"Be safe. I'm giving you a week off." YG said as Vinny, Madeline, and I packed. It was almost the fourth of July, and my parents wanted us all home because Vinny and my 21st birthday was July 6th.

This would also be when TOP meets my family.

"Also, since everyone is going to have it easy, I am sending CL with you," YG continued. We all stopped and looked at our CEO. "Vincent, you an Chaerin need to continue practicing. You will do it on your own terms, and work on your chemistry as well."

"No one else is coming with?" Madeline asked.

YG shook his head. "Those would be a waste of plane tickets. Just you five need to go. I expect you back on the tenth. Natalia, you will practice with Daesung again when you are back."

I nodded, and YG turned to leave our suite. He stopped and looked back at us. "Please, please make sure your family goes lightly on poor Seunghyun-ah." YG chuckled.

I laughed and nodded. "I'll do my best."

YG left, and Vinny was the first to sigh. "So I guess this means CL is going to meet the family, huh?"

"Hopefully they don't look into it." Madeline admitted.

She had a point; whenever it was out that I was hanging out with a boy or Vinny was friends with a girl, our family thought we were dating them.

"You an CL do look like you're pretty good friends, though." I admitted, looking at my twin brother fix the snapback on his head. He and CL had a similar relationship to me and Seungri. It seemed that they were taking constant selcas.

"We are." Vinny nodded. "It's CL of 2NE1, Nat. Who wouldn't want to hang around her?"

"You sound like how I sounded with Seungri and Top." I looked at my brother again. He had to feel something for one of them.

There was a knock at our door, and Kevin poked his head in. "Hey, my gorgeous trainees, we need to get going." Kevin and Big Will had to come with us, too.

-----

Fans had heard we were going to O'Hare airport from local fansites, so as soon as we got off the plane, fans and paparrazi were everywhere.

"Why is it so packed?" I asked as Big Will and Kevin tried to guard me, Vinny, and Madeline. TOP and CL were ahead of us, their own managers with them.

"It's your first public appearance with TOP outside of a concert." Kevin told me. "Just stay close."

I couldn't even focus on what the fans were screaming. They sounded so excited.

I had no idea there were crazy fans like this in America.

Our assistants that tagged along went to go and grab our luggage, and TOP glanced back at me. He fixed his jacket (despite the 90 degree weather) and smiled. I would've felt more comfortable if I could see his eyes, but his sunglasses were shielding them. "Are you okay?" He mouthed.

I nodded, but immediately looked over at my brother when I heard him chuckle uncomfortably. "W-whoah!"

I went to reach out for my brother as soon as I saw that some fan had managed to grab his bare arm.

Big Will separated from me immediately to go help pry the girl of of my brother.

I didn't even know what had hit me.

I felt something hard hit the side of my head, then someone shout, "Maybe this time that blow to the head will teach you to stay away from my oppa!"

I lost my balance and fell to my knees, and heard other shouts, too.

I kept my head bowed as tears clouded my eyes. I didn't know what to do.

"Nat!" Vinny shouted.

At once, he, Big Will, and TOP all scrambled to pick me up. TOP put his arm around me tightly to shield me from anymore antifans.

"I want that crazy girl ejected from this airport!" I heard Kevin shout at airport security. He and Big Will were right by me and TOP. "Keep going as fast as we can. The van is outside. Don't even wait for Vin, Madeline, or CL. They have the other managers with."

I clung to TOP as tight as I could and as soon as the hot air from the sun hit me, it was a relief.

"Here." Kevin said again.

TOP helped me into the waiting van, and he immediately ollowed me in. He took the sunglasses from my face and held my face in his hands. "Are you alright? They hit your head. Do you have another concussion? Maybe we should take you to the emergency room again."

"I'm fine." I said, despite my trembling hands. "I just... I want to go home."

"Who hits someone's head weeks after a concussion?" Vinny roared as he, Madeline, and CL got into the van next. "Can we get that girl's name? She needs to be sued!"

"Calm down." Kevin sighed. He got into the passenger seat as Big Will took the driver's seat. Kevin turned to look at me and took off his own ray-ban sunglasses. "How you doing, doll face?"

"I'm fine." I said again.

I didn't realize Jiyong was being serious when he said some fans were going to hate me. I didn't believe it when YG had said we needed a bodyguard, me more than Vinny.

This was a lot more serious than I could've imagined.

"We aren't telling Mom." I looked at my brother in the backseat. TOP's hand was now on my leg.

Vinny nodded. His face was bright red with anger.

At least we were going home.

-------

We dropped all of our stuff off at the hotel we were staying at, which was about ten minutes from me and Vinny's home. I was really excited to get back home, and even though Madeline wouldn't see her parents until tomorrow, I knew she was equally as happy to see her aunt and uncle.

"Thank you guys for letting me come with," CL said as Big Will pulled up to our long driveway. "I would have been a little bit lonely at our hotel all alone."

"Oh, CL, it's no problem." I smiled brightly at the 2NE1 leader. I decided to just ignore the incident at the airport for now. I was going to be with family, and nothing could hurt me here. "We're happy you're with. My family is going to welcome you with open arms, don't worry."

"Am I a different story?" TOP chuckled. I could tell he was nervous to meet my family, main being my mother.

"Um, it'll be okay." I smiled at him and patted his shoulder. I really didn't know if it was going to be okay. "You've technically already met them, too. Remember the restaurant?"

"I wasn't introduced as your boyfriend then." TOP pointed out.

Big Will parked in our driveway, and I was not surprised to see my grandparent's car and sister's SUV in the driveway, too.

We all stepped out, and I laughed at TOP's nervous face. "Come on. You'll be fine." I took his hand and we all walked up the wraparound porch and to the front door.

Vinny rang the doorbell, and we waited about two seconds until the door swung open.

"Hello!" My mom smiled brightly, excited that her children were finally home. "Come in come in come in!"

She opened the screen door for us, and I felt TOP's hand tighten around mine. I looked back at him and smiled again. It was all going to be okay.

"They're here!" My mom announced from the foyer.

Immediately, we heard loud cheers, and pretty soon me, Vinny, and Madeline were ambushed by our grandparents and my parents, our relatives speaking in Italian automatically.

"What is going on with you, mi angela?" My grandpa said when he squeezed me tightly. He held my shoulders at an arms length and looked down at me. He shook his head. "No. This will not do. You are too skinny! Are you even eating?"

"I'm eating plenty, nonno." I laughed. "I just have to work out a bit more." My family didn't know Vinny and I had signed with YG to be artists.

My grandpa let go of me, and I took a step back. "We have some people for you to meet." I nodded to Kevin and Big Will. "This is Kevin, our manager, and Big Will, our bodyguard."

"Bodyguard?" Dad asked. "Why do you need a bodyguard?"

"Or a manager?" Mom asked next.

"Mr. and Mrs. Marcs, it's great to meet you both. The name's Kevin Macabee. You got two gorgeous and hardworking twins." Kevin saved us from answering questions and shook my parent's hands, Big Will doing the same.

"This is CL." I continued, putting my arm around her shoulders. "She's tagging along beause she and Vinny have to work on their dance duet."

"Hi." CL smiled and bowed politely. "I'm sorry to be intruding on family time, especially on a holiday."

"Oh, it's not intruding!" Nonna smiled kindly. "We are happy to meet Natalia and Vincent's friends."

I grabbed TOP by his elbow and pulled him over to me. "And you guys met Seunghyun at the restaurant, remember? Seunghyun, these are my parents: Roberto and Juliana. My grandparents: Chippio and Carmela. And my sister, Angelina, and her husband Kenji and their son Kyoki."

"So this is the coreano that stole aIl mio angel del cuore!" My grandpa smirked at TOP. "Come on over here for an Italian greeting!"

"Nonno, his customs aren't the same as-" I tried to say, but it was too late.

My grandpa hugged TOP, then kissed both his cheeks.

I was mortified.

Vinny started laughing loudly, and Madeline and I gasped in horror.

"Nice to meet you." TOP smiled and chuckled uncomfortably.

My grandmother grabbed both of TOP's hands and looked up at him. "You have to treat my granddaughter well, va bene?" She looked over at me. "È così bello e alto! Una buona scelta."

I laughed and nodded. "Grazie, I know."

I pulled TOP back before anything else embarrassing could happen.

"Where are your bags?" Mom asked, looked behind us.

"We have a hotel about ten minutes away." Vinny explained.

"Nonsense!" My dad exclaimed. "You all can stay here! Kevin and William, we have a guest house out back you two could stay in. CL and Top, there are plenty of guest rooms you can choose from."

"Roberto, I don't think that's a good idea." My mom said lowly.

"We couldn't possibly intrude, Mr. Marcs." TOP smiled and shook his head.

"It's not intruding!" My dad insisted. "The more, the merrier! And by the looks of you all, you could use a nice Italian meal in your stomachs."

"Home cooked food does sound nice." Kevin smiled. "Thank you so much, Mr. Marcs." Kevin looked at us. "Will and I will head back to the hotel to grab the bags and check out."

"Great!" My dad clapped his hands together. "I will show you the guest house when you come back!"

They left, and my mom looked at me, frowning. "What are you wearing, Natalia Nicoletta?"

I looked down at my cropped tank top and short blue lace shorts. "It's hot out." I shrugged.

"Don't be such a pudici, Juliana!" My grandpa scoffed. "If I had the body of either of your children, I'd wear stuff like that, too!"

I laughed. My grandpa was a little bit shorter than TOP with thick greyed hair. He also was a heavier man.

"You all must be so exhausted from the flight." My grandma said. She gestured us over. "Come. Let's all sit down."

We walked into the living room, and as my grandparents and parents went to go grab refreshments, I looked at TOP. "Not too bad, right?"

"I can barely understand what your grandparents are saying." TOP winced.

This didn't surprise me. My grandparents' thick Italian accent was not good for anyone that hadn't heard them speak before.

"You'll get used to it as time goes by." Kenji answered instead of me. He smiled at TOP. "I've been through it before. Don't worry. It gets better.

"Does Mrs. Marcs get less intimidating?" TOP chuckled quietly.

Kenji laughed. "After a few months yes."

"A few months?" TOP looked at me.

I shrugged. "Sorry.... she's protective."

Before we could even all chat, Kevin and Will were back in our house with our bags.

"Ooh, perfect!" My dad clapped. He looked at my mom. "Julie, go and show Kevin and Will the guest house. I will show Seunghyun and CL the guestrooms we have."

My mom looked at me sternly, a look saying He better not take the room next to yours. I looked away, and my dad led us upstairs.

"Madeline, mia nipote, are you staying here with us or are you going back home?" Dad asked as he led us upstairs, each of us grabbing our bags.

"I'll stay here tonight, Zio Roberto." Madeline told my dad.

Dad looked at me. "She can sleep on your trundle bed, va bene?"

I nodded, and when we were upstairs, my dad walked over to the guest room next to mine, connected by my own bathroom. Dad turned around to face us and smiled kindly. "Unlike Natalia and Vincent's madre, I trust my daughter and her ragazzo. Seunghyun, you can take this room." He winked at me. "That's why I sent your mother to show the guest house."

"Thanks, Dad." I sighed.

Dad walked over to Vinny's room, which was across from mine, and to the room closest to it. "CL, you can take this room if you'd like."

CL smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Marcs."

My dad scoffed and shook his head. "Please, I insist on being called Roberto or even Bob. We don't need formal here." He patted TOP on the shoulder. "Now, you all get settled in. We're going to make a big Italian supper for you all."

Dad went back downstairs, and we all went to our respective rooms.

I helped Madeline pull the trundle bed out from under my own bedframe.

I just put my suitcase on my bed, then walked through my bathroom to TOP's room.

TOP smiled when he saw me. "Wow. That bathroom really does connect these rooms."

I nodded. "They sure do. Look, if I keep the doors open, we can see each other when we're going to sleep."

Cheesy, I know.

TOP chuckled and nodded. "I actually would feel more comfortable knowing that."

I sat down on the bed and looked up at him. "So what do you think so far?"

TOP paused for a moment. "Well, your dad seems nice. He even has an accent. It's weird hearing Madeline's name pronounced Mad-ah-leen-ay."

"He is nice. At least you can understand him. That's actually how Madeline's name is supposed to be pronounced too. My grandparents are nice, too."

"And your grandparents are your father's parents?"

I nodded. "They sure are. Just, please excuse them. They only know their customs."

"So the italian kissing my cheeks thing is an Itallian thing?" TOP laughed. "That's a relief. Does your whole family do that?"

I shook my head. "Just my grandparents. I mean, we do when we visit my grandpa in Milan or our family in Sicily."

TOP looked at me in astonishment. "You still have family in Italy?"

I nodded. "My mom's dad in Milan and my dad's extended family in Sicily." I changed my expression to look at him coyly. "You know... my family in Sicily live on a vineyard. They're famous for their wine."

TOP's eyes went so wide immediately. "Chincha? You're serious?"

I laughed and nodded. "They do. Marco-Muchi Vineyard. You can only get their wine in Italy, though, because it's so loved there and they want to keep it there. My dad imports it here, though, since we're family."

"Do we get some tonight?" He really did look like a kid in a candy store.

I laughed. "Probably."

TOP sat down next to me and thought for a second. "Is there anything I need to know? Any other customs?"

I nodded. "Our dinner table gets pretty loud. Don't be afraid to answer questions while eating. Always accept wine when it's offered, but I know that won't be a problem for you. Also, take a little of everything from the dinner table. It's disrespectful not to."

TOP nodded. "As long as I have you with me, I think I'll be okay."