Legendary Superstar

Three days passed by in a blur.

After the meeting with the legal team, Minjae had been advised by the agency to rest and continue to lay low. That means no interviews, no online activity, and no scheduled shoot for him unless strictly necessary.

After a continuous busy week, for the first time in what felt like felt forever, he had nothing to do.

The first day of it was strange. He was still a little bit affected by the rumors. Silence fell on the four corners of his apartment, however it was not suffocating.

On the second day, it became easier. From the rest, he was able to think clearly and refresh his mind. Instead of dwelling on the issue further, he decided to watch drama instead, especially the performances of the other actors with whom he was competing.

By the third day, though, he wanted to move already. He wished to go out and meet people.

On the 4th day, that wish was granted.

In the morning, Minjae had a scheduled variety show to attend. It was arranged by the Global Studios. Prior to the issue, his agency had already agreed to it in the past, so it was something that they couldn't just postpone, as the production crew was already ready for it.

The sun was only beginning to rise when Minjae arrived at the shoot location.

The shoot will be set outdoors. It's a variety show wherein they need to move around, be it accomplishing small missions or interacting with fans.

Though the weather was clear, the air was still biting cold. Minjae wore thick layers of clothes to help him keep warm. His breath was visible in the air as he stepped out of the van.

Despite being a little nervous about being back in front of people again, it wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be.

That was because Minjae knew that he wasn't alone.

"Hyung! You're finally here!" Jihoon's voice was the first thing he heard as he approached the rows of styling tents.

Jihoon quickly jogged up to him. He was bundled in his own padded jacket and beanie. He looked like he had also just arrived at the location.

"How are you, hyung?" Jihoon asked as he came to a stop beside him.

"Better now," Minjae replied honestly. He tucked his hands into his coat's pocket, glancing around the unfamiliar set.

"Good, hyung. I knew you'd be fine." Jihoon grinned.

Without missing a chance, he reached out and nudged Minjae lightly on the shoulder.

"Come on, hyung. Yura's already inside the styling tent. She's been asking where you are like every five minutes."

Minjae chuckled softly.

"You are being dramatic again, aren't you?"

"Nope," Jihoon said with a laugh. "When did I become dramatic, Hyung? That doesn't' sound like me."

"You fool…" Minjae shook his head at the shamelessness.

"Hahaha, come on hyung."

Without answering, Minjae just sighed and nodded. The two walked side by side toward the row of tents set up near the production area. Their breath fogged in the cold air and the ground beneath their feet felt cold and lightly frosted.

As the two walked, a few staff moved around them moved around while carrying props and camera equipment.

"Come on, hyung."

When they reached the tent assigned to their team, Jihoon held the door open and ushered Minjae inside.

"Look who finally showed up," Yura's teasing voice greeted them the moment they stepped in.

She was seated in front of a full-length mirror with a stylist fixing the layers of her outfit. A thick quilted vest was draped over her long sleeves, and she had a hot pack in both hands. Her hair was half-tied, giving her a fresh and effortless look.

"Morning." Minjae smiled and greeted her

"Morning, Oppa," Yura answered, her voice warmer now. "I'm lad to see you."

"Same," Minjae answered, his voice quiet but sincere.

A stylist gestured toward the empty seat beside Yura, already prepped with products and clothes. Minjae sat down and shrugged off his coat as his own styling session began. Another staff member brought over a tray of warm drinks, handing each of them a paper cup.

Today's shoot had a "casual winter adventure" theme. Since they would be outdoors and would move around a lot, the outfits that they will wear were simple but layered for warmth.

Minjae's assigned look was a soft beige fleece jacket over a cream thermal sweater, with fitted black cargo pants and sneakers. A muted green beanie and scarf completed the look. He looked cozy but camera-ready.

"Feels kind of nice being back out here," Yura said after a moment, looking at Minjae through the mirror.

"Yeah," Minjae replied. "I didn't think I'd miss it, but I did."

Jihoon leaned forward from his chair on the other side, face half-covered in base makeup. "You're not the only one, hyung. You should've seen Yura yesterday. She kept bugging me, asking if you'd show up today."

"I did not!" Yura exclaimed, swatting lightly in Jihoon's direction.

"You did too!" Jihoon laughed.

Minjae just shook his head, the corners of his lips tugging into a quiet smile.

The noise, the teasing, he missed it. It felt like a good start to a better day.

And for the first time in a while, Minjae didn't feel like someone who had just come out of a controversy.

He felt like an actor again. Just a person doing what he loved.

After a few more minutes of playful teasing and final touch-ups, one of the staff members peeked into the styling tent.

"Minjae-ssi, Jihoon-ssi, Yura-ssi—PD-nim is calling everyone for a quick cast meeting before the cameras roll," she announced politely.

Jihoon clapped his hands together, already halfway to standing. "Let's go!"

Yura rolled her eyes and stood up, patting her coat down. "You're too excited."

"Of course, I am! The show is popular!" Jihoon muttered.

Minjae chuckled and grabbed his cup of tea to warm himself up. The warmth had finally returned to his fingertips, slightly relaxing him. Now that he was fully dressed and styled, he actually felt ready.

The three of them walked out of the tent and toward the designated gathering spot—a large tent that houses the staff of the show. Several production staff and camera crew were already there, setting up lights and prepping handheld cams for the day's shoot.

At the center of it all stood the show's host and creative mind, Yoo Jaehyun—an industry legend who was one of the most sought-after hosts and comedians in today's generation.

His variety program, "Off Track," had grown massively in popularity over the last two years, especially for its unpredictable formats and lovable cast chemistry.

"Off Track" wasn't like other standard variety shows. Every episode had a theme, and instead of staying in a studio, they filmed across different parts of Korea—whether in mountains, farms, seaside towns, or even busy cities.

The goal was always the same: get the cast to "disconnect" from their busy entertainment lives and experience something new.

Today's episode was titled, "Star's Effect – Chaos in the Cold!"

It cast will be joined by Minjae, Yura, and Jihoon.

As they arrived, Minjae spotted the other members already gathered around. He knew them all as the show was really popular, so was the cast.

Each cast had a name for themselves.

Kim Sungbae was one of the rising comedians in today's time. There's also Rina, an idol-turned-comedian who has gained fame after joining a lot f variety shows and being funny in them. There's also Joohwan, an actor who was always full of energy, sometimes too much, but was adored for never holding back.

Yoo Jaehyun stood at the front. He raised his hand when he saw the three of them arrive.

"Ah, our guests of honor are here!" he called out.

Minjae, Yura, and Jihoon immediately bowed their heads and greeted the 4 main cast.

"Are you three ready to freeze outside?"

The three laughed at the question.

"We're ready, Senior." Jihoon answered with a bright smile on his face. He had been watching the show for years, so being here, and meeting the cast was truly a dream come true for him.

"We'll do our best," Minja also answered with a sheepish smile.

"No need to be shy, you three. This isn't a drama shoot." Jaehyun smiled at them. "I'm glad you three are here."

"We are happy too, Senior."

"Yes, this is a good opportunity for us."

Yura and Jihoon answered.

"Alright, listen up, everyone," While they were chatting, the PD of the show tried to get their attention.

"Today's episode is going to be split into three rounds of outdoor missions."

"Survival?!" Joohwan;s brows furrowed.

"Not exactly. But we do have hot packs and very limited food rewards," the PD said with a wink. "So teamwork will matter."

Sungbae let out a long sigh. "I knew skipping breakfast was a mistake."

Laughter broke out among the cast. Even Minjae chuckled. He couldn't help it. This was the exact kind of atmosphere he missed.

"Now, we'll film the opening in ten minutes," the PD wrapped up. "Please get to know each other first while the cameras are being set up."