The Idol and The Manager

Handshake

Jay's POV

The gentle pressure on his shoulder roused him from his deep, travel-weary sleep. His eyes fluttered open, still heavy from the nap, and he saw Jen leaning over, giving him a nudge.

“Jay-a, we’re about to arrive at Incheon,” Jen said with a smile, his voice a bit louder than needed to make sure he woke up.

Jay groaned, wiping the sleep from his eyes and looking around, half-dazed. “I’m already awake, Jen. Stop shaking me,” he mumbled, his voice thick with the remnants of sleep.

Still trying to shake off the last remnants of his nap, Jay reached for his mask and removed it, the cool cabin air hitting his face. It felt good to breathe freely after having it on for so long. As he looked around the plane, the hum of the engines almost fading into the background, he noticed something—someone.

The woman from the restroom.

Her head was slumped to the side, her body leaning against the seat as though she was about to topple over. Jay’s brow furrowed as he sat up straighter. Why did he feel the need to do something? Was it because of how startled she looked earlier when she’d seen him? Was it because her hair had been messy, or maybe because of that awkward screech she'd let out?

Before he even realized what he was doing, he found himself standing up, moving toward her. Why am I going to her? He thought, but somehow his feet kept moving in her direction.

He mentally shook his head. You’re going to help her, that’s all. Nothing more. His internal voice was a small comfort, reassuring him that it was just the right thing to do.

He quickly reached for his eye mask, which had fallen to the floor in the commotion earlier. As quietly as he could, Jay placed his right arm beneath her head, gently supporting it to prevent her from falling, while using his left hand to pick up his eye mask. His movements were quick, but careful, not wanting to draw attention to himself or cause her any more discomfort.

With a subtle motion, Jay returned to his seat, the eye mask now back in his hand. He exhaled quietly, a small victory in making sure she didn’t wake up with a stiff neck. No one had noticed. It was almost as if nothing had happened.

“Ha, you like her?” Jen asked teasingly, a grin creeping across his face.

Jay raised an eyebrow, confused. "What? No, I just helped her," he answered, frowning slightly, hoping Jen didn’t press the issue any further.

Jen only laughed, not fooled. "Okay, Jay. Sure."

"Why do you always doubt me?" Jay sighed, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms, trying to ignore his friend's teasing.

Jen just laughed, shaking his head. “You’re not fooling anyone.”

Jay glanced back at the woman. She was now awake, stretching her arms as if she’d just woken up from a deep slumber. The tension in his chest eased as he saw her finally come to her senses.

"Finally," she muttered under her breath, stretching her neck. Her voice sounded relieved, and Jay couldn't help but smile slightly at the sight.

At Incheon International Airport

They were finally on the ground. Jay and Jen gathered their things, ready to head out, but Jay’s mind kept wandering back to the woman. She had completely disappeared after the flight, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he'd somehow missed a chance to interact more with her.

He scanned the crowds, looking around for any sign of her, but it seemed that she was nowhere to be found.

“Looking for her?” Jen asked, his voice appearing beside him out of nowhere, catching Jay off guard.

"No," Jay replied automatically, though his eyes didn’t stop scanning the sea of people moving around them.

“Okay,” Jen teased, pausing dramatically. “Oh, wait. There she is.”

Jay immediately turned his head in the direction Jen was pointing, but to his disappointment, there was no sign of the woman. Jen burst out laughing, clearly enjoying his little trick.

"No, huh?" Jen laughed again, clearly amused by Jay’s frustration.

Jay narrowed his eyes at Jen and began walking towards the exit, not bothering to entertain Jen’s teasing anymore. His feet moved faster, his mind now a bit distracted by the sight of the airport bustling around him. But there was still something pulling at him, urging him to turn around, search again.

With a sigh of frustration, he yanked his mask off, feeling the irritation boil up inside him. What was he even doing? It wasn’t like he had to worry about her again. She was a stranger, just a random person on the plane.

And yet, the moment Jay took off his mask, he collided with someone—a woman, to be exact.

“Mianhamnida,” the woman said immediately, her voice soft, and she looked up at him with wide eyes.

Jay blinked, a wave of shock hitting him. There was no mistaking her—it was her. The woman from the restroom.

For a split second, the world seemed to stop around him. His mind was trying to process what had just happened, but he was frozen in place, unsure of what to say or do. The moment dragged on until he shook himself out of his stupor and walked away quickly, not bothering to apologize.

“Jay-a, where are you going?” Jen’s voice called out from behind him.

Jay didn’t respond immediately. He was too focused on what had just happened. But Jen wasn’t done either. “Look, I think this is hers,” he said, holding something up.

Jay turned to look at Jen, who was holding a passport. “I saw this on the floor when the two of you bumped into each other,” Jen continued, a smirk playing on his face.

Jay paused. His first instinct was to ignore it, walk away, and pretend it never happened. But something inside him pushed him to take the passport. Maybe it was the polite thing to do. Maybe it was just the right thing.

Without thinking, Jay ran after her, the passport in his hand. When he caught up to her, he poked her lightly on the arm.

“Your passport,” he said, sounding more confident than he felt as she turned to face him.

The woman’s eyes widened with a surprised smile. “Thank you,” she said, her voice softer now, filled with relief. “Th-thank you very much.”

Jay smiled back, but it felt more like an automatic response. “No problem.”

She blinked, seeming to gather her composure before she added, “Ahm, by the way, I’m Carmela—or Carm, you can call me either way.” She extended her hand for a handshake.

Jay hesitated for a moment, surprised by her open, friendly demeanor. “Jay,” he said, reaching out to shake her hand.

Just as they finished the exchange, Jen’s voice called out once again, “Jay-a, ka ja.”

Jay pulled his hand away from Carmela’s, his face slightly flushed with a mix of embarrassment and confusion.

“I need to go. Bye,” he said quickly, barely making eye contact as he turned and started walking away, feeling a strange mix of emotions.

"Bye," Carmela called after him with a soft, warm smile.

As Jay and Jen walked out of the airport, Jay’s thoughts kept drifting back to the brief encounter. Why did it feel like there was more to it than just a random interaction?