*D'Essence's POV*

I walked back to YG Entertainment with a huge smile on my face, after saying my goodbyes to my new co-workers. Nothing could ruin this day! Not even Kenji's terrible jokes!!

-At YG Building in one of the hangout rooms-

*Narrator's POV*

Diana, Shayla, 1TYM, 2NE1, and Jiyong were all in the room. Shayla: "I wonder how Dee and Kenji's first day on the job went..." "Me, too" Kush added. Diana gasped, "Oh my gosh! Shayla! Did you ever ask Dee how things were after we left Michigan?? I mean she DID leave Andre and her friends after all..." Everyone else in the room suddenly listened in on the conversation thinking the same thing, 'Who the heck is Andre?' Shayla face palmed herself, "Oh my God, we're such bad sisters! Dee's so strong, we don't even realize that she could be emotionally harmed in any way. And did you ever find out why she was acting the way she did after she had came back from the store that one day? She was so..." "Broken-looking?" Diana asked, remembering exactly how cold and sad her younger sister looked. "Exactly. But when we arrived here in Seoul, she was a little better...kind of." "Yeah, but still. Do you think she would keep secrets from us? She can be pretty distant and cold at times..." "Diana. This is DEE we're talking about. The sister who often gives off the 'I don't need anybody' vibes. She might have more secrets than we thought." Shayla frowned.

Everyone else in the room just sat, observed and listened. Teddy spoke up, "More?" The 2 Carters shifted in their seats slowly. "Yeah...more." Shayla said softly, "She's been though a lot. We all have..." Diana squeezed her sister's hand reassuringly. "Well you girls know that you can tell us anything right? I mean we're all family now. YG Family." Jiyong smiled at his own words. D'Essence all of a sudden showed up, "Hey people!" she walked over to the couch, "Ugh, Kenji just got done bear hugging me after being all sweaty and stuff from dancing. Yuck."
Shayla: "How was work, Dee?" "It was great!" Dee replied with a smile on her face, "Guess who I work with??" "Who?" "Some K-pop idols" Taebin: "Yeah? Who?" "B2ST and Taecyeon of 2PM. And there's this girl named Carla who works there, too. And Bi Rain OWNS the place!"
They continued talking about her new job until Shayla finally brought up what her and Diana had been talking about before, "So...Dee...."

"Hmm?"
"Do you... still talk to Andre?"

Everyone...and I mean everyone noticed D'Essence stiffen up as she heard the name. She sat straight up on the couch, but remained looking down. She didn't dare look anyone in the eyes. "No. We don't talk anymore." Silence filled up the room for a while. "You guys aren't....together anymore?" Shayla asked. "No." Diana recognized the look upon D'Essence's face. It was the same cold and hurt look that she displayed when she came back from the store that day. "D'Essence, why didn't you tell us?" She replied coldly and quick, "Why did I need to?" "We're your SISTERS, Dee, what do you mean why?" Diana started to get a little impatient and pissed off.

"..."

"Dee." Diana hesitantly said looking straight at her sister, her sister instincts sensed that their break-up had something to do with that day. "What happened that night? That night when you got back? Hm?"

Everyone was looking at Dee. Waiting for an answer. 1TYM and Kush and Jiyong didn't dare say a word even though curiousity filled each of their eyes and minds.

"Oh my God." Shayla said as Dee indulged in the memories of Andre assaulting her, "And did it have something to do with Devin almost killing Andre?! I can't believe I almost forgot about that!! Dee! There was blood on your shirt!" Diana: "WHAT? And neither of you told me? What fight? Blood? What the hell happened?"

 

"Our stepfather didn't help me in my time of need. I prayed and prayed that he would help me. But he didn't. I thought he was the good guy. I thought he actually wanted to save us. I thought wrong. I was stupid for thinking he actually loved us as if we were his own." Dee finally said.

Before anyone could say anything else she hastily and angrily left the room, leaving everyone confused upon her words.

*I guess it's only best if we let her cool down before any other questions.*

Both of the sisters thought. They truly feared what happened that night. And what she meant by praying to their dead stepfather.

Secretly, Teddy was relieved that Dee didn't have a boyfriend anymore...But he questioned Dee's behavior and words. Her mood changed in a matter of minutes due to this Andre guy. He wished that the pain in Dee's eyes didn't exist. But he didn't no why he wished for such things. Dee was only a friend. Only a new addition to the YG family. So why did he care?

-In the Teddy's studio-

*Teddy's POV*

It was me, the rest of 1TYM, Jiyong, and Kush in the room. We were just talking after I'd just finished creating a new song. The flow and melody was perfect and the lyrics were almost complete. The song is for Gummy's new album.

I was really feeling the song and I wanted to finish the lyrics, but could not concentrate due to the argument between the sisters earlier.

"Sooo...it's time to talk about the Carters." Baek Kyoung finally said, interrupting my thoughts.

This caught my full attention.

All of a sudden me and Taebin started looking a little shy and hesitant. ! We're grown  men! What are we looking shy for?

"What about them?" Taebin asked. "What are your thoughts about them?" "Those are some pretty cool girls. Emphasis on the 'pretty' part." Jinhwan stated. Oh, D'Essence is more than pretty., I thought. Baek Kyoung nodded in agreement, "True." "ALTHOUGH..." Kush started. I decided to participate in the conversation. "Although what?" I asked even though I knew what were about to talk about. "What was that earlier?" "I know..."Jiyong started, "Did you guys see Dee's eyes? They were so watery. I wanted to protect her like I was her older brother or something, you know? Like those girls really feel like family to me, now. I wish they would just tell us what troubles them."

Everyone completely agreed.
I want to protect her, too. I want her to trust me...

"I hope she'll be okay." I said, thinking about what she meant talking about their stepfather earlier.

"Yeah.." Kush said.

Taebin: "And what was she saying about having a stepfather? I didn't even know they had one! YG never mentioned that." He thought back to Diana's words the day they met,

"Wow, what about your father?" He asked.

A frown appeared on her face, "We don't really talk about him."

Did she mean her biological father or her stepfather? He thought.

"Hmm....." our conversation neared to an end as we all sat there thinking about the Carters. They're all too much of good people to have so many struggles. They deserve such a great life. I hope they reveal their secrets soon. Especially Dee. I really want to help and protect Dee.