I see him. I don’t think he knows, but I see him. He won’t notice me, but I knew him. At a place so cozy and full of coffee bean scent, I see him. He came here, why?  In a country so chill and always so gloomy. In the weather that represents the mood of the loneliness. Of course, to bring all the thunder, to make all the fuss. And my reason for being here is? Definitely not the same as his. Of course, my life’s always been a shadow of his. -Snap- (photo captured)    

-Snap-   -Snap-   -Snap- (camera clicks)

“Taecyeon-sshi, how do feel your very first movie is being premiered today?”

“Taecyeon-sshi, how do think it will do?”

“Taecyeon-sshi, do you think it will be a big hit?”

               As soon as he stepped on the red carpet, all the reporters approached him like bees attracted to honey. All the cameras flashed at him. All the attention is on him. All everything becomes about him if he’s on the scene. He seems not to like to but deep down, he enjoys it so much.      He gives a dazzling smile to the crowd, and now being protected by his manager, he goes on the red carpet.

“Hyung, why are the reporters so annoying as usual?” Taecyeon said without fading out his smile and clenching his teeth.

His manager clears out the way, not looking at him and gives a smirk. “Because this is your first movie ever as an actor. You’re being questioned as the lead actor Taecyeon of ‘Winter Snow’ movie, not as the overnight sensational singer Taecyeon. Keep out of the way, please. Keep out, please.”

Taecyeon makes a face, and then safely goes into the building where the press conference will be held.

“Taecyeon-sshi, how do you think ‘Winter Snow’ will do? The whole Republic of South Korea is anticipating the movie. Do you think it will be a big hit like your album?” one of the reporters asks, flipping through his notes.

“Of course, I want it to be a bomb since we have an amazing cast,” him and the whole main cast laugh, “and I would like to thank everybody who had worked hard with me and was patient with me.”

“Taecyeon-sshi, will you consider acting again after ‘Winter Snow?’” another reporter asked, keeping his eyes straight on Taecyeon.

“Uhmm..it depends. If the directors come beg me after my amazing performance in ‘Winter Snow,’ of course, I will definitely do it again.” The press room is filled with laughter.

“Ok Taecyeon-sshi, is it true that you’re dating your fellow cast after the movie shoot?” One reporter asks, keeping her head low.

The laughter has stopped. The room becomes silent. All the reporters’ eyes are on Taecyeon.

Taecyeon’s manager interrupts, “Please ask a question related to the movie, if not….”

“Is it true that you enjoyed a romantic trip with her?” that reporter asks again, cutting off Taecyeon’s manager.

All the reporters gasp, their eyes wide open. And then, the camera click sounds overwhelm the place.

The whole cast don’t know what to say. Taecyeon’s eyes are rolling and looking like finding some help. He looks beside him, a beautiful female lead whom he acted together with. A beautiful girl who is at a loss of words.   

Taecyeon’s manager yelled, “Look, this is a personal question. It’s not allowed here. Haven’t you read….”

“Of course, these are just rumors. We are not dating in real life, and we did not have a romantic trip together,” said Taecyeon, wearing a weary smile.

Everybody becomes silent again, then they move on with the press conference but the atmosphere is not as lively as before.

“You might want to get up and take a look at THIS!” A tablet notebook is thrown near his face it almost hit his nose. His handsome face on the pillow makes a face of a wrinkled old man soon as he wakes up. Still, the entire hangover from partying last night is not gone yet.

“Hyung, what now? The alarm clock hasn’t even gone off yet,” Taecyeon said, slowly getting up from the bed and stretch his hands. Yet his eyes are not open.

His manager snapped, “JUST OPEN YOUR EYES AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!”

Taecyeon reaches for the tablet and looks at the page. His jaws dropped by the time he sees the article. And now he’s fully awake.

“Hyung, what kind of crap is this?!” He looks up to his manager with scattered eyes and looks back down to the tablet.

“That’s what I want to ask. What kind of crap is that? You just said you are not dating her at yesterday’s press conference. You just said you didn’t go on a romantic trip. Now it surfaces on the internet, what are you going to do?”

“I have no idea it could turn out like this. I don’t know what to do. You’re the manager, you figure it out!” Taecyeon raised his voice. He sure is panicking.

“What did I tell you then? Didn’t I tell you to make sure you’re unrecognizable? Didn’t I tell you not to meet in public? Didn’t I tell you not to GO ON THAT TRIP?!” His manager poured all his anger on Taecyeon.

Taecyeon scratches his head, then ruffles his hair, “Now, what am I supposed to do even Hyung is like this?”

“Sorry I snapped. Let me take a look at the article again.” He takes the tablet and scans through it. “It’s Shadow person again,” he manager passes the tablet to him.

“Wait, Shadow? That person, again?” He quickly scrolls down to the bottom of the page to see the name of the writer. There. It clearly states that person wrote the article again. Shadow. Shadow the person who has wrote so many articles of him, mostly negative ones. Now, that person wrote another article about him, bringing him down. The article title that reads,

        “Taecyeon of ‘Winter Snow’ and his leading lady enjoy a romantic date in a café in England”