​Kris Wu Fan can’t seriously be gay. How can someone so handsome be gay, especially with a deep manly voice as his? That’s crap, Alex told herself for the zillionth time. Honestly, maybe she’ll do with some sleep. Besides, she’s tired and her mind’s sort of overused since the very first happening that day. Alex jumps onto her bed with her heels still on. Ah, thank God I’m in Seoul.

 

Seoul has been a good home to someone like Alex who’s not even Korean. She’s originally from the maple leaf city and her childhood memories were mostly in there. But Alex loves Seoul. Who would have thought that her face will someday be in every fashion catalogue and trendy magazines and commercials? She’d only dreamed of those things when she was eight.

 

"Hi Flix. Goodnight.” Alex remembered that she still hasn’t texted her manager since her arrival that morning. Flix is sure going to reply with a long list of schedule. And Alex guessed correctly.

 

 

 

Alex had to stop from there. I want to go back to Canada n-o-w, she sighs. The workload seems too much, considering she has just arrived and deserves a day off. She can send a reply and tell Flix to move the November 2 appointment but knowing how she must have adjusted everything just to have Alex enjoy a two-month vacation with Clint, Alex bothered no more. At least she’ll get to see her workmates again. After all, she missed doing poses in front of the cameras.

 

​It was already half past two in the morning when a new message appeared in Alex’s inbox. If Alex was still awake, she’d read the words ‘This is urgent. If you are Ms. Alex C. Dawson, do send a reply. Thanks!’.

 

​She woke up at a quarter to eight and she figured things were back to normal. She’d cook breakfast with whatever there is in the fridge; thankful that Cheska unexpectedly filled it with some groceries, eat, take a shower, and stand in front of the closet trying to make out what to wear. Alex was already out her apartment by nine and since she doesn’t know how to drive and she hates the fact that she still doesn’t own a car, she took a cab and headed to the only appointment she has for the day.

 

​“Alex!” the girls from Denims beam the moment Alex got out of the taxi. They will have the photoshoot in the open and the tent plus the big cameras and flashing lights were already assembled. It was Flix who got to Alex first. Really, from the outside they look like college girls having their much-awaited reunion.

 

​“Hey guys! Good morning, Flix!” Alex tried not to run to give them a hug; she was yet again wearing one of her three inches high heels. Flix didn’t join the group hug basically because she never does and waited to have alone time with her talent instead. She stands in one corner, listening to You look great!, Wow, it really feels good to have you back!, I’m so excited to be working again!, Oh my God, you’re going to love this photoshoot! and the expected cute stumping of foot by Alex herself as if she was in her TV set giggling over a love story with too much fluff. Flix laughs watching them. This people never grow old.

 

​“Okay, okay, enough of the welcomes, time to dress-up! While the sun’s still as fresh!” Flix claps her hand two times.  Could modelling ever get boring?

 

​And there it goes; the routine Alex got used to: her chair in front of the mirror, gorgeous accessories in black cashmere boxes, make-up items that glitter, fabulous dresses and jeans to change into, the unbelievable shoe collection, and of course, her personal make-up artist, Jung Hwa. “I missed you Jung!” Alex managed to say while Jung was doing her eye shadow. She looks like a kid smiling at something with her eyes closed. “Missed you too, silly. Now stop smiling so hard, your cheeks are bubbling up.”

 

​One thing about Alex is that whenever she’s in front of the camera, everything about her screams the word fierce. Sometimes her focus is superb that the cameraman wouldn’t want to stop capturing her. There are times when Alex feels like she’s not doing it right but still manages to give a good shot. And whenever she seems like overdoing it, Flix would willingly snap a finger and criticize her. Flix is thirty years old. For the past four years, she’s been Alex’s friend, acquaintance, manager, dietician, organizer, and critic. Alex continues to learn from her.​

 

​Denims, next to Seoul, have been Alex’s second home as well. It was her first clothing line endorsement and she met her first workmates there. That’s where the recognition started from. Alex believes she’s gone far from being just a school girl and jobless feet on the road. Thanks to Flix who discovered her back in 2009.

 

​It was only after the shoot when Alex scrolls down through her txt messages that she read the message from the unknown number. ‘This is urgent. If you are Ms. Alex C. Dawson, do send a reply. Thanks!’. She is Alex C. Dawson. The sender forgot to introduce himself. Or was it a she? Alex was halfway through her reply when she realized what Flix always warns her about: Don’t reply to unfamiliar numbers esp. if they’ve forgotten to state their name. Alex then erases her reply and decided to ignore the message that’s been sent two-thirty in the morning. Weird.

 

​“Did you have a great time?” Woo Bin, the photographer, asked when Alex returned from the dressing room.

 

​“Of course, Woo Bin. Always great working with you,” Alex put an arm around the tall man’s shoulder. It was only a two-hour shoot but it drained Alex and she’s jut rejected a lunch date with her own manager. “Did we get good shots?”

 

​Woo Bin snorts. “Of course we did, with you on the screen, we always do.”

 

​“Whatever! The reason why I enjoy working with you,” Alex joked. “Hey Woo, I think I need to hit the sack. I better get going,” she then gave him air kisses on both cheeks and waved bye-bye.

 

​Shopping always adds up to Alex’s almost-complete day but for the mean time, she chose the comfort that her bed sheets and pillows would provide. The taxi reached her place after thirty minutes and Alex was surprised to see a short man standing right outside her doorstep. He was pacing back and forth holding a brown envelope in one hand and it looks like he’s been there for hours. Alex got nearer.

 

​“Excuse me, who are you?” Alex left a two-feet distance so she could run if the man turns out to be a kidnaper or something. The man made a stance and cleared his throat before answering Alex.

 

​“Hi. You must be Miss Dawson?” He said.

 

​“Sorry, but you didn’t answer my question. Who are you?” Alex repeated.

 

​“Gregson, by the way,” the man offered his hand but Alex was still staring at him so he added, “Talent manager in G’s Entertainment.”

 

​Alex knows G’s Entertainment. That’s where Kris Wu Fan belongs. Why would a talent manager in G’s Ent be standing here in front of her and asking for a handshake? As far as she can remember, she didn’t, she never, she doesn’t have anything to do with that company.

 

​“Why are you here?” Alex asked, sounding a bit rude. She still hasn’t agreed to the handshake, leaving Mr. Gregson’s hand waiting for hers on air.

 

​“Because I would like to make a proposal to you, Miss Dawson,” the man sounds polite. Alex has the impression that he already knows she is Ms. Dawson even if she deny it. She did the handshake with him.

 

​“Okay, before I let you inside my apartment, can you tell me what this proposal is about?” Alex started to sound business-like too; she wanted to punch herself for it. “It’s not something illegal, is it?”

 

​The man laughed. “Is G’s Entertainment an illegal company?” he seems to be asking the question to Alex alone.

 

​But Alex is smart. Sometimes. “ID?” she demanded, placing her hand palm-up.

 

​The man fished into his pockets and handed Alex what she wants. Alex read what’s written:

 

G’s Entertainment

Seoul, Korea

Gregson Choi

Talent Manager

 

​“Convinced, Miss Dawson?”

 

​Alex looks from the ID picture to him and vice versa. He really is.

 

​“Yes but…uhm, can’t we talk here?” honestly, Alex can’t trust this man to let him inside her place, can she? But she saw Mr. Gregson’s brow raised and something hit her conscience to be more hospitable so she took back her own words and said, “Come on in.”

 

​Lucky Alex had her bedroom locked and the key was safe in her bag. There was only the company of the leather sofa, center table, and TV screen when she and talent manager G entered. Alex directed to the living room and Mr. G sat down while Alex went to get something to drink in the kitchen. She came back with an orange juice and cupcake.

 

​“It’s all I’ve got in the kitchen,” Alex said apologetically. She still hasn’t gone to the market to re-stock her fridge asides from the little that Cheska managed to buy. She positioned herself on the sofa across the stranger.

 

​“It’s alright,” Mr. G smiled and Alex starts guessing about his age inside her mind. He looks younger than Flix. A bit older than Clint. Maybe twenty-eight? “So, I know you want us to get straight to the point. Not to make you wait longer, I’d now like to speak to you about the reason why I’m here, Miss Dawson.”

 

​“Alex. Just Alex, please,” she hated formality, even if it were that famous in Korea and their language.

 

​“Ok, Alex then. I don’t know if you know this but I am Mr. Wu Yi Fan’s manager. Do you know him?” No way, Alex can’t seriously have Kris Wu Fan’s manager here with her. “Alex?”

 

​“Yes. Yes, of course, I know him. He’s…well, everyone knows him. You’re his manager?” from that millisecond, Alex made one rule for herself: no spazzing, please.

 

​“As I said, yes, I am,” Mr. G confirms once more. “And I happen to know a few things about you too.” What is he talking about?

 

​“Me? Wait a minute, how come you know me? And you’re here, you know my address, and…?” Alex has a lot of questions to ask.

 

​“As I said, I’m here to make a proposal. I’m here because I want you to pretend to be Kris’s girlfriend. For two months and that’s it.” What the fudge is this man talking about?! I’m going to pretend to be Kris’s girlfriend for two months? Why would I do that? Wait, Kris’s girlfriend?!

 

​“What?” Alex must have misheard everything.

 

​“You see, we had this false rumor that Kris is gay. It’s been on the news for three days now and honestly, we didn’t have any intentions of including you in this mess. But just yesterday, this also went viral online.” Mr. G opened the envelope he’s holding and took out a printed picture of Kris and…

 

​“That’s me!” it was a picture taken at the airport yesterday, when Kris bumped into Alex because of the fans following him. It shows the part when Kris handed Alex her purse and their hands touched for a while. They didn’t look like strangers in the picture. It looked like Kris was about to grab her free hand and run away with her. Such a picture shouldn’t look that way!

 

​“Indeed it is. We’ve been searching about you since last night and I texted you myself. Have you received it?” Alex was still looking at the picture thinking that if she wasn’t the girl in it and she came across it on the internet, what would she think of it? It doesn’t look sweet at all! But it also doesn’t look like they don’t know each other. No spazzing, please.

 

​“Yes, I did. But you didn’t say who you are and that’s just strange so…I deleted it.” Alex reasoned.

 

​“Sorry for that. So, Alex, what do you think? Can we make this happen?” Mr. G has gone to conclusions when Alex still hasn’t understood a single thing.

 

​“I don’t get it, Gregson. You’re actually asking me to what, play as Kris’s girlfriend? For two months? And then what? Why do I have to do that in the first place?” if Alex set aside all the whys, she’d gladly say yes and agree to what he wants. But Alex isn’t fifteen anymore. She’s a loyal Kris Wu fan and to be able to meet him again and act as his girlfriend for two months would totally make its records in her dreams. But that’s just…insane! How can that even be real?

 

​“We’re going to pay you for it. Kris already knows about this. It’s for his career. Some of his fans have been turning their heads to other artists these days since the gay headline and to be more honest with you, Kris is about to release a new mini album soon and he need more support from fans. We’re just going to kind of replace the gay rumors. Kris would date you pretentiously and let the press see it until it covers the news. Two months will be enough to surpass the gay issues. Why you? Because fans have seen that photo you’re still looking at, and some of them; the ones who doesn’t wish to believe that their idol’s gay, assumed that you are his girlfriend and started to spread it online.” Alex listened to every word feeling not happy but…disgusted. What exactly is this crazy proposal, a waste of time? Like Alex is not a busy person and she has time to spare for this insanity!? What do they think of her, a pay girl or something? She’s engaged, for reality’s sake!

 

​“No. No, I’m not doing it,” Alex finally spoke.

 

​“Why not?” Wow, he’s actually asking me ‘why not’.

 

​“Why would I, Mr. G? You’re going to use me just to erase Kris’s gay issues? If he’s not gay then why not just say it in public? Make a one-on-one interview or something! Can’t he just do that? If he’s not guilty, he wouldn’t have to mind about all this. It’s that simple. Don’t complicate it. And please, don’t include me!” Alex has forgotten to hold her temper. She wasn’t aware that her voice started to raise an octave higher. She just can’t take it.

 

​“I’m sorry, Miss Dawson. But we, at G’s Entertainment, are living in a world where people if not always, almost always, believe what they hear without waiting for proofs. And where simple things can be made complicated not because that’s what we want but because of the circumstance’s doing,” the talent manager stood up. “It was nice meeting you, Miss Dawson.”

 

​“I can’t tell you the same,” Alex said matter-of-factly. Her awesome day has just been ruined once again. Ever since she got back from Canada, her good days started getting ruined by things related to the famous Kris Wu Fan. She never imagined being a fan could be this hard. You even get a stupid proposal right under your nose. Ha! What were those people thinking? ‘Kris already knows about this’, the moment Alex remembered that phrase from Gregson’s long explanation, she started loathing on her idol too. Kris agreed to a proposal like that? How human. And rude.