I exit the elevator on the fourth floor and find myself in another dark shiny hallway.

It’s quiet and I can see that the outside light coming in at the end of the hallways is getting brighter as the sun rises higher in the sky.

I again decide to head left first. I see more of the small rooms; some have mini recording booths, others are simpler like the ones downstairs furnished with couches and desks and computers.

The other end of the hallway has a room filled with women’s clothing, and another room with men’s clothing; I also open the door to a sewing room. I leave these empty rooms and return to the elevator.

The fifth floor hallway is just the same as the others and I head left to begin my searching.

The first door I look into is one I am quite familiar with.

My mouth falls open in awe at how big the dance practice room actually is. My open mouth then turns to a pleased smile at actually being in this room. I walk across the beautiful wooden floor and do a couple of goofy dance moves as I look at myself in the floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

After a minute or two, I laugh at my awful moves and move out of the room. There are no others doors down this end, but I notice that the window at the end of this hallway opens to a balcony with cozy-looking furniture.  I head over to the other end of the hallway and see another balcony; the furniture looks comfortable and like it is used quite often. The only door on this end opens to another dance room that is only slightly smaller than the previous one.

Again I smile at being here. “This is unreal.” I take a quick selca using the wall mirrors and send it to my parents.

When I exit the elevator on the sixth floor, the hallway is not dark and shiny like I had been expecting. Instead, looking to my left, one side of the hall is orange wood and the other is glass. Through the glass walls I see a vast room filled with more cubicles and desks covered in computers and paperwork. Family photographs adorn some of the desks.

When I go down to the other end of the hallway I discover a big room with several cubicles. This floor must be where the non-artist employees work. I think I’ve seen clips online from when Seungri has run through here begging for money or when other artists have walked through to say hello.

The doors open on the seventh floor and instead of seeing the familiar hallway to my left and right, this dark hallway only leads forward. I can see a light at the end of the hallway and follow it to see where it leads.

The end opens up to a wide space that I’ve seen in many photos. The gym. Or, rather, Hwangssabu’s gym! It’s empty now and I look around at all the familiar equipment that I’ve seen in photos that Hwangssabu has posted of his artists working out.

A smile tugs at my lips as I walk over to the treadmills and gaze out at the view this floor provides.

I suddenly pivot and cover my face with my arms. “Ani, Hwangssabu! No photos! Aish, I’m only wearing one sweaty shirt!”

I lower my arms and chuckle into the quiet room. Then my stomach gives a loud rumble. 

I finally turn away and head for the elevators, my goal being quite specific. When the elevator doors open on the basement level, my eyes go wide. “Finally,” I murmur to myself. Jiyong and Seungri had told me where the cafeteria was and I could had slapped myself for only thinking to go up and ignore the level below the main entrance to the building.

I follow my nose to the buffet area where I see older-looking women preparing food for the day. Already laid out are sliced fruit and bread rolls.

I nod my head and smile at the Noonas working in the kitchen as I grab a plate. Once I’ve filled my plate with the most colorful assortment of fruit and bread, I head over to an empty table in the middle of the dining room.

As I begin to eat my breakfast, I finally look around the cafeteria. Neutral colors surround me; green plants line the walls and dimmed lighting gives the room a calm ambiance. The floor is a light wood color and makes me feel like I’m at a ski resort.

Quietly playing from the surround-sound speakers is the music of the YG artists. I bob my head to the Daesung song that’s playing and eat my breakfast.

When the time finally comes for me to soon be meeting with Dara and Minzy, I finish up my food and take a cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice to go.

I find the meeting room on the eighth floor that President Yang had instructed I use in the e-mail I had received from him earlier in the week. This floor is filled with only professional meeting rooms and must be where President Yang and others have business meetings with each other or with outside companies.

The back wall of this meeting room is also a floor-to-ceiling window. I walk down to the end of the long conference table, choosing a seat by the window in order to enjoy the natural light of the sunrise. From my bag I pull out two writing journals, pens and pencils, a Korean-English dictionary, a New York Times newspaper I had prearranged to have available at the YG building for the duration of my employment. I also remove my laptop and have a Michael Jackson music video pulled up and ready to show.

By the time the two women walk in, chatting animatedly, I’m all set to begin our first lesson.

At the sound of the door opening, I stand up and tug at the sleeves of my blazer. I bow to the two idols.

“Oh, Unnie, he’s so handsome,” I hear Minzy whisper excitedly in Korean.

I hide my smile as Dara makes a chiding noise in . “He speaks Korean, Maknae-ah.”

I rise up in time to catch Minzy’s wide-eyed face of surprise as a faint blush stains her cheeks.

Dara is wearing sweatpants and a hoodie. Minji is in a long-sleeved plaid shirt and yoga pants. Did I dress too formally in jeans and a blazer and t-shirt? But then I remember that they have dance rehearsal after this.

I give them a gentle smile and greet them in Korean. “Annyeong Haseyo! I am Choi Seunghyun, the new English instructor from America. It’s an honor to meet you Park Sandara and Gong Minji.” I bow once more and am unexpectedly struck with nerves.

What if I don’t do well? How have instructors in the past taught them? What if they complain about my teaching to President Yang? Oh, . Maybe this was a mis—

Dara walks over to me with a smile on her face.

And then I realize something else: I forgot their honorifics.

“Aigoo, jwesohamnida! I meant to say Park Sandara Noona and Gong Minji Dongsaeng!” I quickly bow down again to hide my chagrined face.

I feel a gentle hand on my shoulder accompanied by a soft laugh.

“If you keep bowing, you’re going to break your back.”

I stand upright and return Dara’s friendly smile. I’m surprised to notice that she’s about level with my jaw; I had no idea she was this tall.

“Please call me Dara. There’s no need to be so formal,” she says on a chuckle.

“Mm and you can call me Minji!” Minji comes to stand happily next to Dara, her earlier embarrassment seemingly gone.

I look into both of their smiling faces and remember my earlier encounter with Jiyong and Seungri. Maybe everyone at YG really is this nice?

I feel some tension leave my shoulders.

Smiling, I say, “Arasso! And please call me Seunghyun!”

Minji’s eyes go adorably wide. “Omo!” She looks between Dara and me. “Maybe I’ll just stick to calling you Oppa?”

We all chuckle and I nod my head. “Arasso. Whatever you’re comfortable with.” I gesture towards the table behind me. “Now shall we get started?”

We gather at the end of the table, me with my back to the window and the women on my left and right.

I pass them both a notebook and pen each as I begin to speak. “So I’ve already been informed of your levels of proficiency and what you’ve learned so far. I’ve basically just created a first lesson that should be relatively close to where you’re both comfortable. Today I’ll have you both do these and we’ll go from there, neh?”

They nod their heads and begin. Almost an hour later, both are still working quietly.

Dara is just about finished reading and translating her third article from today’s New York Times newspaper, aided occasionally by the dictionary I provided. Minji is slowly making her way through translating the lyrics to Michael Jackson’s ‘Ben.’ She’s gone back and forth between watching one of Michael Jackson’s performances of the song with her headphones on and reading the lyrics that I had pulled open on a new tab.

Minji looks up at me where I stand by the window. There’s a worried look on her face. “Oppa, I can’t figure out what the difference is between these words.”

I smile and walk over to her.

“It’s a sad song, Oppa, but a beautiful one, isn’t it? Anyways, I’ve got most of it translated and understood, but there’s one part I can’t figure out.”

I pick up her notebook and read through what she’s done so far. The entire song is translated perfectly. “Great job, Minji! This is excellent! And they told me you speak the least English of all the 2NE1 girls,” I scoff. “Liars!”

Minji laughs delightedly and looks at me with a mixture shinning happiness and pride. I feel my heart warm towards this young girl.

“Really, Oppa? I knew it!” She looks over at Dara. “Just wait until I see Lin unnie and Bom Unnie!”

I look to see Dara laugh and say, “Neh, they’ll regret ever making fun of you, Min!”

We all share a laugh and then I look down at the two words she has yet to translate. It’s the words “us” and “we” from the line: “I used to say I and me. Now it’s us; now it’s we.”

“I don’t understand the difference, Oppa. Don’t ‘we’ and ‘us’ have the same meaning?”

I smile. “You are right, Minji. So smart you are.”

She grins in pride once more, making me smile warmly.

I think for a moment before I begin to explain. “In English, we do things, but things are done to us. For example, we ate dinner versus the waiter served dinner to us. Does that make sense?”

Minji nods her head with a thoughtful look on her face. “Actually, that makes perfect sense! Oppa, komawo!”

As she finishes the translation, I get up and wait a bit more until both women are done. When they look up at me with satisfied faces, I lean forward with a smile. “Shall we check your work now?”

In the end, Dara translates three articles, each from different sections of the newspaper. Some of the more complex words she wasn’t able to find in the dictionary, but she translates more than I expected. “And I only had to use the dictionary for complicated words like ‘scrutiny’ and ‘buckling’,” she tells me proudly. Minji completely translates ‘Ben.’

When we finish going over the translations and any questions they have, we still have about twenty minutes until they will have to meet their other two members for rehearsal.

“So Seunghyun,” begins Sandara. “Why did you decide to teach English in Korea for YG?” She and Minji are now seated across from me, both bathed in the morning light.

I feel a faint blush stain my cheeks as an image of Kang Daesung singing flashes in my mind.

“Well, actually, I am a big fan of YG artists. I first heard of Big Bang through a friend and then I was introduced to the world of K-pop. But YG is amazing. Every single artist here is incredible and makes wonderful music. And Kang Daesung! What a voice! He’s my favorite!”

I look over at the two women and immediately tone down my voice as I realize how enthusiastically I had been speaking.

Minji giggles. “So it’s not really for the YG artists that you came for, but for one in particular, neh?”

My blush deepens and I half-heartedly say, “Ani, that’s not true.”

Dara chuckles and asks, “Have you met him yet?”

I shake my head. “Ani. But President Yang says I’ll be going with him to England for his lessons during his trip there.” I’m sure there is a goofy smile on my face, if their laughter is any indication.

“Oppa!” exclaims Minji delightedly. “You really like him! Well, you won’t be disappointed. Daesung Oppa, is the nicest person I know. I haven’t seen much of him lately because of his concerts, but when we all hang out together, it’s like getting your family together for the holidays. So much fun we all have together!”

I smile at her description of the YG artists’ almost familial relationships. Then the fans have always been right, I think to myself with a smile on my face.

“That’s a wonderful thing,” I say aloud. “I’m happy you all are so close.”

Dara looks out the window with a smile on her face. “Daesung-ah is one of the most genuinely nice and warm and giving people I have ever met. It’s rare to find someone so wonderful, especially when he’s had so many difficult times in his life.”

Minji’s face turns sad as she nods in agreement.

They must be referring to the two car accidents Daesung has had since his debut five years ago. They must also be referring to the harsh words his father used back during his debut, slamming his son’s choices and voicing his extreme disappointment to President Yang and Daesung himself. According to rumors I’ve read online, they haven’t been very close ever since.

“And yet,” continues Dara. “He’s able to make people laugh and feel happy like it’s second nature to him.”

I smile up at her. “He may not have the best relationship with his father, but he is clearly loved by the world.”

Both women nod their heads.

Soon enough, they have to leave for their rehearsal. As Minji steps through the door, she makes a sound of surprise and runs back to where I currently am returning all the supplies to my backpack.

“Oppa!”

I look up into Minji’s friendly face. The morning light sparkles in her eyes as she grins up at me. I suddenly get a feeling of brotherly protectiveness over her.

“Neh?”

“You should come with us tonight! Me and my Unnies and my Big Bang Oppas are going to a club! It will be so fun if you join us too! You must come! Don’t say ani!”

I laugh at the extreme excitement in her voice and find myself nodding at her effervescence. “Arasso, arasso!”

I pull out a notebook from my backpack and rip out a sheet of paper. I write down my cell phone number. “Text me the address and time and I’ll be there.”

Minji does a little happy jump thing that has me laughing once again. “Aigoo, you have too much energy.”

She giggles as she begins to back out of the room. “Mm. Jiyong Oppa says I take after him.”

And then she’s gone, leaving behind the faint sound of her happy giggle.

_______________

A/N: I had to udpate as I realized in shame that it would almost be a month since my last update. Mianhe, my friends! 

The writing kick left me for a bit with uni ending and graduation and family in town for 12 days and packing. LIFE! Oh boy!

But hopefully I'll update again before I leave for Malaysia for 21 days in 2 weeks. I most likely won't update while I'm there, but when I move back home I think I  can safely say that I will be much more consistent!

Sorry if Dara or Minji are OOC, but this is my first time writing them and it works for my storyline ^_^

Also! Old news, but STILL UBER AMAZING NEWS: Big Bang World Tour Deux! I AM SO SO SO EXCITED!!!!! And have you all seen these recent photos of Dae? Back to black hair!

Anyways, I apologize again and please leave your thoughts below! SARANGHAE ^_^