“Your makeup's all done!” Sera's godmother chirped excitedly. Sera eyed herself in the mirror and found somebody she couldn't recognize. Which was good, she thought. Her sister would not be able to recognize her. It's not like they would in the first place. They would be too preoccupied with N to look at anyone around them.

Sera's godmother picked out a dress for her. It wasn't her style, but her godmother insisted. Her godmother helped her put on her dress, did her hair for her, and gave her a handbag full of VIXX albums.

“Missy, that's all I can do for you. Have fun! Make sure he recognizes you! Don't forget the bracelet~”, she chirped happily as she stepped into her ride and went off to the MBC broadcasting station to do some other idol group's makeup.

Sera smiled, and her heart felt a little warmer. She wore her bracelet, put on her sunglasses, and set off, feeling like a world-class celebrity.

*          *          *

The leader of the six-membered group stood on the small showcase stage and greeted the small audience. He smiled brightly. These fans seemed like the nice kinds. They were seated in their comfortable seats and did not swarm around the guys to try to touch them or film them. They instead held large DSLR cameras, like the one Hongbin owned and snapped pictures quietly from their seats. All of them were cute and pleasant, except for two girls sitting in the third row screaming for love and affection from “N-oppa”. They didn't even seem to be younger than N.

There were all sorts of fans. Most of them were holding signs professing their love for the group and the members. There were teenage girls sitting at the front, the two crazy fangirls Hyuk recognised who were still screaming at N, a fanboy sitting at the edge of the first row, and a mysterious girl sitting at the corner who seemed like a celebrity who was secretly a fan of VIXX. N was excited to meet her, it would be nice to make new contacts.

N read the schedule. The “G.R.8.U” performance first, then a fansign, then a little chat session, then the fans could take pictures with whoever they wanted to take pictures with, and then finally a mini-concert. This was going to take quite long. The mini-concert was open to all fans, and N insisted on that because he felt like it was unfair if it was an exclusive performance for 30 people. He wanted to meet more fans, and he felt suffocated if he were to attend a fanmeet session for merely 30 people.

*          *          *

Sera felt suffocated in the ed dress her godmother had picked for her. She felt really uncomfortable in it, but for the sake of her sisters (still screaming) not recognizing her, she must move on with this act. Through her sunglasses she saw N glancing curiously at her, and her heart skipped a little beat. He looked exactly the same. Skinnier, his face a little bit thinner, eyebags much darker, and drained of his energy.

He looked like the small, quiet boy she met when she was young.

She was at the end of the line, and her sisters were already at N, who was at the furthest edge of the table. They were animatedly chatting with N, who seemed quite tired out by their banter. The rest of the queue looked incredibly irritated with how long they were taking, but were happy to be able to spend more time with the rest of the members.

Hongbin smiled warmly at her and asked for her name.

“Ella.”, she replied distractedly.

“That's a nice name. Won't you take off your sunglasses though?” Hongbin joked, his eyes pulled into his signature stunning eyesmile.

Sera mentally cursed at her accidental revelation as she acceded to his request. “Uh.. thanks.”

Hongbin gasped cutely. “You're pretty~ You should have taken the sunglasses off from the start!”

Sera smiled genuinely at his compliment. “You're not so bad yourself~”, she teased. Maybe not all kpop idols fit her bad impression of vanity and self-absorption. Hongbin didn't seem so bad. In fact, VIXX seemed like people worth admiring or looking up to. If most kpop idols put in an immense amount of effort to get to where they are, and when they're in a position of power and fame, aren't rude or arrogant, then maybe they aren't so bad.

Increasingly, Sera began to change her mind, after being greeted by the warm smiles plastered on the worn-out faces of the other members. They must be really tired, with filled up schedules and endless filming. Before she knew it though, she had reached the end of the line.

“Hey~ You're really pretty, what's your name?” N greeted.

“Ella. Do you remember me?” Sera asked excitedly.

“Hmm... Have I seen you at any fanmeet or fansign before? I have a bad memory... I don't recall meeting a mysterious woman dressed in a black y dress and sunglasses.”, N mischievously smirked. Sera's spirits dropped, and passed him the VIXX albums she had wanted him to sign.

“Ahh.. so he really forgot about me...”

*          *          *

Cha Hakyeon saw that the line was ending, and was relieved. The mysterious girl was at the end of the line. If she was a celebrity, he had to get a contact. She approached, and she was pretty, like a celebrity would be. She also had a familiar face. He ran through his list of female girl group idols, trying to match her face to a name, but he couldn't find a name. She was... hauntingly familiar.

“Hey~ You're really pretty, what's your name?” he greeted, unconsciously staring at her face, trying to put his finger on it.

“Ella. Do you remember me?” the girl asked excitedly. Ah... she must be a fan. I probably saw her at some other fansign, N thought to himself.

“Hmm... Have I seen you at any fanmeet or fansign before? I have a bad memory... I don't recall meeting a pretty woman dressed in a black y dress and sunglasses.”, N mischievously smirked. Sera's spirits dropped, and passed him the VIXX albums she had wanted him to sign.

He reached out to receive the albums, and caught a glance of a little heart-shaped pendant. His eyes widened in surprise. He calmed himself down, and busied himself with signing the albums. Ella... Her face was familiar. Could it be her? He knew only one way to find out.

“Here! I'm done. Uh can you-” N returned the signed albums to Ella. Her sunglasses were back on, and she hurriedly took the albums away, as the staff cordoned off the fansign area and prepared the members for their chat session. She left before N could check. N checked the schedule again – he had a second chance, the picture taking session.

N asked for a piece of paper and bottled water from the staff. He scribbled a note and passed it down to s.

*          *          *

Sera felt like her insides were boiling up. She didn't want to be there anymore. That kid who abandoned her in a lonely orphanage had already forgotten about her. She was just a sad, sob story to improve his image. Was she satisfied with that? Did she want to be more than just a good image?

Had she ever wanted to be more to him?

The pangs of disappointment tortured her gut. She didn't want to be there anymore. After the chat session, there was the photograph session, and then the performance, when she could probably sneak away.

He seemed really happy chatting with the other fans. He glanced up at her a few times, but it seemed it was always out of curiosity, since she never asked any questions, for fear of her identity being revealed to her sisters.

The tipping point for Sera was when the fans had to choose which member they would like to take a photograph with. As she panicked, the internal debate had begun. Should she choose N? Should she choose somebody else?

If she chose N he might recognize her this time. But could she deal with the disappointment if he didn't?

*          *          *

Lee Hongbin smiled his signature eyesmile as the camera flashed. He didn't expect to have been chosen, but he was glad anyway. He felt burdened, having received the note the leader had passed him.

“Wait.”, Hongbin commanded as the girl tried to leave after the photo. She was special, so much unlike the other fans who tried to take as much time taking the photograph, chatting the members up and sometimes coming too close for their comfort.

The girl looked at Hongbin with wide, surprised eyes, as he grabbed onto her wrist. He took her hand and gently kissed it.

“It was a pleasure meeting you.” Hongbin chuckled silently at her blush, which was spreading quickly across her face.

“T-thanks...” she squeaked, hurriedly leaving and disappearing into the crowd. N''s really lucky, Hongbin thought to himself. If it wasn't there... perhaps he could... Hongbin thought he felt like an idiot shaking his head violently to reject the thoughts he was having. He would have to tell N.