Gain took a little while to get standing again for she felt a little shaken after all the sudden changes. She decided to take a look around where she would be staying. The place she was to call home for however long she would be here for didn’t feel like one. It was crowded with women parading around in almost nothing with a few guys that didn’t enjoy wearing shirts. Then there was a strong stench of Soju and cigarette butts wafting from the ground floor.

Going downstairs Gain was faced with a very grim reality. What could have been a rather spacious living room had been equipped with a bar, a small stage, a large plasma screen and plenty of couches, all of which could do with a good vacuum. To the side were seating areas covered by thin, veiled fabric.

“Not what you were expecting I guess?”

When had Jiyong managed to stand beside her without a sound? He had a queer nature to him. Gain did not speak but watched with her eyes as he went to one of the couches, lifting up the cushion. “This isn’t probably what you would call ideal but business comes first.” He held in his hand a clear latex shape like something a sausage could be carried in; a human sausage to be more precise.

“What is it that you do?” Gain inquired, trying to look away from the disgusting item he casually stuffed into a jacket pocket.

“Get drunk, get excited and get lucky. Well the blokes do at least. And me too on the occasion.”

Gain gaped, shocked by what she had heard. “Y-You mean to say this is—“
He nodded. “Oh my… Did you know it’s illegal to run one of these?”

“You mean run a whorehouse?” She agreed. He just casually shrugged. “Nobody has called out on us yet. Plus we do not call it that. This is ‘G-Dragons’ Crayon.’”

Gain was beginning to become more and more uneasy of her surroundings. Swallowing she turned her focus onto him. “I’ll have you know that I will not be partaking in any sort of this business do you understand?”

He was more focused on his fingernails than her when she checked he’d been listening. “I heard you. Now shouldn’t you be trying to find work? You need to find the date before a year’s up.”

He was right. She didn’t have a lot of time before the day was over. Grabbing her handbag and slipping on her shoes she hurried in a funny hobble cross walk to the front gate. One would not believe that building was home to a brothel. It looked like a normal home for a large family with the deck all the way around the front, a trimmed garden and white washed exterior. The only hint could have been the flashy sign pegged into the ground with fluorescent paint to write ‘G-Dragon’s Crayon, open from 7:30pm-8:00am every day.’

~*~

“I’m sorry miss but unless you have a current resume with you then we cannot proceed.”

With shut Gain made a small bob of her head before leaving. She was left with another rejection, another disappointment for today after the flower shop, another café and the small boutique to add to her dismal day.

Sighing she tried to turn on her phone again in the hopes that this time there would be change. The black screen seemed to mock her and remind her of the failures of today. Going back home she would be crossing off this day as unsuccessful.

As she came inside she took off her shoes and walked around with the worn pink slippers Jiyong had managed to find for her. One of his old workers had left them behind in her room as well as her dressing gown the same slowly browning shade of baby pink.

Most of her belongings had been used by previous workers, her shoes, clothes, underwear. The only items that she didn’t get hand-me-downs for was her limited cosmetics, hairbrush, hair dryer and the sanitary products she used including medicines. Jiyong was not entirely stingy it seemed.

She found her live-saver and biggest enigma sitting on a bar stool, taking a shot of tequila. “Have a better day?” Shaking her head he pushed the shot glass towards her, sloshing slightly. “A few of these will make you forget.”

“No thank you it’s only four thirty in the afternoon.” Gain refused having a seat next to him. Placing her bag before her she heaved a sigh. Taking back his glass Jiyong consumed the shot.

“Hmm, you know. I am in need of another slave.” He raised his eyebrows under his newly dyed platinum blonde looks. “Would you be interested? It would take some getting used to.”

“Absolutely not! It’s bad enough you keep here in the first place but to be a that has to use …” She shivered. “It makes me sick to my stomach.”

Jiyong returned the lid on the tequila “I didn’t say you had to do it. You’ve been here three weeks so far. You should be getting concerned about not being able to pay me back.”

“Oh I will find a way.” Her confident statement was spoken through gritted teeth. “Mark my words I will do anything humane to get that damn money.” Taking her bag she went to her room leaving Jiyong to sit alone before he nodded off to sleep.

Inside Gain had to think over everything she thought she could do. So far all she had come up with was being organised. She kept her things in place and did the same in the brothel provided it was in the cleanest of areas. With the piece of paper she had taken she wrote it down neatly as she could as well as her other details she remembered. The only problem was since her phone was not functioning she could not put down her number. So with a lot of reluctance and disgust at herself she listed the land line number and hoped that she would be there to answer it.

Finally she had written out a small but neat resume. Going to the small office in their home she used the old scanner to photocopy a few more. There was not a lot of experience she could share so any chance that came her way would be more than happily claimed.

~*~

“Thank you, we’ll be in touch.” Gain shook the man’s hand, thanking him in return before going out. This was the first interview she’d had and with luck her money worries would be over. Being a receptionist for a small business could bring in decent income and allow some left over for her to purchase a place of her own.

However by the time she’d gotten home after taking the bus and walking a block there was a message on the answering phone. “Hello Ms Gain? We regret to inform you that your application with us has been unsuccessful. Thank you for taking interest in us and we hope to hear from you in the near—“

She pressed the ‘delete’ button a little harder than needed. Exhaling heavily she swallowed and then went out of the office, wanting to do something else.

“Are you there?!” Jiyong was calling. Gain couldn’t stand how he was so informal with her. She was certain he was younger than her yet the way he talked made it seem like they were both born around the same time.

She called back, “Coming.” And going in a new direction to main room or the club slash bar slash hanky panky areas was. Jiyong was there, eating a bowl of ramen.

Sitting on the bar surface, legs dangling over the side was a guy she’d never seen before. The black shirt he wore had large sleeve holes so big they revealed the sides of his chest and a big cross tattoo. His hair had a black bandanna with dreadlocks, large diamond studs, and a silver ring on his little finger, black jeans and black boots.

He was more tanned than Jiyong was who in Gain opinion reminded her of what a psychotic clown could resemble. “Gain, this is Youngbae or Taeyang as the ladies like to call him.”

Taking off his sunglasses Youngbae made his eyebrows bounce. “How are you?”

“F-fine thanks.” Gain didn’t feel too comfortable with him either. Something about him was a little off.

Jiyong gestured to his friend with a hand. “Youngbae here thinks he’s found something that you may be good at.” Taking out the piece of paper he’d messily folded in his pocket Youngbae leaned forward and handed it to her. Opening it fully she saw the name of a family, a phone number and an address.

“It’s practically baby sitting or whatever you call it when it’s during the day. Either way they need someone. I remembered Jiyong mentioning you and how pissy you were getting from being turned down all the time.”

Gain’s temper flared. She turned to Jiyong, her eyes darkening. “I am not getting—“

“—Thank him for it,” Youngbae interrupted. “He was good to have said something to me. It was hard to get this info because it was from a lady whom I do not have a good history with.”

Still irked by Jiyong, Gain allowed her temper to cool off a little. Exhaling in frustration she spoke again, with less gusto. “Ok, he’s right. What can I do to repay you Jiyong?”

Moving his head to the side Jiyong patted his cheek. Gain’s eyebrows went down. “No, I will not!”

“Hurry, this cheek needs a little love.” He sounded almost like a spoiled brat with the impatient but self-centred tone in his voice. Knowing it could be much worse Gain stepped forward, lifting her head to quickly plant one on his cheek.

That is… If Jiyong hadn’t spun his head back around to face her lips. His lips in just the right spot. Gain didn’t realise until it was too late. By then Youngbae was laughing, clapping gleefully like a seal with a smug Jiyong starting to slowly grin.

Her hand came across his cheek with a loud slap. Clutching the area Jiyong said nothing as Gain stormed out of the room, paying no attention to the one whose pride she’d wounded or the one who may get hiccups if he kept guffawing.

~*~

Whoa my fics are going to the dark side. I mean this probably has the most adult references than any of my other stories. I hope we’re ok with this and enjoying the story.