“Welcome to our domain,” Bobby said jokingly as he spread his arms out towards the nightclub in front of them.

            The building was painted black, making it hard to see in the moonlight. The door was a scarlet red and the club sign flashed with the words “Rap battle tonight”. The place looked like it was closed for the night and she turned to look at Bobby questioningly.

            “Are you sure it’s open? I mean, there’s nobody here.”

            Hanbin stepped up to stand beside her and he seemed awfully relaxed with hands in his pants pockets and his shoulders pulled back. Bobby put his arms by his sides and he pulled down his purple beanie, glancing at the door.

            “The club’s closed down for the battle, that’s why it looks empty,” Hanbin explained.

            “But there’ll be a ton of people inside,” Bobby chimed in. “You’ll see.”

            “Wait,” Rhine exclaimed the second Bobby took a hold of the door handle. Both the guys turned to look at her expectantly, awaiting her next words. “What exactly is this battle? Is it a free style, diss or what?”

            Hanbin headed for the door, leaving Rhine to stand in her spot, unmoving. “Anything really, but competitors prefer dissing each other.” He turned his back to her as he was about to go in, but stopped when he noticed she wasn’t moving.

            “They pick random people to diss?” she asked with uncertainty.

            Bobby nodded his head with a grin. “That’s the fun in it!”

            “Is there a line-up or…?” She trailed off and her eyes moved from Bobby to Hanbin, who began to turn to face her.

            “Not many people rap, majority just watch so there’s no line-up. Whoever wants to rap then they just rap. It’s not complicated, you’ll see,” Hanbin informed. He seemed eager to go in, which caused Rhine to tone down her questions.

            She started to walk towards the door and Bobby began to pull the door open. “How many people are there?”

            Hanbin entered the building and Bobby flashed her a smirk. “You’ll see.”

            The minute she stepped through the door, she was stunned. Rhine was standing on a balcony that overlooked the main floor where hundreds or even thousands of people were cheering, laughing, and chattering. On the balcony around them, the people immediately recognized Hanbin and Bobby as some greeted them while some didn’t seem too accepting that they were there. The only light in the building was some rays of yellow light that moved in every direction every second, throwing shadows across the long walls. In the very front of the room, Rhine could see a small stage set up where the DJ was playing some beats with bass that made the walls vibrate.

            Immediately, Rhine knew she didn’t fit in. Just a look at the girls nearby, Rhine felt different and insecure about herself. They were flawless with milky skin and big dark eyes. The clothing they wore were tight and revealing, showcasing their stick thin bodies. Out of discomfort, she pulled her shirt around her and tried to make herself blend in. Rhine was thankful for the darkness of the room because it hid her eyes.

            “Everybody, YG’s babies are here!” someone Rhine couldn’t see hollered.

            At that, many people turned their heads to catch a glimpse of the guys, nobody noticing Rhine yet. Hanbin looked quite annoyed as he made his way through the people on the balcony and headed down a long swirling staircase. Bobby turned to check if Rhine was following and seeing that she was quite a few feet away, he stopped to wait for her by the staircase. As Rhine made her way towards Bobby, people threw her unwanted looks that caused her to focus on the ground. Her heart lurched and she felt uncomfortable, unwanted even. Sensing her discomfort the moment she reached him, Bobby grabbed her arm and motioned for her to go before him.

            She flashed Bobby an appreciative smile before heading down the stairs with Bobby close behind her. Her eyes scanned below for Hanbin and finally found him at the bottom surrounded by some girls and guys. Rhine could see him forcing a smile and instantly knew that he didn’t like what he was hearing. It didn’t take her long to realize that trainees weren’t welcomed there and that made her feel worse. She always hated feeling like she was unwanted. Even if she was unwanted her whole life, the feeling was still painful to her.

            Hanbin looked up and caught her eyes as he stepped out of the circle around him and waited for them. When Rhine and Bobby touched ground, Hanbin led the way through the thick crowd. The people made way for them almost like the three were some kind of disease that nobody wanted anything to do with. Rhine earned some nasty stares and she could feel her heart thumping loudly, but she swallowed the lump in and tried to ignore the stares.

            “Yo boy, you’re back again!” a deep voice broke out as they reached a corner far away from the throng of people.

            Rhine noticed that they were surrounded by a group of people, majority of them guys. The strangers were tall and thin who wore similar clothing to Bobby and Hanbin whereas the girls wore the same clothing as most of the girls in there. Rhine stood behind them and watched as Hanbin and Bobby shook hands and greeted the group of strangers. The other girls stood behind, smiling at Hanbin and Bobby. Shifting uncomfortably, she glanced around the room and noticed that it was huge. Standing at the far back, she could hardly see the other side of the room.

            “This is Rhine, she’s new here.” Taken aback, Bobby’s fingers wrapped around her arm and he gently pulled her to stand beside him where she could be in view.

            Everybody stared at her and she felt tiny under their stares. Rhine forced a smile, one that didn’t have any meaning behind it. One of the guys stepped up and smiled at her. He was kind of muscular with a lean body. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of glasses and his cap casted a shadow over his forehead.

            “A foreigner,” the guy noticed instantly as his eyes scanned her up and down. A smirk rose on his lips and somehow it sent a chill up her spine and goose-bumps formed on her arms. Her smile suddenly dropped and her heart was beating fast, but she stood her ground and pretended it was nothing. “You’re a trainee?”

            “I am,” her voice was confident and stable, the complete opposite of how she was feeling.

            At her tone, the guy looked surprised for a moment and let out an amused chuckle. Noticing something was odd, Hanbin stepped closer to her and slid his fingers around her other arm. The DJ started to announce something and Hanbin felt a wave of relief washed over him as he pulled Rhine behind him. For some reason, he felt like it was his duty to protect her.

            “It was nice to see you guys again,” Hanbin stated.

            Bobby also noticed the oddness and nodded. “Yeah, it was nice to see you again.”

            Not giving the other guy a chance to reply, both the guys pulled Rhine and they vanished through the crowd. Rhine glanced at both the guys on either side of her and she noticed the way Hanbin kept glancing back with a hint of distrust in his face. His footsteps were hurried and sloppy. On the other hand, Bobby seemed rushed as his eyes scanned the distance ahead of them and every other second; he kept tossing a glance back. Rhine wondered what their relationship was with the other guy.

            “Who is he?” Rhine shouted over the booming of the music to Bobby.

            Without looking at her, he responded, “An acquaintance.”

            The way he responded made her sense that Hanbin and Bobby weren’t on good terms with the other guy. She could understand why; the moment she met the guy, he gave off an aura that seemed dangerous. Rhine didn’t like the way he looked at her either, it reminded her of someone she used to know. She didn’t know who it was, but it sent a chill down her spine in the bad way.

            “Are you ready to diss?!” The music volume decreased as the DJ’s voice boomed across the room. The crowd cheered and hollered as Hanbin came to a stop in the center of the room. Bobby had let go of her arm the second they came to a stop, but Hanbin had his hand clamped tightly around her and he didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were glued to the front of the room and he seemed excited.

            “I heard the YG boys are here,” the DJ spoke into the microphone. “Let’s see them!”

            Immediately, the yellow lights blared down at them, causing Rhine to close her eyes for a second before letting it to adjust. She shifted in her spot, the lights too brightening for her to see the other people. Everyone turned to look at them and the crowd boo-ed. Their yells of hatred boomed in her eardrums and she felt horrible. She didn’t understand why the boys were so intent on going when they clearly weren’t wanted. Rhine didn’t understand at all.

            To her relief, the lights changed directions and went back to the stage. She pulled her arm when Hanbin’s hold got too tight that her fingers began to feel numb. He jerked his head to look down at their contact and instantly let go. The second he did, she pulled her arm back to her side and started to rub it to get blood to flow again. Behind her, Bobby noticed and leaned down to whisper into her ear.

            “Are you okay?”

            She turned to look at him and nodded. Rhine turned to look at Hanbin, who didn’t seem to notice as he focused his attention on the DJ. As she studied Hanbin, her heart was running a marathon. She didn’t understand what he was thinking and he acted like it was no big deal. She shook the thought out of her head. It was probably nothing.

            “Let’s have some fun!” the DJ shouted and everybody screamed in excitement.

            The rays of light morphed together to create two big rays of light and people started backing up around them. Someone rushed through the crowd with a few microphones in her hand and handed one to Hanbin who thanked her before taking it. The girl glanced around her as her eyes landed on Rhine and she stopped in front of Rhine. With one free hand, she held out a microphone and Rhine stepped back, shaking her head.

            “No, I’m fine,” Rhine stated, but the girl didn’t seem like she’d leave anytime soon.

            The more Bobby watched her reject the offer, he stepped beside her and smiled charmingly, making Rhine become warm. “It’d be fun,” he said as he took one from the girl and thanked her. Rhine glanced uncertainly at Bobby who nodded encouragingly. “You’ll regret it,” he whispered into her ear before moving towards Hanbin, who was tapping his mic and testing to see if it was working.

            Reluctantly, Rhine took the microphone and bowed as she thanked the girl. The girl smiled and bowed back before vanishing through the crowd. Rhine wondered why out of all the people beside her, the girl chose to give her a microphone. She made her way to the guys and glanced down at her microphone to see if it was on.

            Just then, a voice caught her attention and her head snapped up. “Hanbin, where are you?”

            A smile lifted up his face as Hanbin responded into the microphone and the room got quiet. “Right in the center; where I belong.”

            One stream of lighting made their way to Hanbin and Rhine stepped away with Bobby as the crowd started to form a circle around the center. The other stream of light was shining down on someone as it followed the person to the center. Rhine watched as the other guy stepped into the opening and he smirked when he laid eyes on Hanbin.

            The other guy was a little shorter than Hanbin and he wore fake glasses. His white shirt was baggy and reached the middle of his thighs and his black pants were also baggy. Rhine noticed that the guy had a similar fashion sense as Hanbin. The guy said something nasty to Hanbin and he replied with a witty comment, causing the crowd to laugh. Hanbin’s smirk disappeared from his face and it was replaced with a serious expression. Sensing the tension between the two, Rhine turned to look at an entertained Bobby.

            “Why do they seem to hate each other so much?”

            Without taking his eyes off them, Bobby replied, “They go way back, but Hanbin would win every battle against Dan. The dude doesn’t give up though.” He chuckled when the other guy; Dan, was interrupted mid-diss by Hanbin.

            Rhine watched Hanbin get up in Dan’s face with a scowl, his mouth spitting out words that were too fast for Rhine to understand. Beside her, Bobby started cheering at Hanbin’s freestyle. As Rhine watched with fascination, she realized that Hanbin had mad skills. The way the words flew out of his mouth with confidence amazed her.

            “When you think you’re winning,

            You’re only getting lower because I’m on top

            Of the world,

            I’m the Mike Tyson,

            With your useless words, you think you

            Can break me, faze me, kill me,

            That’s your mistake, ‘cause I’m the B.I,

            When you were rapping underground,

            I was rapping at YG!”

            The crowd screamed and Dan lowered his microphone as he stepped back slowly before looking down and turning around. He tossed the microphone at a guy nearby before he vanished into the crowd. People jumped up and slapped Hanbin on the back with grins on their faces whereas some narrowed their eyes at him. Hanbin beamed and scanned the audience for them. When his eyes landed on them, Rhine smiled and Hanbin grinned, making his way to them.

            “Just like the boy I know,” Bobby stated proudly as he patted Hanbin on the back.

            “Your turn,” Hanbin said as he motioned his head to the guy entering the opening.

            Bobby turned his head to look at the guy and his jaw ticked. His heart was beating fast from excitement as well as nervousness. That moment was what he had been waiting for all week long and it was his chance to get back at the guy. At the last battle, the guy had said some rude things about his family and Bobby was ready to show the guy who he was messing with.

            “You can do it!” Rhine cheered as Bobby took a step towards the center.

            Hanbin moved to stand beside Rhine and he could still feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. The other guy noticed Bobby and smirked instantly, he was prepared to crush his enemy. Bobby suddenly stopped and turned around to face them, causing Hanbin to scrunch his eyebrows in confusion. Bobby made his way to Rhine and everybody watched them with curiosity.

            “Would you give me a good luck kiss?”

            Hanbin’s heartbeat slowed as the blood rushed out of his face. He watched the two in horror, Bobby’s words ringing in his ears. He was stunned as his mouth was slightly ajar. Rhine stared at Bobby with shock and she was speechless. Words were whirling in her head, but she couldn’t form a response. Her heart was beating fast and she could feel the eyes on them as blood rushed to her face. She was at a loss of what to do. Bobby looked at her with hope and he silently prayed he wouldn’t get rejected. If he got rejected, he would laugh it off and act like it was nothing, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to forget it. He could feel himself getting hot by each second and time seemed to drag on.

            “Just kiss him already!” someone yelled from behind her and before she knew it, her head was pushed towards Bobby’s face. The impact of the push caused her lips to smash against the corner of his lips and out of reflex, she instantly pulled back.

            Bobby grinned, his heart beating rapidly as he turned around. The kiss was all he needed to boost his self-esteem. Rhine’s eyes were wide as she tried to grasp what just happened. All she remembered was the hand behind her head that pushed her face to his, causing her lips to make contact with his skin. She took a step back and she didn’t understand the way she was feeling. She wanted to be mad at the whole thing; at Bobby and at the person that pushed her, but it was the way her heart was reacting that she couldn’t be mad. Emotions soared inside her and she couldn’t comprehend how she was feeling.

            The moment Rhine kissed Bobby, Hanbin turned his head. He couldn’t watch and he didn’t know why. His mind was confused at the way his body reacted to the situation. His hand gripped the microphone tightly, turning his knuckles white as ash. He squeezed his eyes shut as his chest constricted and it sent a jolt of pain down his body. His emotions took over and he was angry at Bobby and at Rhine for doing such a thing, but another emotion was driving him crazy. It was a feeling that was all too familiar. It was the emotion that constricted around his heart; pain. He hadn’t felt that kind of pain ever since the day his first love rejected him. The way he reacted made him confused.

            Hanbin turned his attention to look at Rhine, who brought her fingertips to her lips. She was looking at the ground and he wondered what she was thinking. Bobby and the guy had started to diss each other, but neither of Hanbin or Rhine noticed. The people around them were cheering and jumping up on their feet as he watched her hand go over the spot where her heart was. The sight made Hanbin weak and he could feel his chest tighten. He didn’t want to feel that way and was confused why his heart was suddenly in pain. Just then, Bobby’s competitor stepped in front of Rhine and she looked up as he started rapping.

            “This must be your ,

            Pretty and quite exotic, but probably dumb,

            Easy on the eyes,

            Maybe she’s easy too.”

            Not understanding what the guy was rapping about, Rhine took a step back. Bobby was stunned as he watched the guy talk badly about Rhine. It was unexpected, causing Bobby to be at a loss. On the other hand, rage was boiling inside of Hanbin as he glared at the guy. Blood rushed to his head and he was shaking from anger as he clenched the microphone. The resentment finally got to Bobby when he brought the microphone to his mouth and was about to step towards the guy when Hanbin rushed over to stand in front of Rhine and he pushed the guy back with his free hand.

            “A vermin like you, nobody even wants to look

            One glance and one is blind,

            Thinking highly of yourself, aren’t you?

            Careful before you plummet,

            Oh wait, you’re already so deep you can’t

            Get out,

            You’re the rodent in a cell,

            Ready to be exterminated,”

            Hanbin got in the guy’s face and scolded him as he cussed, causing the guy to walk back. Everyone in the room was extremely quiet as they stepped back and got out of his way. Hanbin’s finger pointed directly at the guy as he glared and continued cussing. Rhine was astounded as she watched the rage evaporate from him. It was a side of him that she had never seen before. He seemed so pissed off, with his face contorted in a glare, shoulders hunched, and movements fierce. Rhine could catch a few words Hanbin was saying and immediately she knew that the other guy had been talking bad about her. For a moment, Rhine was reminded of the many times she couldn’t stand up for herself and her heart sank.

            “Only you would be retarded enough

            To think you’d have a chance with her,

            She’s a queen, the diamond in a crowd of crystals.”

            The crowd began to push towards the center and Rhine tried to move away, but the people around her kept pushing. She was getting closer to the center while the crowd pushed and pulled, the people at the back wanting to see what was going on. Hanbin was focused on rapping that he didn’t notice the crowd tightening around him. He stepped back and Rhine turned around, trying to gain her balance just when Hanbin lifted his foot at the same time her foot moved and their legs intertwined. Not noticing, Hanbin pulled his foot forward, the same time Rhine pulled back. With his foot pulled back and the other foot in midair, about to step towards the other guy, Hanbin slipped. Thinking that it was just one of the people around her and with back turned to Hanbin, Rhine pulled her leg away the moment Hanbin fell on his front.

            The people around her gasped and wondering what what happening, Rhine quickly turned around to witness Hanbin fall. Her eyes were wide and her jaw hung open as she watched in horror, realizing instantly that she was the cause of his fall. Bobby began to run to Hanbin when Hanbin stopped himself halfway and never stopped rapping. Rhine watched with wide eyes as he picked himself up and paced around the center, acting like it was all planned out.

            Nobody dared to laugh as they all watched in awe. Bobby felt himself smiled in approval; the guy never failed to make him proud. Rhine felt extremely guilty as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt and watched Hanbin own the place. He seemed to be doing fantastic, but she couldn’t stop blaming herself. It was all her fault that that happened. He would be mad at her for sure. Deep down, Hanbin was embarrassed, but he put on an act. He couldn’t start off cool and then end up lame. He didn’t want to disappoint Rhine or Bobby. Although, the only thought on his mind was, who tripped me?

            “You’re just a peasant,

            Not fit for her league, she’s a masterpiece,

            And you’re a catastrophe,

            While you were sleeping around underground,

            She was cashing checks in YG.”

            Hanbin concluded the battle with a bang and as the other guy ran from the center, humiliated, people surrounded Hanbin. Bobby whooped and rushed over to his friend. Rhine stood to the side and watched them silently. She hated herself for not being more careful. If she had been watching where she was going, Hanbin would never had fallen. She couldn’t face him for fear that he might hate her. Hanbin laughed and high-fived Bobby when he glanced around them, looking for someone. The second his eyes met hers, Rhine gulped. Uh-oh.

            Instead of the reaction she expected, he beamed and waved her over. Rhine did as she was told and he watched her every step, his smile faltering. Why didn’t she seem happy? Why didn’t she congratulate him on winning the battle? Thoughts flooded his mind as her smile seemed forced, with a tinge of bleakness. His smile dropped and he just didn’t understand what she was thinking.

            “Let’s head back,” Bobby stated and Rhine nodded.

            Hanbin watched as Rhine didn’t say anything to him and grabbed onto Bobby’s sleeve as she followed him through the audience. Hanbin was speechless and he silently followed after them. He watched the way her hair caught the light and the way she weaved through people. As he watched Bobby leaned down beside her ear and said something that made her laugh, Hanbin could feel his heart slowing down to a dull rhythm. He tried to make sense of the way his body was acting as they stepped out into the night.

            The silence greeted them and he was glad to be out of there. He thought the noise was the reason why he was acting weird and thought the silence would make him be himself again. But he was wrong. They started down the street and his presence was overwhelming her. Rhine felt herself getting anxious and she thought of ways to apologize to Hanbin. She nervously glanced at him, who was staring at the ground and seemed to be lost in his thoughts. Her courage was draining and she bit her lip. He must be mad at her. Rhine thought better of it and kept silent.

            Bobby sensed the anxiety from Rhine and he immediately felt bad. She was probably thinking about the kiss and regretted it. His heart thumped at the thought, he didn’t want her to regret kissing him. If he knew she would be so down about it, he would have never asked her. It was his fault that she was acting that way. She would probably never talk to him after that.

            Hanbin’s heart sank as he saw Rhine flash a smile at Bobby. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched in dread as Rhine reached over to pick a clump of dust from Bobby’s hair. Bobby smiled and the two conversed. The way Bobby was speaking made Hanbin jerk his head in their direction. It was a tone Hanbin rarely hear Bobby use. It was a tone that indicated Bobby was shy. And at that instant, Hanbin knew how Bobby felt towards Rhine.

            He finally understood; the way Bobby looked at her, talked about her, how he’s constantly around her, the reason he asked for a good luck kiss in front of the public, the glint in his eyes whenever he saw her, the times he grabbed her hand and arm, and the way he seemed so affected by her actions finally made sense to Hanbin.

            The realization hit him with impact and squeezed his heart. The blood drained from his face and he felt weak. It felt as if the air was out of his lungs and his head was spinning. Hanbin hadn’t felt that way in so long. He suddenly didn’t want to be around the two. He didn’t want to be the third wheel. He came to a stop and Rhine turned to look at him inquiringly.

            “I forgot my phone at the entertainment, you two go ahead,” Hanbin lied.

            “We’ll go with you,” Bobby said.

            Hanbin shook his head and responded with a tone that told Bobby he wanted to be alone, “I’ll be quick.” He looked at an expressionless Rhine and bowed. “See you tomorrow.”

            In response, she nodded and bowed back. The minute Hanbin was out of earshot; Rhine regretted not apologizing when she had the chance. Now she had to come up with a way to apologize to him the next day. And she dreaded every second of it. To her, it seemed like Hanbin was mad at her which made her feel worse. It was an accident! The boy didn’t have to act so depressed about it.

            Bobby nervously watched Rhine from the corner of his eye. She wasn’t talking to him and he knew the reason why. Gosh, she could yell or hit him; it would make him feel better than having her give him the silent treatment. Bobby was sick of it; he couldn’t stand it when she was being that quiet!

            “Rhine,” Bobby started, his voice shaky. She turned to him and Bobby took a deep breath. If he didn’t apologize then, he knew he wouldn’t have the guts to. “I’m sorry I asked for a kiss.”

            A kiss? The memory suddenly came to mind and Rhine couldn’t believe she had forgotten all about it. With the whole Hanbin situation, Rhine was too occupied to think of anything else. The memory made her lips tingle and she bit them to prevent the tingling. She didn’t like nor understood why it was tingling. Rhine smiled reassuringly at Bobby.

            “It’s fine, I forgot all about it.”

            Her response made him relieved for a second before the last words settled in his mind. His heart sank and he was saddened. But he forced a smile. “It was in a friend way so please don’t misunderstand.” He wished he believed his words, but he felt empty. Bobby didn’t understand the down-tour of his mood. Why did he suddenly felt dead the second the words left his lips?

            The flashbacks haunted Hanbin’s mind as he dragged his feet. The image of Rhine’s lips against Bobby’s skin caused his heart to tighten and his breath to hitch in his throat. The memory of Bobby holding Rhine’s hand as they ran through the rain made Hanbin’s eyes squeezed tight. He saw flashes of Rhine smiling and laughing with Bobby, Rhine reaching over to touch Bobby’s cheek, and Rhine caring for Bobby.

            Hanbin groaned as he clenched his fists, trying to stop thinking about them. He didn’t want to feel that kind of pain. Hanbin didn’t know what came over him. He didn’t understand why he felt pain every time she was showing affection towards Bobby. His mind clouded over as he recalled Bobby’s competitor talking trash about her and the way he got so angry to the point he was about to punch to guy. Hanbin recalled trying to restrain himself from killing the guy. He remembered the urge to protect her at once.

            He stopped abruptly and he became pale when he finally understood all the pain and rage. Hanbin squeezed his eyes shut and his hands clenched into fists. He didn’t need that at the moment; he was in the process of debuting. Hanbin wanted to stop his emotions from getting out of hand, but it was too late. He didn’t know when or how it started and when the truth hit, he couldn’t turn back.

            No.

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A/N: Tell me what you think? :D I hope it wasn't boring! And I do apologize for the language . Also, I hope the raps weren't too horrible!