Looking out the airplane window, the clouds outside floated like fluffy cotton candy against the bright blue sky. Emily Green hugged a CD tightly to her chest, staring out a little absentmindedly. Ever since she boarded the plane to South Korea, her heart had been racing. She was finally going to see him—the one she’d dreamt about for so long.

When she stepped out of Incheon Airport and looked up at the sunny sky, her excitement doubled. She whispered to this unfamiliar city with a smile, "Korea, I’m here. Jason Lee, I’m coming for you."

Though she had watched plenty of Jason Lee’s performances online, this was her very first time setting foot in Korea—his home ground—to attend his concert. That made it super special to her.

Backpack slung over her shoulders, Emily arrived at the concert venue. A long line had already formed outside, with fans holding lightboards, posters, and glow sticks, chatting excitedly while waiting to go in. Emily had prepped all the same fan gear in her backpack, totally blending in. Her heart was thumping just like everyone else’s. The thought of finally seeing her dream guy up close made a smile creep up her face.

Inside the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul, the energy was electric. The dazzling lights bounced off every corner of the massive venue, like it was made for someone legendary. Not a single seat was empty. You could tell how crazy popular he was from the screams all around—"Jason Lee, I love you! Jason Lee!"

“Jason Lee, I love you.” Sitting in her seat, Emily hugged her backpack tightly and mumbled softly, "Do you still remember me? I came to see your concert, just like I promised. I said I’d watch every one of your shows. I kept my word… Did you think of me at all?"

Suddenly, the once brightly lit venue went dark. As the crowd looked around in confusion, the soft notes of a piano rang out from the stage. A single beam of white light lit up the center, revealing a man in a crisp white suit. He sat at the piano, playing with ease, and his smooth voice drifted through the air. The crowd erupted with cheers and thunderous applause.

"Jason…" Even though the fans around her were practically screaming, Emily stayed still, quietly listening to Jason’s voice, softly calling his name as if whispering to a lover.

After a slow ballad, the stage was plunged into darkness again, and the crowd calmed down. Just a heartbeat later, the lights exploded into a rainbow of color. A catchy beat filled the air, and dancers appeared in formation, ready to move.

Then came a louder beat, and the music picked up energy. The dancers burst into action, and Jason reappeared with a new outfit and a whole new vibe, singing and dancing across the stage.Emily Green sat right in front, her eyes practically glued to the man singing and dancing on stage, completely captivated. She waved her glow stick like crazy, softly humming along to the beat without even realizing it. Watching him this close—the Jason Lee she had dreamed of for so long—so full of life, completely vibing with the stage, Emily couldn't help but smile. It was a quiet, heartfelt kind of support.

As one song wrapped, a thunder of cheers exploded through the venue. Fans screamed their hearts out: “Jason Lee, I love you! Jason Lee, I love you!”

“I love you too!” Jason gasped for breath, waving at the crowd and bowing with a grin that could melt ice. He looked like he was genuinely soaking in the love.

Maybe it was the energy, maybe it was the moment—but Emily ended up shouting along too. Since falling for Jason, she’d bought every single one of his albums, posters, even snagged every magazine interview he appeared in. Wanting to get closer to the real him, she went all-in and started learning Korean. She’d chased his concerts from one country to another, and now, for the first time, she was in Seoul—his hometown. Finally.

After the final encore, the stage lights dimmed and Jason disappeared, leaving behind a bunch of fans unwilling to leave. While others slowly trickled out, Emily just sat there, dazed, still caught in the magic. It wasn’t until the cleaning staff started coming in that she grabbed her backpack and finally made her way out.

Outside, a soft drizzle had started. The rain was light but relentless. The street was empty, no fans in sight anymore. Emily didn’t rush back to her hotel. Instead, she kept walking along the edge of the building under the eaves, every moment from the concert still flashing through her mind—Jason’s voice, his smile, and yeah, that one incredible handshake. She’d actually held his hand, looked him in the eye, and said "I love you." Unbelievable.

Lost in the glow of it all, she suddenly caught the sound of a man's voice. That's when she realized she’d unintentionally wandered into the underground parking lot. She was just about to turn and leave when the voice came again—and it hit her instantly. That voice? It was Jason’s.

Frozen in place, Emily ducked behind a pillar and peeked out quietly. Sure enough, there he was—Jason Lee—and standing with him was a woman. And not just any woman. To any real fan, she was instantly recognizable: Grace Kim, the actress linked to Jason by every gossip site ever.

Since following Jason’s career, Emily had naturally started paying attention to everyone close to him as well—friends, coworkers, even family. Grace came up a lot. Both of them had started out at the same agency, with Jason being Grace’s senior. They didn’t seem to have much overlap at the beginning, but things changed after they co-starred in a drama. Paparazzi started catching shots of them grabbing meals together, praising each other in interviews, appearing way too friendly at events. Rumors flew that they were dating, and even their fans started buying it.

But neither one had ever confirmed a thing.Even though Emily Green had always known that Grace Kim was rumored to be Jason Lee’s girlfriend, she’d honestly just brushed it off as gossip — nothing serious. But now, seeing them standing so close together, the way they looked at each other, the little gestures... there’s no way they were “just friends” like everyone said. That scene hit Emily like a sudden punch to the chest. The pain was quick, sharp, and disappeared before she could even react. She pressed her hand to her chest, telling herself she should leave, that eavesdropping wasn’t right. But her feet were glued to the ground, heart racing as tension wrapped around her whole body.

“Hey… Jason,” Grace Kim spoke softly, after what felt like forever. She looked up with hesitation in her eyes. “Congrats. Your concert was amazing, really.” And judging by her expression, she meant it from the heart.

“Thanks. I’m really glad you came,” Jason said, meaning it. Seeing Grace at the concert before it started had lit him up, and he’d called her the second it was over to ask her out to dinner.

“I said I’d come, didn’t I? I wasn’t gonna go back on that.” Grace smiled, that bright, lively smile she was known for — the kind that made it hard for anyone to say no to her.

“Come on, let’s get dinner. I know this great spot for your favorite Korean food.” Jason moved to open the car door for her, completely missing the way her smile faltered with a tinge of regret.

“Wait… Jason,” Grace called out before stepping in. She gently pushed the door shut and, under his confused gaze, took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I can’t have dinner with you. And I don’t think I’ll be able to meet up with you alone like this for a while… maybe not for a long time.”

“Wait, what?” Jason blinked, completely thrown. His smile hadn’t even faded yet because the words hadn’t fully sunk in. “Why? Why can’t we have dinner? Why can’t we even hang out?”

“Because my agency won’t let me.” Grace dropped her gaze, clearly ashamed to even say it. “They were already annoyed about the rumors between us… before, they thought it was good PR for me, helped get my name out there, so they let it slide. But now, they think it’s doing more harm than good. If reporters keep linking me to you, they say it’ll hurt my career.”

To Emily, hiding in the shadows, that explanation felt more like an excuse. It only made her lose more respect for Grace — she felt like Jason deserved better.

“But… what about you?” Jason asked, his voice quiet but steady. It hurt, yeah, but he still spoke with that familiar gentleness. If Grace really wanted to end things, he wouldn’t make it hard for her — he’d let her go. Still, he had to ask. “Was spending time with me just part of the plan? Or did you actually… mean it?”

“I… I really enjoyed our time together. I felt relaxed, happy even. And if I could, I’d want to keep things the way they are,” Grace whispered, biting her lip, the rest of her words stuck in her throat.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Jason said. His heart was aching, but he still managed that same warm smile. “I get it. I know you don’t have much of a choice. I won’t blame you, so please don’t feel guilty.”