Lee Ye sits alone in his dimly lit home, the silence pressing against him harder than the noise days ago at the police station ever did. He kicks off his shoes carelessly and drops onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling as if it might offer answers. The adrenaline from shooting commercials earlier has completely drained from his system, leaving behind nothing but exhaustion and a headache forming behind his eyes.
"So many complications." he mutters, dragging a hand through his hair.
His uncle's voice still echoes in his head from their conversation. He made it clear that the dating rumors with Kara cannot die down now, especially not when their photos are spreading like wildfire. If anything, they need to lean into it. More appearances. More interaction. More fuel for the media. After all, it is all strategy, all business...
His phone buzzes against the coffee table. A message from his manager, Ye Jin, flashes on the screen.
You are meeting Kara for dinner later tonight. Do not forget.
He exhales slowly. "Right."
Dinner with his rumored girlfriend. Dinner that will be photographed. Dinner that will look romantic from a distance, yet is nothing but a business negotiation up close.
Despite everything, his thoughts drift elsewhere...
To Seo Yeon.
To the way she looked at him at the police station, her eyes bright with emotion, she tried but failed to hide. To the way she trembled in the van before he pulled her out. The way she thanked him so softly, it felt like something fragile had been placed in his hands.
He grabs a cushion and hugs it to his chest with a frustrated sigh. This is ridiculous.
Needing a distraction, he reaches for his tablet. His favorite author, Ja-Yu, has made an update. A small, genuine smile appears on his face as he opens the new chapters.
He reads quickly, completely absorbed. Ja-Yu has a way of writing emotions so vividly that he forgets he is a celebrity with a scandal trailing behind him. For a while, he is just another reader invested in fictional heartbreak and slow-burn romance. He often wonders who Ja-Yu is. A woman? A man? Someone ordinary riding the subway after work? The irony makes him laugh quietly. A famous singer who finds comfort in an anonymous writer he will probably never meet.
When he finishes the latest chapter, he leaves a comment as usual, under a nickname no one would ever trace back to him. He praises the emotional depth of the story and impatiently asks for the next update, grinning at himself like a teenager.
Then he makes the mistake of opening social media.
Photos flood his screen. Kara standing beside him at the police station, her hair perfectly styled despite the chaos. Her hand lightly touching his arm, headlines speculating, with comments shipping them aggressively.
"She really is stunning." he admits under his breath, though the words feel empty.
He sets the tablet aside and picks up his guitar, hoping music will untangle the mess in his head. He strums a few chords, letting the sound vibrate through the quiet room. The melody starts soft but grows heavier, reflecting his mood.
Still, his mind betrays him...
He thinks about Seo Yeon's cooking. The way she laughs when she forgets herself. The way she argued with him. He realizes, somewhere along the line, she long stopped being mere background noise.
He stops playing abruptly and sets the guitar down. "I need to stop thinking about her." he says firmly, though he does not sound convinced.
After showering, he dresses in a simple but stylish outfit that looks effortless. He checks his reflection in the mirror. He looks polished, exactly what the public expects.
The cool evening air greets him as he steps outside. He slides into his white Lamborghini and drives through the city, neon lights streaking past the windows.
"Just focus on dinner." he tells himself. "Handle one thing at a time."
The restaurant is upscale and discreet, though not discreet enough to avoid curious eyes, especially Paparazzi. Immediately he arrives, Kara greets him with an enthusiastic smile and wraps her arms around him. The hug lingers a little too long.
"Lee Ye! You made it!" she beams.
"Of course." he replies, forcing a polite smile.
They sit down and order. Kara talks animatedly about her upcoming single, chart projections, brand deals, and potential collaborations. He listens, nodding at appropriate moments, but his attention drifts.
She leans closer across the table, lowering her voice. "You should really think about this relationship. Me and you. Just look how perfect the timing is."
He remains quiet.
"Imagine the publicity." she continues. "Power couple headlines. Joint appearances. Ugh, we would dominate for sure."
"Kara." he says carefully.
She pouts playfully. "Come on, you know you like me. I can already picture the flowers you will send me next week once I release my upcoming single. I will post them with a cute caption. The fans will go crazy."
He lets out a short laugh that does not reach his eyes. "Yeah, you can buy your own flowers."
Her smile falters. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means no." he says, his patience thinning.
Her expression hardens. "Now, don't be childish, Lee Ye. This is good for both of us."
He stands up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. "I said no."
He walks out without waiting for her response, ignoring the startled looks from the few nearby diners.
Outside, he inhales deeply, trying to calm the frustration boiling in his chest. He has no idea what it is about the woman that makes him dislike her this much. Without thinking, he gets into his car and drives.
He does not realize where he is heading until he pulls up in front of the building where Seo Yeon resides.
He remains there for nearly thirty minutes, car engine off, just staring at the entrance. The windows are dark except for a few scattered lights. He wonders if she is inside.
"I truly hope she is alright." he says quietly.
Kara's voice echoes in his memory, pushing the fake dating plan like a marketing strategy. He tightens his grip on the steering wheel, lowering his head briefly. Everything feels calculated, controlled, and arranged by other people.
But what he feels when he thinks about Seo Yeon does not feel arranged.
He doesn't have the best words to describe exactly what he feels yet. Somehow, it's inconvenient, unplanned, but... real.
He exhales slowly and starts the engine again. At the end of the day, sitting here will not solve anything. So even though driving away feels like retreating, he does it anyway. He drives home slowly through the city streets that feel emptier than usual tonight.
As he navigates through familiar roads lined with twinkling lights, he reflects on how complicated everything has become since Seo Yeon entered his life.
He realizes that his life has indeed never been simple, but somehow always been predictable, and managed.
And now? It is all messy.
"What am I even doing?" he mutters under his breath as uncertainty washes over him again.
To be honest, deep down, he knows that he feels an undeniable pull toward Seo Yeon, a quiet but persistent desire to know everything about her. He wants to understand her laughter, her fears, her stubborn strength, and the vulnerability she tries so hard to hide. And God knows, if given even the smallest chance, he knows he would step across that invisible line separating them just to see what could exist on the other side.
But he is also very confused...
So for now, all he can do is drive home alone.