It was a late afternoon of May 22, 2022. the room is smelled faintly of fresh linen and old books. Anaya sat cross-legged on the bed, her phone is still glowing with the thumbnail of him, she'd just finished watching. the actor's name still lingered in her mind like a soft a cloud in a summer day.
"Yu Chen... Yu Chen..." she kept murmuring in her mind.
She knows that clearly that he hadn't done anything dramatic like over top smile, or like no flashy movements. but, there is like... like.. something is connected her towards him. something in quiet, or maybe in her mind..
suddenly, Anaya pressed her hand to her chest, lightly.
like, her brain is hinting on something like, "choose him...." then, suddenly her brain sends the signs to the heart and tell her to let the body know that it's good if it was him. then, the heart leave a message to the chest muscles by beating hard and the muscles passed the pain to epidermal tissue. and then, the brain activated the sensor cells and made her feel the hardness from her chest.
then, Anaya whispered herself, "then, I'll decided.. from now on I choose you as my boyfriend. only you can be my boyfriend."
"but,.... I don't even know anything about you." she furrowed her eyebrows, scratching her cheek. "then, what should i do... is there any girlfriend who doesn't know about her boyfriend..?"
that is when it struck her, after thinking for a long time..
"Google.." she murmured..
she continued, "ohh! in Google, we can search for anything. Right...!"
Anaya scrambled off the bed, pulled her laptop from under the pillow pile, and flipped it open. the screen brightened. her fingers danced over the keys as she typed, "Yu Chen Chinese actor."
a second later, the results flooded in front of her..
there were articles, video clips, fan pages, Weibo link, Instagram link also appeared. and his photos.
as she scrolled down, the page shows about him, and then Anaya reading it aloud..
Born: may 21, 2002.
Place: Unknown, but lives in China currently.
Music group: Universe
Nationality: Unknown..
as she finished reading this, she murmured herself, "what..? why..? the information is not fully updated about him."
then, she tapped at the overview, then another page opened.
as she watching, she is reading it on her mind.
"Yu Chen..
Yu Chen born on may 21, 2002. also know by his english name AD. AD is an actor, singer, and dancer. he is also a member of group named Universe, a chinese boy group. he made his solo debut with the song named "Youth" on march 17, 2021."
"ohh! he is still in his start up. he even have another name called AD, seems like its his stage name."
after again, she scrolled down to his early life. but, it shows blank.
Anaya thinking herself, "why? why it doesn't shows about his early life or about his family."
Later, Anaya leaned in closer to the screen, her fingers pausing above the touchpad. The page had refreshed, loading another set of tabs, this time titled: "Fun Facts," "Behind the Scenes," "Interviews," and "Fan Corner."
Her eyes lit up.
She clicked on "Fun Facts" first.
> What does Yu Chen like?
– Favorite color: Misty grey.
– Favorite weather: Overcast mornings with a chance of rain.
– Hobbies: Playing guitar, reading quiet novels, sketching cityscapes from rooftops.
– Foods he loves: Cold soba noodles, blueberry yogurt, and dark chocolate.
– Things he dislikes: Loud chewing, sudden camera flashes, and overly spicy food.
Anaya paused for a second. "Blueberry yogurt? That was my favorite too." whispered herself.
Scrolling down, a photo popped up of him holding a plain notebook with hand-drawn doodles. Beneath it, fans had translated one of his pages:
"I write down lyrics here when I can't sleep. Sometimes, it feels like I'm whispering to someone I haven't met yet."
Anaya's heart stirred.
She moved to the "Lifestyle" tab.
> Daily Routine:
– Wakes up early, even on holidays.
– Starts the day with a quiet walk or light jogging.
– Listens to music while cleaning his space, mostly instrumental or indie ballads.
– He keeps his room tidy, but his desk is always cluttered with lyric sheets, pens, and photo strips.
– Before sleeping, he often reads letters from fans and keeps the ones that comfort him tucked in his sketchbook.
Anaya imagining it, his soft steps on a quiet morning, his hand reaching for a pen, his eyes gently skimming over fan words before tucking them away like treasures.
Anaya felt like she was slowly assembling the pieces of a puzzle.
Next, she clicked on "Fandom".
> Yu Chen's fandom name:
– Auroras.
– Inspired by his quote: "Even in the darkest sky, I want to shine quietly like the northern lights."
– Fans describe him as: Gentle, mysterious, artistic, loyal, and humble.
– He's known for writing long, sincere birthday messages every year on his birthday for his fans, often ending with.,
"Even if I'm quiet, you are all here for me. it shows that, I'm not alone."
Anaya whispered those last words aloud. "You are not alone…"
She read more. There were fan letters, fanart, projects where Auroras had planted trees under his name or donated books to libraries in small towns. The fandom wasn't loud, but it was full of quiet warmth just like him.
Finally, she moved to the "Behind the Scenes" section.
There were anecdotes, one from a staff member who said, "He always thanks us individually, even if we're rushing. He once picked up my fallen earpiece without a word and handed it back with both hands."
Another said he refused special treatment and carried his own bags when traveling, even helping other trainees carry theirs too.
Anaya could feel her chest tightening, this wasn't just admiration anymore. It was something softer. Something deeper. Like she was uncovering a soul behind the screen. Someone who, even without knowing her, made her feel less strange for being quiet. Less broken for loving in silence.
She opened her notebook and wrote:
> Dear Yu Chen,
You don't know this, but today you made me feel seen. While everyone else was busy being loud, you stayed still. And somehow, that made all the difference to a girl like me.
Thank you for existing so gently.
From, someone quietly watching....
She looked up at the screen again.
"Now I know a little more about you," she whispered.
But in her heart, she knew this was only the beginning...