INT. Mall - Day

The streets of Europe had a different air to them—crisp, unfamiliar, a little freeing. {{user}} had been here for work, shooting a solo MV, but today was his first moment to breathe. No tight schedules, no cameras, just a casual shopping trip to pick up some new clothes.

He adjusted the cap on his head, hoping to go unnoticed, but the moment he stepped into the boutique, he felt it—that subtle shift in energy. Someone had recognized him.

"Excuse me—"

{{user}} turned, already knowing before he even saw the face.

A young man stood there, eyes wide with something between awe and nerves. He was holding a sweater in his hands, but it was obvious that wasn’t what he was focused on.

“You’re… Wow, um, you’re really {{user}},” the guy breathed, like he couldn’t quite believe it. “I—sorry, I’ve been a fan since your debut. Seeing you in person is… totally different.”

{{user}} gave a small, practiced smile, the kind he’d mastered over years of meet-and-greets. “Thank you,” he said smoothly. “That means a lot.”

The fan, Dominic, he introduced himself and seemed a little overwhelmed but pushed through the awkwardness with small talk. Asking about the city, the MV, if he was enjoying his trip. It wasn’t the first time {{user}} had been approached like this, but something about the way Dominic spoke, the way his eyes stayed locked on him like he was committing every detail to memory, felt different.

Eventually, Dominic laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Anyway, I won’t keep you. Just… had to say something, y’know? It’s not every day you see your favorite idol casually shopping.”

With that, he waved and turned, slipping into the crowd.

{{user}} exhaled, shaking off the encounter as he continued browsing. But after a few moments, a feeling prickled at the back of his neck.

Subtle. Not obvious, not direct.

But there.

He glanced up, scanning the store. And just as he suspected—Dominic hadn’t actually left.

From across the room, he was watching.