My Only Star

The Cap

While waiting for his personal assistant to return from the restroom and coffee run, Rain remained inside the comfort of the van.

The day had been exhausting.

Meetings.

Schedules.

People.

Endless conversations.

For the first time since morning, he finally had a moment to himself.

Leaning back against the leather seat, he closed his eyes briefly and enjoyed the rare silence.

Then, without warning—

A face suddenly appeared on the windshield.

Rain nearly jumped out of his seat.

His heart slammed against his ribs.

"What the—"

The curse died on his lips as he blinked at the unexpected intruder.

A second later, surprise gave way to amusement.

The heavily tinted windows hid the van's interior from anyone outside, but from where Rain sat, he could see everything as clearly as if there were no glass at all.

And standing right in front of the windshield was a young woman trying very hard to see through it.

Tilting her head.

Squinting her eyes.

Shifting from one angle to another.

As if she were solving a mystery.

Rain couldn't help it.

A laugh almost escaped him.

Then recognition struck.

Star.

Of course it was her.

Who else could invade his peace without even realizing it?

Rain stared at her through the glass.

A slow smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Again.

Their paths had crossed far too many times for him to consider it ordinary.

At this point, even he was beginning to wonder.

Was this coincidence?

Or was fate being unusually persistent?

Outside, Star eventually seemed to give up on uncovering the van's mysterious occupant.

Instead, she pulled out her phone and began taking selfies.

Rain watched her strike poses with complete confidence.

A small chuckle escaped him.

If only she knew.

If only those windows weren't tinted.

She would have discovered him sitting inside, watching her ridiculous investigation from the very beginning.

And perhaps...

He might've even joined the selfie.

The thought amused him more than it should have.

A few minutes later, several women approached Star.

Rain observed as their faces lit up with excitement.

Even without hearing a word, he immediately understood what was happening.

Fans.

They wanted photographs.

Autographs.

A few precious moments with someone they admired.

At first, Star greeted them with her usual bright smile.

The sight was enough to make anyone smile back.

Then something changed.

Rain's amusement faded.

Slowly.

Almost imperceptibly.

His eyes narrowed.

The smile on Star's face remained, but it no longer reached her eyes.

Those same eyes had begun to shine.

She blinked once.

Twice.

As if forcing something back.

Rain straightened in his seat.

A strange feeling settled in his chest.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

The women continued talking.

Star continued listening.

Then he saw it.

The unmistakable shimmer of unshed tears.

She was trying not to cry.

Trying desperately to remain composed.

Trying to smile despite whatever words were being spoken.

Rain couldn't hear the conversation.

Yet somehow, seeing her struggle was enough.

His chest tightened.

And for reasons he couldn't explain, he disliked what he was seeing.

When the conversation ended and the women finally left, Star lowered her head briefly.

Just for a second.

But that second was enough.

Rain found himself staring.

Still watching.

Still thinking about the sadness lingering behind her smile.

Before he could stop himself, his gaze drifted toward the black baseball cap resting beside him.

His favorite cap.

The one he always wore whenever he went out unnoticed.

The one he almost never lent to anyone.

His hand reached for it.

Almost automatically.

"Ridiculous," he muttered.

Yet he grabbed it anyway.

Taking out a pen, he scribbled a short message into the inside brim of the cap.

Then he lowered the window.

Only slightly.

Just enough to fit his arm through.

Nothing more.

The last thing he wanted was to attract attention.

If someone recognized him here, chaos would follow.

Outside, Star visibly startled when a hand suddenly emerged from the tinted van.

She took an immediate step back.

Rain nearly laughed.

The expression on her face was priceless.

Confused.

Suspicious.

And completely adorable.

When she continued staring blankly at his outstretched arm, Rain gave the cap a small wave.

Still nothing.

Another wave.

Finally.

Understanding dawned on her features.

Rain released a quiet breath.

"Good. At least she's not completely hopeless."

Star cautiously stepped closer before accepting the cap.

Curiosity immediately filled her face.

She turned it over.

Examined it.

Studied it from every angle.

Then she discovered the note.

Rain watched the exact moment her eyes landed on the message.

And watched something soften in her expression afterward.

A strange warmth settled within him.

One that was both unfamiliar... and oddly satisfying.

The driver's door opened.

Breaking the moment.

Carl climbed into the van carrying two cups of coffee.

"Boss, sorry I took so long. The line was craz—"

He stopped mid-sentence.

Rain was staring out the window.

Completely focused on something.

Or rather...

Someone.

Carl blinked.

"Boss?"

No response.

"Boss?"

Rain finally looked away.

Almost as though he had been awakened from a dream.

His expression instantly returned to its usual calm indifference.

The same expression that frightened employees and intimidated business partners alike.

"Let's go."

His voice was steady.

Controlled.

Authoritative.

Yet Carl had worked for him long enough to notice the subtle crack beneath the composure.

Rain sounded suspiciously like a man who had just been caught or like a schoolboy who'd just been caught staring at his crush.

"Uh... right away, Boss."

Trying very hard not to smile, Carl started the engine.

The van eased backward - reverse.

Outside, Star looked up.

Their eyes met through the tinted and windshield.

Then—

She smiled.

The smile was bright.

Grateful.

Genuine.

And somehow capable of lighting up the entire street.

She lifted her hand and waved as if she saw him inside.

Carl instinctively glanced at his boss.

His jaw almost dropped.

Rain was smiling.

Actually smiling.

Not the polite smile he used at events.

Not the professional smile reserved for cameras.

A real smile.

The kind Carl had rarely seen.

Another second and Rain might have waved back.

Then something else caught Carl's attention.

The cap.

Star was still holding it.

Carl's eyes widened.

Wait...

Wasn't that Rain's favorite cap?

The cap nobody was allowed to touch?

The cap he once searched an entire hotel for after misplacing it?

Carl nearly laughed out loud.

Pieces suddenly began falling into place.

The lingering stare.

The smile.

The concern.

The cap.

Everything.

And another realization struck on Carl's

It's the same girl from Rain's suite several nights ago.

A grin spread across his face as he focused on the road ahead.

Oh, this is serious.

Very serious.

For the first time since becoming Rain's driver, Carl had witnessed something extraordinary.

The great Rain.

Cold.

Composed.

Untouchable.

Had finally looked at someone the way men looked at the person stealing their heart.

Carl glanced at the rearview mirror.

Rain was still watching the shrinking figure of Star.

The grin on Carl's face widened as he focused on the road.

The boss has fallen hard.

And judging by the way Rain kept glancing at the rearview mirror even long after Star disappeared from sight...

He might already be hopelessly in love.

Did the pent house keypass that he intentionally slip in the girl's clothes that night did the magic?

Somehow. Maybe.