Wretches & Kings

Hyun Ae sat upon one of the examination tables, the surface freezing, and Seungri laid upon the other. He was in rough shape, but conscious. Seungri's sides and chest were already turning black and purple, outlined in an ugly green. An IV was embedded in each of his arms. Exhaustion clawed at both of them, eyes heavy with sleep deprivation.

“Daesung's going to kill me,” he mumbled, taking in a ragged breathe.

“He's gonna kill both of us,” Hyun Ae sighed.

Seungri snorted out a laugh, then winced. “Daesung'll keep you alive, don't worry.”

Hyun Ae looked at questionably just as said man threw the curtain aside, x-rays in hand and a deep scowl painted on his face. He hung the negative film in front of a light and studied.

“Hyun Ae,” he said and she grimaced at the edge to his voice, “you're lucky. Your sternum's broken in two places, no internal damage.”

The young woman breathed in relief. “So what do you want me to do?”

“Limited movement for the next four weeks. And no more cage matches.” A sideways glare at Seungri.

“Okay...” she answered, ducking her head.

“Seungri on the other hand...fourteen broken ribs, a punctured lung, cracked collar bone, dislocated shoulder...Thank God you didn't have any more head trauma; your brain's screwed enough as it is,” Daesung growled. “You'll be staying the next few days here. No objections. Hyun Ae, I've got some pain meds for you; I'll be right back.”

Hyun Ae waited until he was gone before she spoke. “He's really mad.” She blew the bangs out of her eyes.

Seungri smiled, shifting slightly and earning a slight protest from Hyun Ae. “He won't stay mad at you for long.”

“Yeah...he doesn't seem like the kind of person to do that.”

“Oh, that's not what I meant,” Seungri said.

Delicate eyebrows knitted together. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“You know exactly what I mean,” he answered, giving her a wink.

“No...I'm afraid I don't.”

Seungri smirked. “We all know you two have a thing.”

“A...'thing'?” Hyun Ae asked. “What's 'a thing'?”

“Don't play dumb.”

“I'm not!” she protested. “What do you mean?”

Seungri studied her for several moments before he arched eyebrow. “You really don't know.”

“No!” she hissed.

“This is great,” Seungri said with a smile, turning his head to the ceiling. “Daesung's totally head over heels for you and you didn't even notice.” He smirked, closing his eyes. “This is awesome.”

Hyun Ae stared at him, her mind trying to process her words. “I don't understand.”

Seungri sighed, “you're still kind of slow socially, aren't you?” A glare earned from Hyun Ae. “Daesung...is...in love...with you,” he said slowly. “Got it now?”

“No,” Hyun Ae growled, “you're wrong.”

“I don't think so...”

“Go to sleep, Seungri.”

“No—”

“Seungri, go to sleep or I'll throw you against an electrocuted fence next.”

That silenced him for a little while. When Daesung returned, he handed Hyun Ae a small bottle. “Two a day; they're strong. If you have any side effects or the pain worsens, let me know, alright?” She nodded, unable to meet his eyes. “Alright, go get some sleep. I have this idiot to attend to.”

“Don't leave me, Hyun Ae,” Seungri hissed. “He's gonna kill me! He's going to kill me!” His voice rose to a squeak as Hyun Ae paid him no heed and left, leaving Daesung to chew him out.

She went to her room and gingerly laid on the cot, wincing when the bone in her chest moved. Her body rested for what seemed like hours, but her mind was running. Running faster and faster with the previous days events and what exactly was going on, involving herself. The threat of the Dakeu Jeon-won and her being the possible catalyst of that threat had her conscious tossing and turning when her body could not.

Letting out a unsteady sigh, she got slowly out of the cot, cursing how low it was to the ground. Her footsteps echoed against the iron walls as she trudged along, the place quieter with mostly everyone far off in their own dreams. There should have been limited movement, Daesung had said, but she couldn't stand to stay alone in the dark with her worries any longer. It was eating away at her, more than the throbbing in her chest.

“Thought Daesung ordered you to bed.”

Hyun Ae spun, regretting the sudden movement, to see G-Dragon looking at her quizzically. She quickly bowed her head and swallowed. “He did. But I couldn't sleep.”

G-Dragon stepped next to her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Hyun Ae's answer didn't come immediately. She stood there, in thought for some time before she looked back to the leader. “If there's a chance I'm the reason the Dakeu Jeon-won are searching, then why not throw me out to protect this place?”

GD's eyes stayed on her for some time before he turned suddenly. “Walk with me.” Hyun Ae obediently followed. “Do you know why I did this? Why we try to break these people from the place they've known their entire life?”

“Because you care,” answered Hyun Ae.

“Exactly. I care for each and every one of these people that reside here. I take their safety and their security into my own hands, despite the dangers to my own. We bring people here so they can have peace. Now tell me Hyun Ae,” he stopped and faced her so she had to do the same, “how are you different than anyone else?”

“Because I threaten everyone's peace and security and safety,” she said.

“They all threaten that to themselves. The more people we rescue, the worse the threat becomes. There is no reason for you to feel responsible for what's going to happen. They won't find you. So take it easy. Okay?” When Hyun Ae hesitated, he put a hand on her shoulder to make her look at him. “Okay?”

“Yes, si—G-Dragon.”

GD smiled and turned back the way they came. “Why don't we go to bed? You're getting pale; don't pass out on me.”

A small cresent of Hyun Ae's lips. “I won't. It doesn't hurt that bad.”

“Liar.”

“I am not!” she protested and shoved him lightly, wincing when the jolt made the bone move. G-Dragon gave her a knowing look to which she glared. “Its not as bad as Seungri's.”

“Eh, he's had worse.”

“That's not nice.”

“Well, its the truth!” GD defended, smiling. “I'm impressed though. You jumping into saving him—not many grown men would do what you did. That took guts.”

“More like a lot of stupidity,” said Hyun Ae. “I couldn't watch Seungri get killed while I stood there like a coward. I've been one for too long.”

“You're not a coward and I'm sure you've never ever been one. If you were, you wouldn't have lived through all that you did.”

Hyun Ae fell silent as they continued their walk. After a few moments, she realized they were returning to her room. “You don't have to walk me to my room, G-Dragon,” she said, trying to lighten her tone.

“Do you want to be alone?” he asked, sounding like he knew the answer.

“No,” she answered truthfully.

His presence was silent, but comforting. Hyun Ae didn't know G-Dragon as well as the others, but what she did, she admired. He could be serious, but there was also a lighter side to him, one that revealed that childlike appearance he owned. There was something about him that made an individual express a liking for him.

“Good night, Hyun Ae.”

“Good night, G-Dragon.” The leader began his walk back to his own room, when Hyun Ae called him back quietly. He turned, quirking a dark eyebrow. Hyun Ae took a breathe. “Thank you,” she said.