5 Chapter 4: When The Black Kitty Steals The Show

I couldn't keep my mouth closed, and my eyes were filled with wonder as I looked out the window. The car we were in drove through the streets of Seoul with the sun beginning to set in the west and the street lights starting to brighten the streets. The city is just as beautiful as I imagined it. The beautiful skyscrapers, bright TV bulletins, and neon lights almost felt like home in L.A. or New York. But the signs and words on billboards made it quite clear that we're in South Korea now.

"Wow, this place looks awesome," said Daniel, who sat beside me and was also looking out of the window.

"I know, right? It's like a dream come true that we're here," said Christine, who sat behind me.

"OMG, is that an ancient palace?" I asked when I saw what looked like one from afar. Before coming here, I made sure to Google some wonderful sites I would like to visit. I had a huge interest in ancient palaces.

"It is," said Collins. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"It sure is," I said with a smile as we quickly lost sight of it.

We continued to follow the car ahead and soon found ourselves at a beautiful hotel: the Seoul Hotel. Before we could get out of the car, bright, flashing lights came into view through the windows. The paparazzi. It looks like news travels fast around here too. These people always made me feel uncomfortable.

When the doors of the car flew open, Collins and Lee stepped out first. Mike, Zoey, and Christine excitedly followed. If there's one thing they like about being famous, it's the bright lights and attention. Even though we've been in the spotlight for almost two years, I'm still not used to it, especially dealing with the paparazzi and reporters. The attention I get from my fans is more than enough.

"Hey, aren't you coming?" Daniel asked, bringing me back from my thoughts.

"Yeah, I am," I said, trying to pull myself together.

"I know you've never liked this, but The Toxins aren't The Toxins without you," he said, giving me an encouraging smile.

"It's going to take years for me to get over this."

"Yeah, I know. Come on, we have to go."

Daniel got out of the car, leaving me all alone. I take a deep breath, getting myself ready to step out. Before I could even get the chance, a hand appeared before me. G-Dragon is standing outside the car with his hand stretched out for me to hold on to. For the moment, I can't stop staring at him. I looked at his hand, then back. I don't know what to do, and I couldn't help but blush.

"Come on, we're all waiting for you," he said with a smile. "Take my hand."

I continued to look at him, contemplating what to do next. I finally took his hand, and he delicately held mine, slowly leading me out of the car.

The flashing lights of the cameras turned on me immediately after I put my foot out. When I fully stepped out, G-Dragon stood beside me with his hand still wrapped around mine. The cameramen and reporters were calling out to me to grab my attention. This is the part where I always try to get over my irritation and smile.

G-Dragon led me down the aisle that led to the glass doors of the hotel. The rest of The Toxins and BIGBANG were already ahead, getting their pictures taken, but soon most of the media's attention turned to G-Dragon and me. They kept on calling out to us, and we paused to have our picture taken together. I am already losing my nerve, and all this made my body go stiff.

"Woah, relax, B.K." said G-Dragon as he smiled for the camera. "You don't seem too comfortable."

I blush. It looks like he read my body language. Well, this is embarrassing.

"I don't like getting all the attention," I told him as I spoke in his ear.

"You deserve it." He said this while he looked at me. "Just like the whole world has their attention on you, you have mine too."

Is he flirting with me? I can't tell since I can't think straight with all that's going on around us. I hadn't noticed that we were so close and that he was still holding my hand. Likewise, I wanted to pull away, but that would only look rude in front of everyone. It would also be a juicy scene for the media to show and tell.

He gave me that irresistible smile, and I felt like melting. He left me utterly speechless.

"Come, let's join the others," he said, and we continued to walk hand in hand down the aisle.

When we got to them, we all took several group photos together. Afterwards, we went through the doors of the hotel. The media remained outside as the security guards barricaded the doors. It's always a relief to get away from those vultures.

"I think you can let go of my hand now," I said as I turned to face G-Dragon.

"I let go of your hand, or you let go of mine?" he asked.

I got confused, and the smirk on his face almost made me lose my mind. I want to look down at our hands, but that would only make things even more awkward. He's doing this just to torture me.

I quickly slipped my hand away from his and folded my arms. He smiles and walks away, slightly brushing my shoulder with his, intentionally. I let out a sigh of relief when he left to join the others. Is it just me, or did it feel so hot in the lobby that I couldn't even breathe?

Collins, Lee, and Yang Hyun-suk were by the reception desk, checking if our rooms were ready. The Toxins were huddled up with BIGBANG, talking and laughing about who knows what. They all seem to be getting along just fine. When I look around, I notice that the guards inside the lobby have made a circle around us. People were coming from the elevators, and others using the stairs coming into the lobby had their eyes on us. Some even had their phones out, taking pictures and videos. A small group of teenage girls were excited upon seeing The Toxins and BIGBANG together.

"I see that Ji Yong is troubling you," said Taeyang as he came over, breaking away from the others.

"Well, not really," I said. "And here I thought Seungri was the devious one."

"Don't mind him. He does that all the time."

"Does he do that just to make any girl fall for him?"

"Not really. The thing is, no one ever knows what his real intentions are."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." I smiled.

"I noticed that the two of you were holding hands earlier. That's going to be all over the news."

"Yeah, I'm definitely screwed." I playfully hit my head with my hand, laughing nervously. "People would start to think otherwise, huh?"

"I don't think people would come to any conclusion. You just met."

"Yeah, I guess so. I worry for no reason."

"Don't feel relaxed, though. The media knows how to twist things around."

"I've been there before; it did not go well."

While Taeyang and I continued talking, we soon heard noises. There seemed to be confusion outside the circle of guards. The next thing I knew, I felt something grab my leg, and when I looked, I gasped.

Holding onto my leg is a beautiful young girl in a lovely white dress. She looked to be three to four years old. And I am captivated by her cuteness.

"Aww, look who we have here," I said softly. I went down on one knee after the little girl let go of my leg. I gently held her chin up, and she gave me a bright smile. Likewise, I smiled back.

"She's so cute. What do you think?" I asked Taeyang.

"She is," he replied. "It seems she likes you."

I smiled at Taeyang, and I looked back at the little girl. She stretched out her hand to me, and in it was a beautiful white flower, which she held by the stem. I looked at it, then back at the young girl, whose bright smile made my heart flutter.

"Is this for me?" I asked softly.

The little girl nodded, and my smile widened even more. I slowly took the white flower, then carried the little girl in my arms, hugging her.

I noticed that all this took everyone's attention, and people were either filming or taking pictures. They still kept their distance because of the guards. I stood up straight with the girl in my arms and ran my hand through her black, silky hair. I start to look around for the girl's parents when I see a woman standing outside the circle, staring at the girl in my arms. It seems like she's the girl's mother because she had a look on her face only a mother could have. The little girl looked on at the same woman, and I made the connection. I make my way over to her.

"Sorry for the trouble," the woman said to me when I got closer. "She can really be jumpy sometimes."

"No, not at all," I said. "You've got a very beautiful daughter."

"Thank you," the woman said with a smile.

The guards standing between the woman and me made way, and I gave the little girl back to her mother. The girl waved goodbye, and I also did the same. The woman took her daughter away, heading for the elevator. I looked at the flower in my hand and smiled. When I turned around, everybody else in the circle, including the two managers and Lee, was staring at me.

"What?" I shrug my shoulders.

Taeyang looked at me in a way I can't describe. I can't tell if he was amazed at what happened or at me. In any way, he made me blush, and I felt uncomfortable in my own skin.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask him.

"Um, nothing," Taeyang said with a smile. "I was only wondering. That little girl really likes you, and you seem to be good with children."

"Or she was just an adorable, cute fan of mine that managed to pass through the guards just to give me a flower."

Taeyang laughed, and I blushed even more. I looked the other way so that he wouldn't notice.

"You don't know how valuable you are, do you?"

I look at him, and my heart begins to race. What did he mean by that? Somehow, I felt like I knew, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. I looked down at my feet, not even willing to look up.

I felt Taeyang hold the bottom of my chin with his fingers and slowly lift my face to stare into his kind eyes. For a moment, I got lost in them.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked softly. Damn! His voice was like music to my ears, and I felt so drawn to him. Wake up, Sam, I told myself. I have to snap out of it.

"I'm sorry if I did," he continued when I didn't answer. Dang it! That sweet voice moved me again. "But you do know how extraordinary you are, don't you?"

I swallowed. That's one question I couldn't answer. Luckily, Collins announced that it was time to go up to our rooms. That's a relief. At the moment, I wanted to be as far away from every BIGBANG member as possible.

"Come on, Sam," said Zoey, who had a huge smile on her face as she headed for the elevator. Christine and Daniel followed.

"I better get going," I told Taeyang.

"See you tomorrow, then," he said. "Maybe then we can get on the dance floor and see who has the best moves."

"You're on," said Mike as he walked past us, joining the others in the elevator.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said.

"Make sure you dream about me, alright?" came T.O.P.'s voice as he came and whispered right in my ear. I didn't see him coming, and I felt a chill run down my spine at the sound of his husky voice. These guys are driving me crazy.

"See you tomorrow, T.O.P." I turned around to face him as he gave me that bad-boy smile of his.

I said goodbye to Daesung and Seungri, who both hugged me in return. G-Dragon came over, and I wanted to roll my eyes at him but surprisingly failed to do so. I'm not ready to put up with him again. I felt like running for my life towards the elevator, but I stood there, waiting for what was to come.

"Goodnight and sweet dreams, my little black kitty," he said softly. My eyes almost fell out of their sockets when he said that.

"What did you-?"

Before I could finish my sentence, G-Dragon quickly pecked me on the cheek. I am so stunned that I can't move. I didn't know he would do that, and it felt wrong on so many levels.

When I gather my composure, I quickly walk away and join the others in the elevator. Before the doors closed, I looked up to see G-Dragon staring at me with that corky smile on his face, and he gave me a wink.

***

"What just happened out there?" Zoey asked.

I threw myself onto the comfortable bed, landing on my back with my eyes closed. I want to forget all that has happened. Furthermore, I feel so tired, and I need to rest, but my mind won't let me. And so is Zoey.

"Hello, B.K. I'm talking to you." I felt Zoey come to sit beside me and shake me.

"May I please rest?" I whined with my eyes still closed. "You know I'm tired."

"You aren't resting until you tell me what happened down there in the lobby."

"So many things happened today," I said as I opened my eyes. "I suggest you be more specific."

"Let's start with the time you were walking down the aisle with G-Dragon."

"What?" I sat up. "Don't tell me you are jealous."

"You heard me. Start talking." Zoey looked at me in a way that my mother would whenever I did something wrong.

"You're jealous," mocked Christine, who sat on the other bed opposite Zoey and me.

"Christine, ssh! Come on, Sam, start talking." Zoey looked serious. That didn't shock me at all.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It was nothing, really. He just helped me out of the car, and we walked down the aisle together."

"Really? You two were walking down the aisle like newlyweds! And he gave you a goodbye kiss before we left." She sighed. "I wish he gave me one too."

"You're overreacting, Zoey." I roll my eyes. "It's not like we'll ever be in a relationship. Apart from being friends, that is."

"I know," said Christine. "We just met these guys today, and you're already making a mountain out of a molehill."

"And you think Taeyang wasn't drooling over Sam in the lobby?" Zoey asked. "I thought you liked Tae."

"Yeah, but he's already dating someone else, so I'm not worried," said Christine with a smile on her face. "I only like him because I'm a fan. You, on the other hand, are acting like once upon a time, G-Dragon was your boyfriend, and then you two broke up when you just met him face-to-face today."

"I agree," I said. "You are one hell of a drama queen, Zoey. You can have G-Dragon because I'm not interested."

"Okay, fine," said Zoey. "I might have been a little jealous."

Zoey gave me puppy-dog eyes so that I could forgive her. I smile and shake my head, but she persistently continues with the look.

"Please stop doing that; you're no longer three." I laughed.

"Whatever. I'm just excited that I'm finally in Korea," she said with a grin.

"Yeah, me too." I stood and walked over to the window. The sky was completely dark, and the bright lights of the city shone brightly in the dark night.

"So, Christine, you're going to share the other room with Lee," I heard Zoey tell Christine. "Sam and I will be in this room. Wow, these beds are so comfortable." I hear her bounce up and down. "I'll sleep like a baby tonight."

All of a sudden, the door to the room flew open, and Lee came flying in, landing on the other bed Christine is sitting on. We all look at her, wondering what's going on.

"Hey, are you okay?" Christine asked.

"Have you checked what's online?" Lee asked, almost out of breath.

"Um, no," Zoey replied. "What is it?"

"Sam, you're everywhere, like everywhere," said Lee as she looked at me. She clearly isn't making any sense.

"I'm everywhere? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Pictures of you with G-Dragon, the time you were with that little girl and Taeyang, everything. People are just talking about you!"

Lee had her phone, and she held it up for all of us to see. Christine, Zoey, and I got close enough to look at the screen. And just like she said, there were many pictures of me and G-Dragon. Lee continued to scroll downward. There were more: some with me and the little girl, and others with Taeyang. There were also pictures of all The Toxins and BIGBANG members, but the photos of me were a little too much.

"Wow, I'm not looking forward to seeing the entertainment news tomorrow," I said as I continued to look at the pictures.

"OMG!" said Zoey, her eyes still fixed on the screen. "There are pictures of you everywhere, Sam."

"Nah, we're all there," I said. "I'm just a little unfortunate."

"Did you just say unfortunate?" Zoey asked as she looked at me with her eyebrows raised. "So many pictures of you, and you're saying you're unfortunate?"

"Okay, I better shut up because I'm clearly not helping," I said as I walked back to the window.

Suddenly, Mike and Daniel came into the room through the open door.

"Guys, you're supposed to knock first," said Christine. "This is a girls' room, you know."

"You won't believe what's on Facebook," said Mike, completely ignoring Christine.

"If you're talking about Sam, we already know," said Zoey.

"This is annoying," I said. "I didn't want this."

"No one said you did," said Lee. "It just so happens that you caught people's attention."

"It looks like you've gained so much attention yet again," said Daniel. "Wait until Collins sees this."

"I'm so tired right now," said Christine as she yawned. "But I need to have something to eat first."

"Food will be brought up soon," said Lee. "Collins thinks it's too risky to go downstairs since there are still fans and the media around."

"Staying here is fine with me," I said. "As long as I don't get my picture taken putting something in my mouth."

"Haha, now you're just exaggerating," said Zoey. "Just accept that somehow you caught the world's attention. Besides, this isn't the first time the Black Kitty has stolen the show."

I look at Zoey, and I have to admit, she's right. There were plenty of times when I "stole the show," as everybody puts it. But this time, it wasn't the whole U.S., but South Korea and other parts of the world combined. I'm not ready to check my phone because of all the notifications I would receive. I might as well just flush it down the toilet.

Looking out the window upon the beautiful city, still holding the flower the little girl gave me in my hand, I couldn't help but think of what Taeyang told me down in the lobby if I knew how valuable I am. I felt like a priceless diamond for the entire world to see. Some people would have liked the feeling, but I didn't.

When supper arrived, we all ate, and everyone retired to sleep soon afterwards. As I lay down on my bed and Zoey is fast asleep on the other, I can't help but think of what will happen tomorrow. We were going to take a tour of Seoul. I am already so filled with excitement that I forgot all about the drama with BIGBANG, the media, and everything else. In what felt like seconds, I quickly dozed off to sleep.