Taewon-Treated as Objects

'Hello,' he said nervously.

Act natural, I mouthed.

'Hey Deen,' his mother's voice came from the other end. 'How's everything at home?'

Deen looked at me. I motioned him to talk.

'F-fine Mee,' he croaked.

'Is Choi ahjumma there? I can't get hold of her phone.'

Uh-oh. Deen looked at me pleadingly.

What do I say? he mouthed.

Bathroom, I mouthed back.

'She's in the bathroom,' he lied. I was not a good influence on the kid.

'Well, where's her phone?' the mother asked.

Not working, I mouthed him. Fell in the water.

'It's not working,' he said. 'Fell in the water.'

'Oh,' the mother said. 'Tell her to call me when she gets out. Alright?'

'Okay,' Deen said. 'Get back home soon.'

'I'll try,' she said. 'Make sure ahjumma calls me. Okay? Bye.'

She hung up. Both of us breathed in relief.

'Why can't I say that I was with you?' the kid asked.

'Because...' I fumbled. 'Because if she found out that your babysitter left, she'll freak out.'

'I'm gonna tell her about the babysitter anyway,' he said. 'But why can't I say I was with you? I'm sure Mee wouldn't have minded.'

'Well, if someone else found out that I was here, they'll make my life hell,' I said bitterly.

'Mee and I wouldn't tell anyone,' he said. 'We didn't say anything about that day's incident to anyone. Like we promised.'

I let out a heavy breath. How do I explain it to him?

'Kid,' I said. 'When one is a celebrity, their life isn't theirs alone anymore. Our fans, agencies and the whole world start to dig out every single detail about our lives as if they own it. There is no privacy. None at all. Our families, friends and everyone around us are under constant scrutiny. We can't even meet our loved ones because we're so isolated from them by the fame. So even if we say hello to someone of the opposite gender, the obsessed fans will start to harass them. Make their lives hell.'

'But that's not fair!' the kid said angrily. 'They have no right to do that!'

I let out a bitter laugh.

'To them, we have to stay perfect,' I went on. ' Perfect looks, perfect body, perfect performance. Everything has to be perfect. For the fans, we only belong to them. In this whole process, we are treated as objects not as human beings.'

'What does all that got to do with you being here right now?' the kid asked softly.

'If any fan finds out that I am here, they will stalk you guys too,' I said. 'Spread bad things about you and your mother. Even attack you. So it's best not to tell anyone that you know us.'

'Is that why you were angry when you saw us here?' the kid asked. 'Or when I entered your house?'

I nodded. The cooker went off.

'Food is ready,' I announced. I took off the lid and poured the soup in a bowl.