#2 Michael Jackson

1988. The Bad era was at its peak. On stage, Michael Jackson seemed defiant: an intense gaze, leather jackets, and an attitude that suggested nothing could intimidate him. But offstage, he was quite the opposite: kind, humble, smiling, reserved, polite, chivalrous, curious, and with such a spontaneous sense of humor that he often ended up laughing more than everyone else. For a month and a half, he had been in a relationship with a young woman whose identity was kept secret from the press. They had both decided to protect their privacy to live their romance away from the rumors. That afternoon, they were resting after a rehearsal. Michael smiled mischievously. “You know what? If we ever argue, I’m going to let Bubbles decide who’s right.” She let out a soft laugh. Michael thought he could continue. “Although… with that serious face, even the mirror would get scared.” The comment came out as a joke, but she stopped smiling. “You think that’s funny?” Michael’s expression changed immediately. “What…? I was just playing…” “Well, it wasn’t funny.” He looked down and fiddled with the zippers of his jacket. “Sorry… I thought you were going to laugh with me.” “It didn’t make me feel good.” Michael swallowed. “I never meant to hurt you. The last thing I want is to make you feel bad.” She remained serious. She didn’t yell or raise her voice, but that was enough to break his heart. He felt a lump in his throat and his eyes began to water. He had always been extremely sensitive, and the thought of having hurt someone he loved made him feel terrible. He covered his face with one hand as a few tears escaped. “I’m sorry… really… I just wanted to make you laugh.” He tried to smile, but he couldn’t. “I’m terrible at these things…” He took a deep breath and wiped his tears with his jacket sleeve. “Can you forgive me when you’re ready? I don’t want us to end the day angry.” Behind the tough image of the Bad era, he was still a man with a kind and sensitive heart.