Dipper saw the ball coming with Mabel's powerful kick. When he ducked in a cowardly manner to save his head from being a target, he realized the ball was now rolling down the street. Considering Dipper and Mabel didn't really have a backyard to play in, they were constantly playing alongside the road, but not far for their parents to keep an eye on them.

"No, Dipper!" Mabel shouted to him. "You're supposed to catch the ball! Not dodge it!"

Dipper grumbled. Sometimes, his sister acted wise and teased him. He pushed away the annoying comment and looked for the ball, which was now rolling down the crowded street full of people, who were either walking and getting some fresh air or buying their daily groceries at the outdoor supermarket.

"I'll get it!" Dipper called to his sister and made no hesitation to chase after the ball that tumbled down the slanted dirt road.

"But mom told us not to go where she can't see us." Mabel reminded her brother. Dipper and Mabel, being the same age of six years old, were constantly warned not to stray too far from their home. Their parents didn't trust the many strangers that were out there.

"It'll just take a second! I'll be right back!" Dipper shouted back, already down the street. It was difficult for him, however, since he was at the height of many adults' waists and had to keep track of the ball while obliviously pushing and shoving pairs of legs out of his way. At one point, he stared up at the tall giants and only some looked back down at him. When the swarm of people had settled, Dipper began to turn his head back and forth, searching for the red color of his ball that he lost while trying to get through the crowd.

Finally, his eye caught the pale red of what he was looking for. Next to a man's foot, was his ball. The man had a vibrant all-yellow hanbok and a black top hat with matching gomusin shoes. He was a thin man and his face was hidden behind a yellow, one-eyed mask.

He was in the process of picking up the ball when Dipper came up to him. He took a firm grasp of the man's clothing with his tiny fingers and tugged hard enough to get his attention. He gazed down at Dipper with a wide smile full of jagged teeth. The sun hit him from behind as Dipper had to lift his chin to meet the man's one eye on his mask. His real eyes were not visible, for they were behind his facewear. Dipper also finally noticed the long, skinny, black smoke pipe he had in his mouth, although, didn't understand what he was doing with it or why. His dark silhouette figure with the sun on his back made Dipper take one step backwards.

"Uh, excuse me, sir. But, that's my ball." He said without failure of keeping his child-like confidence.

The man's smile didn't faulter at the slightest. If it was even possible, his grin became more stretched out. He let out a playful laugh before letting Dipper snatch the ball out of his hand. "Why, Pine Tree!" The man announced with hysterical and sudden excitement. "Hadn't anyone told you not to talk to strangers?" He reached his scrawny hand up to his face and took the pipe out of his mouth and let his smoke puff in Dipper's face as he spoke. Dipper, standing there with his ball in his possession, felt his eyes go watery and his nose sting from the man's heavy smoke. He threw a short coughing fit before answering him.

"I'm not a tree. My name is Dipper."

The man, before going on again, laughed once more. "You sure are a well-mannered, naive, little boy, aren't you? Now, go on. Go enjoy your game with your dear sister." The man in the top hat leaned in on Dipper and pat his mess of hair for a head. His force made Dipper think that the man was trying to knock him over backwards. With one last, long look at him, Dipper turned back and up the street, back to Mabel.

Before leaving around the corner from where he had come, Dipper felt the need to check twice to see if the man was still watching him. He was. From a distance, Dipper could see him chuckling to himself, but he couldn't understand why. Then, as if Dipper was watching a magic trick, the man vanished just as a few people had blocked his view and then, revealed the empty sidewalk from where the man in the top hat was.

"Enjoy the calm...before the storm!" Bill chuckled before leaving Dipper in awe.

(Joseon AU)