Page 11 of Idol Lives
Jason wistfully smiled as he remembered his first sort-of date with Tae Hyun, where they’d snuck off and gone to the Hanok Village. Even then, someone had tipped off the paparazzi to their presence. Doing something like that again had become impossible. Just like sneaking off to an anonymous Van Nuys dive bar to quietly drink away histroubles was impossible. He may not have asked for it, but it was his reality. He’d just have to figure out a way to live with it.
04
Tae Hyun slipped his sunglasses on before the harsh fluorescents at Haneda’s private terminal gave him a headache. His long-practiced smile came next, ready for the gathered fans he could already hear from the corridor ahead. Their excited squeals when he emerged to greet them were a familiar soundtrack to his airport arrivals. He waved, grateful for his sunglasses to protect his eyes from the storm of phone camera flashes. He shared a quick glance with Seong Min, who nodded, understanding Tae Hyun’s unspoken question. Then he approached the barricade where his fans waited, Seong Min at his back like a friendly shadow.
“Thank you so much!” Tae Hyun called out in Japanese, making a hand heart and eliciting a second blitz of camera flashes. A hundred hands reached for him as he slowly passed by the crowd, stopping every few steps to pose for more photos and sign a few autographs.
Hi-touch meetings like that were essential for idols. The fans in attendance–top members of their localU41Aclubs–were sure to report back on the experience to the other members. And many were live-streaming the whole thing on their socials. It didn’t matter that he’d just spent ten hours on a plane and was utterly exhausted. He’d used the final hourbefore landing to shower, change, do his makeup, and style his hair to perfection just for them.
It also didn’t matter that Tae Hyun’s smile hid his true feelings. His arrival was bittersweet for multiple reasons. He hadn’t been to Tokyo since discovering that Chang Min was cheating on him. And he hadn’t traveled without Jason since they’d first moved in together in Los Angeles. A few weeks prior, Jason was by his side for his first solo shows in Incheon, basking in the adoration and teasing him about his adoring public. He sighed, pushing the thought aside. There was no use in dwelling on it.
Then Tae Hyun caught sight of a single fan shyly hanging back while the others around him surged toward the security rope. It wasn’t unusual forU4s to be male. Some even came to his fan meets. But something about this particular boy, who couldn’t have been older than his mid-teens, grabbed his attention–a simple rainbow pin fixed to his officialBoy With No Shametour shirt.
Tae Hyun halted in place, catching the boy’s eye and smiling. “Would you like an autograph?” he asked in Korean, not remembering how to say it in Japanese.
The boy nodded, holding out a pen and photo card from the deluxeBoy With No Shamealbum package. Tae Hyun took both, signing the card and adding a heart before motioning for the boy to come forward.
“Would you like a photo?”
The boy nodded again, his cheeks bright red, his eyes sparkling with impending tears. A hush fell over the assembled crowd as Tae Hyun motioned for Seong Min to lift the barrier rope. The boy ducked under and held out his phone. Seong Min took it as Tae Hyun put his arm around the boy’sshoulders and pulled him close. He smiled as brightly as he could, holding up a finger heart as Seong Min snapped a few photos. Then he returned the phone from Seong Min to the now openly weeping boy.
“I love you,” the boy muttered in Korean.
“I love you, too,” Tae Hyun replied, near to tears himself. “And I’m so glad you’re here.” He pointed to the rainbow pin. “Never forget what makes you and I so special.”
The boy eagerly nodded as Seong Min lifted the rope so he could rejoin the other fans, who’d resumed cheering and clamoring for attention. It had been so far out of bounds for Tae Hyun to do that. But it had also been important. Being a gay idol came with new responsibilities, including the need for his openly gay fans to be seen and feel welcome. He could hardly imagine what it would’ve felt like to meet a gay idol when he was that young.
But, even feeding off his fans’ boundless energy, Tae Hyun could feel his own energy waning. Meeting with fans by himself was draining. When he used to do hi-touch meet-and-greets withXTC,there were two others to spread out the pressure. Alone, he may as well have been walking through quicksand–and was quickly being dragged under. He caught Seong Min’s eye, who nodded and stepped forward to usher an apologetic Tae Hyun toward the exit door.
“I’m sorry to end this now, everyone,” Tae Hyun announced in his halting Japanese, “but I have to go. I’ll see you again from the stage!” He let his smile fall away once he was sure the door was closed and he was out of sight.
“Are you alright, sir?” Seong Min’s presence had been a welcome buffer between him and the fans, efficiently guidinghim past the crowd.
“I am, thank you.” Tae Hyun quietly sighed. “That was harder than I remembered.” Then his smile returned. “Thank you for helping me with those photos.”
“Of course, sir. It seemed important.” Seong Min nodded to something behind Tae Hyun. “Ah. Here comes Ms. Kim.”
Tae Hyun turned to find a familiar woman flanked by a pair of assistants he vaguely recognized. The woman was Mina Kim, his tour manager, smartly dressed in dark jeans, a black shirt, and a black tuxedo jacket with sleek, dark hair. She extended a hand once she was in reach.
“Welcome to Japan, Mr. Woo.”
Tae Hyun smiled as he took Mina’s hand. Her handshake was firm, her gaze assessing. Tae Hyun found himself instantly relaxing. Her no-nonsense demeanor was exactly what he needed right then. “Just Tae Hyun, please. And, thank you.” He nodded to the door behind him. “Did you arrange all that?”
Mina nodded. “I did. But it was Mr. Park’s–uh, Jason’s idea. He thought it might lift your spirits.”
Hearing that Jason had thoughtfully suggested a private fan meeting made Tae Hyun miss him even more. He pushed those feelings aside, too. “Thank you for that. It was a wonderful welcome.”
Mina nodded, satisfied with a mission successfully accomplished. “Of course. Let’s get you to your hotel. We have a car waiting at the terminal’s private entrance.” She slyly winked. “It’ll be much quieter.”
“Our bags?”
“Already on their way.”
“My sister?”
“Already at the hotel.” Mina gestured back toward where she’d come from. “Shall we?”
Tae Hyun relaxed even further, knowing that he and his tour were in capable hands. “Yes, please.”
