Some said that they didn’t meet on purpose, that the two groups didn’t want to risk a so-called "Clash of Titans". But Seunghyun knew that at least by the end of 2008, TVXQ was another kind of existence all together for them. To TVXQ, there were no periods where no sponsors were willing to take them, no nights of waiting outside the leader’s room only to hear Jiyong’s frustrated fists banging against the wall, no blisters from carrying stage cables in a rush to finish Big Show, no days wondering if Jiyong's long talks with Yang seonsengnim was about to implode the group, or nights wondering if Yongbae was going to disappear from the residence for another night or if he was going to come back at all.

TVXQ lived the lives of idols, walked the path of crystals and gold and awards and bouquets of flowers. And them - Seunghyun chewed on the inside of his cheeks - BigBang had the grime of dirt and blood under their fingernails and was having trouble just shouldering the word Gaso.

Seungri couldn’t quite close his mouth as they passed Xiah-Junsu, whose hair cast a halo of golden light around his features, and even though he was supposed to bow, Seungri couldn’t quite lower his eyes. Seunghyun noticed Choikang-Changmin bite back a secret smile observing Seungri.

Under the spotlight Hero-Jaejoong was onyx veneered porcelain. Seunghyun bowed his head in courtesy and felt one smooth but firm touch on his back. They all had flawless skin, TVXQ, pore-less as if cast in wax. However, Jaejoong’s smile was genuine as he exchanged greetings with Seunghyun, they way he pronounced “TOP-sshi” reminded Seunghyun of the sensation of running a palm against the grain on lush velvet.

They lingered behind, Seunghyun lowering his head so Jaejoong could speak into his ear. He wanted to up the aura Jaejoong was radiating: the way he tilted his shoulders with ease, the chiselled and wide set collarbones peaking from his satin suit-vest. He glanced over Jaejoong’s shoulder at Jiyong, who had exchanged greetings with other artists with the bare minimum of courtesy, gone on ahead to the exit to and was now waiting expressionlessly for the rest of Big Bang. Jiyong’s not quite concealed resentment and Jaejoong’s radiant smile contrasted sharply in the narrow pathway towards the backstage. Seunghyun noticed the imperfections on Jiyong’s face, his cheeks sagged slightly, make-up covered the colour but not the shape of his dark circles, Jiyong’s jacket clung to his bony arms. He looked a boy with his cropped hair and red hat. It struck Seunghyun that he wasn’t much older than a school boy, barely passed his 20th birthday – a boy out of breath from the perf, his lips and probably thinking of taking a nap in the car on their way back to the residence.

Seunghyun felt his chest tighten, Jiyong was all there, stripped bare and laid open, all imperfections and shortcomings and human weaknesses under glare of the flood lighting from the stage and scrutiny of camera lenses. Seunghyun bowed to Jaejoong, who nodded in that photogenic way. Seunghyun de-tangled himself from the crowd to grip Jiyong’s hand.

The noisy chatter made it impossible to hear conversations around them, but Seunghyun caught Jiyong glancing towards Seungri, who was still bowing at Xiah-Junsu. Seunghyun wanted to reach out and pull Jiyong’s bottom lip out from between clenched teeth, but he resisted, and settled for squeezing Jiyong’s hand instead.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: 

Loosely based off this fancam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc7drhIxkN0

I need to reiterate that the opinions and thoughts from the characters are FICTIONAL and do not reflect either the artists or the author. 

So I haven't kept up with BB's activities since Monster, pretty much. And I've kind of forgotten how this story was supposed to be mapped out. Would people still be interested in reading the remainder of what I wrote if it doesn't form an integral narrative? If yes, then I'll post the un-beta-ed, disjointed, incomplete remainder.  

Also I don't know why but I can't style this chapter the same way as the previous one TT_TT.