February 2018: Hanbin

Kim Hanbin couldn't stop staring at his phone. Every few minutes or so, he would check to see if there were any new messages. Each time his phone vibrated, his eyes light up, hoping that it was from the one person whose text he'd been waiting for. But each time it did, it would just be a text message from Goo June.

And this time, it was from June yet again.

To: Hanbin

From: June

I left my hat at your studio. Can you bring it back to the dorm?

Hanbin rolled his eyes and placed his phone back on the table at his studio, face down so he would stop staring at it. He gathered his focus to concentrate on wrapping up the piece he had been working on all day. Even though IKON had finally gained national recognition, it was no reason for Hanbin to stop working on new songs. In fact, the pressure to deliver even better material was higher than ever.

Hanbin scratched his head in frustration; he had trouble concentrating. And once again, he turned his phone face up to check for any new messages. But nothing came.

So he turned off the computer and called it a night because the session wasn't going anywhere. He stood up from the chair he had been sitting on for 7 hours and stretched his arms and legs -- making music is a tiring job. Hanbin packed his trustee black backpack -- without forgetting June's stupid bucket hat that he left at the studio -- and zipped up. He turned off the lights and exited the studio.

It was 2am and Hanbin was pretty sure he was the only one left in the YG building, except for his manager who was waiting for him at the sleeping room in the basement.

Hanbin pressed the elevator button and waited. When the elevator finally opened, Hanbin stepped back, shocked to see someone inside.

"Oh, Hanbin."

It was Lee Hayi, the person whose text Hanbin had waited for all night long. The petite girl wore a black hoodie and baggy jeans -- which made her look even smaller -- and was bare-faced. She looked gaunt and skinnier than Hanbin remembered. From the dark circles under her eyes, Hanbin concluded that she hadn't been sleeping well.

"Hey, Hayi. What are you doing here so late at night?" Hanbin said, holding the elevator door open. Hanbin had not entered and Hayi had not exited.

"Just...wandering," she said as-a-matter-of-factly, staring outside the elevator to nowhere. 

"Well this is the top most floor, are you getting off here?" Hanbin asked, searching for Hayi's eyes. She avoided his gaze with all her might.

Then Hayi dropped her head, staring at her shoes, and went completely silent. She then started sniffling.

"Hey, hey," Hanbin grabbed her hand and gently steered her out of the elevator. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" The elevator door closed b