Legendary Superstar

"That's good to hear. You both looked like you were having fun." Donghyun glanced at them through the rearview mirror, the corners of his mouth lifting into a relaxed smile.

Minjae leaned his head against the seat, watching the city lights blur past the window.

"I didn't expect it to go this well… It's been a while since I laughed that much."

"You deserved a good day," Donghyun said simply. "It's been a rough week."

Yura nodded in quiet agreement.

"You handled everything well, Oppa. It was nice."

"Thanks, Yura." Minjae was thinking about the moment the fans had called out his name earlier. It was really a good feeling.

"I guess I needed this more than I thought," he finally said.

The car fell into silence after that, broken only by the soft hum of the heater and the occasional sound of tires gliding over the road. Yura had tucked her hands inside her sleeves, her head tilted slightly as she looked out the window

It didn't take long before they reached a small, cozy restaurant located between two shops on a street. The sign was simple. It looked like the kind of place only locals in the area knew.

The three of them stepped out, their breath visible in the cold night air.

Donghyun led the way inside, and the warmth hit them immediately. The smell of broth, grilled meat, and spices greeted them at the door.

A kind-looking old lady waved them to a corner table. "Sit anywhere, my dears. You came just in time. We're still open."

Because of it, they quickly settled inside. They removed their coats and placed a few casual orders. Since it was cold, they ordered hot stew, rice, and plenty of side dishes.

As they waited for their food, Yura looked across the table at Minjae.

"Do you think today's shoot will help?"

"Yeah… not just with the public, but with our drama's promotion." Minjae met her gaze and gave a small nod.

"Hoo… I hope our drama continues to climb." Yura smiled, then turned to Donghyun. "And thank you too, Manager-nim. For letting me tag along."

Donghyun chuckled lightly. "It's not a problem, Yura. Actually, I think Minjae needed someone like you around today."

"Hyung…" Minjae let out a small breath of laughter and shot Donghyun a look.

"Is that your way of saying I'm a good friend?" Yura blinked, then smirked.

"It's his way of saying you're loud," Minjae joked softly, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Oppa!" She laughed.

Just then, the old woman who greeted them earlier returned with their dishes. The woman placed bowls of steaming stew and sizzling plates on the table. The conversation paused for a moment as they all reached for their chopsticks.

As the steam curled up and filled the air between them, Minjae's stomach grumbled.

Yura heard the quiet rumble and looked up with a grin.

"Was that your stomach, Oppa?"

Minjae didn't even bother denying it. He let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I am tired. Don't judge me."

"Yeah, our Minjae here is a good eater," Donghyun added, clearly amused as he picked up his spoon.

Yura chuckled but didn't push it further. She was also hungry,

The three of them dug into the food without hesitation. The warmth of the food chasing away the chill that had settled in their bones outside. For a while, there was nothing but the quiet clinking of chopsticks, the bubbling of stew, and the occasional satisfied sigh.

"This is really good," Yura mumbled, cheeks puffed slightly as she chewed.

"Yeah it is. Go eat a lot Yura. Once tomorrow arrives you'll be back to dieting."

Yura rolled her eyes.

"They're not that hard on me already," she retorted, causing Donghyun to chuckle again.

After that, they continued eating again. They slipped into the kind of comfortable silence that only comes with good food and good company. Every now and then, someone would reach across the table for more kimchi or refill someone else's cup of tea without even asking.

And after a few bowls of rice, Minjae leaned back after a while. He was finally full, his eyes soft as he looked across the table.

"Thanks again," he said, voice quieter now. "For today."

Donghyun gave him a brief nod while wiping his mouth with a napkin. "You're welcome. It's good to see you smiling again."

"Same," Yura added, her voice gentle now, too.

Minjae smiled at the two.

"Is your manager still not here?"

"He's near already, Oppa. You can leave me already here."

"Are you sure?" Minjae frowned, but Yura only nodded.

"Yes, Oppa. Don't worry."

With the assurance on Yura's voice, Minjae and Donghyun faced each other.

"Let's go, hyung?"

Donghyun nodded before glancing at Yura.

"Take care, young lady."

"Yes, Manager-nim."

"We'll pay for the bill." Minjae gave Yura a nod.

"Alright. Take care, Oppa."

With it, they stood up and said their final goodbyes.

Minjae and Donghyun immediately headed out, boarding in the car and going home.

-----

The following evening, just as the city lights flickered on and people began settling in for the night, Episodes 5 and 6 of The Star's Secret aired back-to-back in a highly anticipated double feature.

Online forums buzzed even before the broadcast began. The preview released earlier in the week had teased a major twist, and now viewers were ready to watch with snacks in hand.

Within the first ten minutes of Episode 5, hashtags related to the drama began trending.

#TheStarsSecretEp5 and #NamMinjae quickly climbed the charts.

Minjae's performance in particular was the center of attention. His character, Taeyung, who had so far been portrayed as the mysterious yet charming idol, revealed a complex backstory involving his estranged father and a long-kept family secret.

The shift in tone and vulnerability in his performance took many by surprise.

- "Minjae's acting in that confrontation scene???! GIVE HIM THE AWARDS ALREADY."

- "I swear I held my breath the whole time he stared down his father. The tension was insane."

- "Okay but can we talk about how Minjae's eyes said everything even when he didn't

Meanwhile, Yura's character, had her own moment to shine in Episode 6 as she helped an old man crossed the road and even treating the old man to their café.

However, what really killed the people was the end episode 6. Episode 5 showed a little bit of Minjae and Yura's chemistry.

Episode 5 unfolded with a quiet and emotional intensity. After the major reveal about Minjae's strained relationship with his father, the narrative smoothly transitioned into a softer moment that fans didn't expect to affect them so deeply.

It was a simple scene, but one that had the audience hooked.

After an earlier misunderstanding where Yura's character accidentally spilled coffee on him during their first encounter, she finally worked up the courage to apologize. The setting was so sudden.

It was just a sudden meet at the street.

"I'm… really sorry about before," Yura said, fiddling nervously with the hem of her sweater. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Taeyung looked at her for a moment, expression unreadable. Then, in a calm and unexpectedly warm tone, he said,

"It's fine. No need to keep apologizing."

He offered the faintest of smiles, a brief curve of the lips that made fans across the country gasp.

The two stood there in front of each other in silence. No one spoke and neither of them looked away either. The tension wasn't heavy and it also wasn't romantic. But the fans turned crazy on th comment section and social media.

Within minutes, XYZ exploded.

"HELLO?? THEY'RE JUST STANDING THERE AND I'M LOSING MY MIND???"

"Taeyung said 'It's fine' and I ascended to haven. The chemistry is insane for no reason."

"Not even touching and the tension is stronger than dramas with full-on kiss scenes."

"Yura and Minjae's eye contact >>>> everything else on TV tonight."

GIFs of the hallway moment flooded social media, with fans zooming in on the way Minjae blinked slowly or how Yura glanced up at him with the barest trace of guilt.

More fans commented on it.

"I ship them. I ship them so hard and they've only said three lines to each other."

"Can the misunderstanding lead to love? Please? Please???"

And by the end of Episode 6, the sentiment only grew stronger.

Suddenly, it wasn't just the plot twist. The episode focused on them. The slow burn that no one saw coming.

#MinjaeAndYura started trending not long after.

And as the night wore on, even drama reviewers began to weigh in.

"Nam Minjae and Seo Yura bring a grounded, refreshing chemistry to The Star's Secret. It's a dynamic that doesn't rely on exaggerated tropes or forced dialogue."

Needless to say, public opinion was in favor of their chemistry. It was evident that they liked how the drama was going.

Minjae, who had been caught in swirling online noise just days ago, was now back in the spotlight. But this time, it wasn't because of rumors or scandals.

It was because people couldn't stop watching him and Yura on the screen.