Tú Corea, mi mundo.

CHARACTER CONTINUITY / VISUAL REFERENCE · Alex · * 28, Spanish, graphic/visual designer at Aurora Entertainment. · * Bright natural orange hair, clearly visible and consistent. · * Well-kept, clearly visible beard. · * Same face, identity, and proportions throughout. · * Friendly, respectful, calm, with a natural sense of humor. · * In this chapter, he is surprised and increasingly overwhelmed by the sudden attention, but never loses his kindness. · * He is not ashamed of the relationship and does not regret being with Seo-yeon. · * Owns a glossy black Kia K5 sports sedan with black interior. · Han Seo-yeon · * 27, South Korean actress. · * Long dark-brown hair, expressive dark-brown eyes, delicate features. · * Elegant, reserved, intelligent, emotionally mature. · * She has spent much of the story keeping her feelings private because of fear of media attention and the consequences for Alex. · * In this chapter, she is frightened by the situation but gradually realizes that hiding Alex is no longer protecting either of them. · * She ultimately chooses to acknowledge their relationship publicly and then defines it privately with Alex. · Ha-neul · * 27, Seo-yeon's childhood best friend. · * Long blonde hair flowing past her shoulders. · * Angular face, defined cheekbones, sharper jawline. · * Light eyebrows, expressive confident eyes, mischievous smile. · * Slim athletic silhouette and confident body language. · * Not a major presence in this chapter. · ⸻ · SCENE 1 — "The Photos" · LOCATION: Alex's apartment — INSIDE · TIME: Around 7:30 AM · LIGHTING: Soft morning light entering through the bedroom curtains. · SETTING: Quiet apartment. Alex is asleep, his phone charging on the nightstand. · The phone vibrates. · Alex moves under the blanket. · Another vibration. · He reaches for it without opening his eyes. · The screen is filled with notifications. · Several news alerts. · One message from Seo-yeon. · SEO-YEON: · Alex, wake up and look at this. Please. · Alex sits up. · He opens one of the news articles. · His expression changes. · The headline reads: · "HAN SEO-YEON'S MYSTERY MAN: THE COUPLE THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN WATCHING." · Below it are several photographs. · Alex and Seo-yeon walking through Seoul. · Another photo outside a café. · Another in a park. · Another buying ice cream. · Another beside the glossy black Kia K5. · Another with their hands intertwined. · Another of them walking together at night. · And finally, a distant photograph of them kissing. · Alex scrolls. · There are even more. · Different days. · Different locations. · Moments he had never noticed anyone photographing. · Someone has been following them. · His phone rings. · Seo-yeon. · Alex answers. · ALEX · Morning. · There is silence for a moment. · SEO-YEON · Did you see them? · ALEX · Yeah. · SEO-YEON · I'm so sorry. · Alex looks at the photographs again. · ALEX · For what, exactly? · SEO-YEON · All of this. · ALEX · You didn't take the pictures. · She says nothing. · ALEX · You okay? · SEO-YEON · I don't know. · A pause. · SEO-YEON · There's so many of them. · ALEX · Yeah, I noticed. · SEO-YEON · They're asking who you are. · Alex looks at the headline again. · ALEX · Guess I'm famous now. · Seo-yeon lets out a tiny nervous laugh. · SEO-YEON · Alex... · ALEX · I'm okay. · SEO-YEON · You sure? · Alex thinks for a moment. · ALEX · Not really. · A beat. · ALEX · But I'm not panicking either. · Seo-yeon remains silent. · ALEX · We'll figure it out. · SEO-YEON · Together? · Alex smiles faintly. · ALEX · Together. · ⸻ · SCENE 2 — "You Don't Have to Work Today" · LOCATION: Aurora Entertainment, design department — INSIDE · TIME: Around 9:30 AM · LIGHTING: Bright office lighting mixed with daylight through the windows. · SETTING: The office is unusually distracted. Several employees are checking their phones and quietly discussing the photographs. · Alex enters. · Ji-eun immediately notices him. · JI-EUN · Alex. · He looks at her. · ALEX · Morning. · She studies his face. · JI-EUN · You okay? · ALEX · Think so. · She shows him her phone. · The same article is open. · JI-EUN · There's more of them now. · Alex looks. · ALEX · Yeah, I saw. · A supervisor approaches. · SUPERVISOR · Alex. · Alex turns. · SUPERVISOR · You don't have to stay today. · Alex looks surprised. · ALEX · What? · SUPERVISOR · If you'd rather take the day off, that's completely fine. We get what's going on. · Alex looks around the office. · Nobody seems hostile. · But people are definitely looking at him differently. · ALEX · Yeah, maybe I'll take it. · SUPERVISOR · Good call. · ALEX · Thanks. · Ji-eun looks at him. · JI-EUN · Want me to come with you? · Alex smiles. · ALEX · No, I'll be fine. · JI-EUN · Call me if you need anything. · ALEX · I will. · Alex picks up his bag and leaves. · ⸻ · SCENE 3 — "The Other Side of Fame" · LOCATION: Shopping street near Alex's apartment — OUTSIDE · TIME: Around 11:30 AM · LIGHTING: Bright late-morning daylight. · SETTING: Busy Seoul shopping area with cafés, convenience stores, restaurants, and pedestrians. · Alex walks through the street carrying a small shopping bag. · He stops at a convenience store. · When he comes back outside, two young women are looking at him. · One whispers something to the other. · They approach. · WOMAN · Excuse me... · Alex stops. · ALEX · Yeah? · She looks at him carefully. · WOMAN · Are you Alex? · He hesitates. · ALEX · Uh... yeah. · Her friend smiles. · WOMAN · The guy who's been with Han Seo-yeon? · Alex gives an awkward smile. · ALEX · Apparently. · They laugh. · WOMAN · Could we get a picture with you? · Alex looks around. · A few other people are beginning to recognize him. · ALEX · Sure, why not. · They take a photo. · Then another person approaches. · MAN · Are you seriously Seo-yeon's boyfriend? · Alex looks slightly uncomfortable. · ALEX · That's probably a question for her. · The man laughs. · Another person asks for a picture. · Then another. · Alex remains polite. · He agrees to a couple more. · But the attention keeps growing. · Someone calls his name from across the street. · Alex realizes he is no longer simply a stranger walking through Seoul. · Not even close to Seo-yeon's level of fame. · But enough. · Enough for him to understand. · He raises one hand apologetically. · ALEX · Sorry, everyone, I really gotta go. · He walks away. · After a few meters, he looks back. · Then continues. · ⸻ · SCENE 4 — "We're Going to Get Through This" · LOCATION: Alex's apartment — INSIDE · TIME: Around 3:30 PM · LIGHTING: Warm afternoon sunlight through the living room windows. · SETTING: Quiet apartment. Shopping bags rest on the kitchen counter. · Alex puts his groceries away. · His phone vibrates. · A message from Seo-yeon. · SEO-YEON: · You home? · ALEX: · Yeah. · Another message arrives. · SEO-YEON: · Can I come over? · ALEX: · Of course. · ⸻ · SCENE 5 — "Together" · LOCATION: Alex's apartment, living room — INSIDE · TIME: Around 4:00 PM · LIGHTING: Soft golden afternoon light. · SETTING: Quiet, private apartment. Seoul traffic is faintly audible outside. · Seo-yeon sits on the sofa. · Alex brings her tea. · She takes the cup. · SEO-YEON · Thanks. · Alex sits beside her. · For several seconds, neither speaks. · ALEX · Today was interesting. · Seo-yeon looks at him. · SEO-YEON · What happened? · ALEX · People recognized me. · Her expression immediately changes. · SEO-YEON · What? · ALEX · It's okay. · He smiles. · ALEX · Wasn't that bad, honestly. · SEO-YEON · Alex... · ALEX · Really. · He pauses. · ALEX · But I get you a lot better now. · Seo-yeon looks down. · SEO-YEON · I'm sorry. · Alex shakes his head. · ALEX · You don't need to apologize. · SEO-YEON · Feels like this is my fault. · ALEX · It's not. · He looks at her. · ALEX · I chose to be with you. · She looks back at him. · ALEX · I knew your life wasn't exactly normal. · A small pause. · ALEX · Just didn't realize how much of it followed you around. · Seo-yeon smiles sadly. · SEO-YEON · Honestly, neither did I sometimes. · They sit quietly. · SEO-YEON · I'm scared. · Alex nods. · ALEX · Me too. · She looks surprised. · SEO-YEON · You are? · ALEX · A little. · He smiles. · ALEX · Just better at hiding it, I guess. · She laughs softly. · The tension eases. · Alex looks at her. · ALEX · Whatever happens next, we'll get through it. · Seo-yeon watches him. · ALEX · Together. · Her expression softens. · SEO-YEON · Together. · She places her hand over his. · Neither says anything else. · ⸻ · SCENE 6 — "The Questions" · LOCATION: Television studio — INSIDE · TIME: Two days later, around 2:00 PM · LIGHTING: Bright professional studio lighting. · SETTING: Promotional interview for Seo-yeon's upcoming film Between Us. Large posters featuring Seo-yeon and Kang Min-jae are visible behind her. · Seo-yeon sits across from the interviewer. · The interview begins normally. · Questions about the film. · Her character. · Working with Kang Min-jae. · The production. · The upcoming premiere. · Seo-yeon answers naturally and professionally. · Then the interviewer glances down at his tablet. · INTERVIEWER · There's one topic that's drawn quite a bit of attention lately. · Seo-yeon knows immediately. · She remains composed. · INTERVIEWER · Several photographs of you have surfaced online with a Spanish man named Alex. · Seo-yeon listens. · INTERVIEWER · You've been seen together many times over the past few weeks. · He mentions several examples. · Cafés. · Parks. · Restaurants. · The car dealership. · Walking together. · Holding hands. · The interviewer pauses. · INTERVIEWER · People want to know who he is. · Seo-yeon looks down briefly. · She knows what she could say. · She also knows what she has been afraid of saying. · INTERVIEWER · Is he your boyfriend? · Silence. · Seo-yeon looks back at the interviewer. · SEO-YEON · Yes. · The interviewer looks surprised. · INTERVIEWER · So you're confirming you're in a relationship? · Seo-yeon takes a small breath. · SEO-YEON · Yes. · A pause. · SEO-YEON · Alex and I are together. · The interviewer continues carefully. · INTERVIEWER · When did this start? · Seo-yeon's expression becomes more reserved. · SEO-YEON · That's something I'd rather keep between us. · The interviewer nods. · INTERVIEWER · Are you worried about what this could do to your career? · Seo-yeon thinks for a moment. · SEO-YEON · Of course I've thought about it. · She pauses. · SEO-YEON · But he's not part of my career. · She looks directly at the interviewer. · SEO-YEON · He's part of my life. · A brief silence. · SEO-YEON · And I'd really appreciate it if people respected his privacy. · The interviewer nods. · Seo-yeon remains composed. · But underneath that calm expression, she knows she has just changed everything. · ⸻ · SCENE 7 — "What Are We?" · LOCATION: Alex's apartment, living room — INSIDE · TIME: Around 8:00 PM · LIGHTING: Warm, quiet evening lighting. Seoul's lights are visible through the window. · SETTING: Alex's apartment. The television is off. Seo-yeon sits beside Alex on the sofa. · Seo-yeon has just arrived. · Alex pours her some water. · She takes the glass. · ALEX · So... · She looks at him. · ALEX · You actually did it. · Seo-yeon smiles nervously. · SEO-YEON · I did. · ALEX · Sounded really calm, too. · SEO-YEON · I wasn't, trust me. · Alex laughs softly. · They sit in silence for a moment. · Then Seo-yeon speaks. · SEO-YEON · When they asked me... · She pauses. · SEO-YEON · I realized I was still trying to protect something that was already real. · Alex listens. · SEO-YEON · I kept thinking if I just didn't say anything, your life could stay normal. · She looks down. · SEO-YEON · But your life hasn't been normal for a while now. · Alex smiles faintly. · ALEX · Not exactly, no. · She looks at him. · SEO-YEON · I'm sorry if I made you feel like I was hiding you. · ALEX · You weren't hiding me. · He pauses. · ALEX · You were scared. · Seo-yeon nods. · SEO-YEON · Yeah. · A long silence. · SEO-YEON · But I don't want fear running the show anymore. · Alex looks at her. · ALEX · Good. · She smiles slightly. · Then becomes serious again. · SEO-YEON · There's something I need to say. · Alex waits. · SEO-YEON · I don't want this to be something that only exists because the media found out. · She takes a breath. · SEO-YEON · I don't want to be with you just because now everyone expects it. · Alex looks at her carefully. · ALEX · Okay. · SEO-YEON · I want to be with you because... · She struggles to find the words. · Alex doesn't interrupt. · SEO-YEON · Because I want you in my life. · A small pause. · SEO-YEON · Not just when we're alone. · She looks directly at him. · SEO-YEON · Not just when nobody's watching. · Alex's expression softens. · She continues. · SEO-YEON · I want to choose you. · Her voice is quiet. · But certain. · SEO-YEON · Even if it scares me. · Alex looks at her for a moment. · He doesn't need to ask what she means. · But Seo-yeon says it anyway. · SEO-YEON · Alex... · She takes a breath. · SEO-YEON · I want you to be my partner. · Alex smiles. · Not the surprised smile from the interview. · Something warmer. · Relieved. · He looks into her eyes. · For a moment, neither speaks. · Then Alex leans toward her and kisses her. · Seo-yeon closes her eyes and kisses him back. · The kiss is gentle and unhurried. · Different from their first kiss. · This time, there is no uncertainty behind it. · When they separate, they remain close. · Seo-yeon smiles. · SEO-YEON · So... · Alex smiles. · SEO-YEON · Guess that makes it official. · Alex glances toward the window. · ALEX · Pretty sure the whole country already knows. · Seo-yeon laughs softly. · She rests her forehead against his. · They stay there for a moment. · Together. · No hiding. · END OF CHAPTER 26