Hyeyeon rose onto her tiptoes, struggling to see what was happening up ahead. As she squirmed between the people packed around her, snippets of conversation reached her ears.

“Wow, it really is Han Mujin.”

“Look at his proportions. How is that even possible?”

“Lee Chaeha’s face really is no bigger than a fist.”

“She looks like a doll.”

Whenever the crowd’s excited murmurs grew louder, a staff member shouted for everyone to keep quiet. Though it was already dark, the bright filming lights made the area look as though it were broad daylight.

“Oof.”

She tried to squeeze through the crowd, but was pushed back, stumbling a few steps in the process.

News that a drama was being filmed in the neighborhood had spread that morning. The children at school had been talking about it all day, and now it seemed as though the whole neighborhood had come to watch. She had rushed over as soon as her shift ended, but it was far too late. Every spot with a decent view was taken.

The crowd’s chatter drowned out every line of dialogue, but she was sure there were celebrities up ahead.

Everyone was staring in the same direction, after all.

“Whew…”

Letting out a small sigh, she gave another little hop. For a fleeting moment, she caught a glimpse of the filming through the wall of people—and finally saw Mujin’s face, just as she had so desperately wanted to. It was only a brief glimpse, but his face left a vivid impression.

‘Wow. You really do have to be something special to become a celebrity…’

Still on tiptoe, Hyeyeon peered between the heads in front of her once more.

Han Mujin. One of Korea’s top stars, he had over ten years of acting experience under his belt, having started out as a child actor. He first won people over with his cute, pretty face. As he grew older, he turned out to be every bit as handsome as everyone had hoped, sending his popularity soaring even higher. Now in his second year of high school, his career was flourishing to the point that being a minor was practically his biggest obstacle.

He was also Hyeyeon’s favorite celebrity.

She could no longer remember how it had happened. Was it because he looked so happy on the TV programmes she used to watch as a child to escape reality? Or had she simply liked the look of him? Maybe it was the way he smiled at his fans.

If she had to find a reason, maybe it was simply that, in that moment, Han Mujin was the only person she could see.

Maybe that was all there was to it.

The moment she had fallen for him. Back then, she had needed someone to love. She felt as though she would die if she didn’t love someone. Because she believed she would never receive or give love again.

“Ugh.”

Someone shoved past her, causing her to stumble backwards. She wasn’t asking for much. She just wanted to see him in person once. To offer him a few words of encouragement.

Wasn’t there a saying about that? A single precious memory could sustain you for a lifetime.

She wasn’t hoping for any kind of connection with him. She knew perfectly well that an ordinary girl like her would never catch his eye, and her affection was one-sided.

Hyeyeon blinked and tightened her grip on the shopping bag.

She had brought him some cold drinks and snacks. However, it was clear that she wasn’t the only person to have had that idea. A small pile of gifts was already sitting in one corner of the set. Had they known his schedule and prepared in advance? There were shopping bags bearing luxury logos that even Hyeyeon recognized, despite her lack of knowledge about brands, as well as several boxes wrapped in fancy paper.

She had put some thought into her gift as a fan, too. But seeing how insignificant it was compared to the others made her feel embarrassed. Fidgeting with the handles, she let out a short sigh and looked up again.

But what did it matter if she couldn’t give it to him? It probably wouldn’t have meant much to Mujin anyway. The important thing was that it had given her an excuse to visit him.

Filming took longer than she had expected. She didn’t know if this was normal or if they were behind schedule. As it dragged on for hours, however, the exhausted spectators gradually drifted away. Initially, she hadn’t been able to see his face, even on tiptoe at the back of the crowd. Now, though, she had moved close enough to catch glimpses of him just by leaning her head out slightly.

“Let’s take a short break.”

At the words of a man who appeared to be the director, Mujin stepped out from beneath the bright lights. A man who looked to be in his thirties hurried over and handed him a cold drink.

“Mujin. Not feeling too well?”

“A little.”

“We just need to finish this scene. Hang in there a little longer.”

Mujin frowned at that. The man, who seemed to be his manager, forced a smile and began coaxing him.

“They said we have to finish this scene today. Should I ask if they can use the earlier take if we can’t get it?”

“Forget it.”

Catching his irritated response, Hyeyeon blinked. His dramas and films were acting, of course, but even in interviews, he always smiled so easily and seemed so friendly. Yet the star she was seeing in person could hardly be described as pleasant, even out of politeness.

‘I suppose I should’ve expected this.’

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Mujin turned his head and looked straight at her.

She froze for a moment before breaking into a shy smile.

He gazed at her without so much as blinking. Her face grew hot, and as she fidgeted, her fingers brushed against the shopping bag she was holding. After a few attempts, she finally found her voice.

“Um, this is…”

She stammered and awkwardly held out the bag. Perhaps Mujin hadn’t heard her. He simply turned his head away and ignored her. As he strode back beneath the bright lights, Hyeyeon brushed her hair back in embarrassment and lowered her head.

The filming that followed didn’t go smoothly, either.

‘Is he really not feeling well?’

Hyeyeon parted her lips. Even though Mujin wasn’t well, there was nothing she could do to help him. All she could do was watch from the sidelines. She couldn’t suddenly jump in and announce that he wasn’t well.

By the time the director had finally approved the scene, many of the spectators had become bored and left.

Only the actors’ fans remained until the end. Fans of Lee Chaeha, who had been filming with Mujin, were handing her gifts. Despite the late hour, she smiled and posed for photos with them, shaking their hands. As Hyeyeon watched her attentively greet her fans, she began searching for Mujin, who had disappeared at some point.

‘Where did he go?’

His manager was loading the pile of gifts his fans had left into the car. Had he already gotten inside? Or had he left in another car?

“Where’s Han Mujin?”

“What? Did he leave already?”

“They said he wasn’t great with fans. I guess he really doesn’t care.”

“He must think he’s popular enough without bothering.”

“We waited until he finished.”

Several girls grumbled in disappointment. After glancing around a few more times, Hyeyeon sighed and slowly turned away. As a member of his fan community, she was accustomed to hearing complaints about how Han Mujin treated his fans, so she wasn’t particularly surprised.

How had they put it? They said that he was friendly with fans at official events where cameras were present, but ignored them otherwise.

‘Well, he’s human, too. He must be tired.’

Hyeyeon touched the lukewarm drink, then brushed her hair back.

She was heading home after doing nothing more than catching a glimpse of a celebrity, but she wasn’t particularly disappointed. She hadn’t hoped for anything special. She certainly hadn’t expected Han Mujin to smile warmly at her and shake her hand away from the cameras. It was a shame about the drinks and snacks she had brought, but after seeing the mountain of gifts he had received, hers seemed insignificant. Giving them to him might have been embarrassing.

“Haah.”

Hyeyeon brushed her hair back and left the filming location. The crew were true professionals; they quickly packed away the scattered equipment. Glancing back, reluctant to leave, she saw someone step out of an alley and into her path.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“You’re my fan, right?”

Hyeyeon’s eyes widened. For a moment, her mind went blank before it slowly began creaking back into motion. A baseball cap pulled low. A black mask. Long arms and legs that even his loose clothes couldn’t hide.

“Uh, um…”

Her lips moved soundlessly, and she only just managed to stop herself before blurting out Han Mujin’s name.

“Han… mmph.”

“At least you know to keep it down.”

As if to let her see for herself, he pulled his mask down slightly, revealing his face, before pulling it back up again. It really was Han Mujin. The same man she had been watching from afar on set just moments ago. Seeing him so close up nearly took her breath away. Fans who had met him always said that he was more attractive in real life than on screen. She couldn’t agree more.

‘He’s really, really, really… handsome.’

Her lips parted. How could his eyes, nose, and mouth fit so perfectly on such a small face? No, wait. Why was he talking to her? How did he know she was a fan? All sorts of thoughts raced through her head.

‘Don’t be stupid. You tried to give him a present earlier. Of course he knows.’

She fidgeted with the bag from the convenience store containing some lukewarm drinks and cheap snacks. Should she give them to him? No, what did he want to say? There were no cameras here, so he certainly hadn’t come just to smile and spend time with a fan.

Too flustered to look him in the face, she stared blankly at the tips of his shoes.

“Hey. Let me stay at your place tonight.”

“…What?”

At that moment, Hyeyeon’s mind came to a complete halt.

***

How had things ended up like this? Hyeyeon stole a glance at the boy who had casually plopped down on her bed.

Perhaps he was still a little too young to call a man. Yet there was something about him that made him seem more like a grown man than a student.

‘What were you thinking, bringing him home?’

She scolded herself, but she knew perfectly well that if she went back to that moment, she would give him the same answer all over again.

“Hmm.”

Mujin pushed his hair back, looking faintly irritated, then pointed at the school uniform hanging on a hanger.

“You’re in high school?”

“Y-yes.”

To be precise, they were the same age. But while he spoke to her so casually, she couldn’t bring herself to do the same.

“How old are you?”

“Eighteen…”

“Same as me.”

For the first time since they had met—not once had he smiled on the way to her place—his lips curled into a faint smile. He studied the name tag for a moment, then spoke slowly.

“Lee Hyeyeon? What high school do you go to?”

“○○ High…”

“Second year?”

“Y-yes.”

Unable to settle down anywhere, Hyeyeon simply stood there, staring at him. No matter how she looked at it, none of this felt real. Han Mujin, sitting in the middle of her cramped studio apartment. His looks alone were unreal, but the words “studio apartment” and the name “Han Mujin” hardly seemed to belong together, either.

“Do you live alone?”

She nodded slowly. What should she say if he asked why she was living alone when she was still in high school? She didn’t want to spill her whole life story. Should she make up a simple excuse? Or tell him the truth?

‘Wait. What does my situation have to do with Han Mujin, anyway?’

While her thoughts were still tumbling over one another, Han Mujin rose to his feet.

“Do you have hot water?”

“What? Yes.”

Before she could say anything else, he had claimed the bathroom for himself. As the door slammed shut, she awkwardly reached out.

“Um…”

The sound of the shower startled her, and she took a hesitant step back.

‘What on earth is going on?’