"Tori-ah, we are heading out to the Starbucks down the street. Wanna come?" asked Ji Oppa, shouting from outside my hotel room's door. 

I quickly shouted a yes and grabbed an outfit (RP1.JPG) that wouldn't grab attention. Turns out that since TOP Oppa came to New York today for that photo shoot, people have been on the look out for him and any one else that is even remotely connected to Kpop. (Well, apparently, they are leaving the Wonder Girls and the JYP Office alone since everyone in New York is used to them now. I don't know?) 

"Ready! Let's head out. Oh! TOP Oppa, when did you get here? I thought you were doing the photo shoot first thing" I asked, hugging him and then walking to the elevator. 

"The location we were going to do it at isn't ready yet, so we are going to do it tomorrow. I heard about what happened with you and YoungBae" replied TOP Oppa, hinting at the question of 'Why did it happen'.

"Can we not talk about it right now?" I asked, knowing that Ji Oppa has been wanting to ask me the same thing since we left Korea.

"You know you are going to have to talk about at some point" inserted Ji Oppa.

"I know, but I'm still trying to figure out the answer."

We stayed quiet for the rest of the elevator ride, but when we entered the lobby, we were almost swarmed by a group of about 6-7 girls. The security guards got them off of us, and got them to calm down enough to actually speak. Ji Oppa and TOP Oppa gave them autographs and pictures while I stood in the background. Since Morning Star just debuted, I wasn't really expecting to get any attention except being seen with THE G-Dragon and TOP.

As they finished and we were walking to the front of the lobby, I heard a little girl shout out my name. Sure enough, a little girl was standing in front of the sitting area that was beside us holding a notebook and pen in her hands. When she noticed that she got our attention, she ran up to us and wrapped her arms around my legs. 

"It's really Tori. I'm your biggest fan! I can't believe I actually get to meet you!"

I giggled at her reaction and bent down to her level when she finally let go of my legs. She looked to be about 5 or 6 years old and had bouncy brown curls and unique hazel eyes. I could tell that she was a little mixed child like I am, but she has a little more Caucasian than I do. 

"Well? What's your name?" I asked, patting her head.

"My name is Emily. I'm 5 and a 1/2 years old, and am the biggest fan of Morning Star in the whole universe" replied Emily, stretching her hands out to show a big circle.

"It's nice to meet you Emily. Are you here with your parents?"

"Yup. Mommy is over there talking to Daddy and my big brother."

She pointed over to a group of people who were talking about what looked to be a serious matter. That's when I noticed that her older brother looked more like an Asian than Emily and that their father was mixed too. I guess that explains Emily's looks, but what about her brother's? Well, it's not any of my business but I'm curious now.

"Why don't we go say hi and then I will sign your book for you, okay?" I asked, taking her hand and walking over to the group. 

They noticed as we walked up and instantly dropped the subject and started smiling. As they all finally noticed who was walking with their daughter/ sister, their mouths dropped. The mother stood up and came to meet us.

"Hi, I'm Tori. Your daughter came over to talk to me, and I wanted to make sure she got back to you without getting lost" I said, shaking the mother's hand. 

"Oh, thank you. I'm sorry for her bothering you" replied her mother, taking Emily's hand from me. 

"It's no problem at all. I'm actually surprised that she is a fan of Morning Star's. I know I'm probably being a little too nosy, but could you tell me how she knows about us?" I asked, being cautious with every word. 

"Um... sure. Well, her father is part Korean so we have the Korean TV channels. She saw a Morning Star performance and has been a fan ever since. I'm sure that she has already told you but you are her hero. She is always talking about you all the time saying 'I wanna wear this because Tori wears it' or 'I wanna do that because Tori does it.' It's the cutest thing to see her act like you."

"Mommy, don't tell her that. I won't be her favorite fan anymore" said Emily, shushing her mother. 

"Oh don't worry about that. You will always be my favorite, so how about that autograph?" I asked, taking the book she held out to me. 

I wrote out the autograph and signed it before giving the book back. As I stood back up, Ji Oppa and TOP Oppa shouted out that they were going first and that they would meet me there. I replied and turned back to the family. 

"Thank you so much for giving her the autograph. How much is it?" asked the father, pulling out his wallet.

"How much is what?" I asked, confused by the question.

"How much is the autograph? Don't you normally charge for that?" questioned the father, looking more confused than I am.

"No, never. We are happy to do it for the fans. I would feel horrible if I ever took money for giving back to the fans who support us" I answered.

"Completely different from American idols" mumbled the father, smiling and putting his wallet back. 

"Well, I have to get going now. It was nice meeting all of you" I said, bowing as a bodyguard came by my side. 

"Morning Star Fighting!" shouted Emily.

"Fighting" I replied, laughing and walking away. 

I walked out of the hotel door with the bodyguard to see that the group of fans from earlier had luckily followed Ji Oppa and TOP Oppa. When we were a few feet away from the front door, I noticed that Emily's brother had come out of the door, fuming mad. Now, I'm not that type of person who goes out of their way to comfort people, but I just couldn't help it after meeting his sister. I went back towards him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"WHAT?" roared the brother.

"You want to come and get a cup of coffee with me? My treat?" I asked, smiling as I put on the aviators.

"You, big Kpop star, want me to get a cup of coffee with you? Are you insane? Asking a stranger to get a cup of coffee?" questioned the guy. 

"Well, I feel like I owe you something since you have such an amazing little sister. Besides, you look like you need someone to talk to" I replied, walking away from him a little bit. 

"I don't need to talk to anyone" grumbled the guy.

"Yes, you do. People who do always say that they don't. Besides, what could one FREE cup of coffee do? Also, you would be keeping me company in a city that I have no clue how to navigate. Do me a favor... please" I said, pretending to beg. 

"Fine, but only one cup of coffee. And I'm only going because of the fact its free" said the brother, walking beside me.

A few minutes passed in awkward silence. I guess since the silences I'm used to have been those comfortable ones around Bae Oppa, I'm not really used to awkward silences anymore.

"So, what's your name?"

"Jaden" replied the guy, messing with his wristband.

"Nice wristband. You support gay rights?" I asked, guessing that was the problem from before.

"Yeah, since I'm gay and all. I think I would support them" replied Jaden. 

"Oh, your gay? I never really got to know anyone who's gay before, so maybe you could help me and not be offended when I say stuff that might offend you" I asked, hoping he would be okay.

"Really? You've never known anyone who is gay?"

"I've grown up all over the world. I was traveling for a good part of my childhood. My best friends are the people I work with in Korea. I don't have as grand a life as people expect, so don't be surprised if you find out how unexciting my life is" I said, walking along with the bodyguard. 

We continued comparing our lives and lifestyles together as we got to the Starbucks. As we got to the counter, we both ordered and I paid, like promised, while Ji Oppa and TOP Oppa were watching me like hawks. They are just too overprotective at times. 

"Why don't we sit outside in the back?" suggested Jaden, leading the way to the patio area out back.

"So, are you willing to fess up about what that argument at the hotel was about?" I asked, sitting down and looking at him.

"My mom wants me to take over Steve's company instead of becoming a dancer."

"Ahh. You call your dad Steve?"

"Step-dad. My dad passed away 10 years ago in 9/11" clarified Jaden.

"Oh, I'm so sorry" I said, feeling stupid for asking.

"I'm okay with it now, but ever since she met Steve... Mom has just been different. Before she was at least willing to let me be a dancer as long as I had an income, but now, it has to be an income where I can become a suit and tie guy. She doesn't really know me anymore."

"Are you sure? Because as far as I can tell, she is more worried about your future than you are" I said, thinking about it deeply.

"She's worried about the family image" said Jaden, sipping his coffee.

"Or she's worried that one day, your dancing career is over and you have nothing to fall back on. I mean, you are her first child. She is going to try to protect you as much as possible, because to her, you will always be her little boy. I know it probably doesn't make sense now, but it will one day."

"I don't see how she is looking out for me when she doesn't even know what I've planned out for myself."

"You know what? She probably has planned out your future a million times since you were born, and now, she is having to learn that maybe the one she was hoping you would go for, isn't the one for you. Children raise their parents just as much as parents raise them."

"How do you know all this? You seem to be too good at it" asked Jaden, laughing.

"I had to grow up pretty fast when I was little. My parents died in a car crash when I was 6 months old, so they left me to their best friends as my guardians. Thing is, they didn't know that I would follow in my parents' footsteps and be in the entertainment industry. So, as I was a kid, I had to grow up to look out for myself and also the people around me because they are my only family left."

"Well, I guess its easier now with that boyfriend of yours. I hear Emily talking about him all the time when I visit home."

"Really? She knows about SOL?"

"Yeah, she plays pretend and pretends to be you and have your boyfriend as her boyfriend. She named two of her dolls after you two. They're her favorite things to play with" explained Jaden. 

"Well, at least we can still look happy" I sighed under my breath.

"What? Trouble in paradise?" asked Jaden, looking a little more laid-back now. 

"You could say that. We've been fighting for the past couple weeks and for no reason. We used to never fight before but now that I've debuted with Morning Star... its different. We're different. I'm having to learn to balance my life when before I could put my all into our relationship. He is having to learn to share me with the rest of the world when before it was just... us and no one else."

"Sounds like you two hit a bump in the road with your relationship. You know, I've watched that show We Got Married with Emily before. I was babysitting when it premiered, so we watched it. I have to say that your guy is FINE! Don't give him because if you do, I will be on that plane to Korea in a split second" said Jaden, going diva a little bit. 

I laughed at his expression and could stop as he added on the stereo-typical snaps and head bob. 

"I just wish we knew how to get over this bump. I'm sick of the fighting and being overprotective of everything each other does. I mean, I don't say it but every time he touches another girl, jealousy flares up a little bit. The stuff he usually will call me out on, like wearing a crop top or showing too much skin in public without the other there, I get jealous at too, but I've learned to control that when he was so busy when we first started dating. I don't know if I'm just being too hard on him or if there is really something wrong" I said, running my hand through my hair.

"To tell you the truth, he is probably retreating back to the childhood tendencies of I scream and yell and through a fit if someone touches my toy. So you are his toy, if you put it that way. Just give him time and he will learn that sharing is a good thing."

"So, he doesn't mean to do it? He just does it because he isn't used to me not being there all the time" I said, trying to make sure I got the point.

"Yup. I mean, I do it with my guys. I've had to learn to share multiple times and I'm still horrible at it" replied Jaden, finishing off his coffee.

After that we continued talking until it was about time, I was going to have to leave for the hotel again. I told Jaden that, so he offered to walk me back to the front of the store and meet Ji Oppa and TOP Oppa. Before we left the table, he asked me one final question.

"What are you all doing in New York?"

"G-Dragon brought me here to get my wedding dress for the wedding ceremony my boyfriend and I are planning on We Got Married" I said, throwing away my cup.

"Oooo. You will have to send me a picture of the dress or tell me all about it. Here is my number, just call and I will tell you if it is fabulous or if Koreans have no American fashion sense" said Jaden, going back into diva mode.

I laughed at took his number. We walked out to the front of the store to see Ji Oppa and TOP Oppa waiting on me with the other three bodyguards. Jaden left  and went the opposite direction of us, back to his dance studio. I could tell that Ji Oppa and TOP Oppa weren't too excited with me spending my time with a guy they didn't know. 

"So, who was that?" asked TOP Oppa.

"That was Jaden. He's that little girl's brother. I was talking to him since it seemed like he had some stuff to talk about" I said, walking back to the hotel. 

"Is that all you two talked about? You two looked a little closer than people who just met" said Ji Oppa, looking ahead.

"Well, he seems like really good guy. I have to introduce you guys if we meet him again" I said, getting excited over the fact of them meeting.

"Let's just get to the point. Are you already trying to replace YoungBae?" asked Ji Oppa, looking at me. 

"What? Why would I replace Bae Oppa?" I asked.

"Spending a coffee date with a guy who you barely know and then exchanging phone numbers. Sounds like he is trying to ask you out" said TOP Oppa. 

"Ask me out? I'm not his type, I promise" I said, finally knowing what they were talking about. 

"You are every guy's type" said Ji Oppa, huffing at my statement. 

I could have sworn I saw a couple of the bodyguards look away at his statement. 

"Not a guy's who just happens to be gay. Like Jaden."

"He's gay?" shouted Ji and TOP Oppa. 

"Yes, he is gay. That's why we got along so well" I said, laughing at their expressions. 

"So we called YoungBae for nothing" said TOP Oppa, talking to Ji Oppa.

"I guess we did" replied Ji Oppa. 

"Hold on, you called Bae Oppa" I asked, as we got back into the elevator up to our rooms. 

"Uh, we did it without thinking. If we had known that it was nothing, then we wouldn't have done it but... Yeah" said Ji Oppa, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Now he is going to freak out again. And I wanted be happy together when I went back to Korea" I said, walking to the door of my room. 

"Well, you will, because he is coming here tomorrow" said TOP Oppa, showing me the text he just received from Bae Oppa.