Sw!tched: {The Trouble Of Being Me}
Tile: Sw!tched
Chapter: {The Trouble of Being Me}
Genre: Drama, Humor
Rating: PG13
A/N: This is a fic written by my friend and me. Please comment if you like the story!
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Taeyang dragged his feet back to his bed, unsure which is heavier; his mind or his heart. Either way, he felt pretty sure that the day had been one of the worst days in his life. For a brief moment, he thought about going to the gym to simply sweat his troubles off; but he had already been to the gym this morning. Going without a break might cause him to injure his muscles.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, Taeyang grabbed his pillow and buried his face in it, hoping that the softness of the pillow will at least comfort his wounded heart.
But I can still feel the pain...ahh....how it hurts...dear God, please grant me a distraction from this pain....
As if answering his prayer, his mobile rang at that very moment. Although surprised, Taeyang felt reluctant to answer the call. Contrary to his wish just moments ago, the power dancer of Bigbang suddenly hoped that the caller will give up if he refuse to pick up the call. So he thought he'd wait till the ringing stops before shutting off his phone.
But the moment never came; because the moment the call ringing stopped, it would start again. And again. And again.
Finally frustrated, Taeyang picked up his phone to see who the caller was.
Aish...this person...
"Hyung! What is it that..."
"Yongbae ah...." the words on the other line cut him off, the voice sounding thin and weak. "Yongbae....I'm bleeding....I...I'm dying..."
Taeyang frowned, concerned. "Hyung! Are you okay? Hyung!"
But the other person never did answer as he hung up the line. A chill ran down Taeyang's spine as a wave of all the bad possibilities ran through his mind. Grabbing his keys, Taeyang quickly dashed to the 12th floor. Upon reaching the front of the apartment, he noticed that the front door had been left unlocked.
Could it be that he's hurt because a sasaeng fan broke in perhaps?? Or worse, a thief?!?!?
"Hyung! Are you okay? Where are you, hyung? Hyung!"
Taeyang stopped short as he entered the living room and stood frozen upon seeing the scene. His heart felt like it could burst.
"Ahhh...Yongbae...you came afterall...come, join me."
....burst with anger.
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Taeyang could feel his initial panic give way to the seeping rage. TOP, whom he thought was seriously hurt, was sitting crossed-legged on the sofa, grinning widely. His right hand held a shot glass while his left hand held a bottle of soju. On the coffee table in front of him were 3 more bottles.
1 had already been emptied.
"AISH!! Hyung! You're drunk, aren't you? What the hell were you thinking?? Doing such a stupid prank call on me, saying you were bleeding and dying??! STOP GRINNING!! IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!"
A pout immediately replaced the wide grin on TOP's flushed face. "I really was bleeding..." he defended meekly, holding up his right thumb that had been messily fixed with a band aid. Taeyang could feel his jaw-drop at the pathetic attempt of an excuse the eldest member of Bigbang was giving. Turning around, Taeyang threw his hands up in the air, exasperated.
I GIVE UP.
Being angry was just too draining and any amount energy spent on keeping up that anger of it will be wasted on his drunk and ignorant hyung. Giving a loud sigh, he plopped down on the single-seater adjacent to TOP's.
"Hyung. There's a huge difference between bleeding to death and a small cut. So even if you are feeling bingu, please don't do this ever again. I'm already having a bad day as it is."
TOP grinned sheepishly under the glare of his group member. "I'm really sorry, Youngbae...It's just that I'm feeling pretty lonely, and drinking alone feels even more lonely....Here, let me pour you a drink to make up for it."
Taeyang looked at the glass offered to him and sighed again. "Hyung, you know that I don't like to drink."
"Aish!" TOP suddenly bellowed at the rejection, his sheepishness gone. "Where did your manners go? Rejecting a drink from an elder, especially one who is being so apologetic to you....take it." he pushed the glass towards the younger man.
Taeyang look down, defeated by TOP's sudden attack on his manners. From the corner of his eyes, the main singer of Bigbang could feel a triumphant twitch of a smile forming on his hyung's lips. Because he has such impeccable manners and a good heart, this eventually became Taeyang's weakest point that the other Bigbang members will sometimes take advantage of.
Like now. You are such a sly one, TOP hyung.
"Fine..." Taeyang conceded as he received the shot glass from his hyung. "Tonight, and just for tonight, I'll be your drinking buddy."
TOP grinned cheerfully as he brought up his own glass for a toast.
"Here's to a night of drinking our worries away! Cheers!"
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Taeyang wondered if he was mistaken and counted again.
Nope. It's still 4.
His vision swayed at that moment, but Taeyang steadied himself by grabbing the arm of the sofa. In front of him, TOP showed almost no sign of being drunk, except for the fact that he seems to be in a perfectly good mood. In fact, he seems to be more chatty than ever; unlike Taeyang who simply smiled.
He can really hold his liquor, this hyung....Downing 3 bottles on his own and yet he's still holding on. Dang.
As he swirled the soju in the bottle in front of him, Taeyang suddenly thought of a topic he had been wanting to ask TOP, but never got the chance to. Preparing his question mentally, he downed another shot, this time for the boost of courage he needs. Frankly, Taeyang wonders if it will be alright to ask the question. After all, they had gone through 3 bottles with a great, happy mood that was filled with lots of laughter and gossips about their friends from the music industry.
Bringing the topic up right now might alter the mood for the rest of the night....but....
In the end, he decided that there isn't really much of a strategy to choose from. A frontal attack will be the best.
"Hyung, are you never gonna make up with Jiyong?"
Taeyang's hopes came crashing down as he watched TOP's face freeze at the mention of GD's name. A scowl spread over the handsome face.
"Stop it, Youngbae...you are spoiling the mood."
Taeyang shook his head.
"I can never talk to you one on one like this again, hyung. This is a matter that needs to be settled soon. It's really affecting the rest of us, and although we usually leave our members to settle their issues themselves, this cold war between you and Jiyong is taking too long to settle. What the hell happened anyway? I know you guys had an argument, but...why is it taking so long to be settled?"
"1 month isn't long, Youngbae. Stop exaggerating." TOP answered flippantly. It is clear that he didn't want to broach the subject, but Taeyang remained stubborn.
"1 month is long by our group's standards, hyung. The rule is simple. Either talk it out after a few days or fight it out."
TOP frowned. "Since when have you become this violent, Youngbae?"
Taeyang shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever it takes to settle the issue, hyung."
TOP pouted, and then looked away. "But that guy...he went over the top with his accusations, didn't he?" he muttered under his breathe.
Taeyang did not answer. When TOP finally turned back to face at him, Taeyang was surprised to see the hurt in his hyung's expression.
"But what was even worse, was the way he acted like he hadn't known me after all these years. And because of that, I couldn't forgive him."
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To say that he is fatigued is an understatement. A better description would be that TOP felt like he can drop dead anytime soon from the lack of sleep and energy he is feeling at the current moment.
As the soft hum of the air-conditioner continued in the background, the tall rapper felt the lure of sleep began to tease and tempt him. It wasn't long before his head rolled to one side; the script he was holding, slowly sliding out of his grip.
"Hyung! What are you doing??"
TOP woke up with a start. In front of him, Jiyong stood with his arms crossed like an imposing military leader, scowling at his member.
"Ah Jiyong ah..." TOP leaned his head back and covered his eyes with his free hand. "Please let me rest for awhile....I'm too tired as it is..."
The thin leader looked away, his scowl never changing. "I know you are tired, hyung, but I really need you to write the rap out soon. The concert is in a week's time and we need to finish reco...."
"I know that, Jiyong. You don't have to repeat this so many time. I'll give it to you tomorrow, alright? Right now, please just let me rest a little. I have to film an important scene later and I really need to memorise the script first, okay?" TOP cut him off, not wishing to hear his leader's nagging.
GD's eyes narrowed into a glare. Perhaps, on any other days, GD would have played the understanding leader he always had been. But the pressure to produce a perfect title track for Bigbang's next album and the preparation for their comeback concert is making him very edgy. And TOP's lackadaisical attitude is going against the principles of his perfectionist attitude.
And that seems be the breaking point of his thinly-stretched patience.
"Looks like someone is tired of being a mere rapper in Bigbang, eh? Afterall, you did mention that being Mr Choi "Best Actor of The Year" Seunghyun is much more glorious than TOP of Bigbang."
TOP frowned. "Don't put words in my mouth, Ji." he warned dangerously.
GD laughed, the sarcasm in his voice dripping like poison.
"I'm not putting words in your mouth, hyung. Soo Hyuk himself told me about your little rant while you guys were out drinking. And of course, we all know how frank you get when you are drunk. Those words came from your heart, hyung. It revealed the attention-seeking bastard you really are."
In a sudden move that surprised even TOP himself, the tall rapper lunged forward and grabbed his leader by the collar.
"I DARE you to repeat that again, Kwon Jiyong." TOP snarled.
GD pushed away the tall rapper's hands and stood back a little, his lips twisted into a smirk.
"Oh, no. I don't need to repeat it, since you heard it loud and clear. And because you know it's true, that's why we're seeing your little angry reaction here."
TOP angrily slapped away GD's finger that was pointed at his face.
"So you are judging me based on a few drunken words? Seems like someone has acquired the smart-ass attitude, eh, Ji? Convinced that you are never wrong, don't you? After all, you are the Almighty Leader Kwon, isn't it?"
The Bigbang leader glared at his member. "Tell me how is my judgement wrong, hyung? You were supposed to give me the rap for our title track 2 weeks ago, but you procrastinated over and over again, making up excuses like how you barely had time in between your schedules and how you can't afford even an hour more to repeat our recordings at the studio. But you seem perfectly okay going to all the award shows, receiving your little Best Actor trophies. Says a lot about how you prefer acting to rapping these days, doesn't it?"
TOP's frustration peaked at GD's accusations.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Ji? Since when have you become this unreasonable? You knew I had no choice. You knew it was never my choice to begin with. You even said you understood my tight schedules. So why the hell are you bringing these up now?!"
"Because you've lost your passion for music! You craved for the fame as Choi Seunghyun, the actor; not TOP, the rapper of BIGBANG!! You know what, hyung? It's hypocrites like you who claims music is his life, but instead wishes for a better recognition through acting, that irritates the shit out of me. If you no longer care for the group, then leave. Just leave. After all, Bigbang does NOT need to have 2 rappers in the group. "
TOP's wanted to hit the younger guy across the head, but he finds himself unable to move. He was too stunned by the harsh words coming from his leader's mouth.
Standing still in front of the angry GD, TOP could feel his own anger burn him through; as did his sorrow and hurt.
When he could finally move, the tall rapper turned around and picked up his script. Then, in a quiet voice, he spoke.
"You were lucky, Kwon Jiyong. YG hyung listened and granted your wish to produce your own music. So you'll never know how it feels to be forced to do something that isn't your real passion."
He walked towards the door, not wanting GD to see his changing expression.
"It doesn't matter how long we've known each other if at the end of the day you choose to act like you don't know the real me, Jiyong." He paused, feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness wash over him.
"Do what you think is best for the group, Ji. After all, you are the leader."
As TOP walked out from the room, he could feel GD's words piercing his heart over and over again.
Just leave.
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Taeyang couldn't believe what he was hearing. The matter was bigger than what he had imagined.
No wonder Jiyong didn't want to reveal the reason behind their fight. He actually asked TOP hyung to leave the group?!?!l
"This is huge, hyung. I...I don't understand why GD said something so harsh, but it was really uncharacteristic of him to be saying something like that."
"I thought the same as you too, initially. But then again, our leader had changed so much ever since he came back from his scandal. I no longer know what he is thinking, Youngbae. In fact, sometimes, I wish I am you.To be the kind of friend who knew Jiyong the best...To even have best friend like that...there's not much that I wouldn't do to trade places with you."
"Aish hyung....me and Jiyong may have gone a long way back, and it is no doubt that he is more like a brother to me than just a friend. But to have you being jealous of me, that's just ridiculous."
"Why did you say that?" TOP asked, having sensed his kind-hearted brother's attempt at changing the topic.
Taeyang shrugged his shoulder. "Your little cold war case aside, who wouldn't want to be like TOP of Bigbang? Good-looks, charismatic aura, a sexy deep voice...."
TOP smiled bitterly at Taeyang's descriptions. "Aigoo....my kind Youngbae ah, did you get that from one of my fangirls?"
Taeyang nodded. He had initially wanted to lift his hyung's depressed mood by steering the topic away from his cold war with GD, but he truly did not expect the conversation to steer this way.
But I need to get this off my chest.
"That's right, hyung. I got it from one of your fangirls. And it bothered me."
TOP's thick eyebrows raised with his surprise, before concaving into a valley of his frown. "But we knew that all my fans say the same stuffs. You've heard the same thing so many times over the years, why are you feeling bothered about it now?"
Taeyang's smile turned into a little teasing smirk. "Very confident, aren't you, hyung?"
TOP blushed, realising that he did not even attempt to deny Taeyang's words of praises. "Well...PSY hyung did say so...."
Taeyang waved aside the embarassed hyung who's face was burning red.
"I'm sorry, hyung, I didn't mean to tease you. It's just that....I'm not saying that I hate it when your fans are saying these things. Normally, I wouldn't be bothered if it came from any of your other fangirls, hyung. But this fangirl, I told you about...she's special to me. And that is where it bothers me most that I'm not you."
TOP's eyes grew round as saucers, excitement clearly reflected on his face at this seemingly piece of juicy news. Taeyang had always been private about his love life, and to have him openly reveal this little piece of fact...TOP glanced at the 4 empty bottle in front of them.
Must be the alcohol getting him to talk....Thank you, soju...
"Why did it bother you, Youngbae?"
Taeyang sighed.
"Because she is your no. 1 fan....and my no.1 anti-fan."
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"Good day, ahjussi...is Kim Ahjumma not around today?" Taeyang asked as he scooped his lunch from the famous YG cafeteria onto his tray.
"Ahh...Taeyang-goon. Ahjumma fell down in the toilet yesterday. Broke her leg."
Taeyang looked alarmed at the bad news. "Is she alright??" he queried, concern clearly written on his face.
"Yes, she is. Don't you worry about her. However, she's convinced that if she isn't the one cooking the food here, the staff in YG will starve to death. It was hard for me to make sure she stayed in bed this morning. Kept saying she can come down in a wheelchair."
Taeyang chuckled as he imagined the cafe ahjumma trying to cook with her broken leg.
"Please tell Kim Ahjumma to stay at home and take care of herself so she'll recover faster. I'm missing her food already...." he teased.
The elderly ahjussi laughed and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Taeyang-goon. My cooking skills may not be as good as your ahjumma, but it is passable. Don't you worry, Min Soo will be here tomorrow to take over your ahjumma's role tomorrow."
"Min Soo?"
The elderly man nodded again. "Yes, Kim Min Soo. She's our niece who got her cooking skills from your ahjumma when she stayed over with us when she was young. She's aspiring to open a restaurant here in Seoul, but hasn't gotten any experience. We think getting her to cover your ahjumma's role here will be a good exposure for her."
Taeyang nodded. Although doubtful that Min Soo's cooking skills can surpass Kim Ahjumma's, Taeyang is simply too well-mannered to say it in front of the ahjussi.
As he sat down with his tray, Taeyang took out his iPhone and scrolled through his playlist. For a brief moment, he wondered if Min Soo will have the same small eyes and wide nose as Kim Ahjumma.
And maybe the thick lips too....heh...
But as the music starts, the thought quickly fade into the background.
Afterall, seeing how Kim Ahjumma is, how can the niece be any better...right?
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"Hyung...aren't you hungry, hyung?"
Taeyang raised his eyebrows, surprised at Seungri's question.
"Didn't you eat your breakfast before you come in here just now?"
"Ahh....I did..." Seungri scratched his head. "But...but....I'm hungry again."
Taeyang stared at the youngest member.
"Hwangssabu-nim is gonna kill you if he knows you are breaking his diet regime, you know..." the hyung warned his maknae.
Seungri panicked for a moment at the reminder and took a quick glance around the gym to make sure the strict YG physical trainer isn't around.
"Aish! Don't scare me like that, hyung! Look I know I have a diet regime to follow, hyung...but....I'm just very, very hungry."
Taeyang frowned once, before returning his attention to the TV screen attached to his treadmill. "Go then." he replied shortly.
There was a short pause from Seungri before he spoke up again.
"But hyung....it's very lonely if I were to eat alone...."
This time, Taeyang narrowed his eyes at the maknae. Having been with the youngest member in their group for many years had allowed him and the other hyungs to sniff out the beginnings of their troublesome maknae's lies straight away. And right now, something definitely smells fishy around here.
And it's definitely not the abalone porridge smell coming from his mouth oighty....
"Spill it, maknae. What are you hiding?"
"Eyyyy!! Hyung! What are you saying..? I'm just hungry, that's all..." the maknae defended himself with a cute pout and the best pitiful look he can manage. But Taeyang was not fooled by this. He had caught the maknae's surprised reaction for that split second after Taeyang asked him to own up.
And it totally gave him away. Why does he even insist on lying when he is clearly doing such a bad job...?
"Fine." Taeyang powered down his treadmill. "Let's go out and have lunch. Which restaurant do you want to go to?"
Seungri broke into a smile.
"Eyy hyung...why bother going out when we have our famous YG cafeteria right here?"
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The moment they reached the basement, Seungri raced ahead. Taeyang was startled at the maknae's sudden enthusiasm. Usually he is the first to complain about how sick he is of the cafeteria food. But not today.
Taeyang grabbed his tray and joined his member in the queue.
"Didn't you just had your breakfast, Seungri oppa?"
Seungri Oppa?
Taeyang looked up at the sound of the stranger's voice.
And then he froze.
Ha Neul.
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Seungri smiled as he continued watching Taeyang's stunned expression. It was the reason why he insisted on bringing his hyung down to eat at the cafeteria. Because he is waiting for this moment.
Seeing his hyung still frozen in his spot, Seungri could almost read what his hyung is seeing in front of him.
A person who is the splitting image of Kim Ha Neul, aka Rottyful Sky, who passed away at the tender age of 25 following her battle with brain tumor.
A person who is the splitting image of Kim Ha Neul, who is Youngbae hyung's closest childhood friend from church.
A person who is the splitting image of Kim Ha Neul, whom this pure-hearted hyung had a crush on for the longest time ever...and the sole reason why he couldn't look at any other women in the eye.
Turning back nonchalantly to the new girl, Seungri made a show of grabbing his still-stunned hyung by the shoulders and made a face.
"Nah...I'm just here to accompany my hungry hyung here. Oh wait. Have you met each other? Want me to introduce you? Min Soo, meet my hyung from Bigbang, Dong Youngbae, aka Taeyang. Youngbae hyung, meet Kim Min Soo, our new cook." He then leaned in and whispered loudly into Taeyang's ears. "Min Soo is a really huge VIP, by the way."
Min Soo glanced at Seungri, then stared at Taeyang.
"I'm sorry, Seungri Oppa, but although I'm a VIP, I don't like every single member."
There was silence from the two Bigbang members. Even the ever-witty Seungri was stunned by the brutal honesty in her words. He couldn't remember the last time he heard a fan openly saying how she doesn't like a member in their face. Most girls would have melted and lied through their teeth about their biases, should the members asked themselves.
Seungri gulped. He knew how some VIPs identify him as the troublemaker of the group and didn't like his show of confidence. He has read the words such as "cocky" and "full of himself" being used frequently to describe the Bigbang's maknae whenever he visits netizens chatrooms about the members. It was so frequent, that he no longer cared.
But now that a fan is openly saying she doesn't like one of the members here, Seungri suddenly finds himself bothered about it.
Please don't let it be me....
"Ummm...before we get to that...who's your bias?" Seungri asked, his voice shaky.
Min Soo broke into a wide, dreamy smile. "TOP...TOP Oppa....I've yet to meet him, but I'm looking forward to it! Ooooh!! I can't wait to see his good looks, charismatic aura and hear his sexy deep voice in person! Seungri Oppa, will you introduce me to him?"
Seungri gave a slight nod. He wasn't sure how his Taeyang hyung is taking this piece of news, but right now, the maknae is more worried if he will end up being the member whom Min Soo doesn't like.
She could be acting nice right now...when in fact, she down-right hates me.
"So..." Seungri continued shakily, "who is your least favourite member?"
Min Soo expression turned stern as she stared straight at Seungri.
"He isn't just my least favourite member. He is the member I hate so much, that I even registered myself in his anti-fan cafe."
Seungri felt his mouth go dry at the revelation. She even signed up at my anti-fan cafe?? Should this girl even be allowed to enter the YG building??!
"Is that member....by any chance...me?"
Min Soo stared at Seungri with a quizzically. "Are you crazy, oppa? If I hated you, why would I be talking to you right now? No, it's not you. I will be crazy to hate such an interesting member like you. On the other hand," she turned to Taeyang who was still staring at her, "this oppa here has got to be the least interesting member of all."
Her look suddenly turned hateful and full of spite.
"Isn't it about time that he gets kicked out of Bigbang??"
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Taeyang paused.
"At that moment, I thought to myself 'She looks just like Ha Neul when I broke her toy when we were young...'. It was shocking to hear that she hates me, but I can't help...." he trailed off.
TOP leaned in, curious.
"When did this happen? How come I've never seen this Min Soo person at the cafeteria before?"
"That's because you just got back from your gala premiere this afternoon, isn't it? Min Soo took over this morning."
"So it happened this morning?? And already you are looking this miserable???"
Taeyang did not answer his hyung.
TOP gave a low whistle and shook his head.
"Youngbae, you are such a goner. Look, this Min Soo girl is definitely not Ha Neul and she is obviously bad for you, bro. Just because she looks like Ha Neul doesn't mean she will act like Ha Neul. Stop it, bro. It's not gonna work."
"But hyung...."
"Don't destroy yourself, Youngbae. Even Jiyong will tell you that.....if he is the same Jiyong I know back then, that is...."
Taeyang simply smiled sadly. In a way, he knew that his hyung is right. But it didn't erase whatever burden his heart is feeling right now.
In fact, Taeyang felt as if his old wounds were re-opened again with Min Soo's appearance in his life.
"Now do you know why I wish I am you, hyung?"
TOP nodded and sighed. "Already we are living the hard life of a celebrity, aren't we, Youngbae? Why must fate complicate things further for us?"
This time, Taeyang nodded, his face downcast.
"That's it. No more of this depressing talks, Youngbae. Let's instead celebrate our misery and drown ourselves in the mind and heart-numbing world of the drunkards." With a determined look on his face, TOP got up and disappeared into his room for awhile before coming out again with a gold-gilded bottle in his hand. Sitting down, he reached out for the bottle opener, but Taeyang stopped him.
"Hyung! What are you doing? Isn't that your beloved collector's edition vodka? Don't tell me you aretoo drunk to notice even this??"
TOP brushed away Taeyang's hands. "Aishhhh...I'm just collecting the bottle. I couldn't care less about the content, don't you know? What good is a drink if I can't share it with my brothers in times of rock-bottom misery, right? We need to get rid of our miserable feelings, Youngbae, and this will kick the senses out of us even faster than soju can."
Taeyang kept quiet as he watched his hyung pour the clear drink in both their empty shot glass. He remembered how TOP had told off Seungri for touching the very same bottle just a week ago. "Don't touch my collector's items, maknae!" he had warned their youngest member back then.
And yet, he is prioritising my happiness over his prized collection. If only you can see this, Ji...See how wrong your judgement towards our hyung had been...
Raising his full glass, Taeyang clinked the rim with his hyung's, spilling a little of the expensive vodka in the process.
"May our troubles end with this limited edition drink!" TOP toasted.
Taeyang simply smiled.
"Amen."
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Opening his eyes had never been more painful. Blinded by the slivers of sun rays that were streaming through the blinds, Taeyang stumbled out of his bed and proceeded to toilet. His need to pee had suddenly became an urgent issue.
As he stumbled through bleary eyes and a pounding headache, Taeyang felt incredibly hot and wondered why he had worn so many layers of clothes to sleep.
I usually sleep with my underpants on, don't I? Had I been THAT drunk yesterday to be wearing such a thick layer of pajamas??
Upon reaching the toilet, Taeyang found it to be locked.
What the hell? Is it the maknae again??
"Seungri...oit Seungri!! Open up, Seungri-yah...I need to pee quick...."
A flush was heard from inside followed by the unlocking of the door.
"Oh! Hyung! You scared me!"
It was Daesung.
Taeyang pushed him aside, his urgency mounting. Not bothering to close the door, Taeyang quickly pulled down his pants and relieved himself.
Even through his half-closed eye Taeyang could feel that someone was watching him. He turned towards Daesung who was gaping wide.
"What the hell are you looking at, Daesungie yah...? Have you never seen me butt-naked before??"
Daesung simply stared at him, before looking away, his face blushing. Taeyang chuckled. His younger member sure is acting strange today.
"D...di...did you s..s...stay overnight, hyung?" the young man stammered.
Taeyang frowned at the strange question Daesung was asking.
"What the hell do you mean by asking if I stayed overnight? Don't I live here?"
Daesung did not answer him. Instead, he proceeded to close the door for his hyung. As he did so, Taeyang heard his dongsaeng mumble to himself, "I guess he's still drunk...."
Taeyang frowned at the strange-acting Daesung, but didn't think further. It seems that the pounding headache was just way too unbearable for him to do even the most minor of thinking. Done with his small business, Taeyang went over to the sink to wash his hands. He glanced at the mirror to look at his disheveled state of hangover and did a double-take.
"AAAARRRRGHHH!!!"
Taeyang fell back from the mirror, unable to comprehend what he had just seen.
I know I am hungover....but...why...? Am I still dreaming?
He pinched himself and winced from the pain.
Shit. This is not a dream. But then, why...?
Shaking from the shock, Taeyang slowly stood up not daring to look into the mirror just yet. It felt like watching a horror movie somehow.
Should I take a look again? What if I'm really mistaken? Maybe I was just imagining things? Could that be it?
Taeyang took a deep breathe to calm his wildly-beating heart. The he slowly looked up into the mirror.
Once again he is shocked to see the image in the mirror, but this time, it rendered him speechless. Unlike the previous experience, this time, only one question formed in his head.
Why the hell is my reflection that of TOP hyung's...???!!
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Chapter: {The Trouble of Being Me}
Genre: Drama, Humor
Rating: PG13
A/N: This is a fic written by my friend and me. Please comment if you like the story!
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Taeyang dragged his feet back to his bed, unsure which is heavier; his mind or his heart. Either way, he felt pretty sure that the day had been one of the worst days in his life. For a brief moment, he thought about going to the gym to simply sweat his troubles off; but he had already been to the gym this morning. Going without a break might cause him to injure his muscles.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, Taeyang grabbed his pillow and buried his face in it, hoping that the softness of the pillow will at least comfort his wounded heart.
But I can still feel the pain...ahh....how it hurts...dear God, please grant me a distraction from this pain....
As if answering his prayer, his mobile rang at that very moment. Although surprised, Taeyang felt reluctant to answer the call. Contrary to his wish just moments ago, the power dancer of Bigbang suddenly hoped that the caller will give up if he refuse to pick up the call. So he thought he'd wait till the ringing stops before shutting off his phone.
But the moment never came; because the moment the call ringing stopped, it would start again. And again. And again.
Finally frustrated, Taeyang picked up his phone to see who the caller was.
Aish...this person...
"Hyung! What is it that..."
"Yongbae ah...." the words on the other line cut him off, the voice sounding thin and weak. "Yongbae....I'm bleeding....I...I'm dying..."
Taeyang frowned, concerned. "Hyung! Are you okay? Hyung!"
But the other person never did answer as he hung up the line. A chill ran down Taeyang's spine as a wave of all the bad possibilities ran through his mind. Grabbing his keys, Taeyang quickly dashed to the 12th floor. Upon reaching the front of the apartment, he noticed that the front door had been left unlocked.
Could it be that he's hurt because a sasaeng fan broke in perhaps?? Or worse, a thief?!?!?
"Hyung! Are you okay? Where are you, hyung? Hyung!"
Taeyang stopped short as he entered the living room and stood frozen upon seeing the scene. His heart felt like it could burst.
"Ahhh...Yongbae...you came afterall...come, join me."
....burst with anger.
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Taeyang could feel his initial panic give way to the seeping rage. TOP, whom he thought was seriously hurt, was sitting crossed-legged on the sofa, grinning widely. His right hand held a shot glass while his left hand held a bottle of soju. On the coffee table in front of him were 3 more bottles.
1 had already been emptied.
"AISH!! Hyung! You're drunk, aren't you? What the hell were you thinking?? Doing such a stupid prank call on me, saying you were bleeding and dying??! STOP GRINNING!! IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!"
A pout immediately replaced the wide grin on TOP's flushed face. "I really was bleeding..." he defended meekly, holding up his right thumb that had been messily fixed with a band aid. Taeyang could feel his jaw-drop at the pathetic attempt of an excuse the eldest member of Bigbang was giving. Turning around, Taeyang threw his hands up in the air, exasperated.
I GIVE UP.
Being angry was just too draining and any amount energy spent on keeping up that anger of it will be wasted on his drunk and ignorant hyung. Giving a loud sigh, he plopped down on the single-seater adjacent to TOP's.
"Hyung. There's a huge difference between bleeding to death and a small cut. So even if you are feeling bingu, please don't do this ever again. I'm already having a bad day as it is."
TOP grinned sheepishly under the glare of his group member. "I'm really sorry, Youngbae...It's just that I'm feeling pretty lonely, and drinking alone feels even more lonely....Here, let me pour you a drink to make up for it."
Taeyang looked at the glass offered to him and sighed again. "Hyung, you know that I don't like to drink."
"Aish!" TOP suddenly bellowed at the rejection, his sheepishness gone. "Where did your manners go? Rejecting a drink from an elder, especially one who is being so apologetic to you....take it." he pushed the glass towards the younger man.
Taeyang look down, defeated by TOP's sudden attack on his manners. From the corner of his eyes, the main singer of Bigbang could feel a triumphant twitch of a smile forming on his hyung's lips. Because he has such impeccable manners and a good heart, this eventually became Taeyang's weakest point that the other Bigbang members will sometimes take advantage of.
Like now. You are such a sly one, TOP hyung.
"Fine..." Taeyang conceded as he received the shot glass from his hyung. "Tonight, and just for tonight, I'll be your drinking buddy."
TOP grinned cheerfully as he brought up his own glass for a toast.
"Here's to a night of drinking our worries away! Cheers!"
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Taeyang wondered if he was mistaken and counted again.
Nope. It's still 4.
His vision swayed at that moment, but Taeyang steadied himself by grabbing the arm of the sofa. In front of him, TOP showed almost no sign of being drunk, except for the fact that he seems to be in a perfectly good mood. In fact, he seems to be more chatty than ever; unlike Taeyang who simply smiled.
He can really hold his liquor, this hyung....Downing 3 bottles on his own and yet he's still holding on. Dang.
As he swirled the soju in the bottle in front of him, Taeyang suddenly thought of a topic he had been wanting to ask TOP, but never got the chance to. Preparing his question mentally, he downed another shot, this time for the boost of courage he needs. Frankly, Taeyang wonders if it will be alright to ask the question. After all, they had gone through 3 bottles with a great, happy mood that was filled with lots of laughter and gossips about their friends from the music industry.
Bringing the topic up right now might alter the mood for the rest of the night....but....
In the end, he decided that there isn't really much of a strategy to choose from. A frontal attack will be the best.
"Hyung, are you never gonna make up with Jiyong?"
Taeyang's hopes came crashing down as he watched TOP's face freeze at the mention of GD's name. A scowl spread over the handsome face.
"Stop it, Youngbae...you are spoiling the mood."
Taeyang shook his head.
"I can never talk to you one on one like this again, hyung. This is a matter that needs to be settled soon. It's really affecting the rest of us, and although we usually leave our members to settle their issues themselves, this cold war between you and Jiyong is taking too long to settle. What the hell happened anyway? I know you guys had an argument, but...why is it taking so long to be settled?"
"1 month isn't long, Youngbae. Stop exaggerating." TOP answered flippantly. It is clear that he didn't want to broach the subject, but Taeyang remained stubborn.
"1 month is long by our group's standards, hyung. The rule is simple. Either talk it out after a few days or fight it out."
TOP frowned. "Since when have you become this violent, Youngbae?"
Taeyang shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever it takes to settle the issue, hyung."
TOP pouted, and then looked away. "But that guy...he went over the top with his accusations, didn't he?" he muttered under his breathe.
Taeyang did not answer. When TOP finally turned back to face at him, Taeyang was surprised to see the hurt in his hyung's expression.
"But what was even worse, was the way he acted like he hadn't known me after all these years. And because of that, I couldn't forgive him."
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To say that he is fatigued is an understatement. A better description would be that TOP felt like he can drop dead anytime soon from the lack of sleep and energy he is feeling at the current moment.
As the soft hum of the air-conditioner continued in the background, the tall rapper felt the lure of sleep began to tease and tempt him. It wasn't long before his head rolled to one side; the script he was holding, slowly sliding out of his grip.
"Hyung! What are you doing??"
TOP woke up with a start. In front of him, Jiyong stood with his arms crossed like an imposing military leader, scowling at his member.
"Ah Jiyong ah..." TOP leaned his head back and covered his eyes with his free hand. "Please let me rest for awhile....I'm too tired as it is..."
The thin leader looked away, his scowl never changing. "I know you are tired, hyung, but I really need you to write the rap out soon. The concert is in a week's time and we need to finish reco...."
"I know that, Jiyong. You don't have to repeat this so many time. I'll give it to you tomorrow, alright? Right now, please just let me rest a little. I have to film an important scene later and I really need to memorise the script first, okay?" TOP cut him off, not wishing to hear his leader's nagging.
GD's eyes narrowed into a glare. Perhaps, on any other days, GD would have played the understanding leader he always had been. But the pressure to produce a perfect title track for Bigbang's next album and the preparation for their comeback concert is making him very edgy. And TOP's lackadaisical attitude is going against the principles of his perfectionist attitude.
And that seems be the breaking point of his thinly-stretched patience.
"Looks like someone is tired of being a mere rapper in Bigbang, eh? Afterall, you did mention that being Mr Choi "Best Actor of The Year" Seunghyun is much more glorious than TOP of Bigbang."
TOP frowned. "Don't put words in my mouth, Ji." he warned dangerously.
GD laughed, the sarcasm in his voice dripping like poison.
"I'm not putting words in your mouth, hyung. Soo Hyuk himself told me about your little rant while you guys were out drinking. And of course, we all know how frank you get when you are drunk. Those words came from your heart, hyung. It revealed the attention-seeking bastard you really are."
In a sudden move that surprised even TOP himself, the tall rapper lunged forward and grabbed his leader by the collar.
"I DARE you to repeat that again, Kwon Jiyong." TOP snarled.
GD pushed away the tall rapper's hands and stood back a little, his lips twisted into a smirk.
"Oh, no. I don't need to repeat it, since you heard it loud and clear. And because you know it's true, that's why we're seeing your little angry reaction here."
TOP angrily slapped away GD's finger that was pointed at his face.
"So you are judging me based on a few drunken words? Seems like someone has acquired the smart-ass attitude, eh, Ji? Convinced that you are never wrong, don't you? After all, you are the Almighty Leader Kwon, isn't it?"
The Bigbang leader glared at his member. "Tell me how is my judgement wrong, hyung? You were supposed to give me the rap for our title track 2 weeks ago, but you procrastinated over and over again, making up excuses like how you barely had time in between your schedules and how you can't afford even an hour more to repeat our recordings at the studio. But you seem perfectly okay going to all the award shows, receiving your little Best Actor trophies. Says a lot about how you prefer acting to rapping these days, doesn't it?"
TOP's frustration peaked at GD's accusations.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Ji? Since when have you become this unreasonable? You knew I had no choice. You knew it was never my choice to begin with. You even said you understood my tight schedules. So why the hell are you bringing these up now?!"
"Because you've lost your passion for music! You craved for the fame as Choi Seunghyun, the actor; not TOP, the rapper of BIGBANG!! You know what, hyung? It's hypocrites like you who claims music is his life, but instead wishes for a better recognition through acting, that irritates the shit out of me. If you no longer care for the group, then leave. Just leave. After all, Bigbang does NOT need to have 2 rappers in the group. "
TOP's wanted to hit the younger guy across the head, but he finds himself unable to move. He was too stunned by the harsh words coming from his leader's mouth.
Standing still in front of the angry GD, TOP could feel his own anger burn him through; as did his sorrow and hurt.
When he could finally move, the tall rapper turned around and picked up his script. Then, in a quiet voice, he spoke.
"You were lucky, Kwon Jiyong. YG hyung listened and granted your wish to produce your own music. So you'll never know how it feels to be forced to do something that isn't your real passion."
He walked towards the door, not wanting GD to see his changing expression.
"It doesn't matter how long we've known each other if at the end of the day you choose to act like you don't know the real me, Jiyong." He paused, feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness wash over him.
"Do what you think is best for the group, Ji. After all, you are the leader."
As TOP walked out from the room, he could feel GD's words piercing his heart over and over again.
Just leave.
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Taeyang couldn't believe what he was hearing. The matter was bigger than what he had imagined.
No wonder Jiyong didn't want to reveal the reason behind their fight. He actually asked TOP hyung to leave the group?!?!l
"This is huge, hyung. I...I don't understand why GD said something so harsh, but it was really uncharacteristic of him to be saying something like that."
"I thought the same as you too, initially. But then again, our leader had changed so much ever since he came back from his scandal. I no longer know what he is thinking, Youngbae. In fact, sometimes, I wish I am you.To be the kind of friend who knew Jiyong the best...To even have best friend like that...there's not much that I wouldn't do to trade places with you."
"Aish hyung....me and Jiyong may have gone a long way back, and it is no doubt that he is more like a brother to me than just a friend. But to have you being jealous of me, that's just ridiculous."
"Why did you say that?" TOP asked, having sensed his kind-hearted brother's attempt at changing the topic.
Taeyang shrugged his shoulder. "Your little cold war case aside, who wouldn't want to be like TOP of Bigbang? Good-looks, charismatic aura, a sexy deep voice...."
TOP smiled bitterly at Taeyang's descriptions. "Aigoo....my kind Youngbae ah, did you get that from one of my fangirls?"
Taeyang nodded. He had initially wanted to lift his hyung's depressed mood by steering the topic away from his cold war with GD, but he truly did not expect the conversation to steer this way.
But I need to get this off my chest.
"That's right, hyung. I got it from one of your fangirls. And it bothered me."
TOP's thick eyebrows raised with his surprise, before concaving into a valley of his frown. "But we knew that all my fans say the same stuffs. You've heard the same thing so many times over the years, why are you feeling bothered about it now?"
Taeyang's smile turned into a little teasing smirk. "Very confident, aren't you, hyung?"
TOP blushed, realising that he did not even attempt to deny Taeyang's words of praises. "Well...PSY hyung did say so...."
Taeyang waved aside the embarassed hyung who's face was burning red.
"I'm sorry, hyung, I didn't mean to tease you. It's just that....I'm not saying that I hate it when your fans are saying these things. Normally, I wouldn't be bothered if it came from any of your other fangirls, hyung. But this fangirl, I told you about...she's special to me. And that is where it bothers me most that I'm not you."
TOP's eyes grew round as saucers, excitement clearly reflected on his face at this seemingly piece of juicy news. Taeyang had always been private about his love life, and to have him openly reveal this little piece of fact...TOP glanced at the 4 empty bottle in front of them.
Must be the alcohol getting him to talk....Thank you, soju...
"Why did it bother you, Youngbae?"
Taeyang sighed.
"Because she is your no. 1 fan....and my no.1 anti-fan."
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"Good day, ahjussi...is Kim Ahjumma not around today?" Taeyang asked as he scooped his lunch from the famous YG cafeteria onto his tray.
"Ahh...Taeyang-goon. Ahjumma fell down in the toilet yesterday. Broke her leg."
Taeyang looked alarmed at the bad news. "Is she alright??" he queried, concern clearly written on his face.
"Yes, she is. Don't you worry about her. However, she's convinced that if she isn't the one cooking the food here, the staff in YG will starve to death. It was hard for me to make sure she stayed in bed this morning. Kept saying she can come down in a wheelchair."
Taeyang chuckled as he imagined the cafe ahjumma trying to cook with her broken leg.
"Please tell Kim Ahjumma to stay at home and take care of herself so she'll recover faster. I'm missing her food already...." he teased.
The elderly ahjussi laughed and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Taeyang-goon. My cooking skills may not be as good as your ahjumma, but it is passable. Don't you worry, Min Soo will be here tomorrow to take over your ahjumma's role tomorrow."
"Min Soo?"
The elderly man nodded again. "Yes, Kim Min Soo. She's our niece who got her cooking skills from your ahjumma when she stayed over with us when she was young. She's aspiring to open a restaurant here in Seoul, but hasn't gotten any experience. We think getting her to cover your ahjumma's role here will be a good exposure for her."
Taeyang nodded. Although doubtful that Min Soo's cooking skills can surpass Kim Ahjumma's, Taeyang is simply too well-mannered to say it in front of the ahjussi.
As he sat down with his tray, Taeyang took out his iPhone and scrolled through his playlist. For a brief moment, he wondered if Min Soo will have the same small eyes and wide nose as Kim Ahjumma.
And maybe the thick lips too....heh...
But as the music starts, the thought quickly fade into the background.
Afterall, seeing how Kim Ahjumma is, how can the niece be any better...right?
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"Hyung...aren't you hungry, hyung?"
Taeyang raised his eyebrows, surprised at Seungri's question.
"Didn't you eat your breakfast before you come in here just now?"
"Ahh....I did..." Seungri scratched his head. "But...but....I'm hungry again."
Taeyang stared at the youngest member.
"Hwangssabu-nim is gonna kill you if he knows you are breaking his diet regime, you know..." the hyung warned his maknae.
Seungri panicked for a moment at the reminder and took a quick glance around the gym to make sure the strict YG physical trainer isn't around.
"Aish! Don't scare me like that, hyung! Look I know I have a diet regime to follow, hyung...but....I'm just very, very hungry."
Taeyang frowned once, before returning his attention to the TV screen attached to his treadmill. "Go then." he replied shortly.
There was a short pause from Seungri before he spoke up again.
"But hyung....it's very lonely if I were to eat alone...."
This time, Taeyang narrowed his eyes at the maknae. Having been with the youngest member in their group for many years had allowed him and the other hyungs to sniff out the beginnings of their troublesome maknae's lies straight away. And right now, something definitely smells fishy around here.
And it's definitely not the abalone porridge smell coming from his mouth oighty....
"Spill it, maknae. What are you hiding?"
"Eyyyy!! Hyung! What are you saying..? I'm just hungry, that's all..." the maknae defended himself with a cute pout and the best pitiful look he can manage. But Taeyang was not fooled by this. He had caught the maknae's surprised reaction for that split second after Taeyang asked him to own up.
And it totally gave him away. Why does he even insist on lying when he is clearly doing such a bad job...?
"Fine." Taeyang powered down his treadmill. "Let's go out and have lunch. Which restaurant do you want to go to?"
Seungri broke into a smile.
"Eyy hyung...why bother going out when we have our famous YG cafeteria right here?"
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The moment they reached the basement, Seungri raced ahead. Taeyang was startled at the maknae's sudden enthusiasm. Usually he is the first to complain about how sick he is of the cafeteria food. But not today.
Taeyang grabbed his tray and joined his member in the queue.
"Didn't you just had your breakfast, Seungri oppa?"
Seungri Oppa?
Taeyang looked up at the sound of the stranger's voice.
And then he froze.
Ha Neul.
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Seungri smiled as he continued watching Taeyang's stunned expression. It was the reason why he insisted on bringing his hyung down to eat at the cafeteria. Because he is waiting for this moment.
Seeing his hyung still frozen in his spot, Seungri could almost read what his hyung is seeing in front of him.
A person who is the splitting image of Kim Ha Neul, aka Rottyful Sky, who passed away at the tender age of 25 following her battle with brain tumor.
A person who is the splitting image of Kim Ha Neul, who is Youngbae hyung's closest childhood friend from church.
A person who is the splitting image of Kim Ha Neul, whom this pure-hearted hyung had a crush on for the longest time ever...and the sole reason why he couldn't look at any other women in the eye.
Turning back nonchalantly to the new girl, Seungri made a show of grabbing his still-stunned hyung by the shoulders and made a face.
"Nah...I'm just here to accompany my hungry hyung here. Oh wait. Have you met each other? Want me to introduce you? Min Soo, meet my hyung from Bigbang, Dong Youngbae, aka Taeyang. Youngbae hyung, meet Kim Min Soo, our new cook." He then leaned in and whispered loudly into Taeyang's ears. "Min Soo is a really huge VIP, by the way."
Min Soo glanced at Seungri, then stared at Taeyang.
"I'm sorry, Seungri Oppa, but although I'm a VIP, I don't like every single member."
There was silence from the two Bigbang members. Even the ever-witty Seungri was stunned by the brutal honesty in her words. He couldn't remember the last time he heard a fan openly saying how she doesn't like a member in their face. Most girls would have melted and lied through their teeth about their biases, should the members asked themselves.
Seungri gulped. He knew how some VIPs identify him as the troublemaker of the group and didn't like his show of confidence. He has read the words such as "cocky" and "full of himself" being used frequently to describe the Bigbang's maknae whenever he visits netizens chatrooms about the members. It was so frequent, that he no longer cared.
But now that a fan is openly saying she doesn't like one of the members here, Seungri suddenly finds himself bothered about it.
Please don't let it be me....
"Ummm...before we get to that...who's your bias?" Seungri asked, his voice shaky.
Min Soo broke into a wide, dreamy smile. "TOP...TOP Oppa....I've yet to meet him, but I'm looking forward to it! Ooooh!! I can't wait to see his good looks, charismatic aura and hear his sexy deep voice in person! Seungri Oppa, will you introduce me to him?"
Seungri gave a slight nod. He wasn't sure how his Taeyang hyung is taking this piece of news, but right now, the maknae is more worried if he will end up being the member whom Min Soo doesn't like.
She could be acting nice right now...when in fact, she down-right hates me.
"So..." Seungri continued shakily, "who is your least favourite member?"
Min Soo expression turned stern as she stared straight at Seungri.
"He isn't just my least favourite member. He is the member I hate so much, that I even registered myself in his anti-fan cafe."
Seungri felt his mouth go dry at the revelation. She even signed up at my anti-fan cafe?? Should this girl even be allowed to enter the YG building??!
"Is that member....by any chance...me?"
Min Soo stared at Seungri with a quizzically. "Are you crazy, oppa? If I hated you, why would I be talking to you right now? No, it's not you. I will be crazy to hate such an interesting member like you. On the other hand," she turned to Taeyang who was still staring at her, "this oppa here has got to be the least interesting member of all."
Her look suddenly turned hateful and full of spite.
"Isn't it about time that he gets kicked out of Bigbang??"
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Taeyang paused.
"At that moment, I thought to myself 'She looks just like Ha Neul when I broke her toy when we were young...'. It was shocking to hear that she hates me, but I can't help...." he trailed off.
TOP leaned in, curious.
"When did this happen? How come I've never seen this Min Soo person at the cafeteria before?"
"That's because you just got back from your gala premiere this afternoon, isn't it? Min Soo took over this morning."
"So it happened this morning?? And already you are looking this miserable???"
Taeyang did not answer his hyung.
TOP gave a low whistle and shook his head.
"Youngbae, you are such a goner. Look, this Min Soo girl is definitely not Ha Neul and she is obviously bad for you, bro. Just because she looks like Ha Neul doesn't mean she will act like Ha Neul. Stop it, bro. It's not gonna work."
"But hyung...."
"Don't destroy yourself, Youngbae. Even Jiyong will tell you that.....if he is the same Jiyong I know back then, that is...."
Taeyang simply smiled sadly. In a way, he knew that his hyung is right. But it didn't erase whatever burden his heart is feeling right now.
In fact, Taeyang felt as if his old wounds were re-opened again with Min Soo's appearance in his life.
"Now do you know why I wish I am you, hyung?"
TOP nodded and sighed. "Already we are living the hard life of a celebrity, aren't we, Youngbae? Why must fate complicate things further for us?"
This time, Taeyang nodded, his face downcast.
"That's it. No more of this depressing talks, Youngbae. Let's instead celebrate our misery and drown ourselves in the mind and heart-numbing world of the drunkards." With a determined look on his face, TOP got up and disappeared into his room for awhile before coming out again with a gold-gilded bottle in his hand. Sitting down, he reached out for the bottle opener, but Taeyang stopped him.
"Hyung! What are you doing? Isn't that your beloved collector's edition vodka? Don't tell me you aretoo drunk to notice even this??"
TOP brushed away Taeyang's hands. "Aishhhh...I'm just collecting the bottle. I couldn't care less about the content, don't you know? What good is a drink if I can't share it with my brothers in times of rock-bottom misery, right? We need to get rid of our miserable feelings, Youngbae, and this will kick the senses out of us even faster than soju can."
Taeyang kept quiet as he watched his hyung pour the clear drink in both their empty shot glass. He remembered how TOP had told off Seungri for touching the very same bottle just a week ago. "Don't touch my collector's items, maknae!" he had warned their youngest member back then.
And yet, he is prioritising my happiness over his prized collection. If only you can see this, Ji...See how wrong your judgement towards our hyung had been...
Raising his full glass, Taeyang clinked the rim with his hyung's, spilling a little of the expensive vodka in the process.
"May our troubles end with this limited edition drink!" TOP toasted.
Taeyang simply smiled.
"Amen."
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Opening his eyes had never been more painful. Blinded by the slivers of sun rays that were streaming through the blinds, Taeyang stumbled out of his bed and proceeded to toilet. His need to pee had suddenly became an urgent issue.
As he stumbled through bleary eyes and a pounding headache, Taeyang felt incredibly hot and wondered why he had worn so many layers of clothes to sleep.
I usually sleep with my underpants on, don't I? Had I been THAT drunk yesterday to be wearing such a thick layer of pajamas??
Upon reaching the toilet, Taeyang found it to be locked.
What the hell? Is it the maknae again??
"Seungri...oit Seungri!! Open up, Seungri-yah...I need to pee quick...."
A flush was heard from inside followed by the unlocking of the door.
"Oh! Hyung! You scared me!"
It was Daesung.
Taeyang pushed him aside, his urgency mounting. Not bothering to close the door, Taeyang quickly pulled down his pants and relieved himself.
Even through his half-closed eye Taeyang could feel that someone was watching him. He turned towards Daesung who was gaping wide.
"What the hell are you looking at, Daesungie yah...? Have you never seen me butt-naked before??"
Daesung simply stared at him, before looking away, his face blushing. Taeyang chuckled. His younger member sure is acting strange today.
"D...di...did you s..s...stay overnight, hyung?" the young man stammered.
Taeyang frowned at the strange question Daesung was asking.
"What the hell do you mean by asking if I stayed overnight? Don't I live here?"
Daesung did not answer him. Instead, he proceeded to close the door for his hyung. As he did so, Taeyang heard his dongsaeng mumble to himself, "I guess he's still drunk...."
Taeyang frowned at the strange-acting Daesung, but didn't think further. It seems that the pounding headache was just way too unbearable for him to do even the most minor of thinking. Done with his small business, Taeyang went over to the sink to wash his hands. He glanced at the mirror to look at his disheveled state of hangover and did a double-take.
"AAAARRRRGHHH!!!"
Taeyang fell back from the mirror, unable to comprehend what he had just seen.
I know I am hungover....but...why...? Am I still dreaming?
He pinched himself and winced from the pain.
Shit. This is not a dream. But then, why...?
Shaking from the shock, Taeyang slowly stood up not daring to look into the mirror just yet. It felt like watching a horror movie somehow.
Should I take a look again? What if I'm really mistaken? Maybe I was just imagining things? Could that be it?
Taeyang took a deep breathe to calm his wildly-beating heart. The he slowly looked up into the mirror.
Once again he is shocked to see the image in the mirror, but this time, it rendered him speechless. Unlike the previous experience, this time, only one question formed in his head.
Why the hell is my reflection that of TOP hyung's...???!!
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