Namjoon adjusted the collar of his jacket, his fingers instinctively smoothing the fabric as he walked toward the secluded park. The space had been carefully designed, with its elegant string lights casting a soft glow over the single table at the center, surrounded by the calm of nature and just enough privacy to ensure his safety. Being a famous idol, he was no stranger to being cautious, but the set-up felt almost too perfect for something he wasn't entirely sure he was ready for: a blind date.

He had made it clear to Jackson that he wasn't interested in dating a fan. He was sure he could trust his best friend would keep that in mind but he wasn't sure why he was still anxious about it. So now, here he was, trying to convince himself that this was just a simple dinner with someone Jackson thought he should meet. Nothing more. Nothing less.

When he arrived at the table, his eyes landed on her. She was sitting gracefully, her posture impeccable, her movements calm and composed. She wasn't giving off the usual vibe that screamed "fan." She looked... well, not so stoked to see him which he thought was good for him. Namjoon felt a subtle relief, but there was still a knot in his stomach. It was impossible to ignore the part of him that remained on guard.

"Hello," Namjoon greeted her as he took a seat across from her, offering a friendly but cautious smile. "I'm Kim Namjoon."

She looked up from her phone, her smile genuine and calm. "Nice to meet you," she said, her voice smooth and collected. "I'm Mia."

They exchanged pleasantries, starting with light conversation. Mia spoke with a sense of quiet confidence, never trying too hard to impress. Namjoon found her easy to talk to, and for a while, the conversation flowed effortlessly. It felt refreshingly normal. There was no mention of his fame, no awkward fangirling, and Namjoon began to relax a little. This could be just a nice, simple dinner, he thought. Maybe Jackson had been right.

"So, what do you do for work?" Namjoon asked, trying to keep the conversation moving without prying too deeply.

Mia's expression softened, her eyes flickering briefly with what looked like thoughtfulness. "I work in finance," she replied casually, her tone unassuming.

Namjoon raised an eyebrow, impressed. He wanted to ask more, to delve into the kind of work she did, but something about her made him feel like he shouldn't push too much. She seemed private, and he respected that. Instead, they shifted the topic to other things—travel, food, and the simple things that made up their day-to-day lives. For a while, it felt like a normal date. His nerves began to settle.

Then, Mia's phone, which had been resting in her bag, suddenly buzzed and began ringing. Namjoon glanced down at her bag instinctively, his eyes catching the unmistakable beat of Cypher Pt. 4, one of his own songs, playing loudly from the device.

It wasn't the typical ringtone anyone would have. His first thought was that maybe it was a mistake. Maybe it was a coincidence, and the song was just something she liked. But he couldn't ignore it.

"I think your phone's ringing," Namjoon remarked lightly, trying to mask the surprise in his voice.

Mia froze for a split second, her hand hovering near the phone on the table even though she knew it was the one in her bag that was ringing. "My bad," she said before she quickly picked it up with a nervous laugh. "I forgot I carry two phones!," she said, her tone just a little too cheerful, her movements a little too stiff.

Namjoon eyed her curiously but said nothing, waiting for her to pick up. Mia held the phone to her ear, pretending to focus on the call, but her nervousness was palpable. She hangs up immediately after informing the person on call that she's busy.

A few seconds passed before Namjoon, now growing more suspicious, leaned forward slightly and said, "You know, that song... it's my song."

Mia hesitated, then smiled awkwardly. "Oh! Really? That's funny," she replied with a nervous laugh. "I've never heard of it before."

Namjoon raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips. "Really? You don't recognize it? Cypher Pt. 4? It's one of my tracks."

Mia stuttered briefly, trying to maintain her calm composure. "Oh... well, my friend Jackson introduced me to it. He said he wrote it so I should use it as my ringtone to promote it," she said rolling her eyes.

Namjoon's amusement faded into confusion. "Jackson did not write it," he said, his voice a mix of laughter and disbelief. "Are you sure about that?"

Mia's expression shifted just slightly, but she quickly recovered. "That liar! Jackson can be... such a weirdo sometimes," she said, brushing off the slip-up with a laugh. "I didn't know it was your song."

Namjoon's gaze flickered to the phone in her hand again. A notification on screen revealed her locked screen.The wallpaper was unmistakable—it was a picture of him and his band, taken during a concert. He recognized the moment clearly, and the realization hit him like a weight.

He pointed to the screen, his voice quieter now. "Who's that band on your phone?" he asked, his tone just shy of accusatory.

Mia froze, her smile faltering. She quickly glanced at the screen, her hand pulling away instinctively as she looked up at Namjoon. Her eyes flickered with a mixture of guilt and hesitation.

Namjoon exhaled sharply, his expression softening just a little, but the disappointment was clear in his voice. "Oh, come on." He ran a hand through his hair, his gaze flickering around the table in disbelief. "are there cameras?" He couldn't help but ask, his voice tinged with frustration and confusion. He had hoped this whole situation wasn't turning into some bizarre setup.

Mia, a little startled, quickly shook her head and held up her hands. "Oh no, no, not at all. No cameras here, don't worry."

Namjoon let out a sigh, feeling a little less tense, though the situation still felt strange.

Mia sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She placed the phone down on the table, her fingers tracing the edge of the screen. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, her voice almost apologetic. "I told Jackson I knew who you were. He insisted on setting up this date anyway."

Namjoon ran a hand through his hair, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I see," he said, though the disappointment was evident in his tone. He had hoped, if anything, that she would be different. That she wouldn't know who he was. But it seemed like Jackson had orchestrated this date knowing all along.

"I'm really not interested in dating a fan," Namjoon said softly, trying to be as polite as he could. "I hope you understand. It's just... it's complicated."

Mia's face fell but she does a good job at not making it obvious, she quickly nodded in understanding. "I completely understand," she said, her voice steady, "I respect that."

Namjoon nodded quietly, trying to maintain composure. He didn't want to make the situation more uncomfortable than it already was. "It's okay," he said, offering a small smile. "We can just eat and go our separate ways. No harm done."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Mia started explaining why she carries two phones, trying to break the awkward silence as they wait. The phone on the table was for her work and the other one was for family and friends. The conversation died down pretty quickly as Namjoon did not feel like contributing to it anymore but he tried his best not to show it. 

The food was taking longer than he expected. He shifted in his seat, trying to settle back into the conversation. "So how long have you been an ARMY?" He asked. "Since your Dark and Wild album," Mia replied which amused Namjoon. He couldn't help but think she saw him through a lot of his phases, even those he cringes at. There was a brief moment of silence before he continued, "So like, are you fine with not taking a picture with me?" His voice was cautious but curious, trying to gauge if she was genuinely okay with everything.

"Yeah," Mia replied, her expression calm. She seemed perfectly at ease, a stark contrast to how Namjoon was feeling.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to process it. "You don't want a selfie?" he asked, half expecting her to jump at the idea, like most people would.

Mia looked at him for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Do you want it?"

Namjoon gave a small, amused smile. "I don't mind it if you want it."

"Yeah, me neither," Mia replied with a playful grin. "I mean, if you want, we can take it."

Namjoon couldn't help but laugh softly at the casual back-and-forth. This felt a little more normal than he expected, and for the first time that evening, he felt his guard slip just a little bit. Though his anxiety did not take long to come back and haunt him. He would rather be with someone he could still have the luxury of having to introduce himself.

A few moments of silence later, the waiter brought the food to the table, setting it down in front of them with a quiet, respectful nod. Namjoon's stomach rumbled faintly, but he had lost his appetite.

Mia smiled softly, the sadness in her eyes barely concealed. "Thank you for being understanding," she said, her voice calm, though her posture had stiffened again.

Namjoon gave a small nod, his mind already retreating from the conversation. They would finish the meal, and then they would go their separate ways. This had been a mistake, and deep down, he knew it was just another reminder of why he had been so cautious in the first place.

But for now, there was nothing more to say.