Hana's point of view .
She placed her phone face down on the table, her heart still catching up from the soft goodbye she'd shared with Minji just minutes ago. His voice had sounded warm but heavy, like someone bracing for something ahead.
She glanced at the time. The concert must have started by now.
Curiosity tugged at her fingers as she picked up the phone again. She opened her browser, typing Minji concert live stream with an anxious breath. Streams popped up instantly, of course they did. He was Minji. She tapped one, adjusting the volume as the screen light up.
There he was.
The crowd was massive, glowing in waves of silver lightsticks and thunderous screams. He moved like he belonged there, owning the stage with effortless charm, his voice layered with emotion as he sang the final verse of his newest track.
She felt her chest tighten both from fear and awe on how far apart their worlds really were, and yet… he still called her.
The concert was reaching its end when he stepped forward again, microphone in hand, and the crowd fell quiet. The mood shifted.
"There's something I want to share," he began.
Hana sat up straighter. Her fingers hovered over the screen. Her breath hitched.
"I've been carrying something precious in my heart… someone. I'm in a relationship."
Her hand flew to her mouth.
For a moment, the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat.
The crowd exploded. People were shouting, screaming, clapping. The live chat was a blur. Emojis, capital letters, fans crying on camera. She didn't notice the tear that slipped down her cheek until it landed on her wrist.
He really said it.
He said it. Publicly. Without fear. Without naming her, yes, but it didn't matter. She knew. And so did he.
The room suddenly felt too small. She pressed the phone to her chest, curling forward, feeling everything and nothing at once.
A rush of warmth, of disbelief, and pride and something her heart blooming in her ribcage. He chose this. Chose her. Chose the truth.
And the world was watching.
Hana remained curled on the couch long after the live stream ended, the final echoes of Minji's voice still ringing in her ears. She had watched him under stage lights both bold, unshaken, and real. And now, the aftershocks were unraveling in her chest like a wave.
No one knew. Not her parents, not her coworkers, and certainly not—
Her phone buzzed.
She wiped her face quickly, as though someone could see the tremble in her smile. The caller ID lit up with a name that tugged at her heart.
Ziran.
She sighed, already imagining her best friend's animated voice. Ever since Ziran got her phone working again after her Lunar New Year trip, they had been catching up on everything... except thi she hadn't told her yet. She didn't know how.
She picked up. "Hey."
"HANAAAAAA! OH. MY. GOD." Ziran's voice burst through, full of fire and chaos. "Have you checked the internet?! Like, right now?!"
Hana blinked, swallowing the strange knot forming in her chest. "What happened?"
"Minji. The idol. MY.... NO... THE NATIONAL BOYFRIEND. He just announced that he's in a relationship. Like for real. Public, Screamed it into the void at the end of his concert and the whole internet is basically ON FIRE."
Hana said nothing, only listening, her heart slowly melting into an anxious puddle.
"Girl, I'm shook," Ziran continued breathlessly. "I've been scrolling nonstop. People are going crazy. Fans crying, people being supportive, others being dramatic. Ugh, I love it. But I need to know who the girl is! They haven't said who she is yet. And she's keeping too quiet. SO MYSTERIOUS. I'm jealous. But like, proud? Whoever she is, she must be... I don't know, calm. Soft. Basically you. But you'd never survive dating a K-pop idol?"
Hana laughed gently, eyes lowering. "hmmm..."
Ziran groaned. "Anyway, I had to call because this is history. History. I'm coming back on Saturday this weekend and we're really having this girls night."
"Okay, okay," Hana said, smiling with a tightness in her chest. "Saturday."
After the call, she sat still for a long time, letting Ziran's words echo.
Soft. Calm. Mysterious.
The girl the world was wondering about was sitting right there, phone in hand, heart exposed in silence.
And only one person truly knew.
------------
Behind the Curtain
Seo Jin's office was dim, the blinds casting narrow shadows across his desk littered with notes, clippings, and printouts of Minji's recent photos. The faint glow of his monitor highlighted the determination in his eyes.
He leaned back in his chair, scrolling through the online frenzy. Headlines were exploding.
"Minji Confirms He's in a Relationship – But With Who?"
"Mystery Girl Alert: Who is the Idol's Secret Love?"
"Fans Divided After Minji's Bold Announcement"
A notification pinged. It was a message from his boss: "We need to talk. Zoom in 5."
Seo Jin adjusted his tie and clicked into the call. His editor, a sharp-eyed woman named Ms. Kang, appeared, arms folded.
"Minji just flipped the country upside down," she said without preamble. "The audience is eating it up, and the traffic is spiking. This is our chance."
"I've been tracking him," Seo Jin replied. "His movements have changed. He's more cautious. But that girl… she has to be someone outside the industry."
Ms. Kang narrowed her eyes. "You think she's a civilian?"
"Possibly. That would explain the secrecy. The way he's been sneaking around... even using back entrances to cafes."
She leaned in, her voice dropping. "We need a name, Jin. I want a full report photos, school history, background, everything. Give our readers what they're begging for."
Seo Jin nodded, heart racing. "I'll find her. It's only a matter of time."
As the call ended, he turned toward the photos on his desk. One blurred image caught his eye, Minji in a cap, walking behind a girl near a small coffee shop.
He reached for his notebook, drawing a red circle around the spot.
"Let's see who you really are, mystery girl is."