The day after the finale, Minjae woke up late.
His body was tired, but his heart felt full.
He stayed in bed longer than usual, his eyes half-closed as he listened to the faint sounds of the city outside. No alarm. No rush. No script waiting on his desk this ti. For once, he allowed himself to slow down.
When he finally reached for his phone, the first thing he saw was the flood of new notifications.
His na was trending again.
So was The Star's Secret.
The drama hadn't just ended—it had exploded.
News articles filled every platform.
"The Star's Secret ends on a high note—Finale episode records highest ratings of the season."
"Nam Minjae and Yura's emotional performance makes history."
"Drama Festival Rankings: The Star's Secret ranks #1 in nationwide polls."
The drama didn't just top the weekly chart.
It topped the festival's annual list.
Out of all the dramas released this year, theirs had been voted the most morable. Viewers picked it not only for its acting or writing, but for the way it made them feel.
It was everywhere.
Still screenshots of the rooftop scene were turned into posters by fans. Edits were being uploaded daily—so even set to international songs, translated into different languages.
People shared what the story ant to them. So talked about heartbreak, others about healing. A few even said it helped them reach out to soone they hadn't talked to in a long ti.
Minjae scrolled through quietly.
He saw clips of himself, crying on the floor in Episode 15. Of Yura turning back in on him. And him on the stage.
He saw comnts like:
"This drama made want to try again—with myself, with people, with life."
"Sotis, the ones that break you are also the ones that remind you you're alive."
"Thank you to the cast for giving us sothing real."
And just like that, Minjae felt the weight of it again.
This wasn't just a project.
This was a story that reached people far beyond what they expected. And now, even days after it ended, people were still asking:
"Is there going to be a special episode?"
"Please give us a behind-the-scenes docuntary."
"We need an additional scene. Even if it's just Taeyung and Jiwoo going grocery shopping."
"Give us one more rooftop scene. Just one more."
Minjae smiled to himself.
Of course they wanted more.
Because even he did, in a way.
But stories had to end sowhere. That's what made them beautiful.
He spent the rest of the afternoon quietly. He responded to a few fan ssages, hearted so posts, and even replied to a few funny ones.
[Fan:] "Please… just tell they're married now."
[Minjae:] "I think they're trying. That's enough, right?"
[Fan:] "I miss Taeyung already. Bring him back 🥺"
[Minjae:] "He misses you too."
Minjae continued scrolling through the ssages. He was quietly smiling to himself as he read more reactions from fans.
So were still emotional. So had turned to jokes, as if humor was the only way to survive the withdrawal.
@seoulsighs: My therapist asked what I'm grieving. I said two fictional people on a rooftop.
@taeyungcore: The real reason I can't sleep: Taeyung's last smile. It looked like relief and sadness at the sa ti???
@kwonysunflower: I don't care how unrealistic it is, I want a bonus episode where they get married, adopt a cat, and argue about what groceries to buy.
So were making fake trailers now—edited cuts of imagined scenes with captions like "The Star's Secret: The Epilogue" or "Taeyung and Jiwoo, Five Years Later."
Even more fans were demanding content.
"Please release behind-the-scenes footage. I want to see how they fild the crying scene."
"Let us see bloopers. I NEED to see Minjae laughing after breaking our hearts."
"Give us the footage of Jiwoo turning around. Please. Just once. I'll never ask again."
By that evening, Global Studios finally gave in.
At 6PM, they uploaded a new video on their official channel.
[BTS – The Final Episodes]
"Taeyung and Jiwoo: The Last Scenes – A look behind Episodes 15 and 16."
Minjae was still lounging on the couch when he saw the notification. He clicked on it, curious, and the mont the video started, he heard Director Hwang's voice.
"Okay, let's reset. Quiet on set. This is the rooftop scene. Episode 16, take one."
Then, it cut to Minjae and Yura laughing just before the cara rolled.
"I have tears in my eyes already and we haven't even started," Yura joked, fanning her face.
Minjae chuckled. "At least yours are real. I think mine ran out during rehearsal."
Then ca the actual shoot. A side-angle cam captured the scene from a distance. Crew mbers watched silently. So even had hands over their mouths. The atmosphere was heavy, yet quiet.
Then, "Cut!" rang out—and the two actors imdiately exhaled.
Minjae lowered his head, taking a deep breath. Yura reached out and gently patted his back.
"You okay?" she asked, softly.
He gave her a tired smile. "Yeah. Just… needed a second."
The clip continued with more scenes—Minjae pacing before the crying scene in Episode 15, mumbling his lines to himself. Yura doing breathing exercises off to the side. The staff trying not to make any noise during the most emotional takes.
There were also lighter monts where Minjae tripping on a cable and Yura catching him. Jihoon making everyone laugh during a break by dramatically reading soone's script in a cutesy voice. The cast trying to pose for a photo but bursting into laughter every ti soone looked at each other..
By the end of the video, soft music played over a montage of hugs, high-fives, and final bows.
"To every staff, cast mber, and viewer who stayed with us until the end—thank you."
Minjae glanced at the comnts.
The video had already hit half a million views in the first hour.
Viewers were emotional all over again.
"This… this is what I needed. Seeing them laugh after crying with them."
"I still can't believe how much love this team put into the story."
"I've watched this 3 tis already. It feels like I'm saying goodbye again."
"THEY CRIED TOGETHER AND THEN LAUGHED TOGETHER. I'M UNWELL."
Even international fans jumped in again:
"Gracias por compartir esto. Sentí cada emoción desde Argentina."
"From the Philippines, thank you for this beautiful story."
"Nam Minjae and Yura, your chemistry was more than just acting. It was really good."
Minjae closed his phone slowly.
The sun had dipped low outside his window, casting orange and pink tones over the buildings. It was quiet again.
But this ti, it wasn't the sa silence as before.
This one felt warm.
The story had ended.
But the love didn't.
By the next few hours, the headlines had already started coming in.
It wasn't just fan noise anymore. Now, it was everywhere—on major entertainnt sites, morning broadcasts, and online news pages.
[Yon Seoul News:] 'The Star's Secret' Ends with Record-Breaking Viewership—A Drama That Redefined Quiet Romance
[Starline:] Nam Minjae and Yura Set New Standard for K-Drama Pairings: From subtle glances to heart-wrenching silences, their performances struck sothing deeper than just surface-level love. It was real, grounded, and unforgettable
[The Korea Arts Tribune:] Drama Festival Rankings Crown 'The Star's Secret' as #1 Drama of the Year
Even old episodes were being revisited. Fans and critics alike went back to Episode 1, rewatching scenes with fresh eyes.
And still, new posts appeared every hour:
"Episode 3 hits harder now that we know where they end up."
"Rember when Jiwoo asked if Taeyung would still like her if she wasn't easy to love? That question lived in the entire show."
"I'm rewatching the whole thing just to feel everything again."
Global Studios also began teasing more post-release content.
A new post appeared on their social dia page that morning:
"We're not done yet. Special Comntary Episode coming soon—featuring the director, writer, and our lead cast."
The comnt section exploded again.
"YESSSSSSS. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY WERE THINKING DURING THE ROOFTOP SCENE."
"Please let Minjae and Yura sit down and roast each other. I beg you."
"I'm not emotionally prepared but I'll still watch."
That night, another news report aired a short special. A segnt was dedicated entirely to the drama's success, with clips from the finale, behind-the-scenes shots, and short interview snippets from past press conferences.
Minjae's na was ntioned multiple tis.
"Nam Minjae's acting in The Star's Secret shows his growth as a lead," the reporter said. "His performance was subtle, mature, and consistent—proving that sotis, less really is more."
The closing words of the segnt stayed with him long after:
"A story about two people—and a reminder that not all love stories are loud. So are quiet. But just as real."
Before going to sleep, his agency sent him a short ssage:
[Global Studios:] You did well. The whole country knows it now. Congratulations.
Minjae smiled as he read the ssage. He walked toward the window. The city lights were brightly turned on at night. It reminded him of the rooftop scene.
He let the mont sit with him.
Then, he whispered softly to the empty room.
"Goodbye, Taeyung."
He sweetly smiled as he thought of it.
It was ti to bid goodbye to that character and moved on with his new character, Joon.
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