I tap my fingers against my knee as we pull up in front of the building that is already crowded with photographers and fans.

“Are you ready?” Taejin asks as he leans around the chair to look at us.

I wanted to reply that we were ready as much as we could be. I keep my mouth closed though and wait as someone opens the door to the van to let us out. Jun and Sunshine are the first ones out and I follow behind them. Like always, we move as a team, flowing like water. Lights flash and I turn on my charm, giving everyone a wave and a flying kiss. I am Geum Hajoon, Worldwide Handsome. Why do I not feel like it today though? Jay begins the introductions and I bow low once before we make our way into the Busan fansign meeting. It feels like we’ve been moving a lot in the last couple of months. The tiny vacation didn’t seem long enough to ease my restlessness.

“I’m starving,” DaeDae groans once we reach the safety of the building. “I wonder if the fans will bring us food today.”

Food sounds so good right now. Rice. Noodles. Spicy chicken. My stomach growls and I press my hand against it. A huge buffett sounds amazing right now.

“Don’t talk about food.” I groan. I bite my lip to keep from drooling everywhere as we enter the big room that is filled with dozens of chairs. Walking onto the stage, I find my spot and sit down. I cross my legs immediately and lay my cheek on the palm of my hand.

“Nice steaming plates of dumplings,” DaeDae continues.

“Do you want to die?” I hiss. I’m already starving. Hangry is about to be my new name. Once we got back to Korea there had barely been any time for us to readjust and rest before we rushed back to work. Taejin doesn’t like cutting things close. Then again, our manager has been really on our cases ever since we bailed to America. I’m honestly surprised that he hasn’t dropped us as his clients. Poor guy probably grew more gray hair over the course of a few weeks than he has his whole life.

“All I’m saying,” DaeDae continues on as he sits on the table, “is that I’m hungry and I’m smelling food as if it's here.”

“Morgan says hi,” Kang interrupts as he types away on his phone.

I smile. Kang has changed so much this year, and it is nice seeing the young one grow into the man that he is today.

“How’s Kim?” Dragon asks as he leans over to look at the messages.

Kang jerks his phone away and gives him a playful grin. “You have a crush on her.”

“Crush?” Dragon sputters. “I don’t.” His face is turning red and he leans back.

“Says the guy that talked to her completely drunk,” Jay teases. “Half of it was in Korean so I doubt she understood most of it, but it was hilarious.”

“You’re lying.” I watch as Dragon’s face goes pale. “Tell me you’re lying.”

Jay raises his eyebrows. “Why would I lie?”

“To tease me!” When he sees the rest of our faces, he leans his head against the table. “I’m done for.”

My lips curl into a grin as I shake my head. I will never understand why Dragon feels the need to hide this side of himself. It is super adorable. After a second, the serious member has a grin on his face as Kang shows him a picture of Morgan and Kim.

“Morgan is going back to work. He decided he wouldn’t hide in his house anymore,” Kang alerts us.

“If they follow him, I can imagine Kim giving them a piece of her mind.” Dragon

Chuckles.

Kang laughs loudly. “Can you imagine that?”

Morgan is such a strong person, and the respect I have for him grows every day. Luckily for Kim, business has picked up from the attention.

“Speaking of crushes, Hajoon, are you going to see your favorite person here?” Sunshine gives me a wink.

My lips part as I drop my head. “Shut up.”

“He’ll tease us, but once we bring her up, he gets all shy. What’s her name?”

“Lee… Lee…” Jun taps his chin.

“Lee Yuna,” I reply without thinking. “I don’t like her!”

Everyone arounds me laughs. “Sure you don’t.”

She is just very interesting. Her presents always make my bad days feel better.

“We’re about to start,” Taejin’s voice echoes over the loudspeakers. “Are you ready?”

I pick up the microphone, blowing into it a few times to make sure it’s on. “You should totally go get us some fried squid or something.”

“You’re only here for two hours. You can wait.” Taejin chuckles.

My face automatically goes into pout mode. “Manager!” I whine playfully.

“How about some tteokbokki?”

My group erupts into cheers and I nod in satisfaction. That would work. The doors open and a horde of screaming fans rush to their seats, waving their signs and pictures of us in the air. My eyes slowly scan each face trying to find her. She had shown up three years ago with the best present, and every year since she has appeared with the exact present in her hand.

“Stars!” Hoseok cries into the microphone. “How are we today?”

The show has started and I tap my pen against the table as our music begins in the background. I shake my head as my lips automatically move to the lyrics. It is a slow ballad about love.

“Hajoon!”

“Yeah?” My head jerks up, scanning the room for the person who bellowed my name.

A young girl, maybe in her early teens, shakes a picture of me aggressively. “You look super handsome today.”

I place my face between the space between my thumb and finger and shoot her a wink. “I’m always handsome. Thank you.”

The manager calls for the fansign to begin and the fans line up on one side of the wall. The staff members allow them one by one to make their way towards us as we autograph their books or signs.

“Hello. How are you today?” I grin as I sign the book of a fan who looks to be on the verge of hyperventilating in front of me. Her lips move but she doesn’t say anything as she reaches over to run her hands over my arms and face. Giving back her book, she whispers her thanks before moving past Kang without asking for his autograph. She doesn’t even look in his direction before talking to Sunshine. His eyebrows furrow and I feel my teeth click together in agitation. A few more ask for my autograph and the longer this signing goes on, the more I’m seeing other fans skipping Kang.

“I can’t,” I whisper.

“Hajoon.” Kang grabs my arm when I stand up.

“How can they sit there and say they love all of us and then go ahead and treat you like this? Stupid.” I yank my arm free of him. How dare they? Taejin comes over. Waving him away, I tell everyone, “I need a moment.”

Storming away from the group, I make my way backstage out of the public eye, pacing back and forth, trying to count down from ten in every language I know to calm myself. Something crashes behind me.

“I’m so sorry,” a feminine voice whispers.

I turn around, staring at the girl with long hair that trails down to her waist. Her light brown eyes glance away as she clutches the familiar black box in her hand. She spins around, whispering something under her breath.

“Yuna?” I ask, unable to hide the hopeful tone to my voice.

She whirls around, surprise written on her face. “I was just looking for the bathroom.” Her throat works as she swallows. “I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“You didn’t,” I reply quickly as she drops her head. “I actually like this distraction.” She still looks the same. Three years doesn’t seem that long ago since I met the shy girl.

“What’s your name?” I asked as I grabbed the book from Jun.

She rubbed her arm shyly. “Lee Yuna.”

I scribbled my name next to my face and handed it back to her. “That’s a pretty name.”

“Ah.” She reached behind her and pulled something from her pocket. “I forgot to give you this.”

The tiny black box wrapped in a white bow was pushed towards me and I opened it before the managers could rip the gift from my hands. I loved receiving presents. The fans always came up with something new. I blinked at the maple leaf.

“In one of your documentaries you stated you loved Mario Kart, and how Maple Story was your favorite level. It’s not good, but I tried.”

I lifted the leaf, surprised at how it was slightly heavier than a normal leaf. “You made this?”

“Clay.” Her fingers rubbed together nervously. “It took me a while.”

My eyes trailed from the leaf to her. “This is amazing. You have talent.”

She opened her mouth and then closed it with an audible snap. “Thank you,” she whispered before shuffling away. I chuckled at her shyness and gently put the leaf back into its box.

The next year, I remembered her face and wondered what else she would bring. She handed me the box and I lifted it to show another leaf.

“It’s the only thing I know how to make well. Besides, everyone needs a companion.”

Leaning in closer, I tilted my head. “I’ll add it to my collection. My room can be filled with these.”

“Then I’ll bring one every year for you.” She pushed her hair off her shoulders nervously and grabbed her bag. “Thank you for appreciating it.”

I nod to the box. “Is that for me?”

Her eyes drop to the box and she nods. “I did something a little different.”

What did she do today? Excitement thrums inside my chest and I reach for the box. “May I?”

Yuna hands it over and I carefully undo the ribbon. Opening it, I stare at galaxy and sea colored clay leaves.

“Wow,” I whisper. Pulling them out, I puff out a chuckle. “I love them.”

“Do you?” She rubs the back of her neck. “It took longer than I thought it would, but I wanted to make sure you had something from me this year. It felt wrong not to give you anything.”

I clear my throat. “I enjoy any gifts I get from you.” When I realize what I’ve said, I grow flustered. “I mean… you make such unique gifts that I’m always excited to come here to see what awaits me. Ah, this isn’t coming out right.”

She smiles and I can’t help but see how pretty she is. “Then I’ll keep bringing them to you.”

“Please do.” My voice comes out a tone higher than I would have liked.

“I should go. I can’t stay.”

But she just got here. “You’re not going to stay for the signing?”

Her face grows sad. “I wish I could, but I can’t. Thank you for enjoying my gift, Geum Hajoon.”

She can’t just leave. I try to come up with something to say, but nothing is coming to mind. She turns to leave and I freak.

“Wait!” I reach out for her but I don’t touch her. That would be rude to grab a female. “Let me at least give you my autograph.”

Yuna pats herself down. “I don’t have paper.”

I look around. Neither do I. Cursing myself, I step closer and raise the marker. Glancing at her arm, I give it a nod. “May I?”

She tilts her head down to look at her arm and then holds it up for me. “Sure.”

I put the precious items into my pocket to make sure they don’t get broken. My hand touches the back of her arm and with careful strokes I write my name and the words “I want to see you again. Best wishes until then” on it.

“Until next time. I’ll be looking forward to this.”

“Thank you.” She slips her arm from mine and I watch as she gives me a tiny wave. “Please be healthy,” I call out sadly.

Then she’s gone and I’m left standing there like an idiot. Taejin appears a few seconds later.

“What are you doing? You left and everyone is wondering if you’re sick. Are you okay?”

“I’m coming,” I grumble before pulling the box out of my pocket. She would get me through this today.