Neither of you particularly enjoyed taking risks. Every time the two of you ventured out in public, your boyfriend would be on edge, constantly worried that somebody might recognize the two of you. Despite his concerns, he put forth his best efforts to take you out when he had the opportunity, an attempt to make your unusual relationship feel occasionally normal.

You met up with him at your favorite café. The food and drinks were exceptional, and the building itself was tucked discreetly in the corner of a shopping center, its main customers being elderly couples and mothers with young children. If you arrived at the ideal time, no one would recognize your boyfriend, and at times he even removed the scarf, hat, or sunglasses he wore to hide his face.

This time when you arrived at the restaurant, an elderly woman and her husband were sitting at the table you usually occupied. It was most convenient because it was in the farthest corner from the window, rendering whoever sat there almost completely unnoticeable by passersby. Today was unusually crowded, and you wound up sitting directly in front of the tall windows. Neither of you offered much concern; the outside streets were fairly empty at the moment.

About halfway through your meal, you squinted out the window to discern a group of people walking by. Your boyfriend took notice of the approaching crowd only when they neared the window, and paled quickly with his sudden realization.

Unbeknownst to the both of you, a fan-sign event for a different celebrity was being held at the adjacent bookstore. Having received their autographs, a number of the girls decided to stop at the café for lunch, unaware of the panicked idol sitting inside.

“Don’t panic,” you whispered, kicking him lightly on the shins. “If you draw attention to us, of course they’ll notice!” He nodded complacently, pulling his scarf further over his mouth and nose. The girls chatted and giggled loudly as they seated themselves in front of a large table near yours. A few of them looked over at you and your boyfriend, but didn’t seem to notice anything familiar. For a moment you felt relieved, until one of them made the disastrous realization.

“Wait a minute,” she said, almost hesitant. “Doesn’t ____ have a jacket just like that?” At first the girls looked towards your boyfriend in envy, before a few of them recognized him fully. The next few moments were silent and uncomfortable. Like a force of nature, most of the girls crowded your boyfriend like bees to a violet. Others hesitated, taking notice of you at the other side of his table. Like animals, they closed around you, scrutinizing with a disturbing level of anger in their young eyes. Your boyfriend’s eyes met yours through the swarm of fans, silently mouthing his instructions to you. Run.

He didn’t need to tell you twice. Jumping from your seat, you sprinted out the door and onto the street. You tried to cover your face as best you could with the collar of your jacket, hoping no one would be able to photograph your face as evidence. The other girls began to chase after you, distracted from greeting their idol by the mysterious woman he was eating lunch with. As a group, they were angry, fuming with the idea of somebody else holding the heart of their beloved singer. You ran quickly, dashing past women with strollers and skidding around businessmen in suits.

Your boyfriend dashed outside after the girls left him alone, turning around and twisting his neck in a desperate search. He couldn’t see where you had disappeared too, and began to panic. What if they hurt you? There was no way you could defend yourself against a group that large. Frantically he peered around every alleyway, glancing in the windows of nearby shops and windows.

Seeing the girls walk slowly out of a different store, he dashed behind the wall of an adjacent alley. The moment they passed, he sprinted to the building they walked out of. Fearing the worst, he called out your name weakly.

“A little help here?” Your voice called out to him from beneath a low table at the lounge where you had hidden yourself from the girls. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief, taking your hand and pulling you from the cramped hideout.

“I’m glad you’re okay. I was so worried! I can’t believe I got you into this mess.” You shrugged, trying to make the startling situation seem less petrifying than it was. His head hung low, blaming himself for the danger you encountered.

“It’s alright,” you said, gently rubbing his back. “I’m fine.” He pulled you tightly beneath the grip of his arms, hugging you close.

“I guess we won’t be going out for a while…” He winced. Chuckling, you hugged him tighter.

“That’s okay. They’ll forget eventually.” He smiled, leading you back out the door.

“Your apartment then?” You nodded, following him closely as you walked home together.