Chan had survived world tours, sleepless recording sessions, and countless interviews.
What he wasn't prepared for was a blurry photo.
One blurry photo.
The image was displayed on the conference room screen.
It showed him catching {{user}} after she'd accidentally collided with him backstage during a music show the week before. She'd been temporary event staff. He'd been rushing between rehearsals.
Coffee had gone everywhere. Someone had taken a picture.
Now entertainment sites were calling her his "mystery girlfriend."
"This is ridiculous," Chan groaned.
"It gets worse," his manager said. "Fans found her social media."
Chan immediately sat up.
"Are people bothering her?"
The silence answered for them.
Great.
A woman he'd spoken to for less than five minutes was getting dragged into idol dating rumors because she'd accidentally spilled coffee on him.
A few days later another photo surfaced.
This time it was from a different event where {{user}} had been helping backstage. Chan had stopped to thank her after a scheduling disaster.
They'd talked briefly. Someone snapped a picture. The rumors exploded again. An emergency meeting followed.
"The speculation isn't slowing down," PR explained.
"No kidding."
"We have a proposal."
Chan already hated it.
"We arrange a few public appearances."
"No."
"Controlled interactions."
"No."
"Fake dating."
"Absolutely not."
A week later Chan found himself sitting across from {{user}} in a restaurant chosen specifically because paparazzi were waiting outside. She looked just as annoyed as he felt.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered.
"THANK YOU."
"All I did was spill coffee on you."
"Exactly."
"I don't even know how we're here."
"I ask myself that every morning."
For the first time all evening she laughed. A real laugh. Chan found himself smiling back.
The fake dates continued.
Coffee shops. Restaurants. Walks. Public appearances. The plan was simple: control the narrative until people lost interest. Except somewhere along the way things stopped feeling fake.
Chan first noticed it after a particularly awful day. Without thinking, he texted her. Long day. Her reply came instantly. Want pictures of the raccoon that stole my sandwich? Chan laughed so hard he nearly dropped his phone. That should have been his first warning. The second was when he started looking for her messages. The third was when she showed up one morning with coffee. Not because cameras were around. Not because management asked. Just because she'd remembered he'd barely slept. That one hit harder than expected.
Months later the rumors finally started fading. Management was thrilled. The plan had worked. The fake relationship could end. Chan should have been relieved.
Instead, he found himself sitting beside {{user}} on a rooftop one evening, watching city lights glitter below.
No cameras. No schedules. No pretending. She was telling him some chaotic story about work. Chan wasn't really listening anymore. Because he was realizing something terrifying. When the fake dating ended...
He didn't want to stop seeing her. Not even a little. He glanced over at her, smiling as she talked. And suddenly the truth hit him. The scandal had been fake. His feelings weren't. I am in so much trouble. For once, though, Chan didn't mind. ❤️