Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait. I am officially THE WORST =.=" I hope you'll like this chapter! Again, sorry for being so late and I can't thank you guys enough for stopping by and reading my stuff!!! It means a lot to me :*)

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"Remind me why you invited Daesung again?" Jiyong asked. TOP continued to stare ahead as the pair watched their maknae talk animatedly with Bom and Dara. He nursed what appeared to be a glass of water in his hands. "He hates the taste of alcohol, doesn't mingle with anyone else, and I'm pretty sure he wanted to watch anime tonight." Jiyong listed with his eyebrow raised. TOP stayed silent. A good-looking but unfamiliar man was headed toward the girls with drinks in his hands and before they could even notice him, Daesung swooped in, exchanged a few words and flashed his killer eyesmile while taking the drinks from the man. He proceeded to sniff them, dry heave a little and then return them to the bartender untouched. A corner of TOP's lip curved up into a smile as he downed his own drink.

"Unbelievable." Jiyong commented as he laughed and shook his head at TOP. "You're a real piece of work. Luckily noona actually enjoys hanging out with him." TOP responded with a simple "I know" and Jiyong wondered how much more TOP knew than he let on. 

Bom was having an amazing time. She felt enveloped in the atmosphere. Bright lights, heavy bass, laughter and a sea of beautiful people. Even with her new sidekick Daesung attached to her hip, (Dara, for the life of her, could not understand why) she was really enjoying herself. She looked around the club to see if there was anyone she hadn't greeted yet. She already choomed like an idiot with the HITECH boys, did welcome back shots with Se7en and Gummy, and was introduced to Chaerin and Yanggaeng’s model friend Hyuk Soo. She was having the time of her life. A club filled with familiar YG faces left, right, and centre made her feel at ease. No one judging her on how she looked or danced. No catty girls giving her side-eye and whispering insults behind her back. No guys harassing her. Although, that last point made her think twice as she glanced at her new other half cautiously sipping his water with a straw. She shook that thought from her head and smiled blissfully to herself wishing this night wouldn't end. 

"Uh, noona? Let's get refills. My ice cubes are melting." Daesung noted. Bom, who had been hanging out with him the entire night, didn't bother contesting such a stupid request. In fact, she was too tipsy to care as she giggled at him and lightly jabbed his side. They walked over to the bar as Daesung proceeded to fill her brain and ears about properly hydrating yourself when drinking. Eventually, he moved on to ask the bartender why the ice cubes were so frosty-looking. Bom tuned him out as she leaned with her back against the bar. She absently reached over for her drink but her fingers felt flesh instead of glass. She immediately pulled her hand back and her eyes shot up to find a dark pair looking back at her.

"Oh! Sorry, I think that's mine..." she trailed off as she watched him hold the gaze and down her drink. Bom wasn't sure if she should have been impressed or grossed out. "People are so forward these days...".

"I don't believe I've seen you here before." he asked. His voice was deep but not quite the tone she was looking for. "What does that even mean?!" she asked herself but quickly snapped out of it to answer him.

"I drop by occasionally." she said, trying to play coy and aloof because who knew she had to create the illusion of normalcy.

He gave her a smile. "I think I'd remember you." Bom blushed hard and looked down at his shoes. "What is wrong with me? Has it been so long that I don't know how to flirt anymore...?"

While the light chitchat (and mental warfare within Bom's head) went on, a tall figure in a white shirt and ed blazer arrived at the bar next to Daesung. Before Daesung could launch into the different types of ice molds he'd seen in Japan, the figure strategically walked by the bar and aimed a precise and swift jab to his soft side. "Hyung!" he cried out. TOP gave him a side glance and then to their noona as he passed and walked away. Daesung connected the dots. The maknae almost called out to him about better ways to get someone's attention but thought less of it when he saw the insanely clenched jaw of his assailant. 

Daesung expertly wedged himself in between Bom and the stranger. She gave him a look. Two parts amused and one part relief. He mouthed "I'll take care of this" to her as she swore she saw a twinkle in his eye. He turned to face the man and whispered something into his ear. The man's eyes went wide as he looked at Daesung and then Bom. She peered over his shoulder and gave the guy him a confused look. The man sighed and shook his head as he walked away.

Bom lightly slapped Daesung's shoulder. "What did you say to him?"

"I told him you were the daughter sajangnim doesn't talk about."

"You WHAT?!" Daesung bobbed his head. "And I told him to tell all of his friends."

Bom's jaw slackened as she stared at him aghast. "I wasn't really into this guy but now that's definitely locked me out of finding anyone new..." She swore she had a rebuttal for him but nothing came out.

In a rare moment of vulnerability and drunkeness, Bom wailed out to him. "How am I ever going to find someone at this rate?" She placed both hands on his shoulders and shook him as hard as she could. Daesung's eyes bugged out a bit at the unexpected strength of his noona. Once they both regained composure, he held out his arm to lead her elsewhere.

"Noona, these things happen when they want to - not when you want." Bom felt suddently quiet as she looked down at the floor as he continued on. "What if it never wants to happen..." 

"I'm sure there's SOMEone-" he said as he noticeably searched the room for a certain sulky man "-out there for you. And when that happens, it'll feel right!" Bom looked up at his smiling eyes and felt a bit more rejuvenated. 

They headed towards one of the quieter bars in another part of the club. They arrived to place their order when a tall figure immediately turned his back to them and tried to walk away. Tried. Much to his chagrin, Daesung extended his arm out and caught him. "Oh noona, look... it's... hyung!" Daesung tried to casually exclaim as he struggled to use all his strength to turn the older man around.

Bom looked up at him and quickly remembered the events earlier that day. "Ah, annyeong. I didn't realise you were here tonight..." Bom commented as she subconsciously tucked her hair behind her ear and fidgeted with the hem of her dress. TOP exhaled through his noise and made a silent "hm" noise as his eyes followed her fingers behind her ear and then down to the taut edge of her dress. He reached for the glass in her hand and his fingers briefly swept over her jewelled ones. "I usually drink alone." He answered. He turned to the bar and asked for a refill while Bom knitted her fingers together. Her cheeks felt hot. "Was the alcohol kicking in? A second time?".

Daesung leaned over and whispered into TOP’s ear. "Hey, since you're here you can take my place, right? There's no need for two chaperones. It makes no sense!" Just as TOP was going to say otherwise, Daesung leapt away from the bar happily repeating "it makes no sense!" while shaking his head with a wide grin. He hastily bid his hyung and noona a good night as well as everyone in the club in one big hurrah and he beelined for the exit. 

Bom suddenly realized how much of a security blanket Daesung was this entire night. She mentally cursed that fool as a sharp gaze fell upon her.

The atmosphere felt heavy - thick with something. "With what?" It wasn't awkwardness but a feeling of anticipation. "Did he see what Dara wrote?" she wondered. He looked at her with a hint of something more in his eyes but her thoughts were all over the place. "Does he really match me? Wait -did he just ask me something?" She was distracted. The music was loud. "It's the new Beyoncé song". She looked back into his deep brown eyes. "Aigo...why is he looking at me like that?" He stood there patiently. Waiting for her. Bom didn't know what else to do but look back at him. She stared on and matched his intensity. And she knew somewhere in the back of her head where it was sober, she'd never have the guts to stare this man down. But she did. 

TOP realized he wasn't going to get an answer and when she rivalled his look with an innocent stare, he suddenly felt weak. Her dress clung onto her in all the right places and the natural pout her lips made simply enhanced her adorable confusion. "." He thought. He swung back to the bar and downed two shots before turning to face her. He leaned forward and softly touched her elbow and repeated himself. "I asked if you were enjoying yourself tonight."

Bom felt his lips graze her ear and his voice vibrate through her entire body. Her ear suddenly felt white hot. The smell of him -  cologne, whisky, and smoke - enveloped her. She felt a second wave of drunk come over her and it wasn't off any consumable alcohol. Before she even realised, the champagne spoke for her. "I am!" she said as she leaned in closer, breaking out a smile from her momentary stasis. A smile wider than one she'd normally give. She felt giddy and excited. Flirty even. "Flirty?! Before this I had to put an effort into flirting with that guy but now..." her thought was but an echo in her mind as she reciprocated his earlier action and clumsily or smoothly (she couldn't recall) placed her lips near his ears. "And you?" she asked. 

TOP could feel her smile on his ear and he swallowed hard. He pulled slightly back and looked at her. Her eyes were crescents, completely oblivious to what she had done, yet her aura was inviting and framed with rosey cheeks. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "I am now." he responded with a smirk. Bom eyed him as she took a sip from her drink. He gestured to move over to the seated areas and she followed. He pointed out a couch adjacent to another that had a passed out Seungri on it. They rolled their eyes at each other as they shuffled past the maknae's sleeping form. 

"It's been a while since we've hung out like this." TOP commented. Bom smiled. It was several years, in fact, since their early singles as BIGBANG and her collaborations with them. She remembered those few nights, when all the dancers tried to coerce them into sneaking out after hours. He was barely 20 and she was still adjusting as a trainee. Those years were her cherished ones because everyone was discovering themselves with unbridled excitement. Her, especially. 

"Remember, when we hid snacks in that AV closet drawer?" Bom grinned. At the time, she was deemed chubby by YG and he was a "starving" artist. So this was a well-kept secret both artists/pair of voracious eaters would gladly take with them to their graves. 

TOP hung his head as he laughed deep from his core. "You were killing me, Bom. Literally. You ruined my diet so many times!" Bom nodded as she took the credit. "I wonder what happened to that drawer..." "Last I checked, Seungri had some dirty magazines in it." Bom furrowed her brows as she eyed the sleeping maknae - no, , near them.

"I don't know how you do it now but Hwangssabu is breathing down my neck. Honestly, how many more pounds can I gain before the debut?" Bom asked aloud. TOP raised his brow at her and tried to fight a smile appearing on his face. Her eyes met his. "Don't answer that." she finished. 

The pair continued chatting animatedly about the past. They leaned into each other when the music grew louder and shrunk away when someone familiar walked by them. Bom could feel herself relaxing more and more with each laugh he coaxed out of her. 

"Unnie!!" They snapped out of their conversation of first impressions of each other when Chaerin's voice cut through. 

"I've been looking all over for you! Come on, we're playing a game! You too, TOP!" she grabbed Bom's arm and dragged her off the couch but not before Bom stretched her arm out to him. She didn't know if it was for balance or something else but instinctively, he reached out for it. 

The two were dragged back to the bar where the group had gathered. They were crowded around rows upon rows of shots glasses. "Eh, what's this?" 

"Ever heard of the game 'neve have I ever', noona?" Jiyong answered with a devilish smile. 

Bom felt her stomach drop. She was too shy for this game. She came across it once in freshman year at college in the states. If she recalled correctly, she left before it got to her turn. Bom couldn't believe the questions asked or the things people were admitting to. She let out a nervous laugh and squeezed the hand she had forgotten to let go of. TOP took this as his cue. "Count me out, Ji." 

"Again?" one of the Kwon twins asked. "What do you mean 'again', he never plays this game!" Hyuk Soo added. The others all laughed. 

Bom was glad the heat was off of her, so she wanted to help push the conversation in the direction away from her. "What do you mean?" she asked. 

"For as long as I have known him," Dongwook started as he pointed at TOP, "this guy will never play this game with us. Too private." The others made noises of agreement. 

Dongwook caught his eye. "So how about this: those who don't want to join have to take all of their shots now. Fair?" 

"How many?" Bom asked. 

"Three each!" Jiyong answered.

"Five as penalty." Everyone turned their heads to the voice. Gummy stood their with a mischieveous smile. Soon everyone was yelling five. 

"Done." Bom answered firmly. Chaerin had a half smile/half shocked look as she glanced at Yanggaeng while "oohs" washed through the group.

Bom downed one shot. Then another. Everyone watched her with awe and caution. She took a moment as her body was reeling from the impact of the alcohol. She held the third glass close to her lips but hesitated. 

Next to her, TOP downed his shots one after another. The group was cheering as he went through them like water. After he was done, he looked over at Bom who was still debating if she could tip the third glass down. He reached over and downed her last two shots while the guys around them pretended to make a fuss, yelling "penalty" and "foul". Bom let out a huge grin. He squeezed the hand he forgot to let go of; she felt a jolt in her body as she threw back her shot. The laughter increased and everyone had forgotten the cheaters among them as the game began.