The Idol and The Manager

Sasaeng

Carmela's POV

Carmela froze as the cold liquid seeped down her body, her clothes instantly drenched. It felt like everything was moving in slow motion, and she couldn’t process what had just happened. The sensation of the cold coffee seeping through her clothes sent a wave of shock and confusion through her body.

She wanted to cry, the overwhelming embarrassment pulling at her chest, but she fought it back. It would be far too embarrassing to break down here, not with so many people around. The cafe’s atmosphere seemed to shift, and she could feel the weight of every pair of eyes on her. The stares burned into her skin, making her want to sink into the floor and disappear.

Her legs were shaking uncontrollably, and she could feel her whole body tremble as the coldness of the coffee spread. Despite her best efforts to hold herself together, the situation was unbearable. She kept her head down, desperately trying to shield her face from the crowd.

What had she done to deserve this? Why would someone throw their drink at her?

She could feel the rising tension in her chest as her mind raced. What now? Should she say something? Should she do something? The questions swirled in her head, but no answers came.

Unable to take the humiliation any longer, Carmela finally forced herself to look at the man she had bumped into earlier. He hadn’t said anything after the incident, and she had assumed he was too angry or upset. But now, she was desperate for some kind of comfort, even if it was just a glance of reassurance.

To her surprise, he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were fixed on someone else. The woman who had thrown the drink.

Carmela’s heart skipped a beat as she realized who was responsible for the sudden attack. It was the woman standing a few feet away from them, still holding the empty cup in her hand. She could see the glint of defiance in the woman's eyes, as if this was all some kind of sick game for her.

Carmela started to turn toward the woman when, unexpectedly, a hand blocked her view. She looked up, startled, and saw the man she had bumped into. His presence was solid, protective. He didn’t even look at her directly. His gaze was still fixed on the woman with the cup.

"You should wear your hat," he said, his voice calm but firm.

Carmela blinked in confusion but nodded. Without fully understanding what was happening, she took the hat from his hand, feeling a sense of gratitude mixed with confusion. She carefully placed it back on her head, pulling it low to cover her face. It felt like the only thing she could do to shield herself from the eyes of everyone in the cafe. The hat, which had been knocked off in the chaos, now served as a shield from the stares that felt like daggers.

Her mind was still spinning. Who was this man? Why was he stepping in like this? And why did she feel a sense of comfort just from his presence, even though they had only exchanged a few words?

Jay’s POV

Jay kept his eyes fixed on the sasaeng, his thoughts racing. This was exactly the kind of attention he didn’t need. The woman in front of him, the one he had bumped into, still seemed completely overwhelmed by what had just happened. She wasn’t even looking at him anymore. Her focus was entirely on the woman who had thrown the drink at her, but he couldn’t let her do that. He needed to protect her.

He noticed the whispers and the camera flashes that seemed to come from every direction. The people in the café had already started to pull out their phones, taking pictures and videos of the incident. He gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of the situation.

Thank God I’m wearing this disguise, he thought. He’d learned long ago to cover his face when he came out in public. It wasn’t just for his safety—it was for his peace of mind. But even now, in the midst of this, it wasn’t enough to stop the chaos from escalating.

The woman in front of him, the one with the hat, seemed lost at the moment, her head lowered as if she were trying to hide from the world. She didn’t want anyone to see her, and he understood why.

As he watched her, Jay felt his frustration boil over. He had been in situations like this before, but never with someone who seemed so vulnerable. Her sudden outburst of emotion, the sob that caught in her throat, made him feel something unfamiliar—a pull to protect her, even if he didn’t fully understand why.

Suddenly, she lifted her head and locked eyes with him. There was a hint of recognition in her gaze, but it was brief. She looked almost as confused as he felt. Before she could look toward the sasaeng again, he acted on instinct.

"You should wear your hat first," Jay said quickly, his voice steady, though his mind was anything but. He needed to shield her, to give her a moment of peace in the middle of the storm that had just been stirred up.

She hesitated for a second before reaching for the hat. As she placed it back on her head, Jay caught a glimpse of her eyes again, this time filled with a mixture of gratitude and confusion.

His manager approached them just then, his eyes flicking between Jay and the sasaeng. "What happened?" his manager asked, his voice low as he took in the scene.

Jay knew exactly what had happened. The sasaeng had followed him here, just like she always did. She had thrown the coffee on purpose, and he couldn’t stand it anymore. He had to make it clear that this behavior wouldn’t be tolerated.

"Let’s go," his manager murmured, knowing full well the trouble this situation could cause.

Jay was about to leave when he leaned in and whispered to the woman, his voice quieter, but firm. "You should sue that girl."

He was ready to walk away when he felt a soft pressure on his arm. Startled, he looked down and saw the woman’s hand gripping him lightly. Her voice came out in a quiet sob. "Help."

The sound of her plea hit him like a physical blow. He wasn’t sure why, but something in her desperation struck a chord. It wasn’t just the cold coffee or the sasaeng; it was her—a complete stranger—asking for help. The rawness of her vulnerability made him pause.

Without thinking, he turned back to face her fully. She was still holding onto his arm, and the pain in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

Jay didn’t hesitate. He couldn’t.

"Don’t worry," he said quietly, his hand resting gently over hers. "I’ll help."

The words felt more powerful than he intended. At that moment, Jay knew that no matter what happened next, he wasn’t going to leave her alone in this mess.