18 YEARS LATER

“THAT WAS AWESOME!” Seungri jumps onto the sofa as soon as his stupid enters the dressing room. Kai, the youngest among us immediately goes to look at his cheek that was slightly grazed by one of the fans when we were walking through the backstage.

“Anyone wants beer?” Mino, our badass drummer offers as he opens up the fridge. “Me! Me!” Seungri raises his hand immediately.

“Yo! Chaerin! Let’s have a beer! Celebrate!” Seungri yelps.

I just give him a no sign with my hand and glare at him so he’d stop. He just pouts and as usual, obeyed my command.

They all made a circle at the other side of the room, drinking beer, complaining, discussing about our performance, checking up on girls and so on. It’s not like I don’t like hanging out with them but this is what I usually do after performing. I always asked my manager to record our whole performance and then I’d listen on my earphone quietly, searching for errors and flaws like screeching voice or unbalanced tune. I just sit on the other sofa across the room with my earphones on and started listening to our performance as I’m watching them laughing from afar.

Seungri, Mino and Kai. My best buddies since I could remember. We first met in first year of high school. Well, I didn’t meet Kai until senior year because he was younger than all of us. They are all silly and careless in real life and their behaviors can annoy me to the peak.

Seungri. The over-energetic guitarist who loves to party, he’d rent a whole club just for himself and invite girls and rich guys to join him. There are usually free alcohols and drugs. Seungri was born wealthy. His parents own a big music company but he refuses to sign the contract under their wings. He might be spoiled and arrogant but he’s a loyal friend. His money has contributed so much on our band especially during our debut era. The best thing I like about him is that he listens to me well, more like a pet. He is obedient and scared of me.

Then there is Mino, our most charming member. He is our drummer but he can also plays the piano, keyboard, guitar, and even flute. He is also a rapper but since we’re a punk rock band, he doesn’t rap much but damn he’s very good at it. Even I’m impressed.  He also writes music with me, he is very talented on that one. Also, I used to be involved in some kind of stupid friends with benefits thing with him about a year ago but we decided to stop before anyone suspects anything.

Next there is Kai. He is our bassist. He was very smart at school. He’s only nineteen but already finished college. He has a degree on medical. He can quit the band anytime he wants and become a great doctor if he wants but he insists his hobby and passion comes first. He likes being in the band. Even though he’s shy and acts coy, he enjoys the fame and the crazy fangirls. Besides, he’s only nineteen. He can do whatever he wants.

And then there’s me. Chaerin Lee. People prefer calling me CL as my stage name but my close friends call me Chaerin. I’m the frontrunner of the band and also their leader. I sing, I rap, I play guitar, I give fan service, I write our music and most importantly, I take care of my band mates. That is my first responsibility.

“I’m going out-“ I say as I stand up. They all lift their heads and look at me with those looks. I know those looks and I know they wouldn’t say a word even if they wanted to.

“Don’t you think it’s—“

“Ssh!” Seungri quickly shut Kai up.

“Don’t be too long. Our manager says the car will arrive in twenty minutes.” Mino says calmly as he looks away from me and goes back counting the cards they were playing.

I just nod my chin and head out. I know this place quiet well. We’ve performed here at least three times. I know a quiet place where I could listen to my music and have a quality time with myself. By quality time I mean, real, alone time in a dark and secretive place like this quiet staff restroom that is rarely used. It’s on the basement where they put all the equipment for the stage and they only come here before and after the show to store the equipment. There are still two bands coming up next on the stage, meaning no one will be here. They’re all busy managing upstairs.

I go into one of the stalls. Sit on the toilet and take out a stash out of my jeans pocket. Don’t judge me. I need this. Despite what people tell me, I’m still gonna do this. This is how I learn how to be myself. This is how I get my inspiration to write music. This is what calms me down every time I have those nightmares. This is how I stay sane. This is my best friend.

I lean back my head after I snort one line of coke. It feels amazing. It’s worth the big amount of money I spent on getting this. It’s about three seconds and I heard a bang on the door. Someone’s banging the door in front of me and I’m not hallucinating. After ten seconds of constant banging, it stops. I quickly hide my stash, planning on flushing it down but the damn flush is broken.

“!” I told myself.

“Lee Chaerin! I know you’re in there!” Yells a familiar voice behind the door.

I quickly withered. “What the ? Can’t you just knock nicely and-“ As soon as I open the door, she jumps onto me and kiss the hell out of me. I fell back on the toilet seat and use my leg to close the door. She’s a thunderstorm and I thank God for that. She flips her long red hair as she pulls her face away from me. I reach the back of her neck, wanting to pull her back to kiss her sweet lips again but she pulls back and gives me that naughty smirk.

It’s Kwon Yuri, my unofficial girlfriend. I call it unofficial because we never declared ourselves as couple, not even to each other. We just keep doing this. Sure we have a date one at a time, we watch movies together and we stay in each other’s apartments sometimes like a couple do when we feel like it but Yuri and me are also sleeping with each other and we both are aware of that fact. So, I don’t know what to call it but the with her is awesome and not to mention the relationship with her that is full of thrill and unpredictable drama. I really like her.

“No kissing until you give me that treasure you hide in your back pocket.” She says as she her bottom lip, in that instant.

I just chuckle and quickly hand her the coke and let her do anything she wants with it. She smirks again, damn she should stop intimidating me like this or else I’m gonna even before she manages to touch me.

She takes off my jacket and then she takes off my top and finds out I’m not wearing bra. “I ing knew it!” she mutters excitedly as she discovers my already erect s. She then tucks her hair at the back of her ear and starts pouring coke on my skin, right between my s. She snorts it in a flush. She looks up at me and grins.

“You are such a teaser.” I tell her. And she grins even wider and that proud look on her face is adorable.

“Shall we start, my rock star?” she a