A few days after the script meeting for Winter's Ending, Minjae found himself back in his living room, bundled in a blanket with a warm drink in his hand.

It was friday night again, which meant one thing. The Star's Secret was airing its next two episodes.

Episodes 10 and 11.

Even after the housewarming and his official casting in the new drama, The Star's Secret continued to air weekly, gaining more and more viewers with each episode.

And tonight's episodes?

These were the ones the director had said would be the peak of his character and Yura's character's romantic storyline.

The mood was different from the last few airings.

Anticipation buzzed through fan forums even hours before airtime. Online hashtags trended by 6 p.m.—#MinjaeAndYura, #StarsSecretEp10, and even #TonightWeConfess.

And sure enough, the second the clock hit 8:00 p.m., the familiar opening played.

Minjae's heart, beat a little faster as the episode started.

Episode 10 opened softly.

Minjae and Yura were walking home under a drizzle. They shared one umbrella, their shoulders pressed close. He held the umbrella slightly tilted toward her, letting his own side get wet.

"You always do that," Yura said, glancing at the tilt. "You'll catch a cold."

Minjae smiled faintly. "Better me than you."

Minjae watched the screen as the scene played out. The delivery was simple, the moment was also quiet, but even he could feel the shift in the emotions between the two characters.

The middle of the episode carried that same tone. Minjae and Yura spending more time together. They ate together, work side-by-side at the café, and even laughed over small mistakes.

And then came the moment.

The scene took place on a rooftop at night.

Yura was talking about the stars, how they always reminded her of her mom. She said, "I used to think if I ever fell in love, it would be with someone who saw the world a little differently. Not someone perfect. Just… someone kind."

Minjae didn't reply immediately. But then he looked at her.

"Then… what if that person is me?"

Yura froze.

And Minjae added, almost quietly, "I like you…"

The confession wasn't loud. It didn't come with music swelling in the background.

It was just… real.

Even in his apartment, Minjae found himself holding his breath.

Onscreen, Yura blinked. Then slowly smiled. She looked surprised, but her eyes squinted and a smile showed to her lips.

"Really?"

"Yes," Minjae breathed out as if it was hard for him to confess to her.

"I like you too."

They didn't kiss.

The camera just cut to their hands, brushing gently. Then finally, clasping.

And just like that, the episode ended.

The credits rolled, and within seconds, the internet exploded.

"NO BECAUSE THEY JUST CONFESSED AND I'M SOBBING 😭😭😭"

"Minjae saying 'I forget I'm an idol when I'm with you'??? That's PEAK ROMANCE"

"This was so soft and so earned. I'm so invested it's not even funny."

"THIS IS THE SLOWEST BURN THAT FINALLY CAUGHT FIRE."

"Minjae and Yura's delivery was insane. It didn't even feel like acting."

On platforms like LikLok, fans uploaded edits within minutes. Over soft music, clips of Minjae's confession scene were paired with earlier moments from past episodes, building the slow progression of their love.

The viewership ratings reflected the hype. Help us continue by reading at the source: MV2LEMPYR.

Episode 10: 13.1%.

It was their highest yet.

Minjae smiled quietly to himself. After a few minutes, he had to calm himself because Episode 11 was starting.

And this time, he knew what was coming.

The first half of Episode 11 was what fans had been waiting for.

Minjae and Yura as an official couple.

The show leaned into domestic moments—Minjae cooking for her (badly), Yura dragging him into a bookstore, the two of them trying to secretly hold hands in public. There was a moment where Minjae shyly gave her a gift: a simple bracelet he made from a piece of string and beads.

"You made this?" Yura laughed.

"Don't judge," Minjae replied, embarrassed. "I watched a video."

She wore it anyway.

Even the background music changed. Light, happy piano tracks filled the scenes, and fans watching felt like their hearts were full.

But halfway through the episode… the mood of the scene shifted.

Minjae got a call. He stepped out of the café. And as he left, Yura's eyes followed him.

Later that day, while Minjae was gone, Yura came across an article.

A tabloid headline.

"Idol 'TY' Dating Rumors Resurface—Secret Photos May Be Revealed Soon."

It had his face.

Her heart dropped.

She scrolled through, eyes wide. Photos of Minjae in his idol days. Stage lights. Screaming fans.

Everything she didn't know.

Everything he hadn't told her.

When Minjae returned, he found her standing alone.

"You're… an idol?" she asked, voice low.

Minjae sat up straighter on his couch.

"I was," Minjae replied. "But I left all that behind."

"You didn't tell me," Yura said. "You let me walk around with you, not knowing anything. Do you know how that makes me look now?"

"It wasn't like that," Minjae said quickly. "I wasn't hiding it. I just… didn't want it to change how you saw me."

Yura took a step back.

"You didn't trust me enough to let me in."

Minjae's eyes faltered. "No. That's not it. I just wanted us to be real. Without all of that."

"But it was always real, Minjae. And now I feel like a fool."

The last shot was of Yura walking away, tears in her eyes, while Minjae stood frozen.

It faded to black.

And the episode ended.

This time, there was silence for a beat before the chaos online began again.

"WHY WOULD YOU END IT LIKE THAT?????"

"Yura BABY PLEASE DON'T CRY 😭😭😭"

"HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD HER I GET IT BUT ALSO MY HEART HURTS"

"I WAS SMILING ALL EPISODE AND NOW I'M SOBBING"

"Minjae and Yura's acting here??? Give them their awards now."

"THEY WERE JUST HAPPY 😭😭"

Viewers flooded the comment sections.

Some were furious. Some were heartbroken. Most were begging for the next episode.

Episode 11 ended with a viewership rating of 13.7%.

The highest so far.

Minjae sat on his couch, feeling strangely full and empty at the same time.

He knew what was coming. He had filmed the scene. But even he wasn't ready for how much it hit.

And neither were the fans.

All across the internet, the drama was once again dominating trends.

#StarsSecretEp10

#MinjaeYuraBreakup

#MyHeartHurts

#MinjaeYuraMasterclass

It was the kind of episode that people would remember. The one that reminded everyone that even the softest love stories had conflict. That even the most careful people had secrets they feared would ruin everything.

Minjae looked at his phone.

No new messages.

Even Yura hadn't texted this time.

And he understood why.

Because like everyone else… they needed a moment to breathe.

- - - -

The morning after Episode 10 aired, the online world was still a mess of emotions.

Fans were heartbroken, frustrated, and desperate for the next part of the story. Social media was flooded with edits of Minjae and Yura's sweet moments from earlier in the episode—juxtaposed painfully with the moment she walked away from him in tears.

One fan wrote on a popular drama forum:

"I feel personally attacked. How can they give us all those cute moments and then punch us in the gut like that?!"

Another said:

"This is emotional warfare. I haven't cried this hard over a drama in years."

The trending hashtags didn't fade overnight like usual. They lingered well into the next morning:

#MinjaeAndYura

#StarsSecretEp10

#TheBreakupThatHurt

#WhyDidn'tHeTellHer

#ProtectYura

#GiveMinjaeAHug

By 9 a.m., entertainment headlines were already spinning:

"The Star's Secret Hits Emotional Peak—Fans React to Minjae and Yura's First Fight"

"Minjae and Yura Deliver Heart-Wrenching Performances in Episode 11"

"Love and Secrets: The Breakup Scene That Shook Viewers"

The production team didn't release a statement, but Global Studios quietly uploaded new behind-the-scenes stills from Episodes 10 and 11. One photo showed Yura and Minjae rehearsing the rooftop confession, both smiling and looking relaxed. Another showed them reviewing lines right before the confrontation scene—Minjae looking serious, Yura biting her lip as she read through the pages.

Fans were quick to notice the contrast.

"They must've had such a hard time filming this. The emotion is too raw."

Meanwhile, over at the offices of the team behind Chasing Dreams, the mood wasn't quite so celebratory.

A few staff members were in the middle of a planning session when someone read the latest viewership numbers aloud.

"Episode 10… 13.7%. They passed us again."

A silence fell across the table.

One of the senior producers frowned and leaned back in his chair.

"What is going on with this drama? They don't even have a big-name writer."

Another assistant mumbled, "It's the chemistry. People really believe it. That, and their team's marketing is killing it. Every clip, every photo—they time everything."

Another added, "It's not just buzz anymore. The writing's good. Quiet, but emotional. People are attached."

The producer sighed, flipping his pen between his fingers. "They're not even trying to outshine us yet that's what's happening.