Chapter 1

"I heard a lot about you from Seungri. I didn't know you were cousins with him. So you studied music at Juilliard as well?" Yg smiles widely at you with gleaming eyes.

       You shyly smile and reply, "Actually we're step cousins, and yes. I just graduated last year."

Surely you were good enough to be here. As a music producer of course. Not a YG trainee. You failed that audition last year when you really wanted become a singer.

       "Well that's very impressive. Such a young age." Yg nods understandingly and stands up to grab his coat.

       He gestures towards the door out of his office, "Well, anyways, I'm going to head to an appointment I made with some people. You can go downstairs to the studio rooms and talk to some of the other producers."

        You nod and follow him out of his office.

Yg already is out of the elevator by the time it reaches the main floor, leaving you alone in the cold empty elevator. The elevator light flickers slowly until half of the light panel turns off. A fuze must be broken. 

You look at your watch. 11:35 p.m. Where the hell were you supposed to go at this late hour? You decide that you'll go try to find Seungri, your step cousin. Your step dad happened to be Seungri's uncle, which by default made you legally related. You used to be good friends with Seungri in high school until you went to study abroad in America. Even if he was an oppa to you, he always acted more like the younger one.

You walk out of the elevator to the studio floor. The hall is ominous and dark. There is an eery coldness that makes your blood curdle which makes it hard to swallow. For some reason, your arm is covered with goosebumps and your stomach is knotted. It seems too quiet. You can even hear your own heartbeat. Your eyes adjust to the dimly lighted hallway and faint sounds of beats waft from the rooms as you walk closer.

 

 

 

 

       Through one of the rooms, there is a soft light that emanates from inside. You lean in close and put your ear against the frosted glass door. Nothing.

With caution, you push the door slowly only about an inch so that you can see inside. 

A dark figure. No, two dark figures. There is a guy and a girl. The girl is sitting on one of the studio tables with her back against you and the guy is standing upright. The girl's thin legs are wrapped around his waist and his hands exploringly on hers. They are furiously locking lips with each other, the guy's eyes are closed as he passionately kisses her.

      The sight is overwhelming for you and you're instantly sweating. Your breathing almost completely stops and your eyes are locked on the two. You can't help but continue watching. The guy looks unusual than any other guy you have seen before. His hair is a ash blonde even in the dim light and his face is flawless. You can't really see the girl's face because she is turned away from you but you can see that she has pretty long brown hair and a slim body.

         You feel your heart pound heavily on your chest and you resist the feeling of having to swallow. Then the guy opens his eyes slowly.

When his eyes open seductively half way, you realize that they are directly on you. His eyes have a coldness to them and he doesn't look surprised that you are watching them. Instead, he continues to kiss her but with a slight curl of his lips.

         You finally snap back to your senses and quickly jolt backwards from the door, letting the door close ever so quietly. 

There is panic in your hands and you shudder at the thought of his glare.

Your first night of work in this building and you got a nice surprise already.

          Seungri oppa...where are you?

 

 

 

 

The entire floor seems dead quiet and creepily dim as you quickly pace around. There is a nice area on the floor with a cold leather couch and a place to rest for a bit. You sit down on the couch with your eyes closed.

          "BOO." 

You jump up and stand at the sound. There is a guy laughing his head off with his finger pointing at you. You see that in his hand is a action comic book.

          "Who are you?!" You yell as you breathe heavily.

          The guy is blonde haired as well with very smallish eyes. His skin is a nice tan sporting a white t-shirt and casual jeans. 

           "Don't look too surprised." He stands up and pats your back with the comic book. "My name's Daesung." He says with a big smile, still trying to hold back his laughter.

            His laughs are amplified by the echo of his voice in the empty hallway.

            You introduce yourself and he introduces himself as well. He is a member of Bigbang, one of the artist groups here in the entertainment. He says that he's been in the building since 10 in the morning due to recording schedule but now he is taking a break. The other members are all supposedly in the building but he has no clue where they are. But you can tell that Daesung has an earthy personality and his laughter is very warm.

            "So you don't know where Seungri oppa is?" You ask.

            Daesung shakes his head. "No, but you can try the 1st floor, the dancing studios. He could be there."

You nod and thank him as you make your way downstairs to the studios.

 

 

 

 

 

There is no one in the studio hallway and what is even creepier is that there is absolutely no light, except for the very small dimness coming from the dance practice room.

           As you slowly make you way down the pitch dark hallway, you feel something brush against your arm. You jerk back and feel chills down your spine. Even worse, you can't see what touched you. All you see is darkness. The dark is really scaring you now.

You finally reach the dance practice you and jump inside, slamming the door behind you.

           Oh great even more darkness. But something familiar keeps you from being scared. The...music?

You realize that there is music playing from the speakers by the wall. A song that you know. "I need a girl" You danced to this song on that audition day last year. That day when you ran out of the room crying because you had been rejected.

You see your reflection in the mirror but half the room is covered by shadow of some sort. You fix your messy hair but then you see a figure approaching out of the darkness.

             He gets closer to with his slick dance moves. By golly he's pretty damn good. His body moves miraculously perfect in rhythm and you can't help but to start dancing yourself. He puts his hand gently around your waist he he dances and you dance with him.

You now see him closely and think why you are dancing with this guy. Some guy you've never even talk to. He is stylishly wearing a red SnapBack on his head and has on a simple black t-shirt.

            "You dance pretty well." The guy says softly as he slowly breathes.

            "Well...I did practice to be a YG trainee for a few years."

            He gives you a little twirl and then holds you close for a second. It's a strange moment. As if all the air in the world holds still.

            "How did that go?" His words are breathless.

 

 

 

            You look down suddenly and step away from his touch. 

            "I...didn't get in." 

            The guy pauses for a minute and his voice softens. "There's always a next time." He smiles sweetly.

           You nod and look back at yourself in the cold mirror.

            "So why are you here?" He asks.

            "I'm a new music producer here. Sajangnim just hired me tonight so I wanted to check out the place." 

             He walks towards you and smiles kindly. A smile even with his eyes. "Well I'm Youngbae." He introduces himself.

             You go on to say your name.

He tells you that the other members are doing their own thing tonight but they are in the building. But where?

             "Where?" You ask.

             He tells you to go upstairs to the studio floor, one where you were just at. The floor where you saw the guy kissing the girl and where you met Daesung. He says that all the members decided to meet on the recording studio floor at 12:00 am to get started on recording.

             You check your watch. 11:52 p.m. Almost midnight.

              Youngbae walks out of the room with you into the pitch sorrow black hallway. But he walks the other way...away from the elevator.

              "Where are you going?" You ask into the deadly darkness. 

              "The elevator light breaks often so I don't like the elevator. I'll go up the stairs." He replies and then there are soft steps muting away.

           Oh well, you always like being alone anyways. Using your fingertips on the wall, you make your way to the broken lighted elevator.

 

 

 

 

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           (Not from your perspective but someone else's)

           I accidentally touched her arm. It was by accident of course. But that's because I couldn't see very well either. I followed her downstairs to the dance studio and met Youngbae. And now I see her walking towards the elevator.

            Why is she going to the elevator? Doesn't she know that the light is broken? None of the five of us use the elevator. It's too scary. 

           I walk steadily up the hollow stairs to floor 3 where they have the recording studios. It's almost time.

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You walk out of the elevator and the elevator dings shut behind you. Well that was a fun ride. Not as scary as you thought it would be.

            You walk further down the grim hallway until you see the small lounge area where Daesung was at. Daesung is now standing with Youngbae and someone very familiar. Seungri.

             "Oh oppa." You call out aimlessly at him. Seungri quickly turns around with a smile on his face. 

             "Hey, it's been a while!" Seungri pulls you playfully and hugs you with wide arms.

              "We talked last week oppa. At my step dad's birthday?" I remind him.

              "He doesn't have too good of a memory." Daesung says as pats Seungri's back.

              Youngbae fixes his SnapBack and smiles. "I didn't know that the elevator was slower than stairs." 

              Seungri budges in. "You already met her hyung?"

             You ignore Seungri and reply to Youngbae. "I had to stop by the restroom." 

We all go quiet, but "all" is just the four of us. Where is everyone else?

              "Oh hyung, there you are!" Seungri smiles widely as he sees someone behind me. I turn around and out of the dark hallway comes a dark figure. A dark figure all too familiar. Ash blonde hair. Slim sharp eyes and dark red brooding lips.

               You automatically step backwards as your heart jumps.

 

 

 

 

                "So you guys did stay here. I thought you all left me." The guy smirks.

               "We're all here hyung. We've been here. You're the one who's late." Seungri reads his watch. "It's 12:02."

              The guy runs his thin fingers through his hair. "Sorry. I had some...business to finish off." He touches his dainty blood red lips with his finger as he turns to look at you. Something about his cold eyes kills your breath.

              "I haven't seen you around here before...what's your name?" He asks almost too kindly, his eyes never wavering for a second.

              You awkwardly introduce yourself and find that your hands are shaking.

              "I'm Jiyong. You can just call me Jiyong oppa." Jiyong oppa winks at you. Such a player. Surely he was just eating that girl's face off just a few minutes ago.

               Daesung breaks the silence. "Where is TOP hyung?" 

               You all look around and peek into the dark hallway.

                "I'm here." A low deep voice whispers from the couch. 

Heads turn to find that he is sitting down elegantly on the couch besides all of you. Where did he come from?

               "Hyung, you were sitting here beside us the whole time?" Seungri yells out as he holds himself together.

               "That's why you have to take note of the details. Something important might pass by during the time." Top says deeply with a slight smirk.

                TOP is definitely a darker guy. You can tell by his eyes. His midnight black hair sharply goes with his glimmering dark eyes....or were they red? You couldn't tell.

               "So we're all here." Youngbae says as he sits down on the couch besides TOP.

 

 

 

                Jiyong crosses his arms and looks thoughtfully into the air. "You know...as much as we need to do a recording. I really don't feel like doing any work right now. Do you guys want to go eat dinner first?" 

              Everyone clamors about how hungry they are. You feel your stomach rumble as well. 

             "Then what are we waiting for?" TOP stands up from the couch.

             "Are we gonna ride the elevator or walk down the stairs?" Daesung asks with all seriousness. 

God damn it, it's just an elevator with a few broken lights. Why is everyone being such a wimp?

             Jiyong sees that you are annoyed. "No let's just take the elevator. It's quicker." His eyes sparkle with a dark glimmer.

             You all walk down the polished hallway with a few whispers to the elevator. Seungri presses the button to go down and you all wait for the elevator to open.

The ding that plays before the elevator door opens is an ominous one. Like a dooming church bell tolling, three times for death. Four for murder. The sound paints a darkness of black ink, written by crow's feet. But when the door creeps open, everyone holds their breath and a trickle of blood like sweat tickles down your spine. You pupils dilate and your blood runs dry.

              A figure is lying in a puddle of dark blood on the elevator floor. Some kind of macabre picture. Her head has been violently smashed but covered by her long pretty hair like shiny ribbons. Carmine blood rushes from a stab hard in the bone down to her stomach. No...multiple stabs. Such sharp cuts that have destroyed her slim torso in unrecognizable strength. The flickering elevator lights grimly showcase her pale blue arms and legs as they lie in a sense of numbness. The marrow in your bones hollow and the mercury air freezes in blue.

          Your blister dry lips trace the word as your voice diminuendos.

Murder.