The Idol and The Manager

Girlfriend

Claire's POV

The man’s voice was gentle as he repeated the words, “It’s okay. It’s okay.” The man said repeatedly, reassuring her.

His hand rested lightly on Carmela’s head, fingers moving in slow, soothing strokes.

There was no urgency in his touch, no pressure—only warmth. It was as if he feared hurting her even more, as if he were handling something fragile. Something soft. Something precious.

For a moment, she simply stood there, frozen in place. The simple act of kindness caught her off guard, melting the tension in her chest little by little.

The way he touched her—it was almost reverent, as though he were cradling the most precious thing in the world.

Her breathing hitched, then slowly evened out.

The tears that had flowed so freely earlier had finally stopped.

Carmela took a deep, shaky breath, allowing the comfort of the moment to ground her. It felt strange—she never let herself be vulnerable in front of strangers, never allowed her emotions to spill out like that.

But there she was, standing in the dim parking lot, being comforted by a man whose name she didn’t even know.

The faint hum of passing cars in the distance barely registered in her mind. The world around them felt muted, as if this moment existed in a small, quiet pocket of time.

Then, before she could react, she felt a light movement on her head. Slowly, and carefully.

The man had removed her hat from her head.

Her eyes widened in shock.

She instinctively lifted her gaze, and that was when their eyes met.

Deep-set and intense, his eyes bore into hers, filled with an unreadable expression. He was taller than her, his broad frame casting a subtle shadow over her smaller one.

His sharp features—dark, expressive eyes, well-defined cheekbones, and a strong jawline—were striking, almost too perfect.

For a moment, she forgot to breathe.

Then, panic set in.

OhMG! I must look so ugly right now! I just cried! What do I doooo!?

Her heart pounded in embarrassment. She barely had time to process anything before instinct took over.

She immediately raised both hands to cover her face.

This is so embarrassing! I am so certain that I look like a rugged tomato.

Her face burned with heat, the realization of her messy state making her want to disappear.

But somewhere in the back of her mind, a thought lingered—

He looks familiar… Where have I seen him before?

Her mind scrambled for an answer, but the rush of emotions made it difficult to think.

Before she could place it, a loud voice cut through the moment.

“Yah! Jay-a! Where have you been?”

Jay's POV

Jay’s fingers stilled in Carmela’s hair as he registered the approaching voice.

His hand had been moving on its own, instinctively comforting the woman in front of him.

But now that he was more aware of it, a thought crossed his mind.

What am I doing? Why am I touching her like this?

It wasn’t like him to be this forward. And yet, something about her raw vulnerability had made him act without thinking.

Even now, with her face hidden behind her hands, there was something strangely familiar about her.

His brows furrowed slightly.

Where have I seen her before?

Instead of pulling away, he found himself reaching for the hat on her head, curiosity overriding reason.

He gently lifted it off, revealing more of her face.

For the first time, he saw her properly—

Tear-streaked cheeks, red-rimmed eyes, lips slightly parted in surprise. Even in her disheveled state, there was an undeniable charm about her.

But before he could think further, she gasped and immediately shielded her face with her hands.

Jay raised a brow.

Was she… embarrassed?

That was unexpected.

She definitely looks familiar.

He took a step back, still scanning her features, trying to place where he had seen her before.

The way she reacted to his presence, the way she tried to shrink away—it intrigued him. She wasn’t just some random girl. There was something about her that tugged at his memory.

Before he could pinpoint where he had seen her before, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Yah! Jay-a! Where have you been?”

He turned his head and saw a familiar figure making his way toward them.

“Oh! Jen-a.”

“Don’t ‘Jen-a’ me!” Jen snapped, his arms crossed.

His best friend stomped forward, eyes narrowed in irritation.

“You asked me to come and buy coffee with you, but what did you do? You left me sleeping! You didn’t even bother waking me up!”

Jay let out a chuckle. “Sorry, something came up.”

Jen wasn’t having it. His gaze shifted past Jay—to the woman beside him.

Jay barely had time to react before Jen’s eyes widened slightly.

“So, you went somewhere to meet your girlfriend?” he accused.

Jay blinked, taken aback. “What? No—”

“I thought we trusted each other,” Jen continued dramatically. “I thought we wouldn’t hide anything! And what happened to your shirt? Did you seriously go on a date looking like that? Is that some new trend you two are trying out?”

Jay laughed, shaking his head.

But before he could respond, the woman suddenly spoke up.

“Me? His girlfriend? No, I am not.”

Her voice was firm, almost defensive.

Jay turned back to her.

Her hands had finally lowered, revealing her face once more. And at that moment, the familiarity clicked.

Now that her face was fully visible, recognition dawned on him. Before he could say it, Jen suddenly blurted out, “Aren’t you that woman from the airport?”

Jay’s eyes widened slightly.

Oh.

Now he remembered. She was the woman he had seen at the airport a while back. The one who had caught his attention, even if it had only been for a brief moment. He hadn’t forgotten.