Oh! It's the Writer!
Under the glow of the neighborhood park's streetlamp.
"..."
Park Geon-woo stood frozen, staring at the bench.
Snow had already piled high on the bench where Han Se-rin had just been sitting.
Much like the snow that had accumulated in the blink of an eye, his encounter with her felt fleeting.
"A Christmas present... I suppose."
Somewhere in this world, there was someone who truly cherished his writing.
Holding onto that warm feeling, Geon-woo quietly walked away.
An old, reddish-purple brick apartment building.
This small apartment was Geon-woo's sanctuary.
Beep. Beep. The moment he unlocked the door, the cozy, simple interior of his home came into view.
"How have you guys been? My little furballs?"
Meow~ Meow~ Five cats rushed to greet him.
After washing his hands, refilling their food and water, Geon-woo took a quick shower.
When he checked his phone, he saw several missed calls.
His group chats were flooded with unread messages.
Even a brief glance showed that everyone was looking for him.
"Do these guys really have nothing to do when I'm not around?"
With a wry smile, Geon-woo opened the group chat.
December32nd: What is Writer Park Geon up to? Did you get home safe?
Yeong-jae: Hyung! At this rate, Regression Manager and Fantastic Boys are going to break through the ceiling!
Schmidt: You'll be on the Hall of Fame page soon, Park Geon! Congrats! lol
As expected, the main topic of conversation was Geon-woo.
Geon-woo typed out a reply.
Park Geon: Sorry for the late reply. Did everyone get home safe? I just got back and showered. haha
Yeong-jae: Hyung? Did you stop somewhere on the way?
Park Geon: No, I just met up with someone.
Seong-do: Correct! Is it a girl, Hyung? lol
Dododo: Now that you're a popular writer, are girls lining up for you?!
Park Geon: Stop teasing me. haha Well, it was a woman, but we're not in that kind of relationship, so don't worry.
Dododo: Either way, it's a girl! A girl!
"Oh, boy."
He had slipped up, and the group chat immediately exploded.
Wild speculations poured in, starting with questions about who she was and if she was a fellow writer.
"I don't really want to lie to them."
The writers in this group chat weren't just colleagues.
They were the ones who had supported Geon-woo during his hardest times.
And they still did.
Park Geon: I ran into Han Se-rin on my way home.
December32nd: What??? Han Se-rin? The Han Se-rin from Serazade?!
Yeong-jae: What? Hyung, you're not joking, right?
Seong-do: Han Se-rin! Insane! I'm a huge fan! omg
Yuyu: Is she pretty? How pretty is she?
Ha-jeong: Daebak! Did Han Se-rin actually come to meet you, Writer Park Geon?
Monica: I'm so jealous, Park Geon T_T Is she really your reader?
The other writers were in utter shock.
It was one thing for Han Se-rin, the center of the top girl group Serazade, to declare herself a fan on a variety show, but to actually seek him out in person was mind-blowing.
Naturally, the next burning question was why she had come to see him.
Everyone began firing the same question at once.
Park Geon: She found out that the broadcasting station offered me a variety show appearance, so she came to apologize.
December32nd: Ah, yeah. Things did get a bit out of hand. She's quite thoughtful, that Han Se-rin girl.
Yuyu: Wow... she has a great personality too?
Ha-jeong: She sounds completely different from the Han Se-rin we know from the media.
Judy: Yeah, isn't Serazade's Han Se-rin famous for being cold?
Monica: Right. So, what did you guys talk about?
The female writers in the chat showed intense curiosity.
Park Geon: That's a secret. haha
Ha-jeong: Ah! You're so mean lol
Monica: I'm dying to know!
Yeong-jae: Hyung, I'm calling you right now!
Park Geon: Sorry, Yeong-jae. I'm going to rest.
Yeong-jae: Ugh T_T
Schmidt: Oh! Park Geon! Turn on MBS! Serazade is on!
Park Geon: Really? I'll check it out.
Surrounded by his cats, Geon-woo turned on the television.
The stage of the top girl group Serazade was unfolding on the screen.
"She really is an idol."
It felt surreal.
Just moments ago, they had been talking face-to-face.
Dressed in a pure white stage outfit, Han Se-rin lit up the entire stage.
The slightly goofy, clumsy girl he had met on the park bench was nowhere to be seen.
Her chic, provocative expressions and aura left no doubt that she was the reigning top idol of their generation.
"To think that the cool Han Gyeo-wool was actually my fan..."
Lost in thought for a long moment, Geon-woo's gaze fixed back onto the old television screen.
With Serazade's performance, the year-end music festival was drawing to a close.
Before he knew it, all the idols had gathered on stage.
Standing right at the center, as befitted a top girl group, were the members of Serazade and Han Se-rin.
The microphone was handed to Han Se-rin and her members first.
Oooooh! The audience couldn't hide their envy.
"..."
Watching the TV, Geon-woo's eyes widened.
He never imagined she would mention it during a live broadcast of a major year-end music festival.
With a coy, chic expression, Se-rin brushed off the question as if nothing had happened.
The male MC could only smack his lips in disappointment.
"Haha."
Geon-woo let out a soft laugh.
Just a moment ago, the look Han Se-rin gave the camera was distinctly playful.
He could instinctively tell that her playful expression—something rarely seen on television or in media—was directed right at him.
With the idols waving goodbye, the live broadcast of the year-end music festival came to an end.
The moment the show ended, his phone began to ring incessantly.
"He really is persistent."
Geon-woo chuckled.
It was Yeong-jae.
Geon-woo: "Yeah, Yeong-jae."
Yeong-jae: "Hyung! Hyung! That precious person Han Se-rin just mentioned... that's you, right?! It has to be!"
Geon-woo: "I think so."
Yeong-jae: "Whoa! What kind of web novel development is this?!"
Geon-woo: "I know. I can't believe it either. I don't know why this is happening to me, Yeong-jae."
Yeong-jae: "You deserve it, Hyung."
Yeong-jae: "Get back in the group chat! Everyone is going crazy looking for you!"
Geon-woo: "Whew. Alright."
Hanging up, he opened the group chat to find it in absolute chaos over Se-rin's broadcast mention.
Schmidt: Park Geon, what is going on? On a live broadcast, wow...
Seong-do: I'm so jealous of Geon-woo Hyung. Han Se-rin! haha
December32nd: Writer Park Geon is getting a proper Christmas present.
Yuyu: Wow! Han Se-rin really is a passionate fan of yours!
Monica: This is a woman's intuition, but isn't she interested in you? Like, romantically?
Ha-jeong: I totally agree. I think she's interested in Geon-woo. Don't you guys think so?
Dandan: Exactly T_T What is this heart-fluttering feeling~
While the male writers were green with envy, the female writers were squealing, wondering if it was a green light.
Park Geon: Come on, there's no way. Anyway, I'm just glad you guys are having fun because of me. haha
Yuyu: I'm serious! She definitely likes you, Park Geon!
Park Geon: Stop teasing me, Yuyu. haha
Feeling flustered, Geon-woo suddenly recalled the words Han Se-rin had spoken to him.
"I don't care about anyone else... to me, your stories are more precious than anything. Every single line of dialogue, every single sentence."
The tears welling in her jewel-like eyes and the raw emotion on her face were still vivid in his mind.
At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder.
Why was someone so perfect being so warm to him?
Why did she cherish his writing so much?
Enough to mention it on a live national broadcast.
"I was such a fool. I couldn't even ask her anything. *Sigh.* Get it together, Park Geon-woo."
He belatedly felt a pang of regret over how brief their meeting had been.
But there was a more important question.
"How can I repay her?"
She had said a new novel would be enough, but Geon-woo felt that wasn't nearly enough.
"Great job today!"
The crowded hallway lined with dressing rooms was bustling.
Idols who had just finished the live Christmas Eve music festival poured out into the corridor.
"Hey, what was up with Han Se-rin earlier?"
"Right? Didn't she seem totally different from usual?"
"Is she dating someone, by any chance?"
"The great Han Se-rin acting like that in public? No way."
"It's probably just a friend."
"With her personality, does she even have friends outside of her members?"
"The cold, untouchable Han Se-rin? Well, she can afford to be like that. She's Han Se-rin, after all."
"Are you trying to show off that you're a fan of hers?"
"Honestly, don't you copy her style too?"
"Whatever."
Backstage, the sole topic of conversation was Han Se-rin.
Male and female idols alike whispered about her.
It was because she had shown a completely different side of herself during the ending stage of the MBS festival.
The epitome of chic and aloofness had smiled brightly, even if only for a brief moment.
And it was all while mentioning someone special.
"Shh! It's Serazade."
The hallway fell silent at the appearance of Serazade, the most popular girl group of late.
"You did amazing today!"
"Great job, everyone!"
The Serazade members politely greeted those they passed.
"Good work."
Han Se-rin, on the other hand, showed no change in her expression.
It wasn't because she was in a bad mood or tired.
This was simply her natural state.
A personality that paid absolutely no attention to anything outside her own circle.
Because of this, other idols hesitated to approach Serazade.
The broadcasting station's underground parking lot.
Unlike the other idols who gathered in small groups to chat, Serazade was already preparing to head home.
"Hmph. Se-rin, can't you smile a little more? Everyone is scared of us because you always look so expressionless."
"Thanks to that, it's just the four of us again this Christmas~ Yay~"
While the short, cute member Seo Ra-hee whined, the chic, cat-like Ju Ja-yoon went as far as doing a mock traditional dance.
"What's wrong with that? Didn't you say the four of us should be best friends forever?"
Se-rin pouted.
"Sure... let's take our friendship all the way to the grave. Our group name is perfect for it anyway. 'Se' from Se-rin, 'Ra' from Ra-hee, 'Za' from Ja-yoon, and 'De' from Yeon-doo unnie?"
"You..."
As Se-rin glared at her, Ja-yoon quickly linked arms with the oldest member, Lim Yeon-doo, who was walking ahead.
"Unnie, Se-rin is trying to kill me with her eyes."
Only then did the leader, Yeon-doo, turn around.
"Good job today, Se-rin. You looked really pretty smiling in front of the camera."
"Do you think I smiled just for the camera, Yeon-doo unnie?"
"You're pretty even when you don't smile, so it's fine. But you're definitely prettier when you do. Right, Ja-yoon?"
"Yep, yep. Honestly, I agree."
"Hmph. You guys are good with words."
No one disliked being called pretty.
"You looked pretty today too, Yeon-doo unnie. And Ja-yoon... and Ra-hee."
Leaving them with those words, Se-rin quickly climbed into their van.
Getting into the van before the others, Se-rin immediately searched for her bag.
She hurriedly pulled out her phone.
Just in case.
"Did the writer see what I said?"
Her heart fluttered.
"Oh! It's the writer!"
Her expectations were met.
As she checked her phone, a smile even more beautiful than the one she wore on stage bloomed on her lips.
From: Park Geon
Her precious person.
It was Park Geon-woo.