After two years of silence, the news of Kim Ara being spotted at a shopping mall spread like wildfire. Every news channel, online platform, and social media site buzzed with the report. The sudden reappearance of the young idol, who had remained out of the public eye for so long, stirred up great excitement, drawing everyone's attention to her once again.
Joon, busy organizing his work at the office as usual, was shaken by the breaking news. He didn't even need to hear his boss's words to know what was coming. And just as expected, the order came without delay: "Get over there immediately and capture Kim Ara!"
Ahn Joon quickly gathered his equipment and set out. While everyone was shocked by Kim Ara's return, for Joon, this assignment was no different from any other. He had never been particularly interested in idols and even carried a subtle bias against them. He barely even knew who Kim Ara was, but none of that mattered—he had to do his job professionally.
Upon arriving at the event venue, Joon was taken aback by the scene before him. The shopping mall was flooded with people—a sea of reporters, photographers, and fans, all eager to catch a glimpse of the young idol. It was chaos. Slinging his camera over his shoulder, he braced himself and pushed forward into the crowd. But moving through the throng was nearly impossible; it felt as if he were lost in a dense, unyielding forest.
Determined to reach a better position, Joon used his elbows to push past other cameramen. Just as he managed to carve out a small space for himself, a moment of carelessness caused him to bump into someone. Lifting his gaze, he found himself staring directly into the eyes of Kim Ara.
Fear and tension were written all over her face. The relentless flashes, the overwhelming crowd, the suffocating attention—Ara was clearly struggling under the weight of it all.
But Joon had no time to dwell on that. He had to suppress the unexpected wave of empathy that washed over him. At that moment, his personal feelings didn't matter. His job required him to remain detached, to focus solely on capturing the best possible shot. That was the rule—professionalism above all else.
Taking a deep breath, Joon raised his camera. He focused his lens on Kim Ara, his fingers hovering over the shutter button. The flashing lights illuminated her expression, each frame revealing the raw vulnerability beneath her composed exterior. She was both fragile and deeply unsettled by the intense scrutiny surrounding her.
Joon pressed the shutter repeatedly, determined not to miss a single moment. This was his work, and no matter what, he had to do it well.
Kim Ara's return after two years had sent shockwaves through the media and the public. Everyone was glued to their screens, eager for even the slightest update about her. The frenzy surrounding her comeback was like a storm, and Ahn Joon found himself right in the eye of it. His company had given him a direct order: track Kim Ara's every move and document everything. He had no choice but to comply.
Her reappearance fueled endless speculation in the press. Every step she took was scrutinized, analyzed, and dissected. But for Joon, things were not going as planned. Days passed, yet he still hadn't been able to capture a single new photo of Ara. She moved with an almost unnatural caution, slipping away unnoticed time and time again. Chasing her felt like chasing a shadow.
With each failed attempt, the pressure on Joon mounted. The harsh warnings from his boss felt like a whip lashing at his back. Every call, every message reminded him of his growing failure. Frustration gnawed at him, and the fear of losing his job began to creep in. He had to find a way to locate and photograph Ara—and fast.
One evening, exhausted by the relentless stress, Joon stepped into a small, quiet café on the side of the street. He ordered a cup of coffee and sank into a chair, his mind tangled in thoughts of how to solve his dilemma. The task was becoming suffocating, the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him like a vice.
As he wrestled with his thoughts, his eyes absentmindedly wandered toward the café's window...