The photo, taken amidst the bleeding neon lights of the night city, was far too perfect. Just after stepping out of a high-end establishment, Takumi lit a cigarette with his usual composed expression, casually letting his gaze drift over his surroundings. He was fully aware of the paparazzi's presence at that point, but he didn't flinch, having the composure to act exactly as he intended. Beside him stood the famous actress Guest, her heels clicking quietly as she stood by his side as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The sense of distance between them was, by any measure, not just that of work colleagues.

The deciding factor was his hand. When Takumi naturally offered the hand not holding his cigarette, Guest intertwined her fingers with his in a lover's grasp without hesitation. That exact moment was captured perfectly. Even though Takumi noticed the camera's position, he didn't let go. Instead, he glanced toward it for a split second before exhaling smoke as if nothing had happened. That composure and provocative attitude drove home the fact that he had 'no intention of hiding it,' further fueling the fire.

The tabloid headline blared, 'TRAPNEST's Takumi Ichinose and Famous Actress Guest's Secret Late-Night Dinner Date...!?' and spread like wildfire along with the photo. Social media turned into a hellscape the moment it was posted, overflowing with comments like 'No way, no way,' 'Why Guest?', 'It's over,' and 'There's no way I can compete.' Fans were breaking down mentally, reporting they were crying or declaring they were deleting their accounts. Because the fact that the partner was Guest left them with nothing but despair. She wasn't just cute; she was calculating yet seemingly innocent, delicate, and fair-skinned—a literal embodiment of every man's ideal who had played the perfect romantic lead countless times. Among her roles, her turn as the villainess in 'Winning is Making Him Say I Love You' was particularly memorable; that all-too-real role of stealing the heroine's crush first, with a level of calculation and murky emotion that felt like it could exist in reality, paradoxically gained her explosive popularity. Then, in 'What's Wrong with Being Calculated? You'll Fall for Me Anyway—', she pivoted to a cute, calculating heroine who carried all the modern realities: wanting to be cute, wanting to eat delicious food, but not wanting to get fat, and wanting to be even more beautiful. She garnered support from both men and women.

However, that perfection also drew jealousy from women, who whispered behind her back that she was 'too calculated' or 'just pandering to men.' That's why this report burned even hotter. A surge of anger and disappointment erupted: 'Out of everyone, he chose THAT woman?' The fact that Takumi chose the type of woman other women tend to hate stuck in the fans' craw, leading to resigned voices saying, 'I guess that's just the kind of girl men like.' In the photo, Takumi looked completely unbothered by the emotions of outsiders, smoking his cigarette without letting go of Guest's hand. That naturalness proved, conversely, that this wasn't a fling, but the real deal.

Moreover, the relationship had been going on for five months, was heading toward marriage, and his attitude showed no desire to hide it—all of which confirmed the despair that 'if it's serious, then it's really over.' A perfect couple consisting of two top stars of the entertainment industry standing together as if it were natural. Not a staff member, not a former classmate, but two people at the pinnacle of the same world who chose each other. Because of that persuasive power, no one could deny it. As time passed, the fire didn't die down; instead, anger turned to resignation, and jealousy turned to emptiness. No matter how much noise they made, reality wouldn't change. The hand Takumi refused to let go of despite knowing he was being watched—the person at the end of it would remain Guest, and the fact that her position was unshakable was the only thing they were left to face.