The new dance was finally perfected after what seemed like forever. The movements were graceful yet fierce, and the dance itself was reminiscent of their two previous choreographies.  The other members were beyond exhausted but Lisa loved the energy she was able to give and receive. Being in high spirits, she couldn't keep the wide grin off of her face as she watched Jisoo and Jennie lie down on the floor without any care in the world.

"You're so weird... looking happy like that when I’m about to pass out from exhaustion." Rosé... Chae Young remarked as she slumped down beside Lisa-- their damp backs against the foggy wall mirror.

"You know I’m always happy when I'm dancing." 

“I wish I have your energy.” Chae Young leaned the side of her head on Lisa’s shoulder.

The latter scrunched her nose and moved to quickly sniff her underarm. "I think I smell."

"You do." Her friend teased.

Once they had all finished showering and dressing up for their dance practice recording, the girls went to eat light dinner. They had to because they would be showing their best during the recording later. Afterwards, Lisa snuck away to go to her secret place. The other three knew she always needed time for herself-- they all did... and Lisa had her own way of being alone with her thoughts.

As soon as she opened the door to the balcony, the smell of cigarette smoke greeted her. Her heart thumped wildly once she saw her senior leaning on the railing-- his head slightly turned towards her.

"Long time no see." T.O.P said after blowing smoke in the crisp autumn evening air.

Lisa bowed to greet him and she heard him chuckle. "You look so formal doing that."

"Well, that’s how I learned it." Lisa replied with a grin as she straightened.

"Busy with your comeback?" He asked and she nodded eagerly. "We're nearly complete with our new album."

"I'm looking forward to hearing the new songs." 

"Really?" He paused to turn around so that he was directly facing her. "You love BIGBANG?"

The laughter that it omitted from Lisa made him smile. "Yep!"

One of T.O.P’s eyebrows quirked up as he continued to look at her—the smile still on his lips. His messy silver hair made him look ethereal under the moonlight. Lisa felt a little shy then because it had been a while since she had last seen him. She had no idea if she should be more open to him or not. But judging by how relaxed he was, she should feel the same.

T.O.P motioned for her to stand beside him. Lisa did and leaned her elbows on the metal railing. She looked at the neighborhood as he quietly finished his cigarette. They were both silent for a moment until he spoke in that distinct voice of his, “How’s everything so far?”

“We’ve received immense feedback and support. It’s very overwhelming.” She started and when she glanced at him, he was looking down at his shoes as he listened patiently. Her pace was slow and careful. “There are so many fan pages online and the records that we broke and the followers that we have… I don’t know how to feel about it. I’ve been dreaming about becoming famous but now that we’re just starting to gain it… I feel incredibly anxious.”

Lisa had no idea why she was being so honest. Maybe it was because he was one of the people who knew the most when it came to fame. Or maybe it was because he strangely made her feel comfortable. 

“You’ve got to think of your well-being the most. Take care of yourself and take care of your members.” T.O.P paused as he took his time to gather his thoughts. And when he did, he spoke so eloquently. 

“The important thing here is that you don’t lose yourself in the process. Always surround yourself with good people because they’re the ones who will be there for you through the inevitable hard times that will come.” he looked at her then—his eyes hard with assurance. “Trust me, they will come.”

The depth of his words made Lisa tense. She had spent countless nights thinking about the future that it exhausted her. She was scared and anxious yet hopeful at the same time. But realistically speaking, she needed to be prepared for what was to come. 

“I think about a lot of things, too.” He continued and Lisa was confused for a moment—thinking if he was actually able to read her mind. He had adjusted his speaking speed for her. “I usually get lost in my own thoughts. Sometimes, I get stressed thinking about simple things like what I should do for the day. And there are times when I go too deep that it scares me.” 

Lisa couldn’t say anything as she stared at the man beside her. It was then that he smiled and lightly nudged her elbow with his. “But we don’t want you to get scared of me, right?”

Chuckling nervously, Lisa ducked her head and tapped her fingers on the railing. “I’m more curious than scared.”

He slightly tipped his head back—his stare half-lidded and his posture relaxed. There was something about his whole demeanor that made Lisa’s ears buzz as warmth flooded her cheeks. She tried to hold his gaze for a few moments before turning to look back at the neighborhood—her heart pounding wildly against her chest. As crazy as it sounded, she felt like flinging herself off the balcony for feeling so strange.

“Sunb—I mean Top-oppa…” She flinched at her carelessness and she could hear him chuckle beside her.

“Seung Hyun.” He interjected and Lisa turned to look at him again.

“Seung Hyun-oppa?” She tested the name and he nodded in satisfaction. “Can I ask you a question?”

T.O.P… Seung Hyun hummed in response and Lisa gathered all her courage to ask that one question she had been thinking about since the night she first talked to him.

“Is everything worth it?” 

Her question gave him pause and he turned his body to face her. Lisa noticed that his stick was long gone. From this distance, he smelled faintly like cigarette smoke and a pleasant warm scent that was his perfume. She had never smelled anything like it before—the subtle sweetness reminded her of vanilla or cocoa but there was another one mixed in that she couldn’t quite describe. All she knew was that his scent was heady in its warmth and elegance. 

“You meant giving up a lot of things along the way?” Seung Hyun leaned closer as he spoke in a quieter voice—as if he was telling her a secret. “Feeling regretful is normal. But as the years passed by, I’ve come to learn that there’s always a silver lining in whatever path we take.”

It was as if Lisa was listening to a completely different person. She was about to reply when Seung Hyun continued to speak. 

“Just do what you love, Lisa. Anything can happen... Only you can make your own decisions so try to stand up for what you believe in.” His words held so much depth that it took quite some time for everything to sink into her. 

“I’ve been trying to prepare myself for what’s to come. Now, I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.” She managed to say as the tips of her fingers started to feel tingly.

Seung Hyun sighed—a deep yet comforting sound that made Lisa wish she could hear it once more. “There will be many lonely days. You will feel angry, frustrated, and isolated. Who doesn’t?”

A hint of a smile appeared on her lips.

“But there will be even greater days. You have your members, you’ll top charts, you’ll go on tours, you’ll have so many supportive fans, and you’ll have plenty of men who will fall at your feet.” Seung Hyun chuckled then as he took out his phone from his pocket. “Speaking of…”

Lisa watched as he tapped on his phone for a few moments and then he leaned even closer that their arms touched. She felt her pulse race and the str