Legendary Superstar

Backstage, the energy was just as warm as it was on the stage. The moment they stepped down and return on the backstage, they all let out a collective breath. They were all tired, but their excitement hadn't washed completely yet.

Jihoon flopped onto the nearest couch, his face was still red from laughing so hard.

"Oh my god, guys! That was insane. I didn't think they'd scream that loud for us!"

Yura sat beside him. A staff was carefully unpinning the mic on her shirt as she laughed.

"I thought I'd be nervous the entire time… but honestly, I didn't want it to end."

Seojin gently set her gift box down on a table nearby. There were still some left since she purposely made some extra.

"Me too. I thought I'd be too nervous to enjoy it," she said quietly, "but they made it so easy to feel comfortable. I feel like they're throats will be sore after today."

"Yeah, I know right. They really screamed their lungs out." Haejin added from where he stood, his voice was a little more relaxed than usual.

"It wasn't like any fan event I imagined. I mean… we haven't been to one so maybe we're just really new to this."

Haejin smiled to himself. He was still thinking about the crowd's reaction to his tea blend. The thought that someone out there would drink it and think of him made his heart feel a little fuller.

Meanwhile, Minjae sat down on the armrest of the couch. He was sipping water from a paper cup, trying to completely cool off his body. He didn't say anything yet, letting the 4 share their excitement over the matter.

He could completely relate to them. When he first experienced meeting fans in a venue, he couldn't shake off the nervous feeling in his chest. But the moment their cheers echoed in his ears, he felt something click inside him—like for a brief moment, he was complete.

That feeling pushed him to work even harder, so that the crowd cheering for him wouldn't just stay—they'd be proud of him, too.

It might seem like a small thing to others, but for rising actors like them, it meant everything.

It was their everything.

But today, there was just something different about it.

Maybe it was because this drama was his first true lead role in this life. Or maybe because it was his first time meeting that much fans. Or maybe… it was because this time, the fans weren't just there for him—they were there for the story, for the cast, for everyone.

Minjae's heart still felt a little warm from earlier. From the fan who couldn't stop smiling when they saw him. From the cheers that didn't stop even after the last segment.

Everyone's energy was just palpable.

"You're smiling like someone in love, Hyung," Jihoon teased, nudging Minjae with his foot.

Minjae laughed, shaking his head.

"Stupid. I was just happy that the event was successful, even if the notice was short. They were cheering for everyone."

Jihoon stretched his arms above his head, then let them fall dramatically across the back of the couch.

"I know right, Hyung. Well, mission accomplished. My ears are still ringing but in the best way."

"Yeah. I think I still have goosebumps," Yura added, glancing down at her arms. "Is that weird? That it made me feel like… I was doing a good job.?"

"No," Seojin said, softly but firmly. "It's not weird. I felt the same."

"Same here," Haejin agreed, walking over to grab a water bottle from the cooler. "They made us feel seen. It wasn't just cheering for the characters—they cheered for us. Like for real."

Minjae leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on his knees, his paper cup now empty in his hands.

"That's why we need to work harder."

They all looked at him.

"Look…: He smiled lightly. "We act, we film, we barely sleep. But then, just one night like this… and everything feels worth it."

"Yeah…"

"I know, right, hyung? One day, I'll be as successful as you."

"Quit dreaming Jihoon." Yura teasingly uttered, which made Jihoon pout.

"Excuse me, everyone. H just a reminder—we're due at the broadcast station by 8 AM tomorrow. The call time is at six." At the middle of their conversation, a staff member peeked in from the hallway.

A groan erupted from the room.

"Six?!" Jihoon dropped his head back. "I was gonna go home and cry about how happy I am, but now I'm just gonna cry."

Yura chuckled. "We can cry in the car."

Haejin raised a brow. "Speak for yourselves. I'm going to sleep the second I get home."

"I already forgot how to set my alarm," Seojin murmured.

"Come on," Minjae stood and grabbed his jacket. "Let's go. We deserve at least four hours of sleep."

As they gathered their things and filed out of the room, the laughter continued. They were exhausted, but in the best way possible.

They waved goodnight to the remaining crew as they exited the venue and headed toward their waiting cars.

Meanwhile, on the internet, the night was far from over.

Photos from the fan meeting flooded every platform—group shots, selfies, clips of fans receiving gifts, and endless posts about Minjae's arm around that one lucky fan's shoulder.

"Minjae oppa… i still can't believe you did that 😭😭😭"

"My hands are shaking y'all. i got haejin's tea set and i'm sipping it now like it's the elixir of life."

"Yura's gift smelled so good i'm never opening it. it's now air freshener and shrine."

"Jihoon's jokes inside the box?? who raised this man 😭"

"Seojin's notebook is the prettiest thing i own. like… why is she so elegant???"

A trending hashtag took over that night:

#TheStarsSecretFanEvent

Under it, hundreds of clips and photos were continuously being shared every second. Fans wrote long threads about their experience—how the event felt personal, how the cast was humble and genuine, how it didn't feel like just another promotion for a drama.

The phrase "it felt like a dream" showed up in multiple languages across platforms.

By midnight, the drama title had climbed the trending list again, and a clip of Jihoon joking with a fan went viral on Ustube's front page. Another reel of Minjae guiding a crying fan gently off the stage reached over 500,000 views in just two hours.

And while the cast finally fell asleep in their apartments or dorms, exhausted from the long day, the world continued to talk about them.

Photos of the gift tables circulated widely, with fans analyzing each wrapping, ribbon, and handwriting detail like they were decoding some secrets.

People were posting pictures of their chosen gift along with emotional captions.

"I can't believe I got a gift Yura wrapped erself. This is insane. I'm crying again."

"I held Haejin's tea in my hands and felt peace enter my soul. this is better than therapy."

"Seojin's notebook?? It was so pretty."

"Not me sniffing jihoon's gift bag like a weirdo… but it smells like ramyeon 😭"

"Minjae's gift box had a card that said 'thank you for believing in me' and i just… I need a minute😭😭😭"

Clips from the "Guess Who is the Star" game spread fast. Fans captioned their favorite moments, edited them into memes, and even looped Jihoon and Seungho's bro-hug with sparkles and slow motion.

"Jihoon was like 'c'mere bro' and i've never been more jealous of a fan in my life."

"The way minjae gently guided that fan offstage… husband energy. Please wife me up soon?."

"You guys… I went there thinking that I'd just see some actors but I didn't expect that I'd came out of the venue with my heart full."

"When Yura looked directly at me while waving… i blacked out for a second."

"Haejin's line in the card was so soft. 'For your quiet days'?? Sir, step aside and I will protect you."

The comment sections on the drama clips were also suddenly filled with mentions of the fan event.

"After seeing them today, I'm even more invested in this drama. Can't wait for episode 3 in 2 days!"

"This is how you build a fandom. not just hype, but connection."

By 2 a.m., international fans began translating and re-posting clips in multiple languages—Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French, and more.

"This cast is really something else."

"Can someone stream their next event? please?? The world deserves to witness this wholesomeness."

"Is there another event like this?"

"Today reminded me of why I love Korean dramas. It's not just about the story, it's about the people who bring it to life."

"i didn't even think I'd get in to this drama. but when seojin smiled at me, i felt seen for the first time in weeks."

"Thank you, 'The Star's Secret' cast. you gave me something to hold on to."

The hashtag #TheStarsSecretFanEvent didn't just trend in Korea—it appeared globally, with thousands of mentions across platforms.