I landed in Boston but couldn’t check into the hotel because it was too early, so I asked them to hold my luggage while I explored the city, and they were super happy to do that for me. I asked where the nearest historical building was, so I could tour it, and luckily it was just a few minutes away (I was walking).

I arrived at this amazing building, used for meetings during the revolutionary war, so I was really excited- I love history! The lady was just beginning the tour, so I was able to hop right in with the group, just a little over ten people, where I blended into the back and tried to be invisible. Well, I guess that’s not my style because I was looking at the map of the property, while walking, not paying attention, and ended up smacking right into someone. I dropped the brochure, began apologizing repeatedly, then covered my face like an idiot- I was so embarrassed. The stranger just chuckled, reached down and handed me the map back, then said, “I’m not hurt, so it’s no big deal. You need to be careful though, so you don’t get hurt. I would not like that to happen.” I could only stare up into his friendly eyes and nod my head, not being able to form words yet.

I was hoping he would join the group and ignore me, but apparently, I looked like I needed to be supervised because he pointed to the hallway we were supposed to be continuing down, then gently guided my elbow, so I could walk next to him. Not five minutes later there was a step to go up onto the main stairway area and guess who completely missed it, falling just like a k-drama actress, but also, guess who stepped in to rescue me, just in time… Yes, the same stranger from before! I was beyond mortified at this point and turned to thank him for rescuing me, my cheeks red, but all I could stammer was, “Thank you, I think, maybe I need help, for walking or stepping.”

He frowned, genuinely puzzled, so I began turning away, hoping to melt into the floor somehow or become invisible, when he gently reached for my arm and asked, “I’m not sure what you said, but are you ok?” I nodded, looking up at him, afraid he was going to be angry at my clumsiness, but instead, he was smiling at me, then chuckled again, which made me frown this time because I truly did not know what was funny.

I put my hands on my hips and said, “Why are you laughing at me? Is it so funny that you continue to rescue me because I am so clumsy? How dare you!” He saw that I was feeling spicy, so he stepped closer, then spoke quietly, “Actually, I am enjoying saving you, so I hope you continue to keep having accidents.”

I was so dumfounded that no words would form, causing him to chuckle again and guide me back to the group, where we easily blended back in, him now not letting go of my arm. Turns out, that wasn’t enough to stop me from making a fool of myself because the next doorway we walked through had a wooden bar in the middle, where the two doors would meet and close… Did I see the bar? Yes. Did I attempt to walk right into the bar. Also, yes. Sigh.

His hand was the fastest reflex I’ve ever seen! My body was moving forward, clearly on a collision course with the wooden bar, but just as my head was going to smack right into it, his hand was there, on my forehead, stopping me from walking straight and steering me completely around it entirely! I was so shocked I just stared at him, as he panicked and made sure I was actually ok, then exclaimed, “I know I said I liked rescuing you earlier, but you don’t have to do things that are dangerous to get my attention. I’m already watching every move. I need you to be careful!”

When he hugged me, I felt like I could not breathe- that’s how surprised and confused I was at that moment. First, he says he likes saving me, then he yells at me for being clumsy- what in the world??

He only held me close for a little while, then he leaned back and put his giant hands on my shoulders, looking me right in the eyes as he commented, “I am sorry for scaring you with my loud tone just now. I am just worried about your safety. How can you smell so cute and be so adorable while getting into trouble every second I look away?”

Now it was my turn to be confused by his words. “Wait- how can I smell cute? Those things don’t go together usually. You can smell good, or look cute, but how can I be both? Did I do something wrong?” He ran his fingers through his hair, gave me a sideways grin, then explained, “I meant to say that you are very cute and do smell very nice, but in the moment, I mixed them up and now it actually makes sense for you, since you are both at the same time somehow. I think you might have created a new compliment for the world just by being your adorable self.”

He waited for me to respond, but I was still pondering the actual words themselves, which made him laugh out loud this time, while saying, “When you are thinking hard about something, you are really cute, you know that, right? It’s like your body has to stop all movement in order for you to put all your energy into your thoughts and now I desperately need to know what you are working so hard on in that mysterious brain of yours. Please will you share your thoughts with me?” I hadn’t realized I had stopped walking and was just staring up at him, so his words jolted me back to reality.

I started explaining, “Well, you know how you said I smelled cute, right? Ok, so then I was thinking if that was the basic level of attraction or flirting, what would come next? I was trying to come up with the levels, until the final boss level, which would be the seventh one. Somehow seven levels just feel right after telling someone they smell cute, I think.” He laughed again and wrapped me in a giant hug, squeezing me tighter this time and burying his face in my hair for a second, then he whispered, “I knew it. I knew I was right about you. You absolutely do smell so cute right now and I cannot wait to hear about these levels, so I can master all of them to make it to the boss! Can we please hang out after this tour is over, so I can spend as much time as possible with you?”

I nodded my head, then replied, “I think you will be highly entertained by my imagination, but remember, we just met, so if I begin to sound a little too crazy for you, you can always walk away. I won’t be offended, I promise.” He stepped back, leaned his forehead on mine, and stated, “There’s no way I’m giving up a chance to get to know you, the one person in the world who sees me for being myself.”

He then got out his phone and put my number in, just in case we got separated, then made sure to text me, so I had his number as well. We continued the tour, me constantly bumping into things, him always blocking me with his hand, or catching me with his arms, me blushing and apologizing when it happened, him laughing and hugging me, or guiding my arm again. This continued for the next hour, when the tour finally ended in the backyard/garden of the house.

You might be thinking this is where the story ends, which it should have, but of course, that’s not how my life goes. I was walking along the gravel pathway, minding my own business, when I saw the cutest little ladybug on a leaf, so I stopped and crouched down to watch it. I did not notice anyone or anything near me, so I wasn’t aware that he had not stopped when I did. I was just reaching my arm out to let it crawl onto me when I was knocked down onto the gravel by the stranger, completely by accident, as he had not been looking where I was.

He stumbled, but did not fall, then realized what had happened and pulled me up quickly, inspecting my entire right side, which had landed in the gravel. Most of my body was fine, but my right hand was bleeding where some sharp gravel bits had cut me, so he was gently trying to get them out, soon realizing it was going to be more difficult because there was also soil in there as well. I was looking from my hand to his face, then back again multiple times because I didn’t know what to do.

Luckily, he is very good at staying calm in emergencies, so he was able to guide me to the main building again, where they had a little first aid room set up, just off the main hallway. The staff member helped me wash my hand, gently removing all the soil and gravel leftovers, then gave me some kind of medical cleaning rinse which stung and smelled horrible, and finally put some ointment on my cuts, then wrapped it up in gauze and medical tape. I had just been sitting on the cot while the staff member took care of my hand, so when they said they had finished, they walked away to sanitize everything, add my injury to their logbook, and make sure nothing contaminated remained.

The stranger came over and knelt in front of me, then carefully lifted my chin so I would look at him, but I desperately wished he had not done that because I was trying so hard to hide my pain from him. One look at his face, one glimpse of his concerned eyes, and I knew it was futile- he had seen my silent tears, and I had lost the battle. He wiped my cheeks gently, then leaned his forehead on mine and whispered, “I am so sorry for causing you pain. I spent all morning protecting you from yourself, but then I actually hurt you. I will spend forever making it up to you if you give me a second chance.”

He could tell I would not be able to speak, so he pulled me up and wrapped his arms around me, feeling me melting into him, knowing I trusted him more than I could say right then. He rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head, then asked what I wanted to do- he did not want to leave me alone for a second but obviously knew walking around the city more would not be possible, since I was now injured and in pain. I looked up at him, gave him a tiny half smile, and answered, “I think I need to take some pain medicine so I can stop crying and you can have the adorable version of me back.”

He leaned down and I honestly thought he was going to kiss me right then and there with the closeness of his face to mine, but instead, he reminded me, “I will protect all versions of you, no matter what, and I do not like how you think I only want you at your best. I want everything, or else how can I truly be myself and earn your trust?” I could barely breathe, so I nodded and blinked, then waited for him to make the next move, me still being paralyzed.

He held both my cheeks in his hands for a good ten seconds, just staring at me, then sighed loudly, and let go, creating the space I needed to restart my heart and get my thoughts back. He gently took my good hand and reasoned, “I will hold your good hand from now on, to ensure you don’t leave my sight or come to any more harm while we are together. We are going to need some lunch after such an eventful morning, but I don’t know any good places nearby because I am visiting as well, so let me ask the staff member if they can recommend a place we can walk to.” He led me towards the door, stopping to ask the person for recommendations. Luckily, there was a place two blocks away, off the main road, run by a family he knew, so we knew we would be safe there.

The stranger explained while we walked, a little more slowly than before, as my hand was aching and my head was pounding from crying earlier, “The smaller, lesser-known restaurants are perfect for me, especially when I am with you, since I do not want anyone to recognize me and post my picture all over online. I want to have a personal life that is private like everyone else, so I am thankful for this small recommendation. Are you ok to make it a short distance?” I nodded up at him, now worried about him more than myself, and asked, “Are you sure you should even be talking to me then? What if someone sees you holding my hand? I could never cause you any harm!”

He squeezed my good hand and said absent-mindedly, “That’s what I like about you sweetheart.” I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to hear it or not, so I ignored him as we walked, focusing on taking careful steps so I wouldn’t fall and cause him to be distracted from his goal of getting us inside the restaurant safely. Once we reached it, the staff member was right- there was nobody else inside and I was relieved. A lovely older lady greeted us, then motioned for us to sit near the back, when the stranger mentioned not wanting to draw attention to ourselves. Turns out, the lovely lady was the owner/cook and her family had been living in Boston for several generations, coming over from Europe initially. She talked about their traditions and shared some of her favorite menu items to cook, so while we listened, she got to teach us not just about the food, but her family as well.

We were excited to try the traditional foods from Germany, as we hadn’t had them before. I sat across from the stranger at first, him watching me like a hawk, asking about every single move I made, so when I reached into my backpack purse to get my Tylenol, he wanted to know what I was doing. I showed him the medicine, then took it with the water we had, so he relaxed a little, knowing he was being extra cautious because of my right hand.

When the lovely lady heard we were visiting and then saw my injured hand, she told us she wanted to make lots of traditional food for us, but in small amounts, so we could try more items and give her our honest opinions about adding them to the menu or not. When the first dish arrived, something with potatoes, the stranger had to make a plate for me, cutting bites up, then placing it in front of me. I’m right-handed, so eating was incredibly awkward, me using my left hand and attempting to not make a mess. I tried multiple times but just could not manage to get a single bite to stay on the spoon and if I had been feeling like myself in that moment, I probably would have laughed, but as I was currently in pain, waiting for my meds to kick in, I simply dropped the spoon and leaned my head on the wall next to me, giving up for the time being.

The stranger must not have liked my reaction because the next thing I know, he’s sitting next to me, handing me bits of food on a spoon, making sure I can actually eat something. I know it was sweet and I should have appreciated it more, but I was not in the mood to be babied, so I shook my head after the third bite, telling him I would not accept his help anymore because I wanted to be independent. He did not look like he was in a joking mood either, gave another big sigh, and changed his tone when he told me, “I think you need food to help your hand heal better, so if you let me help you, I bet the pain will go away and you can enjoy our time together more, without being injured further.”

I could not refuse him then, so I continued to allow him to help me, while more and more choices arrived, the lovely lady beaming each time she took an empty plate away and replaced it with something new. I was soon overwhelmed and feeling full, whereas he looked like he was having the time of his life sampling all the choices, so when I rested my head on his arm, he seemed surprised, having not been watching me get slower and slower at chewing, my eyes getting harder and harder to keep open, his arm looking more and more tempting, until I finally gave in and just leaned on him.

The lovely lady noticed me resting when she returned and smiled, knowing he was going to keep me safe, but also so happy she could share her love of cooking with us. About an hour later, he was finally full, having then also had some of her desserts, and when he tried to pay, she refused payment, saying she had such a great time chatting with us she couldn’t take any money. I was asleep during this conversation, so I don’t remember it, but then the stranger offered to help her do the dishes, in exchange for our food, which she gladly accepted- her family wouldn’t be arriving for another hour to help prepare for the dinner rush- apparently that’s when they get really busy because people get off work and come to buy her food for their dinner on the way home.

The stranger gently moved me off his arm, then laid me down on the bench, on my side, smoothing a few wild hairs off my face before kissing my head and following the lovely lady to the kitchen. He washed whatever she asked him to, then swept the floor and helped her wipe all the tables, then he helped her reach some containers that were on a high shelf, since she was really short and he was really tall. After about another hour, he was done and he came to check on me.

Luckily, I was so tired from not having slept on my overnight flight that I was exactly where he had left me, asleep on the bench, which made him smile. He thought for a moment about how best to handle things, since I clearly could not walk around the city anymore, nor could he carry me that far during the middle of the day. He called someone he works with, and they agreed to come pick us up in a car, so we wouldn’t be noticed. Before we left, he made sure to take a photo with the lovely lady, and signed a menu for her to display, so her business could benefit from his visit and her kindness towards us.

About ten minutes later, a giant black SUV pulled up out front, so the stranger came and lifted me off the bench, which startled me awake, but he simply told me to put my arms around his neck, so I did, as he walked right out the door the lovely lady was holding open and placed me into the SUV, buckling me up before going to his own seat. We drove to what I assume was his hotel, but I was not very aware, so I really had no clue where we were going. I vaguely remember asking if I could go back to my hotel to sleep, but he either didn’t answer, or told me something generic, because the next thing I remember was being lifted out of the SUV and carried into an elevator.

The cold air was enough to wake me up a bit, so I was able to stand next to the stranger, leaning heavily on him, my head resting on his chest, his chin resting on my head, until we reached his floor. He gently guided me out, then down the hall to a door, swiped his key and held the door open for me. I just stood there, unsure of what to do, when he tried to lift one of my feet up to take off my shoe, causing me to lose my balance and fall backwards. Well, I would have if he hadn’t caught me in time, making him realize how sleepy I was still, then being much more careful about helping me. Once my shoes were off, he took my good hand and pulled me down the hall, passed the main living area, and into the bedroom, where he threw back the blanket, helped me lay down, and covered me up, kissing my head, then walked away.

I should have been concerned about being in a stranger’s hotel room. I should have noticed others arriving and spying on me, coming to check on me, smell me, or just watch me. I should have heard them whispering about what to do about me. I should have been worried about their valid reasons for not wanting me to be there in the first place.

Since I was asleep though, I did not (and could not) respond, so I had no idea I was not alone with the stranger in that hotel room until two hours later, when I finally woke up to find a pair of happy dark eyes staring at me, laying right next to me in the bed, as if waiting for me to wake up. The guy smiled and exclaimed, “I have been waiting so long for you to join me. I want you to be happy with me.”

I smiled, not having a clue who he was or what he was doing next to me, but his happiness was contagious. I sat up and tried walking right away, then fell immediately to the floor, landing on my left side this time, hitting my head on the hard floor, causing the new guy to jump from the bed and grab me, asking if I was ok, while the stranger came running in, saw the other one holding me, and me holding my head where it hit the ground.

The stranger said something to the other guy, who easily picked me up and carried me right to the living room, then held me on the couch, like he did it all the time to visitors. He was seriously strong, but his quickness had startled me, so I was afraid he would actually hurt me by accident. I should not have worried- he was actually one of the most gentle giants I had ever met, and I was grateful for his care that day.

The stranger grabbed some ice and made a little pack for me using some paper towels, which he gently put on my head, feeling for the bump I now had just above my left temple. He sighed, knelt down in front of me, then brushed a few of my wild hairs away as he asked, “What am I going to do with you?” I shrugged my shoulders, embarrassed about my inability to make his life easier once again.

Suddenly, there was a lot of noise as two more giants appeared out of nowhere, arguing about something, causing me to stare at them with awe. One was saying something about me causing problems while being here, but the other one was saying he wanted me to be here because I was good for them. The stranger stood up and walked between them, quickly calming both of them down, when another three appeared, this time quietly. I was now so confused, thinking I had trouble with my vision, so I kept blinking, then staring around the room at the never-ending number of mostly gigantic guys now surrounding me.

The one who was still holding me saw my distress and whispered, “It’s ok. We look scary sometimes, but we have kind hearts like yours. We will take care of you now because you are in the family.” I leaned my head on his chest, my head now pounding and my hand aching again. The stranger noticed my defeated body language and asked the others to sit quietly, so they could discuss things properly, without scaring me further. One of the giants exclaimed something about him risking their safety because of me, when there was no way to guarantee if I could be trusted or not. A calmer one simply said that my actions throughout the day had proven I was actually trustworthy, so he argued that there was no need to be upset in the first place. Another one, who looked like a model, said he trusted the stranger, therefore he trusted me and specifically mentioned how I was clearly hurt and obviously not able to do anyone any harm at all.

The stranger heard everyone’s opinions, then rephrased them to say that the most important thing was to ensure my safety, since I clearly have a knack for getting injured, which they all agreed on. Nobody could argue about that, watching me hold an ice pack to my face, now causing my left eye to become swollen shut because of my fall, while my right hand remained bandaged in plain sight. Once they knew that was the priority, the issue was how to execute it. I must have been hallucinating when they said they had a concert that night, so nobody could watch me, which is when I joined the conversation and said weakly, “I have a concert to attend tonight as well, so maybe they are at the same time.”

The sweet one who wasn’t sure about his stance definitely rolled his eyes and said, “I think her head injury affected her thinking because she still hasn’t figured out who we are. When should we tell her that the concert she’s going to and the one we have are actually the same event? Will that make a difference in her actions?”

The model started laughing super loudly, with one of the giants joining in, but I did not understand what was so funny, so I just glanced up at the giant still holding me and waited for him to explain. He smiled and stated, “Well, I guess it’s time you found out who we really are. Honey, we are BTS and I’m pretty sure you are going to the same concert we have to perform at. Lucky for you, we can keep you safe now that you know the truth.”

I blinked up at him, who nodded, then smiled even wider, as I suddenly understood why the stranger had been so careful and why there were so many of them and why they were so paranoid about me being near them and why they even cared about me being trustworthy. Oh my gosh. I was such an idiot!

I stared at each of the other guys, watching their reactions, as I finally understood how meeting me had thrown a wrench into their plans. I began to apologize, “Please don’t be angry with me. I didn’t mean to get hurt and need to be rescued. Please forgive me for ruining your day.” I attempted to look at them all carefully, but with only one good eye and my balance not being so great, I began to slide off the couch, so the one who was holding onto me had to tighten his grip and exclaim, “Wow! She is definitely not easy to keep safe! How are we going to keep her alive?!” I blushed, which one of the other giants noticed and came over to me, squished my cheeks in his hands, and said, “Such a cutie pie! We can keep her forever!”

The calm one replied, “Hey, leave her alone, she’s already hurt enough. Be gentle or you will cause more harm.” I wanted to thank him but couldn’t talk because my face was being squished at the moment. The giant let go and kissed my forehead, then told the stranger, “I don’t know how you found her, but she’s a keeper.” The stranger laughed, then winked at me, which utterly confused me, especially when the model got up and came over to kiss the top of my head before telling the stranger, “She seems harmless, so let’s take her with us tonight and she can just stay backstage. She isn’t strong enough to be away from us with the crowds in her condition.” Another giant agreed, saying if I was near too many people, I would just get more injured and the stranger would worry during the performance, possibly making mistakes, which wasn’t good. The stranger considered their opinions and agreed- I would have to travel with them and stay away from the crowds for my own safety.

Hearing his words, sounding so final, made me feel so defeated I felt a couple tears slip out and the one who was holding me whispered something to the stranger, who knelt down and saw my face, then felt guilty for causing it. The one who was holding me carefully lifted me and set me on the couch, then helped me lay down before he quite literally ran away- he did not want to be involved in the drama I had now started. As he left quickly, the others noticed and began disappearing too, not wanting to interfere with the stranger and the mess he now had to clean up.

The stranger sat me back up and put his arm around my back, then waited for me to rest my head on his shoulder, before he began speaking softly to me, “Sweetheart, I think we both know you cannot attend the concert on your own in your current condition. You have an injured hand and now cannot see properly because of your head. Perhaps this time you could agree to let me shield you from any potential harm by keeping you within my sight at all times, whenever I can. I will worry too much if you are not with us backstage and I know you want me to do my best tonight, right?”

I tilted my head back to look up at him, saw his genuine concern for me, but also his obligation to the other members and the fans, then accepted his words and replied quietly, “I will be fine as long as you help me take more pain meds and somehow figure out a way for this swelling to go away because I don’t like having only one eye to see with. It’s difficult for me to balance that is dangerous for me.” He kissed my forehead and whispered, “We will have the medical staff take a look at you once we arrive at the stadium shortly. They are fully trained, so I know they can help you.”

I gave him a half smile, then asked, “Can I at least listen to your songs backstage? Please?” He leaned his forehead on mine and replied, “I wish I could shrink you down and carry you in my pocket, close to my heart, but since I must leave you to do my job, I will find a way to make sure you can still enjoy the songs while you are safely hidden backstage.” That’s all I needed to hear, so I smiled up at him, finally at peace with his decision and fully accepting his help.

We still had a little while before we had to leave to get to the stadium, so the stranger had one of their staff members go to my hotel, which ended up being next door somehow, to get my things and bring them here- I would not be allowed to stay alone anymore. While I was upset about losing my freedom, my hand and head reminded me that I truly was a disaster not waiting to happen and they deserved peace of mind while performing. Before we left, the stranger gave me one of his hoodies to wear, helped me put a baggie pair of pants over mine, and borrowed a hat from one of the other giants, plus a face mask and sunglasses, so nobody on the planet would recognize me. I could barely walk, the clothes were so big and the shoes he had given me were sliding around, rubbing my heels and causing me pain as I walked, but I would not complain to anyone after all the care they had given me-it was my entire life’s mission to stop getting injured (or stop letting them find out anyway).

We arrived safely and I was escorted into the stadium with them, basically dragged because two of the giants lifted me with my armpits and carried me quickly into the doorway before anyone could notice or take photos. Once they set me down, we all breathed a sigh of relief because now they were safe from rumors and I was safe from harm. They guided me down the hallway, me walking incredibly slowly, carefully choosing each step, hoping to somehow lessen the pain, but no matter how I walked, those shoes were just too big and continued to rub in all the wrong places on my poor feet. The medical staff was happy to take a look at my head, and even though they asked me if I had any other concerns, I absolutely did not tell them about my feet- I would rather die than cause more issues right before the concert.

I was led to one of the changing rooms they used before the concert, where they ate the special honey from one of the amazing members, where they relaxed before and after soundcheck, and where I would be safe and visible to all staff members. There was a TV on the wall, so the stranger made sure it had sound and would show the concert, which it would, so he was relieved- he could keep his promise now.

I was not able to relax, having major issues with my feet still, but the stranger couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I had an ice pack for my head, and my hand was re-wrapped with fresh bandages, so there shouldn’t have been any other reason for me to look like I was in pain and constantly ready to cry. Luckily for me, they were all distracted by the soundcheck, and once I was alone, I yanked the shoes off, noticing holes in my socks and missing skin where the blisters had obviously popped and my skin was now raw and bleeding. I knew I needed a plan, so I looked around, not wanting another pair of shoes, since that would not hide my feet from anyone.

A staff member asked me if I needed anything while the members were on the stage for soundcheck, so I asked for a pair of socks, claiming my feet were cold. He happily brought me a pair of random red socks- perfect! Nobody would ever notice my feet because the socks were also red.

I winced as I pulled the socks on, literally creating more pain for myself, but I knew it had to be done to hide it from the stranger. I also needed pain meds, but didn’t have any more with me, so the medical staff offered to give me an IV, but I refused. I knew how loopy I would get and then I’d miss the whole concert, or worse, confess to the stranger I had actually gotten injured again. I couldn’t bear to see his disappointed face. No, I was resolved on that front and resigned to suffer in silence for as long as I needed to.

After soundcheck was done, they came back to change into their first outfits and then they were teasing me, goofing around, etc. I tried my best to pretend I was fine, which most of them fell for, but I guess I’m not that great of an actress because unfortunately, the calm one noticed something was off and came to sit next to me on the couch, gently patting my leg and asking, “Are you ok? You seem distracted and in pain, but we have fixed all of your injuries, right?” I refused to look at him, knowing I would cry the instant I made eye contact with anyone, and simply replied, “Yes, I am fine. Don’t worry about me. I want you guys to be your best tonight, so I won’t cause any more problems.”

He absolutely did not fall for my lies and as soon as he left that room went straight to the stranger to tattle on me. The one good thing was that time was on my side, and they had to be on stage in less than 15 minutes, so the stranger had no spare moments to check on me, other than kiss the top of my head and promise to return soon to see how I was doing. He did, however, make sure the staff knew I needed to be checked on constantly, but that didn’t bother me. I knew I could fool them easily.

The first part went smoothly, so when they rushed in to change outfits, they all waved and did a quick lap to check on me, but since they were so distracted by the rushing time and adrenaline, I knew they wouldn’t notice anything if I gave them fake smiles and waved. While they were performing, I made sure to lay down, take slow breaths, and focus on the songs, not the pain in my head or hand or feet. It worked for the first hour, even through their second outfit change, which is a bit longer, but even so, when they circled through to check on me (loudly and wildly), it was easy to trick them into thinking I was fine.

Except the quiet one. He somehow always stopped, stared, and raised his eyebrows at me when I made eye contact for a split second, but I always looked away automatically to continue the rouse. Whatever he was thinking, I knew it would not end well for me, but during the concert, I did not care. My only goal was to survive the lie long enough to get back to the hotel, hide in the bathroom, and somehow make sure my bleeding feet didn’t get infected. The first part of the plan was easy- they were literally gone most of the 3 hours. The second part would not be so smooth sailing, as I knew they would be in really good moods once they were done singing, expecting me to share the joy, when I clearly could not.

The concert ended a little later than usual, due to some issues with the confetti cannons earlier, but even with the extra ten minutes, I was not prepared for them entering the back rooms, completely hyped up, jumping and laughing and shouting loudly, coming right in to check on me, one of the giants picking me up and swinging me around in the air like I was a child, then passing me to another giant, without checking to see if I was ok… Luckily, the second giant put me down after only a couple spins, so I was able open my eyes.

As he dropped me, it was clear my legs were not going to support me, so I fell to the floor, this time actually hitting the ground without anyone catching me- they were all too pumped up to notice how dizzy I was until I was laying on the floor, not moving, just hoping I could melt into nothingness and disappear.

No such luck, unfortunately. The quiet one and the model both noticed me at the same time, rushing over, calling the stranger as they ran, while also yelling for the medical staff members to come check on me.

Although I did not enjoy crashing down onto the cement floor of the stadium, it did give me an excuse to show the pain I had been hiding all night, so I was thankful to be able to not have to pretend to be happy anymore. I wasn’t sure exactly which part of me hurt most in that moment- my hand (from earlier), my feet (still a secret from them), or my face, which had caught the corner of the coffee table on the way down and was now bleeding… sigh. It was just my lip, nothing too serious, but with the blood on the floor, and all over my face, it seemed much worse than it was, so the medical staff had to give me a very thorough exam, checking my teeth, my nose, my ears, etc. to make sure there wasn’t anything else bleeding before they were able to focus just on my bottom left lip.

This also made it impossible for me to speak, with the numbing shot they gave me, and the gauze now stuffed inside my mouth, which I was actually very thankful for. There were no tears because I was still in shock, just looking around the room, unsure of what (or whom) I should be focusing on. It was then decided that I would be getting an IV, with pain meds, but even though I tried so hard to protest (without any words), they got their way and I was soon seeing things in a very different way. Pain meds affect me more than others because I rarely take them, so once I started seeing fluffy clouds and animals everywhere, I knew I’d be worthless to them for a while. The quiet one had been watching me the whole time, along with the stranger, whispering things back and forth, things that I could not hear and definitely could not understand.

During all the commotion, I was lifted onto the couch and cleaned up, so when it was time to leave, one of the giants simply picked me up and asked where to take me, while the quiet one carried the IV pole beside us, not trusting the giant to be careful enough with me yet. The giant told me he would protect me and keep me safe, since he was part of the cause of my pain, so I looked up at him and whispered, “I know you are a fluffy bunny inside and I love your soft heart. Don’t let me fall into the river please.”

They looked at each other, having no clue what I was talking about, but realized it was because of the meds and then laughed for a moment. In the SUV, I was squished between the giant who carried me and the quiet one, constantly mumbling about “flying, sailing, etc.” and they just nodded or made agreeable noises in response, knowing I would never remember anything anyway. Once we reached the hotel, the other giant carried me upstairs, saying he needed to take responsibility for his part, but of course I didn’t care- I wasn’t blaming anyone for anything at that point. The quiet one followed, making sure I was not injured any further, with the stranger following close behind.

I was set down on the couch at first, then, once they realized I would not be able to eat with them, I was carried to one of the random beds and laid down, assuming I would be asleep for a while and could be left alone. Luckily, the meds really did knock me out and I do not remember anything from the next three hours, including the part where the medical staff came and removed the gauze and IV, then put something really sticky on my cut lip, or when they checked and re-wrapped my hand.

The next thing I know, it’s pitch black, obviously the middle of the night, when I woke up, in pain, but needing the bathroom, so I rolled out of the bed, then tried taking a step, forgetting how sore my feet would be, decided walking was out of the question, and simply crawled to the bathroom I knew was in the hallway. After I flushed and washed as best as I could, I just sat on the floor, trying to figure out a plan of action.

I don’t know how long I was there, but it couldn’t have been long because suddenly the model was kneeling over me, asking me what was wrong, if I needed help, etc. I looked up into his beautiful face, not being able to answer with words, and just stared, tears running down my cheeks, finally being set free.

He panicked and ran from the bathroom, returning with the stranger and the quiet one, both of whom did not look happy to find me crying, alone, on the bathroom floor. They asked me multiple questions, but I didn’t know how to respond- I was so upset by that time all I could do was cry, breaking their hearts, but also being no help at all while they attempted to solve the problem.

Finally, the quiet one reminded the stranger that I had been hiding something while they were still at the stadium, so they began checking me randomly for injuries they had missed. When they got to my legs, gently patting me, then my ankles, and eventually when one of them touched my feet, I winced and gave a tiny scream in pain, letting them know they had found the real issue.

The stranger lifted me onto the counter and carefully tried to remove one of the red socks, but I yanked my foot away and started arguing about him touching me at all, so he needed a new plan. The quiet one noticed how the socks seemed to be stuck to my feet, so he suggested they soak my feet to get the socks wet, then take them off in the water, easing some of the initial pain perhaps.

I don’t know if you have ever tried to balance on the edge of a bathtub while being delusional, but it is almost impossible, so it’s very fortunate that they were both there to hold me up. They used lukewarm water, waited a few minutes for my feet to get soaking wet, then carefully peeled the first sock off, revealing my very raw foot, clearly the cause of my distress. They repeated the process, then threw the socks away, just letting my feet stay in the water for now, the only time I wasn’t screaming quietly in pain. The quiet one called the medical staff to have them come help and when he returned, I was no longer in the tub.

The stranger was extremely strong, just not as boastful about it as the other giants, and had simply lifted me off the edge, then sat on the floor, me in front of him, my poor injured feet resting on a towel, exposed to the air, causing me excruciating pain. At this point I was so upset I could only hide my face in his shirt and cry, which of course didn’t help, but I truly had no more sounds left in me right then.

He kept his strong arms around me, whispering random things to me that I could not understand and at that moment, I didn’t care. The medical staff arrived shortly after, finding me on the floor, being held by the stranger, the quiet one sitting next to us, rubbing my back and hair, reassuring me, but also reminding the stranger that it wasn’t his fault and the only thing they could do now was help me feel better.

The medical staff worked quickly and efficiently, cleaning and bandaging my feet as gently as possible, but of course everything hurt. They wrapped my feet and by the time they were done, I looked like a mummy, which I would have been embarrassed about if I had been in my right mind. They cleaned everything up, then said they would be back in a couple of hours to change the bandages and prevent infection.

I had stopped crying at some point, now completely exhausted and out of emotions for the time being. The stranger had to figure out a way to get up first, then lift me, so he had the quiet one switch places for a moment, so he could pace back and forth to wake up his legs, which had fallen asleep after sitting on the tile floor for so long.

Once he was able to walk normally again, he gently lifted me up, then told me to put my arms around his neck, so I did, resting my head in his neck, whispering, “You are a soft cloud of cuteness, and I hope you keep your heart next to mine.”

Although he had no clue what I was talking about, he did chuckle at my words, happy to be near me again when I wasn’t crying in pain. He didn’t carry me to the bedroom as I expected-instead, he carried me to the kitchen, set me down on the counter, then told the quiet one to come make sure I didn’t fall off.

The quiet one stood in front of me and hugged me, allowing me to lean on him, while I said softly, “I like your gentle kitten heart, and I can tell you care for others greatly.” Now it was his turn to chuckle, as he patted my head and rubbed my back, telling me that I was safe now and would soon be resting again. The stranger returned with my Tylenol, which he then gave to me, with some water and once I had taken it, he replaced the quiet one, this time carrying me on his back, like a backpack. When we went into a different bedroom, he gently dropped me onto the bed, with the quiet one’s help, and moved me to the middle, then got on my right side, while the quiet one went around to get on my left side.

I should have noticed how they were talking about me, literally as I was laying between them, but since I was finally not in pain anymore, I fell asleep almost immediately, holding the stranger’s hand, while he softly rubbed my face or hair with his other hand, reminding me that I could trust him completely.

When I woke up, I had no sense of time and somehow was not with the same two guys I had fallen asleep with. The quiet one had been replaced with the model, and the stranger had been replaced with a different giant, the one who was loud, but secretly very kind. They were both still asleep, so I just looked around, unsure of what to do, since I couldn’t walk and didn’t want to disturb either one of them. I didn’t have to wait long before one of the other giants came and stood over my face, grinning, asking me if I wanted to get up. I nodded, so he grabbed my arms and pulled me right out of the bed, it was so fast and he was so strong that I literally had no time to react. I should have hit the floor. I should have landed loudly.

Instead, a second set of arms caught me and swung me right up, then asked quietly, “Are you ok?” I nodded, surprised to see the other giant being so calm with me. He walked out of the room quietly, followed by the other giant, then began taking me down the hallway, but I pointed to the bathroom, so he paused and set me down inside, telling me to call for him when I was done- he was not going to allow me to walk by myself ever again, which caused me to frown, but had no effect on him- he was just as stubborn as I was.

I used the bathroom quickly and washed, then just stood in front of the mirror, looking at myself with horror- my hair was now a wild mess, and I was still wearing the same baggy clothes I had borrowed the day before. Ugh. He must have gotten impatient because the door swung wildly open and he came barging in, saying something about how I better not try to walk on my own, but froze when he saw me just staring into the mirror. The other giant soon joined us and asked what was wrong- then I explained how horrible I looked, compared to them, since I was still not able to change my clothes or even brush my hair.

They laughed and told me they would help me do anything I wanted, but I had to eat breakfast first because the medical staff was here to check on me and the stranger was not going to let me skip anything important. I was then carried to the living area and set down on the couch, where the medical staff re-did the bandages on my feet, hand, and checked my poor lower lip to see if it was ok still. By the time they were done, I was laying down, worn out from the pain once more, just hoping to turn into a rock for the moment. At least rocks don’t have feelings or reactions to outside stimuli.

The stranger came over and knelt in front of me, brushing some of my wild hair off my face, then told me, “After you eat breakfast and take more pain meds, we will help you get new clothes and feel like your beautiful self again, ok?” I nodded, trusting him, knowing he wouldn’t lie to me when I was clearly not at my best yet. We ate some of the leftovers from the night before, which was fun for me, since I had not enjoyed any of it with them. The giants are actually really funny, so I was laughing by the time we finished eating, finally feeling like myself again, for the first time in a while. The quiet one was also happy to see my smile returning, knowing the stranger would be directly affected by my good mood.

The stranger was now shooting out ideas for how to help me change clothes and wash my hair without actually letting me bathe or shower- the medical staff had mentioned it would not be possible right now, so they needed an alternative plan. One of the giants offered to just spray water on my face and hair, but the quiet one quickly shut that idea down, reminding him that the goal was to make as little mess as possible, especially not getting any of my bandages wet in the process.

Finally, it was decided that they could help me wash my hair in the kitchen sink, while I was laying on the counter, safely dry. Then they would swap out the clothes with clean ones from my suitcase, only helping when I asked, knowing I would need a bit of privacy for that part. I was nervous about their plan, but saw no alternative, so I reluctantly agreed, then was swooped up by one of the giants and carefully set down on the kitchen counter, the stranger had to figure out how to get my braid undone, so I had to instruct him how to remove the elastic at the bottom first, then undo each layer as he went up my braid, until all that was left was my wild, now wavy hair. The two giants were laughing and playing with my hair, pretending to have mustaches, beards, etc. and had climbed onto the counter to tease me.

The quiet one let them have fun for a few minutes, then scooted them off, ending their fun for the moment and sending them on a mission to go get my shampoo. He then places a rolled-up towel under my neck at the edge of the sink, allowing me to avoid any discomfort later. When they returned, they had my shampoo and conditioner, plus my face wash, looking mighty proud of themselves. I gave them two thumbs-ups and smiled, then clapped carefully, which caused them to rush over and pretend to smother me with kisses, while the quiet one and the stranger yelled at them to leave me alone and also be careful of my lip. I was then giggling and wiggling around, which didn’t help calm anyone down, so I’m not surprised the other three got woken up by our shenanigans and came wandering out to see what was going on.

When I saw their hair sticking up, I could not stop my giggles and the whole scene began again, this time with additional shouting from one of the other giants, while the model and the sweet one half-laughed, and half looked confused. Finally, the stranger got everyone calmed down and explained what was happening, so then the loud one wanted to be involved, and the model offered to help and soon I was worried about them being able to accomplish anything…

As it turns out, the more helpers you have, the less the goal actually gets completed. The first part was easy, just getting my hair wet, right? Well, the stranger used a cup to avoid splashing my face, which was the easy part, but when he tried to get the back wet, the loud one got involved, spilling water all over the counter, which soaked the back of my shirts, causing me to giggle again and it set of a whole other round of laughter.

Once that was calmed down, my hair did end up being wet enough, so the model got the shampoo and attempted to rub it into my hair. I realized right away that none of them had ever washed someone else’s hair in a sink before, as I ended up with bubbles on my forehead, in my ears, and once again, somehow down the back of my neck, into the shirts I was still wearing. Those bubbles got washed off, then they started arguing about how to best add the conditioner, how long it should sit, etc.

The calm one got tired of listening and simply came over, washed out the shampoo, added the conditioner to my hair, walked away, came back, rinsed it out, and covered my hair in the towel he had gone to grab. I quickly made a head wrap with the towel, so it wouldn’t fall off, while I was sitting up, then hopped off the counter, completely forgetting about my feet.

Well, that set off another round of loudness, but this time they were arguing about whose fault it was that I jumped off the counter. Meanwhile, I was then sitting on the floor, covering my ears, afraid of causing any more trouble. The model noticed me first, crouched down next to me, and asked if I was ok. I just looked up at him, then shook my head, which he understood. I don’t think he shouts very often because when he stood up and yelled at everyone to be quiet, they stopped instantly, staring at him, completely surprised, except the quiet one, who obviously hadn’t been yelling in the first place and was now proud of the model for making it stop.

I was then lifted up by the stranger, who carefully helped me lean over the sink to quickly wash my face, after which I was carried into the bathroom by one of the giants and set on the counter. He wanted to help me, since I knew my left hand would be really hard to use, so he patted my face with my facial toner and when it was dry, he applied my lotion, being very gentle around my lip, carefully smoothing the lotion onto my cheeks and forehead, which impressed me. I smiled up at him and said, “You are very gentle when you want to be and I like that about you.” He pretended to be shy or embarrassed, but kissed my good hand anyway, grinning widely.

After that, I was moved to the living room, where I undid the towel and sent the other giant on a mission to retrieve my brush. When he returned, he just stood there, holding it, looking at me, as if waiting for instructions. I giggled again, holding out my hand to take it, but was intercepted by the loud one, who reached it first, then sat directly behind me, claiming to know exactly what he was doing. After a few attempts at “brushing” my hair, it became clear that he actually had no clue what he was doing and my hair was now a bigger mess than before. I was now giggling at his reactions, since every time he “brushed” my hair he exclaimed something, and I could barely sit up straight because I was laughing so hard.

Thankfully, the model took over and finally managed to get my hair untangled, easily brushing my long hair gently, doing a much better job than I expected. I was impressed with his patience and told him, “I am so thankful to have you in my heart now.” He smiled and hugged me gently from behind, just as the loud one pretended that he had been faking it the whole time. We both laughed about that, knowing it was not true at all. He then claimed to know how to braid my hair and wanted to prove his skills, but fortunately, the sweet one reminded him that they had actual staff members who specifically handled hair, which I was happy to hear. I made a heart with my hands and smiled at him, and when he smiled back, I knew he was on my side.

While my hair was down, I was also worried about how I was going to change into dry clothes, since the shirts I had on were wet and water had been dripping down my back. The quiet one noticed me fidgeting and pointed it out to the stranger, who then declared, “We must find a way to get her clean, dry clothes. Does anyone know how to get this done safely?” I waited for someone to speak up, but it was silent for a few seconds, then the model offered his suggestion, “I think we should get her clothes for her and place them in the bathroom and let her dress alone, so she can have privacy.”

The loud one immediately disagreed, shouting passionately, “What will that accomplish? She will fall, trying to get her wet clothes off, and get hurt again. No, she cannot be left alone for a single second.”

Nobody offered any other suggestions, except that the quiet one left the room, then returned holding something, smiling his confident, but shy smile, then suggested, “What if we wear a sleep mask so we can’t see anything, but she can use our arms to balance and not fall anymore? Wouldn’t that be the safest option right now?” The stranger grinned and hugged the quiet one, thankful for his genius idea, and reached for the sleep mask, but was overtaken by one of the giants, who rushed forward, demanding he be the one in charge, since he had injured me and needed to make it up to me somehow.

I loved all of them at this point, but even I knew having him “help” me would be a bad idea and only end in disaster, so I stared, afraid of what the stranger might say. Luckily, he read my mind and calmly refused the offer, stating that he would be the only choice because he had brought me home, therefore I was his responsibility. I sighed with relief, grateful to not be afraid for my safety anymore.

The stranger carried me into the room with my suitcase, helped me get my clean clothes, which were in a Ziploc baggie labeled for me (all my outfits are pre-packed and labeled before I travel), then took me into one of the bathrooms, sitting me on the counter at first. I looked up at him, as he was still taller than me, and said, “I am so sorry for causing so many problems for you. Can you ever forgive me?”

He froze, stared at me for a good couple of seconds, then countered with, “What makes you think you need forgiveness?” I blinked at him, then looked at the floor, as I answered quietly, “Your life was easy and calm before you met me, but now it is filled with tears and chaos. I think you are mad about that.”

He was in front of me in a split second, lifting up my chin and staring into my eyes as he told me, “None of that is true at all. My life was not perfect before I met you. It was filled with loneliness and constant worrying about who I could trust. Now I know I can trust you and despite all of your accidents, you are still so fun to be around. Please don’t say such untrue things about yourself in front of me. It makes me upset that you think I don’t value your life.”

He leaned his forehead on mine, and I could feel his strong emotions, somehow knowing he was never mad at me, or anything that had happened, but it was still reassuring to hear. I whispered, “How can I be the best version of myself for you? Tell me what to do and I will try. Except walking- please don’t ask me to walk anywhere right now.” He chuckled and kissed my hair, knowing I was trying to change the subject and cheer him up at the same time.

He helped me take the clothes out of the bag, unfold them, and lay them out on the counter, making it easier for me to access on my own. He carefully set me on the floor, his hands on my arms, giving me balance, then asked me to place the sleep mask over his eyes, so he could make sure he couldn’t see anything. Once we knew he couldn’t, he told me to start changing, but to stop if I needed help or just needed a break from standing. I had gotten the entire bottom changed easily, since everything was dry, so I was very happy to have fresh clothes on 50% of my body. I then tried to remove the baggy hoodie, failed, and asked for his help, saying he didn’t need the mask- it was literally just a hoodie.

He helped me take it off, then got to my regular top, which was also soaking wet in the back and before either one of us could think, he helped me take it off, which left me standing directly in front of him, wearing only two items on the top, which he had not considered would be an issue until he suddenly realized what had happened, what I was now wearing, and looked at my face, completely absorbed in the process and reaching for my clean shirt.

I didn’t even realize anything was wrong until I had tugged my clean shirt on, then smiled and reached up to touch one of his cheeks- that’s when I saw he was blushing and looked like he had gotten shocked by something electric- standing there silently, staring at me. I still didn’t see the problem, so I asked if he was ok, then he shook his head, and I asked what was wrong.

He finally found his voice and whispered, “I forgot to put the mask back on when you changed your shirt. I am so sorry.” I shrugged, since it was not a big deal to me, then replied, “It’s totally fine, I have a tank top on for a reason, so it’s no big deal. You didn’t see anything you shouldn’t have, so don’t worry about it. I appreciate your help so much! I feel so much better now!” Before he could react, I flung my arms around his neck and hugged him, surprising him again and I assume sending him into a mental breakdown because when I let go, he literally ran from the room, leaving me confused and standing there, alone for the moment. I neatly folded my dirty clothes and stuffed them into the plastic bag I had just used, then added the hoodie to the top of the pile and began working on my hair, since I was still standing in front of the mirror.

The quiet one came in a few minutes later, saw me alone, then asked what had happened to the stranger, so I told him the story, not exactly sure about the reason he had run off in the first place. The quiet one chuckled, then stood next to me and said, “I think I know why he ran away, but before I tell you, can you just consider something for me?” I nodded, continuing to braid my hair, as he then commented, “We don’t have a lot of exposure to females because of what we do and how popular we are. So when an attractive girl like you was suddenly changing in front of him, perhaps his imagination ran away with him, and it was too much to deal with at the time. Did you do anything that would have made him panic?”

I shook my head, telling the same details as before, changing my pants, then the hoodie and my shirt, then I hugged him afterwards. The quiet one nodded, then explained, “So you got really close to him after you changed?” I nodded, still not seeing what the big deal was, so he continued, “Maybe you should consider how that would have made him feel, being so close to someone he really likes, who smells really good, and was just wearing very little clothing a few seconds earlier, touching his skin.”

A light bulb went off in my brain and I exclaimed, “OH MY GOSH! What did I just do???!” The quiet one laughed, then offered to go speak with the stranger before I did, which I greatly appreciated, knowing I would need to apologize later for being so inconsiderate. After he left, he sent the loud one in to supervise me while I finished my hair, who then gave me a ride on his back to return my bag of clothes to my suitcase. He left me sitting on the floor, which I requested, so I could organize the jumbled mess inside my suitcase currently. I wasn’t sitting there long when I felt someone join me silently, not speaking, just enjoying the moment with me and when I looked up to see the model, I was surprised, but happy about it.

He began asking me about things he could do to help me feel better, so I talked while I organized, helping me fold socks, roll up pjs, etc. I was so happy, just talking with him easily, that I hadn’t noticed we weren’t alone until I felt someone pat my leg from the other side, while I was looking at the model. I turned to face the other way, finding the sweet one had joined us, so I was doubly happy.

Once my suitcase was looking better, I was planning to call for one of the giants to come help me, but I literally didn’t even open my mouth before both of them appeared, grinning, and reaching for me. I was worried they would drop me in the struggle, but one grabbed me and the other held onto my legs, never letting my feet hit the walls, like it was a two-person job all along.

I was laughing at their dramatic movements, so when they sat me down on the couch, then squished me between themselves, I was unable to breathe because they were so funny. The sweet one and model had followed us out of the room, while the loud one joined in as soon as he heard my laughter, and soon the entire living area was full of laughter.

I kept watching for the other two to join us but soon realized I needed to stop being so selfish and allow them time to talk privately, without the rest of us bothering or interrupting. After about an hour, the loud one announced we had to leave for the stadium soon, so they took turns either changing into other outfits, grabbing their phones, sunglasses, etc. or sitting with me. I guess I had lost the privilege of being alone and I accepted my fate- I deserved it, after all.

Just as I had given up hope of ever seeing the stranger or the quiet one ever again, they appeared, smiling, and joined everyone who was gathering to leave. One of the giants picked me up and carried me to the elevator, so I couldn’t talk to the stranger, but in the elevator, he stood next to me and kissed the top of my head, so I knew everything would be ok. When we reached the parking garage, he rode in the other vehicle with the loud one, he sweet one, and the model, leaving me with the two giants, and the quiet one. This was probably a good call because the giants would not stop teasing me, like little brothers often do with their sisters, and the quiet one had to run interference multiple times to stop them from terrorizing me.

First, they were pulling my hair, purposely taking little bits out of my braid to make it look like I had entered a windstorm. Then, they began giving me very loud, fake kisses, just to see how irritated I would get. Unbeknownst to them, that doesn’t bother me at all, so when that didn’t work, they began poking me randomly, anywhere that wasn’t already hurt, trying to get a reaction. Just about the time I was going to explode with frustration, the quiet one stopped them, and they didn’t bother me the last fifteen minutes of the ride. Although I understood their need to tease me, I wished they could have chosen a calmer way to get my attention and was rubbing my temples to get my headache to go away.

I wish I could have been invisible, but of course the quiet one saw everything and as soon as we arrived at the stadium, after I was carried inside quickly by one of the giants, he reported everything to the stranger. I was assuming I would remain behind the scenes again tonight, stuck alone during the concert, since my feet clearly would not allow me to participate like the other fans. What I did not plan for was an actual staff member to be assigned to me, like a babysitter, literally watching me and never leaving me alone.

It was my turn to be the loud one when I found out I was going to have supervision, which was actually quite hilarious, because the actual loud one joined in, shouting random words, just for the fun of it. He stopped, however, when the quiet one explained the reason for my consequence, and instantly changed his mind, patting me on the head and saying, “Sorry cutie, but you need to be with a caretaker at all times. I cannot take your side this time.”

I knew everyone else would side with the stranger, so I accepted defeat and just stared at the floor, knowing they just wanted to keep me safe and not worry while they were performing. Sound check happened shortly after, so then I was introduced to the staff member who was going to babysit me, and it turns out, she was really nice, so I was actually ok with it. She was one of the backup dancers who had injured her arm somehow, so she wasn’t allowed to perform anyway and therefore, watching me gave her a purpose.

We chatted easily, then when the guys returned, she left the room, promising to return when I was alone again. The stranger sat next to me, then asked if I was going to be ok, so I told him I definitely would, not wanting to worry him. He looked like he was about to say something, but then heard his name being called, so he had to leave the room, allowing the model to take his place. “Don’t worry, he still cares for you,” he said, when he noticed my eyes following the stranger as he left the room.

I sighed, then smiled and nodded to him, as he continued, “I think you are a good person to meet us. Sometimes we don’t know who is good and who is lying. You are honest.” I squeezed his hand with my good one, agreeing with him, then the loud one came over, followed by the two giants, and the laughter started. I have no idea what actually happened to set us off, but once the model was laughing, I started giggling, then the giants joined in, and the loud one added the best sound to the top, so it was a giant pile of hilarity.

I couldn’t breathe eventually, which the loud one noticed and then made us calm down, starting a conversation about something boring- ways to travel around the world, I think? I tried desperately to take deep breaths and not make eye contact with anyone, but then the model tapped my shoulder, I saw his face for a split second, and literally had to turn away, hoping to hide my face in the sleeve of the loud one, who was sitting next to me on the other side. He continued to rant about boats or trains, while I used his hoodie sleeve as a mask, attempting to gain some self-control.

Well, it would have worked if the sweet one hadn’t walked into the room, wearing two different shoes, asking which one looked better, while his hair was clipped up (clearly being worked on) and his shirt was only halfway on, setting the two giants off first, then the model, and finally I joined in, with the loud one going off on one of his shouting rants that sounds almost like rapping, but is actually just him expressing how annoyed he is. The sweet one had no clue why we were laughing but joined in because it was so contagious.

Eventually, the loud one got up and stomped from the room, saying he needed to be productive and change his outfit, which gave us time to answer the sweet one, who also left, leaving me with the two giants and the model, which seemed fine at the time, since I wasn’t technically alone, but also should have been questioned, since they were the most reckless of the group.

One of the giants asked if he could pick me up, but I said it wasn’t a good idea, and the model sided with me, stating it would get me into more trouble, and we were trying to avoid that right now. He sat next to me, looking very sad (faking it), then the other one came right over and picked me up, not asking, and flung me over his shoulder. I was so shocked I couldn’t even yell, but the other giant jumped up and then started dancing with the first one, while I was being flung around, upside down, not enjoying a single second of their antics. The model soon realized they weren’t going to listen to him, even though he did ask/tell them to set me down multiple times and ran from the room.

I think the playful giants realized what was going to happen, so they instantly put me down on one of the chairs next to the couch, then jumped over me and landed on the couch, trying to look normal. What they didn’t expect was for me to be extremely nauseous from all the bouncing they had just done, so imagine their total shock when I began to vomit all over the floor, just as everyone else returned to the room…

Yeah, it was not a pretty sight, nor was it quiet. In the chaos, both of them ended up running from the room, shouting behind them that they didn’t mean to hurt me, while being chased by the loud one, who was scolding them as he ran. The model and the sweet one found some towels to cover the floor, then left, not being able to stand the smell or sight of the mess.

I wasn’t mad at them- I completely understood actually. But of course, at that moment, I was just lying on the cold hard ground, wishing the room would stop spinning and the floor would stop tilting, so I could feel better. The quiet one got the medical staff and once they arrived, I was moved to another room. I was so unaware of my surroundings that I didn’t even realize the stranger had carried me there until he laid me down on the floor, on what seemed to be a mat of some kind, used for stretching. He carefully set me down, then asked the medical staff if I was going to be ok, but they couldn’t answer because they were placing an IV into my good hand, while asking me questions about what had happened.

I kept apologizing, knowing someone from the staff would have to clean up the mess, but I hated being a burden, and by the time I had the IV and the meds had started working, I was sobbing, apologizing to every single person on the planet, for the most ridiculous things imaginable.

“I’m sorry for wearing those red socks. I am sorry for liking ladybugs. I’m sorry for being so clumsy. I am sorry for having no balance,” on and on I continued to cry, my words becoming more and more jumbled as the meds kicked in and I finally fell asleep, giving those poor medics some silence and relief.

The stranger was very concerned at this point, but as the medical staff pointed out, I was safe now, being monitored, and wouldn’t do any harm while they were performing, so it was honestly the best place for me to be right then. He sighed, knowing they were right, and told them he would be checking on me constantly, but he believed them. He kissed my forehead, then went to change, trying to focus on the job at hand and knowing the other members would be counting on him.

That night, since I was asleep the whole time, I literally didn’t hear a single song, or notice anyone coming to check on me, or even know when I was moved from the mat to another room, where there was a portable cot, about a foot off the ground, perfect for me to lay on. I didn’t notice when the IV was taken out, or when all my bandages were changed, or even when one of the giants, who had come to apologize about ten times by then, carried me to the SUV and put me inside.

I had no clue when we returned back to the hotel, or that the other giant had put me into a bed, then sat next to me, crying because he felt so horrible about hurting me. What I did notice, about four hours later, was loud snoring (I thought it was a bear in my dreams) and a very heavy object across my stomach (the giant’s arm). I gently moved it, then looked around to see where I was. I didn’t have anyone on the other side of me, so I was able to roll out of the bed and quietly land on the floor, but then I froze when I noticed a mattress, where two other members were sleeping quietly, blocking me from escaping.

I sat back, leaning on the bed frame, considering my choices, when I heard a whisper and looked up to see the stranger, leaning towards me, asking, “Are you ok? Can I help you?” I nodded, then reached up my hands for him to grab, pulling me right up in front of him, then he turned around and lifted me onto his back and asked where I was trying to go. I pointed to the bathroom, so he delivered me, then when I was done and had opened the door, he was waiting, looking extremely worried.

I lunged at him, like I hadn’t seen him in forever, hugging him with all the emotions I had inside, but couldn’t express, which surprised him, but didn’t stop his arms from pulling me closer, squeezing me gently, showing he still trusted me and cared. I kept my face hidden in his neck as I explained, “I am sorry for always causing trouble for you and I am sorry for being so disrespectful to you yesterday and I just want you to like me and I hope you won’t change your mind now that you know how hard it is to be around me.”

I couldn’t read his mind, but the way he sighed and kissed the top of my head, then whispered in my ear, “You never have to worry about that with me,” told me he probably felt the same. We stood there for several minutes, refusing to let go, until he finally leaned back and pointed to the room across the hall, which I nodded to, then he scooped me up and quietly carried me into, not wanting to wake the other members.

When we reached the bed, he set me down, then climbed next to me, explaining, “The other members have been so worried they all dragged mattresses into your room to make sure you were safe tonight. I’ve never seen anyone bring us together like that in such a short time, so I’ve got to say that you are extremely rare.”

I asked, “How did the concert go? How did I get here? What happened?”

He was on his side, facing me, so he easily kissed my forehead and replied, “Of course the concert was great, with us checking on you, knowing you were safe backstage, it made our jobs a lot easier. After we left the stadium, we brought you here with us, then one of the members felt so bad about making you sick he was crying, which made us all realize you truly are a part of our family now, if you can affect us that much in just two days.”

I quietly responded, “Oh no! I would never blame anyone! He was just being silly and forgot how dizzy I would get, so it was a complete accident. I hope he can forgive me when he wakes up.”

The stranger brushed my cheek and said, “You have such a kindhearted nature I think it’s impossible to be upset or mad at you. I’m not sure why, but you always choose to hide your pain from me, and I truly do not understand.”

I just stared at him for a few seconds, unsure of how to answer, but he is very patient, so I knew he would not move on until I did. “I see how much joy you bring to others and how hard you work, so I don’t want to be a burden or create more stress on your life by constantly needing attention. I want to help you and make your life easier, which has clearly been impossible lately.”

He heard my voice getting upset, then whispered, “Sweetie, I love rescuing you and being near you and I appreciate you wanting to be helpful, but maybe you should consider that just by being yourself, you are making my life easier. When I am around you, I can focus on your adorable actions and words, which brings me lots of joy, in case you haven’t noticed.”

I stared back, not sure what he was saying, then asked, “Do you regret meeting me?”

He sighed, leaned his forehead on mine, and replied, “Definitely not. One day I hope you will believe me when I say that meeting you was the best part of this trip and I have loved every minute of being with you. What you don’t seem to understand is that I really like you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t put so much effort into keeping you safe. How can I make you see things from my perspective?”

Maybe it was the tone of his voice, or perhaps just the fact that it was the middle of the night, or even the meds wearing off, but I started crying, worrying about being good enough for his beautiful heart, which he wasn’t expecting, and had to freeze for a second to decide how to react.

“You shouldn’t like me at all. I can never be good enough for you. Don’t you see? I will always be a disaster, and you will always have to save me and it’s just not fair. How can you even waste a second of time on me?” I sobbed.

By the time my little rant was over, he had pulled me into his arms, reassuring me, “It’s too late for that honey. You are already too good for me actually- I’m trying to catch up. I don’t care if you are a disaster- I love saving you and hope I always get to. It’s unfair because you won’t accept my words as facts. I will spend forever convincing you if you give me a chance. Please accept my affection. I promise to use it wisely.”

I don’t know how the conversation went after that, since I was not fully aware of my own words, let alone his, but I do know that when I woke up several hours later, he was behind me, my head resting on his right arm, his left arm draped across my stomach, I was at peace.

I didn’t want to ruin the moment, so I just blinked a few times, trying to decide how to handle the situation without waking him, or being too loud for the others, who were somewhere else nearby. I opened and closed my right hand, which was inside his, being careful not to undo the bandage I still had, just observing how much bigger his hand was, noticing how completely safe I felt with him. This must have woken him because I felt his other arm tighten around me and his kisses on my neck as he whispered, “Good morning sweetheart. I hope you slept well because I think that was the first time in forever I have actually slept more than a few hours at a time. You are my magic trick for getting good sleep and I never want to give you up.”

I giggled quietly, causing him to smother me in kisses all over my neck, hair, and cheek, but he stopped when he realized he might hurt my lip. I sighed, knowing it was for the best, but also not wanting his affection to end. He traced my lips with his fingers, as he asked, “Why did you sigh just now?”

I turned onto my back, looking right up into his face, as I whispered, “I wanted you to kiss me, but I know you can’t because of my cut lip. I was thinking it’s just not fair.” My cheeks finally caught up with my thinking, turning bright pink, his eyes changing to something different, something I hadn’t seen before, so when he answered, “There is nothing I want more in this world, but I refuse to hurt you more,” I could only stare up at him, completely surprised by his confession.

He made a growling sound, then squeezed his eyes shut, turning onto his back, away from me, covering his face with his hands as he whisper-exclaimed, “Why does this keep happening to me?! Are you trying to kill me?!” I was so confused I didn’t answer right away, but then sat up, asking, “What are you talking about?” He got out the other side of the bed, came over to me, pulled me up so I was standing in front of him, then replied, “Every time I want to kiss you, the timing is off. I cannot stop thinking of you, but every second I want to show you how much I like you, something goes wrong. It’s very frustrating, that’s all.”

I looked up into his distraught eyes and asked, “Is that what happened yesterday in the bathroom?” He chuckled, ran his fingers through his hair, then confessed, “Yes, I had to run away because the thought of kissing you while you were inches away from me was too overwhelming and I knew if I acted on my thoughts, I might hurt you more, which absolutely would not be ok. I had to escape to get you out of my mind. I hope you know how attracted to you I am and how much self-control it takes not to smother you in kisses every second I’m near you.”

I was dumbfounded at that moment, staring at him like he was speaking another language, completely unexpected, with no way of responding because my brain was unable to process his words.