It was the first time Taeyang had ever set foot out of South Korea. It must have shown. His body slouched against his seat as he stretched. Peering out of the plane windows, he could tell that he was in a different country. Taeyang suppressed his panting and urge to scream. He was technically the luckiest guy in the world, but it hadn't sunk in. The plane was surrounded by people, he could hear them banging on the plane doors. They had microphones, a dozen types of cameras and notebooks tucked into their hands. "Are they all for us?" Taeyang asked Gong-Gi.

Gong-Gi nodded, then looked away. "It's the paparazzi. Be prepared for them to hunt you down 24/7. If you're lucky, you might find them creeping under the shower curtain." It felt as if Gong-Gi was trying to give Taeyang advice, but he sounded like a mad man from the way he slurred. His eyes could barely stay open.

"You make it sound like a horror movie..."

"Because it is one!"

Taeyang bit his lip and pulled away from him. All of a sudden, the teenage dream of fame and fortune became less desirable. Here he was, hoping this band would give him a purpose in life. "Seriously?" Taeyang said, "it can't be THAT bad? There's gotta be some good in it. Why else do some people spend years in the spotlight?"

He could tell that Gong-Gi was forcing a smile. It was the bent and awkward smile you would expect when someone at the dinner table is trying hard not to pass gas. His brother used to do it all the time.  "Being a pop star can be a nightmare."

"Thanks," Taeyang said. "That's really reassuring. You could have said that before, so I could have had the chance to run."

"Once you're in Flo's grip, you're in it for life."

"I know we're not gonna be in this forever." Taeyang shrugged his shoulders and fiddled with fingers. "I mean, maybe for a few years at least... I'm assuming you'll be reuniting with VALENTINE COOKIE soon, right?" There were so many questions the internet wanted to know that Gong-Gi that kept a secret. "Why didn't you and Flo Glitz get married in the end? Everyone used to rave how you two were the perfect couple."

"Our romance was staged." Gong-Gi shook his head. "Being in the military brought me back to reality. I retired from the music industry. I've got a wife and two daughters at home."

"What brought you back?" Taeyang asked. Something about Gong-Gi's story didn't make much sense. If he loved his family so much, why leave without even saying goodbye? Why was Gong-Gi not worshipping Flo Glitz after everything she had done for him and VALENTINE COOKIE? She always seemed to be kind. After all, she was a mother-figure to him. Everything seemed to be explained in baby steps, but the true intentions were left ambiguous.

"Flo..."

"So, do you love her?"

"No..."

As Flo Glitz entered their compartment, Taeyang wondered if asking too many questions was a good idea. "Believe me, Gong-Gi... I am so over you."

Taeyang found the sudden change of tone in her voice unconvincing. Even though their old romance may have been staged to promote their dramas and music, Flo had genuine feelings for him. Those were his observations. Like one of his favourite American singers, there were only two kinds of people in the world; observers and entertainers. Taeyang was born to be an entertainer, but he had the skills to be a wise observer.

Flo was a terrible liar. Taeyang could see the strain on her eyes. She waffled on about how she never had feelings for Gong-Gi initially and was strictly here on business and fulfilling her boy love fantasy. It was at that moment, Taeyang's heart pounded. Neither of the men was selected at random. Flo had picked them out on purpose. Even though Taeyang knew only the surface of what had happened between the other two, he could feel the chemistry and the tension when their eyes locked into each other.

"NOW LISTEN HERE!" Flo raised her voice. "I CAN MAKE YOU TWO MILLIONAIRES, BUT YOU HAVE TO SHOW THE WORLD HOW MUCH YOU LOVE EACH OTHER."

Taeyang blocked his ears. "Do you have to be so loud?"

It was apparent Gong-Gi was still taken aback. Taeyang understood. They only met once, and he had been asleep for the entire plane ride and now had to pretend that they were a couple, even though Gong-Gi has a wife and kids at home. Maybe they had split up? Maybe things were bad at home. Taeyang could speculate for hours inside his head. For now, he decided to do as he was told, as he held onto Gong-Gi's hand as they followed Flo to the immigration office.

"Hey! Are you gay?" the American photographer asked.

Taeyang nodded. "Yeah, I'm very gay, thanks. And how about you?" Didn't gay once mean happy once upon a time? He didn't want to come across as a show-off by speaking perfect English. Some of them were throwing in many f-words. Taeyang pretended not to understand.

Most of the reporters were middle-aged men, so he squirmed when he had five of them enquiring about his virginity.

A female reporter hogged her microphone into Taeyang's face. "Can you kiss for us?"
"Sure!" Gong-Gi shrugged his shoulders, picked Taeyang up and rammed his tongue down his mouth. It was in fact, Taeyang's first-ever kiss, and he wasn't sure if he loved it or hated it, but he went along with it. He grabbed Gong-Gi's hair with his right hand and spanked him with his left.

Ouch!

Did he really have to do it that hard?

And did the reporters really need to use vulgar language not even worth repeating? Thankfully, most of it wasn't aimed at Taeyang, but at Gong-Gi, who spoke like a true diplomat towards the cameras.

"I can assure you all, everything we do is perfectly legal! He's 18, it's fine."
He squinted at Gong-Gi for a second, then grinned at the cameras. "Very regal!"  How did Gong-Gi not know his age? Did Flo Glitz inform everyone that he was eighteen to make people feel better about the great pretending? He was sure that he told him he was seventeen. His family and everyone in his class would be able to confirm his age.

***

Flo Glitz Entertainment Tower had an unwelcome visitor: Mr Gang in his pink striped pyjamas. The people passing by would have assumed he was a simpleton, a drunk man or both. "Let me in!" He roared. He had to put a stop to it all. He could escape Dal Gong-Gi's mugshot on the internet or on the streets. The way he was holding Taeyang in the image made Mr Gang gag. The excessive photoshopping was enough for him to kick anything that was in his way.

Mr Gang was well aware that his fury would bring great shame to his wife and eldest son, but his youngest son's dignity was at stake. He wished he followed his gut instinct. Ever since Taeyang left, the pit of his stomach churned. There was a feeling of emptiness that was out of control.

That's how he got to the door. He had to do something before his heart burned up. Giving away his boy was a terrible mistake, and he had to undo it.

Mr Gang pressed the doorbell for the third time. He made it no secret that he wished Taeyang had never been born, and he hadn't realised how much of a jerk he was until his hangover started. For the first few hours he thought it was great, the little runt was out of his sight, and he could use the money Flo Glitz had given them to rekindle the romance. 

"Hello, Flo Glitz Entertainment Headquarters, how may I help?"

"I want to speak to the boss!" Mr Gang punched the window so hard that it cracked. "She kidnapped my son and turned him into a porn star."

"Sir," the receptionist's tone sounded automated. "It appears that you've come to the wrong building. K-Porn's headquarters is on the next street!"

"No. I want to speak to Flo Glitz. She's who I want!" Mr Gang bellowed through the speakers as if the receptionist was deaf. "The wicked witch of the music industry. I'll kill her for what she's doing to my boy!"

"I can assure you that he's fine."

"Shut up! I know she's hiding him! Let me in."

"Only authorised people can enter the building."

"Give me the authority."

"You need to book an appointment through our email."

"I want to speak to her now! You've got my boy locked up in a closet with rockets up his ass."

"Sir, your son is in Europe."

"WHAT?"

"Don't worry, sir. Help is on its way to you."

"Good. I hope they're quick!"

"Go home!" The copper said, "you're disturbing the peace."

The copper raised his voice as he rattled his handcuffs. "Go home! BEFORE I ARREST YOU!"