It all happened one night when I was working at a music event at our nearby stadium. I had finally decided to get out of the house and have some fun for myself, which was awesome! It was November and I had been assigned to work behind the scenes in one of the dressing rooms, wearing our staff uniform of all black, with black masks. The instructions were to never make eye contact with performers, never tell them your name, and never take the mask off- we were supposed to remain completely anonymous during our shifts. I had no idea who any of the performers were, so it was perfect. I was only there for my evening shift, but I was so excited! Each outfit change was labeled in a garment bag, so all I had to do was assist when necessary and make sure their original outfits were put into the empty bags.
The first two hours passed quickly, with nothing remarkable happening, so I was having a blast meeting new people and being helpful at the same time. I was just about to heat up my dinner when a very frazzled Korean man stumbled into the room. I helped him to a chair, then asked how I could help, all the while keeping my eyes to the ground, my long, straight hair covering my face. He replied weakly that he needed food and water, so I quickly gave him a water bottle and asked if he wanted any of the snacks they had available in the room for performers. He said no- he needed real food, not snacks, because he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. I asked if he had any food allergies, which he did not, then offered to give him my dinner, chicken alfredo lasagna. He gladly accepted and ate rather quickly, letting me tidy up the room and ask how his day had been going so far, just trying to be polite, while making sure to keep my head down and never get too close to him.
Finally, when he was done, he complained of a headache and lack of sleep, so I gave him the medicine we had in the room and showed him area in the back that was dark and had cots for resting on. He stood and walked towards the resting area, then handed me the empty food container, accidentally touching my hand. I froze, my eyes on the ground, hair blocking my eyes, unsure of the next move, since I was not allowed to do anything.
Suddenly, I felt a gentle hand lift my chin up, tuck my hair behind my ears, and carefully undo one side of my mask. It tilted off my face immediately, to my complete shock, and I was left staring into a set of very friendly dark eyes, with a smile to match. He brushed my cheek with his hand and said, “I am sorry for scaring you, but I just had to know the face of the kindest woman I have ever met. My name is Jin and I’m known for being worldwide handsome. Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
I bit my bottom lip and looked right back at him, not trusting myself to respond correctly. He frowned, then asked, “Are you ok? Have I said something wrong?” I pointed to the employee rules, which were posted on the wall next to him. He read them quickly, then took a step toward me and wrapped me in a gentle hug. He was quite a bit taller than me, so he easily buried his face in my hair and let out a big sigh. After a few seconds, he stepped back and whispered, “You smell incredible, so thank you for allowing me to hug you. I needed that.”
I half-smiled, now unsure of what was happening… He set the empty food container on a shelf and looked longingly at one of the cots. I replaced my mask and told him to lie down- I would massage his scalp while he rested. Once he was lying down, he closed his eyes and chatted easily about all the pressures facing him. My hair kept falling down to tickle his face when I leaned over to answer him, so he kept chuckling and telling him how cute it was. Soon, he was asleep, and I gently covered him with a blanket.
I put my container back into my bag before anyone else saw it, then made a plan to just grab dinner on the way home when I was done working. While the handsome mystery man was sleeping, I continued helping many more performers, some very famous K-Pop stars, and soon an entire hour had passed. I was just about to check on him when I felt like I was being watched, as I helped the last performer get changed and back on stage as fast as possible. When they left a few minutes later, I was hanging up the old clothes in the garment bag so it would be labeled, when I felt a soft touch on my shoulder. I jumped, turned quickly, then saw his face and got dizzy from being startled.
He saw the color leave my face and luckily caught my arms as I slid to the ground. He carefully held me in his strong arms, not letting me hit the floor, as he asked how he could help. I took several deep breaths, then whispered, “You just startled me, so I need to sit for a few minutes to let my heart reset. I am so sorry for getting dizzy. Please don’t be angry.” He leaned against a cabinet, pulling me right in front of him, facing away, so I was then leaning on his extremely strong chest.
“How could I ever get angry with the woman who saved my life earlier?” he said quietly in my ear. He removed my mask so I could breathe easier, and I could feel myself feeling calmer. After several minutes, I was finally able to focus on the walls without feeling like everything was spinning, so I told him, “I am much better now, so if you get up first, then help me, I should be able to stand again.” He carefully stood up, then helped me up, making sure I was truly ok before letting go.
“I have so many questions for you, but I know we don’t have a lot of time tonight, so do you think I might be able to have your phone number? I promise to use it for only honorable intentions,” he said, looking right into my eyes. I pointed to the rules again, but he replied, “It does not say you are forbidden from giving out your phone number if asked, so technically you aren’t breaking any rules.” His mischievous grin made me feel dizzy again, so I reached out for his arms, and he pulled me close for a giant hug. He could tell my dizziness had returned, so he gently kept me close and waited for me to gain my strength again. I took several deep breaths, then whispered, “I am so sorry for not being strong like you tonight. Can you please forgive me?”
He kissed the top of my head, then replied, “I think you should know I don’t need your apology- you are amazing in many ways, and your dizziness is quite a cute quirk that I happen to enjoy.” I blushed when he looked into my eyes, to which he laughed and gave me a different smile, once I had not seen him use before.
Since I still had two more hours left to work, he decided he would hang out with me (he was done performing for the night) and ask a ton of questions when nobody else was around. This was incredibly annoying at first but allowed me to find out he was a singer in one of the K-Pop groups, much to my surprise. He spends so much time looking after the other members that sometimes he forgets to take care of himself, especially when he’s feeling overwhelmed and needs a mental health break. Tonight, he had forgotten to eat because one of the members got hurt, so the choreography had to be altered, which took most of the day. He travels all over the world, so I asked how he would even be able to communicate with me in other countries- he said that was the benefit of having access to lots of money- the best technology that works internationally. I laughed at that one, which made him smile.
The more we talked, the more we had in common, and soon I was actually really glad he had entered this dressing room so we could meet. When it was time to leave, the event was over and my shift was done, he asked what my plan was, so I told him I needed dinner and to get home before morning so I could let my little doggie outside. He asked if I wanted to come with him to his hotel room, since it was close, and I politely declined- nobody trusts someone they just met! He laughed, then I asked, “Why are you being so nice to me? Do you expect something from me?”
His eyes got really big, and he instantly shook his head, throwing his hands up in front of himself, as he exclaimed, “No! I would never even think such a thing! I was trying to be kind because I am genuinely interested in your life and honestly, have never met anyone else in the world like you. I have traveled many places but never found anyone as attractive as you.” I felt my cheeks catch fire, but then I looked him right in the eyes and said, “Ok, since you have been honest with me, I feel it’s only right that I be completely honest with you. I have a child at home- I am a single mother, which might change your opinion of me and cause you to take back your offer to hang out tonight.”
He blinked slowly, then gently took my hands in his and told me, “Why would that change my ability to be attracted to you?” I frowned and answered, “I thought guys only like girls who are young, single, and carefree?” He laughed, then replied, “No- those are the foolish one who cannot see true beauty even when it is standing right in front of them. Besides, young and carefree is not usually considered attractive to people who appreciate true love and commitment, like me.”
I was too stunned to answer, so he wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear, “I am still incredibly attracted to you and hope you give me a chance to prove my worth.” I could only nod in response- I was still too surprised by his reaction. He asked if we could hold hands while we walked out of the concert hall, but I refused- there were too many people around who would be very upset about a performer and staff member even being near each other, let alone touching. Once we got to my car, he opened my door before I could even reach for the handle, making me smile to myself. He told me the name of the hotel, we searched for it on my GPS, then I drove us there easily. It was super close, so I had no trouble finding it.
They had free valet parking, so when the attendant opened my door, before he could get to it, I saw him roll his eyes and I laughed. Once we were in the lobby, he guided me to the elevator, then he pushed the button for the 10th floor. He took my hand and led me to his room, then opened the door and pointed to the couch. He immediately asked what I wanted to eat, so he could order the food for us, but I was very indecisive and nervous, so I let him choose, as long as it wasn’t too spicy! He laughed and teased me, then called down to the front desk while I sat quietly on the couch, unsure of what to do.
When he was done, he hung up and came to sit next to me on the couch, several inches away. He lifted his hand at least three times, then changed his mind and clenched his hands together on his lap. I was going insane, so I finally turned to face him and exclaimed, “Why do you keep doing that? What is wrong with me that makes you act like that?” He reached up to tuck a few wild hairs behind my ear, then replied, “Truthfully, I am nervous about being near you and I don’t want to offend you or do something wrong.”
I sighed, then explained, “Listen, Jin, you don’t need to be afraid to touch me just because I am a girl. You can sit next to me and hold my hand or touch my arm and I promise I won’t fall apart. I trust you because you have a kind heart.” He nodded, then smiled and said, “Ok, I promise I will treat you with kindness and respect.” I smiled and started asking about random things I knew would keep him busy talking and less focused on the fact that I was sitting next to him. After about half an hour, he was no longer afraid of me and would randomly tap my leg or arm when something was funny or rub the top of my hand when he offered support or agreed with me, which was a lot of progress for him, and I was impressed. When the food arrived, he brought it to the table and we sat across from each other, him adding random things to a plate for me and then explaining what each thing was, so I could try it.
At first, I was happily chatting and chomping away, us both laughing and making funny faces or silly noises as we ate, but then I got more and more tired, so I rested my head on my hand, and eventually had to lay my head down on my arm on the table, barely keeping my eyes open, while he happily continued talking. He stopped mid-sentence when he realized I was no longer participating and got worried but then saw my sleepy face and understood. He got up and came over to me, touched my cheek, and said, “I think you are too sleepy to continue, why don’t I help you brush your teeth, and you can rest on the bed while I clean up the food.” I just looked up and him and nodded, too tired to argue or protest at that point.
He guided me to the bathroom, showed me where the toothpaste was, then gave me an extra toothbrush, and closed the door. I also took my contacts out and after a few minutes, I opened the door and went back into the main room, where he had moved the empty dishes back onto the cart, the table was clear, and he was just rearranging the decorative pillows on the first bed closest to the wall. I smiled and asked, “Where should I go?” He smiled and guided me right to the bed, where all the pillows were propped up, so I could face him and be super comfy. He sat across from me, about a foot away, just watching me, while he asked me even more questions, none of which I could remember because I was so tired. He noticed I was shivering, but when he asked if I was cold, I denied it, so he solved the problem by getting one of his hoodies and helping me put it on.
Once I was wearing his hoodie, it was impossible to fight sleep because now I was warm, listening to his calm voice, wearing a hoodie that smelled like him, and I knew I would not win that battle. My eyes could not stay open, which he noticed, and thought was cute, but didn’t say anything about, just waiting for me to finally fall asleep a few minutes later. I had fallen down into the pile of pillows and was now so close to his shoulder he could see my eyelashes. He gently brushed a few stray hairs off my face, careful not to wake me, while trying to figure out how in the world he could not risk his chance to spend more time with me while also being super famous.
In the morning, when the alarm went off (I had asked him to set the alarm on his phone), he woke up first, looked around, unsure of his surroundings, then saw me and remembered the previous night. I was now actually using his shoulder as a pillow, while holding his hand, still sleeping peacefully, so he leaned over to kiss my forehead before I woke up. I fluttered my eyelids and asked, “What time is it?” He laughed quietly and answered, “It is 6:30am, just as you requested last night.” My eyes popped open, I searched his face, inches from mine, then quickly ran through my memories from the previous night to figure out who he was and why I was so close to him.
I smiled and replied, “Thanks for waking me up Jin. I am sorry if I bothered you when I fell asleep, but you were so cozy, and I was so warm I just couldn’t stay awake. I hope I wasn’t too much trouble.” He chuckled and confessed, “Actually, I enjoyed having you cuddle with me quite a bit. It turns out you are very warm, and you smell good.” I blushed and just stared up at him, which made him laugh and quickly slide off the bed, then help me to do the same. I lost my balance, and he caught me, still laughing, while I blushed even more, now embarrassed about falling and his compliments. “You do keep me on my toes, don’t you?” he asked, clearly teasing, while grinning down at me.
After a few moments, he stepped back and said he needed to check in with the rest of the members, so I should use the bathroom while he was busy. I quickly did as he suggested, then put my contacts back in, and when I opened the door, he was on the phone, speaking very passionately with someone in Korean, so I was afraid to interrupt and grabbed my shoes, then left the room completely. Once in the hallway, I put my shoes on, made sure I had all my belongings, which I did, and before I could even walk a few doors away, three very tall Korean guys approached me, asking why I was wearing Jin’s hoodie. I could tell they were confused and angry by their tones, so I tried to explain how he had let me borrow it, but then there was a language barrier, so they thought I had taken it, and the conversation went downhill from there.
I finally got out my phone and translated the part about me borrowing the hoodie, not stealing it, then they understood and apologized for getting so mad- they have dealt with stalkers before and just wanted to protect their friend. I promised I was not a stalker, so then we all had a good laugh and decided to be friends. They asked where I was going, I told them I needed to go feed my little doggie, so they asked if they could come. I said no, they had rehearsal later that day and I wasn’t coming back until I worked again at 6pm, way past when they needed to be on stage for sound checks. They pretended to be super sad and even got some fake pouts involved, which absolutely made me laugh so hard I was leaning on the wall, until one of them said he could get a staff member to come get them later. I was not convinced, but he did show me a text proving he was right, so I reluctantly agreed, and we all got into the elevator together.
I was unsure about how things would go, but after we were all loaded into my car, they started asking me lots of questions and after the 45-minute drive home, I felt like they knew me pretty well and approved of my attraction to Jin. I told them I would never risk their safety or reputation by hanging out with Jin and they appreciated my commitment to keeping them out of trouble while on tour. We talked about their travels, what they wanted to do afterwards, their favorite foods, etc.
It only felt like two minutes, but when we got home, I got my little doggie and we all walked her quickly, then went back inside. I fed her breakfast, then they all said they were hungry, so of course I had to feed them as well. You can’t invite K-Pop celebrities into your home and not offer food- that would just be crazy! Once they had eaten, they looked super sleepy, saying they had stayed up all night after the concert, so I offered them a chance to nap in the beds I have, which they happily accepted. I laughed so hard when all three of them quickly fell asleep under my child’s video game blankets, not even caring how sweet it was. They had been asleep for about an hour when Jin called me, apologizing for being on the phone so long and causing me to leave without him being able to say goodbye or make a plan.
I quickly explained that I had three of his band members with me, sleeping, in my house right now, so after he got over the shock with a lot of loud noises and words in angry Korean, he calmed down enough to figure out his next move. He would just drive down with the staff member who was coming to pick them up and that way, he could see me again and be on time for the rehearsal that afternoon. I felt bad for that poor staff member who didn’t know what they were walking into, but agreed to Jin’s plan, not thinking anything about it as I continued on with my morning routine. I had my shower, washed some clothes, ran the dishwasher, and was just folding some towels when there was a knock on my door.
I opened it to find Jin standing there, holding carnations, grinning, with a very confused/annoyed staff member off to the side, clearly used to the antics of the members, but also irritated to be involved in yet another scheme they planned. I motioned them both in, then accepted the flowers from Jin, saying, “Jin, thank you so much, but you didn’t need to bring me anything! I am happy to take care of anyone who needs help, no matter if they are famous or not. Everyone needs kindness in this world, you know that.” He smiled and replied, “Yes, I do know, but that doesn’t mean I can’t show how much you mean to me anyway. Besides, I never show up to a house without a gift, so please get used to it.” Then he winked right at me, and I blushed, but turned away so I could hide it.
Once I had put the flowers into water, I told the staff member to make themselves comfortable, since the other members were still sleeping. Jin said we could let them sleep for another hour, since they didn’t need to be back for anything until 2 pm. I told him I was just finishing up some chores, and he eagerly wanted to help, so I reluctantly agreed, unsure of how helpful he was actually going to be… As it happens, he is actually quite good at folding towels, but not so great at hanging shirts on hangers. I laughed so hard at his first attempts I could hardly breathe, then carefully showed him how, accidentally touching his hand again in the process, causing me to freeze and stare at him, while he looked into my eyes and smiled.
“I’m sorry Jin, I didn’t mean to touch you,” I told him. He ran his hand through his hair and replied, “It’s ok. I don’t mind. I actually like it when you are near me. You are sweet to me.” I was still frozen by his beautiful face, so I barely heard any of the words he was saying, until he continued, “Why don’t you tell me something about yourself and I’ll match it with a fact about me, and we will see how much more we have in common.” Then he cautiously reached out to touch my cheek, which alerted me to his presence, and I felt my cheeks turning pink as I nodded, unable to form words just yet.
He laughed, then waited for me to start speaking, keeping his eyes on me, clearly enjoying my obvious attraction to him. “I like to find hiking trails with bridges. I think bridges are amazing and special, especially if they go over water. I also love waterfalls.” He nodded, then replied excitedly, “I also love waterfalls. This is rather exciting to have so much we can enjoy together, don’t you agree?!” I smiled, catching his contagious happiness. We continued like this, back and forth, for about half an hour, then I mentioned I should start making lunch for everyone before they traveled back so nobody got car sick.
He looked confused, then asked, “Why would you do something like that for us, people you just met last night?” I laughed, then explained, “Jin, anyone who becomes my friend, anyone who enters my home, anyone who is a genuinely kind person, automatically gets special treatment from me. It’s what I do. It makes me happy to take care of others, so I always look for ways to spread the love.” He understood, then asked how he could help. I told him his job would be slicing the tomatoes, since it takes me a while and I always end up cutting my fingers somehow, no matter how careful I am, which made him laugh again, but also reach over and squeeze my hand.
I gave him the cutting board at the table, plus the giant container of mini tomatoes, and then explained that they all needed to be cut in half, so he got right to work. I was in the kitchen, spreading pesto sauce onto the ciabatta rolls, then slicing the mozzarella pieces, and by the time he was done, I was ready for the tomatoes. He helped me gently place them on top of the rolls, then layer the mozzarella pieces, making sure each piece was evenly spaced. When we finished, I popped the whole pan into the oven and set the timer. I washed my hands and headed down the hall to wake up the other members, since it was time for them to get up anyway and they would need to come eat in a few minutes.
I woke them up, then guided them to the table, where they sat, half asleep still, not sure about where they were yet, but then saw Jin and he explained the plan to them, which made everyone feel more comfortable. I also included the staff member in the amount we had made, so he joined everyone at the table as well. Once the timer went off, I got it out and put their food onto plates, then explained how to eat it, making sure they were careful not to burn their tongues or roofs of their mouths because it was so hot.
After they cut each roll into smaller pieces, me helping them whenever they asked, they started chomping away and I knew they were happy because they made such cute sounds when they were eating. I smiled, proud of the way they were enjoying their lunch and happy I could help them have a great day, which would then make their night go great as well. Once everyone was done, I told them to leave the dishes on the table and I would clean up later, since I knew they had to go, but Jin would not accept that and made each person place their dishes in the sink for me, which was actually very thoughtful and I told him I appreciated it. He just winked at me, then gave them directions about getting ready to travel, like use the bathroom, wash their hands, get their phones/shoes, etc.
After they were all ready, he snuck in a quick hug and kissed the top of my head, saying he would see me when I got to work that night, then guided them all out the door, closing it behind himself. I turned my attention to the dishes, now unloading the dishwasher and then reloading it with the new ones, but my phone was exploding from the texts I was getting so I dried my hands to quickly check. Well, the other three members had taken Jin’s phone hostage and were bombarding me with texts asking random questions, saying they liked me, asking me to always cook for them, wondering if I could come travel with them, and a bunch of other totally ridiculous things. I was laughing as I read them, attempting to answer as best I could, then finishing the dishes, so I could give them my full attention.
The entire car ride was full of them using Jin’s phone as their personal way to chat with me, but when they reached the stadium, I knew it was over because Jin sent a text saying he had his phone back and it was time for them to focus on their work. Of course I understood, so I continued on with my daily tasks, including getting my work clothes ready for that night. Soon, it was time for me to drive back up to the stadium for my next shift, so I packed up my stuff and went on my way, walking and feeding my little doggie before I left.
When I arrived, I parked where the other employees were, found my supervisor, checked in so I could get paid, then listened to see if there had been any changes with my job for that evening. I was still working in the same dressing room, which I was extremely relieved about, but this time there would be even more performers to help, so I had to be at the top of my game all night, which I knew I could easily do. I went to the dressing room and started tidying up, making sure all areas were clean, and any snacks/water were restocked, the blankets folded on the cots for resting, and each garment bag was clearly labeled.
I was just wiping down the small table in the corner when the door opened and I saw Jin walk in, grinning, looking incredibly fantastic in his first outfit for their performance. I took a deep breath and smiled back, not wanting him to see how his good looks affected me.
He crossed the room quickly and took both my hands in his, then exclaimed, “We are performing first, so I will be able to spend more time with you tonight! I want to enjoy every minute we have together while I can be with you in the same room! I don’t want you to forget me!” I replied, “Jin, I don’t think I could ever forget you, but I agree- let’s spend as much time together as possible while you are still here with me.” He hugged me quickly, then darted out the door, clearly wanting to get back to the others and get their performance started.
I was so busy the next two hours that I hadn’t noticed the time passing, so when he showed up around 8pm, I was frazzled and surprised- I didn’t realize it had been so long! He wasn’t alone this time- all of the other members had joined him, I guess to see who he kept talking about, so I introduced myself to the three I hadn’t met yet and then told them I would be happy to be their friends as well. Jin did not want them all to stay, since I was still working and it was now crowded in the dressing room, but they insisted on spending time with me for a while, so I compromised and agreed that one hour seemed fair- that would be enough time for them to decide if I was a good person or not.
While they asked me even more about myself, I continued to do my job, often ignoring their questions when others were in the room because I needed to be respectful to the performers who were relying on me for their next outfits. Apparently, the other members were impressed by my ability to stay calm, motivate others, stay organized, handle stress, and still get everyone where they needed to be on time, all while keeping the outfits sorted into the correct garment bags. They started leaving after seeing me handle a rush of performers, hugging me on the way out, saying they trusted me now, and that Jin had made a good choice, which surprised me.
When all six had left, Jin was still there, sitting casually in one of the chairs, looking like he was up to something, so I asked, “Jin, why do you look very suspicious right now? What are you planning?” He grinned, then put his finger to his lips and shook his head, making me extremely worried, but I didn’t have time to ask anything else because the next group of performers arrived and I had to focus. Jin actually knew them, so while he chatted, I helped them change and once they were gone, I was going to ask Jin what he meant before, but he snuck out of the room without telling me, so I was left alone, clueless.
I was so intent on doing the best I could each time performers appeared that I didn’t notice when Jin returned, or that he had a completely different outfit on, one that was just his normal clothes so he could be more comfortable. Finally, around 9:30pm, the room was empty again and Jin was able to speak freely. “I have been busy thinking of how I can make sure you know I care about you while I am on tour, but also not risking your safety by exposing your identity to the world. I think I found a way to do both, if you are willing to listen to my idea,” he said, looking at me with that smile he knows I can’t ignore. I sighed, then went to sit next to him, ready to hear his idea, but also being alert just in case someone came in for my help. “We need to keep your identity secret,” he continued, “for your safety, so I was thinking about changing your appearance for a staged photoshoot with all the members, pretending you were actually living in Korea, so nobody would look for you in America. If you are with all of us, nobody will know you actually chose me, which will keep angry stalkers away. Then, to keep in contact with you, I will be able to video chat and call whenever we have time, so you will know I still care. What do you think?”
I took it all in, thought about his idea, then responded, “Jin, I want to believe that will work, but wouldn’t it be best if I just stayed in the mysterious unknown, like a shadow that never gets identified and nobody ever really sees, so none of you guys would need to explain anything to anyone? Why put a fake image into the world- wouldn’t that cause more drama and create trouble for everyone?”
He sat silently for a moment, watching my face, thinking about what I said, then answered, “Yes, it’s true that we could pretend you don’t exist and that you never met us, but I am worried about the future, when someone might see us together and create a story that’s a complete lie. If we choose the story, the paparazzi can only add to it, but if they start the story, it’s already built on a lie, so it’s much harder to change or manipulate the outcome. Sometimes we have to weigh the options and pick the one with least obstacles for everyone involved.”
I heard the concern in his voice, saw how serious he was taking it, and knew he was speaking from experience, so I replied, “Ok Jin, I agree with you. Whatever you want to do, whatever you think will work, whatever you think is best, I will agree to. I only ask that I be completely unrecognizable, so no one in the world could ever guess who I really am, because I need to keep my identity a secret for as long as possible.”
His face lit up and he jumped up, pulled me right next to him, then wrapped me in his strong arms and exclaimed, “Yes! I knew it would be a good idea! You are so amazing to me! I will show you how much I care by keeping you safe!” I rested my head on his shoulder, just enjoying how safe and loved I felt in that moment, which I think he realized because he stopped trying to jump around and just stood still.
