Wretches & Kings

The place was still crowded and chaotic when Hyun Ae returned hours after Daesung told her not to. She wasn't about to mope around about a breakdown that she shouldn't have even experienced. It was upsetting, being so vulnerable and weak. Situations were supposed to be improving, not falling apart.

The woman breathed through her nose and went to asking what she could do. Thankfully, Daesung had told no one that she wasn't to be there so she was given a task immediately. And she wasn't slow in getting to it. The examinations were done, but there were injuries and ailments to be attended to and Hyun Ae was more than happy to get her hands busy.

As she worked at bandaging and vaccinating and IV-ing, others would come to her for assistance as if—subconsciously—she had been entitled as Daesung's stand-in as head medic. She took the responsibility with open arms, knowing that everyone else was relying on her. Daesung entrusted her and everyone else did the same.

Hyun Ae opened the curtain to one station, freeing its patient. As she did so, she was greeted with the figure of T.O.P.. She flinched, but gained her composure and moved by him without a word. He allowed her, not speaking, which unnerved Hyun Ae even more. She continued to work, but her actions were faulty. Confidence slipped. He was always close, eyes on her every move; she could feel their dark depths.

A pan clattered to the floor when her hip bumped into the cart and she growled under her breath after the din subsided. She bent to pick it up and drawled words met her ears,

“You see tense. What's the matter?”

Hyun Ae's fingers curled around the metallic surface, intimidation turning into indignation. She straightened and placed the pan back, shooting him a glare. “You are making me tense. If you continue to stay here and be a waste of needed space, I'll have you removed.”

“Someone's growing a backbone.”

Hyun Ae's jaw clenched at the blank look he returned. There was no smugness or taunting flare in his eyes. But it was intended to be offensive, or so Hyun Ae thought. He was hard to read; there was hardly an expression.

“What's your problem?” she spat. “I'm trying to do my job and help these people and you're treating me like I shouldn't be here.”

“Maybe you shouldn't.”

Boney hands balled into fists. “Get out.”

T.O.P. straightened from his leaned position against the wall, at his full height. Hyun Ae was tall, taller than a lot of people and about the same height as Daesung, which made her close to T.O.P.. However, instinct made her take a hesitant step back. T.O.P. noticed and he cocked his head to the side.

“You're not as brave as you think.”

“Just leave,” Hyun Ae pleaded. “Please?”

T.O.P.'s eyes stayed locked to hers and she reluctantly dropped them. Then, he turned and left without a sound.

Hyun Ae breathed easier when his retreating back had disappeared and she leaned a hand against the wall. She couldn't let the man get to her; that's all he was doing—mind games. Assassins for Doe-Chang could be just as lethal with their words as their actions. Even though he wasn't considered an enemy any more, he felt like one. Only worse. T.O.P. was in her presence, in her sanctuary; the only place she was safe was infected with a parasite like him, threatening to feed off her fear in order to ruin her.

She couldn't let him get to her. There was no reason like he should. What could he do? G-Dragon was on her side and no one else considered her a threat. She was fine.

The young woman's persistent working continuing, despite a relapse of broken memories around every curtain. They waited, like preying Jug-eum, for her to step into their grasps and be devoured. But she pushed everything back, going on autopilot in a sense and focusing solely on the work in front of her. There was no time to focus on her own past tragedies when there were others whose own pasts were still fresh and lingering in their present.

“Didn't Daesung tell you to stay out of here?”

Hyun Ae started and turned around to see GD looking at her expectantly.

She looked to the floor, flushing slightly. “Yes,” she said, “but I couldn't stay away.”

G-Dragon chuckled. “You got a lot of resilience, Hyun Ae. I'm impressed.”

Her flush turned deeper and she turned back to the table she'd been working over. “I just really like helping these people,” she said. “I get them and they get me.”

G-Dragon came to her side and leaned against the table. “That's understandable,” he said. “Hopefully, the festival will help them settle in quicker.”

Hyun Ae arched an eyebrow. “Festival?”

He looked at her. “Yeah, the Summer Festival. No one told you?” Hyun Ae shook her head slowly. “Ah, well...Its pretty much how it sounds. We just...go crazy for a night, celebrate that we've all survived another year and stayed free.” He looked at her. “Its the one time a year where no one has to worry and fear anything. We just enjoy ourselves for a change.”

“Are you the one who came up with it?”

GD nodded. “Seungri and I did a couple years ago. Everyone just needed to lighten their moods, ya know? Needed that spark of fun in their lives.” He nudged her with his elbow. “You need it too,” he said with a grin.

Hyun Ae could feel the blush creeping up her face more and she looked back at the table. “I'm not sure I know how to have fun...”

“Oh, don't worry,” GD said, an energy brimming his voice. “We'll teach you.”

“Can you really teach a person how to have fun?” Hyun Ae asked with an incredulous smile.

“No idea,” GD admitted with a laugh. “You'll be our guinea pig, yeah?”

“I don't know...”

“No, no, no,” the leader fought before she even got the words out. “You're going to be there, don't think you aren't!”

Hyun Ae blinked at him. “I—”

GD held up a finger. “You're going,” he said matter-of-factly, though his voice remained light. He dropped his hand and beamed. “Its going to awesome, trust me. Because I'm going to be there.” He winked and Hyun Ae really wished the blood in her face would quit making her look like an idiot.