​His bowl emptied, and he sighed in contentment. Not only was it peaceful, but he was truly being himself here.

​"So," Jin ah said, setting her phone aside. "Did you hear your bias had some filming at the park a few days ago?"

​He blinked, taken by surprise. "My bias?"

​Jin ah raised a brow. "Bomsok."

​Beom Seok's expression changed instantly. "Ahaha, yes, my bias... hahaha," he laughed awkwardly.

​"And it turns out he's been acting since he was a kid. I just realized you both have the same name. Jang Beom Seok."

​The irony hit him like a truck. We are the same person.

​"Must be weird, sharing a name with someone famous," Jin-ah continued, apparently not noticing his sudden pallor.

​"Yeah... weird," he echoed weakly.

​"I heard he's supposed to be a really good actor."

​"He is!" The words burst out before he could stop them. "I mean—yes, he's amazing. Really talented." I know I'm usually bragging because I'm vain... but what kind of bragging is this?! Bragging about myself while acting like I'm not bragging about myself?

​Jin ah continued, "I was surprised he's a child actor. So he's been doing it for a long time, then?"

​"Since he was a baby, actually. Commercial work first." Beom Seok found himself speaking more softly. "When you start that young... you kind of forget what normal feels like. Everything becomes performance. Sometimes you just want to grab a bowl of ramyeon without anyone watching."

​Jin ah tilted her head. "Wow... he even started as a commercial baby? Impressive. You really know a lot about him."

​Heat crept up his neck. "Well, he's my bias! I've... researched him thoroughly. But... you said you prefer anime, right? Which one are you watching right now? I... I'm a big fan of anime, too!"

​Jin ah raised a brow at his flustered attempt to change the subject. He's an idol stan guy, right? she thought. Must be embarrassing to talk about it. ​A mischievous glint entered her eyes. "Quick test—what's Haku's gender?"

​Beom Seok's mind went completely blank. "Uh... it's..." 

​Jin ah laughed. "Relax. I was just messing with you. You don't have to pretend to like anime just to talk to me."

​Relief washed over him, followed immediately by curiosity about her actual interests. "What do you really love watching then?"

​Her face lit up. "Naruto. Especially anything with Kakashi Hatake—he's the best character ever written."

​As she began talking animatedly about character development and story arcs, Beom Seok found himself genuinely engaged. Her passion was infectious, even if he didn't share the specific interest. In return, he found himself discussing his "bias" with an enthusiasm that wasn't entirely fabricated.

​Time slipped by unnoticed until Minji's voice cut through their conversation.

​"Jin ah, it's closing time. If you want to continue talking, you'll need to move outside."

​Both of them looked up guiltily. Jin-ah began clearing his table while he stood to pay.

​"Want to keep talking?" he asked. "I can wait while you finish up."

​"Sure, if you don't mind standing around."

​Beom Seok nodded, reluctantly pulling on his hoodie. He messed up his carefully styled hair with visible annoyance, then slipped on his glasses and mask. The transformation back to his disguised self felt like putting on a costume he'd grown to hate.

​A few minutes later, they emerged onto the quiet street, walking slowly under the soft glow of streetlights.

​"You really think Kakashi's the best character?" Beom Seok asked, pulling his hoodie tighter against the cool air.

​"Absolutely. He's got real depth—starts as this cold, rule-obsessed kid and grows into someone who understands that protecting people matters more than following orders perfectly."

​"That's... actually really interesting character development."

​"Right? Most characters stay static, but he evolves." She glanced at him. "What about you? What kind of characters do you like?"

​Beom Seok considered the question carefully. "The ones trying to figure out who they really are, I guess. Characters who seem like one thing on the outside but are completely different inside. The ones just looking for a chance to be themselves."

​Something had been nagging at him throughout their conversation. "Can I ask you something?"

​"Sure."

​He hesitated. "You really don't know what Bomsok looks like?"

​"No," she said simply.

​"But... his face is everywhere. Advertisements, billboards..."

​She raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like someone who pays attention to ads?"

​"Well... no?"

​"I don't watch TV commercials. I skip YouTube ads. When I'm walking, I'm usually looking at my phone or the sidewalk." She shrugged. "Why would I memorize some random person selling skincare products?"

​"What about variety shows?"

​"Don't watch them."

​"Entertainment news?"

​"Even more boring than regular news."

​Beom Seok tried a different angle. "But those giant LED screens around the city..."

​"You mean the bright flashy things that give me a headache? I actively avoid looking at those."

​"He was the lead in a really popular drama last year. Action-packed, great fight scenes..."

​Jin-ah's expression remained unchanged. "Was it anime?"

​"No, but—"

​"Then I didn't watch it."

​He stared at her, genuinely stunned. "So the only famous faces you recognize are..."

​"Kakashi, Hasirama, Might Guy, Rock Lee, and maybe Gojo..." She ticked them off on her fingers. "Why would I care about some random handsome guy number whatever?"

​The words hit him like a physical blow. Random handsome guy number whatever. His entire career, his face on magazines, his carefully crafted image—reduced to a generic category.

​"But..." His voice came out smaller than intended. "What about me? You said I must be popular at college because I'm handsome."

​Jin-ah nodded matter-of-factly. "You are handsome. But handsome is pretty generic these days."

​"Generic?" The word cracked slightly.

​"There's always a handsome guy in every class, every workplace, walking around every park. Your face is nice, but it's... normal." She said it without any malice, as if commenting on the weather.

​Beom Seok felt something fundamental shift inside his chest. All his life, his looks had been his currency, his confidence, his identity. To her, they were as unremarkable as this annoying hoodie.

​"Anyway," Jin-ah said, stopping at a corner. "This is where we part ways. You'll come by the shop again, right?"

​"Yeah... I will," he managed, his voice hollow.

​She waved and turned down a side street, leaving him standing under a flickering streetlight.

​Generic. Random handsome guy number whatever.

​The walk back to the dorm passed in a blur. He nearly walked straight into a lamppost, catching himself at the last second. The near-collision seemed fitting somehow—his entire sense of self had just collided with reality.

​A few minutes later, he arrived at the dorm. Beom Seok unlocked the door and shuffled inside, the mask, hoodie, and glasses a miserable, tangible weight on his shoulders. He stripped everything except the dress shirt, though his hair was still a mess.

​The living room was dark except for the glow of Minho's phone. His hyung was still sprawled upside-down on the couch, still in his loosened modeling clothes.

​"You look like you just got slapped by a fish tail," Minho observed. "What happened?"

​Beom Seok trudged past without stopping. "I was called... generic."

​"Generic? You?" Minho's voice followed him down the hallway. "By who?"

​Minho watched him go, completely baffled. "Did something happen? Didn't he look kind of excited going out?"

​Beom Seok enter into his room, where he promptly face-planted onto his bed.

​Kangmin looked up from his manhwa. "Welcome back?" He took in his roommate's defeated posture. "Let me guess—your vanity took a direct hit?"

​From somewhere in the depths of his pillow, Beom Seok made a sound that might have been agreement or might have been the death rattle of his ego.