phone down before YG managed to finish his sentence. "What the " he cussed.

 

"Sajangnim what are you doing?" Seungri asked in confusion. 

 

"I'm calling the cops, what do I look like I'm doing ?" He snapped.

 

"Don't, please.  We are safe now. No need for cops." Seungri was still holding the phone in his hand preventing the CEO to make the call.

 

“You said you just got kidnapped but you didn't want me to tell the police. What do you expect me to do?! Sit around and play with my gundam sets?!” YG rubbed his face in frustration. "Did they feed you weird these past few days because you are not making any sense, Lee Seunghyun!" He stood up facing both maknaes. 

 

Taehyun sent a meaningful gaze to Seungri sending his telepathic message again. Does he always yell at you like this?

 

As if the elder could hear him this time he replied with his gaze. Welcome to my world, kid. You’re next.

 

Taehyun shivered and shook his head mentally. No thanks, hyung.

 

"Look sajangnim we've made a deal with them, okay? We settled everything.  It's gonna be alright." Seungri tried to explain though YG's jaw tensed at the word 'deal'. He wanted to argue but Taehyun continued before he even has the chance. 

 

"Really, sajangnim, dont need for that. We've make sure that we weren’t followed a-and they even promised not to-" Taehyun sealed his lips tight.

 

"To what?!" YG was not patience with the sudden halt. 

 

"Whatever it is, we are safe now, so hyung, please do us a favor, just this, i don’t care if you ask me to work my out for the next comeback or prevent me to go to clubs for years but just dont get the information leak. Trust me you don’t want your business to be ruined because of this matter." He halted a moment. "I'm exhausted. I mean we're exhausted, it's been quite a thrill, it was hell but we survived, for sake this one was not my fault. For once I didn't make the mistake. Do us a favor and don't tell the cops." Seungri plead. 

 

YG exchanged his gaze to Taehyun and saw the same thing  written in his eyes then back to Seungri then back to Taehyun. "I'm calling the cops" he said.

 

"No!" Both maknae shouted almost the same time. 

 

"Hyung... please." Seungri pleaded again, his code name for the old man has change in hopes that the CEO has a bit of pity on him. 

 

"Fine." He said flatly.  From now on you two are not allowed to be out all alone and you'll be under province 24/7. Don’t go anywhere alone" he demanded. YG massaged his tighten temple and flopped back on the head rest of his chair.

 

"About that leaking part," Yg clasped his hands together and gave them a sarcastic smile. "Guess what, Seunghyun? In case you two have been lack out of news these past days, your disappearance had gone viral and apparently everyone in South Korea know that you went missing". YG said solemnly. His angry face came back into the picture.

 

"What?!" Both maknaes snapped.

 

“Please take your seats so we can discuss this matter.” YG said bitterly and pointed at the chairs in front of his messy table.

 

 

# 

 

 

Seungri raised his hand to push the code on the door to his apartment, only to stop midway. He knew who were waiting for him on the other side of the door. Ever since he stepped in the YG building a few hours ago, he was certain that s would've gotten the news that he was safe and he was meeting the sajang. He stood there gathering his thoughts, preparing himself for the bullets of questions that will be asked by his band mates, especially the leader. He knew very well that the leader was very keen on him so he will ask dozens more questions than the others. 

 

Seungri took a deep breath and tapped the code calmly. On the other, side he heard stomping of  five pair of feet towards the door and he took a last deep breathe before twisting the knob. 

 

"Seungri-ah!!" They screamed. 

 

Seconds later, Seungri was out of breathing because the tight hugs and familiar hands molesting on every inch of his face and body. Not in sensual way, but to inspect his condition. Well he did not expect this. 

 

"H-hyunpmh," he mumbled as his mouth was covered by hands. 

 

Jiyong cupped his face and made Seungri to look at him in the eyes. "Seungri-ah, kwenchana?! Did you hurt yourself? Where the had you been?! We were so worried, you head!" Jiyong half-said half-shrieking at the maknae, but his eyes were showing sincere concern.  Seungri would've laughed at the sight if he didn't catch the tears stain on Jiyong's face and his red puffy eyes. 

 

"Hyung, I'm fine. Can you let go of my face now?" He asked. 

 

Jiyong loosen his grasp on the maknae and muttered a "sorry."

 

"Where have you been?! We looked everywhere for you!" Youngbae  shrieked. Youngbae shrieking was not a common occasion. It only happens when he was mad or excited but now Seungri can't seem to differentiate between those two anymore.

 

"Did you meet the sajang?!  Of course you do. Where were you? Did you run away because we treat you bad?! Was it it too stressing. For sake Seungri, I was worried!" Daesung was the next one to shriek right at his ear. Seungri managed to chuckle at this weird situation. 

 

"Guys, let him sit first will you?" TOP said calmly, finally opening his mouth. Well Seungri did not expect that. They ushered the returned maknae to the couch and made him sit down. Daesung even offered him a glass of water. 

 

Seungri was amused with the treatment he got. Man, if only he knew he'll get this kind of treatment, he wished he can be missing every day to see all his hyungs gathered once again and be caring towards him. 

 

He gulped down the water in one go, he was thirsty anyway. Seungri jolted at the sight of his hyungs looking like lost puppies wanting attention in front of him when he was putting the mug down.

 

They waited for him to speak but he just as clueless as they are. "Well?" The eldest tried to hint him.

 

"I got kidnapped?" 

 

"WHAT?!" they spatted in sync. 

 

"You- what? Kidnapped? In the building?" Jiyong grabbed a fist of his black hair. Odd to see his hair wasn't in multicolour but since they are on hiatus, it made sense. "Are you playing tricks on us now, maknae?!"

 

"Jiyong-ah, don't shout at him. Let him explain." Youngbae tried to calm his best friend. 

 

"But he's not making any sense! How could he be kidnapped?" Jiyong barked. Just a minute ago he was all caring and concern towards the maknae, now he's back to being mad dog. Youngbae sent him a look. That calmed him down a bit. "Fine. Explain" 

 

Explain. Okay here we go again. Seungri's brain juice was squeezed to bits thinking what lie to muster for his hyungs. He was sweating again.  He can't look them in the eye.

 

"I- I- really- hyung. Taehyun and I got kidnapped. I came to the studio after I met you at the hallway, thinking the others were recording or something so I barged in. I found two unknown human beings on the main computer so I thought they were stealing our stuff." He halted gathering his breath. "I yelled, they managed to knock me out with... I don't know... chloroform?" He shrugged. "I woke up, tied to Taehyun, in a dark room. Mino called but we couldn't answer. Curses lock patterns, to be honest." 

 

"So you were conscious when he called Taehyun?" Jiyong asked. Every eye landed on him for a moment then went back to the maknae. A gleam of trust could now be seen in the leader's eyes. He seems to buy the story. It was not a lie though only the truth. For now.

 

"Y- yeah" Seungri still can't look them in the eye. 

 

"How did you escape?" Daesung asked full of intrigues.

 

"We took off on a taxi when they were not home. I even asked Donnie to pay for the fees." Lies. Donnie was just an evident for his white lie. It’s weird that he didn't even lie on the story. It was true but not the escape part of course. He can't simply say one kidnapper has been shot so she was lying on the hospital bed right now and he was freed can't he? It's already complicated so let's not complicate the current situation.

 

"What did they asked from you?" Top finally muttered his question. Oh God, How should he explain?

 

"Well not much, they were nice," he chuckled at the sarcasm. "Besides from threaten to be bath in the washing machine and to be kill if we try to escape, everything else were nice." So much of nice. Seungri tried to smile. Tried.

 

"Bath in washing machine? Tell me you are not kidnapped by a sasaengs," Taeyang frowned. To them it sounds illogical but as much as Seungri want to deny it. It was the truth.

 

"I didn't get kidnapped by a sasaeng. They weren't a fan of ours." Weren't a fan?  Sort of but they do like Bigbang just not in the sasaeng way. Who in south Korea doesn't like bigbang anyway?

 

"Seriously?" Daesung said. He didn't trust him, all because it didn't make sense in his brain.

 

"Hyung, it's okay if you don't trust me. I know it's hard to believe but believe it or not, we did got kidnapped and I even have marks on my hand, look," Seungri shoved both of his hands to the hyungs to show the burnt mark made by the ropes on his wrist. Period.

 

"Look, I'm drained and I need to tell my mom I'm okay, so if you don't believe me I'm sorry, okay. I didn't asked to be kidnapped or what. I didn't ask to make you guys worried.  I know I always bring trouble but for the first time, it's wasn’t my fault." Seungri stood up, not daring to look at his hyung. He felt betrayed because how come his hyungs didn't trust him?  Tears have accumulated in his pools of eyes.  He wished they could just let him go and he could pour out his tears behind the toilet door.

 

Before he could walk away, a hand grabbed his wrist. "Seungri-ah..." Jiyong mellow voice echoed in his ear.

 

"We are sorry. We've been so worried that you suddenly went M.I.A. Especially not after you just got discharged from the hospital. I thought-" Jiyong paused.

 

"You thought what, hyung?  You thought I'll run away? Do I look that selfish to you hyung?" Seungri asked. He knew he can't hold the tears much longer. He turned to look at Jiyong with his stern eyes but he didn't expect to see the leader was crying behind him. 

 

"Come here," the crying leader gave him the hand gesture asking him to come closer so he did. His eyes were glassier then. He settled in the leader's tight hug.

 

"Hyung... " he mumbled on the leader's shoulder. 

 

"It's okay. It's okay." Jiyong patted his head. The others joined in later.

 

"We just want you to be safe, Seunghyun. We trust you, you know," hearing the eldest said that Seungri's tears escaped his realm of eyes and started to wet Jiyong's shoulder. 

 

"Don't make us worry again, okay?" Daesung muttered behind him. He could only nod in response. 

 

"Aish, babo maknae," Youngbae nudged Seungri's head lightly with his fist. On usual circumstance he would scowl at his hyung but now he felt grateful that he could feel that kind of treatment again. He was glad now that he knew that his bandmates do worry about him too.  After all, everything happened for a reason.

 

"Thanks, hyungs," he replied while wiping away his tears. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I need to call my mom," he said and left to his room.

 

 

# 

 

 

Taehyun gulped when he reached the dorm. His palm which was around the doorknob of the dorm's entrance door started to feel sticky as it sweated. He felt a weird feeling in his belly because of how anxious he felt.

 

To be honest, Taehyun had never done anything so outrageous like disappearing for days without informing anything. Not that he ever left the dorm unless he's at the studio these past few weeks, since their promotion had ended. He didn't even remember when was the last time he went out to meet his family. His free hand started to massage his throbbing head. He frowned when he realized something shocking. What if his mother knew? He sighed. What he hated the most was to worry his mother. If she knew, she would've freaked out the most and probably would be in the dorm right now, waiting for him. Maybe she would nag his other members for not taking care of him. That's another thing he hated. He didn't need to be taking care of. He's fine alone.

 

Yeah...he's fine until some girls stuff him in a bag (he found out about this after the girls confessed. It explained why his body hurts all over.)

 

After a few minutes of finding his inner strength, Taehyun turned the doorknob and entered the dorm. He noted that all his hyungs were there after seeing all their shoes were there. He started to be anxious again. Was it too late to turn back and run away?

 

"Nam Taehyun," Taehyun jumped a bit when he heard the hoarse voice. He looked away from the shoes and saw his leader standing there, looking angry but his eyes were soft enough to not be considered as glaring. "Come in. We need to talk."

 

We need to talk. Taehyun gulped again. He hated that phrase, especially when it came from his hyungs. He had known over the years they had been together that the phrase meant nothing but bad news.

 

He followed the leader while keeping his head low, afraid of making eye contacts with his hyungs. When they reached the dining table, where all the members were gathering together, Taehyun didn't need to look up to see their glares. He can feel the burning of their strong gazes on his skin, making him flush in embarrassment. Taehyun started to feel more ashamed of himself. It wasn't his fault, yet he felt guilty for worrying them — to the point that YG sajangnim himself had to broadcast about their disappearance. He remembered how mad the old man was and how pale Seungri had looked like. He remembered how much he felt like crying, but he held it in. He doesn't want to make anything worse. However, the lump in his throat reminded him about how much the he just wanted to release the water works. He tried to relax his jaws and not blink his eyes. He read somewhere that it usually works.

 

"Sit down," there was a rough, deep voice, making Taehyun jumped for the nth time. It was Mino, glaring at him with his dark eyes. 

 

Gulping, Taehyun took the only free sit at the table, which was the head of the table, which also meant that he can see everyone and everyone can see him. He kept his eyes down.

 

"Explain," Mino said, or demanded. Taehyun hated that tone the most. It was the tone he used back when he was still the leader. He used it when they argued which ended with Taehyun leaving the practice room which left a bad impression on himself and the group. He shook his head mentally to forget about that memory.

 

He wanted to lie. Saying that Seungri decided to drag him into the end of South Korea for a sudden vacation or something — that makes more sense than getting kidnapped. But Seungri asked him to tell the truth, which is all Taehyun did.

 

"I was kidnapped-"

 

BAM!

 

Everyone flinched. Taehyun looked up in shock. He saw Mino was looking at him angrily, his eyes were burning. He saw that Mino had his fist on the table. Mino was clenching his fist so hard, his knuckles turned white. Then Taehyun knew that his hyung had hit the table.

 

"Bull!" Mino yelled. He looked so close on exploding.

 

"Mino," Jinwoo, who was sitting beside Mino, carefully placed his hands on Mino's shoulders. He tried to calm the younger one down. "Just let him explain." The oldest one switched his gaze to Taehyun for a moment, before looking back at Mino. Taehyun knew the deer-eyed hyung didn't believe him too.

 

Mino looked at Jinwoo with a betrayed look, but he ended up sighing and gestured Taehyun to continue.

 

"Go on, maknae," Taehyun heard Seungyoon said.

 

He looked up to see Seungyoon staring at him with a worried pair of eyes. Taehyun really felt like crying at that moment. The leader still trusted him.

 

He gathered his last piece of strength and continued. "I went to the studio to grab my notebook," he fiddled with the end of his shirt, his eyes still fixed at Seungyoon. It’s fine if everyone against him as long as at least one person — especially Seungyoon — still trust him. So he wanted Seungyoon to know everything that happened. Seungyoon nodded as a sign for him to continue. "When I opened the door, I saw Seungri-hyung...in a big bag. There were two people trying to stuff him in it and zip the bag," he thought it would be a good idea to let the kidnapper's gender being classified. "Then suddenly, a hand covered my mouth and mouth with a cloth which was soaked in chloroform I think, and then I out."

 

"Wait, it happened in the studio? Within the YG building?" Seunghoon interrupted. "Why didn't we check the camera?"

 

"I asked that," Seungyoon said, "Sajang said that we can't because at the time, all cameras were off because they wanted to change them into new ones."

 

"Oh," Seunghoon frowned but he didn't continue saying anything.

 

"Go on, Taehyun," Seungyoon nodded at Taehyun.

 

So, that's why they didn't manage to get them. Taehyun thought. "We woke up in a dark room. Tied up. You guys were trying to contact me so we tried to answer the call. My mistake was my pattern lock screen was too complicated so with tired hands, it was impossible," Taehyun looked angry at himself as he told them about it. "Finally, the phone ran out of battery."

 

"What did the kidnappers do to you? What did they want? Sell you to ion?" Mino mocked with crossed arms.

 

Taehyun thought of the girls selling them. He shuddered. They might really do that. But the catch was the customers might be VVIPs. However, deep down, Taehyun knew they weren't cruel. They're actually good people with a very, very croaked thinking.

 

"No, actually, they didn't say what they wanted," false, "but they told us it was a mistake," this part was true, "and that they need to keep us a bit longer for something which I don't know of," such lies. Taehyun thought he was too good of an actor and he felt guilty. "The only cruel thing they did is probably suggesting cleaning us using a washing machine and trying to cut my throat with a razor."

 

"What," Seunghoon snickered, "is this some kind of a humor fiction?"

 

Now that Taehyun thought of it, it was kind of funny. But Taehyun was there, facing everything, while holding his on to his last piece of bravery which wasn't much. So it wasn't funny and it was scary for him at the moment.

 

Noticing the tense atmosphere, Seunghoon cleared his throat and looked away.

 

"How did you escape?" Seungyoon asked.

 

"We manage to sneak out since they weren't home. We managed to hail a taxi and get here. Seungri hyung made one of the dancers we met along the way to pay for the taxi fees though..."

 

"That's all? Nothing else?" Mino frowned, really suspicious.

 

Taehyun nodded a little bit too excitedly. "Yes," he said. He can't let them know that their kidnappers got shot and being held at the hospital. His guts made a weird flip thinking about Norae. Is she okay?

 

There was a pregnant of silence. The hyungs seemed to be hesitating to believe him.

 

Seungyoon, however, had always trusted Taehyun. He was serious when he said Taehyun was the closest with him among all. Because they understand each other. So he knew that Taehyun wouldn't make that all up.

 

The leader stood up and went to Taehyun's side, startling the younger. He took the hand that was fiddling nervously with the hem of the shirt, and rolled the sleeve to reveal the burning red rope marks around his wrist. He rubbed the marks and Taehyun squirmed in discomfort.

 

Mino, who was beside Taehyun, reached on his other hand and looked at the marks. "So it was real," it wasn't a question.

 

Taehyun nodded, "y-yes," he stuttered.

 

"Are you okay?" Seungyoon asked.

 

Taehyun looked surprised with the question. He managed to nod and answer, "Yes."

 

Seungyoon let out a sigh of relief. He gathered Taehyun in his arms, hugging the maknae tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay, Taehyun-ah," he muttered against Taehyun's brown hair.

 

Taehyun managed to wrap his arms around Seungyoon to hug him back. There was something about warm hugs that make you reveal your true emotions. Seconds later, Taehyun was already sobbing against the leader's chest. 

 

Everyone went to Taehyun's side and made a group hug, which resulted in a lot of tears. Well, everyone except Song Minho. (Though he is always the cry baby of the group but not this time)

 

Later that night, WINNER's maknae was tossing and turning on his bed. He can't seem to sleep which was weird. He's finally in the confine of his comfortable bed and his hyungs forgave him but why can't he sleep. He rubbed his tired, puffy eyes. 

 

"Ugh, the ceiling wasn't made to entertain people," he whined softly at the boring white ceiling.

 

Suddenly, he heard someone twisting the knob of his bedroom door. Unconsciously, Taehyun got up and scooted to the wall beside his bed, cowering with his blanket.

 

When the intruder got in, he was surprised to see Taehyun wasn't sleeping. And scared. Why did he look so scared?

 

"Taehyun?" A deep, rough voice called out softly.

 

"H-hyung? Mino hyung?" Taehyun was delightfully surprised. He noticed he was slowly relaxed. He didn't know why he was so tensed in the first place.

 

Mino frowned worriedly, which was hard to see in the dark room. Was it the after effect of the kidnappings made Taehyun jumpy? Or maybe he was being so hard on the maknae? He suddenly felt guilty. Mino closed the door behind him and went to Taehyun's bedside. Noticing that Taehyun was getting tensed again, Mino decided to against the idea of sitting on the bed with him. So he the lamp on his side table and sit on the chair Taehyun used to play his laptop. The light was dim but it was enough for both of them to see each other.

 

Mino watched Taehyun which was covered in his blanket. Maybe the blanket was his little comforting shield from the world. His eyes were still red and puffy from crying just now. He can see his hands were fiddling with the blanket because he was nervous. Was it Mino that made him nervous? Taehyun used to be so full of himself even from the first moment they met, or the first time they hang out together alone. They used to go to each other's rooms too, to talk about music or just anything that interested them. He remembered that it was him that usually talks and Taehyun usually listen, while making snarky comments here and there. He knew Taehyun doesn't mean harm and he actually enjoyed that he was being listened. His favorite was when Taehyun would open up to him and become the storyteller instead. He enjoyed looking at the younger's face as it contorted to different expressions according to his story. He thought it was adorable. He admitted that Taehyun was hard to control but he was grateful that their maknae was Taehyun. He was grateful that Taehyun learned to grow from his selfishness and started to care for his hyungs. He was grateful that they got an adorable maknae that was both independent and depending. He was grateful that Taehyun was strong.

 

Right now, Taehyun doesn’t look strong. He looked frail and afraid. Mino wanted to hug him and comfort him while saying that it’s okay, everything will be fine. He would do that, but he need to apologize first.

 

They were silent for a long moment, it suffocated Taehyun. He knew Mino still hasn’t forgiven him. He hoped that the older weren't there to scold him.

 

"Taehyun," Mino called, making Taehyun jump. "Gosh, why are you so jumpy?"

 

Taehyun shrugged. He changed his sitting position into an Indian style. He kept his gaze down.

 

"Taehyun, I- can you please look at me?"

 

Taehyun forced to lift his face and see Mino. Mino looked uncomfortable but serious. It was an odd view because Mino was rarely serious outside of their practice room.

 

"Taehyun-ah...hyung is sorry....hyung is sorry that I got mad at you," it was Mino who was nervous. "I got do worried that you were gone, you know. I waited for you to calm down with your notebook but you never did. And I freaked out that you disappeared. And then you come back being all...weird. I'm just shocked, you know. You disappeared right under my nose."

 

Taehyun nodded at his every sentence. He started to be less tense and he wasn't fiddling with his blanket anymore.

 

 

"Can you forgive me?"

 

The younger blinked before replying. "I...I would've been mad if you suddenly gone missing too."

 

Mino broke into a relieved smile. "So, we cool?"

 

Taehyun smiled for the first time that night. He nodded. He missed his Mino-hyung anyway.

 

"Can I hug you?"

 

Taehyun laughed and he nodded. Mino got on the bed and hugged Taehyun. They sighed that they weren't fighting anymore.

 

"I think we bought an ice cream yesterday. Want to eat it while watching whatever is on TV?"

 

The maknae just nodded.

 

 

# 

 

 

Taehyun got a new phone with a new number. So he was surprised when Seungri got his new one and managed to send him a message.

 

 

Seungri hyung:
What's your kakaotalk? I need to tell you something.

 

 

Of course he replied the text with his new kakaotalk ID. He doesn't have to wonder what he wanted to tell him when his phone vibrated, followed by a familiar katalk.

 

 

Seungri hyung: yo taehyun (∩_∩)

Seungri hyung: accept my friend request juseyo ( ˘ ³˘)♥

 

 

Seungri's emojis were definitely worse than Jinwoo. Jinwoo's was cute but this guy...Taehyun reluctantly accepted the request.

 

Katalk.

 

 

Seungri hyung: good boy (°∀°)b

Seungri hyung: aight. let's get serious.

Seungri hyung: I still can give some people passes to the secret audition next month. I'm planning to tell you know who about it.

Seungri hyung: do you wanna join me to the hospital after lunch?

 

 

Taehyun widen his eyes. He get to see the girls so soon. His heart thumped loudly at the thought.

 

Wait, why was he excited to see them? They're his kidnappers, for god sake! He literally facepalmed himself in disbelieve. Thank God he was alone in the studio right now. 

 

 

Seungri hyung: Taehyun-ah~~~ I can see the number 1 beside the chat bubble missing. Stop ignoring your cute hyung and answer me ⊂(￣(工)￣)⊃

 

 

What kind of emoji was that? A monkey? Taehyun sighed and replied his answer.

 

At lunch, he found himself in the same hospital he had arrived a few days before. He looked around while making sure his hat was covering half of his face. He trailed behind Seungri who seem to know his ways.

 

"Can I know which one in Kim Norae's room?"

 

"May I know your relationship with her, sir?"

 

"I'm her cousin." Taehyun side eyed Seungri. That was lame.

 

"That'll be room 450, sir."

 

"Cousin," Taehyun snorted once they got into the elevator.

 

"Well sometimes I wish I'm her cousin," Seungri said mindlessly.

 

"Hyung, why-" he paused. Then realization hit him like a wrecking ball. "Oh no, don't tell me-"

 

"Shhh," Seungri smirked. "Let's keep it a secret."

 

"Ew, hyung."

 

"Aw, please, Nam Taehyun. I know you like one of them too." Seungri rolled his eyes.

 

Taehyun was startled by the accusation. "What do you mean? I don't like any of them!"

 

"No need to be so loud about it," Seungri snickered and flicked the boy's hat a bit, earning a soft whine from the taller boy. Seungri frowned a bit at the boy's height, but he quickly shrugged it off.  Kids these days are lucky they get taller genes and enough calcium. Back in his days, he stopped growing too fast. His eyebags grew at the same time it stopped instead. It was all because of the intensive idol training he received. Thanks the heavens, he was still the most handsome male in YG family despite that. (Someone, please stop him).

 

 The elevator made a 'ding' sound which followed by the doors opening slowly. "Let's go."

 

Once they're outside, they kept their eyes casted downwards, while glancing to the doors along the way to check the numbers and names. Finally, they reached room 450. Taehyun's long fingers traced the name tag at the side of the door mindlessly. He slowly thinks it was a bad idea to come back to their kidnappers.

 

"Hyung, just slip in the invitation or something. This is a bad idea," Taehyun whispered at the older's ear since there was a nurse passing by.

 

Seungri tapped his finger on his chin in a thinking gesture. "Nah, we're already here anyway," he decided and casually turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

 

Taehyun bit back a shriek. He was glad he didn't shriek though. Because the sight inside was heartbreaking for him.

 

The blinds were halfly closed, so it was dim despite the strong sunlight coming from outside. There was a soft, repetitive beep sound coming from the machine. Taehyun was glad it was beeping in a calm rhythm. There she was, lying helplessly on the white bed. She looked calm despite all the tubes and wires connected to her. He can see her chest heaving camly up and down under the blanket which was tucked protectively below her shoulders, letting her hands bare but covered with wires. She looked calm and not in pain at all. She still looked pale and sick, but it was better than the last time he saw her — bleeding and in pain. He shook the painful memory away.

 

Seungri was the first to step into the room. Carefully, not making a sound, he went to another sleeping girl by the side of the bed. Her face was covered my one of her arm and her mess of long hair. Her other hand was stretching along the bed, leaving an inch away from her friend's hand.

 

Taehyun almost had a heart attack when Seungri brushed her hair from her face. He wanted to stop him, but the older's face stopped him. He looked so sad and worried. He looked like a real hyung like this. Taehyun can only step inside and closed the door behind him.

 

Seungri bended down a bit so he can fix the girl's hair without getting his fingers' tangled, which might result in the girl to be wake up. His touch was gentle and caring. Slowly, he can see the girl's face again — at least half of it. She looked so peaceful when she's asleep. Seungri smiled a bit, a soft adoring smile. Iseul stirred in her sleep and mumbled something. He leaned in to hear it out of curiosity.

 

"Yah...Jaehyun sunbae...where's my chocolate...hmmm," she mumbled. Iseul frowned a bit in her sleep before she broke into a small smile. "My favorite..."

 

For a moment, Seungri was happy to see Iseul after so long — a week actually — only to get it broken because a certain someone who got into her dream and give her food. He felt like searching through hell and back for that Jaehyun dude and fry his skinny with blazing fire.

 

Taehyun went to the other side to take a better look at Norae. He fought the urge to chuckle at her peacefully sleeping face. She looked so much less intimidating like this. She looked like a normal girl whom going through a normal life. Which he knew wasn't the truth.

 

Seungri took a blanket which was folded on the table and put it around Iseul in a careful manner. He made sure the blanket was safely behind her back.

 

He slides his hands into his pockets and took out two small papers. "Where should I put this, Taehyunnie?" He asked in a soft voice, not wanting to wake the girls up.

 

Taehyun looked around the room. "Here?" He pointed at their hands.

 

"Perfect," Seungri put the passes under their hands.

 

"Do you think they can go to the audition?" Taehyun asked while side eying the beeping machine.

 

"I'm sure they can," Seungri said with a determined tone. "They should be able to."

 

Taehyun wasn't so sure about that. He still tried to believe it though. So he just nodded at the hyung.

 

After some more staring and not knowing what to do, they decided to go back home. Taehyun was first to leave but he saw that Seungri turned back, put a little peck on Iseul's cheek and then come running to Taehyun's side, giggling. 

 

"Hyung, that's so low," Taehyun faked a gag.

 

"Whatever. You emo kids won't know anything about love."

 

Taehyun gasped in an offended way.

 

Seungri chuckled at his face. "I'm just kidding, Tae. Come on, I'll buy you a coffee before we go back to the studio."

 

 

# 

 

 

Norae sat down on one of the chairs provided. Her heart was pumping loudly. She felt nauseous out of sudden but she tried to remain calm. Not long after, Iseul settled on her side. 

 

"You okay?" She asked. Norae nodded. 

 

"You know we could still back out if you want?" 

 

Norae turned to her friends in disbelief.  "Are you ing kidding me? Chill, we've auditioned a lot before. This time is no difference," she put her right hand on top of Iseul's lap. "Though, I feel like we're lucky today." She grinned. To be very honest, she's not sure herself, whether or not she'll pass or what to do if she didn't. Guess, it'll be like the usual, go back to their part-timers struggling life. She thought.

 

"You know that if we succeed we may not be debuted on the same time right?" Iseul argued again. Norae's grin disappeared.

 

"Yeah.." she mumbled. "Don't worry, we'll make it," she said. Her mind rewinded to the memory of last few weeks.

 

Norae felt a stab of pain on her abdomen (not a surprise considering she did get stabbed there). She tried to brush the pain away but she was too weak to do so.  She tried to open her eyes but to no avail. Her head was throbbing but not to the point where it can affect her. Am I in hell? Did I die? She questioned herself.  Then her mind registered the faint beeping of the vital. Slow and far at first but as she gain more of her conscious, the vital sounded more vivid to her ear.

 

She managed to open out her eyes a bit. She saw a gleam of light at the corner of her left eye. She blinked it away then slowly opened it again. The first thing she saw were wires attached to her left arm and directly to the machine next to her and second thing was a sleeping figure on her left side. It was Iseul.  

 

Iseul's face was covered mostly by her hair. Some strands frailed down her nose and her breathe blew away the strands every time she exhaled. Norae chuckled in her mind.

 

"H-hey," her voice turned out to be so hoarse. Now she felt dried out. She cleared , gaining her strength to pat Iseul's hand, which was too near to her hand. "Hey" 

 

Iseul stirred in her sleep. She opened her eyes slowly. She rubbed her eyes and turned to Norae. "Hey," she said in a sleepy way. "You're awake," she yawned. "Wait.  You're awake! S should I call the doctor? Are you in pain?" Iseul's panic state earned a painful chuckle from Norae. Iseul blinked in confusion at her friend.

 

"Chill, I'm not dying," Norae said weakly almost too soft to be Norae because she's usually loud and outrageous but her current state is just so fragile, she might break. 

 

"Yeah, says the one who came home with bloody face and all. What were you thinking?! Who did this to you? Why didn't you pick up my calls?! You made me worried sick, you !" Iseul barked at her sick friend.

 

"Calm down. Man, can you ask one by one? I'm still sick," she paused and her eyes widen. "What happened to them?" Iseul understood quickly who Norae were reffering to.

 

"I... I let them go" she answered calmly.

 

"Yah.. aren't they gonna report on us?" Norae asked.  She had that small crest on her forehead meaning she was worried. She looked weak enough to be worried at this state, though Iseul could still see it in her eyes. She stood up and poured the water from the jug into a cup on the night stand right next to Norae's bed. 

 

"I I don't know.. but we've made a deal so let's just hope they stick to it. Now you, what happened to you?" She asked.  Her voice sounded calmer than before and her expression was not as panic as before either. She shoved the cup to Norae and the girl took it obediently. 

 

Her thoughts came back to the dark alley where she got stab by a certain motherer."I.. don't remember" Norae lied. She thought it's the best that Iseul to not know the truth as she's been friend with this awkward ball long enough to know that she'll go all panic and worried if she knows the real matter. Norae just realized that she's lying in a very nice room. Not too fancy but can be consider as expensive. It must've be Jaehyun who asked for her to be transfered here. Of course,  who else would do that. She sighed innerly at the thought of her generous cousin.  "How did I end up here?" She tried to change the topic and focus on her cup, examining it for a moment before gulping the water slowly.

 

"Nam Taehyun brought you here." Iseul said it nonchalantly. Norae was starled by the news and choked on the water,  she literally jolted up and spit out the water she was gulping. 

 

"What?!" She wiped with the back of her hand.

 

"You heard me, he brought you here." Iseul shrugged indifferently. Norae was red but she tried to hid her blush behind the cup. Suddenly her eyes landed on the envelopes beside her. 

 

"What's that?" She asked.

 

Iseul just noticed the black envelopes on the bed, right where the both of them put their hands when they were asleep. She took one of it and looked at the front of it. She saw a very familiar white logo printed on the black paper. It was really the letter Y and G together. She gave Norae a shocked look.

 

"What?"

 

Iseul quickly but carefully turned the envelope and opened it. She took the paper out and unfold it. "Oh my God..."

 

Norae took the paper from her friend's hands and read the printed words on it. She blinked and continue staring. It took them a whole 10 minutes to register on what had happened before both of them freaked out, making noises loud enough until a nurse barged into the room, silencing them for disturbing other patients.

 

"There's so many weird looking people here," Iseul whispered at her side, breaking her little flashback. "Ew, look at them. They look like the cocky type, thinking they're way better than everyone while the truth is, they're so bad even SM won't take them." She muttered about a bunch of hooligans at the front rows of the seats.

 

Norae chuckled at her friend. "Iseul, stop being so judgmental."

 

"I gotta trust my belly man. Its making weird sounds when I see them."

 

"Kim Norae!" An older man, the staff, called out.

 

Norae stood up out of shock. She glanced at Iseul nervously.

 

"Fighting!" Iseul put both her fists up. "You can do it!"

 

Norae nodded at the words. She walked to the staff with her guitar slung on her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the audition room. 

 

 

 

 

#A/N: SO SORRY FOR THE SUPER LATE UPDATE. IT HAD BEEN LIKE TWO MONTHS SINCE THE LAST UPDATE? WE HAD BEEN VERY BUSY AND WE ARE GOING TO BE EXTRA BUSY UNTIL LATE NOVEMBER, SO LKTM WON'T BE UPDATED BY THEN /SAD FACE/. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, WE'VE MADE A FEW WINNER ONE-SHORTS IN THE PAST MONTH (IN CASE YOU GUYS DIDN'T NOTICE IT LOL). SORRY AGAIN. HOPEFULLY WE CAN MEET AGAIN IN DISEMBER. STAY SAFE TILL THEN~

 

WINNER's one-shots:  Volkswagen (NamSong), Diapers (Songkim), Vespa (KangNam)