It was December 6, 2021—or at least it was in Korea. Here in Los Angeles, under the soft glow of the Santa Monica Pier's lights, it was still December 5, 2021, U.S. Eastern Standard Time. The difference between these time zones never failed to throw me off, but tonight it added an extra layer of magic to what had just unfolded.

The day had been breezy and cool, typical of a California winter. The pier was alive with energy: tourists posed under the iconic Route 66 End of the Trail sign, street performers strummed guitars and sang heartfelt tunes, and the carousel spun in an endless loop of cheerful music and laughter. The ocean breeze carried the briny scent of saltwater, mingling with the sweetness of churros and popcorn from nearby carts.

Uncle Mico, my father's older brother, had insisted on bringing me here. Ever since I arrived in LA in November, he had done his best to keep me entertained, and I was grateful. After all, his wife—my Aunt Camille—had passed away only five months ago, and he had thrown himself into work to cope with the loss. Today, though, he'd taken the day off to show me one of California's most famous landmarks.

I sat on a weathered wooden bench, overlooking the crashing waves below. Behind me, the Ferris wheel slowly turned, its lights illuminating the dusk in a mesmerizing display of color. Uncle Mico had gone to grab us some food, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

As I pulled out my phone, a flood of Instagram notifications greeted me. I had barely scrolled through my feed when a headline stopped me cold: "BTS Members Launch Individual Instagram Accounts!"

My heart skipped a beat. BTS—the group that had shaped so much of my adolescence—was now giving us a glimpse into their personal lives through individual accounts. I quickly read the details: the accounts had gone live at approximately 9:00 AM Korea Standard Time, which meant it had been about two hours since the announcement. That would've been 7:00 PM here on the East Coast.

Without hesitation, I tapped on the first link, and soon my screen was filled with their names. Each account was verified, their unique personalities shining through. Jin's posts had a playful, charming vibe; RM's page felt like a gallery of art and nature; and Jungkook's account was filled with casual shots reflecting his hobbies.

Then there was Taehyung's account: @thv.

It was minimalistic yet captivating, much like the man himself. The username reflected his initials, "TH," combined with what I imagined could represent "V" for his stage name—or maybe even "Visual," because let's be honest, he was the definition of it. The profile already featured a few dreamlike photos: black-and-white landscapes, a serene shot of the moon, and an abstract piece that seemed to radiate his artistic sensibilities.

My fingers trembled as I hit the follow button, saving Taehyung's account for last. After years of being his fan, it felt surreal to see this glimpse into his world. I clicked on the messaging icon before my nerves could get the better of me.

"Hi Taehyung! I've been your fan since 2013, and you've always been my bias. I know you'll probably never see this, but I just wanted to say thank you for everything you do. Even if you just 'see' this message and leave me on 'seen', it would mean the world to me. Thank you for inspiring us, ARMY, always. Sending love and support from LA."

For a moment, I hesitated. Who was I kidding? The chances of him noticing my message were slimmer than winning the lottery. Still, I took a deep breath and hit send.

I tucked my phone away just as Uncle Mico returned, balancing two trays loaded with tacos and churros.

"Hope you're hungry," he said, setting the food down between us.

"Starving," I replied, though my appetite was momentarily overshadowed by the excitement coursing through me.

As we ate, I tried to focus on our conversation. Uncle Mico was recounting a story about a difficult client he had dealt with last week, but my mind kept wandering back to Instagram. I couldn't stop wondering—what if?

My phone buzzed.

Casually, I unlocked it, expecting an email or a notification from one of the apps I had open. Instead, my heart stopped.

A message. From @thv.

I stared at the screen, my breath catching in my throat.

@thv: Seen 😂

The emoji depicting a face crying with laughter made it playful, teasing even, as if he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Uncle..." My voice was barely above a whisper, my hand shaking as I held up my phone.

"What now?" he asked, sipping his soda before glancing over. His eyes widened when he saw the screen. "You're kidding me."

"I'm not!" My voice rose an octave as I reread the message, my pulse racing. "Taehyung just replied to me."

"Okay, okay, breathe!" Uncle Mico laughed, clearly amused by my reaction. "Don't pass out on me now. You'll scare the churro guy."

I laughed, though it came out more like a squeak. My chest felt like it would burst from the combination of excitement, disbelief, and joy.

For years, Taehyung had been my idol, my quiet source of inspiration. And now, with one simple word and a laughing emoji, he had turned a fan's wildest dream into a reality.