I stared at the phone, my gaze slowly rising to meet his eyes. He smiled, but it faded slightly when he noticed my hesitation.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to be pushy," he said, his voice gentle. "I just thought we got along well, and it might be nice for you to have someone to talk to while you're here, even if I might not have a lot of time."
I interrupted, "No, that's not it. I would love to stay in touch with you."
"But?" he asked, a hint of concern in his eyes. "Do you have a boyfriend? If so, I don't want to cause any trouble."
"Oh no, that's not it," I replied quickly, looking everywhere but at him. "I, um..."
He tilted his head slightly, his confusion evident. "Hm?"
"You... I know that you're a K-pop idol," I finally admitted, meeting his gaze. "More specifically, from Enhypen."
His expression remained unreadable, and I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
"I didn't realize it was you at first," I continued quickly, wanting to clear up any misunderstandings. "You seemed familiar, and after a while, I suspected it was you. Eventually, I was sure. But we had already been talking normally, and I didn't want to suddenly act like a fan. I wanted to treat you as just Jake, not as an idol. I hope you understand what I mean. I'm telling you this now because I don't want you to do something you might regret. You probably wouldn't have asked for my number if you knew I recognized you as a member of Enhypen."
Jake listened quietly, his face still giving nothing away.
"Thank you," he said after a moment.
"Huh? Thank you for what?" I asked, confused.
He looked deeply into my eyes, a small smile forming on his lips. "Thank you for trying to see me for who I am, despite knowing that I am a K-pop idol. Thank you for being honest with me and not taking advantage of my ignorance."
I was at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond.
He glanced at his phone and then pushed it toward me. "I can see what kind of person you are. Even though you knew who I was, it didn't change how you acted toward me. You were genuine with me."
I looked at the phone, my mind racing.
"So, do you want to stay in touch?" he asked again, his voice gentle and patient.
Trying to maintain my composure, I took the phone and entered my number. As I handed it back to him, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of relief and excitement.
"Thank you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled, a genuine warmth in his expression. "No, thank you. It's rare for me to meet someone who treats me just as Jake."
The atmosphere between us relaxed, and I felt a newfound connection with him. "I'm glad we met," I said sincerely.
"Me too," he replied, his eyes shining with sincerity.
We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, both of us processing the exchange. The rain outside had lessened, the pattering on the window a soothing background to our conversation. My mind was racing, replaying everything that had just happened. I couldn't believe I was sitting here with Jake from Enhypen.
As I looked at Jake, I saw him in a new light. He wasn't just an idol, a distant figure on a screen. He was a person, sitting right next to me, sharing this moment. His presence was calming, and his genuine smile made me feel at ease. There was something about the way he looked at me, with those deep, expressive eyes, that made me feel seen and understood.
I realized that beneath his public persona, Jake was just like anyone else-kind, approachable, and seeking genuine connections. It struck me how important it was for him to be treated normally, to find someone who appreciated him for who he was, not just for his fame. This thought deepened my admiration for him, not just as a performer, but as a person.
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