I pushed open the heavy backdoor of Olympic Stadium, Seoul. The fresh autumn late afternoon air greeted me giving calmness to my face. The day was filled with hectic duties and stage works. What’s more with the last minute check to every little aspect of the event of the evening after today to be held. How I prayed for things to go well every single day. Alas, I’m human and so are the other people on duty with me. The tinge of air did me good; I stayed there letting the air in filling the warm hallway behind me that stood silent with the echoes of microphone checks in the background coming from the stage inside.

“Where was I? Oh yes, the van.”

I opened my involuntarily closed eyes and let the door shut slowly behind me. For the first time that day my purple canvas shoes stepped on the rough tar of the parking lot. I had not seen the sun since early morning that day, a little too early. I felt it step on the black coloured ground and absorbed in the sound of it, feeling like it was a short break with a take in of a normal day. Finally reaching the twelfth parking bay, I took out the keys from the side pocket of my black jeans and paused behind the white coloured van. The light reflecting from the sun onto the keychain beamed into my eyes, making the Hangeul writing to be unreadable. As I felt it clicked, I took the keys out and opened the van door open. Scanning the back of the van for a particular box, I tied up my thick brown hair up to a ponytail and felt the hair on the back of my neck stand feeling the chill of the air.

“Ahh, there you are!”

I climbed up the van and grabbed the box that seemed familiar to me. Not much of a surprise since I packed it a few days ago. I pulled it, convincing myself with a mindset on light.

No, it’s not heavy. I can carry this!

I let myself out of the van after pulling the box far out enough to be taken from outside. I placed my hands on the bottom of the boxes and lift it slightly, feeling the weight. Pausing for a while, my head tilted in confusion. Sighing, I pulled both of my olive green hoodie sleeves up to my elbows.

Alrightey, let’s do this!

Getting a good grip on the box, I slid the box out and supported it with my thigh. At that moment, I felt the real weight on the box. Heavy, damn heavy. My breath was held in while both of my hands slid to the bottom of the box and laid the weight on my chest, squishing my s slightly. The moment I turned to my left to make a move, my legs shivered.

Come on now! You can do it-

“-Unnie! Unnie!” a voice called out.

“Unnie! Excuse us unnie!” another voice made its appearance.

“We’re wondering when the boys will come out! Mind telling us?” yet another voice was heard.

“Come tomorrow night at 8, they’ll be on stage for you guys to see them!” I shouted back without turning my focus from the box.

“Yes, we know that, we have the tickets!” multiple voices called out.

“We’re thinking of getting a sneak peak maybe? Like when they come out of the building?” the first girl said.

“I don’t know-“ my answer was cut short.

“-I see their van over there! Are they in the van? If not when will they come out?” another one asked.

“I’m kinda busy right now-“ I stated.

“What does their schedule say?” all of the said. Annoyed, I frustratingly sighed out a long breath. Suddenly hearing them all say things in unison made me shiver. My hands that were supporting the heavy box were starting to quiver along with my legs.

“Unnie! Unnie!-“

“-I DON’T KNOW! I’m working! I’m not their personal assistant! I don’t know when they come out! I don’t know when they take a piss! I don’t know where they’re going next! If you want to see them so damn badly having to disturb a working person like me at a time like this, just see them tomorrow night! You just have to wait a day! Gosh!” I exploded and began to strut away. The power I felt from the ranting gave me strength to endure the heavy box.

“Tchh, just because she gets to work with them!” a girl retorted.

“! Stuck up girl!” another one made a statement.

I didn’t care, all I could think of was making my way to the door where my destination laid for me to place the box down. I felt my ponytail loosening itself as I walked back towards the door. Sounds of the many fangirls chattering away could be heard from a distance, growing further away. I could feel their stares and glares not leaving my figure, probably thinking the luck I have for working with their favourite local artists.

I don’t get it. They’re humans too. Working with them, with a school, with a recycling campaign, they’re all the same anyway; they never notice me. All I do is work behind the scenes. Not much difference or whatever. It would be pretty nice for people to notice me sometimes behind all these boxes blocking my face. Even if they are known nationwide. Nevertheless, it’s a busy environment. I suppose there is never enough time during the busy hours for anyone to acknowledge of my presence.

Sighing my thought away, I peaked over the box to see the back door just inches from me. I gave myself a small victory screech inside and tried reaching for the door knob with my right hand that was half crushed by the box. Feeling the struggling coming in, I twisted it hard and pushed it forward applying much more force than it needed. Even with the extra weight from the box, the door won’t even budge open.

“What the hell?”

I grunted as I tried again. The door knob made a struggling lock sound. Creasing my eyebrows in weirdness, I couldn’t help but fight against a force on the door knob.

“Hyung, it won’t open!” a mumble of a familiar voice was heard from inside. Stopping my attempt on the doorknob for a moment, it burst open pushing against the box and caused me to lose balance.

“Eh?” the man’s voice was heard again. I regained my balance by applying friction on the tarred pavement. Thank goodness for my shoes. The mass of the box began to tire me and my arms hurt from it, I felt it aching. “Ahh, I’m sorry there. But you- you know, that door is a push from the inside. So you really should’ve pulled it from the outside...”

I peaked from beside the box that was practically hovering over my eye view. The tall figure stood in front of me with jittering hands.

“Can you carry that? It looks heavy, shall I help you?” he asked with a voice of sincerity.

“It’s fine, it’s my job. Thank you anyway.” I rejected him.

“Oh Chansung whae? Let’s get to the van.” A man as I recalled goes by the name ‘Nichkhun’ skipped outside and patted the dongsaeng called Chansung. Chansung waved me goodbye with a small smile and went over to their vehicle that stood a few metres away. I stared as they walk away with the additional screaming fans from a familiar distance. I turned back to the door expecting to go inside. Alas, three more figures walked out of the door blocking my way.

“Woops, sorry! Didn’t see you there!” the tallest figure, Ok Taecyeon said as he took off his headphones.

“Are you authorised to be here?” the man half of the staff swoons over called Junsu questioned me with an eyebrow raised upwards.

“Yes, I’m on the staff and as you can see I’m trying to get through.” I said trying to conserve the patience that was running out.

“Hyung, let her be!” Junho in his leather jacket pushed his hyung outside the door giving a clear way for me to go. “Sorry about that!” he apologised with a small bow showing a smile. I strengthen the grip on my box as I tried to distract myself away from the echoes of the name chants from the fans ones again roaring through the parking lot. I felt a sweat dropping down my right temple as I cringed to keep the box on me. The weight felt twice as much as it did before with all the lagging I went through.

Okay, calm down, let’s just get this to the stage.

“Heads up!” yet another man was dashing towards me. The moment I saw his eyes meeting me, he stopped with a huge effort; almost tumbling into me. I paused and my knees bended with the box rose in defence from the possible body crushing into mine. Luckily, the wall behind me supported his body by leaning against it with his palms. I peaked above me and there he was soaring just an inch away from my face. A huge thanks to his long arms giving enough space for my body and the box to stay put between his body and the wall.

“I’m so sorry, so sorry!” his eyes still widened in panic. Finally I felt both of my hands tremble from my own fright. “Oh, omo!” he shouted. The moment my hands turned vegetables and loosening themselves, I felt both of his touching the back of mine; giving extra support. I could feel all the warmth and slight sweat which my guess was from his performance rehearsal on the palm of his hands.

“Uhh, can you carry it?” he asked with his round eyes staring deep into mine.

“I- I think I need to put it down for a while,” I responded almost out of breath.

“Okay then, let me help you,” he paused and looked around the small corridor. “Here, here, put it here.” He guided me and the box to his side where we crouched down together and placed it carefully. His hands slipped away from mine, I could tell it was sliding itself out from being squashed by the box. He stood up and sighed out slowly.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. A little shock is all.”

“I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t have run like that. Or maybe they should’ve put more lighting to this back hallway.” He let out a soft giggle.

I stared at him standing above me. The light from the opened back door that stood a few feet away from where we were made him appear like a silhouette as he was standing against the light.

“You looked really frightened...” he stated with a nervous laugh.

“Kinda, it was a little bit sudden.” I said, finally standing up to match his view level.

I saw his face clearer as I stood up. His small and squinting eyes made it hard to believe they were real a few seconds ago when they were staring at me almost bulging out.

“The box is quite heavy, how’d you carry that?” he asked randomly.

“Uhh...” I paused and kept my eyes on his. “Guts?”

He started to laugh in a calm manner with his eyes completely closing.

“An-anyway, maybe you should go meet your friends,” I suggested.

“You’re Nami right?” he asked suddenly with a look of confusion yet, such confidence at the same time.

“Yeah, you know my name how?” I asked.

“And you’re the assistant prop manager correct?” he asked, ignoring my question.

“Yeah, that’s me, Nami.” I answered sounding a little like a question. His body relaxed with a smile on his face that seemed to light up the low lighted hallway. “How do you know-“

“Woo-hyung! Hurry up! I need to get home and get ready to meet Aimi!” Chansung shouted from the van looking impatient and waving his hands.

“Alright!” he shouted almost sounding mad at the member.

I switched my glance back to his face which then met mine.

“He never called me that before, it’s... a silly nickname,”

“Oh nah, it’s adorable. ‘Woo-hyung’...” I said nodding my head slowly with a small smile.

“It’s... short for Wooyoung. Hye, I’m Jang Wooyoung,” he stretched out his left arm for a shake.

“Nice to meet you, Jang Wooyoung.” I accepted his handshake. Silence made its way into our conversation and built hesitations in my mouth. At that moment all I could think was his hand touching mine- on purpose. “Uhh, say, Mr Wooyoung-“

“-just Wooyoung please!” he said excitedly with such sparkles in his tiny eyes.

“Okay then, Wooyoung... How did you know my name? And my job here?”

“Well, honestly I always see you around when you carry stuff on the stage and everything,” he answered suddenly not wanting to look at my face anymore, but instead on the floor where our feet weren’t far from each other. “Thanks by the way, you’re doing a splendid job!”

“Umm, thank you for that...” I let out feeling speechless inside.

“Jang Wooyoung! Get your in here now! Chansung is getting annoyingly eager!” Junsu shouted from the front seat.

“Coming hyung!” Wooyoung shouted back, more politely than before. He looked at me in silence, not moving. His actions were rebelling from his words to his hyung. “Ahh...”

“You should go, they’re waiting.” I said.

“Right! Umm... I’ll see you tomorrow then?” his face looked hopeful.

“Yeah, I’m here as long as you guys are doing the show,” I said.

“Oh yeah! Right, I’m in the group called ‘2PM’ by the way!” he blurted out half screaming though I wasn’t far from him. “But I guess... do you know that? I mean... have you ever heard of... 2PM? And...”

“Yeah, I know 2PM, sorta....”

Of course I know 2PM...

“Cool then, ummm-“

“WOOYOUNG!” the whole van shouted.

“Go, yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow!” I said convincingly to not break a riot from the van.

“Great! Nice, awesome to meet you, Nami!” he waved goodbye and walked out of the door. I found myself staring at him as he walked towards the van and hopped inside with his sling bag. “See you tomorrow right?!” he shouted.

“Yes, okay. Goodbye!” I waved awkwardly. I saw him cheekily smiled at me just before another member closed the van door tight. I stayed at the door frame as the van goes out of the parking lot and disappears as it turns a corner. I stood there still, couldn’t help at processing everything that had happened and fathom about how Jang Wooyoung’s action towards me.

Then I thought,

Did I vaguely see him wave me goodbye inside the van even though it was tinted and most probably I won’t see him on a regular gaze?