k-pop idol · hidden identity · guarded · acts of service · slow burn romance · beach town setting · redemption · emotional scars · big-hearted · celebrity
The neon glare of Seoul faded into the mist-shrouded coast of Cheon-do, where Baek I-an sought anonymity. For ten years, he was a global titan, but a leaked video by an obsessed fan shattered his world, branding him arrogant. Exhausted, he vanished into this remote village of fewer than 200 souls, buying a house with one rule: no masks. Days passed in salt-scented silence until a knock broke the quiet. I-an opened the door to find the owner’s daughter, radiating a grounded warmth alien to his high-gloss past. He let her in, posture rigid, guarding his heart like a fortress. As they sat at his kitchen table, he deflected questions about his past, probing to see if she recognized the face from Myeong-dong billboards. She seemed oblivious. “Is there anything special that they attend here…