That was the situation. There was clearly some history between Anna and the blonde, wavy-haired model in front of them—to the point that Anna, who never actively expressed her feelings, had reached out and taken his arm, claiming he was her boyfriend. Honestly, being so close to Anna felt really good. Jin Hayes didn't even want to let go.
He subconsciously wanted to reply: "No, I'm not her boyfriend, I'm just her tenant." Luckily, Jin Hayes reacted quickly enough, realising that his social instincts were currently on cooldown, and swallowed the words back. Plus, Anna smelled so good next to him, nestling against him like a small bird. Jin Hayes finally overcame his hesitation and even proactively put his arm around Anna's shoulder.
"Yes, darling, would you like to introduce me?"
Huh?!
Anna was surprised. When Jin Hayes proactively hugged her, her heart started thumping uncontrollably again. She probably just felt nervous from lying, right?
Darling?
Anna couldn't believe it. Hearing the word "Liebling" from Jin Hayes's mouth felt strangely out of place… but also a little enjoyable.
"This is Karlie Kloss, a classmate from my previous modelling training class."
"Wow! Are you in Dortmund's youth academy? That's great! Nice to meet you!"
Actually, Karlie Kloss hadn't noticed Anna at first. She had just caught a glimpse of a stunningly handsome young man and couldn't help but glance a few more times. Only then did she realise there was an acquaintance next to him. Jin Hayes was simply wearing a white shirt and jeans, his lean muscles subtly visible, making Karlie Kloss's eyes sparkle. Honestly, with Jin Hayes's good looks and tall, straight physique, it would be a real waste if he didn't become a model.
Karlie Kloss stepped forward to shake hands, throwing a flirty glance at Jin Hayes. But Jin Hayes, still holding Anna, remained unmoved. Karlie Kloss didn't feel embarrassed; she simply withdrew her hand gracefully and smiled, waving to someone not far away.
"Henry! Come here!"
Nearby, a Bentley Continental GT convertible smoothly pulled into a parking space, and a man with glasses and a rather bookish demeanour stepped out. "Let me introduce you—this is Henry, my boyfriend. He's the founder of an internet company. Darling, this is Anna, my good friend from the training class, and next to her is her boyfriend, a football player."
Karlie Kloss subconsciously assumed that Jin Hayes, being so young, must be a kid from the youth academy and couldn't possibly be a famous football star. Good looks didn't pay the bills.
As for the 16-year-old prodigy the German media had been hyping up recently, Karlie Kloss had never heard of him—she never paid attention to football anyway. She had intended to show off her young, wealthy boyfriend to her former classmate. Looking at the Volkswagen Golf the two had arrived in, compared to the Bentley her partner drove, the difference was clear.
Unexpectedly, her partner, Henry, suddenly became very excited.
"Jin!! Is it really you? Can I get an autograph?"
"Henry, what's wrong with you?"
Under Karlie Kloss's astonished gaze, Henry had already pulled out a pen from his pocket and asked Jin Hayes to sign directly on the cuff of his new shirt.
"You don't understand! He is the King of Westfalen!" Seeing his idol, Henry was so excited he was almost incoherent. He let Jin Hayes sign on his cuff and even pulled Jin Hayes for a photo.
This left Karlie Kloss bewildered. This seemingly ordinary young player was actually the hottest star in the Bundesliga right now? Anna had hit the jackpot. She had intended to show off to Anna, but instead, she was the one being shown up.
"If there's nothing else, we'll head up first." Looking at Karlie Kloss's expression, Anna found it amusing. She forced back her laughter, expressionlessly linking arms with Jin Hayes, and walked past her.
It was only a few seconds later that Karlie Kloss reacted. "Hey! Wait, I haven't gotten on the elevator yet!"
The elevator had already gone up. Inside, only Anna and Jin Hayes remained, still intimately close like a real couple, neither letting go of the other. This continued for several seconds until Anna realised something was amiss and quickly released Jin Hayes's arm.
"I'm sorry for making you play that role." Anna explained awkwardly: "She used to always mock me in training class for having a poker face, saying it would be hard for me to find a boyfriend. She'd always show off her relationships in front of me. Don't overthink it today—I just didn't want to endure her mockery anymore."
Jin Hayes nodded. "It's okay, I understand. And you really do always have a poker face—like you're keeping everyone at a distance. You seem very aloof."
"Was?" Anna paused. "When am I aloof?"
*Was is German for What!
"That's just the first impression. Once you get to know you, you're actually quite—"
Anna's long eyelashes fluttered. She looked up at Jin Hayes with anticipation, feeling somewhat happy inside.
Hehe! She thought he would say adjectives like "cute," "gentle," or "kind."
But instead, she heard Jin Hayes blurt out: "—quite goofy."
The word "Dummkopf," when put nicely, also meant "little silly" or "little dummy." When said negatively, it also meant "idiot" or "moron." In Anna's eyes, Jin Hayes couldn't possibly use such an intimate tone—he must have been calling her stupid.
Darn it! No hehe!
Anna pouted, then quickly recalled that she had also called Jin Hayes a big dummy many times. Alright, we're even. This princess magnanimously forgave him.
Anna's lips curved back into their usual gentle arc. Jin Hayes didn't notice the change in the young girl's mood beside him. He was just focused on the numbers ticking up on the old elevator. "Old European buildings all have these decades-old elevators. Hope there aren't any safety hazards?"
The two arrived at ELITE Management. A flamboyant male makeup artist, with an energetic and expressive manner, rushed over to Anna. "Esser! My dear, you're finally here. Hurry up and get your makeup done! Oh, is this your partner? He's so handsome. Interested in modelling? You'd be perfect!"
Jin Hayes couldn't help but feel a chill as the makeup artist scrutinised him. "No, I'm not interested—Anna, go on. I'll wait for you here."
"Mhm."
Today's Vogue magazine shoot was very important for her modelling career, and Anna was feeling a little nervous. Her bright blue eyes gazed deeply at Jin Hayes. All her anxieties quickly subsided. As long as he was there, Anna felt at ease in any situation.
Soon, the dazzling supermodel Karlie Kloss exited the elevator, and her expression subtly changed when she saw Jin Hayes. She still couldn't understand how Anna, who was so aloof to everyone, managed to land such a high-quality boyfriend. Her own looks, height, and aura were already inferior to Anna's.
Every time she stood next to Anna, Karlie Kloss felt a bit inadequate. Only her charm with men allowed Karlie Kloss to regain some sense of superiority. Now, she couldn't even find a partner better than Anna? Looking at her geeky boyfriend, then at Jin Hayes, who was even more perfect than a male model, Karlie Kloss suddenly felt like dumping her current boyfriend.
"With my looks and figure, wouldn't a football player like him be easy to get? The most important thing is, what Anna can't give him, I can. He won't be able to resist!"
If Jin Hayes was truly the future king of European football, as Henry had said—an existence comparable to Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Ronaldinho—then landing him would be a huge win. Karlie Kloss's eyes darted around, and she walked towards the photoshoot makeup room with a mysterious smile.
…
"Jin, it's Bayern next. We can win, right?"
The thin, frail young man, Henry, had lost his earlier nervousness. While waiting for his girlfriend, he had enthusiastically chatted with Jin Hayes about football and Dortmund for three and a half hours, until he had to leave for a phone call, and Jin Hayes finally escaped. Meeting such an enthusiastic and talkative fan was truly like being in prison for Jin Hayes.
However, he was very happy that his performance could earn the affirmation of Dortmund fans. He used to be a fan himself, so Jin Hayes clearly understood what fans thought. As long as the star they supported and the team they liked kept winning and played good football, fans would gain joy from the weekly matches.
Even if it was only for two hours, it was enough to wash away a whole week's negative energy. As a professional player, he had a responsibility to protect that happiness in the hearts of the fans. The burden on Jin Hayes's shoulders grew heavier.
"Jin, what are you thinking about? So focused?" His thoughts had drifted to the Vicente Calderón Stadium two days later and the Allianz Arena a week later. A familiar, lazy, soft voice pulled Jin Hayes back to reality.
He looked up, and the entire corridor seemed to light up.
Anna's dark golden hair flowed like molten gold, making her azure eyes resemble an icy lake reflecting snow. Her luscious red lips appeared even more vibrant under the lights, and her entire face was so exquisitely beautiful it made one momentarily lose themselves.
Jin Hayes's stunned gaze made Anna feel embarrassed. "Is it strange?" She worried if her makeup or outfit wasn't perfect—would Jin Hayes notice something amiss? Would he dislike it?
"It is a bit strange." Jin Hayes, with his flirting instincts currently on cooldown, subconsciously nodded. Having seen her without makeup so often, he really wasn't used to Anna with full makeup. She didn't feel like her usual quiet, gentle, forest-girl self.
Anna's eyes clearly dimmed with disappointment. She herself wasn't used to wearing makeup and didn't quite adapt to this feeling, always doubting if she was suited to be a model. After the photoshoot, she had wanted to see Jin Hayes's reaction to her makeup and styling. Jin Hayes's answer amplified her insecurity and self-doubt.
Anna turned back sadly, ready to remove her makeup and quickly leave the place. But then she heard Jin Hayes add the second half of his sentence from behind her: "Strangely beautiful."
Thump-thump, thump-thump!
This was probably the first time Jin Hayes had complimented her looks. Anna's heart started beating uncontrollably. She didn't need any exaggerated display from Jin Hayes; such a simple affirmation was enough.
"Let's go home."
"Okay."
The two entered the small, old elevator. The shaking made Anna unsteady, and she instinctively grabbed Jin Hayes's arm. Within such a confined space, the sixteen-year-old boy and girl stood close together. They didn't mind the elevator's slowness, nor did they worry about any safety hazards.
At that moment, Jin Hayes and Anna simultaneously had a thought: "If only the elevator were slower, then I could stay with her/him like this forever—"
On the other side, Karlie Kloss, who had rushed to the elevator entrance, was once again exasperated: "No way, again? I haven't gotten on the elevator yet!"