Big Bang, 'Still Alive', Still Alive, [2012]

*five minutes earlier*

“Why the heck did you do that?!”

“Because we could use the extra firepower!”

“I don’t know about you, Lee Hi, but I don’t think robbing a military tank is the best way of dealing with our enemies!”

“Will you two stop?” Hanbin groaned at the sound of Bobby and Nari’s arguing over the seemingly endless gunfire that sprayed above their heads. Bobby clearly didn’t take the news about Lee Hi robbing a military arms store in the midst of the chaos too well, and he certainly didn’t like the look of menace in her eyes as she held one of two rocket launchers out for Bobby to take.

He stared down at the mini-rocket launcher that Lee Hi held out for Bobby like a silly toy, a look of disgust on his face to cloud the excitement he really felt deep down.

All those hours blowing up cop cars on Grand Theft Auto might finally serve some use…

“What should I do?” Bobby sighed as begrudgingly took the gun out of Lee Hi’s hand – but as soon as he took the weight from the petite girl, his arm went slack, the sheer weight of the firearm dragging him down with it. Everyone around them -Hanbin, Chanwoo, and in the distance, Minzy and Seungri flinched at the sight. The gun could have gone off then and there and blown them all to bits.

But it didn’t.

Bobby re-gained his strength, picking up the gun and smiling at the other weakly.

Lee Hi scoffed, his weakness apparently amusing, “Do what you think is necessary when the time comes.”

Bobby gulped at that, “You mean- kill- all of them?” His voice cracked when he wished it didn’t.

Lee Hi nodded, a grave sense of inevitability in her voice and in the way she spun around and walked away briskly, the other rocket launcher slung over her shoulder with ease. Bobby gulped again. He didn’t realise his hand was shaking around the gun.

7 months ago, he would’ve shot down anyone from SM without a second’s hesitation; a few months ago, he would’ve heard them out, give them a chance; but now? Things had changed, become complicated – because Bobby knew, that by hurting any of the fighters across from them (no matter how deep-seated their mutual hatred was), hurting them would also hurt Nari. And nothing would hurt Bobby more.

He didn’t know how or why his affection towards Song Nari had surmounted so rapidly in the past few weeks; it crept up on him, sunk into his bones like a fever, eating away at his hatred to become indifference, amusement, then trust set in, loyalty, warmth, and then came whatever the hell he was feeling for her now. He had no idea what to call it, let alone how to deal with it, but all Bobby knew was that being away from her no longer made him feel entirely like his self.

Probably explains why I couldn’t even hold the gun…

But he figured the sooner he got this situation sorted out, the sooner he could be back with Nari, have her back in his arms – not to mention try and figure what the hell was going on with them.

“Hyung?” Chanwoo asked expectantly over the gunfire that exploded all around them, not even flinching at the near-misses that passed them, “What are you gonna’ do?”

Bobby sighed, moving to crouch between Hanbin and Chanwoo as they monitored the action, taking long-range shots with their rifles, “I don’t know. Hanbinnie, what do you think?”

The strains of sheer stress and pressure showed on Hanbin’s face as he eyed the battle scene with the eagle-eyes of a leader; he’d insisted on joining the action up-front, but G-Dragon insisted on him staying put. The two shared a strange sibling-like bond that Bobby failed to understand, but he knew one thing; Hanbin was shaken up.

Even as his best friend Bobby failed to put his finger on it. Be it the strange situation they were in in Japan, or the shocking way in which Jinhwan revealed his affections feeling Park Hyerin over dinner at Nari’s apartment the other night. Not only was it awkward, but Park Hyerin immediately asked Nari to drive her home, leaving the boys in an unregistered tension that no one wanted to stay in. Hanbin stayed in his room all night, whilst Jinhwan went out.

Jinhwan never did come home that night…

Bobby didn’t want to think that Jinhwan went to Hyerin’s house, but the likelihood was undoubtable. Either way, he slightly resented Park Hyerin for the rift she’d caused between his brothers; the ‘Kim Trio’ was falling apart at this point, and Bobby wasn’t sure just how longer he could carry on being the middle-man between them.

He sighed, knowing full well Hanbin was in no good state of mind, “Why don’t you go join them up front?”

“Are you kidding? G-Dragon will shoot my head off for disobeying orders!”

“Tell him the Maknae sent him!” Seungri chuckled from down the line, “Hyung can’t resist me, believe me,” pure mischief glinted in the playboy-Maknae’s eyes, “And if he sends you back up, he’ll have to fight it out with himself.”

All three of the boys stared at their Sunbae in bewilderment. He continued to grin at them, not picking up on the awkward atmosphere whatsoever.

“Hurry along then!” Seungri pressed Hanbin onwards, pointing down the line to where the action was taking place.

Hanbin grumbled, “This Sunbae…” before making his way down the line, leaving the rifle behind and taking out his handgun.

Bobby chuckled, shaking his head at the situation.

“I hope he eases up a little,” Chanwoo sighed as he reached for Hanbin’s rifle, “After the other night…”

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter