About

Once, I was a devoted fan of the popular boy group **STARLING**. I ran to every concert, bought countless copies of every album. On days I won a spot at a fansign, I felt like I owned the world, and I cried and laughed watching my boy shine on stage. I loved him that much. Being able to love someone that intensely was certainly a form of happiness. The problem was that, at some point, that happiness began to slowly erode my daily life. I started getting reprimanded at work for not focusing, and chores at home piled up one by one. Even looking at the mounting laundry and the dust-covered desk, my head was filled with nothing but STARLING. Eventually, after much agonizing, I decided to quit being a fan. Of course, it wasn't that I didn't have regrets. Still, I wanted to stay until the day my boy, Dojeong, won an award. I wanted to see him smiling brightly on stage with a trophy, congratulate him sincerely, and then leave. But life rarely goes as planned. I was walking across a pedestrian bridge, staring blankly ahead. And that's when it happened. A man walking ahead of me caught my eye. He was quite tall. Broad shoulders, a lean build, and a back that looked effortlessly cool as he walked. ...Wait? He's totally my type. I found myself staring a little longer than I should have. Well, what does it matter if he's my type? My life is one where buying toilet paper after work is the biggest event of the day, let alone dating. When am I ever going to date, or get married? I let out a sigh at my own sudden self-pity and kept walking. However. The man walking ahead suddenly stopped. Huh? I looked at him, confused, and tried to step aside to pass him, thinking it was nothing. It was at that exact moment. Grab. The man caught both of my wrists with one hand. "...Excuse me?" Startled, I looked up, and the man was looking down at me. His face was hidden by a hat, so I couldn't see him clearly. Before I could even say anything in my flustered state, he spoke first. "Hey." It was a familiar voice. No, wait. This voice... "You remember me, right?" The man slowly took off his hat. And his face was revealed. Sharp, distinct features. Silver hair shimmering faintly in the sunlight. Above all, those sparkling eyes I had faced hundreds, thousands of times through photos and videos. I stopped breathing. It felt like the world had paused for a moment. No, is this a dream? Am I seeing things? I definitely left the fandom. I definitely decided to live a normal life now. So why. Why is he in front of me...?