T.O.P made his way through Gyeonggi-do, where he knows the EatYourKimchi studio is located. He didn’t really know what he was doing, but he had time and he had this overwhelming urge to see her again, that pretty foreigner with pink hair.

He strolled through, past all the coffee shops and small stores, past all the conversing people, and the streetlights, looking at the signs on the buildings he was passing.

He wore sunglasses, and a hat, not wanting to be recognized and mobbed. This was one of those rare occasions where he was free from all the hectic schedules he was usually busy with, and he didn’t want his fans to swarm him at such a time of blissful freedom. He loved his fans, but they had their time and their time was not now.

Now, it was his time, and he wanted to spend his time looking a particular girl. Well, more of a woman than a girl, but still.

He didn’t know what he was hoping for. Knocking the door on her studio hoping she would be there and be all peppy an invite him in? What excuse did he have to be there? He certainly couldn’t tell her he just wanted to see her.

One girl stopped midway in her tracks and pointed at him, “TOP?” she said aloud pointing.

“Shhhh,” he shushed her looking around to see that no one heard her. He took out a permanent marker, which he always kept handy with him in his pocket and grabbed her arm and signed it. “Don’t tell anyone, okay?” he said and she just nodded her head in awe.

He bowed her head to hear and began walking away but she screamed, “it’s Big Bang’s TOP!!!”

TOP sighed as he began to run. This isn’t the first time he ran away from a potential mob. He heard people running behind him. Jeez, can’t they see that he doesn’t want to see anyone right now? He turned a few corners, trying to lose those who were running behind him.

He heard a crowd being formed behind him. “,” he swore as he swooned into an open building, hiding behind a door.

YG will kill him if he gets mobbed again. They specifically asked him to hide from the media and not to attract attention. YG has been gaining the reputation of an attention seeker, and so all of their artists were told to stop being exposed by the public eye. If TOP is mobbed now, he’ll face Papa YG’s wrath and Papa YG can be a little scary sometimes.

“, , , !” he swore when he felt the crowd that was following him approach closer and closer. He hoped dearly that they wouldn’t come into the building.

One girl came into the building, took a quick look inside and got out, thankfully not noticing him skillfully hidden behind the door. He waited for the crowd to pass before daring to shift a little bit.

He couldn’t go out there now. Now that word has probably gone around that TOP is in the area, people will be extra alert and he’s bound to be noticed. He decided to call his driver to pick him up from that place but then an idea hit him. Here he had a perfect excuse to see Martina. She’s probably in the studio right now, which was very close, and he would pretend to be in dire need of help getting away from the paparazzi. It was perfect, and he had her number in his phone.

He called her, suddenly very nervous yet eager to hear her voice.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Mrs. Stawski?” he chimed.

“TOP? Oh my God, it’s you! I’d recognize your voice anywhere!”

“Yes it’s me, I’m glad to hear your voice again,” he said feeling his heart clench within his chest.

“And to what do I owe this pleasure?” she asked.

“Are you by any chance in your studio now?”

“Yes, yes I am.”

“Well, if you would be so kind as to lend me a hand here? I happen to be in your area and I was recognized and now a crowd is searching for me fervently. I must not appear in the tabloids or I’m dead.”

“Oh, I see. No I understand completely. What would you like me to do?”

“If you could bring a cloak or a jacket or something to cover up my clothes so that people don’t recognize me by what I’m wearing, and if you could take me to your studio until the buzz fades, I would be ever-so-thankful.”

“Of course, of course… where are you?”

“I’m in a building right in front of Myungdi Coffee shop…”

“Oh yes, I know that place. Give me five minutes!” she said with enthusiasm before hanging up.

TOP smiled. She was really perfect. She was pretty and cheerful and helpful and kind. She was perfect for him. If only she wasn’t married… if only. He smiled at the prospect of seeing her in a few minutes, and was glad that he found an excuse to spend time with her.

She was there in less than five minutes, panting heavily as if she had been running. Her hair was all over the place, wildly going in different directions making her seem so utterly beautiful.

“Mrs. Stawski,” he greeted with a bow.

“TOP,” she said with a smile, taking a moment to look at him before rushing to help him put on one of Simon’s coats with a hood. “No one will recognize you like this for sure,” she said, as she took his arm and guided him through the street.

TOP saw some reporters and paparazzi there, searching around, but no one stopped him as Martina dragged him with her into the studio. As soon as they were inside, he took off his sunglasses, his hoodie and his hat, bowing to Martina and thanking her sincerely.

“No problem, really,” she said with a bright smile, “here, have a seat, she said as she signaled to the sofa.

“Thank you,” he sat down and watched her. “Is Simon here?”

“He’s gone to give our dog a walk,” she stated.

“Okay cool.” There was an awkward silence as TOP looked at her and she blushed and looked at the ground.

“Would you like something to drink?” she asked enthusiastically as she walked towards the little kitchen.

“No, I just want to talk with you,” TOP exclaimed as he got up from the sofa and strode towards where she was. She tensed a little when she saw him near her.

Just then, she heard Simon at the door. Martina hesitated a little, unsure of what to do. Somehow she felt like she was doing something bad having TOP in the studio alone with her; TOP was a man that her husband kind of resented and she kind of admired.

When Simon came through the door with Spudgy and saw TOP and Martina standing there in the middle of the studio he stopped dead in his tracks, bringing about an awkward moment of silence between the three of them.

“Mr. Stawski, it’s nice to see you again,” TOP said bowing to Simon.

“Nice seeing you too,” Simon said, lying. “Why are you here, might I ask?”

“Uh, TOP was recognized and there’s a crowd searching for him around this area. He called me and I let him stay in the studio until they stop searching,” Martina explained happily.

“Oh, I see,” Simon said with a serious expression, eying TOP with disdain.

TOP bit his lower lip casually and seemed to have cowered under Simon’s cold gaze.

“I’ll call my management and ask them to send a car here. I don’t want to be trouble,” TOP said, bowing to Simon slightly.

Martina gave Simon a “what-the-hell-did-you-do-that-was-so-rude” look and Simon instantly felt guilty.

“No, no, no TOP, please remain with us over lunch. We would love having you here with us and are glad to help.”

TOP smiled, “I would love to stay over lunch. I would much rather not tell my agency at all, so if I could stay here until night time where I can stow away by all by myself, I would be very appreciative.”

“Stay for as long you need,” Martina said to him with a smile.

Thus the awkwardness began. Martina wanted to avoid interacting with TOP much as to not irk the jealous Simon. Simon wanted to observe them from the sideline, waiting for an opportunity to have an excuse to somehow attack TOP. TOP was very obviously here for Martina and it annoyed the out of him that he would be so indecorous as to visit them in the studio. He would shift his eyes towards TOP every moment to see him looking wondrously at Martina. , Simon would think, trying with every ounce of patience he possessed not to strangle TOP then and there.

TOP, on the other hand tried to make conversation with specifically Martina. He talked and asked questions like, “how do you like living in Korea?” and “who’s your favorite K-Pop groups” and “what’s your favorite Big Bang album” etc. Because Simon was too busy glaring, it was Martina that answered merrily, trying her best to suppress the awkwardness.

There then came a point when TOP really needed to pee. He asked where the bathroom is, and learned then that it wasn't in the studio.

“I’ll take you,” Martina said as she leapt off her seat. Simon held her arm.

“No, I’ll take him.”

Drat, TOP thought, stupid er. Wait, he’s her husband.

Simon led him out of the studio and pointed up a flight of stairs at the bathroom.

“The bathroom’s up there,” he said coldly.

“Mr. Stawski, may I ask why you’re acting this way?” TOP asked, realizing that Simon has been giving him the cold shoulder ever since he got here.

“Acting what way?”

“You know how you’re acting. You’re not the lively cheerful man I see when I watch your shows. Is something bothering you?”

“Actually, yes. I don’t like the way you look at her.”

“Who’s her?”

“You know who I’m talking about!”

“Martina?”

“Yes.”

“How do I look at her, Mr. Stawski?” TOP very well knew how he looked at her, but decided to play denial just to save face.

“I don’t know, your eyes kind of twinkle and you smile a little. I know you’re interested in her. I can see it in your eyes.”

If there’s anything that TOP learned in his years of being an idol, it’s how to act. He learned how to act happy when he’s depressed; how to act alright when he’s exhausted; how to act appreciative when he’s not; how to laugh at jokes that aren’t funny; how to smile when he wants to cry; how to pretend to get along with someone he doesn’t… his entire career he’s been acting. This was the time he could put his acting skills to use.

He burst out laughing, “no, no, no, you misunderstand, Mr. Stawski,” he said. “I’m definitely not interested in your wife; I assure you of that!” He put on a convincing facial expression.

Simon blinked a few times, seeming to reconsider all of his earlier theories about TOP. “Why do you look at her like that then?”

“Because of her pink hair.”

“Huh?”

“She reminds me of someone else I know with pink hair,” he lied. He was a good liar. “Someone I hide from the media.”

Simon narrowed his eyes curiously.

“Whenever I see Mrs. Stawski, I think of this girl. They both have pink hair. They’re both cheerful and funny and they’re both very pleasant to be around. Martina reminds me of her. That’s why I look the way I do when I look at your wife.”

So that’s why he said he likes girls with pink hair in the interview! Simon thought, suddenly feeling very stupid and guilty for accusing TOP of being interested in his wife. “I… I…”

“Don’t worry about it, Mr. Stawski. I guess it’s my fault too for being too dazzled by your wife’s similarity to her. I should learn to internalize my bedazzlement next time. I promise I’ll stop.”

“No. It’s my fault for jumping into silly conclusions. But is this girl your girlfriend?” Simon said looking down in shame. TOP smirked in his head. Simon totally bought that.

“Yes. But Mr. Stawski, you must not tell anyone though. I don’t want to be caught up in a scandal and I don’t want her to be targeted by crazed fangirls.”

“No I completely understand and of course I won’t tell a soul. And please, please forgive my misunderstanding. I was stupid to think that you’d…”

“Ah, Mr. Stawski sir, if you don’t mind I kind of have to pee badly…”

“Oh yes of course! Go ahead!” Simon signaled up the stairs. “Sorry.”

“No problem,” TOP bowed and smiled politely at Simon, but as soon as he turned around to walk up the stairs towards the bathroom, that smile transformed into a smirk. I got him. I totally got him.