"I don't know where you're going
But do you got room for one more troubled soul?
I don't know where I'm going
But I don't think I'm coming home."

alone together//fob

Tablo

Tablo rang the doorbell and positioned his face just eye-level on the camera door. A few seconds later, he heard a ‘ping’ and a surprised voice filtered out from the intercom, “Hyung!”

Tablo flashed a big smile and brought up the plastic bag he was holding at the side of his face and called out, “Yo, Hanbin-ah! Let me in, I brought breakfast!”

Another ‘ping’ filtered out the intercom, followed by a ‘click’ that signalled the door was open. Hanbin’s head peeked out from the opened doorway, “Hyung, you shouldn’t have,” he said.

Tablo waved a hand at him. “It’s no bother, Hye Jung wanted me to give this to you too. Don’t want you starving in here while the others are gone. Besides, I heard you can’t cook.”

Hanbin gave a sheepish grin as he led him to the living room where he was unpacking boxes, “Let me guess, they ratted me out on you?”

“Not just me brother, Hye Jung too. They practically begged us to keep an eye on you in case you did something to the house. I think they even told Haru about you too.” Tablo chuckled as he placed the plastic and the container inside it on the coffee table before making himself comfortable on the carpeted floor.

“Kumawo,” Hanbin replied as he settled himself next to the container Tablo brought.

“It’s fried kimchi rice – slash omurice. Hye Jung has been trying to experiment with dishes a lot lately. Citing that my lack of kitchen skills would be detrimental to Haru’s taste buds and she feels the need to give Haru new flavours every time she cooks.” Tablo explained as he grabbed the remote control to turn the TV on. He feels at home in his juniors’ house already since the apartment’s layout was identical to his own. His juniors only lived a floor below them.

It was a surprise at first when Yang Hyun Suk told him Team B would be moving a floor below him when he came in during one of Epik High’s recording sessions. It was the first news he had ever heard about Team B ever since WIN ended. That night had been emotional for both groups and couldn’t ever imagine himself in their situation. The company at best were torn, they were ecstatic for Seung Yoon’s team but relatively heartbroken for B.I.’s team. No one knew the future of Hanbin’s team besides Hyun Suk so the concern Tablo had for this team was immense. He knew personally the feeling of not knowing what the future had laid out for you.

So for now, what he and Hye Jung were doing, was looking out for them. It was easier since they live so near. He could only hope for the best about YG’s plans for them since it had to be a good thing moving Team B to a building where two YG artists live. Tablo and his wife felt it was only natural they act as big brother and sister or mentors to the group of teenage boys below them.

When they first moved in, Tablo and his family helped with moving things in. Then they invited them over to dinner. Since then, dinners with them in his house were a norm every other day and afterwards, the boys including him would go down to their flat and just talk the night away. Sometimes, the boys would persuade him to treat them to spicy rice cakes or delivery pizza or just about anything throughout the night. He’ll give in and they’ll have an all-boys party. Hye Jung had to fetch him once in a while when it got too late, steal a bit of pizza slice and bring him back up. It was all good.

Starting this week, the other boys would be home with their families while Hanbin would stay at the dorm. Tablo asked why he stayed once, and Hanbin quietly replied, “Just making sure we’ve got a home to come back to, hyung.” Tablo felt a squeeze of pain in his chest when he heard that. He realized a part of him had sworn to take care of these guys like his own little brothers ever since then.

“When are you going to visit your family? You should take these chance to spent time with them too,” Tablo asked him as he flipped on various channels on the TV.

Hanbin, having opened the container and have started eating the fried-kimchi-slash-omurice, nodded in response. He waited until his mouth was empty before speaking, “I talked to my mom last night. I offered to fetch Hanbyul from her school every day. That way, I’ll get to visit them every day as well.”

“Oh that’s right! Haru and Hanbyul are in the same school aren’t they? Just different grades. That’s good. Hanbyul must have missed you a lot.” Tablo nodded as he settled on a children’s channel showing Poporo. Haru watched it all the time every morning, and in turn, Tablo watched it as well. Habits die hard. At this timing, Haru should be watching it upstairs too before her school starts. Hye Jung will be taking her to school this time round.  

Suddenly his phone buzzed in his pocket. Tablo took it out and frowned at the numerous digits that appeared on his screen that was calling on his phone. A part of Tablo’s heart squeezed again upon the idea of answering unknown numbers. He had traumatic experiences with such calls not too many years back. It still left him shaken every now and then.

With a shaky hand, he swiped to answer.

“Yoboseyo?” Tablo answered.

“Samcheon?” A familiar voice replied, “It’s me Kira.”

“Kira? Why do you have a Korean number?” He asked surprised, sitting up straighter.

“Samcheon, I- I just. I couldn’t take it anymore.” The voice quivers on the phone. “I’m currently at the Incheon International Airport. I-I needed to run away and escape. M-mom doesn’t know,” Tablo heard her starting to stutter.

“Could you come and pick me up? Please?” His niece’s voice on the line sounded so desperate.