“Ohh, you’re that friend of the Cho twins!” Alex says, snapping his fingers. “They’ve mentioned you before. I can’t believe I didn’t put two and two together. I’m so sorry.” Now he’s the one who looks embarrassed. “Between school and work, I’ve been really out of touch with pop culture, especially in Korea. Seriously, I think the last movie I saw was Toy Story.”

“Well, that’s not that long ago. Didn’t Toy Story 4 just come out a few—”

“Not 4. Toy Story 3.”

“Ah. Well, in that case, yes, you are tragically out of date.” I remember going to see it with Akari and the twins one day after school and sobbing our eyes out during the incinerator scene. I think I was about twelve at the time.

“I don’t think I’m that tragic,” he says, straightening his shirt like his pride’s been ruffled… which also has the effect of drawing my attention to his arm muscles, visible through the blue button-down.

We laugh and I relax again.

“It’s no problem,” I say. I mean it too. It’s been refreshing getting to know someone—and for them to get to know me—without K-pop being in the middle of it all. I can’t remember the last time I’ve met someone new and had it feel so natural so fast.

Alex glances at the time on his phone. “Listen, I’m supposed to meet some friends at a bar nearby,” he says. “Do you want to join? They’re a cool group, I swear. Not a bunch of grandpas like me.”

If you’re a grandpa, you’re the sexiest grandpa I’ve ever seen, I conveniently stop myself from blurting out.

For a second, I’m tempted to say yes. I’m really enjoying my time with Alex the Cute Guy/Sexy Ankles/Hot Grandpa, and the past hour has flown by. But meeting that fan was a bit of a reality check. If anyone catches me hanging out one-on-one with a guy, I could get in serious trouble. All it takes is a single post on social media.… I really shouldn’t push my luck.

“I want to, but I probably shouldn’t,” I tell him, biting my lip.

“Ah.” He nods. “Is this like a K-pop magic thing? If you’re not back by midnight, you turn into a pumpkin or something?”