Kyungsoo races home after school one chilly December day, determined not to miss Music Bank like he did at this same time last week. XO will be performing a comeback stage for their new single, and he would never forgive himself if he didn’t get to see it live. As soon as he gets home, he hurries upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him and throwing himself on his bed. He reaches for his television remote and clicks it on. Perfect timing – Music Bank is just starting!

He watches several performances with only mild interest. A girl band with a gangsta theme, two boy bands that are practically the same… Isn’t it time for XO yet? And then it is! The seventeen-year-old bites his nails with excitement and when XO comes on stage, he squeals with the rest of the fangirls.

There’s Baekhyun – he’s got an amazing voice, and a really cute face – and Sehun – he’s alright, Kyungsoo supposes, he has a cute lisp but that’s about it – and a few other males, but most importantly, Kai. Upon seeing him, Kyungsoo feels his face heat up and redden, and he buries his face in his blanket to hide his embarrassment. Here he is, Kim Jongin, all six feet of him, with that gorgeous wave to his blonde hair and those deep dark brown eyes that Kyungsoo could stare into for hours.

He’s getting embarrassed again just thinking about it.

Intently, he watches as XO performs. Kai is probably the best dancer in the Korean pop industry, thinks Kyungsoo absentmindedly, watching as he dances with such sharpness to his moves but grace, also, and elegance, and… it’s incredible. Watching Kai dance stirs something within Kyungsoo, something only Kai can make him feel.

Kyungsoo is in love with Kim Jongin.

It’s so embarrassing! At least he’s not the only person in this world in love with an unattainable, breathtakingly beautiful pop star.

XO’s performance is over all too soon, and Kyungsoo watches with disappointment as Kai waves to the crowd and then leaves the stage.

With a sigh, he clicks the television off and rolls over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. A goofy smile crosses his face. If only he could meet Jongin… what would he do? He’s thought of this situation a hundred times, probably, if not more, but he never tires of thinking about it.  He would act very professional, he decides, and approach him and introduce himself. “My name is Do Kyungsoo,” he would say, “and I am a fan. Could I get your autograph, please?” or maybe he would say, “Will you sign this album?” or maybe he would ask him to sign a photocard. He isn’t sure. But then he would shake his hand and maybe take a selca with Kai, and that would be it.

Meeting Kai – even just getting to see Kai in person – would be the most amazing occasion of Kyungsoo’s life. It would be unforgettable.  Someday I’ll go to an XO concert. Someday I’ll be amongst thousands of other screaming fans just like myself, thinks Kyungsoo hopefully, grinning and hugging a pillow tight to his chest.

His door opens, and—

“Kyungsoo, dinner is ready—”

“Umma,” whines Kyungsoo, sitting up and tossing his pillow to the side. “What have I told you about knocking?” He says this good-naturedly, smiling at his mother who is standing in the doorway. His mother smiles back and leaves him to himself.

Before Kyungsoo leaves the room, however, he smiles at the Kai photocard sitting atop his desk, kisses two of his fingers and presses it to the photocard. Then he heads downstairs.

In Kyungsoo’s family, it’s just his mother, his father, and his grandmother. All four of them live together in what is usually harmony – until his father starts to make comments about Kyungsoo’s obsession with pop bands. But other than that, they’re a happy family, really.

The rest of his family is already at the dinner table. “How was school, Kyungsoo?” asks his grandmother kindly, patting his shoulder as he takes a seat next to her. He shrugs, mumbling something about it being ‘okay, I guess.’

“And how are your grades?” asks his father.

Kyungsoo sighs. Must they go through this every single day? “Very good, appa. I’m third in my class,” he says, his voice monotone. “I got full marks on my science exam today.”

His father smiles, but there is no warmth to it. “That’s what I like to hear. Who’s first and second in your class?”

“The Jung sisters.”

Dinner resumes, and Kyungsoo picks at his food.

“Do me a favor, Kyungsoo?” says his mother whenever she realizes he isn’t going to eat anymore, and she hands him a five thousand Won note. “Go buy some eggs, please. I’m going to bake a cake tomorrow.”

Thankful for an excuse to get out of the house, Kyungsoo nods and takes the money. He shuffles out of the door, trying to put on a thick coat as he leaves. It’s really cold outside… it should begin to snow soon. Kyungsoo loves snow, and wintertime, and Christmas. It’s his favorite time of year.

He heads for the 7-11 two blocks away, exhaling through his mouth and loving how he can see his breath in the cold air. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he whistles the tune to a 2NE2 song as he walks.

His obsession with K-pop started during middle school, when a girl friend of his introduced him to TVYQ, one of the most popular K-pop bands at the time. Then he fell in love with SPARKLee, Mega Junior, and B1A5, and then it was hopeless. He was officially a boy band addict.

A lot of other students at Kyungsoo’s school know about his obsession and make fun of him for it, calling him ugly slurs that he wouldn’t dare repeat. But at least he’s friends with a lot of girls who are also boy band fans.

The 7-11 is a few yards ahead. Shivering, he quickens his pace and hurries inside. He heads to the back of the store, wonders which brand of eggs he should buy, and selects the container with a cartoon chicken on it because the chicken is cute. As he turns to get in line, he bumps into someone—

“I’m sorry!” he exclaims, dropping the eggs on the floor and cringing. He kneels down and picks up the carton of eggs and then looks up at the stranger, apologizing again, only to find himself staring into the eyes of Kim Jongin.