The phone vibrated again. Jae-Hyun hadn't even noticed that he had been waiting for several minutes before looking at the screen. He had sent the message to Exsy almost an hour ago, but had not received any response. He was aware of the absurdity of this waiting. Yet, each vibration made him shiver. Each moment he spent without news seemed heavier than the last.
The shadow of the neon lights in the hotel room created an increasingly oppressive atmosphere. Jae-Hyun had lain down on his bed, but the thought of sleeping seemed almost ridiculous. How could he close his eyes when he knew that a simple virtual conversation could change everything? How could he be so distracted by someone like her?
Exsy Dewy.
She was unlike the others. And he couldn't forget her.
At that very moment, in her small apartment, Exsy looked at her phone. Jae-Hyun's message was still displayed on the screen. She hesitated. It wasn't the first time they had talked, but it was the first time he had asked to see her. This simple gesture, as insignificant as it seemed, felt loaded with meaning. She bit her lower lip while staring at the text, as if waiting for something to happen. But she knew reality would soon catch up with her.
She knew that this relationship, if it ever materialized, would be complicated, dangerous. She was not in the same world as him. Not from the same social class, not from the same environment. She was the escort girl; he was the K-pop idol, a man adored by millions of girls, a model he could not abandon.
She sighed. There was no turning back now.
Exsy had already made her choice, though she had never vocalized it. She got up, took a sip of her wine, and then placed her phone on the coffee table. There was no question of letting herself be carried away by this attraction. Not yet. She knew all too well that one thoughtless move could change their lives forever. But something in this conversation... something in the gentleness of his words, in the way he spoke, felt like a whirlwind.
She picked up her phone, sent a quick message, and waited.
Exsy Dewy:
"Maybe tomorrow. We'll see what fate has in store for us."
The next morning, Jae-Hyun woke up earlier than usual, like a man caught in an internal tornado. He was tired, but he had this strange feeling that something was about to happen. He didn't know why, but he felt the same electric tension he had felt at the wedding party.
He got out of bed and went straight to the window. Seoul, the city that never sleeps, spread out beneath him like an ocean of glowing buildings and relentless life. He could hear the sounds of the city: cars, honking, people living their lives, not caring about what he felt. A sigh escaped his lips.
It was then that his phone vibrated. He grabbed it immediately, his heart racing.
Exsy Dewy:
"Maybe tomorrow. We'll see what fate has in store for us."
The message was simple. But it carried weight. A promise he could not ignore. An invitation, but also a warning. "We'll see what fate has in store for us." That phrase echoed in his mind.
Meanwhile, Exsy was preparing for another night at a bar in central Seoul. Work was a constant in her life, but she felt that additional weight creeping into her thoughts. The evening was unfolding as usual, but every smile she offered her clients, every drink she served, every gaze she met, seemed heavier.
She couldn't ignore the fact that Jae-Hyun was somewhere in her mind. He wasn't just another man. He was someone who didn't understand who she was but seemed to understand something about her that she herself didn't even know. This attraction... this inexplicable tension. He embodied everything she should run away from. A world to which she could never belong. And yet, the idea of seeing him again haunted her.
A customer pulled her from her thoughts. She smiled and approached, all the while trying to keep her inner calm.
That evening, Jae-Hyun found himself at a formal dinner with the members of the group, but he couldn't concentrate. His friends, used to seeing him calm and composed, noticed his absence. Min-Jae teased him with an amused smile.
— "Well, Jae-Hyun, looks like your mind is elsewhere tonight. Who's this girl that's got your head spinning?"
Jae-Hyun slowly turned his head toward him, then pretended to smile.
— "It's nothing, just... a lot of work."
He felt the pressure rising. His friends had already started noticing. He couldn't keep lying. But he wasn't ready to face it. Not yet.
The night passed, and Jae-Hyun found himself at another party, still waiting for a response, a sign. But each moment, each minute that passed without a message from Exsy became a sweet torture. A void he couldn't fill. And in that void, one name haunted his mind: Exsy Dewy.
Night had fallen. Jae-Hyun hadn't stopped thinking about Exsy, but he knew he couldn't let himself be overwhelmed by these thoughts. Tonight, it was a big night. The Grammy Awards. A prestigious event where renowned musicians were celebrated. Where his career would be in the spotlight.
The Grammy Awards hall was an ocean of glamour. Bright lights plunged every guest into an almost unreal aura. Haute couture creations, sparkling jewelry, and the bright smiles of celebrities created an atmosphere of luxury, almost surreal, where every movement was calculated and every word measured. Jae-Hyun stood in the middle of this sea of stars, and he loved it, even though this life had deprived him of many things. But it was the best thing he had ever done. He loved singing with his group. It was a night of recognition, a celebration, and yet, he couldn't shake the weight of uncertainty since their second album was nominated in several categories.
The applause, the recognition he had received for years, he accepted almost as a right, a part of his role. But tonight, something was different. He couldn't concentrate. His mind wasn't filled with glory but with a face, a voice.
Exsy. He could no longer detach himself from her.
The stage was magnificent, almost intimidating in its brilliance. The spotlights shone on the artists as they went up to receive their awards. The red carpets unfolded like different worlds, where celebrities moved in a carefully orchestrated ballet, surrounded by photographers, journalists, and producers.
Jae-Hyun enjoyed the sparkle of these events. Not that he didn't appreciate success, but it was the absence of truth in these environments that bothered him. Everyone was so focused on appearances, on the roles they played. It was like one giant masquerade.
But tonight, it wasn't the celebrity that concerned him. No. It was her.
He had spotted Exsy at the entrance of the event, but he hadn't approached her right away.
He was surprised to see her at such an event.
She stood there, like a soft shadow in a bright world, a cold beauty in an impeccable black dress, yet it seemed almost too perfect for this place, a calculated exaggeration. She looked both highly present and paradoxically distant, like a noble spectator at a show she didn't belong to.
The Encounter with Maxim Sora
Exsy wasn't there as an official guest. She was there for a client, a musician with a troubled past. Maxim Sora wasn't exactly a stranger, but his name was often associated with scandals, questionable behavior, and a notorious reputation. He wasn't particularly liked, yet here he was, surrounded by admirers, producers, and of course, Exsy, her arm around him like a decorative accessory.
Maxim, with his unkempt hair and dark glasses, seemed completely detached from the event. He didn't care, or at least that's the impression he gave. He wasn't there for glory. He was there to make a statement, to draw attention, to make it a moment for him, just like he always did.
Jae-Hyun spotted them across the room. Maxim and Exsy seemed to exist in a world of their own. She was there, but she seemed so absent, like a living statue, caught in a role she had to play. And that's where Jae-Hyun's jealousy crept in, a sneaky feeling that wasn't quite identified yet, but was rising in him as he watched Exsy.
He saw her smile, but it wasn't for him. It was a professional smile, calculated, aimed at a man who had no idea what it meant to be with her. Maxim embraced her in a way that seemed both unintentionally possessive and indifferent, as if she were just another accessory in his celebrity life.
Jae-Hyun: The Growing Jealousy
The more he watched the scene, the more a knot of frustration formed in his throat. His heart was beating faster, an increasing unease spread through his veins. He felt like he was losing control, like his entire world was cracking at that precise moment.
What he felt for her was much more than mere physical attraction. No. It was more complicated. It was the idea of the void she filled in him, a void he had never been able to explain to anyone. And seeing her in another man's arms, playing this temporary role he knew she wasn't truly invested in, tore something inside him. He felt that growing jealousy, but also the guilt of feeling this way.
She's not yours, Jae-Hyun. That thought repeated in his mind like a mantra, yet he couldn't detach from it. She was out of reach, and he knew it well.
The Silent Conversation
A few minutes later, destiny seemed to enjoy playing with them. Jae-Hyun crossed paths with Exsy in a secluded corner of the room, away from prying eyes. Maxim, true to form, seemed already distracted by another conversation with producers, leaving Exsy alone.
She turned her head just as Jae-Hyun approached, as if she had felt his presence before even seeing him. The look they exchanged was instantaneous, laden with meaning. Exsy gave a faint, cold smile, as if signaling that she was aware of his presence, but at the same time, she seemed ready to mix emotions with distance.
Jae-Hyun stopped in front of her, his gaze still locked with hers.
— "I didn't expect to see you here," he finally said, his voice lower than he intended.
Exsy shrugged, as if it were nothing more than a coincidence. But in her eyes, there was something more, something subtle, calculated. She knew exactly what she was exposing herself to by being here.
— "People invite me for all sorts of reasons," she replied, her words soft but marked by that indefinable distance.
He glanced over at Maxim across the room, then turned his gaze back to her.
— "He doesn't know what you're worth," the words slipped out of him, but he couldn't hold them back any longer.
She stared at him for a moment, a heavy silence stretched between them. Exsy knew that what he said was only part of a bigger truth, but she couldn't allow herself to say it. She couldn't tell him that it was she who controlled the situation, that she wasn't a victim of this world.
— "It's a matter of perspective, Jae-Hyun." Her voice softened at that moment, but there was still that barrier.
— "And I asked to see you, but you only gave me vague answers," he added, frustration creeping into his tone.
She lowered her eyes for a moment before raising her head.
— "I'm fine here. And you, in your world, you're part of this system. I don't know what you think of me, but let me tell you, between us, there will never be anything more than friendship. It's for the best for both of us. It's better to stop now; otherwise, it will only get harder later."
She let her words hang in the air before turning away, walking without looking back.