Episode 1 ..

The crowd roared. Lights flashed. Cameras clicked.

Kim Taeyung sat quietly in the backseat of his car, his face half-lit by the screen of his phone. Another concert done, another sea of cheers behind him. But tonight, he didn’t feel the usual rush. Instead, he scrolled through his notifications — mostly filtered, curated, and managed by his team.

But one message slipped through.

A comment. Simple. Soft.

"You looked tired today. I hope you’re okay. Sometimes, even stars need rest too."

He paused. The words weren’t dramatic, weren’t loud — they were just… real.

No fangirling. No hashtags. Just concern.

He clicked on the profile: Rhea Sharma.

A private account. No flashy bio. Just a small sunflower emoji next to her name.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, he didn’t scroll past. He stared. He thought. And he smiled — a tired, genuine smile.

He didn’t reply. Not yet. But that night, her words echoed louder than the crowd had.

The next day, Taeyung found himself looking at Rhea's profile again, as if drawn to it. It was strange — his mind, usually racing with the frenzy of schedules and performances, seemed to slow down when he thought about her. He didn’t even know what she looked like, yet her words felt like they had touched something deep inside him.

He hesitated, fingers hovering over his phone. It was so easy to get lost in the noise of the world around him. But something about her calm, simple message made him crave that peace.

He tapped on her profile picture — the sunflower emoji still there, small and simple. He wondered what kind of person could send a message like that, something so genuine in a world filled with fleeting attention.

But he didn't message her, not yet. He wasn’t ready to cross that line. There was a part of him that wanted to protect this small piece of anonymity, to let it remain as something that was just for him.

The next day, Taeyung found himself looking at Rhea's profile again, as if drawn to it. It was strange — his mind, usually racing with the frenzy of schedules and performances, seemed to slow down when he thought about her. He didn’t even know what she looked like, yet her words felt like they had touched something deep inside him.

He hesitated, fingers hovering over his phone. It was so easy to get lost in the noise of the world around him. But something about her calm, simple message made him crave that peace.

He tapped on her profile picture — the sunflower emoji still there, small and simple. He wondered what kind of person could send a message like that, something so genuine in a world filled with fleeting attention.

But he didn't message her, not yet. He wasn’t ready to cross that line. There was a part of him that wanted to protect this small piece of anonymity, to let it remain as something that was just for him.

Meanwhile, Rhea was in her quiet apartment, a stack of books beside her, a cup of tea cooling on the table. She hadn’t expected a reply — or even for him to notice her message. But, a small part of her had hoped. She had never been interested in the celebrity world, the chaotic adoration. But something about Taeyung... he wasn’t just a star. He was human. And she wanted him to know that.

Her phone buzzed, and she picked it up without thinking. It was a notification from her social media.

But this time, it wasn’t just another message or like. It was a notification from Taeyung. A simple “Thank you for your kind words.”

Her heart skipped a beat. She stared at the message for a moment before quickly typing back.

“You’re welcome. Just take care of yourself, okay?”

And then, as if to stop herself from overthinking, she hit send and tossed her phone on the couch.

.

.

.Days passed, and their exchanges remained small but constant. Every now and then, Taeyung would see Rhea’s messages, each one soft, unassuming. She never asked for anything in return, never expected more than just a simple “thank you.”

He began to find himself looking forward to her words, finding comfort in them after the chaos of his life. She was like a breath of fresh air.

But still, the question remained — should he reach out more? Should he really cross that line and step into her world?

He wasn’t sure, but one thing was certain: Rhea Sharma had become more than just a name on his phone.

And as their quiet connection deepened, Taeyung realized something.

Sometimes, it was the small things that mattered the most.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***