The Idol and The Manager

Mint Green Hoodie

Carmela’s POV

He was the guy from the airport! I thought I’d never see him again, but here he is now! My heart raced at the thought. Oh my God, how am I supposed to face him after what I did?!

She couldn’t help but let out a nervous, awkward laugh. She felt a sudden wave of heat rise in her cheeks as she realized how ridiculous this situation was.

Why do I always manage to embarrass myself like this?

Carmela had never been great at handling awkward moments, and this one was a doozy. She had imagined so many scenarios where she might run into him again—somehow, she’d imagined herself looking at least a little put-together, not drenched in self-inflicted awkwardness.

The thought of how she might've come off to him made her cringe. She cleared her throat, trying to regain some composure, before she spoke.

“I need to go,” she said quickly, her voice higher than usual as the nerves took over.

Without waiting for a response from them, she spun on her heels and began to walk away, her mind swirling with conflicting thoughts.

What was I thinking, standing there like that? Why didn’t I just leave when I had the chance?

But as she walked, something pulled her back. Jay’s voice cut through the air, stopping her mid-step.

“I’ll call you,” he said, his words almost casual, but there was an underlying sincerity that made her freeze.

She turned back slightly, her eyes wide as realization dawned on her. Oh no, I gave him my number. I completely forgot!

For a second, her mind raced. It’s because I had to give my number to him. I owe him, you know? The words felt strange, even to her, and her mind couldn’t help but bicker with itself. Was she really overthinking this?

She stood there for a moment, almost afraid to turn around again. But after taking a deep breath, she faced them once more, forcing herself to calm down. Just act normal, Carmela. Don’t let this get weird.

“Okay!” she finally replied, her voice still sounding a bit too high-pitched, but it was out there now, and there was no turning back.

She looked ahead, almost ready to walk off once again, but before she could make another step, she felt a hand grab her arm.

She looked up, startled, and found Jay standing in front of her. His eyes were gentle, but there was something comforting about his presence.

“Here. You can use this.” Jay handed her a mint green hoodie, the soft fabric looking a little too big for her frame. “Wear this. It’s not appropriate for a woman to walk outside like that,” he added, his voice low and considerate as he took in her appearance.

Carmela glanced down at herself and immediately regretted it. Oh my God, I look like a mess. She had been in such a rush earlier that she hadn’t even realized how badly the coffee had spilled on her. The stain was a glaring reminder of how hectic her day had been.

Her baby blue sweater and white pants, once pristine, now bore a coffee stain on the right side, ruining her attempts to look even remotely put together.

“I’ll definitely give this back to you! I promise.” She took the hoodie from him, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. “Thank you very much,” she added, bowing slightly, the movement feeling awkward but sincere at the same time.

Jay just nodded, giving her a soft smile, and as she began to leave the parking lot, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was once again out of her element. But there was something warm about his gesture, something that made her feel a little less self-conscious about the situation.

As she walked, she glanced around for the man who had waved to her earlier. Ah, there he is. She spotted him standing near a sleek black car, his gaze still kind but distant.

“Kamsahamnida,” Carmela said, giving him another polite bow, feeling grateful for their help despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her.

After that, she quickly left the parking lot and found herself in search of a public restroom. It was getting late, and she needed to change her clothes. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could walk around looking like she’d been caught in a mess of her own making.

When she finally found a restroom, she entered with a sigh of relief. She closed the door behind her and quickly began to change. She pulled off the stained sweater and pants, feeling embarrassed as she did so. But the oversize hoodie felt like a warm embrace as she slipped it on, almost like a shield from the embarrassment she still felt.

It’s a good thing I’m wearing cycling shorts under all this, she thought, thankful that she’d been more practical than usual in her choice of undergarments.

She folded her clothes carefully, trying to keep them as neat as possible despite the stains. Reaching for her bag, she noticed something strange inside it. It was a handkerchief. A familiar one.

Gosh, I have all of his things! Her heart fluttered at the realization. She quickly shoved it back into her bag, the thoughts swirling in her mind. I really hope we see each other again... I need to give his things back!

She lingered for a moment longer, staring at her reflection in the restroom mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair, hoping it wasn’t as much of a mess as she felt. But then she sighed and decided it wasn’t worth worrying over. She had already decided to leave it all behind. It was a strange day, but it wasn’t the end of the world.

She left the restroom, making her way toward the bus station while still clutching her stained clothes in both hands. Her mind was still running wild, trying to process everything that had just happened.

This was supposed to be a happy day, she thought, but then she remembered everything that had gone wrong earlier. But because of what happened, I just feel like a disaster.

Her feet moved on autopilot as she approached the bus stop, her eyes scanning the street around her. She was tired, ready to go home and put the day behind her.

Just as she was about to check her phone for the time, a voice called her name.

“Carm.”

Her head snapped up in surprise, and she immediately looked around to see who had called. Then a car rolled to a stop right in front of her, and she froze for a moment.

The car window slowly lowered, and even though she couldn’t see the person clearly, she just knew it was Jay. He’d cracked the window just enough for him to pass something to her—a small paper bag.

“Put your clothes in here. You should’ve worn your pants, even with the stain. But, ah, never mind,” he said, his words a little teasing but kind.

She smiled, her heart fluttering as she took the bag from him.

“Thank you very much, Jay,” Carmela said, her voice filled with genuine gratitude. She couldn’t believe he’d done all of this for her.

Maybe today isn’t so bad after all.

As she walked away from the car, she couldn’t help but feel lighter than she had earlier. Her day wasn’t going as planned, but somehow, it turned out to be a little better than she had expected.

Her heart still raced from the whirlwind of emotions, but for the first time in a while, she felt like maybe, just maybe, things could be okay.