"Are you guys sure you're ready to start again?" Siwon asked as they drove to the YG building. This was the third time he'd asked all morning.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what we're ready for." Top said, still staring out the window as the building came into view. Although it had only been a little over a week since they'd last stepped foot in their company's building, it felt like forever.

They pulled up the winding driveway and stopped by the front doors. No one moved for a minute, just staring at the familiar monogrammed glass doors, trying not to think that the last time they'd walked through them, they'd still been five members.

Finally, GD took off his seatbelt and opened the door. This seemed to wake the others from their trancelike state and they followed suit. They slid from the car and Siwon drove away to park. They stood for a second, then pushed the door open.

They walked into the large, luxurious lobby slowly, taking in the bustling activity. There were people running this way and that, secretaries on the phone, strains of a meeting came from an office nearby. But all activity ceased when people saw who walked through the door.

They could tell that the YG staff hadn't been told that they were coming. Mouths dropped open and voices stopped talking. The phones rang unanswered as Big Bang waited for their manager to come in, avoiding everyone's stunned gazes.

Then someone started clapping. One of the secretaries had stood up from her seat behind her desk and started to clap. Slowly, the other people in the lobby joined in until Big Bang was getting a standing ovation from the staff of YG Entertainment, giving them support from every direction, letting them know how much they'd been missed.

Taeyang felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see that Siwon had joined them.

"You see?" he said quietly. "You're not alone. We all miss him." Taeyang nodded, unable to speak. None of them could speak, watching the wordless show of support. Siwon then put a hand on Taeyang's back and led them upstairs to YGs office.

His secretary ushered them into the outer office for them to wait, telling them in the meantime how excited she was to see them back. The four members sat listlessly in the provided chairs, not doing much of anything, really.

This was such a bad idea. Taeyang told Daesung. We're not ready for this. I can't believe we're doing this.

"But I know you can. You can do this without me. Don't push everything away."

But --

"You're going to get help from every direction. Don't ignore it, okay? You can do this."

Taeyang lowered his eyes as if Daesung was looking right at him. O-okay.

"Yang Hyun Suk-ssi will see you now." they looked up as the secretary held the door open for them. They looked at each other, took deep breaths, and walked inside to their future.

*        *        *

"It's good to see you back." YG said when they were all seated. "You've been missed."

"Thank you sir." they said quietly. They waited. YG leaned forward and looked at them with piercing but kindly eyes.

"Siwon-ssi has informed me that you four would like to continue on as Big Bang." it was difficult to discern from his tone if he approved or not.

"Yes sir." GD spoke up. "We feel that he wouldn't want us to disband. He'd want us to continue with Big Bang." he didn't mention that they knew this for a fact. They preferred to keep Daesung's letter between the four of them.

YG was quiet for a minute, considering. They waited nervously, wondering if he'd deny their request. Finally, he spoke.

"I'm going to be honest with you. I don't think it's a good idea right --"

Taeyang interrupted, earning himself shocked looks from the other members and an angry one from Siwon. "Please sir, you have to let us continue!" YG stopped talking and looked at Taeyang in utter disbelief. The other members refrained from facepalming with difficulty, sure that he'd never agree now. It was dead silent as YG waited for Taeyang to say something that would change his mind.

Taeyang swallowed and continued. "I know it's only been a week since it happened, and it seems to most people that that is too short a time span to even consider putting us back together. But if we wait, it might be too late. Our memories of Daesung will fade, as will his wishes. I want us to keep going with Big Bang with his face fresh in my mind, so I know and everyone else will know that we're doing this for him, and not for us or the money involved.

"Big Bang is more than just a name to us and for Daesung. It's our way of life and I can't just give it up like it never happened. He - he told me himself how important Big Bang is to him." here, Taeyang paused, not looking at the surprised looks on everyone's faces. He concentrated on the wood of the desk he sat in front of and continued.

"He asked me, once. He asked me after the accident what would happen if we ever disbanded. He asked if it was likely, and if it was his fault if we did. I told him it wasn't. He started crying, telling me that we can't disband, Big Bang is too important to him. He said that even if he wasn't here, he couldn't bear it if it happened. I didn't catch the implications of that sentence though. He might have been hinting as to what he would do, trying to make me stop him. I don't know. But I promised him we'd always be together. That we'd never disband.

"I'm not going to break that promise. There was too much of that happening, and the most important promise I've ever made is going to stay intact."

No one said a word when Taeyang finished his speech. He didn't dare look up to see the CEOs reaction to his words until he got a stunned nudge from GD. He looked up hesitantly and stared.

He could swear he could see a tear glistening in YG's eye. Just when he told himself that he wasn't imagining things, the CEO of YG Entertainment blinked, the single tear tracing a track down his cheek.

He looked as surprised as anyone to find himself so moved. He opened his mouth to speak and closed it again, seemingly unable to find the right words to respond.

The members and manager of Big Bang waited nervously. Finally, YG composed himself again.

"I'm sorry, Young-bae. I didn't know how much it meant to you." his audience gaped. They'd never heard YG apologize to anyone for anything. "Under the circumstances, I shouldn't allow this. But I'm going to go against my better judgement and allow you to proceed with Big Bang." he stood and bowed low before them, silently showing his acceptance. "Good luck."

He motioned for Siwon to remain in his office and the members filed outside, still shell-shocked. The moment the door closed, they all turned to Taeyang.

"What just happened?" Top asked. They all shrugged, but Seungri had something else on his mind.

"Did - did Daesung-hyung really say that?"

Taeyang looked at the floor. "Yes. Just after the accident. It was the middle of the night and he'd been crying into his pillow. It was before we knew it had been him who had killed the motorcyclist. The uncertainty was killing him. Then he just....asked me."

In his mind, Taeyang searched for Daesung. I'm sorry. I never meant to tell anyone. I know you told me not to tell anyone, but I couldn't let Yang Hyun Suk not allow us to continue like that. Please forgive me.

"Don't worry, hyung." came Daesung's reply. "I'll always forgive you."

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Only two more chapters people! I can't believe this story's almost done. I think I'm gonna cry.

I actually happen to love this story, and it's been a lot of fun writing it. And I hope you guys like it too.

And even though it's almost over, I requested a poster, so even after it's finished, you could come back to the story and check it out, because it's probably gonna be awesome!

Thanks to everyone who's been reading this depressing thing through!

=) Aiko