If You

A Peace Offering

A week later Emily was in an elevator on her way up to the band's penthouse suite. The sun had just come up and a long day stretched before them. She yawned prodigiously as the doors opened and she stepped into the penthouse.

It was flawlessly decorated, with large open rooms filled with fashionable furniture and art. The outer walls were all glass, letting in every bit of natural light as the sun cleared the horizon. The living room was empty, but Emily could hear sounds coming from the kitchen. She stepped forward and knocked on the wall. "May I come in?" she called, leaning forward.

The chatter in the kitchen ceased instantly. She heard soft footsteps and Daesung stepped around the corner, box of cereal in hand. He wore a thin silk robe that tied snugly at his waist and Emily's cheeks pinked.

"Come in," he said, waving her through. Emily followed, her heels clicking on the smooth floor crisply.

Daesung and Seungri were the only ones in the kitchen, each munching on an enormous bowl of cereal. Seungri smiled when he saw her and set his bowl down. "Sit down," he invited, pulling out a barstool for her.

She accepted his offer and crossed her legs demurely. "Are the others still asleep?" she asked.

"Seunghyun probably is," Seungri replied, shoveling in more cereal. "He loves his sleep. Jiyong probably paced the living room all night."

"What about Youngbae?"

Daesung and Seungri exchanged a look. It was so brief Emily almost missed it, but they seemed concerned. "Youngbae doesn't come home some nights," Seungri said after a beat. "He enjoys the nightlife here."

Emily went to say something else when the elevator dinged and Youngbae came into view. He smiled genially and opened the refrigerator.

"He's gonna ask," Daesung said in a low voice.

"He's not gonna get an answer," Youngbae replied, digging through the fridge. He surfaced with a bottle of juice and opened it smartly. "Hi Emily," he said, winking at her.

"Good morning," she responded. "Fun night out?"

Youngbae smiled but didn't reply. A door closed faintly and Jiyong entered the kitchen. He wore a baggy blue sweater and a BIGBANG beanie. He made eye contact with Emily and frowned a little. Emily didn't acknowledge him, instead opening her notebook to jot down some notes.

"Go get a shower, Youngbae. We're shooting the video today."

Youngbae downed the rest of his juice and left the kitchen, passing Seunghyun in the doorway.

Seunghyun nodded at Emily and reached for a banana from the bowl on the counter. The room was silent, save for the sounds of eating. Emily sensed that something was off and laid down her pen.

"What is it?" she asked, looking at them intently.

Seungri opened his mouth to answer but a look from Jiyong silenced him. Emily thought carefully, trying to discern what the problem was. Finally it dawned on her. "You think I'm spying on you, don't you?"

No one replied and Emily took that for confirmation. "I see. I've had my suspicions, but now I'm sure."

Seunghyun seemed embarrassed by this. "It's not that we don't like you, it's just..."

"You don't trust me," Emily finished. Jiyong folded his arms, silently affirming what Emily had said.

"How can I make you trust me?" Emily asked.

"You can't," Jiyong replied, grabbing an apple.

Emily sighed. "Fine. I'll just sit in the living room and let you have your breakfast." She stood up and walked out of the room, heading down the large hallway. She found a large recliner in the living room and she nestled into it, slipping her shoes off deftly. As she settled down to write, she tried desperately to think of a way to make the band trust her.