Legendary Superstar

As the sun began to set, the final scenes of the day's shoot wrapped up.

Even though the cold had left everyone's noses red and fingers stiff, the mood was far from frozen. Instead, it was bright and warm.

At the end of the shooting, the mission results were announced again for the viewers. Team Red won all the games for today. Team Yellow came in second, and lastly, it was Team Blue.

Despite losing, Jihoon and Joohwan showed great chemistry for the day. They had a lot of fails and unlucky situations that it was so funny to see.

After the cameras stopped rolling, the atmosphere stayed warm and friendly. The cast huddled together in little groups, chatting and laughing.

A minute later, the production team called the cast in for one last group shot at the base camp. Everyone obliged. They lined up and smiled in front of the "Off Track" banner as the cameras captured the moment.

Surrounding them, there were a few curious bystanders and fans who had gathered near the filming site. After the shooting and picture taking, the fans were allowed to greet the cast from a safe distance under staff supervision.

Minjae had been hesitant at first, unsure how the public would receive him so soon after the controversy. But to his quiet surprise, the fans who waved or called out his name weren't cold or distant. Instead, their eyes lit up when they saw him.

"Minjae-oppa, fighting!"

"You were really funny today!"

"Your drama is so good, I cried!"

"You look so good, Oppa!"

He returned each smile with a grateful nod, even managing a small wave here and there. His heart swelled with their support. He was really thankful that they were still there after the issue.

After greeting the fans, the cast went back to the tent. In there, they talked for more as if they had countless topics to talk about.

Jaehyun playfully gave Minjae a light pat on the back before saying, "All of you did well today. It was not bad for your first Off Track episode."

"Yes." Rina grinned at Yura and Jihoon. "You three should come back. It was too fun today."

"I wouldn't say no, Nonna," Jihoon replied eagerly, still full of energy.

"You're just excited about the food," Joohwan teased, making them all laugh again.

They stayed in the tent longer than expected. Outside, the camera crew were already starting to pack up cables and reflectors, but they didn't care. The staff also didn't rush them since there was still some time.

Their shoot ended earlier than expected for today.

With tiredness creeping into their bodies, the casts started to sit down after a long day of standing up. Minjae was sitting on a bench, he was already sipping a warm cup of cpffee that the staff gave them after the shoot.

On his side, Yura was also sitting. She was huddled in her coat. On the other hand, Jihoon was still talking with the others. Even if it was night already, he still had a lot of energy. It was almost unbelievable.

"And then," Jihoon uttered as he pointed at Joohwan "he tripped over the tarp and blamed it on the wind!"

"I did not!" Joohwan shouted. He was laughing as he defended himself. "I should blame you because you didn't say that there was something in front of me."

"Hyung, you were looking in front. How come you not see it?" Jihoon muttered that made everyone laugh.

Even Minjae can't help but laugh at it. He watched the others for a moment. Even if they had just met earlier, they were comfortable with each other. It was really nice.

"This was nice," Yura said softly on the side. She smiled sweetly as she also watched others from a distance. "I missed this kind of day."

Minjae nodded.

"Yeah. I forgot how fun shooting variety shows could be… It was just filming and talking like this."

"We don't get many guests who blend in this well, you know. You three fit in like regulars." Jaehyun leaned back against the side of the tent and crossed his arms.

Yura glanced at Minjae with a grin.

"Then we should come back. Right, Oppa?"

"Definitely," Minjae replied without hesitation, his voice low but sincere. "If we're invited again, I'll clear my schedule."

"Oh-ho, look at that confidence," Rina teased, nudging Jaehyun with her elbow. "We might just have to drag them back."

"Drag us?" Jihoon, who had now joined them again, feigned offense. "Noona, I'd show up even without sleep."

Jaehyun laughed and pulled out his phone. "Alright, alright. Before we all disappear into our packed schedules, let's do the important thing first. Let's exchange numbers."

"Finally!" Joohwan exclaimed, already fishing out his phone. "If we don't, someone's gonna pretend today didn't happen."

"I second that," Sungbae added.

The group chuckled in agreement as phones began passing around the circle. Contacts were saved with playful nicknames.

Minjae didn't say much, but the corners of his mouth curved upward as he tapped in his contact for the others. It felt natural. It was nice.

As they talked for more, the cast also slowly began to gather their things. Their own managers and assistants were coming in. After a few more minutes, the once once-lively tent was now filled with quiet goodbyes and the rustling of jackets and bags.

"Let's meet again soon," Rina said, giving Yura a side hug before turning to Minjae. "Take care of yourself, Minjae-ssi. You did really well today."

"Thank you, Noona," Minjae said softly, bowing slightly with a warm smile.

Joohwan gave Jihoon a playful nudge on the shoulder. "Next time, let's actually win something."

"Hyung it's fine, we won hearts," Jihoon grinned, earning a groan from Joohwan and a round of laughter from the others.

"Thank you for everything, Seniors. You were all amazing. Seriously." Yura waved at everyone one last time.

Sungbae offered a lazy salute.

"Take care all of you. I hope your drama succeed even more."

Jaehyun patted Minjae's back again, this time a little firmer.

". You did more than fine today. Hope to see you again on the show."

Minjae smiled and bowed. "Thank you, hyung."

One by one, the cast slipped out of the tent, leaving behind the faint warmth of the heater and the scent of coffee from behing. Outside, the sky was already dark. The set was also almost completely packed up by now, and the staff were moving briskly to finish the rest.

Minjae stood outside waiting. A few minutes later, a black car pulled up in front of him. The door slid open, and there, Minjae saw Donghyun in the driver's seat.

"Hyung…"

"Minjae, is the shooting done now?"

"Yes, hyung." Minjae nodded. He turned to the side and looked at Yura. Yura was still waiting for her manager.

"Do you want to come with us first? We can eat dinner. Just tell your manager to follow them."

Donghyun glanced at the time on the dashboard, then turned toward Minjae with a small nod.

"Yeah, Minjae is right. It's getting late, and the staff probably wants to clear the place soon anyway," he said. "We'll just head to a nearby restaurant. Nothing fancy."

Minjae turned back to Yura, who looked down at her phone again, checking for any messages from her manager. She sighed and hid her phone away.

"He said he's still caught in traffic. Might be another twenty minutes," she muttered.

"Then come with us first," Minjae said gently. "That way, at least you're indoors and warm while waiting."

Donghyun leaned slightly toward the window and called out to her from the driver's seat.

"No pressure, Yura-ssi, but I agree. You'll be safer in the meantime."

Yura blinked, her lips curving slightly before she let out a light laugh.

"Okay, okay. You two win." She reached for the passenger door and opened it. "But only if there's something hot to eat. I'm freezing."

"Don't worry. I'll treat you to dinner today," Minjae said, stepping aside to let her in before sliding into the seat beside the driver.

As the door closed and the car started to pull away from the now-empty set, the three of them were silent. Outside, the snow had begun to pile up again.

"There's a nice local place just ten minutes from here. It's quiet and they have good food." Donghyun flicked on the turn signal

Minjae nodded in agreement. "That sounds perfect."

Yura leaned back in her seat and smiled faintly. "Yeah. After today? I think anything warm and quiet sounds perfect."

"Then that's good. Let's there and warm your stomachs. You two must have a hard time with the shooting. How was it, by the way?" Donghyun asked the two as their drive continued.

"It was nice," Minjae answered. "Really nice."

"Yeah, I didn't know that Jaehyun hyung and the others were all that friendly." Yura also seconded. She smiled as she thought of it. Today was really fun. She was sure that Minjae had fun too.