after a scandal, wooyoung, a defunct k-pop idol, runs away to his sister's hometown. he craves anonymity, yet his quiet routine is disrupted by a chance encounter- a local with a warm presence, who offers him a glimpse of a life beyond the spotlight...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
the night sky was adorned with countless stars, the moon, a watchful observer gazing down from the heavens. it had been a few minutes since yeonjin closed her store doors, and they were now perched on the stairs outside that led to her home.
as they gazed up at the sky, a comfortable silence had settled between them, with the only sounds coming from the fizz of the coke cans in each of their hands. wooyoung took a long swig and placed it on the lower stair.
"nights are always so beautiful here," yeonjin said, her voice tired and her lips drawn into a serene smile.
wooyoung nodded, his eyes fixed on the vast expanse above. "they are," he agreed, a familiar appreciation for the simple beauty sinking into his chest. "it's hard to believe i used to take them for granted, always surrounded by city lights that drowned them all out."
he turned to yeonjin, catching the soft moonlight reflecting in her eyes. "thank you," he said.
yeonjin raised an eyebrow, a playful glint returning to her gaze. "for what?"
"for everything," he said, a hesitant smile gracing his lips. "for believing in me, for letting me laze around in your shop, for... being my friend."
yeonjin's smile turned into a giggle. "don't be cheesy," she countered, nudging him playfully with her shoulder. "and stop thinking about the scandal, will you? we all have our burdens, wooyoung. yours just happened to be broadcasted to the world. consider it payback for all the times you've made millions swoon with just a single glance."
wooyoung chuckled, the sound light and carefree. "that's fair," he conceded, taking another sip of his soda.
a relaxed silence settled between them once more, this time punctuated by the chirping of crickets and the rustle of leaves in the cool night breeze. wooyoung glanced at yeonjin, noticing the way she leaned back slightly, closing her eyes and letting out a contented sigh.
"so what now?" she spoke out, her words heavy as she turned to look at wooyoung. "what's your next move, mr. idol-that-made-it-out-of-the-trenches? we both know that this isn't your idea of forever."
"i don't know yet," wooyoung's voice faltered, her final few words echoing in his mind. he knew this wasn't supposed to be his forever. wooyoung still wanted more than anything else to be back on stage, to be filming silly lives for his fans, no matter how exhausting it was, and to hold those fan meetings that seemed to last forever. he loved being an idol, making music, and, above all, knowing that he'd gotten his dreams back intact.
"that's alright," she patted his shoulder. "everything feels like a mess right now, doesn't it? you don't know where to put your foot next. whether you should attend to all the people begging for interviews first, or look for another label that's willing to sign you, of which i'm sure there are dozens."
"everything feels... tangled," he admitted. "like a knot of yarn that someone threw at a ceiling fan."
"take your time," she said, pausing to sip on her coke. "we'll untangle it together, one string at a time. there's no rush. in due time, you'll be back in the spotlight where you belong. your fans are dying to see you, and i know you want more than anything else to show them all your love. you've always had that fire in you. and when the day comes for you to return to being a star, just know, i'll be rooting for you. from all the way here, of course."
