Teddy cursed as he transferred a card from one deck to another. When did solitaire get this complicated? He used to have this down to a pat in less than 5 minutes of playing.

He glanced from his computer back to Seungri and watched him massage the back of his neck, drink water and begin singing his lines for the nth time. 

He noticed him stop after a while. Was the little done singing? 

He put his headphones on to pretend to listen to Seungri's part in Love Song. Even though he's been singing for close three hours now,Seungri still sounded good. He's been doing well ever since he did his solo album, Teddy had to admit grudgingly.

But being a producer and an elder in this company has its perks, he thought contentedly. No one really questions his authority. He can do things to the dongsaengs without anyone being too suspicious or anyone asking. He smiled at the thought of torturing Seungri. It was his fault he's in hot water anyway. 

"Seungri, can you do the part where you sing after Youngbae again? There's something wrong with it."

"Hyung? But.."

"Seungri, were you saying anything?"

"No. Yes, yes. Hyung did I do anything to make you angry?"

Ah, the thick skinned idiot finally notices.

"Me? Angry? I'm only trying to make this song better. "

Teddy flashed a grin at him that could rival a shark’s.

"But hyung... I know you're angry. I've been singing these lines since midnight. It's close to 3 now. If it's anything I did, then so I'm so sorry! Is it, is it ok if we continue this tomorrow? Jiyong hyung said we still have to go practice for some festival we need to attend tomorrow"

"Are you complaining?" He did his best Yang Hyunsuk I'm-so-pissed-off face impersonation.

"No hyung."

"Thought so."

Seungri looked like he was about to cry from frustration.

Maybe he should be more charitable. Hyunsuk hyung will definitely notice if Seungri fell asleep in the middle of practice. 

Then again, he’ll likely blame Seungri anyway.

Oh, the temptation to keep him awake until practice starts was so huge.

But he was nice.

He was reasonable. 

Maybe keeping him here until 6 am was enough.

Or maybe not.

---

"Seungri oppa, wake up."

"Hmm."

"It's lunch time. Jiyong oppa will kill you for being late."

Hearing the words Jiyong, late, kill, Seungri woke up suddenly and almost bumped his head on Minji's chin. 

"What?" He rubbed his eyes and looked around. 

"It's noon. They're all in the practice room. What are you doing sleeping in the stairs anyway?"

"I just finished recording my part."

"Wow, at this time?"

"Yeah, Teddy hyung kept me up til 9 am. I must have fallen asleep here accidentally." He yawned as he thought of how little sleep he had.

"What did you do to make him angry?"

"What makes you say that?" So even Minji knew Teddy was angry. 

"Teddy oppa never makes us record for more than an hour. He says he needs to preserve our voices."

"Maybe I'm just special." Seungri winked at her.

"Oppa, stop joking. Flirty eyes don't work at me. You forget we come from Gwangju. Hurry to the studio. Otherwise you'll be in Jiyong oppa's bad side too. And you should go check yourself out in the mirror soon. I’d help you out but I also got practice."

"Oh ." He started to walk away but then looked back and said, "Thanks Minji"

He ran as fast as he could.

He glanced at his watch and saw that it was already 11 am. He's totally gonna be dead when he arrives or worse, bankrupt from the fines they'd put over his head. He could already imagine Daesung demanding the money and Jiyong scolding his ear off. Jaewook would definitely kick his . When he got near the door of the dance studio, he hesitated for a second before opening it. As he walked in all of them simultaneously smiled at him and one by one patted him in the back almost consolingly. 

"Seungri ya, just sit down for a while. Take a bit of rest. We know you're tired."Jaewook gave him a towel to wipe his sweaty face with and led him over a nearby bench where some of the dancers were resting.

"Why is Jaewook hyung being so nice today?" he asked one of the Hitech dancers as he sat next to him.

"Oh he’s just celebrating.” 

“Oh, is it his birthday?”

“No.”

“Then what is he celebrating?”

“Him winning his bet with Boram. "

“What did they bet on?”

“Whether or not you'll still be alive today.”

"What? Why? I didn't do anything dangerous."

"You were with Teddy the whole night to morning. That definitely qualifies as dangerous. Damn, your lip's bleeding."

Bleeding? Him? As he looked into the mirror across him, he saw his that his lips were indeed bleeding and a few bruises were becoming visible. His ribs started to ache. 

And then he remembered.

"Come here you little ! Fight like a man!"

He watched as the normally quiet and soft-spoken Teddy shouted at him across the recording studio. His face was red as if he was drunk on soju. 

, he should have just risked it and left earlier when Teddy wasn't this pissed. 

He ran to the door and almost tripped over one of the chairs. Why is the room so small? 

He pulled and then pushed at the door but it wouldn't budge. Holy , he was locked in! He tried again but it still wouldn't open. 

. . . 

All thoughts stopped as he felt his collar being pulled. 

He ran out of creative curses as he felt his heart threaten to get out of his chest. 

And then he prayed.

Is this the end, God? I'm only 21. Please no. I still haven't done everything I want. I promise not to eat anyone else's strawberries or do those cheesy Japanese gags. I won't go to Jiyong hyung's closet and steal his clothes. He felt himself being bodily moved by Teddy's arms around his waist and his hand tightened on the door's handle. 

Please God, just let me live and I swear I'll stop watching nnnnnn!!! 

He apparently said the last bit out loud because Teddy whispered softly at ears, "God won't grant your request because he'll know you're lying. Now, let go of the door and we'll talk nicely."

Teddy sounded a bit reasonable. So Seungri let go of the handle.

As soon as he turned around, he felt Teddy's palms connect with his cheek, then his fist with his ribs, and his leg with his shins. He sat down in pain. 

"Get up! I told you to give it back. I know you have it."

He looked at Teddy's narrowed eyes and felt his skin go simultaneously hot and cold. He's never seen Teddy this pissed off. He thought of what he did for the past 24 hours but his mind was blank. He needed to get out of here!

"Hyung I don't really know what you're talking about."

"Oh you know what it is. You've been showing it to your friends. I heard you."

Punch.

Slap.

Kick.

And he went down again. Who knew Teddy can do so much violence in so little time?

"What? Hyung, I have no idea what you're talking about?" Seungri said  as he nursed his swollen jaw.

"Really? Are you sure? I heard you with my own two ears."

"Hyung, I'm so sorry. Whatever it is I did! I'm sorry."

Seungri began bawling and grabbed Teddy's pant leg.

It seemed to annoy Teddy even more. Seungri raised his hands to block another punch but Teddy suddenly stopped as a message came in from his cellphone.

"Hyung, I’m sorry whatever it is that you think I have. I’ll give it back."

Teddy crouched down and suddenly, put him in a headlock.

“You better. Get out of here before I do anymore damage. And in case that head of yours isn’t working, two words: photograph."

Seungri was left gasping for a breath as soon as Teddy let go of him and headed back to his computer. The door of the room opened as Teddy took his phone and seemingly replied to a message. 

Seungri ran out of the room as fast as he could before Teddy changed his mind. He ran as far as the stairs going down to the next floor but then exhaustion caught up with him.

Maybe he should sit for a moment. He was far enough from the recording room.

As soon as he stopped, his head started to spin.

He took a few steps and promptly fainted 

As he came back to the present, he rushed out of the studio and headed straight to the 2NE1 practice room.

Lee Chaerin had some explaining to do.