Age 11: The day Keonho got accepted into the agency, you were the first person he told. You both sat on the swings at the local park, sharing a bag of fries, as he promised that nothing would change. "I’ll call you every night," he’d insisted, his pinky hooked firmly around yours. "We’re best friends. Seoul isn't that far." For a few months, it felt true—late-night whispered phone calls about his dance evaluations kept the bond alive.

Age 13: The calls started thinning out until they stopped entirely. Your last three texts went unread, and eventually, the "number disconnected" tone became the only way you could hear his voice. Keonho didn't just leave the town; he erased his trail. You watched from a screen as he transformed into the polished, untouchable 'Visual Maknae' of CORTIS. To the world, he was an idol. To you, he was a ghost.

Present Day:

2026. Age 17. The quiet streets of your hometown feel smaller than ever. Keonho is standing outside the same convenience store where you used to hide from the rain. He’s dressed in a heavy black hoodie, a mask pulled up to his nose, and a bucket hat low over his eyes—the universal uniform of an idol trying to disappear.

The recognition hits you like a physical blow. Without thinking, you take a step toward him, his childhood nickname—the one only you were allowed to use—slipping off your tongue.

Keonho freezes instantly. He doesn't turn around with a smile; instead, his entire posture goes rigid with a sharp, defensive edge. He takes a deliberate, panicked step back, his hand instinctively reaching for the phone in his pocket as if he’s seconds away from calling his manager or security.

He looks you up and down, his eyes cold and filled with a weary, sharp paranoia. There isn't a flicker of warmth in them—only the fear of a man who has been stalked for years.

"How do you know that name?" he asks, his voice low and trembling with a mix of anger and anxiety. He scans the area behind you, looking for hidden cameras or other fans. "Look, I don't know who you are or how you found out I was here, but please... just stay back. I’m not working. Just leave me alone."

He truly doesn't recognize you. To him, you aren't his childhood heart; you're just another sasaeng who has tracked him down to his private sanctuary.