You really don't have to do that, you know? I can fend for myself.

[ huffs ]

I'm not sure, actually. But you know how the industry can be harsh and unforgiving, so I had no choice but to toughen up. It's not like I was meek and shy or anything, but you wouldn't have spotted me in the crowd before I entered modeling.

[ which is... why it was a blessing that not a lot of people knew him from back then. it really was like he's two different people. ]