Chanyeol had been talking for what seemed like forever, but it had actually only been about 45 minutes. He was quite a chatty guy, Danica noticed. She kept quite as he told her stories about his time in LA. He spilled all the details to her about how they were able to leave Korea, come to La, and leave without the fans finding out. He seemed to trust her without knowing a thing about her. He still didn’t pronounce her name right, but she didn’t have the heart to tell him.

   He talked a lot about the silly antics the group took part in while in LA. They couldn’t stay in a hotel because they could be noticed there, so they stayed in an apartment. He had looked around, eyeing his manager who was a few rows away. When his eyes returned to Danica, he leaned in close. She could feel his breath on her cheek as he whispered a story to her. A story of how they snuck out in the middle of the night wearing hoodies and went on an adventure to find the Hollywood sign. He pulled out his phone, keeping their faces close, and she tried her best to stay calm. He showed her pictures, selcas, and they laughed together. When he pulled away, she felt relieved. He hadn’t noticed her rapid heart.

   She would only interrupt him when he would slip and start speaking Korean. “Chanyeol?” She’d say, and he’d realize. Each time she said his name it seemed to roll off her tongue. She had said it so many times before when talking to any of her fellow exo fan friends, and sometimes even to herself. When watching a video of him playing a guitar, she’d sigh his name. When he would do a slightly provocative move in a performance, she’d shout his name. When finishing a particularly heartbreaking piece of fanfaction where he was the main character, she’d cry his name out.

   “Ah sorry.” He’d give her an apologetic smile. She figured he was talking to her so much because he wanted to practice his English. He didn’t have Kris since Exo K was promoting on their own. He’d ask her where he started speaking Korean and then pick up from there.  He was incredibly animated and she sometimes felt like she was actually living the stories he was telling. His pronunciation got better and better with each tale he told until one would never guess he had only been truly studying English for about half a year.

   “Why are you going to Korea?” He suddenly asked. She didn’t respond. She was so used to just listening to him that she forgot conversations were a two way thing, He waited a few seconds. “Danica?” he leaned in a bit closer.

   She gasped and nervously shouted her name correctly. “Danica!”

   He flinched at the sudden noise, recoiling back. “Huh?!”

   The girl stammered “Uh, my name. That’s how you pronounce it. Danica.”

   Chanyeol pondered over it for a second. Then, slowly and calmly, he requested “Say it again.” She blinked, but he nodded, encouraging her to do as he asked. “Say it again, please.”

   “Danica.”

   “Danica.”

   He had said it. He said her name and suddenly it all felt real. She was really talking to chanyeol and had been talking for him for over an hour by now. The way he said her name felt like a song that rang through her ears and then through her heart. She felt overwhelmed with such a warmth that she actually had to take off her jacket.

   “Well, Danica. I’m chanyeol. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He extended his hand to her. Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his. He was so large but his handshake was so gentle, his skin so soft, it was the first contact that they had and her heart fluttered.