How much can one person really trust love online?
That's something I never thought I'd ask myself—until I met someone strange. Someone I barely knew but somehow, my heart decided to trust him completely. And it all began from a trending love confession.
~Jeanna~
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"Hey, Zane! What are you up to now?" Vic called out from the couch, munching on chips while scrolling through his phone.
Zane didn't answer right away. His eyes were glued to his phone screen, his face half-hidden under his hoodie.
"Another private account, huh?" Vic smirked, peeking over.
Zane sighed. "Nah, don't mind me. I just need to explore a bit—get a feel of what people are saying. Besides, it's easier to talk to fans using this one." He flashed a mischievous grin.
Vic groaned. "Oh boy, here we go again. You're just gonna end up stressing yourself."
But Zane ignored him. He kept browsing through his posts—hundreds of comments ranging from admiration to outright hate. His fingers scrolled fast, his expression changing by the second.
"Oh, see? You're frowning already!" Vic teased. "Told you. Bashers will always be bashers."
Zane slammed his phone on the couch cushion. "Waah! I can't believe these people. How could they say things like that? It doesn't even make sense!"
Then his thumb froze over one comment.
"I really like your songs. They make me feel at ease just by listening. Your voice is so d*mn awesome."
Zane blinked. A small smile crept onto his face. The tone of the comment was different—sincere, simple, unpolished. It wasn't like the usual exaggerated fan messages he often received.
He tapped on the profile.
Vic immediately noticed the change in his expression. "Hmm? What's with that sudden smile?"
Zane quickly hid his phone. "Ah, it's already past 11 p.m.! I need to wake up early tomorrow."
Vic chuckled. "You're so bad at changing the subject."
Zane ignored him again, pretending to yawn.
---
Zane was a musician—known for his soulful lyrics and mysterious aura. Onstage, he was confident and composed, but offstage, he was a bit clumsy. His friends often said he was like a mix of "cold idol" and "unintentional comedian." Despite his awkwardness, his charm worked effortlessly.
He had millions of followers, fansites dedicated to every angle of his face, and a manager constantly chasing after him to stay out of online trouble.
---
Meanwhile, across the city…
I had just graduated earlier that month but enrolled again to study Korean. I told myself it was just another skill to learn—but truthfully, it was more of a distraction. After all, love had failed me three times.
Once with a best friend who betrayed me.
Then with someone who promised forever but vanished.
And lastly, with a guy who taught me not everyone who says I love you means it.
So I stopped trying. Music became my only comfort.
I drowned myself in it—searching for songs that spoke the words I couldn't say, saving playlists filled with heartbreak and healing.
That's when I stumbled upon him.
Zane.
I wasn't even a die-hard fan. I just happened to hear one of his songs in a drama compilation. But something in his voice caught me—like he was crying through the melody. His rap, even when upbeat, carried a strange sadness I couldn't ignore.
I watched his performances, browsed through his channels and fan pages. The more I listened, the more I felt… connected. Not in a crazy-fan kind of way, but as if I understood him somehow. His music felt lonely. And maybe that's why I liked it—it mirrored me.
---
"What's wrong?" Daryll asked one evening as we walked out of class.
"You seem… emotional."
I snapped out of my thoughts. "…Nothing."
"Brokenhearted?" he teased, grinning.
"Damn, no!" I replied, rolling my eyes. "Why would I be brokenhearted when I didn't even have a boyfriend?"
He laughed, clearly not convinced.
But truthfully, maybe I was just tired. Tired of hoping for something real.
---
Back in Zane's studio, things weren't much calmer.
"Zane, seriously," said Kevin, his manager. "You're reading fan comments again, aren't you?"
"Maybe," Zane muttered, pretending to adjust his mic.
Kevin sighed. "I told you not to engage with fans through those secret accounts. It's risky."
Zane shrugged. "Relax, my good manager. I'm used to it."
As Kevin groaned and left the room, Zane's attention returned to his phone.
He scrolled again—past the usual comments.
> "Zane, you're so handsome!"
"Zane, please marry me!"
"If being your pet means being with you, then I'm in!"
He sighed. "Hayst…"
But then his eyes caught that same comment again—the one that made him smile earlier.
The girl's username was simple, almost like she didn't expect to be noticed. Her profile picture wasn't even of her face—just a sunset photo.
"Hey, Vic!" Zane called. "Check this account for me. I want to know about her."
Vic raised a brow. "Zane!!! Don't tell me you're—"
"Relax. I'm not doing anything weird. Just curious."
Vic took the phone. "Hmm, nothing suspicious. Small account, few posts, all music-related. Why her?"
Zane stared at the screen quietly. "…Her words felt different."
Vic smirked. "Different, huh? What's next, you gonna message her?"
Zane chuckled nervously. "Can I even do that? What would I say?"
Vic grinned. "You're the musician here. Figure it out. Maybe start with something simple—'Thanks for listening.'"
Zane leaned back, tapping his fingers against the desk. "Hmm… maybe."
Vic laughed, walking away. "Look at you smiling again. Don't tell me, Mr. Cold Aura, you're catching feelings from a comment?"
Zane only smirked. But deep inside, something unfamiliar stirred—a mix of curiosity and warmth.
He didn't know it yet, but that one comment… would soon change everything.
—The Message
Message popped up.
That was the moment everything shifted — the moment I received my first message from Zane.
At first, I thought it was a joke. The username looked oddly familiar, like something I'd seen before but couldn't place right away. My heart skipped when I tapped it. The profile photo, the tone, the posts… it was really him.
I blinked a few times, trying to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.
Then I grabbed my phone tighter and ran to my cousin, Liana.
"Liana! Look at this! Tell me I'm not seeing things," I said, my voice half-whisper, half-scream.
She snatched my phone from my hand, stared at the screen for a few seconds, and gasped.
"Like— for real, cousin? Zane? The Zane?!" she squealed, shaking my shoulders. "Girl, why are you just standing there? Why haven't you replied yet? It's a heartthrob texting you!"
I groaned, snatching my phone back. "That's exactly why I'm hesitating. I mean— come on, he's a public figure. Guys like him? You can't trust that easily."
"Well, yeah," Liana said, tilting her head thoughtfully. "But what if it's not even him? What if it's just one of his staff pretending to be him? You know how agencies can be."
"Exactly. That's why I'll just… wait," I replied, trying to sound calm even as my thumb hovered over the reply button.
She rolled her eyes dramatically. "You're overthinking again! Just reply. Observe him. Don't overreact. And please, I'm begging you— show me the messages after!"
It took me five full minutes of pacing around the room before I finally typed, Hello.
Simple. Safe. Neutral.
Zane was typing almost immediately after. The little dots blinked for a few seconds, teasing me. My heart thudded every time they disappeared and reappeared again.
When the message finally came, I showed it to Liana.
She looked at me with that same mischievous grin. "Oh, he's fast. That's either confidence or chaos."
I didn't know much about Zane personally. Not even his full name. All I knew was his voice, his songs, and that strange sadness that lingered in the way he rapped. I wasn't really the kind of fan who memorized birthdays, favorites, or scandals. If I liked the music, I stayed. If not, I moved on. But Zane… was different. He was blunt—unfiltered, even—and that made him strangely real.
Then came his second message.
Jeanna: "Why would a public figure message someone like me? Aren't you afraid I might be untrustworthy?"
Zane: "I don't doubt who my heart chooses."
I froze.
"What… the heck…" I whispered.
"WHAT DID HE SAY?!" Liana shouted, peeking over my shoulder.
I shoved her lightly. "Stop! It's embarrassing. He's—he's too fast! Who even says that on the first day?"
Liana laughed so hard she almost fell off the bed. "Oh my god, he's flirting with you already! Either he's serious, or he's a total smooth talker."
"Hell no. I'm not falling for this," I muttered, even though my heart disagreed.
Zane invited me to continue our talk on a private account. I hesitated for thirty minutes, thinking it over again and again. Just as I was about to ignore it, another message came.
Zane: "Hey, I'm busy right now and don't have much time for this. If you want to know more about me, message me back. I wanna know more about you."
He attached another account code.
My mind went blank.
Was he serious?
"Liana," I whispered, "what if this is real?"
"Then go for it," she said without hesitation. "Just be careful. And screenshot everything, okay?"
I eventually gave in. Maybe curiosity won over logic that night. I messaged him.
Later that evening, Zane went live on his main account. His fans flooded the comments, puzzled and curious as he suddenly confessed that there was a girl he liked—someone he couldn't see, someone he barely knew.
The internet went wild.
People started guessing.
And just like that, my heart dropped when the top comment said her name—Selene, a gorgeous, talented singer. Everyone adored her.
My chest tightened. "So… it's Selene, huh?" I muttered to myself. "Makes sense."
I tried to brush it off, convincing myself it was all coincidence. "He probably just messages random fans," I told Liana later. "Maybe he just wants to make friends. I mean, calling me sweetheart and honey? He probably says that to everyone. Maybe he's a player."
Still, I couldn't help checking my phone every time a notification appeared.
---