It all started moving faster than I expected.
Scripts were being written.

Dialogues expanded.

Plot points polished.

The creative team was now in full gear—mapping out every storyboard, every angle, every single emotion in the frame.

Their energy? Unstoppable.

Then came the casting.

The director and casting heads didn't bother with nationwide auditions for the leads. They went straight for Kim Ji Won and Lee Do Hyun—Korea's top-tier. National treasures. Untouchable.

But there was a condition.

They wanted to read the story first.

Not the contract. Not the paycheck.

The story.

They read Chapters 1 through 14 and sat in silence for fifteen whole minutes.

Then Ji Won finally said:"This doesn't scream. It breathes."

Do Hyun followed up:"It's... delicate. Like holding something that's already broken but still warm. I want this role."

Just like that, they signed.

Class A and B actors were chosen to fill the supporting roles. All handpicked by the director himself. He said the story "deserves more than just faces—it needs souls."

Production Officially Started

Mr. Choi called for a policy:"One episode. One chapter. No fillers. No dragging. Every scene must serve the plot."

I had to admit... I admired that.

Until I realized what came next.

I was no longer just the "story guy."

I became a consultant—for everything.

The director wanted me on set, daily.

The scriptwriters, constantly messaging me for clarity on character motivations.

The editors? Asking for mood references, theme music, tonal inspiration.

I was supposed to be thinking about the ending, but instead, I was stuck approving the font size on Clarisse's hospital ID.

I was drowning.

Then—Mr. Choi summoned me to his office.

Mr. Choi's Office

"Min Yee," he said, sliding two folders toward me.

"I want you to meet your apprentices. Han Do mentored you. It's your turn to pass it on."I blinked.

Apprentices?

Enter Seo Jinhyuk and Kang Minjae.

Two fresh-faced prodigies who looked like they'd never pulled an all-nighter over instant noodles and deadline anxiety.

Mr. Choi beamed. "They're top graduates. Different genres, different minds. I want them to learn from the best."

I was still digesting the word "best" when Jinhyuk stepped forward.

"Sir, I've read your older works in DreamNest archives. I'm honored to even be here."

Minjae followed with a smile that was way too sincere:"I cried after Episode 3, sir. You have a gift. I hope I can write even half as beautifully."

They looked at me like I was some literary messiah.

Little did they know... I was winging it.

Still am.

But I nodded. Cool. Collected.

"Alright. I have something for you both."

I handed them a thick printout—Chapters 1 to 14.

"Read this. Deeply. Absorb the voices. Then give me a few proposed endings. Doesn't have to be perfect. But it has to be real."

They nodded in unison."Yes, Sir!"

Maybe this could buy me some time.

The Pilot Episodes Air on Netflix

Friday. 8PM KST.

"The Ones I Loved Not Meant For Me" launched on Netflix Korea.

By midnight, we were getting decent engagement.

By 3AM, we were viral.

A viewer from Busan clipped a scene from Episode 2—Clarisse, standing outside the pediatric ward, frozen in grief as a baby's cry echoed behind her.

No dialogue.

Just soft piano and a heartbeat.

The video hit 3.7 million views in 12 hours on TikTok.

By morning, hashtags were trending:
#ClarisseAndWilliam
#TheOnesILoved
#ClockOnTheLeft

Netflix Korea Email (Leaked)
Subject: Immediate Release Strategy Review
"Viewer Retention Rate for Episodes 1–3 is at 94%. Unprecedented.
We recommend speeding up production for Episodes 4–8.
Please submit story outlines within 5 business days."
Mr. Choi burst into the meeting room, waving the email.

"This is it! This is our moment!"

Coffee Trucks. Yes. Coffee Trucks.
By Monday, three trucks lined up outside DreamNest HQ.
With banners that read:
"To the angels behind Clarisse and Ethan — thank you for the tears."

"To DreamNest: Don't sleep. Write faster!"

"Min Yee, you monster! But a genius!"

I chuckled.

Out loud.

But in my head?

"You're thanking me for a story that doesn't even have an ending yet."

Streaming Explosion

Then came the wave.
HBO Max Asia-PacificViuiQIYIAmazon Prime Video Japan

They all came with proposals, funding offers, exclusive streaming deals, even adaptation rights.

It wasn't just a K-drama anymore.

It was a Pan-Asian phenomenon.

Inside DreamNest

Mr. Choi couldn't contain himself.

"Do you realize what this means, Min Yee?! We're not just in history—we're rewriting it!"

I smiled.

"We're making history, sir."

But inside?

"I don't even have a goddamn ending."

The Pressure Builds

Mr. Choi approached me again.

"Min Yee, we're taping Episode 6. Episode 14 will begin shooting in weeks. Do you have the ending?"

"We're working on it, Sir!" I replied, steady.

In truth?

"I hope Jinhyuk and Minjae are working on that ending—and fast."

"Okay," Mr. Choi nodded.

"We'll do a reading next week. Take the weekend off. Rest while you can."

"Thank you, Sir," I said.

Later that night, I messaged Jinhyuk and Minjae.

They replied immediately.

"The proposal is ready. We'll finalize by Monday."

I leaned back on my chair and exhaled—slowly.

"At least... everything is going as planned."

Or so I thought.

To be continued...