BIGBANG Next Door: Bang Epoque

PART 5 - SOBER

Another week passes by and after Seunghyun and I decided to walk to a convenience store to get some much desperately needed groceries before heading back to their house since Seunghyun had more stuff than I did.
Since it was so far away and we went to a bunch of other stores, we got back at 8PM.
When we walked in, it was like a funeral home, so silent that you could hear a feather hit the floor.
"Are...are they here-?"
"JIYONG! DAESUNG! YOUNGBAE! SEUNGRI!" Seunghyun yelled, nobody answered but his own echoing voice,"I guess not."
"Do you know where they'd be?"
He thinks for a second as he places stuff in the fridge, he gasps and groans,"They had been talking about some nightclub earlier, they probably went there.."
He sounds sad, like he had been expecting to go with them.
I sighed as I place stuff onto the counter and once I was done I said,"Let's go."
Seunghyun looked surprised,"Wha...why?"
"You sound like somebody kicked your puppy. C'mon, we'll hang out a bit."
He looked like he was going through so many emotions before he raised an eyebrow and asked with a doubtful tone,"Have you ever been to a nightclub?"
"Nope. But there's a first time for everything."
"Have you ever even drank before?"
"Like I said, first time for everything."
He stared at me in silence for a few seconds,"Are you sure?"
"Positive," I said confidently.
He thought for about a solid ten seconds before he sighed and nodded,"Fine, but we need to dress differently. Put on a dress or something, I'll get you in about an hour."
I nod as I grab my own grocery bag and watched him rub his forehead like he regrets even saying anything.
I turn around and smile when I reached the door,"Be right back!"

When Seunghyun knocked on my door to let me know he was ready, I was finishing up my makeup,"Door's open!" I yell as I apply my lipstick.
I hear the door open before Seunghyun's voice echoes throughout my living room,"Where are you?"
"Bathroom!"
I could hear his heavy footsteps walk around until he found the bathroom door and knocked lightly.
"Come in, I'm just finishing my makeup."
He opens the door slowly and I see his eye peek into the door crack before he opens it fully,"Are you almost..." His voice trails off with his mouth gaped,"You...look...." he slows his words like he can't think of what to say.
I was wearing a red velvety dress with spaghetti straps and a v-neck collar, it went down to above my knees. Black, shiny, skinny heels stood about five inches on my feet, my hair was straightened but pulled behind one ear to show one diamond earring out of two, a diamond choker rested on my throat. I had smokey eyeshadow and super dark red lipstick on.
I looked like a completely different person.
"Stunning," he eventually choked out, I noticed a drop of sweat fall from his temple.
He cleared his throat like he desperately needed water,"Are you, uh, almost ready?" He rubs the back of his neck.
"Just finished," I say as I examine one more time for mistakes.
I turn to him and swallow down a lump in my throat.
He was wearing a black blazer over a white button-up shirt and black dress up pants, a black facemask hooked behind his ears so nobody would recognize him, he actually styled his hair for once and I couldn't help but feel my cheeks turn slightly red from the handsome man in front of me.
I looked down to hide my obvious blush,"Alright, let's go.."
I walk past him with my head down.
When we got outside, I called for a taxi and we both waited in awkward silence.

When we walked into the nightclub, I instantly saw Jiyong standing on top of a table singing along to their song Sober in the background ironically.
He looked like he had been drowned in alcohol figuratively as I rushed over to him and pulled him off the table.
He gave me a gummy smile,"Sarah! What are you doing here?" He was yelling so loudly that the whole club turned around to look at him.
I pulled him into a hug and whispered into his ear,"Shh..someone will recognize you.."
He relaxed in my arms like he was about to collapse before he stood up straight and put his lips up to my ear and growled deeply.
I felt my face turn hot and I pushed him away softly before I swallowed,"Ji, you have to be quiet."
"Fine.." He mumbles drunkenly before he smirks flirtatiously,"Can I get you a drink?"
I roll my eyes,"Sure, Ji, whatever."
He grabs my hands softly before he rushed me to the bar, I look around when I sit down on the barstool and then I look at Jiyong,"Where's Seungri, Youngbae, and Daesung?"
Jiyong shrugs as he lays his head on the bar for a second,"I don't know.."
I look around closer as Jiyong orders something from the bartender.
I suddenly see sight of Daesung smiling widely as he dances on the dance floor with a bottle of what looks like vodka clutched in his hand, Youngbae sat aside while shaking his head as he sips on a Coca-Cola.
I saw Seungri talking to some girls with extreme difficulty, he actually didn't look like he was drunk at all.
"I'll be right back, Ji."
"Drink your drink first!" He insists as he hands me a shot glass full of a light brown liquid like whiskey.
I make a sour face,"How about you drink it.."
He shrugs as he takes the shot glass and says,"Suit yourself," before he downs it and orders another shot.
I stand up as I wonder why the bartender hasn't cut him off,"I'll be right back." He waves and I roll my eyes.
Damn intoxication, I think as I walk over to the troubled Seungri, then again, soberism isn't that great either.
When I get any twenty feet away, I yell to get his attention,"Hey, Seunghyun!"
I didn't want to use his stage name to catch attention. He looks relieved when he sees me and rushes over to me like a bullet before wrapping his arm around my waist,"Jagiya! What perfect timing!"
Jagiya? Is he drunk after all?
"See, ladies, I told you I had a girlfriend!"
Girlfriend? Is he okay?
"Run along before my honey gets angry for you trying to lead me on," he waves his hand and the three women walk away with clear disgust on their faces.
He sighs with heavy relief and I smile before I inquire the situation,"Oppa!" His eyes widen by the name as I continue,"Buy me a drink before you call me names like that."
"I'm sorry, I just.." I raise an eyebrow as he continues with the explanation,"I needed those girls off me. They were starting to have a catfight."
"And The Great Seungri is so handsome that he couldn't drive then off, right?" I laugh,"I get it, you're welcome."
He nodded with a wide smile,"Thank you," then he noticed who he was actually talking to,"How did you get here?"
"Seunghyun was telling me how you guys were here, we decided to come along."
"Well, thank you for getting here in time..I think Jiyong and Daesung are having the time of their lives."
We both watch Daesung dance drunkenly and then over at Jiyong drinking shot after shot.
"They're gonna be hurting tomorrow.." I look at him and ask with an eyebrow raised,"Why aren't you drinking?"
He chuckled to himself,"Let's just say that I don't want to feel like I'm on death's door tomorrow."
I laugh as I look over Jiyong again to see him nearly passed out,"Yeah, I think they're gonna me going through hell and back."
I suddenly realized that I was holding a full conversion with Seungri for once. I looked up at him and then noticed his arm was around my waist still,"Seungri."
"Hm?"
"Your arm."
His eyes widen when I mentioned it and he let his arm fall to his side before he scratched the back of his head,"Sorry.."
"It's fine."
I noticed Seunghyun sit on a barstool to the left of Jiyong and order something.
"Well, I think I'm gonna go get my first ever alcoholic drink."
"'First'? You've never drank before?"
"I'm 18. I'm not legally allowed to drink in America yet, remember?"
He stares at me for a second like he expected me to blurt out some confession about drinking a beer in secret as a kid or something,"Well.." he grins,"I'll buy you one."
"Why?"
"To thank you for helping me back there."
I sigh and then nod,"Sure."
I walk over to the bar and sit next on the left of Seunghyun whom had pulled his facemask down and was drinking a glass full of red wine.
Seungri sits to my left and taps the bar with his hands to get the attention of the bartender, he turns to me,"What do you want?"
I turn to Seunghyun and whisper curiously,"What are you drinking?" Seunghyun sighs as he looks at the bartender and grumbles,"She'll have what I'm having," he sounded upset.
The bartender nods and brings me a halfway full glass of red wine before Seunghyun slides some money on the counter and mumbles,"Keep the glasses coming until that money loses its worth."
The bartender nods as he takes the money, bows, and then walks off to take other people's orders.
"Dammit, Seunghyun, I had it," Seungri complains openly,"I wanted to thank Sarah for getting me out of a sticky situation."
"Well," Seunghyun takes a sip of wine before he says,"I'm sure you probably had a better way of showing hospitality in your head, Lee Seunghyun," he says it simply like it wasn't new,"so let me handle this one."
I felt my mouth gap open as I stared at him.
I look at Seungri to see him put his hand into a fist before he suddenly pushed his stool away from the bar and stormed off, leaving the club entirely.
I sighed deeply as I picked up the glass in front of me,"He was just trying to be nice.."
"Yeah, and where does that always end up for him?"
I was silent as I decided to start sipping my wine. It was easily one of the best things I had ever tasted.
As I sipped with him in unison, my glass became empty for the first time and the bartender eagerly filled it again.
"By the way," Seunghyun chimes as I take a big sip,"that wine is worth 50,000 won a sip so enjoy while you can."
"How much is-?"
"45 US dollars. That single glass is worth almost 300."
I felt my throat close up as I nearly choke on the golden substance,"You could've told me that before-"
"It's fine, I have millions to spend. Better to spend it on a pretty lady than myself."
He thinks I'm pretty..?
"Thank you.." I sip slowly this time. I didn't even ask how much he gave to the bartender to keep giving me wine but I guessed it was a lot more than I thought.
I started thinking of Seungri and his whole buying me a drink thing. Was he being genuinely nice? Or was it just to lure me into sex?
I thought of telling Seunghyun the truth of what fears I've kept to myself.
Maybe if the wine keeps coming, I'll get drunk enough..
I suddenly noticed how upset he actually looked. How he thought I was falling into a trap.
I stared at him and sighed before I took a long, heavy drink, Oh, what the hell..
I sighed again but this time loudly so I'd catch his attention and told him,"If Seungri had been doing what you thought," he turns and looks deeply into my eyes,"I would've said no."
"Why's that?" He put his glass on the counter as he placed his chin on the palm of his hand with his elbow on the bar.
"When I was younger, I realized how scary it was to go all in with someone I barely know. Not from experience but just from deep thought," I look in my wine glass as I swirled it around,"It's dumb in this modern day and age but I truly stand by it. I wanna stay away from what I'm afraid of.."
His eyebrows furrow,"You're..afraid of having sex?"
"I'm afraid of my significant other's thoughts of me. Whether I look good enough or if it's up to their expectations, that sort of thing.."
Seunghyun sits in a long thought of silence before he takes my hands in his and sighs,"If you think that someone wouldn't love you for you or would stop loving you because of the way you look," he stares into my eyes so deeply that I can feel him looking directly into my soul,"then why be with them in the first place?"
His heart starts pouring out of his mouth as he continues passionately to prove his point,"No relationship is solely based on what you look like or if you have good sex or not, it's based on that feeling every time they smile at something you've said or when they take time away from their day and schedule to spend time with you..Relationships should be based on love, not lust," he sounded like he knew from experience, the feeling of love like he had been in love once himself.
I look at Seunghyun's hands holding mine gently and then look over his shoulder behind him at the snoozing Jiyong.
Does Jiyong feel any of that for me?
I look back into Seunghyun's eyes before he continues softly with tears slowly forming in his eyes,"Because if it's otherwise..that isn't a real relationship at all."

Turns out Seunghyun gave enough money to the bartender for close to 8 and a quarter glasses of wine..and guess who was stupid enough to actually drink them all?
When I woke up the next morning, I sat up to stretch but my head explodes in a migraine and I notice something.
I wasn't in my own bed.
I almost shriek and fall off the bed until I saw Seunghyun calmly sleeping on a loveseat on the other side of the room in front of me.
What the actual hell happened?!
I shut my eyes in a flash when I heard him rustle a bit before he said with a groggy tone,"Sarah?"
I was silent.
"Are you awake?"
I scooted into the covers more and mumbles,"Yes.."
"Did you sleep well?" He actually sounded extremely concerned for my well-being.
"What..happened last night?"
I heard him laugh lightly,"You hold your alcohol well but," he starts chuckling,"you're a flirty drunk." He thought in silence for a minute,"You and Jiyong got a bit cozy at one point..that's when Youngbae and I called it a night and brought all of you here."
Oh God, what does cozy mean?
"Did I flirt..with you?"
He chuckled lowly as if reliving a pleasant memory,"You definitely called me a few things that surprised me," he suddenly put on a mocking, girlish voice,"'Oppa, am I sexy enough for you? Do you love me, oppa?'"
I felt my mouth gap open,"Did I really?"
"'Omo, I ran out..will you buy me more? Please, oppa?'"
"Okay, I've had enough," I tried to stand up but my head protested pretty heavily,"or maybe not," I groaned as I covered my face in the covers.
After a few minutes in silence, I asked something that was quite obvious but I felt like it needed to be asked,"Whose room am I in?"
"Well, I wasn't going to let you sleep on the couch.." my cheeks turned red as he continued,"Mine."
"Why am I even here?"
"You completely insisted that this was your house last night so I thought it best not to even fight it."
"Did..anything happen?"
He sighed like he was disappointed I asked,"From what you told me about your personal fears last night, do you think I'd let that happen?"
I bit my lip as I remember he had told me something about Jiyong and I,"What did you mean by Jiyong and I getting 'cozy'?"
"He pulled you onto one of their loveseats and you two made out for awhile, I think that if I hadn't cut in when you started taking his jacket off, something would've happened."
This Jiyong thing is starting to get out of control..
I decide to get up even though my head was literally killing me and realized I was still wearing my dress.
I gasped and rubbed my face, prepared to feel makeup still there, but found nothing.
I picked my shoes up off the ground as I asked Seunghyun,"Did you take my makeup off last night?"
"I know how horrible it is to fall asleep with makeup for your skin so.."
He's so sweet, I can't..
I turn to look at him and see Seunghyun sitting in the loveseat with his legs crossed and arms on the armrests, looking exactly like the Doom Dada posters,"You look like you're about to rap to Doom Dada.."
He shrugs,"I could if you asked."
I bit my lip and felt my face turn red when he starts staring at me like he wanted to eat me up.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and cleared it before I walked out the door and walked downstairs with Seunghyun following behind me. "The stairs led directly into the living room like I had always seen from sitting on their couch.
I saw a happy looking Youngbae sitting on the couch to the left of a blanket-covered, miserable-looking Jiyong.
"Good morning!" Youngbae smiles when he sees me.
"IS SARAH UP?" I hear Seungri yell from upstairs before he rushed down the stairs in his pajamas,"Good morning." Well, that's a first.
Jiyong smiled weakly as he sees me and says roughly,"Good morning.."
He pats the seat to the right of him and I go over to sit next to him. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple for a few seconds and asks quietly,"Are you feeling okay?" He sounded horrible, like his voice was all scratched up.
"I'm fine..it's you I should be worried about."
"Aigoo! I'm perfectly fine!"
"You don't sound it.."
He gives me a weak smile before he lays his head on my left shoulder,"Can I lay here?"
I nod as he warms me up in their always cold house.
Seungri smiles as he walks into the kitchen,"Do you want some coffee?" "
I lean down and whisper lowly into Jiyong's ear,"Can I use your creamer?"
He nods lightly. "Yes please!"
"How'd you sleep?" Youngbae asks as he turns the TV on.
"I don't really know.."
"Well, you were having the time of your life last night," he laughed,"I don't think you should drink so much."
"Noted," I grab as my head turns in pain.
Jiyong suddenly scoots closer to me before his breaths turn calm,"I think Ji's asleep."
"Well, the poor guy drank enough for nine people and a horse."
"How's Dae?"
He shrugs,"Dunno, he hasn't come down yet."
"Shouldn't someone check on him..?" My voice turns heavy and Youngbae's smile turns sour.
He stands up and swallows,"I'll be right back.."
Once he reaches the top of the stairs, Seunghyun sits next to me without a word and lays his head on my right shoulder.
Great, I'm stuck, but when both of them fall asleep, I decided not to disturb then, We had a pretty rough night..might as well rest while when we can..
I felt my eyelids before heavy and I dozed off too.