…All too soon, we were back at the Mansion( after Nick kindly but firmly pointed out that they had a concert to perform in less than 18 hours), and I showered and pulled out clothes for the dance battle tonight.

A knock on my door revealed Jay, and he was holding something behind his back as he stepped in. “Wow Taren, you look stunning….dangerous even. Should I be worried? Will your big brother Nick even let you leave the house looking like that?” I laughed as I adjusted my hair in the mirror. I was wearing a skintight mauve-and-midnight corset, with a half-jacket made of gray denim over it. My leather pants were practically painted onto my body, and my heather boots were knee high.  My hair was in ringlets down my shoulders, and some framed my face naturally so I let them stay there. “He will if he wants to live,” I said teasingly, and turned around. “ I’m taking a page out of a book when I say this- I’m flying right tonight-I can feel it.”

Jay nodded, and he stepped forward, bringing his hands in front of him at last, and I gasped as he said charmingly, “That’s  why I think you’re so awesome-  I got you something, for putting up with all of our bull.” In his hands Jay held a small, black present box, tied neatly with a crimson string. “Aww babe~ you didn’t have to,” I insisted, but he pushed it into my hands and waited for me to open it. “Oh wow~,” I said, opening it to reveal sparkling jewelry in stellar shapes- the earrings were in the shape of the morning sun, while the necklace was a thin obelisk of the moon, waxing in crescent and outlined in all of her glory. “This is…..gorgeous,” I could only exhale as Jay sat me down to slide the necklace around my neck, “I don’t deserve this, at all-you’re too kind to me.” Jay came around and knelt at my feet, saying quietly but urgently, “No- you deserve more than anything in this world….”

Jay then leaned in and kissed me on the nose, and I burned up. Oh my…..wait what the hell?! Fortunately, Nick and the others walked in right on time. “Hey Taren-ni, Tae is here- oh wow, you look amazing,” Woo trailed off as Chan could only nod, and Junsu reached around and manually closed Junho’s mouth, “Oy man~ you’re drooling on the carpet!!” Nick and Taec had the same expression, and I thought to myself, Oh laud-Papa Bear in full mode now, as they both folded their arms. “And where do you think you’re going in that tight outfit?” Nick tried to look stern, but failed as I clasped my hands in front of me and said, “Now~ haven’t I been good all week? Besides, I did everything you said to do today and didn’t hurt myself, so I am going out now.”

Taec looked into my face, and for a split second I thought I saw regret flash across his face as he said, “If anyone bothers you tonight, get their names and I’ll handle it, okay?” I squeezed his cheek. “Of course~ bye guys!!” I grabbed my bag and dashed down the stairs before anyone else could make a comment, or try and tie me down to the couch. Taeyang was standing at the doorway, dressed in casual street clothes in the blue, red, and black variety, and he turned and saw me, and swayed for a moment. “Whoa- you okay buddy?” I giggled and reached out an arm to steady him, and he smiled, “Yeah I’m good, it’s just- wow, you look awesome,” he said, smiling at me as he held the door open for his Jaguar 350 and walked to the other side. “I’m driving us tonight- is that alright?” I buckled my seatbelt and smiled. “Of course it is- I trust you completely.”

…We were cruising down one of the highways in Seoul, and all I could do was gape at the city lights and the people milling around. Taeyang laughed at my face, and said, “ Is it really that amazing to you? You’ve been here before.” I looked at him and laughed, “Yeah I know, but it’s stil so cool to look at now!!” Taeyang pointed out various things to me, and I only nodded and stored as much of the good info as possible. After a while, we pulled up into a parking garage, and piled out, with the singer graciously helping me out of my side of the vehicle. “Oy~ lookie here!!” I turned to see Ji and the other members of Big Bang approaching us, all smiles.

“Oh hey guys~!!” Seung-Ri let out a low whistle as he gave me the once over, and Ji Yong pouted, “No fair~ you looke cooler than me!!” as Dae cheered and Top gave me a suave smile. “Careful, Tae-ni~ I might take her away from you,” the eldest said, snaking an arm around me, much to the laughter of the three and Tae’s cute protesting.

“Have you ever been to a Korean Dance battle?” Tae asked as we were herded into the VIP waiting area past the growing hordes of people outside waiting to get it, and I shook my head no, smiling, “I imagine that it would be similar to what we have back home,” I mused as the six of us were left in our own private waiting area to prepare. “Well, it probably is- except for there’s an actual scoring method for ours,” Dae explained patiently as I sat in a swiveling chair. “You can get points based on creativity, style, fashion, correlation to lyrics, and audience involvement.” I clapped my hands together, “Wow~ so exciting!!”

Taeyang was looking in the mirror while Ji and Seung stood behind him, and they had facial expressions so in tune with the Three Stooges that I had to laugh and ask, “What’s wrong?” Tae smiled, then sighed as he held a handful of his own surprisingly fluid hair. “It’s this- I requested my hair stylist to braid it, but she had to leave at the last minute…” I stood up and crossed over to him then, “Say no more, my dear- I used to have to do my friends’ hair back home!!Allow me to help!!” I stood behind his head and began to run my fingers through his scalp- immediately Taeyang oozed into the chair, and we all laughed as he murmured, “Say what you want and judge me- I don’t care, her fingers are amazing…”

“ Sorry to interrupt friends, but the show starts in 30 minutes!!” a director with a clipboard called out. Quickly, I took the comb that TOP had ready for me and did creative lines in Tae’s head, braiding as fast as I could while keeping it neat and cool. “Waaah~ our Taren unnie is so cool!!” Seung said, and the others nodded as I chuckled and stepped back, “All in a day’s work if you hail from the city.”

Tae was now officially pimped out and ready to go, and as we stood backstage and saw the other team get ready to come out first, I felt someone take my hand and squeeze it gently. I looked over to see Taeyang holding me quietly and looking at me with so many emotions in his eyes that for once I couldn’t speak, “Taren, thank you for all that you do- for me, and the others. You are more than what you know. Please,” he said quietly, and I had to lean in to hear him as the announcer said his name and the audience went wild, “Please watch over me, and I dedicate this dance to you…”