Looking back now, I should have questioned it.
Why would a company like Rider Entertainment hire someone like me to manage a famous boy band?
I was only a teacher and a videographer. I had a degree, yes, but nothing extraordinary. There were probably dozens of applicants who had stronger qualifications, more experience, and better connections.
Yet somehow…
they chose me.
At the time, I didn't think about any of that.
I was too happy.
Too grateful.
Too desperate for something good to finally happen in my life.
And that was my biggest mistake.
The morning of my first day, I woke up earlier than usual.
For several minutes, I just sat on the edge of my bed staring at the wall.
This is real.
I was going to work at Rider Entertainment.
The same company that managed the group I had admired for years.
I stood up quickly and opened my closet.
Nothing looked right.
I picked up one shirt, then another, then threw both back inside.
"Too casual," I muttered.
Another suit looked too old. Another one looked too formal.
Finally, I sighed and pulled out my lucky suit.
"If this job goes badly," I whispered to myself, "I'm blaming you."
I laughed nervously and got dressed.
On the way to the office, I couldn't stop smiling.
The city looked brighter that morning.
Nothing bad could touch me today.
Or at least… that's what I believed.
The moment I stepped inside the studio building, the panic began.
My hands started sweating.
My heart beat faster and faster.
Calm down.
You're a professional now.
I took a deep breath and walked toward the elevator.
The moment the doors closed behind me, a small smile appeared on my face.
It was the same elevator.
The exact same one where I had seen Rider for the first time the day of my interview.
The memory made my heart flutter again.
I shook my head quickly.
"Focus," I whispered to myself.
"You're their manager now."
The thought alone made me dizzy.
My meeting with the director was brief but overwhelming.
They explained Rider's schedule, their upcoming projects, and the responsibilities I would have as their manager.
Concert rehearsals.
Modeling jobs.
Interviews.
Travel arrangements.
My head spun as I looked through the thick folder they handed me.
How am I supposed to manage all of this?
I had never handled something so big before.
But there was no way I could back out now.
I needed this job.
I needed the money.
More importantly… I needed to prove that I could do something right.
So I nodded and said the only thing I could.
"I'll do my best."
When the meeting ended, I went to my small office desk and began organizing the schedules.
Files.
Timetables.
Contact numbers.
Everything had to be perfect.
While I worked, I asked another manager nearby, "Do you know when Rider will be back?"
"They're doing a modeling job," the man replied without looking up from his computer.
"They won't return for another two days."
Relief washed over me.
Two days.
At least I had two days to calm my nerves before facing them again.
While organizing the schedules, my phone suddenly rang.
The hospital number flashed across the screen.
My stomach tightened.
"Hello?"
"Is this Kim Seokjin?" a nurse asked gently.
"Yes."
"Your grandmother is asking for you again."
My heart softened.
My grandmother was the only person in my family who had always treated me with kindness.
Even after her dementia became worse, she still smiled every time she saw me.
Although she rarely remembered my name.
Instead, she called me something else.
"Mr. Snuggles."
The nurse sighed softly on the phone.
"She's very restless today. She keeps saying she wants to see Mr. Snuggles."
I couldn't help smiling.
"I'll come later," I promised.
"I just started a new job today."
"That's alright," the nurse said kindly. "She'll be happy to see you whenever you come."
When the call ended, I sat quietly for a moment.
At least someone in the world was happy to see me.
Unfortunately… not everyone at work felt the same way.
Some of the other managers clearly didn't like me.
I could feel it in the way they spoke to me.
Or the way they dropped extra tasks on my desk.
"Rewrite these notes."
"Check this schedule again."
"Fix the formatting."
Most of the tasks were unnecessary.
But I didn't complain.
I was used to being treated this way.
Still, at some point, one of them crossed the line.
"You just started this job," an older manager said coldly, "and you're already being lazy."
Something inside me snapped.
I stood up slowly.
"Just because you're older doesn't mean you can treat me this way," I said quietly.
The office suddenly became silent.
"I'm a manager," I continued. "Not a clerk. If this keeps happening, I'll report it to HR."
Everyone stared at me.
They probably expected me to stay quiet like always.
But I wasn't that helpless boy anymore.
Or at least… I didn't want to be.
Later that afternoon, my phone rang again.
It was my mother.
"Don't forget to visit your grandmother," she said immediately.
"I won't," I replied.
She sighed impatiently.
"You always say that. Your siblings are much more responsible than you."
Her words felt familiar.
Like an old bruise being pressed again.
"I'll visit her," I repeated quietly.
When the call ended, exhaustion settled heavily on my shoulders.
That evening, I stopped at a small café near the shining studio building.
I needed a moment to breathe.
While waiting for my drink, I accidentally grabbed the wrong cup.
"Excuse me," someone said behind me.
I turned around.
A man stood there wearing sunglasses and a mask.
"I think that one is mine," he said calmly.
"Oh—sorry," I said quickly, embarrassed.
We exchanged drinks.
For a moment we stood there awkwardly.
Then the man spoke again.
"Long day?"
I nodded.
"My first day at work."
"Congratulations," he said.
His voice sounded strangely familiar.
But I couldn't place it.
We talked for a few minutes about small things—work, the city, random topics.
Talking to a stranger felt surprisingly easy.
For the first time that day, the tension in my chest began to fade.
Eventually he glanced at his watch.
"I should go."
"Me too," I said.
We nodded politely and walked in opposite directions.
I had no idea who he really was.
Later that night, I visited my grandmother at the hospital.
The moment she saw me, her face brightened.
"Mr. Snuggles!" she exclaimed happily.
She hugged me tightly.
For a moment… I felt normal.
Like the strange boy everyone avoided didn't exist.
Just a grandson visiting his grandmother.
That night, lying in bed, I scrolled through Instagram before sleeping.
Then I froze.
Rider had posted a new photo.
Charlie stood smiling at the camera.
He was wearing a black hoodie.
My heart skipped.
The same hoodie the stranger at the café had been wearing earlier.
My fingers trembled slightly.
No way.
The man I had been talking to…
was Charlie.
Even though the day had been exhausting…
I fell asleep smiling.
Because for the first time in a long time…
my life felt like it might finally be changing.
But deep down, something inside me whispered a warning.
Happiness could disappear in a single moment