“I want to talk to you,” Jiyong says to me after we exit YG’s office.

            “It’s for the best,” I say to him pleadingly.

            “I know what you are doing. Just talk to me,” he says. He leads Seunghyun and I to an empty practice room. “When and how did you decide to do this? Why did you not discuss with band?” he says to me. I have never seen Jiyong look so serious.

            “Because somehow I think I knew you would act like this. I needed to do what is right and I cant have you guys blocking my judgement,” I say. He holds his finger up at me and looks at me furiously.

            “No. No. No! No. You do not put on me. No. We wanting you here. So you stay,” he says as if it’s his final decision. “I meant what I say to YG. We all change so much with you around. Life is good,” he says. “You leave? We are back to old self,”

            “I will stay I just don’t want YG to pay me,” I say, praying, hoping he will understand. “I just don’t know if he will let me, considering I told him about Seunghyun and I,”

            “Ok. As long as you staying with us,” he says. “Wait…you did what!?” his volume increasing dramatically.

            “I had too! Well actually…Seunghyun told him,”

            He turns to Seunghyun. “You did what!?”

            “Sorry,” is all he says.

            “Okay. Whatever. I will try to talk to YG later,” Jiyong responds, and then he walks out of the room leaving Seunghyun and I behind.

                                                .                       .                       .

            The entire band and I find ourselves back at the apartment around 6pm. There is no concert tonight. We leave for Singapore tomorrow. We are all patiently awaiting YG to come for a talk.

            Jiyong of course spoke to Seungri,Daesung and Youngbae about my decision to tell YG that I can’t work for him anymore. They were both pretty upset. I had no idea how much of an impact I had on this group in two months. Seunghyun was right. Even though they haven’t necessarily vented to me, I helped them so much. I just didn’t realize it.

I guess to them, I was worth forty thousand dollars. I however, don’t see it. I would continue to do this without the money or gifts. If YG lets me stay here, I will continue doing what I was doing as if nothing had happened. I will just feel better about not accepting money.

I hear a key enter the door and YG enters the room, pushes a single seater sofa into the room to form a circle. Seungri, Daesung, Seunghyun, and Youngbae sit on the couch with me. Jiyong is sitting on another single seater. YG sits in the chair and makes himself at home.

He folds his hands and leans forward a bit. We all anticipate what he has to say. “Okay. It is my understanding that _______ feels uncomfortable working for pay because you don’t make her work,” he says as if he is quoting me word for word.

“I didn’t say it like that,” I say.

“Nuance,” he says. “You all give her way to many gifts and I should be smacking you all for being so crazy with your spending-but you are adults and I can’t be your father forever. Go into debt. Fine. Not my problem. Don’t say I didn’t tell you,” he says while leaning back into his chair.

“Go on…” Seunghyun says impatiently.

“She says she wants to be here for you guys, but she doesn’t want pay. She says that if you ever need to talk, or vent, or hang out, or whatever… she will do it because she wants too. She doesn’t see it as a job anymore, but an obligation to a friend. You are all friends,” he begins playing with his fingernails nonchalantly.

“And…” Jiyong pressures him now.

“And apparently Seunghyun over here and her are dating,” he says and then turns to Seunghyun. “Which, I must say, I am not a fan of this. I cannot tell you what to do. You are an adult, but so help me God this reaches the public you will both pay.” I have never seen YG look more serious. He has always been so light hearted despite his intimidating face. He means business right now.

“Yes sir,” I say.

“Yes sir,” everyone else says.

“Also, I don’t want _______ living here anymore. I will pay for her to have an apartment next door,” he simply states.

“I can pay for myself, it’s okay,” I say.

“It’s the same thing!” Seungri shouts.

“I want to do this for you _______,” YG says. “I will continue to pay for your room and board. I want you to continue doing what you have been doing, I will pay for your living expenses…but you requested t