1

Exhausted from working late, I stumble out of my studio and grab a rice ball from a convenience store.

It starts drizzling outside.

Trapped in the store, I idly scroll through Lin Shen's Twitter.

He's been touring abroad all year.

His latest post reads: [Final stop, North City.]

The comments are already piling up.

From nobody to entertainment industry royalty, Lin Shen made it in just three years.

I save a group photo of him with his fans.

*Ding-ding.* The chime of the store's door.

Something makes me look up, and I lock eyes with a familiar gaze.

The moment our eyes meet, both I and the guy in the black hoodie look away.

My heart pounds like a drum.

Lin Shen...

What's he doing here!?

I fumble for my mirror, catching a glimpse of my haggard, makeup-free face.

Yesterday, an actress came to my studio for a fitting, but her dress didn't fit because she hadn't been keeping up with her workouts.

I pulled an all-nighter to fix it, and I'm in no shape to be seen.

Please don't recognize me…

I bury my face in my phone, praying he leaves soon.

In my peripheral vision, Lin Shen finishes paying.

Suddenly, he turns and walks toward me.

My breath catches.

He sits in the only empty seat next to me.

I can smell the crisp scent of rain on him.

"Your wallet?"

Lin Shen's slender hand holds out a pink wallet.

My heart skips. I check my pocket—it's gone.

Slowly, I look up.

Like meeting an old friend, I play out the scene I've rehearsed in my mind a thousand times.

"Lin Shen, what a coincidence."