It’s the crack of dawn. The first glimmers of sunlight seep through the thin curtains, waking up the walls of Yongsan Craft Museum. One painting especially has been alive through the dead of the night, not just because of the single spotlight illuminating it but the watchful pair of eyes that’s been staring intently at it.

 

The painting is Matthew Wong’s End of The Day, a postmodern painting depicting the complex layers of the vast Earth against the simplicity of the moon hanging amongst the stars. A sole human figure stands at the bottom of the painting, directly in front of the urban jungle and beneath the lone moon.

 

Seunghyun heaves a sigh as he watches the human figure in the painting, his eyes tired but wary - as though the figure might disappear into the moon at any time. 

 

Unlike his stage persona, T.O.P, the Seunghyun at this moment is simple. He is dressed in a light blue plain shirt and black pants, his hair is black and neatly parted to the side. At the top of his shirt pocket lies a nametag with the title “ Museum Curator, Choi Seunghyun”. 

 

Seunghyun ah

 

A gentle voice redirects his attention from the painting. Lee Mi Nah, the pottery instructor in the museum is the first to arrive for work. She extends a warm cup of coffee to her dazed colleague. 

 

(cracks an obligatory, slight smile) Mi Nah Sunbae… thank you.

 

Seunghyun accepts the coffee then stares ahead, making space for Mi Nah on the seat in front of the painting. Mi Nah joins him.

 

Seunghyun:

This particular one by him, it’s so pure, innocent. 

 

Mi Nah:

It is. I hope he’s living on the moon now, I hope it’s better up there… like his painting.

 

Seunghyun:

Life is so strange. I never got to meet him. I told him I would, we were going to but… he had other plans. I don’t blame him. That’s life, a comedy. (hollow laugh)

 

Mi Nah, who's typically the voice of authority uncharacteristically places her hand over Seunghyun's. 

 

Seunghyun turns towards her, their eyes meet. He immediately retreats his hand. He then stands up and bows to her respectfully. 

 

Seunghyun:

It's time for me to get back to work Sunbae. Thanks for the coffee. 

Mi Nah is slightly taken aback by his sudden hostility.

Mi Nah:

Oh...Neh. Take care. (flashes a comforting smile)

Seunghyun nods and walks off.

 

--

 

Seunghyun stands before the toilet mirror, Pink Floyd's Echoes blessing his ears. He looks at the hand Mi Nah sunbae had touched and places it against his face while he listens to the lyrics that leave a familiar aching in his heart: 

And I am you and what I see is me
And do I take you by the hand
And lead you through the land
And help me understand
The best I can ~

Seunghyun takes a selfie to celebrate this feeling of tenderness and scribbles over it with blue ink, revealing only his eyes - his typical eccentric style of pictures.

As usual, he posts the picture on instagram along with a snippet of the Pink Floyd classic, and a video of a cute baby goat that never fails to put a silly grin on his face. 

He then splashes some tap water on his face and looks at the mirror whilst gripping the edges of the sink. On cue, his phone beeps. 

Text from Jiyong

Seunghyun looks at the mirror, practicing a smile. And repeating to the mirror

Jiyong ah... JIYONG AH (too fake) Jiyong...ah (too sad) Jiyong -

--

Ding! 

The lift doors open. Jiyong is standing against a pillar, tapping incessantly on his phone whilst bobbing his head. This familiar sight fills Seunghyun with warmth; and all reservations and hesitation drown out of him. Just like old times -

 

Seunghyun throws himself at him, embracing him wholly. 

 

Jiyong jumps out of his skin, startled.

 

AH SHIBAL TOP hyung! You scared the out of me

 

Seunghyun chuckles cheekily while Jiyong tries to get out of his grasp.

 

(jokingly) Jiyong ah you’re still so skinny were you just lazing around in the army? 

 

Jiyong defensively flexes his slightly toner muscles -

 

Hyung I worked hard for these ok! 

 

Jiyong pushes out of Seunghyun’s embrace. 

 

--

 

Jiyong and Seunghyun are both leaning against the pillar of the carpark, taking a smoke.

 

Jiyong ah, (looking in front) I’m sorry I didn’t call or check up on you. 

 

Jiyong takes another drag of the cigarette. 

 

YG must’ve been up your because of that

 

Seunghyun blows out some smoke through his slightly parted lips.

 

Yea, I ed up…. I didn’t do good enough being a hyung.

 

Jiyong looks at Seunghyun, then to the ground. 

TOP hyung, what Seungri did… we all share equal responsibility. He did unspeakable things but the worst of it is… he was losing himself yet, we didn’t see it soon enough. 

 

Seunghyun:

I can’t even bring myself to see him. 

 

Jiyong:

I don’t think anyone can, but give it time. Our maknae, I believe he’ll find himself again. Just…. no longer as Big Bang’s Seungri. He knows that, we all know that.

 

Seunghyun stays silent, his tears welling up in his eyes. He wipes his palm across them before the droplets fall. 

Jiyong grasps Seunghyun’s hand from the side, squeezing it tight.

 

Jiyong:

TOP hyung… is it wrong to get back on stage again? Am I being selfish?

 

Seunghyun pauses. He then takes a deep breath and exhales another cloud of smoke.

Seunghyun:

(his voice is gentle) Jiyong ah, music has kept us alive for as long as we’ve known. You come up with beats even in your sleep. Nobody can take that away from you. I love working here, I see myself living my last days amongst art pieces. But I think it’s even more selfish to disappear without giving back to the people who’ve given us everything we have today. 

 

Jiyong closes his eyes and nods in acknowledgement. He pauses for a bit then looks at TOP who’s in his little pottery class apron.

Jiyong:

(soft chuckle) It suits you, the strange art collector look. 

 

Seunghyun:

Yea? I think so too. But…  I think I’m ready to be T.O.P again.

 

Jiyong goes in for their signature bad boy handshake.

GD:

My man.

TOP:

My man.

 

T.O.P squashes the diminishing lit blunt against the wall, extinguishing it.

T.O.P:

So how’s the rest?

--